SARL NEWS - SUNDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 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 'Amateur Radio Today' 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.

SILENT KEY

It is with deep regret that it must be reported that the key of Theo
Mcdulling, ZS1JM, went silent on the 2nd September 2011 at the age of
77 years.

Our sincere condolences to the relatives and friends of Theo.

(PAUSE)

In the news today:

SARL RADIO TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION HEADS FOR GAUTENG SATURDAY THIS WEEK

SARL GIVES FEEDBACK TO ICASA

INTERESTING BOOK FOR AMATEURS IN FLATS AND GATED COMMUNITIES

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

SARL RADIO TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION HEADS FOR GAUTENG SATURDAY THIS WEEK

The 2011 SARL Radio Technology in Action Symposium will be held in
Gauteng on Saturday 24 September at the National Amateur Radio Centre
and the Sentech auditorium. The programme features some interesting
discussions and presentations. There are also some great prizes to be
won by simply attending. Entrance cost is R60 which includes
refreshment an a finger lunch. Students and scholars who pre-book enter
fee of charge.

SARL Vice President, Mark Zank, ZS6YES, will talk, in line with
national heritage day, about the Heritage of Amateur Radio and where to
next. In the panel discussion the debate will be about "what if we
could have an advanced Amateur Radio license in South Africa, what
should it look like"? Chairmen of the Gauteng Club have been invited to
participate in the debate.

John Willescroft will be taking about FPGA's and Hannes Coetzee about
application of Software Defined Radio in Amateur Radio. He will take a
practical approach and demonstrate his design that won the innovation
competition.

Full details will be on the web this weekend at www.sarl.org.za.

SECOND LEG OF THE SARL VHF/UHF CONTEST THIS WEEKEND

The second leg of the SARL VHF/UHF contest is in full swing this
weekend. There are still a few hours left to make contact with stations
in rare grid squares.

VHF/UHF contests should be the test of operator ability and station
design but the overriding aim is to get away for the weekend and have
fun. But next after that, the aims a To promote activity on the
VHF/UHF and microwave bands, to encourage amateurs to work greater
distances than usual by operating portable and/or improve antenna
systems, to provide opportunities for people to activate or work new
grid squares. Look about for 7P8EME they are on the air from Lesotho.

SARL GIVES FEEDBACK TO ICASA

This past week the SARL has given feedback to ICASA on a number of
issues around regulations including minimum age for a class B licenses
and receivers with continuous tuning. The SARL is of the opinion that
there should be no minimum age for persons wishing to become a radio
amateur provided they pass the relevant examination and practical test.
The SARL made suggestions to ICASA how the regulation dealing with
receivers with continuous tuning can be changed to accommodate the
requirements of radio amateurs. The SARL also had the opportunity to
check the table of Amateur frequency spectrum allocations which are now
correct and ready for publication in the Government Gazette.

INTERESTING BOOK FOR AMATEURS IN FLATS AND GATED COMMUNITIES

The ARRL has published an interesting new book entitled "Small antennas
for small spaces". It is a valuable resource for amateurs who live in
apartments, condominiums, or houses on small lots. Filled with
practical advice, this book guides you to finding the right antenna
design to fit whatever space you have available. In the book you'll
find ideas and projects that will get you on the air regardless of
where you live! The book includes a collection of limited-space antenna
ideas from well-known amateurs, including the innovative Folded
Skeleton Sleeve 40 and 20 Metre Dipole Antenna by QST Technical Editor
Joel Hallas, W1ZR.

The book is available in South Africa from the SA Amateur Radio
Development Trust at R300 plus R30 packaging and posting. For more
details about this and other books visit
www.amateurradio.org.za/books.htm.

SARL MEMBERSHIP CLOSE TO THE 1 300 MARK

The membership of the SARL stood at 1 272 this Friday and we hope to
break the 1 300 mark during the coming week.

If you have not yet renewed you will still have a few more days before
your membership benefits will end. Pay by cheque, by bank deposit or
electronics transfer. Details are on the invoice you received or call
Mariska on 011 675 2393.

7P8EME DXPEDITION FUNDING

The SARL 7P8EME DXpedition appeal campaign is still in full swing. The
target is R10 000. As of today the fund stands at R5 200. Go to
www.amateurradio.org.za/7P8.htm for details. Please remember to send an
email to so that your contribution is recognised.

PLANNING TO WRITE THE RAE ON 20 OCTOBER?

RAE students are reminded that the closing date for registration for
the 20 October Radio Amateur Examination is on 25 September. No late
entries can be accepted. The various forms to be completed can be found
on www.sarl.org.za or follow the link on the SARL Today news item on
the home page.

NEED A QSL ROUTE?

Here are some great free sites for you and your friends -
http://www.dailydx.com/routes.html.

K2TQC, Bill Gibbons, reports tracking down a QSO, and eventually QSL,
for JZ0PH from an August 1961 QSO with Netherlands New Guinea, which
was deleted from the DXCC list April 30, 1963. The operator Joop Hesp
is now ZS6C. This was country No. 383 for K2TQC.

YL'S AND XYL'S ON THE GO

Heather, ZS6YE, started a YL Group. She is sends a monthly mail with
interesting news to YL'S. A new Ham YL's Facebook profile has also been
created. All YL's are invited to join the group; there are already
several international YL's who are also friends of the group. Please
contact Heather at or Anette if
you want your name also on the mailing list. Any YL and XYL is welcome
to forward any interesting news to be included in the newsletter. The
group is looking forward hearing from you girls.

FOLLOW A HIKING GROUP

On the 26th of Sept a group of hikers will start a 12 day hike in the
Drakensberge range. It will start at Mount Aux Sauces and end at
Boesmansnek.

Amateur radio will be used for communication, and to this end Johan
Leslie, ZR4CAA, is a member of the group.

Base camp will also be run by a radio amateur, John Longland, ZS6AA.
Use will be made of the 40 m, 80 m and the 2 m bands. For quite some
time now, tests have been ongoing around the communication procedures
and these procedures will be on the website
www.crossroadsadventure.co.za by Monday. The procedures are aimed at
making compact communications possible between the group and base camp,
at certain scheduled times.

Radio amateurs are requested to listen out for these call signs and
assist when an emergency situation seems to be arise by following the
procedures on the website. Ragchews with the group will not be possible
as they have limited battery power, but they aim to have a session at
the half way mark.

CLUB NEWS

The Centurion Radio Amateur Club will again commence with technical
discussions on the club's two meter repeater on 145,775 MHz. on Sunday
evenings, commencing at 19:30.

For this coming Sunday Pine, ZS6GS,T plans to discuss a little known
aspect of HF propagation, namely - "Magneto-ionic holes", and also tell
a tongue in cheek short story.

If you are in range of the repeater, do come along and listen to these
very interesting discussions. Please report in if possible.

The discussion will not take place when there is an Intecnet broadcast
that evening.

MAGALIES CLUB COMMITTEE

At the club's AGM held on 10 September, committee members for the 2011
- 2012 period were elected as follows:

Chairman Thys Maré, ZS6MJM Vice chairman Johann du Plessis, ZSZ6PSS
Secretary Anette Jacobs, ZS6D Treasurer Louis Mitchell, ZS6LWM
Technical adviser Sam van Zyl, ZS6JZ Digital Hannes Enslin, ZS6JDE
Teenspanning: Marco Nel, ZS6MJ Social Gordon Forbes, ZS6FI Public
relations Chris Smit, ZS6FCS Youth co-ordinator Johann du Plessis,
ZS6PSS Competition manager Quartus de Witt, ZS6EE.

The retiring committee thanks all the MRK members for their support
during the past year and wish strength to the new committee for the
activities for the coming year.

PROPAGATION REPORT

Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that sunspot complex 1 295-1 296 has
more than doubled in area and quadrupled in spot count since September
14th and is crackling with C-class flares. Another sunspot appears to
be forming on the southeast portion of the sun. An increase in solar
activity is further possible during the week.

For the people doing their own frequency predictions the expected
effective sunspot number for the week will be around 92, a new high for
this cycle.

20 to 15 m will provide the best DX opportunities with some exciting 10
m openings also possible due to the higher solar activity.

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

DIARY OF EVENTS Still make a financial contribution towards the 7P8EME
DXpedition which ends on 26 September. 18 September - Last day to
submit logs for the ZS6JVT Youth Spring Sprint Competition. 18
September - Tonight, at 19:30 Centurion Club's technical discussion on
145,775 MHz. in Pretoria. 23 September - Take your hand-held to work
today. 24 September - RTA in Gauteng. 25 September - Last day to enrol
for the October RAE. 25 September - Intecnet at 19:30. 26 Sept/7 Oct -
ZR4CAA and ZS6AA active with Drakensberge hiking group. 15/16 October -
Jamboree on the air. Till 31 October - ZL-stations with ZM prefixes and
ZL4RUGBY and ZL6RWC on the air.

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
'Amateur Radio TODAY', go down the green column and click on 'LISTEN ON
THE WEB'. 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 George, Z6SNE.

Thank you for listening, 73.
/EX
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