SARL NEWS - SUNDAY 10 APRIL 2011 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 for details. PLEASE NOTE: for audio via Echolink, connect to
ZS0JPL-R. You can download this bulletin and previous ones from
www.sarl.org.za and also subscribe to receive future bulletins by
e-mail. Your newsreader 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. In
the news today: SARL AGM ON AIR NEW REGULATIONS GET THE FACTS FIRST
CAPE TOWN RTA PROGRAMME NOW AVAILABLE POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS IN
SPOTLIGHT AGAIN You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more
details on these and other important and interesting news items. SARL
AGM ON THE AIR If you cannot attend the SARL AGM next Saturday, you can
follow the proceedings on the air and Echolink. Transmission will start
just before 09:00 on 7 082 kHz and 14 250 kHz. In Gauteng it can also
be heard on 145,750 MHz. The relay arrangements are by courtesy of the
Magalies Amateur Radio Club. NEW REGULATIONS The SARL has been in
constant contact with various persons in ICASA about the corrections to
the published regulations. The conference hosted by ICASA on the
digital dividend took several role-players out of their offices, which
has made it difficult to get any written confirmation. The official
dealing with the license renewals has telephonically confirmed that as
matters stand currently, class B license holders over 25 years of age
can renew their ZU license as before for the next two years. He advises
that during this two-year period they should work on upgrading to a
class A license. GET THE FACTS FIRST In general, discussion forums on
the web carry interesting information and discussions, but forum
postings are more often than not the opinion or perceptions of the
author and not necessarily the facts. The SARL forums are no exception
to this. Bear in mind that people posting on the forums are not
necessarily fully informed or aware of the latest developments. He or
she conveys his or her own views. In the case of the SARL, official
information is disseminated in SARL News and on the home page of the
SARL website. Specific information for members is also communicated in
a new SARL TODAY slot on the members-only web pages. Currently the new
radio regulations as published are available for download, as well as a
recording of last weekend's President's Net. Other information
available is how a club can run their own Class B examinations and an
explanation of how the SI metric system works and the correct
abbreviations for metric units. SARL members should click on the top
right hand of the homepage on Members Only and enter their pin. CAPE
TOWN RTA PROGRAMME NOW AVAILABLE The Radio Technology in Action
Symposium will be presented in Cape Town on Saturday 7 May 2011. The
venue is the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Bellville Campus.
Visit www.sarl.org.za and click on RTA. The programme features a panel
discussion on 'How can older amateurs get more out of amateur radio?'
You will learn more about Field Programmable Gate Array devices (FPGA).
The presentation will include a simple explanation of the FGPA, its
advantages, were you can use it, how it is used in amateur gear and
what to do to get started using FPGAs. If you live in the Western
Cape,you do not want to miss this annual SARL event. ARISSAT-1
CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST SPACE FLIGHT The ARISSat-1
satellite, presently still inside the International Space Station, will
be turned on and use an external antenna to celebrate the 50th
anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's first manned space flight. The
transmissions will begin on Monday 11 April 2011 at 14:30 UTC and
continue until 10:30 UTC on 13 April 2011. The solar panels are
currently covered, and the satellite will be powered only by the
onboard battery, running in low power mode. This means that the
transmissions will cycle, ON for 40-60 seconds and OFF for 2 minutes.
FM transmissions on 145,950 MHz will cycle between a voice ID, select
telemetry values, 24 international greeting messages in 15 languages
and SSTV images. One of the messages will be a conversation between
Yuri Gagarin and ground control. The CW transmissions on 145,919 MHz
will be callsign ID, select telemetry, and callsigns of people actively
involved with the ARISS programme. AMSAT will issue commemorative
certificates to those receiving the transmissions and sending an email
to or with your name or group, a
description of what you heard and the UTC when you heard it. Recording
the battery voltage values and the UTC will be especially helpful. Send
a report to SA AMSAT at and you could be the
lucky winner of the SumbandilaSat first-day cover released by the Post
Office on 1 April. More details on www.amsatsa.org.za. Include an audio
recording if you can. The BPSK transmissions on 145,920 MHz will
feature a new 1kBPSK protocol developed by Phil Karn, KA9Q, to be
readable in low-signal conditions. The BPSK data will transmit
satellite telemetry. A free ground station soundcard demodulator and
display software will be available. Watch www.amsatsa.org.za for
details of when it becomes available. The linear transponder will not
be active during this event. Roscosmos has announced that the satellite
will be deployed into orbit during the next 'space walk' or EVA in July
this year. POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS IN SPOTLIGHT AGAIN In this past
week, SARL Councillor Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV, represented the
SARL at a joint meeting of three SABS technical committees held to
discuss a new standard proposed for the use of powerline communications
(PLC) in controlling the electricity network, metering and the
so-called smartgrid applications. Eskom and some vendors had objected
to the ratification of South African National Standard (SANS 50065-1)
as they believe that the Standard does not meet all the Eskom and
possibly Metro requirements for managing the electricity grid. Eskom is
seeking to use frequencies up to 500 kHz while the Standard only covers
applications between 3 kHz and 148,5 kHz. Specifications between 148
kHz and 500 kHz are yet to be coordinated around the world. There is no
agreement between various industry players. One of the arguments is
that the band between 3 kHz and 2 MHz should be considered for use of
PLC for power utilities as new development in smart grid applications
point in this direction and there should be no argument as all
equipment would have to comply with CISPR 22 which will protect users
of the radio spectrum. Amateur Radio has two allocations in this
spectrum, the newly acquired 135,7-137,8 kHz and 1810 to 1850 kHz.
Currently, a revision to the 50065-1 standard is under consideration in
Europe. It was resolved that various studies will be undertaken which
should include the frequency spectrum management group of ICASA. The
joint committee will meet again in mid June. While broadband powerline
communication is still on the horizon, there have been no further
developments. The SARL is watching this space closely. NEW MEMBERS This
week we welcome Dennis van Blerk, ZS1TC, and Anthony Van Tonder, ZS1AB,
to the SARL. We trust your association with us will be mutually
beneficial. This brings our membership total to 1529 this week.
PROPAGATION REPORT: GIVE 10 METRES A TRY THIS WEEK With Hannes Coetzee
not available this week, Hans, ZS6AKV, reports that the geomagnetic
conditions are at quiet levels. Local HF working frequencies are
unstable to near monthly average predicted values. The outlook for the
next few days is that propagation conditions should be fair, with
operating frequencies variable from the predicted monthly average HF
working frequencies. A number of active areas are visible on the solar
disk. Most of them are magnetically quiet, but one is developing the
potential for C-class X-ray flares. Radiation events are unlikely. A
small coronal hole on the solar disk should become geo-effective this
weekend. The sunspot number outlook for this week is 97. Openings to
the USA east coast on 10 metres are predicted for the late afternoons
and early evenings while 15 metres is likely to offer better results
for contacts with the US west coast. For Europe the best results are
expected in the late afternoon with 10, 15 and 20 metre openings
peaking at around 18:00 CAT on 10 and 15. The 20-metre band is expected
to give good results till well after 22:00. To communicate with
stations in Australasia you will have to be an early riser. Conditions
are like to peak at our local sunrise on 15 metres Locally, 40 metres
will provide good communication over medium distances while 20 metres
is the frequency of choice between Cape Town and Johannesburg during
the daytime. 80 metres remains the frequency of choice after sunset.
For the CW and digital enthusiasts, 30 m may be very rewarding with
openings to many parts of the world. Please visit
www.spaceweather.co.za for further information. DIARY OF EVENTS 11
April - ARISSat-1 satellite celebrates 50th anniversary of Yuri
Gagarin's first manned space flight. 15-16 April - SARL National
Convention at Vaal University for Technology. 7 May - RTD in Cape Town.
18 June - Programming in Windows course in Gauteng. Book at
www.sarl.org.za. 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 date. The SARL also invites you to listen to Amateur Radio
Today every Sunday morning at 10:00 CAT on 145,750 MHz in the Pretoria
area, with relays on 7 082, 7 205 and 17 750 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 18:30 CAT on 3 230 kHz. Sentech
sponsors the ARMI transmissions on the non-amateur frequencies. You
have listened to a bulletin of the South African Radio League, compiled
by Hester van der Walt. Thank you for listening, 73.
/EX