SARL NEWS - SUNDAY 17 OCTOBER 2010

You are listening to ZS6SRL, the official radio station of the South
African Radio League, the national body for amateur radio in South
Africa, with a news bulletin every Sunday at 08:15 CAT in Afrikaans and
at 08:30 CAT in English. To listen to a web stream, visit
www.sarl.org.za, click on 'ARMI' and follow the links. PLEASE NOTE: for
audio via Echolink, connect to ZS0JPL-R.

You can download this bulletin and previous ones from www.sarl.org.za
and subscribe to receive future bulletins by e-mail.

Your news reader this morning is (name), (call sign), on 145,725 and
7,066 MHz from Pretoria, with relays on 7,066 and 3,695 MHz SSB. (Other
news readers change as applicable).

SILENT KEY

It is with regret that we have to announce that the key of Ivan Lister,
ZS6AUT, became silent on 9 October in the age of 79 years. Our sincere
condolences to his daughter Cathy, grand children, great grand children
other relatives and friends.

(PAUSE)

In the news today:

THE PRESIDENT'S NET TONIGHT COVERS THE DRAFT RADIO FREQUENCY SPECTRUM
REGULATIONS

RADIO AMATEURS PROVIDE COMMUNICATION SUPPORT DURING THE CHILEAN MINE
DISASTER

SARL MEMBERSHIP

You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more details on these and
other important and interesting news items.

THE PRESIDENT'S NET COVERS THE DRAFT RADIO FREQUENCY SPECTRUM
REGULATIONS

The draft Radio Frequency Spectrum regulations will be discussed
tonight at 19:30 on the President's Net. The SARL Council discussed the
draft regulations meticulously and has identified some areas of concern
that will be discussed during the Net.

The draft response by the SARL to ICASA will be available this morning
at www.sarl.org.za. The final response will be concluded by 31 October
and submitted to ICASA.

The Net will be transmitted on 2 m from repeaters in Cape Town, the
Port Elizabeth repeater network, Durban and Pretoria. There will also
be a relay on the Lowveld repeater network. On HF it will be broadcast
on 3 718 kHz. It will also be streamed on the Internet and on Echolink
by ZS6FCS. For more information visit www.sarl.org.za and click on
'ARMI'.

RADIO AMATEURS PROVIDE COMMUNICATION SUPPORT DURING THE CHILEAN MINE
DISASTER

The heroic rescue of the 33 miners who were trapped in the San José
Mine, from more than 700 m deep, captured the imagination of the entire
world. The miners, who were trapped underground for 69 days (5 km from
the mine entrance), were all in remarkably good health when they were
brought to the surface in a specially designed capsule, the Fenix. This
is the longest time ever that miners that have been trapped, were
rescued alive.

According to the Radio Cub de Chile (RCCH), that country's IARU
Member-Society, radio amateurs of the Radio Club Copiapó, CE1CPI,
provided communication support between the authorities and emergency
equipment operators inside the San Jose Mine complex, as well as with
family of the trapped miners and authorities in Copiapó. The mine is
approximately 43 km from the Chilean town Copiapó in the Atakama
desert.

"There are no other means of communication at the scene," said Radio
Club Copiapó President Jose Maldonado Lazo, CE1RXY, during the rescue
mission. "The group is working in the area of the mine with three
telephones, while radio amateurs in Copiapó are covering the needs of
SENCO (a construction company), SAMU (ambulances and EMT), and the
Interior Administration, the fire and police departments. We do this
with pleasure."

Some of the 80 members of the Radio Club Copiapó installed amateur
equipment in the mine complex. Volunteers from the club took shifts
from the moment the mine collapsed on 5 August to provide communication
support. This, together with additional mobile police stations,
hospitals and fire battalions, kept everyone abreast of all the needs
and urgent requirements. The specialised drills were provided by the
South African firm Murray and Roberts.

SARL MEMBERSHIP

The current membership of the SARL is 1 348 which is still 112 short of
our target of 1 460. If you have not yet paid your membership do it
now. Contact Mariska on Monday at 011 675 2493.

CORRECTION

In last week's English bulletin it was mentioned, in the item referring
to the President's Net and the changes to the radio regulations, that
ZR licensees would be allowed 29 dBW of output power. This should have
read 20 dBW. We apologise for any misunderstanding that this might have
caused.

CLUB NEWS

The Rustenburg Amateur Radio Club has been dormant for quite a while,
but slowly they are restoring life back into the club. They would like
to get information of all amateurs living in their area. Please log
onto their website at www.zs6rtb.co.za and let them know where you are.
They look forward to hearing from you, or you can join them by simply
sending them your e-mail address via SMS to 072 828 1709.

CONTEST NEWS

The SARL QRP contest will take place on 23 October. Further particulars
are available at www.sarl.org.za.

PROPAGATION REPORT

Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is still at low
levels. The new Sunspot 1 113 emerged over the sun's north-eastern limb
during the week and immediately announced itself with a towering
eruption. This region joins existing Sunspot 1 112 on the visible face
of the sun. The effective sunspot number is expected to be less than 20
for the coming week.

20 m will provide the best opportunities for DX followed by 15 and 10
m. Conditions to India will be good from the afternoon till after
sunset. During the afternoon conditions will be good towards Europe,
firstly on 10 m and followed later by good 15 and then 20 m openings.
Early evening 15 m contacts with the USA are at last promising again.
Contacts with Australia and New Zeeland are possible at sunrise on 20 m
and on 40 m after sunset.

15 m openings to Brazil and South America are possible during the
afternoons. With the good 15 and 20 m openings 17 m will also be full
of surprises.

For the CW and digital enthusiasts 30 m may be very rewarding with
openings to many parts of the world.

Locally 40 m is ideal for contacts around the country with 20 and 30 m
also being very functional for contacts over the longer distances. 80 m
will be best during the early mornings and late afternoons as well as
over the shorter distances.

80 m is the frequency of choice during the evenings.

Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.

DIARY OF EVENTS

17 October - President's Net at 19:30 on draft radio regulations. 23
October - SARL QRP contest.

We end today's bulletin on a happy note:

The President, the Council and members of the SARL congratulates Bert
Howes, ZS6HS, with his 95th birthday today the 17th October 2010.

Bert is no doubt one of the oldest and most active radio amateurs in
the world. He was first licensed in 1935 as ZS1AL in Cape Town.

Bert has had unbroken membership of the SARL for 75 years and in 2008
was awarded the President's Award by the SARL.

During his 75 years as a radio amateur, Bert has been most active in
the 5 m, 6 m, VHF, UHF and Moonbounce and has been an inspiration,
especially to those who are active in the higher frequencies.

As ZS1AL he was the first to pick up the BBC TV sound on 41,5 MHz in
1937 in the Union of South Africa and the longest TV distance at the
time as confirmed by the BBC. In earlier days he also pioneered 5 metre
transmissions from Table Mountain, and was the first to work a 6 metre
DX station when he hooked up with MD5KW in 1947.

Colonel Bert Howes served in the North African campaign in WW2, 1939 to
1945, as the right hand communications man to General Dan Pienaar and
only retired as a professional soldier in 1980.

Bert and his XYL Jenny will celebrate their 57th wedding anniversary in
December 2010, and still live in their own home.

Bert, our best. wishes to you and Jenny.

SARL News invites clubs and individuals to submit news items of
interest to radio amateurs and shortwave listeners. Submit news items -
if possible - in both English and Afrikaans to
www.sarl.org.za/newsinbox.asp, not later than the Thursday preceding
the bulletin.

The SARL also invites you to listen to Amateur Radio Mirror
International every Sunday morning at 10:00 CAT on 145,750 MHz in the
Pretoria area, with relays on 7 082, 7 205 and 17 560 kHz. There is
also a podcast by ZS6RO. For a web stream and Echolink by ZS6FCS, visit
www.sarl.org.za , click on 'ARMI' and follow the links. A repeat
transmission can be heard on Mondays at 22:05 CAT on 3 215 kHz. Sentech
sponsors the ARMI transmissions on the non-amateur frequencies.

In closing: The editors of SARL news have been struggling for quite a
while to obtain an acceptable Afrikaans translation for the word
"podcast". If you have any suggestions, please send them to Jannie,
ZR6PHD, with email address or any of the bulletins
editors.

You have listened to a bulletin of the South African Radio League,
compiled by Gustav, ZS6BWN. The bulletin editor was Jannie, ZR6PHD.

Thank you for listening, 73.

/EX