WIANEWS - Sep 26 - VK NATIONAL NEWS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 SEP 26 2010. Queensland (VK4) Police warn of fake Microsoft scam OPERATIONAL NEWS NEWS FROM YOUR WIA NEWS FROM ACROSS VK NEWS FROM OUR INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS WORLD WIDE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NEWS SOCIAL SCENE ALL UP AND COMING IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA FOR WEEK COMMENCING SEPTEMBER 26 2010 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Queensland (VK4) Police warn of fake Microsoft scam Police from the Fraud and Corporate Crime Group are issuing a warning to the public following a dramatic increase in reports of a fake Microsoft scam currently targeting Queensland victims. The scam involves a victim receiving a phone call from a person purporting to represent well known computer company (most commonly Microsoft or a company contracted by Microsoft) telling the person they have a problem with their computer. The caller outlines the victim's computer is infected with a virus that has been brought to the company's attention - often via the Microsoft fault reporting process. The caller then offers to assist the victim and will "fix the problem" by directing them to a website where the caller remotely takes over the victim's computer. The representative then shows the victim the "issues" with their computer and suggests they pay a fee to have the problem fixed or need to purchase software to prevent this from happening in the future. "This is all just a scam. Microsoft has confirmed they are not cold-calling members of the community regarding viruses, computer problems or any other issue. Quite simply, these offenders are just looking to trick you into giving them money," Detective Superintendent Brian Hay of the Queensland Crime Operations Command's Fraud and Corporate Crime Group said. "Giving someone you don't know remote access to your computer is basically the same as handing your credit card details over to them. With this access, an offender can easily search your computer for banking or personal details or quite easily load Malware or Trojan software onto your computer. You may as well give them the key to your front door while you're there. OPERATIONAL NEWS - Hi this is Lesley, VK5LOL, the ALARA Contest Manager, with a reminder to all those who participated in the recent ALARA Contest. Your logs need to be in my post box or emailed by the end of this month the 30th September. Thank you. (Lesley VK5LOL ALARA Contest Manager) September 2-metre band SSB South-East Scramble Its on again folks, Today Sunday 26 September 1030-1045UTC, for 15 minutes of fast and furious action. This event has a strong loyal following in the South-East of mainland Australia, and they extend a warm invitation for others to give it go. All are welcome but please do listen on 144.150MHz before starting time. Want more information and the rules of the scramble? read rules and a link for more in this weeks text edition, best read at wia.org.au (http://www.amateurradio.com.au/vk3mq) USA TO HOST 2014 WORLD RADIOSPORT TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP In 1986, Ted Turner -- in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s -- created an international sports competition that he called the Goodwill Games. The first Games were held in Moscow with more than 3000 athletes from 79 countries competing. Four years later, the Games moved to Seattle, Washington and it was at those Games that the first-ever World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC) took place. Besides athletics, the Goodwill Games focused on areas of cultural exchange, arts and other unique subjects, one of these being Amateur Radio -- and WRTC was born. Radio amateurs from around the world gathered in Seattle for an Olympic-style event, joining in competition and camaraderie. In 1996, WRTC moved to San Francisco, then Slovenia in 2000, Finland in 2002, Brazil in 2006 and Russia in 2010. Now 18 years later, WRTC returns to the USA. Read more here www.arrl.org/news/usa-to-host-2014-world-radiosport-team-championship The results are in for the 2010 Waitakere Sprints series. Phone CW VK4ZD 1st VK ZL1ALZ 1st ZL1 VK4QS 2nd VK VK4SN 1st VK VK4QS who scored 2nd in the ZL contest appears to have topped the VK Jack Files Contest in 2010, un official reports suggest Michael won the VK4 Single Operator SSB section. Trent VK4TI suggests we spread the word that a new issue of PileUP! can be downloaded thru the website mentioned in the text version of this news, best read on wia.org.au www.helsinki.fi/~korpela/PU/PU.html It's 68+5 pages, a lot of fun reading by 28 contributing hams. WEIRD AND WONDERFUL SPACE News Solar Sail Project On a "light theme" the following was sent through by Tom VK7TL and is a fascinating look at a project where light is being used to move very small satellites through space. The Planetary Society is building a spacecraft that will sail on sunlight alone by the end of 2010. The new solar sail project, boosted by a one-million-dollar anonymous donation, is the beginning of an innovative program that will launch three separate spacecraft over the course of several years. The program starts with LightSail-1, which will demonstrate that sunlight can propel a spacecraft in Earth orbit. LightSail 2 and 3, more ambitious and aim to reach farther into space. Sailing on light pressure (from lasers rather than sunlight) is the only known technology that might carry out practical interstellar flight, helping pave our way to the stars. The project also has many practical applications that include Monitoring the Sun for solar storms, providing stable Earth observation platforms, and exploring our solar system without carrying heavy propellants. The solar sail propulsion is simple in concept. Light photons bounce onto a mirror-like aluminised Mylar sail. As each photon hits, its momentum is transmitted to the spacecraft. Photons have no mass but lots of energy, so a solar sail space probe requires no onboard fuel. The force acts continuously, meaning a solar sail can eventually reach speeds five to ten times greater than any chemical rocket. For more information on this fascinating project take a look at the link on the email and internet editions of this broadcast. http://planetary.org/programs/projects/solar_sailing/ (Sourced from the Planetary Society website via Tom VK7TL) Working DX, great fun There's old adage that if you can hear them, then work them. With propagation improving in the higher HF bands more DX is being worked, and fingers crossed, this should steadily improve in the months and years ahead. Ever wondered just how many DXCC entities or countries are on air at any one time? Well, according to the Amateur Radio Cluster Network last week there were 211 countries active out of the 338-odd DX entities listed. Propagation will not instantly favour all of them from your QTH, but if they were easy DX would not present a challenge. With regular chasing of DX, it should be within the reach of most to achieve the DX Centenary Club Award that requires confirmed contacts with 100 DX entities. A number of Australian and British Foundation Licensees are actively chasing DX with some success. The big promise for them comes at the peak of the sunspot cycle when the 10-metre band opens up regularly and DX can be worked on 5-watts with a reason antenna. In the meantime there are lots of opportunities. The Oceania DX phone contest being next Saturday and Sunday the 2nd and 3rd of October is ideal to score new countries while improving your operating skill. If you're new to contesting, then read the rules to get a sense of it. Why not set yourself a personal challenge of getting on air and seeing how many DX contacts you can log? Do enjoy DXing! (Jim Linton VK3PC) The Super Springtime in VK6 is now even bigger Last Monday the 20th of September, the special callsign for the Centenary of Organised Amateur Radio in Australia, VK100WIA, went to air from the Royal Perth Showgrounds. Western Australian amateur radio groups have collaborated to pool their resources and give the centenary celebration a real kick long both at the Perth Show and from Wireless Hill. WICEN Western Australia had it from the 20th to the 22nd of September, then following the Western Australian Repeater Group, and the West Australian VHF Group operates from the Wireless Hill Museum next Wednesday the 29th, Thursday the 30th and Friday the 1st of October. Super Springtime is a whopping 12 days straight. The Scout Communication and Technology Team, which was already an enthusiastic part of the Super Springtime, joined the VK100WIA roster for the 23rd to the 25th of September. The strong collaborative spirit being shown in the West is likely to see 2,500 contacts added to the VK100WIA online log over 12 days. Whether it is via amateur satellite, D-Star, HF, VHF and UHF, the world will indeed be listening for VK100WIA from Perth and its surrounds. Do give the now Super, Super Springtime support by making a contact ith us now, and speaking of now, Heath and I (Bob Bristow) continue this mornings WIA NEWS FROM THE SHOW GROUNDS! WIA 100 YEARS AND STILL GROWING STRONG! Great time had by the Port Stephens Amateur Radio Club The club's VK100WIA rostered slot is reported in words and photographs in its Dolphin Tales newsletter. The venue was the Coast Guard Rooms and strong winds outside played havoc with the wired antennas. The one antenna that worked particularly well was an 80m loop. Over the three days a total of 682 contacts were entered into the online logbook. One of the highlights was the arrival of a visitor, an ships radio operator who spotted the Morse code key and asked if he could have a go. This now new member of the Port Stephens Amateur Radio Club made a number of contacts into Japan and New Zealand. The look of delight on his face with a broad smile in recognition that he still had the code skill after so many years. WIA Centenary Award going strong Another 60 award certificates have just been issued while other claims are arriving steadily. The first award going to India has been claimed by the Gopal Madhavan VU2GMN. He's a director of the International Amateur Radio Union Region 3 and was most impressed at seeing VK100WIA in action as part of the WIA Centenary Convention in Canberra. Gopal VU2GMN has since qualified for the WIA Centenary Award. Hopefully he won't be the last from VU-land. Of the 170 awards issued so far 20 have been claimed by Foundation Licensees. The VK100WIA online logbook clearly indicates that there are many who have the required contacts to claim the award, but have not yet done so. Full details of the award requirements can be found in the Centenary section of the WIA website. A look ahead at the VK100WIA roster This week we review what will be the final month of operation for the special callsign VK100WIA by the WIA and its affiliated clubs around the nation. Saturday the 2nd of October is the first of the three days for the City of Brisbane Radio Society that will be activating the callsign. The public will be invited to attend and learn more about the wonderful activity of amateur radio. The St George Amateur Radio Society rostered from the 5th to the 7th of October, operating from the Scout Hall in Kurrajong Street, Sutherland, aiming to be on air 10am to 10pm. Maryborough Electronics and Radio Group in Queensland is featuring VK100WIA and the Centenary at its Radio & Communications Expo & Hamfest. The complete the month of October, VK100WIA will be in Victoria at Yarra Glen, Geelong, and Churchill plus another Scout location for JOTA, also Marble Hill South Australia, Plumpton New South Wales, and tail-end Charlie will be the Westlakes Amateur Radio Club. For more details check out the VK100WIA roster on the WIA website. Tune Into the World - Amateur Radio Gets People Talking The WIA National Field Day on Saturday the 23rd of October will involve radio clubs and groups of individuals operating portable stations and having displays in a public place, park, shopping centre, hall, markets or festivals. The WIA is providing its strong support to them by making available the WIA's Centenary poster, Calling CQ posters and Calling CQ brochures. Check out the full details on the WIA website which has now downloadable files to enable clubs to print affordable banners, A-frame displays or durable large posters. A range of branded clothing, Hoodies, T-shirts and Polos are also available. All adding to the neat and professional look to any display. The WIA National Field Day, Saturday the 23rd of October is also the cover story of next month's edition of Amateur Radio magazine. The clubs registered so far are: The Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society, Victoria's Scout Radio and Electronics Service Unit, The Eastern and Mountain District Radio Club, The Peel Amateur Radio Group and Amateur Radio Victoria. And supporting them will be home stations too! WIA President Michael Owen VK3KI president@wia.org.au Vice President Phil Wait VK2ASD vk2asd@wia.org.au Secretary Geoff Atkinson VK3AFA secretary@wia.org.au Treasurer John Longayroux VK3PZ vk3pz@wia.org.au Progress with 600-metre band activities in VK During June 2010, the ACMA issued a number of scientific licences to the WIA to enable trials aimed at gathering data to support the WIA's preparation for the next World Radiocommunications Conference - known as WRC-12. WRC-12 has an agenda item to consider the making of a new allocation to the amateur service in the vicinity of 500 kHz. Your WIA has been working with a number of amateur operators to establish transmissions in the band 505 to 515 kHz. The first VK station to operate on this band was Drew Diamond VK3XU operating with the call-sign AX2VKW on 507 kHz. Since then, stations have been established by Nick Hacko VK2DX operating as AX2VKX on 510 kHz, Dimitris Tsifakis VK1SV operating as AX2VKY on 512.5 kHz and Berndt Wulf VK5ABN operating as AX2VLB on 509 kHz. Transmissions are mainly QRSS-3 slow morse and normal speed morse beacons with transmission times being variable depending on operator availability. Transmission time information is promulgated via the 600-metre band email reflector group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/600m/ This group also provides a forum for discussion and reception reports. To add to the interest, there are also a number of ZL stations active, especially on a Thursday evening and operating on about 508 kHz. The participants are actively seeking reception reports and wish to encourage more amateurs to listen for the transmissions - after all, the more reports that are received, the better will be the data to support the proposal for the new amateur band. Reception reports can also be sent direct to the WIA's project coordinator, Keith Malcolm by email vk1km@wia.org.au HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA. VK2 web service:- http://www.arnsw.org.au/html/news_vk2wi.htm VKG Roundup http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news The Mid North Coast Radio Expo 2011 will be held on Sunday 30th January 2011 at the St Johns Church Hall in McLean Street, Coffs Harbour. Doors open at 8:30am, admission $5. See their website, for more info www.mncarg.com There's still space for more traders or surplus equipment sales. Exhibitors free entry. Contact Jack vk2cjc@wia.org.au 02 6652 8989 VK3 web service:- http://www.amateurradio.com.au/news/ VKC Roundup http://www.police Oct 10 VK3 Sunraysia Radio Group agm at Mildura Workingman's Club. Keynote speaker is Jim Linton VK3PC, member of the WIA Centenary Committee and Amateur Radio Victoria President. Feb 13 VK3 Centre Victoria RadioFest No.4 Kyneton Racecourse (http://amateurradio.com.au/node/865/) VK4 - QNEWS web service local audio news:- www.wiaq.com/ftp/vk4_qnews_64.mp3 local news email qnews-vk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com VKR Roundup http://www.police.qld.gov.au/News+and+Alerts/Media+Releases/ Welcome to QNews from VK4WIA. I'm Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I've been thinking. I look out over the property and see that the creek has burst it's banks. A pleasant reminder that the long drought is passing but a reminder that the seasonal cycle continues. As the temperature rises, the suburban chorus of lawn mowers will fill the air. However, this is the time for us to do maintenance and ensure the amateur station is ready for the summer storm season. From the top of the antenna to the protective earth strap, from the emergency lights and back up power system, this is spring clean time. Spring cleaning is not simply blowing the dust off but also checking that necessary items are conveniently stored and in working condition. Fuel, batteries, leads and tape...whatever you find necessary for a strong wind, a blackout or an electrical storm and not to mention the possible cyclone, should be checked and replaced if necessary. Make sure you don't forget to check the pantry as food that can be kept and prepared when normal services are disrupted is as important at home as it is to the field day exercise. The summer storm season is coming, ready or not. I'm Geoff Emery and that's what I think...how about you? CLUBBING - ROCKHAMPTON IRLP NODE 6973 ; e-mail vk4acc@wia.org.au Secretary Clive 4928 1173 http://www.radarc.cjb.net/ Greetings from Rockhampton and District Amateur Radio Club, the Radar Club. This is Les VK4VIL reporting. Several weeks ago I mentioned that 85 year old Radar Club member, Bill VK4FGN was preparing to participate in a 570km mass cycle ride from Rockhampton to Bundaberg via western towns. The Club is now proud to announce that Bill, the oldest of more than 1000 entrants completed the trip, arriving in the sugar city in good shape. Poor weather conditions for some of the journey, combined with Bill's selection of his daughter's 30 year old school bike above several pretty schmick lightweight racers which were offered, makes this feat more incredible. It was interesting to listen to his accounts of some short, 60 km rides- a good indication of magnitude of the daily stages. We may not know what is ahead of us in life but Bill gives us something to aim for. Hearty congratulations, mate. And now for something a little less strenuous. Brian VK4LH conducts the RADAR Club 80m net on Tuesday evenings at 7.30pm local time on 3.613Megahertz as conditions allow. As well as the usual call in from club members, stations from all other centres are made welcome. The net, run under club callsign VK4WIR, with varied topics discussed, normally lasts about 45 minutes. Time and frequency again -- 7.30pm, Tuesday nights, on 3.613 Megahertz. Check out our VK4WIR callsign on QRZ.com. I'm Les VK4VIL on behalf of the Rockhampton and District Amateur Radio Club. TABLELANDS RADIO AND ELECTRONICS CLUB vk4wat@wia.org.au www.treclub.org.au G'day this is Dale VK4DMC for the Tablelands Radio and Electronics Club, TREC, in Far North Queensland. As reported last week TREC members activated the VK100WIA Centenary call-sign from Far North Queensland with great success. Whilst we were at Lake Tinaroo we also held the Annual General meeting for the club. The new committee for the 2010/2011 year is: President Stu Dunk VK4SDD 1st Vice President John Roberts VK4TL 2nd Vice President Chris Gill VK4YCG Secretary Dale McCarthy VK4DMC Treasurer Ron Goodhew VK4EMF Committee Members. Dave West VK4DK Bryan Cunnington VK4NMC We are looking forward to a new and challenging year for TREC members with many radio related activities already planned. This has been Dale VK4DMC and you are listening to the WIA news. VK7 local area news :- http://reast.asn.au/news.php vk7 local news, email vk7regionalnews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Open Invitation to All VK7 Amateurs Grote Reber Museum and 3D Virtual Reality Cinema The REAST Club invites all amateurs and their families to tour the Grote Reber Museum at the Mt Pleasant Radio Observatory at Cambridge. The museum has many wonderful artefacts and information about amateur radio operator Grote Reber (SK) and his experiments mapping the Milky Way using HF from his square kilometre array at Bothwell along with radio astronomy displays and a 3D Virtual Reality Cinema where you can fly in 3D to the planets in the Solar System. Members from the Astronomical Society of Tasmania with their Solar Telescopes looking at the sun and seeing those elusive sun spots will be in attendance! Saturday the 16th October 2010 starting at 1:00pm $5 per person. As they say in the advertising - "But wait there's more!!" The Astronomical Society of Tasmania and the University of Tasmania are holding and open night at the Mt Canopus Optical Astronomy Observatory on the night of the 16th of October and has invited VK7 Hams along. They will even have images from the 1 metre optical telescope being displayed along with many other types of telescopes looking at stars, planets and all sorts of astronomical features. Contact if you think you may attend, to, VK7TW@wia.org.au 0439 016 622. www.groterebermuseum.com.au (Justin, VK7TW) ACMA NEWS New UHF Citizen Band radio equipment standard The ACMA is seeking public comment on a draft UHF Citizen Band (CB) equipment performance standard Radiocommunications Standard 2010. It is intended that the existing standard will be revoked and replaced with the proposed standard on 1 January 2011. From April 2008 to April 2010, the ACMA reviewed the arrangements for the radiofrequency spectrum in the 400 MHz band, which incorporates the UHF CB band. As a result of the review the ACMA decided to restructure the UHF CB band into eighty 12.5 kHz wide channels from the existing forty 25 kHz wide channels. The proposed standard provides performance limits and test methods for 12.5 kHz channel operation in the UHF CB band, which will transition to 12.5 kHz channel operation over the period 1 January 2011 to 1 January 2016. To assist with the transition to 12.5 kHz channelling the new standard is proposed to provide grandfathering arrangements for current 25 kHz channel equipment. Submissions should be provided by close of business on 12 October 2010. For a copy of the revised standard and information about making a submission take a look at the link on the email and internet editions of this broadcast. http://acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_312273 (Sourced to vk7news from the ACMA Website) EDUCATION YOUTH AND ADVANCEMENT OF AMATEUR RADIO www.hamcollege.com.au The C.C.A.R.C. would like congratulate Adam Brown on passing his foundation licence exam at Forth in VK7 Sunday last week. He has applied to get the callsign VK7FAWB and we look forward to hearing Adam when he receives his new callsign. If you hear Adam then please make him welcome to the bands. INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to RSGB, Southgate AR Club, the ARRL, Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART and the WW sources of the WIA. ARRL INTRODUCES FIRST CHALLENGE COIN To help commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service, or ARES the ARRL has introduced an anniversary Challenge Coin. This die-struck, 1.5 inch brass coin depicts the ARES 75th anniversary logo in gold with red, white and blue colour fill, while the reverse shows the ARRL diamond logo against a hemisphere of the world. The ARRL's Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager is Mike Corey, W5MPC. He says that the Challenge Coin honours the service of ARES volunteers and all amateur radio operators who respond to the call of public service. Corey adds that the ARRL hopes that ARES volunteers will enjoy the honour of having the first Challenge Coin issued by the ARRL. More about the Challenge Coin is on-line at tinyurl.com/2bmbr4y HH2JR receives Golden Antenna Award Jean-Robert Gaillard, HH2JR, has been presented with the Golden Antenna award for his work in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake. He was presented with his award by Christel Somberg, Deputy Mayor of Bad Bentheim, for his efforts as the "voice of Haiti".. When in January 2010 an earthquake destroyed large parts of his homeland Haiti and claimed many lives HH2JR used his amateur radio station to tell the world about the disaster. The town of Bad Bentheim in Germany makes an award every year to the amateur or amateur group who has made exceptional effort following accidents or natural disasters (www.dnat.de/) The RSGB is delighted to announce that the ARRL will be attending their National Hamfest at the Newark and Nottingham Show Ground on 1 and 2 October. This is the first time that the ARRL have made the trip to a UK event for many years. You can find more information on their website www.nationalhamfest.org.uk WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- DIGITAL Australian Coordinator for TCPIP domains is Indy vk2xb@wia.org.au WSJT BETA VER 9.0 NOW AVAILABLE A beta release of WSJT 9.0 is available for free download on the WSJT Home Page. The new version by author Joe Taylor, K1JT, has more than a half dozen new or improved features that include enhanced performance for FSK441, calculation of EME Doppler spread caused by lunar librations and simplification and clarification of the user interface. K1JT asks that after gaining some experience with the beta release of WSJT 9.0, please share your views and opinions about it. Of course, bug reports are also welcome More details on this new version can be found in the on-line WSJT 9.0 Supplement to User's Guide. tinyurl.com/wsjt9 WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO SCOUTING http://www.scouts.com.au http://www.scout.org/jota http://www.international.scouts.com.au Video showing Boy Scouts at the Centennial Expo in St. George, Utah using Amateur Radio to talk to the International Space Station is now available. http://www.southgatearc.org/news/september2010/boy_scouts_talk_to_iss.htm WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RESCUE RADIO EMERGENCY FREQUENCIES IARU REGION 3 3.600, 7.110, 14.300, 18.160 and 21.360 MHz WICEN Tasmania (South) Radio saves WICEN Operator from possible fatality and an Amateur's toolkit came to the rescue. An incident a few weeks back, at a horse endurance ride, clearly highlighted how Amateur Radio can assist in desperate situations. It's thought that children playing with firebrands, sticks poked into an open fire until they burn, then running around with them, spooked two horses held in temporary pens. The horses crashed through the fencing and spooked more horses until about fifteen were galloping through the camp site and places beyond, in some cases dragging their rugs and other tackle behind them. The last of the runaways was recovered at two in the morning fifteen kilometres away. Gary VK7JGD had his tent pitched between his vehicle and a fence. One of the runaways galloped through the narrow gap between the tent and the fence placing a flashing hoof on the tent right where Garry's pillow was, and head would have been had he not been seated in his vehicle on a late HF listening watch. A second horse tried to go through the same gap but became entrapped with two hooves through one square of the heavy fence mesh and lay on its side thrashing about only a centimetre from Garry's now collapsed tent. Fortunately, Roger VK7ARN had his side cutters to hand and was able to test the German made cutters by cutting through the heavy gauge fence wires and releasing the frantic horse, which galloped off into the night. WICEN Tasmania (South) will be conducting a risk minimisation study to safeguard members from any future horse stampedes. (Roger VK7ARN, WICEN Secretary) SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - VHF AND ABOVE Records News New VK Microwave Records, 24GHz and 47GHz VK records, had been recently set. Doug Friend VK4OE and Wayne Shaw VK4WS have set a new VK4 state record for the 24 GHz band (170.1 km, 3 Sept 2010). Dan Joyce VK2GG and Peter Hopkins VK2YGM have extended their 47 GHz VK2 state record to 58.1 km (31 August 2010). A full list of current records, and a list of all Australian VHF-UHF records since 1947, can be found on wia.org.au www.wia.org.au/members/records/data/ (vk7news) SOCIAL SCENE Oct 9 VK4 Wide Bay Mini Hamfest 9.00a.m. Scout Hall, Ariadne Street, Maryborough. Oct 10 VK3 Sunraysia Radio Group agm at Mildura Workingman's Club. Keynote speaker is Jim Linton VK3PC, member of the WIA Centenary Committee and Amateur Radio Victoria President. Oct 23 WIA WIA National Field Day nfd@wia.org.au NOV 7 VK5 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society Hamfest Rosa St Goodwood 2011 Jan 31 vk2 Mid North Coast Radio Expo 2011 at St Johns Church Hall McLean Street, Coffs Harbour at 8:30am, vk2cjc@wia.org.au Feb 13 VK3 Centre Victoria RadioFest No.4 Kyneton Racecourse (http://amateurradio.com.au/node/865/) May 27-29 WIA AGM Weekend in Darwin secretary@wia.org.au 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) 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 VK4BB on behalf of the National WIA. ***************************************************************************** /ex