------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WIANEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING NOV 07 2010. Sable Island Off! Tuned out to what is happening in the world of amateur radio? Global Simulated Emergency Test (GlobalSET) Concern for 24Ghz band VK's Travellers Net ARRL President Makes Final QSO with Australia’s WIA Centenary Station ALL UP AND COMING IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA FOR WEEK COMMENCING NOVEMBER 7 2010 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Remembrance Day 11 November 2010 Australia's National Remembrance Service takes place at the Australian War Museum's Parade Ground commencing at 10:15am. It was back on November 1918 at 11 am the guns of the Western Front fell silent after more than four years of continuous warfare. This year, 2010, marks the 92nd Anniversary of the Armistice, when Australians remember those who fought and died for our country in war and armed conflicts. Please Remember with a minutes silence at 11am Thursday. In VE Land the Guelph Amateur Club will operating VA3IF at the McCrae Museum on Water St. Guelph on 80 - 10 HF Bands, 2 meter and IRLP node 2260. Saturday November 6th, 17:00-21:00 UTC Sunday November 7 18:00-22:00 UTC Thursday, the flag raising ceremony with the Legion, is in the memorial gardens at 9:00 AM EST with the John McCrae School service at 10:30 AM EST For In Flanders Field's, see: youtube.com/watch?v=P_x0M5y-EWo (awm + Vernon Erle Ikeda - VE2MBS/VE2QQ RAC E-News/Web News Bulletin Editor) Sable Island Dxpedition postponement N0TG reporting on Southgate News says "Dear Clubs and Foundations who have generously supported the Sable Island DXpedition. Unfortunately, a delay has occurred. Due to the uncertainties of the delay and that a reschedule of the DXpedition, if possible to do so, would likely need to be 2011, Sept/Oct It is appropriate to refund the support you have provided." Unfortunately no contact was given as to where to send for the return of your support, so hopefully those who did provide support in whatever form, still have the address so you can be refunded! 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 ARRL President Makes Final QSO with Australia’s WIA Centenary Station The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) marked the conclusion of their VK100WIA centennial special event operation on October 31 with a QSO between WIA President Michael Owen, VK3KI, and ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN. Logged five minutes before midnight in Australia the QSO between N3KN and VK100WIA, with VK3KI at the microphone, was the last contact recorded in the Australian special event’s log. Would all who operated as vk100wia make sure to have completed all logging by the end of this month please. More on this historic broadcast later in this edition of WIA National News HOME OF THE GOOD GUYS Now Hear This! Bionic ear chief scientist a radio amateur A member of the Australian team, Jim Patrick, that developed the world's leading multi-electrode cochlear implantation, recognised as the most effective treatment of a form of hearing loss, attributed his career success to knowledge learned as a radio amateur. Now Chief Scientist at Cochlear Limited, an engineer with training in physics and communications engineer, he was recruited as a member of the Australian team that in 1978 which invented the first cochlear implant that let previously deaf patients truly understand speech. Based in Sydney since 1981, he has been a member of Cochlear's senior management team, responsible for research and development that is looking worldwide at how signal processing can improvement the performance of the cochlear implant. World-wide 188,000 people had received cochlear implants. Included in Jim Patrick's professional profile is shown his interest in amateur radio, holding the callsign VK2AKJ. (sourced to arvictoria) News from the Gulflands On OC-227 Sweers Island, there has been some great success in bolstering the DX haven with antenna hardware. You will recall we put a call out for a tower for Lyn well thanks to Harold VK4ANR a 46ft telescoping tower is arriving on the island real soon. Lyn wants to thank everyone who helped procure tower, especially Eric VK2VE at Waverly Amateur Radio Society in Sydney, who made an extremely generous offer but unfortunately the cost of freight made it unviable. Eric and club members put a lot of time into taking photos and measurements of their tower so if anyone else out there closer to Sydney than Lyn and they are looking for a good 46ft tower, complete with tilt-over base, please give Eric a call, or contact Lyn for more details or photos. Lyn has taken up an idea from Tanya Megaw (xyl of Chris VK4FR) and will be decorating the tower in Christmas fashion in time for the festive season. info@sweers.com.au (sourced to theTARCinc) HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA. VK1 Foundation Licence course and other examinations The last VK1 Foundation course and Examinations for Standard and Advanced levels of licence is scheduled to be run on the weekend of the 13th & 14th of November. For this to go ahead we need to be getting expressions of interest and applications in NOW ! If you are aware of anyone who is interested in attending this course, or to sit and upgrade, please encourage them to contact the club as soon as possible through the club's standard email address of committee@crarc.ampr.org CRARC's November meeting is the time they have their annual Sausage Sizzle, Christmas Party and Trash & Treasure night. This year that will take place on Wednesday 24th of November. There is a trailer load of electronic equipment & heavy multicore cabling that is ideal for the scrounger / equipment builder that will be there with a 'free for the taking' on most of it (the cable will have a small charge), anything left will be going to the metal recyclers the following day. (Peter Westerhof VK1NPW, President - Canberra Region Amateur Radio Club.) VK2 web service:- http://www.arnsw.org.au/html/news_vk2wi.htm VKG Roundup http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news Hornsby and Districts Amateur Radio Club. If you have been unable to access the club’s 2 metre repeater on 147.250 MHz recently it may be because you have a 123Hz tone squelch set. This needs to be disabled, or changed to the new frequency of 91.5 Hz. Fishers Ghost Amateur Radio Club are about to hold another Foundation Licence Course, December 4-5. As well Fishers Ghost will be running upgrades to Standard and Advanced Exams. Details can be obtained from Wal Kelly, President. vk2zwk@wia.org.au 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/ Gold Coast Amateur Radio Society wish to advise that the D Star Users Group South East Queensland meet every Wednesday at 8pm EST on 146.8375 (Port c) This is the Gold Coasts DStar repeater VK4RWN There are about twenty or more amateurs who have DStar radios in the footprint. Bob VK4RT told us "The repeater has not been functioning well in the past and as a result many have lost interest and are not listening to the repeater." This group would like all those with D Star radios to come on frequency and exchange information, obviously you must have a DStar radio to hear this repeater as the signal is digital only. And don't forget Gold Coast Amateur Radio Society will be holding it's annual Hamfest at Albert Waterways Hall the back of Australia Fair next Saturday 13th November 8.30am. Welcome to QNews from VK4WIA. I'm Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I've been wondering who will join us in the amateur radio sandpit. In marketing there is the old saw that if you lose a customer by bad service, they will tell, say 12, people but if you satisfy a customer they will tell, maybe 8. The figures vary as to who is telling the story but the principle remains that it is easier to alienate people we don't know than it is to recruit from that same area. We have heard in WIA National News that to recruit the young we need to think in more visual terms. The long term growth of the hobby may depend on getting more younger recruits but think.....it is not only the youth but the youthful minded who can join us. Have we really alienated our family members, our workmates or have we not tried to share with belief and enthusiasm? One thing that we don't have details is the demographic of the hobby and the best areas of the community from which we can recruit. But one group that pops up are the newly retired, grey hair and all. Many of these people are looking for a new and engaging interest when the routine of the working life is past. Amateur radio certainly fits the grey nomad as well as the U3A student, the stay-at-home and the gad-about. Maybe we should share our enthusiasm more freely. I'm, Geoff Emery and that's what I think....what about you? DISCUSSION POINT Tuned out to what is happening in the world of amateur radio? Hello, I'm Jim Linton VK3PC with a look at an issue that is not new, but very frustrating for those involved in the administration of amateur radio and event or activity organisers everywhere. While there is a wide range of information sources available in our modern life, there are those who deliberately, are too busy, lazy or for other reasons, disengage from the world around them. For example, each summer there are those who engage in unsafe activities such as burning off during declared fire danger periods, or have no knowledge of when a total fire ban day has been declared. A similar level of a lack of awareness or knowledge is evident within the ranks of radio amateurs. Despite this weekly VK1WIA broadcast being available via on air transmission, downloadable audio and its text edition, the internet generally, and Amateur Radio magazine, there are those who don’t keep up with important developments and the news. The recent National Field Day is an example. There were those contacting field stations on air asking what was happening, and admitting they had not heard that such an event was being held. A similar thing happens during the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend and other well publicised events. Recently the Radio Society of Great Britain, General Manager, Peter Kirby, G0TWW picked up on the ?tuned out? syndrome in his blog. He wrote: "....it's very apparent that an element of the Society’s membership goes into hibernation for long periods of time. Despite a survey showing that ninety percent of our members have access to the internet and all get RadCom (magazine), they remain blissfully ill informed as to what is going on in the world of amateur radio." He cites a letter from a ?belligerent member who threatened to resign unless the RSGB changed its stance on compulsory Morse Testing,? and how unfair it was that Class B licence holders are still restricted to VHF operation only. And this despite the fact that Morse code as a compulsory licence requirement ended in the United Kingdom in 2003. Indeed the end of Morse code testing is still not yet fully appreciated by some in Australia. The work being done by national radio societies and the International Amateur Radio Union to protect and further the rights and privileges of radio amateurs worldwide also, disappointingly does not have the recognition it deserves. Despite news and information being readily available about this crucial advocacy work, the message is not reaching its target audience. Being informed and aware, can make our wonderful hobby of amateur radio even more enjoyable. INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to RSGB, Southgate AR Club, the ARRL, Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART and the WW sources of the WIA. Global Simulated Emergency Test (GlobalSET) This emergency communications exercise is held twice a year, the next GlobalSET is NEXT Saturday the 13th of November. The main change this time is that it will run 1100 to 1500 hours local time, of the stations taking part. The operation will take place on and near the emergency Centre-of-Activity (CoA) frequencies on 80, 40, 20, 17 and 15 metres. 3.600, 7.110, 14.300, 18.160 and 21.360 MHz The objectives of GlobalSET are to: Increase the common interest in emergency communications. Test how usable the emergency Centre-of-Activity frequencies are across the three ITU regions. Create practices for international emergency communication and Practice the relaying of messages using all modes. IARU member radio societies, and emergency communications group stations intending to participate are requested to register through their IARU Regional or National Emergency Communications Coordinators. During GlobalSET, the Radio Club Peruano (RCP) will celebrate it's 80th anniversary, and will be the Region 2 HQ station with the special call sign OC80A. (RAC plus Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman, IARU Disaster Communications Committee) Communication support for dual disasters in Indonesia Following two natural disasters, an earthquake triggered tsunami and separately an erupting volcano, radio amateurs are providing their help as the enormous response effort continues. ORARI (Organisasi Amatir Radio Indonesia) International Affairs Coordinator, Wisnu Widjaja YB0AZ has provided initial information about the involvement of radio hams in the dual disasters that hit the Indonesian archipelago this week. He said that the ORARI Communication and Rescue Task Force has joined the team of the Disaster Management of Directorate General Post and Telecommunications, Ministry of Communication and Informatics Republic of Indonesia. They has been operating in the field and provide communications support to the government and communities in the area where the eruption of Mount Merapi catastrophe at Yogyakarta province and the earthquake also followed by tsunami at Mentawai of West Sumatra, said Wisnu YB0AZ. Media reports that at least 170 died, mostly drowned after the tsunami triggered by a 7.7 magnitude offshore earthquake struck the Mentawai islands late Monday week off the west coast of Sumatra. Up to 400 others are missing. While on the island of Java, several hundred kilometres away, 29 were killed when the volcano, Mount Merapi, erupted on Tuesday releasing clouds of hot gas, rocks and laver into the air. almost 42,000 people had fled to temporary shelters around the nearby city of Yogyakarta as the area is covered in volcanic ash. The remoteness of the affected areas, poor communications, and the ongoing disaster response and relief efforts are likely to see the OARI Communication and Rescue Task Force involved for some time yet. (Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman, IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.) Amateur Radio Examination bursaries The South African Amateur Radio Development Trust is making bursaries available for students under 25 years of age who are planning to write the May 2011 Radio Amateur Examination Each bursary pays for the examination fee, student membership of the South African Radio League for one year and contributes to the tuition fees. The bursary is valued at R1000. (www.amateurradio.org.za) The 35th meeting of the Canadian Amateur Radio Advisory Board [CARAB] took place on Thursday Oct. 28th. CARAB is composed of representatives from both Radio Amateurs of Canada representing Canadian Amateurs, and Industry Canada, as the regulator of amateur radio. Among key issues discussed at the meeting was IC's policy regarding temporary authorization of frequency assignments in amateur bands to non-amateur services [e.g. September 10th and 12th Pro Tour race in Quebec]. Then last weekend, October 31, the Radio Amateur of Canada Director’s, executive and key resources gathered in Ottawa to plan the future of RAC. They checked on feedback received, the future of ‘The Canadian Amateur’ magazine and what physical presence needs to be in the future. A ‘vision’ of what RAC needs to look like to attract and retain members and ensure the future of Amateur Radio in Canada. IPod A 12-year-old Delaware girl avoided a kidnapper by pretending her iPod was an iPhone. The girl was waiting outside of her middle school for a ride, when a man in a white van pulled up and commanded she get in the van. The potential kidnapper immediately fled the scene after the girl took out her iPod, held it up to her ear and pretended to call the police (shelleypalmer digital) The seven-month upgrade to the historic "Mars antenna" at NASA's Deep Space Network site in Goldstone, Calif. has been completed. After a month of intensive testing, similar to the rehabilitation stage after surgery, the antenna is now ready to help maintain communication with spacecraft during the next decade of space exploration. The month of October was used as a testing period to make sure the antenna was in working order and fully functional. A team of workers completed an intense series of tasks to reach its first milestone - upgrading the 230-foot-wide antenna in time to communicate with the EPOXI mission spacecraft during its planned flyby of comet Hartley 2 last Thursday (Nov. 4) ============================================================================= RSGB NEWS FROM G4NJH Concern for 24Ghz band Earlier this year Ofcom announced an exemption for Railway Level Crossing systems to use a part of the 24GHz band where we have secondary status. More recently, on 6th October, the European Union's Radio Spectrum Committee published a review of automotive ultra-wideband short-range radars that currently operate across the entire 24GHz band and which have caused considerable concern. The Society actively participates in consultations on these matters and along with IARU Region 1, is working to protect and enhance our 24-24.05GHz Primary allocation where innovative DX and Beacon activity is concentrated. OPERATIONAL NEWS - SPECIAL EVENTS AND ON AIR CONTEST COLUMN - D A T E L I N E 2010 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 hf nets ON the net, www.timroberts-vk4yeh.id.au/ In DX, an international team of amateur radio operators are planning to activate Kanton Island for 9 days starting April of 2011. An additional day may be added depending on the sailing time to the island. Transportation has been arranged, all licenses are assigned and the permit is in its final stages. Callsign will be T31A. They plan to have 6 stations with 12 operators with activity on 160 through 10 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. More is on-line t31a.com Members of the Sony Kyushu's Amateur Radio Club will operate from the Island of Danjo in the East China Sea using the club call JF6ZNT. This, until today, November 7. Activity will be on 80-10 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. This island is one of today's most wanted in the Japanese Islands on the Air group. QSL via the Bureau. DL5MFL, DL4MAQ and DF9MV are planning to be active from Senegal from November 8 to 18. The group will be guests of 6W7RV at the Le Calao resort and will operate dedicated holiday style. A 6V7 callsign is being requested and will be made public as soon as its available. QSL via D-E-Zero-M-S-T. Travellers Net As of today, Sunday 7 November, the 21.185 MHz Travellers Net will run in a new time slot from 04:00 UTC to 05:00 UTC due to propagation. The Travellers net commenced soon after the introduction of the Novice Class licence in VK to allow travellers with Novice calls a similar service to the 20 metre Traveller's Net which was well established on 14.106mHz for full calls. Today the 20 metre Net runs on 14.116 opening at 02:00Z with a call-back and reports at 03:00Z. The operators on both nets log callsign, name and planned overnight stop for all travellers who check in each day, pass any messages as requested, and arrange QSO's or QSP's as required as a voluntary service to the amateur community, their family and friends. So listen out for the 21.185 Net between 04:00 and 05:00Z or check in and give a signal report. (Bob VK6KW) BROADCAST MONITORING SWL AND SCANNER NEWS http://spench.net/drupal/software/rfmap )AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHICAL RF MAP) http://www.scanaustralia.bigpondhosting.com http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/ HTTP://www.ei7dar.com/hf.html www.tinyurl.com/BITS-026 (A receiver located in NY USA) http://wb4mak.com/ (Atlanta 80/40/20 Web SDR Receiver) 29 years of legal CB radio - 'The Big Net' event Celebrating 29 years of legal CB radio in the United Kingdom, November 2nd, our Melbourne Cup Day saw the 'Big Net' event take place on CH29 UKFM right across the United Kingdom. For more information please see the Charlie Tango DX Group forum www.charlietango.co.uk INTRUDER WATCH - ENFORCEMENT ZONE Region III IARUMS Coordinator Peter Young VK3MV VK IARUMS reflector email to subscribe intruders@wia.org.au INTRUDER NETS Friday 0730 UTC 7.065.5 with VK4CEU David. Amateur exclusive frequencies where any non-amateur signal is definitely an intruder. Amateur HF Spectrum world wide 7.050 to 7.100 14.000 to 14.250 14.250 to 14.350 No broadcasters 21.000 to 21.450 24.890 to 24.990 28.000 to 29.700 Old beacon at dump sparks rescue mission Rescue services were alerted Monday afternoon after Tauranga Airport in ZL and an aircraft flying over the Bay of Plenty picked up a distress signal in the region. A helicopter from Rotorua narrowed down the search area, and Radio Spectrum Management traced it to the Te Maunga refuse transfer station. The beacon was located in the recycling centre. The Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand said the beacon had been placed on a glass conveyor belt and was probably triggered when it was lifted off the belt and set aside on a railing. The beacon was operating on the old 121.5MHz or 243MHz frequencies. The incident served as a reminder for people all around the world to dispose of old beacons properly, either by disconnecting the battery or taking the beacon to police, the coastguard or a beacon retailer MEDIA WATCH www.wiaq.com/admin/uploads/weeklytally.rtf www.cq-amateur-radio.com/WorldRadio.html MAGAZINE: THE SIX AND TEN REPORTING CLUB The Six and Ten Reporting Club is an informal group of radio amateurs, mostly from the UK, interested in propagation studies at frequencies around the High Frequency to VHF boundary. Mainly, those who operate on the 6 and 10 meter amateur radio bands. The club produces a monthly newsletter called the Six and Ten Report that includes analysis of 28 MHz propagation based on beacon monitoring. Also included is an ongoing analysis of 50 MHz activity reports broken down by propagation mode as well as reports and discussions on unusual propagation events. The Six and Ten Report is edited and produced by Steve Reed, G0AEV and Martin Harrison, G3USF and is an activity of the RSGB's Propagation Studies Committee. The Report is usually published online at g7kse.co.uk/6and10 Now for a look inside Amateur Radio magazine for November In the WIA Comment, President Michael Owen VK3KI provides details of a letter he has sent to the Australian Communications and Media Authority asking that the maximum power limit for Advanced Licensees be increased to 1,000 watts or 500 watts means power, on all exclusive HF Amateur Service bands. Justification for the increase include the need to overcome increasing global electro-magnetic noise pollution on all HF bands from consumer and commercial devices, enhance the ability to provide emergency communications, and to address a disadvantage Australian radio amateurs have in contesting. It includes comparison of the Australian 400w PEP limit with those permitted in 13 other countries, nine which have higher limits. In other interesting reading this month is an article about the 6-metre band and Standard Licensees, from the first hand experience of Stuie Birkin VK8NSB. This is sure to stimulate interest in the Magic Band! And Foundation Corner ...'Is good enough good enough, when it is not perfect', an interesting potpourri of antenna basics, parameters, feedlines, SWR, efficiency and radiation patterns presented by Geoff Emery VK4ZPP. This is Barry Robinson VK3PV. I will have more about the contents of Amateur Radio magazine, a WIA membership service and also available at selected newsagents, on next week's VK1WIA broadcast. WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER AMSAT-VK UNOFFICIAL HF Net. 2nd Sunday each month. April through October 1000 UTC 3.685 MHz November through March 0900 UTC 7.068 MHz FO-29 operating schedule affected by eclipses Japan Amateur Radio League has been making necessary adjustments to the FO-29 satellite operating schedule as the satellite enters a period of eclipses. The eclipses have reduced the power budget requiring frequent analysis of available power aboard the satellite. FO-29 will be enabled when the power budget allows. JARL requests that satellite operators access FO-29 with as little power as necessary to maintain communication. Mineo has posted calculations of the FO-29 eclipses at: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/fo29ilum.htm (Mineo Wakita, JE9PEL) LightSail-1 backup being built Louis Friedman, program director for LightSail-1, has announced that a back-up craft to LightSail-1 will be built, instead of an investment in insurance for an estimated cost of $200,000. LightSail-1 is planned to be launched in early 2011. LightSail-1 is a three Cubesat spacecraft (the size of a shoebox). It will use UHF frequencies for tracking and command control stations. Georgia Tech University is leading the mission operations. Stellar Exploration, is building LightSail-1. www.planetary.org/programs/projects/innovative_technologies/solar_sailing/ WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RESCUE RADIO IARU REGION 3 Emergency Centre of Activity (CoA) frequencies 3.600, 7.110, 14.300, 18.160 and 21.360 MHz CRARC NEWS Sunday 21st of November will see the NSW Carriage Driving championships being held at Doug Willcoxson's (VK2FDMW) and wife Dot's property at Witwood. This event is always a bit of fun and a nice relaxing day in the country watching horses and their accompanying carriages do the cross country sections and then the obstacle runs and reporting in the various times and penalties. Sections will be on 2 metres Simplex, obstacles on UHF. Again if you are in the region contact the CRARC and offer your expertise! Canberra's final event for the year will be the BMSC's "Rallye des Femme" or "Lady Drivers" event. This small rally is designed for long suffering Wives, Girlfriends, Partners and others to take over the rally car from the boys and get out to compete (or should that read revenge!) It often attracts competitors from Sydney and the south coast in addition to the locals. Again PLEASE contact Phil VK1PL by email to committee@crarc.ampr.org if you can assist with any of these events. vk7'S WICEN South are requesting the pleasure of their friends at the now traditional end of year lunch to be held on Saturday 11 December at Rosie's Kitchen, Kettering. Please indicate your attendance to the WICEN South team. vk7trf@wia.org.au (Rod VK7TRF) SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ROAR ROTARIANS OF AMATEUR RADIO bill.learmonth@lineone.net rotmem@yahoogroups.com nmclaren3@juno.com VK2IWT Secretary Peter Lowe, VK3KCD ANZO VP Guglielmo Marconi Father of wireless, was an Honorary member of the club from 1933 to 1937 and it continues the tradition and honouring Marconi to this very day. Now a' days among its honorary members is Marconi's Daughter, Princess Elettra Marconi. 4EB -- VK4EB Ted Gold the founder of the first commercial radio station in Queensland was Vice President of Toowoomba Rotary Club. Townsville Rotoract 2011 Calendars now on sale The Thuringowa Central Roteract 2010 Calendar has exquisite photographs of things about the region and are a nice size to post away to relos around VK. The calendar is the main vehicle for Thuringowa Central Rotoract fund raising for local children’s charities. The calendars are available for purchase at Navcom Electronics, corner Boundary Street and Perkins Street South Townsville. 0600z - 0630z Anzo Net on 7115 Many thanks to Peter VK3KCD for the following report:- Good morning Bill The ANZO 7115 KHz net took place at its new time of 0600z. Propagation was reasonable spoilt by contest QRM. Present were Noel VK2IWT, Bill VK4ZD, Peter VK3FPSR, Rob ZL1RD and myself. Next week will be a better test of the new time with hopefully less QRM YIR 73 Peter VK3KCD LOWDOWN G3XBM achieves 1733km on 500kHz This using WSPR. He writes: "This evening, quite unexpectedly, I got a string of reports on 500kHz WSPR from OH1LSQ at an astounding distance of 1733km. To me these are amazing reports pushing my best DX on the band with just a few milliwatts ERP to new levels. What surprises me is how well a very simple vertical wire loop works as a TX antenna, the wire is just 1mm diameter, with an area of around 70m square with part of the loop laying on the ground buried in wet grass. Even more than before, I now believe almost anything is possible. Now I just need to repeat this on 137.5kHz." Further G3XBN had other great news, he has an 8.97 kHz transmitter permit. The UK regulator OFCOM has issued Roger G3XBM with a permit to transmit on 8.97 kHz. He is believed to be the 1st UK station to receive authorisation for the 8.7kHz - 9.1kHz band. Duration: 1 year Modes : Not specified Power : 100mW EIRP Location at home QTH, special clearance if going portable as some UK locations have at least a 4km exclusion zone. (http://www.g0mwt.org.uk) SOCIAL SCENE NOV 7 VK5 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society Hamfest Rosa St Goodwood NOV 13 VK4 Gold Coast Hamfest Albert Waterways Hall, Broadbeach at 8.30am. information contact hamfest@gcars.com.au. NOV 14 VK4 Presidents Lunch at Rockhampton vk4by@wia.org.au DEC 4 VK7 Central Highlands Hamfest at Miena 2011 Jan 30 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/) Apr 18 WW “Amateur Radio: The first technology-based social network” World Amateur Radio Day, April 18, 2011. 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) THE FINAL FINAL EG 0 EJA (text version only) NOVEMBER 7th 2010 Be on the air for the presence of S.M. King of Spain Don Juan Carlos in Barcelona for the visit of S.S. Pope to dedicate the expiatory church of La Sagrada Família. S.E.S. Callsign active mainly in the HF bands, performing a raid on VHF and UHF, as spread and number of correspondents. EG0EJA is only active during the November 7. ARMIC, CQ & Hams, Amb el Papa a la Sagrada Família You also works to promote the activity, Help spread the ham radio Still finalizing the last details are available now to web event information. info & comments at: ea3rkr@yahoo.es http://sites.google.com/site/bcn7nov/ WICEN Victoria votes to remove Amateur Radio Victoria from their Rules of Association. (text only) At a Special General Meeting convened to consider the issue, the membership of WICEN Victoria voted unanimously to pursue the removal of the old Wireless Institute of Australia Victorian Division (now trading as Amateur Radio Victoria) from their Rules of Association. As the rules currently stand WIA Vic Div/ARV must agree in writing before any changes can be made to WICEN's rules. ( Mark A. Dods, VK3XMU, secretary@vic.wicen.org.au WICEN (Vic.) Inc. State Secretary. WICEN (Vic.) Inc. Website: http://www.vic.wicen.org.au ) ARRL President Makes Final QSO with Australia’s WIA Centenary Station Date : 02 / 11 / 2010 Author : ARRL The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) marked the conclusion of their VK100WIA centennial special event operation on October 31 with a QSO between WIA President Michael Owen, VK3KI, and ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN. Logged five minutes before midnight in Australia the QSO between N3KN and VK100WIA, with VK3KI at the microphone, was the last contact recorded in the Australian special event’s log. More than 50 WIA-affiliated clubs have used the VK100WIA call sign for almost six months as part of WIA’s centennial celebration; the WIA is the oldest Amateur Radio national society. For this contact, VK100WIA was operated portable for the Westlake’s Amateur Radio Club, the club privileged to be the last club to use the call sign. Since VK100WIA went on the air in May, it logged 24,439 contacts. Michael told Kay that the WIA was pleased that the special event station’s final contact could be with her, and thanked the ARRL for its support and for participating in the WIA Centenary Weekend through ARRL International Affairs Vice President Jay Bellows, K0QB. Owen also said that the WIA was "passing the baton on to the ARRL, as the ARRL would be celebrating its centenary in four years." Kay congratulated the WIA on their 100 years of service to Amateur Radio in Australia, wishing them well as they begin their second century. She noted that strong national societies around the world, working together through the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), are essential for the future well-being of Amateur Radio. VK3KI expressed the WIA’s appreciation for the ARRL’s contribution to Amateur Radio, especially the League’s service as the International Secretariat of the IARU. "Through their extensive program of centennial observances including the VK100WIA operation the WIA has set the bar very high for the ARRL’s own 100th anniversary activities in 2014," N3KN said after the QSO. "I am honoured to have been invited to be the last station to work VK100WIA on behalf of the ARRL and our members." Please think of the environment before printing this email ============================================================================= WIANews - we've reported...YOU decide. 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