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 AUGUST 15 2010. ALL UP AND COMING IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA FOR WEEK COMMENCING AUGUST 15 2010 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Top of the news- HIGH FIVES AT VK100WIA CONTACT 10,000 Members of the Southern Peninsula Amateur Radio Club (SPARC) in Victoria Australia are thrilled at having logged the 10,000 contact for the special callsign VK100WIA. Club Secretary John Ross VK3BJR reports that at 10.26am local time (0026 UTC) last Sunday the club activating VK100WIA at the Rosebud Scout Hall put the online log of QSO’s into five figures, by contacting Rob Tilbury VK2LOZ at North Nowra in New South Wales. There was an air of anticipation among club members leading up to the milestone achieved by the contact on the 40m band with 59 signal reports being exchanged both ways. John VK3BJR said, “High fives were the order of the day as the goal of taking the tally beyond 10,000 had been set at the start of our three days of operation. “SPARC has forwarded a Special Certificate to Rob prepared by the Club to acknowledge him being logged as contact number 10,000.” The club knew that the 10,000th contact was within its grasp but that it required 274 contacts to be made to achieve the milestone. Setting up the station at the Scout Hall helped take the activity to the public as the location is right beside the beach for which Rosebud is so famous. Over the three day period, SPARC logged more than 500 contacts working from its clubrooms, members’ homes and the scout hall. John VK3BJR said it was a most enjoyable activity for the Club and the level of activity encountered on the bands demonstrated the popularity of the Centenary of Organised Amateur Radio in Australia celebration. Most stations contacting VK100WIA indicated they either had, or were working towards the WIA Centenary Award. (Jlinton) A STATISTICAL LOOK AT VK100WIA An analysis of the online log shows that more than 20% of the contacts made so far were with stations outside Australia. David Park VK3JDA has made an analytical examination of the highly successfully special callsign VK100WIA. Some 2,000 DX contacts having already been made, and another ten weeks before the roster of WIA affiliated clubs ends, even more will be logged. The initial hope of the WIA Centenary Committee that VK100WIA callsign will itself qualify for the DXCC, is now certain to be achieved. About a third of the online log is for amateur stations who have made a single contact. Many of those making multiple contacts will be doing do with the intention of qualifying for the WIA Centenary Award. The top band used for the special callsign is 40m recording 4,500 contacts, 80m around 2,200, 20m 1,500 and 2m accounting for 1,300. Thank you David VK3JDA for his statistical insight on the VK100WIA log. (jlinton) WIA CENTENARY AWARD UPDATE So far more than 50 award applications have been received, verified and issued with an award certificate. These include the first awards being issued to New Zealand Gavin Reid ZL1TBA, Vladimir Medvedev RW0LIF Russia and Pehr Hending OH6IU Finland. Awards have also been issued to radio amateurs in all VK states, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. If the VK100WIA online log is any guide there are many more who have already qualified but not yet claim the award. (Jlinton) VK100WIA GETS EU PILE-UP The Hills Amateur Radio Group (HARG) in Perth Western Australia has created a YouTube video clip of a frantic dogpile on 20m chasing a contact with the special callsign VK100WIA. Operating VK100WIA was Marty Martin VK6FDX, who is seen in the video dealing with what sounded like dozens of stations calling at once during the opening to Europe that lasted 180 minutes. Marty VK6FDX said afterwards "It was a fantastic weekend and the most fun I’ve ever had on HF". He was joined in the shack with HARG President Martin Stretton VK6ZMS and club member Craig Lamb VK6FLAM. HARG was successful in obtaining good local media coverage of its part in the world-wide celebration of the Centenary of Organised Amateur Radio in Australia. Martin VK6ZMS said the Hills Amateur Radio Group was "excited and proud to be taking part in such a historical celebration." He added that during the weekend about a dozen people who visited the club’s radio shack asked about the hobby, had their questions answered and informed about the training courses and licence assessments provided by the Ham College. ILLAWARRA CLUB ACTIVATION REPORT The Illawarra Amateur Radio Society is today operating VK100WIA from the world renowned - Wollongong Science Centre. Club President Tony Stone VK2TS says it’s part of a practical demonstration day to celebrate the Centenary of Organised Amateur Radio in Australia. In a statement issued to local news media he explains how amateur radio has provided emergency communications on many occasions such as the Cyclone Tracy disaster in Darwin, the Indian Ocean Tsunami, Earthquakes in China and Haiti and the Victorian Bush Fires to name a few. Tony VK2TS invites the public to attend the display, pick up a microphone and with some simple coaching, and have a radio conversation under the guidance of experienced operators. (jlinton) EVEN MORE PUBLICITY FOR AMATEUR RADIO ABC Ballarat in Victoria has carried a lengthy interview in relation to the Centenary of Organised Amateur Radio in Australia. Let’s now listen to part of the session then went to air last week. The first voice we hear is the breakfast program presenter Janine McKenzie. Take note how the Central Goldfields Amateur Radio Club's Peter Rafferty effectively took on the role of a regional spokesman for amateur radio. (Play audio). The interview also had Peter VK3CC explain the various aspects of the hobby and provide details how listeners could contact either his club, the Ballarat Amateur Radio Group or the Midland Amateur Radio Club. As a result of the radio session and local newspaper articles there are now five people who had learnt about amateur radio and now ready to join the next Foundation Licence class. CLUB THANKS THE WIA FOR ITS SUPPORT The Oxley Region Amateur Radio Club has acknowledged the support it received from the WIA for its 35th annual field day weekend held at Port Macquartie in June. Club President Henry Lundell VK2ZHE in a letter to the WIA President Michael Owen VK3KI said it was most appreciative of the great honour in having him attend this annual event. The Field Day held on the 12th and 13th of June was recognised as a WIA Support Centenary Activity which added to the occasion. Henry VK2ZHE said that the WIA Media Kit enabled the club to produce a professional media release which resulted in valueable press, radio and television publicity. He continued by saying 'the effort in producing this kit paid a handsome dividend in the hands of our club and I am pleased to see that other clubs are continuing to reap similar rewards for our hobby.' The Oxley Region Amateur Radio Club believes that the personal involvement of the WIA President left a lasting impression, resulting in support of the Institute as it moves into its second century. A LOOK AHEAD AT THE VK100WIA ROSTER Illawarra Amateur Radio Society began its three-day roster slot today and will be heard during the Remembrance Day Contest, using HF and 2-metres. Listen for VK100WIA and give it a call. The Macedon Ranges Amateur Radio Club takes over at 10am local time Wednesday through to 10am on Saturday, with plans to put VK100WIA on air initially from the homes of members and then the Woodend Scout Hall in Forest Street, Woodend on Friday. That will be a public event with free tea and coffee, display of amateur and general radio and electronics equipment. The club will also involved local scouts and will be operating right up until the end of its rostered slot at 10am local time on Saturday. The Macedon Ranges Amateur Radio Club has also contacted its local newspapers and community radio station seeking publicity for the Centenary of Organised Amateur Radio in Australia. Next Saturday the Lockyer Valley Radio Electronics Club, the most western group in the Brisbane area, adopts the special callsign with rostered club members putting it on the HF bands, Phone, CW, PSK31, SSTV and ATV. Its club rooms at the Laidley Youth Centre will be open to the public 8am to 5pm, where computer displays and PowerPoint presentations will show off satellite tracking, DX Clusters and past ATV activity. Lockyer Valley Radio Electronics Club members will be available to answer any questions about the hobby, have the Foundation Licence Manual for sale and taking booking for a Foundation Licence training course. A good attendance by the public is expected following plenty of publicity in the local news media. And rounding out the roster for the month of August there will be the Mid South Coast Amateur Radio Club in VK2, the North East Radio Club from the Ardtornish School in St Agnes, South Australia, then VK100WIA is taken up by the Redcliffe And District Radio Club in Queensland. WIA President Michael Owen VK3KI president@wia.org.au Vice President Ewan McLeod VK4ERM vk4erm@wia.org.au Secretary Geoff Atkinson VK3AFA secretary@wia.org.au Treasurer John Longayroux VK3PZ vk3pz@wia.org.au The 2010 RD speech is available online at the WIA website and here is Peter Harding VK4OD with more on the event. AMATEUR RADIO GETS PEOPLE TALKING The WIA, as part of its Centenary Celebrations, is encouraging clubs, groups and individual radio amateurs to get on air on Saturday the 23rd of October to help promote amateur radio to the public. The object of the event is to introduce potential operators to amateur radio, while also working as many stations as possible on any and all amateur bands using a variety of modes. There will be two categories: A Public Station is a station run by three or more radio amateurs operating on a single callsign from a public place, or clubrooms open to the public for the duration of the event. And a Private Station is a station, which is an individual operating portable, mobile or from a private residence. All contacts require a serial number consisting of familiar contest exchange of signal report and contact number, plus a suffix, Public Stations use the letter F for general contacts or G when a guest non-licensed operator makes their first contact. Private Stations should use a suffix of H for a home, P for portable or M for mobile stations. A scoring system has bonus points which can be gained through a range of options which include: <.> When member of the public makes their first contact via amateur radio, for a station set up at a prominent public location <.> The use of renewable energy <.> Gaining of media publicity <.> And the attendance of a local, state of federal politician Amateur Radio Gets People Talking requires all stations to pre-register, and each will receive a participation certificate. Award certificates will go to the three highest scoring Public Stations and Private Stations. Prepare now for your participation in the event will be held on Saturday the 23rd of October. Full details and the rules will be appearing in the September edition of Amateur Radio magazine and the WIA website. CALLBOOK 2011 CLUBS INFORMATION DEADLINE The data for 2011 Call Book will be taken from your clubs’ detail page on the WIA website, _ON_ the 1st of September. Please ensure that your club details are up to date becuase whatever is on the website will be published in the next callbook. If you are having difficulties updating your details or you need help with the password for your page, please contact the WIA office. HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA VK0 VK1 VK2 Friday, 6th August 2010 ODARC had its Annual General Meeting, and the associated club elections. The club members would like to put out a special thanks to the 2009/2010 club management team, and would like to also welcome in the new team. The new team is as follows; Club President – Robert VK2ZRJ Vice President – Bob VK2ABP Secretary – Ross VK2ER Treasurer – John VK2TUV And the 3 Committee Members – Bruce VK2DEQ, Lez VK2SON and Lindsay VK2AMV   Recently the club has been having some great local media coverage on tv, radio and in the local newspapers. The media coverage has been for various things the club has been doing, notably the involvement in Glenroi Heights Public School in Orange, teaching the kids there some electronics and morse. Lez and Ross have been doing a great job with this each Thursday during school term. Additionally, the club had great exposure with the activation of the VK100WIA callsign and the open day held at the club rooms. From this we have gained some additional members, and people wanting to get licensed and on the air. One of the new members from the open day  is now studying to get his foundation licence has already been involved at the weekly school event at Glenroi Heights.   It really is great to see so much positive exposure for our hobby in the local area.   This has been submitted by Bob VK2ABP VK3 VK4 - QNEWS TREC NEWS FROM Dale VK4DMC As this news goes to air TREC members and other military radio enthusiasts are operating from the Rocky Creek War Memorial near Atherton for 65th anniversary of VP (Victory in the Pacific) Day. On display are working WW2 radios including a WS-108 Mk2, a BC-611/SCR-536 and Korean War vintage VRC-10, a PRC6 and an AN/GRC-9 along with more up to date amateur radio transceivers. Nick VK4YT, Chris VK4YCG, John VK4TL, Mike VK4MIK and Dale VK4DMC are demonstrating the equipment to a very interested public. They're are also making contacts for the Remembrance Day contest. Next weekend will see TREC members operating from the Archer Point Lighthouse for the International Lighthouse/Lightship weekend. Archer Point is around 20 kms south of Cooktown in Far North Queensland and has been a lighthouse location since 1883. We are looking forward to contacting many other lighthouse stations both within VK and overseas. Listen out for VK4WAT on the bands and give them a cooee. VK5 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society Technical Symposium September 19th 2010 9am -5pm Key speakers are Drew Diamond Home construction, Phil Harman HPSDR, Keith Gooley and Iain Crawford on Microwave techniques, Graham Dicker for front panel construction, Rob Gurr on early SSB construction techniques. Hans Smit will demonstrate his HPSDR. Venue: Belair Community Centre. Doors open 9am for 9.30 start. $20 at the door will get you entry, which includes morning and afternoon tea and lunch. Bona fide students $5 VK6 - NEWS WEST VK7 VK8 VK9 ACMA NEWS EDUCATION YOUTH AND ADVANCEMENT OF AMATEUR RADIO SILENT KEYS INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to RSGB, Southgate AR Club, the ARRL, Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART and the WW sources of the WIA. EGYPT FORMS NATIONAL HAM RADIO SOCIETY The Egyptian Radio Amateurs Society for Development or ERASD has been established as the new national official representative body for radio amateurs in Egypt. According to the IARU Region One website, even though amateur radio has been present in Egypt since the early 1920's, there was no officially recognized society to represent radio amateurs in that nation for nearly the past eight decades. Now, thanks to the earnest efforts by a steering group composed of SU1GS, SU1SK, SU1AO, SU1HM and SU1SA, such a body has been formed. More about it is on-line at www.qsl.net/eara (IARU) WEIRD AND WONDERFUL Giant Morse Key The amateur radio group of the Norman Lockyer Observatory, Sidmouth has unveiled its new morse key, designed and engineered by Nick, 2E0DIT. The key was first used at the group's special event station GB2NLO at Astrofair 7th August, Nick has no plans to start making kits but is open to offers. His next project could be a microphone! Watch the video on Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew31Kyy6IEA OPERATIONAL NEWS SPECIAL EVENTS AND ON AIR CONTEST COLUMN - D A T E L I N E 2010 Aug 14-15 WIA Remembrance Day Contest Peter Harding vk4od@wia.org.au Aug 21-22 International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend. register on website illw.net Oct 2- 3 WIA Oceania DX Contest Phone Tony Burt vk3tz@wia.org.au Oct 9-10 WIA Oceania DX Contest CW Tony Burt vk3tz@wia.org.au Oct 23 WIA Tune Into The World - Amateur Radio Gets People Talking nfd@wia.org.au NOV 20-21 WIA Spring VHF-UHF Field Day John Martin VK3KM tac@wia.org.au SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS, REPEATER BEACON DX AND NET ADVICE Asia Pacific DX Convention 2010, November 5-7 In addition to the usual presentations on recent DX-peditions, technical sessions, DX dinners, and so forth, this convention offers something special. Japan is where most of the amateur radio equipment is developed, and you will have the opportunity to join a tour to the Icom factory, participate in a technical session led by the Icom HF radio design team, and more. And don't forget, all of the programs at APDXC are conducted in English! For the non-ham members of your party, activities providing a chance to experience Japanese culture, such as tea ceremony and flower arranging, are being prepared. For more details, please visit the APDXC website at: http://www.apdxc.org/ [Audio uploaded] THE BIG DXPEDITION HAS SPARKED GLOBAL INTEREST The multi-operator DX0DX DXpedition to The Spratlys in the South China Sea is a much anticipated event for 2011 that has been 18 months in the planning. The licence has been issued and government approvals received for the 19-day activation of this much sought after DXCC entity from the 6th to the 24th of January. A multi-national team of 30 radio amateurs, including a contingent of eight Australians, is set to operate from four dedicated operating camps for SSB, CW, RTTY and 2m & 6m operation. Within weeks of the DXpedition being announced major corporate sponsors gave their endorsement (Icom America) by supplying ten top-line Icom IC7600 transceivers plus one IC9100 transceiver, Amplifiers (from Acom International, OM Power and THAMWAY Corp); Antennas ( SteppIR, Spiderbeam and Mosley- Electronics); Bandpass Filters (WX0B Array Solutions); Masts (Rohn Products); Head-sets (Heil Sound); and Feeders (The RF Connection) (plus Ham Radio Outlet). Adding credibility to the exercise has been Bob Schenck N2OO agreeing to be the DX0DX QSL manager. So far 15 individual radio amateurs have given online to give financial support. Experienced DXpeditioners (Charles Spetnagel W6KK and David Collingham K3LP) on the team have taken on the tasks of shipping the needed equipment and designing the station layout. The team's medical doctors are ready to assist should anyone become unwell, and to also outreach to the island's residents as part of the DXpedition's humanitarian, health and welfare contribution. Want to know more of to give the DXpedition your support, check out the DX0DX.net website (Jim Linton VK3PC) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ATV (Every pixel tells a story) - Video [arrlnewsline audio] CHANGING TECHNOLOGY: NZ ATV TO BE FORCED TO GO DIGITAL Digital Amateur Television is coming to New Zealand, but not necessarily because the Kiwi ham community wants to make the change. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, is here with the details: -- Hams down here in New Zealand will soon be forced to go digital if they wish to continue Amateur Fast Scan Television operations. This after our nations government regulators announce that all analogue modulated TV transmissions in the VHF and UHF broadcast bands, which include Channel 39 used by ham radio, will close down in March 2015, or at some earlier date. At that time the upper end of the New Zealand UHF television allocation will be cleared of television, so that the vacated spectrum can be used for next-generation mobile communications. One consequence of these decisions is that the existing television transmissions will need to convert to digital so as to fit into about half of the present spectrum, requiring that their transmission parameters need to be more closely defined than at present. For the Amateur Television service this means that each Radio License for analogue-modulated TV needs to be replaced by a Spectrum License for analogue-modulated TV. As part of the process, our government telecommunications regulator has cancelled all of the existing Radio Licenses for Channel 39 TV Repeaters. Operators of Channel 39 TV Repeaters need to close them down to avoid receiving an Infringement Notices from the regulatory agency. Those wishing to operate their analogue-modulated Channel 39 ATV repeaters between now and the 2015 Digital TV Switch-Over, will be required to apply for a Spectrum License. However this Spectrum License for analog ATV transmitters will only exist until the Analogue shut down date. Ham Radio access to New Zealand Channel 39 which runs from 614 to 622 MHz was made by footnote to the nations telecommunications regulations many years ago when a chunk of the 432 MHz band was taken from the amateur radio service. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Im Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, in Auckland -- At airtime, its not known how many of the nations Amateur Television Repeaters will apply for a new Spectrum License to at least temporarily keep their analog systems operational and on the air. (NZART, ZL2BHF) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER ---- 73 Trevor M5AKA WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- IOTA "Deal Island IOTA OC -195 John VK3DQ , Lino VK3EI and Les VK3MLM will lead a ten strong team of 
amateurs on a week long dxpedetion to Deal Island in March 2011
 Deal Island is part of the Kent group of Islands in the middle of Bass 
Strait almost midway between Wilson's Promontory and the coast of Tasmania.
Travel to the island will be by sea on VK3MLM's ocean going ketch 
"Wanderlust II "
 They intend to take a full quota of equipment with them so to be 
able to operate on most frequency bands and modes. A search on google shows us that Deal Island is a granite island with 
high cliffs and a lighthouse and a number of sandy coves so some effort 
will be required to move their supplies from Wanderlust to the radio site 
which will be located near the settlement (Deal Island has a population 
of two persons)
 So on of the first requirements is to ensure that the level of fitness 
is up to scratch which is going to come as a shock to some members of 
the team.
 Jean VK3VIP has offered to conduct a fitness program to ensure they are 
able to conduct the trip without too much huffing and puffing. Ohh the things we do for the hobby!! hihi More details of the trip will be on the web in due course. (John VK3DQ) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- LIGHTHOUSES AND LIGHTSHIPS [Audio uploaded] Only days to go before the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend Australia remains leader in terms of the number of registrations this year currently at 58 and setting a new record for that country. The very latest VK registration was made by the Summerland Amateur Radio Club VK2SRC that will activate the Richmond Head lighthouse at Ballina. Just before that registration, Trevor Close VK3ATX advised he will operate from Gabo Island in far eastern Victoria Australia, while intrepid portable QRP operator Peter Parker VK3YE has chosen the inner-suburban Port Melbourne lighthouse which is at the end of a tram line. Germany which has always strong support the weekend now has 55 registrations. Australia and Germany combined account for one third of this year’s nearly 390 registrations from 40 countries. Geoff Crowley MM5AHO is adding even more interest to the weekend by sailing to at least or possibly more of the rock mounted lighthouse on the west coast of Scotland. It’s all happening on the weekend of the 21st and 22nd of August. To see the full registration list or to register a lighthouse visit the website www.illw.net (Jlinton) SOCIAL BITS N BOBS JULY 25 VK2-3 Riverina Field Day JULY 25 VK7 Sorell Men's Shed Winter Ham Fest AUGUST 1 VK6 Northern Corridor Group Hamfest Cyril Jackson Sports Centre Ashfield NOV 7 VK5 2010 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society Hamfest Rosa St Goodwood Please think of the environment before printing this email ============================================================================= 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 VK3HXR on behalf of the National WIA. *****************************************************************************