----------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE BEST NEWS YOU'LL GET ALL WEEK Oh... and to contact us with your news because If It Matters To You It Matters To Us! email nationalnews@wia.org.au http://www.wia.org.au (click news in member area) Submit your audio news Please.. If you are only submitting text and not audio, write your story as you would expect to hear it being read back and NEVER send just links & url's. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WIANEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING NOV 29 2009. ALL UP AND COMING IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA FOR WEEK COMMENCING NOV 29 2009 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRIPLE ZERO A man lying in a hospital bed phoned triple zero to get urgent medical help when no one responded to the nurse call button. The man was in the Hobart Private Hospital's high-dependency unit here in VK7 after an operation and woke to find he was bleeding. He rang his bell to obtain help from nursing staff, said the Health Complaints Commissioner annual report released yesterday. Finally, the man called the emergency triple-zero telephone number before he was treated. Commissioner Allston's report says a night duty supervisor arrived at the man's bedside at the same time as two nurses who had been attending other patients in the ward. MORE ON THE QANTAS STORY Did space radiation nearly down a jetliner? Cosmic rays are the latest theory as to the cause of a Qantas flight in October last year that gave its passengers and crew a roller-coaster ride, as the aircraft's nose pitched violently downward twice in rapid succession. The Australian Transport Safety Board is now seriously considering whether cosmic radiation corrupted the aircraft's flight control systems throwing passengers and in-cabin luggage around. Eleven passengers and a flight attendant were seriously injured. The jet made an emergency landing rather than continue after plunging 650 feet, leveling out only to drop a further 400 feet. A stream of high-energy galactic and solar radiation constantly interacts with the Earth's upper atmosphere. This can create neutrons with the potential to affect aircraft avionics systems. Earlier thoughts that electromagnetic radiation from passenger laptop computers, or powerful radio signals from a military base near the flight path, have both been ruled out as a cause of the malfunction. The International Space Station experiences cosmic rays interactions and special precautions are taken to protect the space-craft and its crews. I'm Barry Robinson VK3PV and you're listening to VK1WIA. HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA. VK4 web service local news:- www.wiaq.com/qnews/upload/qnewsbcast.htm local news email qnews-vk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com VKR Roundup http://www.police.qld.gov.au/News+and+Alerts/Media+Releases/ Last weekend, Nov 22 Townsville Amateur Radio Club held her 2009 AGM amongst the shady trees and well maintained gardens of Rossiter Park in Aitkenvale. An eager throng of attendees were at the venue from 7am when Ken VK4QZ cranked up his BBQ with wheels and proceeded to turn out yummy pancakes made to Lex's modified recipe by Richard VK4FRJG. Not ONLY pancakes, but a true "ham and eggs" feast! The AGM proceedings got underway from 8-30am and, with a lot of local hams present at the meeting! Details from "MATMAN" in the local QUEENSLAND QNEWS thismorning. EDUCATION YOUTH AND ADVANCEMENT OF AMATEUR RADIO www.hamcollege.com.au NOW YOU KNOW!: IT'S ALL GREEK TO ME Ask any high school physics student and they'll tell you that electrons govern pretty much everything we do. We call electrons in motion an electrical current, and those radio waves that we hams are so fond of are the result of high frequency electrons traveling in our antenna conductors. Think of a 40 meter wave as an accidental tourist who wants to go somewhere (somewhere nice and warm, maybe a rare DX station). But how to get there? It needs some mode of transport -- think of electrons as the transport providers. We use our transmitters to move the electrons in our antennas to-and-fro to produce radio waves, hopefully to that rare DX destination. When the radio waves get there, they set electrons in another antenna in motion. That current -- electrons in motion -- is amplified and detected at the receiving location and a QSO is made. But why do we call them electrons? The ancient Greeks noticed that amber attracted small objects when rubbed with fur; apart from lightning, this phenomenon is thought to be man's earliest known experience of electricity. Back in the year 1600, the English physician William Gilbert -- in his treatise De Magnete -- coined the New Latin term electricus to refer to this property of attracting small objects after being rubbed. (sourced to arrl) Donation to Irish Society The IRTS has received a very generous donation from one of its members, John EI6IJ. For health reasons, John has been forced to cease driving and has presented the Society with his 2008 Kia Rio hatchback automatic! The car has been converted for disabled use and professionally fitted out with a FT857. It is intended that the proceeds from the sale of the car would be used to assist members who for reasons of changed circumstances such as ill health or change of accommodation are finding it difficult to practice and enjoy their hobby. The fund would also support the promotion of Amateur Radio in schools and other youth organisations. Well done John EI6IJ! INTERNATIONAL NEWS Icom IC706 has ceased production News has filtered through from ICOM Japan that the very popular IC-706 Mark 2 G HF VHF UHF Transceiver has ceased production. Advice has also been received from ICOM premium dealer Navcom Electronics that there are only 14 units currently held in stock in Australia and that this stock is expected to deplete rapidly. There is good news as well though, as from 16 November 2009 all ICOM amateur radio equipment is being backed with a 5 year warranty. Thanks to Bazz VK4TBD at Navcom Electronics for most of this information. E-VOTING COMES TO THE RSGB Electronic voting has come to Radio Society Great Britain's elections. This with word that a new electronic voting system administered by the Electoral Reform Society is now up and running for voting in the RSGB 2009 balloting. There are four Board places to be filled and Region 9 also has an election for the Regional Representative position. RSGB members have until noon on December 10 to register their vote. (arnewsline) FAMED INVENTOR LOUIS KING PASSES AWAY Louis Arthur King, 94, the founder of Kintronic Labs has passed away. Considered to be one of the nations finest consulting engineers, Louis King started his engineering career as a professor in the electrical engineering department at Clemson College, now Clemson University. That's where he instituted the teaching of radio engineering courses. He later went on to help design the first air-cooled 50 kilowatt AM transmitter at RCA and received the patent for the bistable multi-vibrator, better known as the flip-flop circuit. Louis King was recognized by the National Association of Broadcasters in 2007 as the recipient of the NAB Lifetime Radio Engineering Achievement Award. (arnewsline) G8KW Silent Key Rowley Shears G8KW who established KW Electronics has passed away at the age of 90 Those UK Radio Amateurs who joined the hobby in the 1950's or 60's will be familiar with the range of Amateur rigs that KW Electronics produced at the Vanguard Works in Dartford, Kent. During this period KW Electronics was the UK's leading Amateur Radio manufacturer. Rowley G8KW will be fondly remembered by users of rigs such as the KW Vanguard, KW Valiant, KW Viceroy, KW Vespa, and KW 2000. (SOUTHGATE) COMMUNICATIONS IN A SHRIMPS EYE From the technology page comes the story of the remarkable eyes of a marine crustacean could inspire the next generation of DVD, CD players and possibly telecommunications gear. This, according to a new study from the University of Bristol published in Nature Photonics. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in a recent 'cast said that the mantis shrimps used in the study are found on the Great Barrier Reef here in Australia and have the most complex vision systems known to science. They can see in twelve colours while humans see in only three. Also, it can distinguish between different forms of polarized light. Special light-sensitive cells in mantis shrimp eyes act as quarter wave plates which can rotate the plane of the polarization of a light wave as it travels through it. This capability makes it possible for mantis shrimps to convert linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light and vice versa. Manmade quarter-wave plates perform this essential function in CD and DVD players and in circular polarizing filters for cameras. However, these artificial devices only tend to work well for one colour of light while the natural mechanism in the mantis shrimp's eyes works almost perfectly across the whole visible spectrum from near-ultra violet to infra-red. This would not be the first time humans have looked to the natural world for new ideas. In another bit of research the lobster's compound eye recently inspired the design of an X-ray detector for an astronomical telescope. This new research into the amazing vision capabilities of the mantis shrimp and how it might one day improve communications in the human world was conducted at the University of Bristol's School of Biological Sciences in collaboration with colleagues the University of Queensland here in VK. OPERATIONAL NEWS - ON AIR CONTEST COLUMN - D A T E L I N E 2009 NOV 28 - 29 VK SPRING VHF-UHF FIELD DAY NOV 28 - 29 CQ WORLD WIDE CW March 21-22 John Moyle Field Day DECEMBER 6 BROADCAST thats a week away will feature a special RD expose' by Peter Harding the Contest manager these past couple of years. As this IS an important report he trusts you will tune in! SPECIAL EVENT CALLS, BEACON DX AND NET ADVICE hf nets ON the net, www.timroberts-vk4yeh.id.au/ GB 40 WAB 40th anniversary of the WAB Till Dec 31 OZ 1658 ROS 350th anniversary of the Treaty of Roskilde Till Dec 31 VARIOUS SM STATIONS USING 1658 (Treaty of Roskilde) Till Dec 31 VP 9 400 /home call 400th Anniversary of Bermuda Till Dec 31 VR 2009 EAG The 5th East Asian Games Hong Kong Till Dec 31 YL 90 AIR 90yrs of Latvian Air Force Till Dec 31 The 29th Indian Antarctic Expedition vU3BPZ will be in Antarctica with the 29th IAE. The crew has finished the pre Antarctic training & medical checks. The overwintering Team will start a long term operation till March 2011. VU3BPZ will be on the air from Maitri Base (WAP IND-03, IOTA AN-016) using his personal call VU3BPZ and also a special call AT1OBP on the way to be issued by Ministry of Communication & IT for the event. QSL via VU3MKE. Daniel EI9FHB should be active from the Kish lighthouse until Wednesday 9 December. The Kish lighthouse is located about 10 miles east of Dun Laoghaire and marks a sandbank on the route to Wales. It's a 'newish' light, built in '65 and is undergoing a major overhaul of power systems and navigational aids. Daniel will be operational on HF voice. WIRELESS WEATHER Solar Cycle 24 continues to ramp up Cycle 24 sunspot group has been numbered 11033 by the NOAA/SWPC. It is located near N17E20 and contains a beta magnetic signature capable of producing very small B class solar flares. SIDC Belgium assigned it Catania #28. The old solar cycle 24 sunspot group #11029 has produced new sunspots and has been re-numbered 11033 by NOAA/SWPC. SIDC Belgium has given the sunspot group Catania 30. It is located near N21E47 and contains a beta magnetic signature capable of producing very small B class solar flares. The NOAA/SWPC sunspot number is 29 (the second highest so far for cycle 24) and the SIDC Belgium sunspot number is 30. The solar flux index (SFI) is 77.4 The new sunspot groups could push the SFI above 80 in coming days. This would raise the maximum usable frequency (MUF) of the F layer high enough to improve propagation conditions on 20, 17 and 15 meters. Solar cycle 24 continues to ramp up this month! (Thomas F. Giella, NZ4O via southgate news) THE QNEWS WORK BENCH - the nuts and volts report - (Measure twice - Cut once!) BOSE INTRODUCES WIRELESS STREAMING AUDIO SPEAKER Audio equipment maker Bose has introduced its new SoundLink wireless music system. This is a one-piece portable speaker system that allows users to play streaming audio from their computer wirelessly in and around the home. The new SoundLink system was designed as a simple solution for people who listen to sound stored on their computer, but do not necessarily want to be at their computer to hear it. No software or Wi-Fi connection is required. Just plug the included USB key into the computer, select the sound from any Internet source and the audio will stream to the SoundLink system via a long-range wireless link that works through most walls and floors. The included infrared remote control operates the power and volume. It can also send transport control commands to most applications, allowing users to skip tracks or play/pause from a distance. More information about this novel product is on-line at www.Bose.com (ARNewsLine) PL-259 CONNECTOR TOOL FOR COAX CABLES Tired of using pliers to screw on the PL-259 connectors when you are preparing cables? This work bench tip from the pages of the ARRL Letter. Pliers always seem to do some damage by the amount of force this task requires. I use an inexpensive 1/2 inch PVC female to male coupler. Simply use a step drill and ream out the female end. This works for most half inch coaxial cables. PL-259s do vary in diameter. Be sure to measure yours before you ream out the PVC adapter. It will not take a lot of reaming for the connector to fit snugly. The outer part of the PL-259 that fits into the connector is 0.55 inch diameter. This makes a secure fit. If you wear out the adapter, purchase another, as they are inexpensive. This works for Paul K4AVU. WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO AMATEUR OLD-TIMERS http://www.raotc.org.au OLD TIMERS Members and friends of the Radio Amateurs Old Timers Club Australia are reminded that the next news and information broadcast will take place on the first Monday of the Month. using the RAOTC callsign of VK3OTN. 10.00 am Victorian time on 7.060 and 3.650 MHz plus 1.843 MHz AM, and 145.700. On 14.150 MHz at 01.00 UTC beaming north and 02:00 UTC west from Melbourne For those not yet retired, 8.30 PM Victorian time tune 80 metres 3.650 MHz and in Tasmania, but at Victorian time, 8:30 on the Mount Duncan repeater 146.625. With the objective to maintain interest and good fellowship among those who qualify for membership, full membership of the RAOTC is available to any person who has held, or has been qualified to hold, an Amateur Licence for a minimum of 25 years. Associate membership is available to any person who has held, or has been qualified to hold, an Amateur Licence for a minimum of 10 years. Associate members are entitled to all the privileges of Full Membership except the right to vote or to hold office. Radio Amateurs Old Timers Club P.O. Box 107 Mentone Vic 3194 www.raotc.org.au Phone : 03 9579 5600 WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- INTERNET --- THE HAMS DOMAIN Become a Martian NASA and Microsoft Corp. have collaborated to create a Web site where Internet users can have fun while advancing their knowledge of Mars. Drawing on observations from NASA's Mars missions, the 'Be a Martian' Web site will enable the public to participate as citizen scientists to improve Martian maps, take part in research tasks, and assist Mars science teams studying data about the Red Planet. "We're at a point in history where everyone can be an explorer," said Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "With so much data coming back from Mars missions that are accessible by all, exploring Mars has become a shared human endeavor. People worldwide can expand the specialized efforts of a few hundred Mars mission team members and make authentic contributions of their own." Participants will be able to explore details of the solar system's grandest canyon, which resides on Mars. Users can call up images in the Valles Marineris canyon before moving on to chart the entire Red Planet. The collaboration of thousands of participants could assist scientists in producing far better maps, smoother zoom-in views, and make for easier interpretation of Martian surface changes. To enroll as a virtual Martian citizen and start exploring, visit the url typed up in this weeks text editions of WIA National News. http://beamartian.jpl.nasa.gov (SouthGate) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- QRP Version 2.0 of WSPR released Joe Taylor K1JT has released a new version of his Weak Signal Propagation Reporter software WSPR WSPR (pronounced "whisper") stands for "Weak Signal Propagation Reporter." This program is designed for sending and receiving low-power transmissions to test propagation paths on the MF and HF bands. Users with internet access can watch results in real time at WSPRnet. WSPR 2.0 introduces a number of new features including a user-friendly setup screen with drop-down selection of audio devices and rig-control parameters, support for compound callsigns, fine selection of the fractional time for transmitting, and a Tune button. A new Advanced setup screen offers optional CW identification and tools for frequency calibration and automated frequency corrections for your radio. Full details are presented in the WSPR 2.0 User's Guide, which you will need to read in order to use the new features. WSPR 2.0 can be downloaded from http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wspr.html WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RESCUE RADIO EMERGENCY FREQUENCIES IARU REGION 3 3.600, 7.110, 14.300, 18.160 and 21.360 MHz Disaster Communications on Facebook Members of TCSWAT - The Turkish Special Wireless Activity Team - have set up a new platform for the 'Disaster Communications' on Facebook. You can click the link in the text edition this week. www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=339153870400 to be the member of Disaster Communication .... (TA0U via southgate) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ATV (Every pixel tells a story) - Video arvideonews.com hamradiotube.com youtube.com VK3RTV DATV update The digital amateur television VK3RTV on Mt Dandenong east of Melbourne is now operational with analogue inputs on 1250MHz and 10.41GHz, and now DVB-S on 1276MHz. A new downlink antenna is being built for DVB-S on 1250MHz. Repeater custodian Peter Cossins VK3BFG advises that it is resulting in very good quality and no pixellation on fast moving objects. VK3RTV operates on 446.5MHz with a multiplexed output providing VK3RTV1 and VK3RTV2. Each channel runs at 5.5 Megabits. There are many Set Top Boxes, and some USB digital receivers with manual tune capability that will receive the signal. Further developments with the VK3RTV project include touch tone selected signal and quality reports. A number of radio amateurs are receiving VK3RTV on a domestic television antenna. Others need a good 70cm yagi. The digitisation of VK3RTV is funded by Amateur Radio Victoria with additional support of $1,000 from the WIA Club Grants Program, plus volunteer out of pocket and in-kind donations. I'm Barry Robinson VK3PV and you're listening to VK1WIA REWIND - A LOOK BACK IN HISTORY THE WORLDS FIRST RADIO STATION What is the world's first radio station? Although AM radio broadcasts were tested in 1906 and used for voice and music broadcasts up until WW1 it wasn't until 1916 in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania when 8XK began regularly scheduled broadcasts. 8XK would receive the first official broadcasting license in 1920 with the call sign KDKA. But there's more to this story. At 6:00 PM on November 2, 1920 the US presidential election returns were announced from a shack in East Pittsburgh by Leo Rosenberg and KDKA became the world's first commercial radio station. More on this story is at the National Museum of Broadcasting website at the U-R-L found in this weeks printed report. http://nmbpgh.org/conrad_project/historical_background/commercial.htm SOCIAL SCENE 2010 JAN 4 - 14 VK2 AUSTRALIAN SCOUT JAMBOREE Cataract Scout Park south of Sydney. JAN 24 VK2 Mid North Coast Amateur Radio Group's Radio Expo 2010 8.30am St Johns Church Hall, Mc Lean Street Coffs Harbour. JAN 30 VK4 Bunya Mts & Dist AmCom host "HAM AND WINE FEST 2010" at Maclagan. FEBRUARY 14 VK3 WIA 100 Centre Victoria RadioFest No. 3. FEBRUARY 28 Wyong Field Day, Wyong Race Course. APRIL 2 VK3 Midland Amateur Radio Club's Radio, Electronic & Astronomy Expo. Venue to be advised. JUNE 5 VK2 Oxley Region Amateur Radio Club's 35th Annual Field Day. JULY 17 VK3 GGREC Hamfest Start Time : 10:00 Oct 29 - 31 VK1OOWIA Westlakes ARC during our WIA centenary celebrations. NOV 7 VK5 2010 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society Hamfest Rosa St Goodwood 2012 15TH IARU REGION 3 CONFERENCE hosted by V.A.R.C. in Ho-Chi-Minh City, Vietnam. JAN 23-FEB 17 YEAR 2012 World Radio Conference WRC-11 Geneva 23rd January TO 17th February 2012 MAY 4-7 2012 VK5 YL International 2012 Australia (vk5tmc@bigpond.com) WIANews - we've reported...YOU decide. Societies and Club News Letter Editors can EXCHANGE a feed prior to the actual broadcast date, e-mail nationalnews@wia.org.au Call-backs follow the RF editions, but also for text readers you may lodge a quick reply to let us know you read it, who knows, you might even get a "cheerio call". Thanks to to our dedicated band of broadcast volunteers who utilize their time and equipment in bringing you this weekly broadcast. The purpose of "WIANews" is to rapidly provide news of interest to active amateurs residing in Australia and the globe. We strongly encourage membership in the Wireless Institute of Australia and participation in the activities of local clubs. Opinions expressed in "WIANews" are those of the writers who submit material and do not necessarily reflect those of the rebroadcasters, nor the National WIA, but are broadcast in the spirit in which they were submitted. Material may be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form, a credit to WIANews wouldn't go astray... Compiled by VK4BB on behalf of the National WIA.