SARL NEWS - SUNDAY 26 DECEMBER 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 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. (Other
news readers change as applicable).

In the news today:

SARL COURSES

NEW LF AMATEUR RADIO BAND MAY BE REQUESTED AT WRC 2012

HABEX CHALKS UP ITS FIRST MAJOR SUCCESS

IS THERE A TECHNOLOGY LESSON FOR AMATEUR RADIO IN DSTV MOBILE?

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

SARL COURSES

Details of the first course to be present in 2011 are now available on
the web. Visit www.sarl.org.za for details of the PIC Programming
course which will be held at the SARL National Amateur Radio Centre on
Saturday 29 January. The course is open to anyone who wishes to learn
more about PIC programming. SARL members can book for the course at a
discounted fee.

NEW LF AMATEUR RADIO BAND MAY BE REQUESTED AT WRC 2012

Newsline reports that ITU Region 3 will likely back a proposal to
create a new, low frequency amateur radio allocation near 500
kilohertz.

The Asia Pacific Telecommunity or APT is currently hosting a gathering
of the regions' telecommunications administrations. This is one of a
series of meetings intended to develop common positions for all of
Region 3 prior to the World Radiocommunication Conference to be held in
Geneva in early 2012.

Of particular interest to the amateur community is Agenda Item 1.23. It
seeks an allocation of about 15 kHz in parts of the band 415 from 525,6
kHz to the amateur service on a secondary basis.

The International Amateur Radio Union Region 3 has representatives as
observers at these preparatory meetings. While this particular meeting
is not expected to adopt final positions, it is an important step in
the process leading to any decisions that will be finalised at WRC 2012
in relation to any new Low Frequency Amateur Service band.

HABEX CHALKS UP ITS FIRST MAJOR SUCCESS

The main HABEX payload flew in excess of 33 000 metres before returning
to the ground. The parrot repeater was the highlight of the day with
many radio amateurs making contact from as far afield as Harrismith and
Victoria West.

The balloon was launched at 07:10 and initially headed in a general
southerly direction turning SE. Just south west of Koppies, at about 18
000 metres, the balloon turned completely ,heading in a direct westerly
direction towards Bothaville. It was at this point that the balloon
burst.

Recovery teams who were chasing the balloon descended on the area and
started the search. Approximately an hour later the payload was found
in a farmer's field. Unfortunately the second balloon carrying a simple
controller board and ancillary equipment failed. The project was a
further learning curve for the team who will build on the knowledge
gained for further launches.

IS THERE A TECHNOLOGY LESSON FOR AMATEUR RADIO IN DSTV MOBILE?

Multichoice has done a great job in picking the right technology to
deliver a good signal over a wide geographical area for its mobile
service. Is there a lessons in it for Amateur Radio?

DStv Mobile deployed a network of synchronized transmitter stations all
radiating identical signals on the same frequency. In a single
frequency network (SFN) the receiver receives signals from the various
transmitters located at high sites in the coverage area. Under normal
circumstances these signals would interfere with each other as they
arrive at different times at the receiver because of propagation path
delays.

By utilising clocked transmissions and Time- and Frequency
Synchronization as well as the provision of a Guard Interval, signals
that arrive within the guard interval are considered as constructive
and add to the received signal strength. Signals outside the guard
interval are discarded.

It can be likened to diversity reception used with shortwave services.
Receive antennas were spaced a short distance apart to reduce fading
and to ensure a better reception. The diversity principal was used at
the Olifantsfontein radio station that in the early days provided
telephony with overseas long before satellites and submarine cables
were reality.

How about looking at it as an Innovation project? See
www.amateurradio.org.za for competition details.

PROPAGATION REPORT

Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is still at low
levels. The Earth-side of the sun has been spotless for six consecutive
days. Old Region 1 132 is expected to rotate back on the visible disk
soon. The effective sunspot number is expected to be less than 15 for
the coming week.

15 m will provide the best opportunities for DX followed by 20 m.
Conditions to India will be good from the afternoon till after sunset.
During the afternoons conditions will be fair towards Europa on 15 m,
later to be followed by fair 20 m openings. Early evening 15 m contacts
with the USA are possible. Contacts with Australia are possible on 20 m
during the late afternoons. 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 is 40 m the work horse for contacts around the country with 20
and 30 m also being very useful 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

31 December - Closing date for submission of logs for the PEARS HF QSO
Party to ; 31 December - Closing date for
submission of details for membership of the SA AMSAT satelliet team to
; 20 January 2011 - Closing date for submission
for application for the May 2011 RAE bursaries; visit
www.amateurradio.org.za for application forms; 20 January - Closing
date for submission of proposals and synopsis of papers for 2011 SA
AMSAT Space Symposium to ; 30 January 2011 -
Closing date for phase 1 of the construction competition.

SARL News invites clubs and individuals to submit terms 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.

You have listened to a bulletin of the South African Radio League,
compiled by George, ZS6NE.

Thank you for listening, 73.

/EX