------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WIANEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING DEC 12 2010. Sable Island, that ON again OFF again ON again OFF again DXpedition has AGAIN been postponed! WIA announces the 2011 WIA National Field Day Automatic Voice Relay System: AVRS ZL Hams multiplex four video and audio streams ALL UP AND COMING IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA FOR WEEK COMMENCING DECEMBER 12 2010 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sable Island, that ON again OFF again ON again OFF again DXpedition has AGAIN been postponed! The following from Randy N0TG and published on the Southgate News pages. "BAD News! We have just been advised that the Sable Island beach will not be suitable for landing this week NOR next week. Then after next week, that puts us into the holiday period. Thus, we have no choice but to return home, re-group and come up with a new re-schedule". This press release unlike the earlier November ones, does not mention anything about options for the refund of donations. 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 All set for AR PR day 2011 The WIA has announced that the 2011 WIA National Field Day will be held on Sunday the 17th of April. Feedback from operators was received, requesting a change from the October date of the 2010 event and the WIA decided to have the event close to the IARU World Amateur Radio Day on April 18th. The IARU's theme for the next World Amateur Radio Day as "Amateur Radio: The first technology-based social network", which has also been adopted by the National Field Day 2011. Rules and guidelines will be announced early next year. DECEMBER BIRTHDAY Yes we really did have long wave broadcasters in Australia. This month sees the 87 th anniversary of the establishment of VK's second radio broadcaster, a long waver, way back in 1923. 2FC Sydney was the first to be licensed, from July '23but first ON air was 2SB Sydney which went to air November. 2FC was 5,000 watts transmitted via a squirrel type cage antenna supported from two 60 metre high steel lattice towers, spaced 180 metres apart. The station operated on the long wave frequency of 1100 metres, 171 kilohertz. (sourced to vk2wi) Summerland Council "off their trolleys". Northern Star news in the Lismore/Ballina area served by the Summerland Amateur Radio Club, has reported on an innovative shopping trolley management system which ‘locks down’ trolleys to stop them being taken outside a certain area. Ballina Shire Council’s been debating the best way to control wayward trolleys. Cr Keith Johnson has recently become aware of Trolleyguard, a system used extensively in ZL, which uses a buried perimeter antenna and an RF transmitter to generate a low frequency signal to define the limit of trolley travel. When a trolley rolls near the antenna line, its brakes lock on to the wheels and the trolley is stopped in its tracks. “The basic concept is great,” he said. “BUT we'd probably need hundreds of metres of buried transmission lines, so it could become quite expensive". MEDICAL experts have cast doubt on a Danish study that found pregnant mothers who regularly use mobile phones were more likely to have children with behavioural problems. The survey tracked the long-term health of the children. Mothers supplied detailed information about their lifestyles, diet and habits during and after pregnancy, including mobile phone use. The researchers found that kids who had been exposed to mobile phones both before and after birth were 50 per cent more likely to have behavioural problems. But Professor Rodney Croft, Executive Director of the Australian Centre for Radio Frequency Bioeffects Research and a Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Wollongong said that mothers' remembering their phone usage in a survey does not provide a good estimate of exposure. "I do not believe that this study provides evidence of a negative effect of maternal mobile phone use on childhood development, nor for the need for added caution (relative to that already provided by the Australian Standards)". Read more: http://www.news.com.au/technology/experts-dismiss-a-study-that-links-mobiles-and-behavioural-problems-in-children/story-e6frfrnr-1225967040880#ixzz17OpxlAan The Australian Centre for Radiofrequency Bioeffects Research (ACRBR) is a consortium consisting of RMIT University, Swinburne University of Technology, Telstra Research Laboratories and DEPM in Melbourne, and in Adelaide - the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Sciences. ACRBR brings together basic sciences, clinical and public health disciplines. The Centre conducts a broad program of research into possible biological or health effects of exposure to radio waves, particularly from mobile telephones. For more information, contact ACRBR by email: acrbr2006@gmail.com mail: 400 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia 3122 or fax: (03) 9214 5525 Read more: www.news.com.au/technology/experts-dismiss-a-study-that-links-mobiles-and-behavioural-problems-in-children/story-e6frfrnr-1225967040880#ixzz17OpxlAan (SOURCED TO NEWS.COM AND ACMA) HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA. VK2 web service:- http://www.arnsw.org.au/html/news_vk2wi.htm VKG Roundup http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news WICEN RECEIVES $500 GRANT. WICEN(NR) received the grant by Advantage Salary Packaging, a company which provides salary packaging services to the VK2 North Coast Area Health Service. Advantage invited employees of NCAHS to apply for a community grant. They supported 20 local organisations along the North Coast and donated a total of $10,000. Next meeting of Oxley Region Amateur Radio Club, will be 2pm Saturday, the 8th of January in the SES Building in Central Road, Port Macquarie. Visitors will be made particularly welcome at this meeting so if you are planning to be in the "Port" area January 8 make it along. VK3 web service:- http://www.amateurradio.com.au/news/ VKC Roundup http://www.police If you only attend one radio event in 2011, then it must be the Centre Victoria RadioFest No. 4 at the Kyneton Racecourse on Sunday the 13th of February, just an hour from Melbourne, Ballarat and Bendigo. It has been described by a leading electronics publication as one of Australia’s largest and best known amateur radio communications field days. The biggest of its type in Victoria and the only one that has been supported by all the major commercial traders since it began in 2007. The Centre Victoria RadioFest also offers three different ways people can sell second-hand radio equipment and accessories, non-commercial lots, bits and pieces. The traditional table sales continue to be popular. The other options are car-boot sales or trailer and van loads. It’s your choice! Add to this interesting program including the mini-lecture series and this is truly a major event and great social occasion for anyone with an interest in radio. See you at the Centre Victoria RadioFest, Kyneton Racecourse on Sunday the 13th of February. I’m Bruce Lees and you’re listening to VK1WIA. 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 and I've been thinking. Time is running fast towards the season of gifts and bonhomie and have you filled your shopping list yet? If not you may just be able to sneak an order for some amateur radio reading material from the WIA Bookshop. Perhaps the gift is for you or maybe it is for some-one you know is interested in this great hobby. Don't delay - log onto http.wia.org.au/bookshop and feast your imagination on the goodies. I have been raising the issues of what being a club member and running a club can be. I will use this personal anecdote to further illustrate these points. As I mentioned, last month, I won a chauffeur driven trip to our local health resort. This was not without personal difficulties for the rest of the family as I am the family driver. It has been tremendously rewarding and humbling to appreciate the great efforts made by various members of our radio club in supporting my family and me. So it is that I give some public recognition for these private acts. But this is as much a reflection of the wealth of generosity within the amateur radio community and living proof of people living the Amateurs Code as it is a reflection of the personal values of those concerned. You reckon I'm counting my lucky stars......you "betcha, mate." I'm Geoff Emery and that's what I think.......how about you? CLUBBING - Redcliffe and District Radio Club www.redclifferadioclub.org.au/ I’m Ray, VK4CF with news from Redcliffe Amateur Radio club. The club held its Christmas party last Saturday. Due to the rain the party was held at the club house. Despite the rain, many members were there including John, VK4WX, who had just beat the rain on his way south from Mackay. Club members were treated to a wide range of nibblies, so many in fact there were very few cooking on the BBQ. It was also surprising that there was little talk about amateur radio, as the main topic was the rain. In the latest AR magazine that arrived today it was pleasing to see that the Redcliffe club with its competition callsign, VK4IZ, had won the multioperator section of the RD contest. Well done to all the team who put up with the rain and mud at the campsite to achieve a great result. As Christmas falls on a Saturday this year, the club will be open throughout the Christmas period and just in case please call on the repeater to ensure the club house is open as many members will be taking their holidays. Charles, VK4BTC, has just completed the building of his K3 radio and is extremely pleased with the result despite a small technical hitch that was corrected very quickly with a rapid email from the States. Peter, VK4EA, is in the process of raising a new tower at his QTH and club President David, is closer to the completion of his 2 metre homebrew amplifier. Meanwhile if the rain goes away for a couple of days, Charlie, VK4YZ will be increasing the size of his doublet antenna to almost twice its old size. Well that is the news for this week and until next time its 73 from Ray, VK4CF. TABLELANDS RADIO AND ELECTRONICS CLUB vk4wat@wia.org.au www.treclub.org.au G’day again, this is Dale VK4DMC for the Tablelands Radio and Electronics Club, TREC, in Far North Queensland. It’s that time of year here in the Far North where we spend time disconnecting and reconnecting antennas and feedlines from our shack due to the wet season build up and accompanying lightning activity. Damned annoying when the 6 metre band is just starting to fire-up. TREC members spent a few hours last Saturday, the fourth, at our annual breakup/Christmas party at the Tolga Hotel. Around 20 members and family enjoyed a great feed followed by yet another “TREC TRIVIA CHALLENGE” The winning team was the “Pathetics” a truly magnificent two man team, Ron VK4ZJR and Gary VK4FD who, with a great wealth of trivia knowledge between them, clinched the winners prize. TREC has one more meeting for the year which will happen on Saturday the 18th December at the clubrooms in Atherton. Visit the TREC website at www.treclub.org.au for further information and you can also download the latest monthly news in TREC-NEWS. This has been Dale VK4DMC. TARC does Australia Day Get out your corked hats and throwing thongs - TARC will be out in the field for Australia Day (provided the venue does not get too aquatic) at the famous Loam Island ARDF Grounds and Shelter from 11-30am Wednesday January 26th. BYO everything and engage in aussie fun and mirth - and even do some radio things too ! Bring the family, bring the lagerphone, bring the esky but don’t bring the mozzies! VK5 New digital commercial television licences for Riverland, Mount Gambier and the Spencer Gulf region of South Australia. 14th of October saw the Gulf come up digital only, the 2 new WIN licences for Mt Gambier and the Riverland will see, under the government’s digital television switchover timetable, all analogue TV services in the Riverland and Mount Gambier/South East licence areas switched off 15 December 2010. The Broadcasting Services Act 1992 provides for the allocation of an additional commercial television broadcasting licence in markets where only two commercial television broadcasting licences are in force. The services to be broadcast under the licences are to operate in a digital mode only. VK6 Western Australian Amateurs will be gathering for a BBQ next Sunday December 19 at lunch time at Synergy Parkland on May Drive in Kings Park. Guest at the BBQ will be the President of the Wireless Institute of Australia, Michael Owen VK3KI who has been looking for an opportunity to visit VK6 and was pleased to accept this invitation. He’s looking forward to talking with you and will no doubt address the group. This venue has free electric BBQs, parking, a kiosk and a café, and playground and adventure stuff for kids. So, mark the date in your calendar – Sunday 19th December, lunchtime, Synergy Parkland, Kings Park. BYO everything. While in Perth, Michael will be meeting with Club representatives and the VK6 Advisory Group at the Neil Penfold State Amateur Radio Centre on the Saturday prior, 18th December, at 2pm. VK7 local area news :- http://reast.asn.au/news.php vk7 local news, email vk7regionalnews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com North West Tasmanian Amateur Television Group Slow Scan TV Gateway Upgrade. The Club's SSTV Gateway (VK7RTV) is currently undergoing a software upgrade. This is completely revised software running SlowScan TV.net and is written to run on windows employing XP and above, utilising .NET 4 Framework The advantages or otherwise of this revised operating system has still to be evaluated, with on air testing and adjustments etc. being refined. It is anticipated that the gateway will soon be back on air using 145.625 for local sstv users. (Tony VK7AX, News Officer – NWTATVG) EDUCATION YOUTH AND ADVANCEMENT OF AMATEUR RADIO www.hamcollege.com.au VK3 Group NERG will run a licence upgrade course in the New Year with the aim of getting all participants to the advanced level. The course will run one night per week for several weeks and those interested should contact Greg VK3VT via e-mail or phone. vk3vt@nerg.asn.au 94 32 05 63. Congratulations to the following people who recently passed assessments. Scott VK7FRRT standard assessment, Tony VK7FTCL also passed his standard assessment, Roger VK7FRJS advanced assessment, Roger VK7HMH also passed his advanced assessment and Leigh passed his foundation licence and is looking for VK7FLAR as a callsign. Congratulations to all who have upgraded and Leigh who has entered this great hobby of amateur radio. If you are interested in an amateur radio assessment in the Hobart region then please contact Reg VK7KK on 0417 391 607, or email regemm@ozemail.com.au (Reg VK7KK, REAST Education Officer and Assessor) INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to RSGB, Southgate AR Club, the ARRL, Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART and the WW sources of the WIA. HABEX 3 FLYs SATURDAY 18 DECEMBER 2010 18 December the HABEX team launch a third high altitude balloon. Carrying various payloads in preparation for a schools launch in 2011 consisting of about 8 schools, this payload is made up of 4 separate modular units. The primary part of the payload is the controller board which has been locally designed and built and contains an APRS unit which will provide the balloon location during the flight. Also on the board are 8 inputs and outputs that can be configured for analogue or digital operation. All data will be transferred via the APRS packets. Also in the payload will be a beacon transmitting a message in CW on 7023 kHz. Listeners are encouraged to send QSL cards to ZS6SCI if the beacon was heard. The Habex team is finalising the data sheet and listeners are encouraged to visit the HABEX web site. www.habex.za.net The RAC (Radio Amateurs of Canada) Board is currently looking at the RAC membership rate structure. Among the changes to be made is the introduction of a new membership class and the adjustment of international rates. Many members have told RAC that they place a high value on RAC activities and have asked for a premium membership. RAC is pleased to announce the new Radio Amateurs of Canada Maple Leaf Operators Membership. Members in the first year will receive a signed RAC Maple Leaf Operators Certificate, be listed in TCA, be recognized on the RAC website, and receive a RAC pin with their call sign and more. The RAC Maple Leaf Operators Membership is $100 per year and is available on automatic renewal. Neutron bomb inventor Sam Cohen, who in 1958 designed the nuclear weapon intended to kill people but do minimal damage to cities, has died in Los Angeles at 89 of stomach cancer. The neutron bomb used tiny particles that could whiz through objects with little damage but still kill we humans. Cohen also helped build the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan in WW2. ============================================================================= NEWS FROM ARNEWSLINE FCC GOES AFTER MAINLAND CHINA CELLULAR JAMMER SUPPLIER The FCC has issued an Official Citation to the mainland China based company Jammer World and its on-line subsidiary TheJammerStore dot com. This, for marketing unauthorized radio frequency devices in the United States in violation of the Communications Act and Section 2.803(a)(1) of the Commission's rules. Amateur Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley, KI7UP, has the details: According to the FCC Citation, this past July 20th an agent from the Enforcement Bureau's Columbia Office viewed Jammer World's web site. There he observed an advertisement for a device listed as a "Handheld GPS and Cell Phone Jammer Mini GPJ." On July 21, 2010, the agent made an undercover buy on-line, and received the device through the mail from New Century Technology Limited. The agent conducted tests and confirmed that the device jams signals in the Cellular Telephone Band from 845 to 975 MHz, the PCS Band from 1800 to1996 MHz and G-P-S frequency of 1575.42 MHz. Based on this and other findings, the FCC Citation tells Jammer World that if it continues to violate the Communications Act or the Rules by engaging in sales to customers in the United States, the Commission may impose monetary forfeitures of up to $16,000 for each such violation or each day of a continuing violation and up to $112,500 for any single act or failure to act. In addition, violations of the Communications Act or the Rules can result in seizure of equipment through forfeiture actions, as well as criminal sanctions, including imprisonment. The only problem with this citation is that the company is located in Shenzhen China and the Chinese government has a long record of not cooperating with the United States in matters involving on-line sales by mainland China based companies. Without the Chinese governments cooperation, collecting a fine or forcing the company to not sell mail order to customers in the United States may be an impossible task. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Norm Seeley, KI7UP, in Scottsdale, Arizona. As we go to air, TheJammerStore dot com was still offering cell phone and GPS jamming devices for sale, worldwide. TWO HAMS IN NEW ISS CREW SOON TO LAUNCH Meantime, replacements for the now returned space adventurers will soon be on their way to orbit. On December 17th a new trio of flight engineers are expected to arrive at the I-S-S following a December 15th launch. They are identified U.S. astronaut Catherine Coleman, KC5ZTH, the European Space Agency's Paolo Nespoli, whose call is IZ0JPA and Russian cosmonaut Dmitry Kondratyev. OPERATIONAL NEWS - SPECIAL EVENTS AND ON AIR CONTEST COLUMN - D A T E L I N E 2010-11 Dec 10 ARRL 2010 ARRL 10 Meter Contest 0000 U-T-C through Sunday evening December 12th at 2359 U-T-C. Jan 1-31 WIA ROSS HULL MEMORIAL VHF/UHF Jan 1 AMSAT 2011 Straight Key Night (SKN) Straight Key Night on OSCAR, 2011 is conducted by AMSAT for radio amateurs throughout the world. This year's event is dedicated to the memory of Dick Peacock, W2GFF, who died this year aged 91. Dick was an active satellite operator in the 1970s and 80s, mostly on CW and usually with a straight key and could always be counted on for a kind word and a friendly QSO. There are no rules, no scoring and no logs required. Just operate CW on any OSCAR satellite, using a straight hand key, from 0000 UTC to 2400 UTC on 1 Jan working as many SKN stations as you can.. In keeping with the friendly nature of this event, each participant is asked to nominate one of the operators worked for "Best Fist." It is not necessary that your nominee have the best fist of anyone you heard, just of those you worked. Please send your nomination to w2rs@amsat.org Jan 15/16 WIA Summer VHF-UHF Field Day Includes “Microwave Challenge”, with special certificates to be awarded to the participants on microwave bands. John Martin VK3KM tac@wia.org.au TARC JMFD 2011 theTARCinc will be participating in the John Moyle Field Day weekend from Friday afternoon 18th to Sunday afternoon 20th March 2011 at the Girl Guides Association of Queensland Baden Powell Campsite and Training Centre, Toolakea Beach Road, Bluewater. (newsreader help - Toolakea pronounced Tool - a - kia :-) ) Camp under the trees or in the mobile shack/chariot at Possum Valley Emu Parade Pioneers Reach Wallaby Park Bowers Crest or Lanos Ridge Campsites or Sleep in the dorm at Bluewater House. Portable operation is the go so make sure you bring plenty of batteries and whisper quiet JMFD 2011, its only a half hour drive from the Thuringowa Central CBD! (newsreader help - Thuringowa pronounced Thur - ing - gaw - wa :-) ) SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS, REPEATER BEACON DX AND NET ADVICE hf nets ON the net, www.timroberts-vk4yeh.id.au/ Heath VK6TWO the Western Australian Repeater Group President says that the group has been providing Amateur Repeater services to WA for several decades and has recently had a significant injection of enthusiasm. the W.A.R.G. has been VERY busy this year with several projects and activities taking place. Probably the most significant of the activities was the WIA's Centenary Celebrations through use of the VK100WIA callsign throughout the event called "Super Springtime" as detailed on the front cover of the November edition of AR Magazine. Super Springtime also saw two simultaneous public displays of AR at Wireless Hill and the Perth Royal Show for the duration of the event. YouTube footage can be found www.youtube.com/user/VK3TWO If you're in WA, and want to know what’s going on around you, check out the WAHAMS Google group http://groups.google.com/group/wahams WARG currently has over a dozen sites hosting X repeaters, x APRS Digipeaters, X Packet Digipeaters, and 2 beacons including the DXCF International DX beacon. The groups extensive repeater footprint is made good use of regularly by the WIA News Broadcast Team with their world acclaimed WIA national news service. Listen here now http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/wianews/ WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- APRS (AVRS) Automatic Voice Relay System: AVRS The major initiative that has been driving just about everything new in APRS since the 2001 time-frame has been making sure that APRS can support the signalling and information system needed so that hams can TEXT or VOICE to any other ham anywhere at any time using any device and any VOIP system knowing only a callsign. The TEXT version of Universal hamradio Text Messaging is covered on www.aprs.org/aprs-messaging.html and a Sep 09 QST article. The VOICE version, called Automatic Voice Relay System is on: www.aprs.org/avrs.html D-STAR is another part of this global AVRS initiative. D-Star can already connect voice using call-to-call addressing. Echolink, IRLP and WIRES can do it also using APRS as the callsign, and node locator. Bob Bruniga WB4APR and his team have been working on this for now a decade and are making progress. There are still lots more little interfaces and gateways that are needed to connect everything together. For example, a D-STAR user could establish or receive an Echolink or IRLP voice link if someone simply wrote the gateway interface. APRS then extends this to the mobile analogue user via the APRS object and FREQ QSY system to get him on the right RF frequency. After 9 years, the hardware and mechanisms are now in place. Now to get all the smart programmers and egos in the same room and get them cross connected. (Bob, WB4APR) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ATV (Every pixel tells a story) - Video arvideonews.com hamradiotube.com youtube.com qdg.com.au ZL Hams multiplex four video and audio streams The data compression, inherent in all forms of digital television, permits the simultaneous transmission of many video and audio streams in the bandwidth previously occupied by one analogue television transmission. This technique is a feature of Broadcast digital television. On Saturday, the 4th of December, a group of Wellington and Hutt Valley Radio Amateurs simultaneously multiplexed four video and audio streams into one digital television transmission, using low cost equipment. The transmission was centred on 1282 MHz, in accordance with the NZART bandplan and occupied 1274 to 1290 MHz, the same bandwidth as one analogue FM television transmission. DVB-S modulation format was used, receivable on an unmodified satellite TV set-top box. Further development and testing is planned, with the aim of transmitting the four video and audio streams within an 8 MHz bandwidth, half that used by the above tests, using the DVB-T modulation format, receivable on an ordinary Digital Terrestrial television receiver. Team leader was led by Doug, ZL2TAR. WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- DIGITAL Australian Coordinator for TCPIP domains is Indy vk2xb@wia.org.au New Amateur Radio digital mode - V4 V4 is a new data mode optimized for amateur radio keyboard contacts using Viterbi FEC and 4FSK modulation. It is designed to provide good copy even in weak signal or poor propagation conditions. V4 can be implemented on most computers using standard PC sound cards with radio interfaces. An Alpha version of the software can be downloaded from the files section of their V4 Protocol Yahoo Group. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/V4Protocol/ V4 Protocol and V4 Chat document http://www.winlink.org/webfm_send/169 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 French concerns over 1.2 GHz band French ATV Association (ANTA) have raised concern regarding the use of the Amateur Radio 23cm band by the Galileo and Glosnass satellite navigation systems. The EU Galileo system will use 1260-1300 MHz while the Russian Federation Glosnass system will be on 1240-1260 MHz. Both system are expected to be operational by 2015. www.anta-asso.fr 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 WICEN - DATES FOR EDEN CREEK HORSE ENDUROS 2011 5 - 6 March 28 - 29 May 13 - 14 August Mark down and plan for these as Summerland Amateur Radio Club need plenty more operators. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- STAMP COLLECTING AMATEURS radiostamps@yahoogroups.com CUBA 2010 - Television stamp The Cuban Postal Administration has issued a stamp to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Television in Cuba, of course a First Day Cover is also avalable. (FABIO FLOSI.radiostampsman@yahoo.com.br) LOWDOWN 8.970 kHz - DK7FC's latest tests received signals are visible (live) on VLF grabber at https://dl.dropbox.com/u/15047843/xbm_grab.jpg Continuing the magical exploits of Roger G3XBM. G3XBM has received the latest VLF transmissions by DK7FC on 8.970kHz at a distance of 669km, the signal was also received by 4X1RF in Israel at 2873km! Reception was on his 20m spaced earth electrode antenna (!) into a small FET tuned preamp and Spectrum Lab software. The signal was weak but correlates well with the signals also received by others across Europe and, amazingly, by 4X1RF in Israel at some 2873kms! DK7FC's 100mW ERP VLF signal was copied and recorded by 4X1RF at this astounding distance of 2873km, signal levels suggest that transatlantic amateur VLF reception may indeed be possible in the near future. Several other stations across Europe (4X counts as Asia!) also copied Stefan's signals. This is indeed a whole new frontier for amateur radio. REWIND THAT FINAL ITEM: THE SONY WALKMAN - SK And finally this week, as the holiday gift giving season approaches we are kind of sad to report that the famed Sony Walkman will likely be on dealer shelves for the last time this year. This is because Sony has announced that the thirty-one year old cassette tape based unit is being phased out of production. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, is here with our final goodbye: The Sony Walkman -- the cassette tape player that forever changed music listening habits before becoming outdated by digital MP3 players -- has become a sort of silent key, this after Sony announced on October 25th that it has stopped production of the cassette tape player in Japan - effectively sounding the death knell of the now-obsolete portable audio device. If you're looking to put a date in the Walkman's tombstone, then October 25, 2010, is as good as any. Perhaps October 23, 2001, the day the Apple iPod was launched, is the better date. But none of the success of Apple's portable music players and those of other manufacturers would have ever happened without the Sony cassette tape Walkman. Some 220 million Walkman players were sold since the first model, the TPS-L2, debuted in July 1979. It was developed under the stewardship of Sony founders Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka. Morita insisted the device be focused on high quality mobile playback which was considered a relatively odd idea at the time. Originally called the "Soundabout" in the U.S., Sony quickly replaced the Soundabout name with the Walkman designation. It retailed for around $200 was an immediate sensation. In fact, it was quickly hailed by supporters as a total revolution in mobile music listening. But more than just portability, the Walkman fostered a personalization of one's music. In fact, the Walkman was also the father of the so-called mixtape. For the first time, music listening was something you could make very personal by arranging songs in the order you wanted to hear to them. It was also a way of courting a future spouse or love interest during the 1980's and 1990's. For those of you too young or simply unfamiliar with this process, making a mixtape typically entailed gathering songs, putting them all on a cassette in the order you wanted them played, labelling the tape with care and giving it to a love interest in school or elsewhere. The Walkman didn't disappear as much as it was improved upon by its creators and others. Sony continued to use it as a brand, but the company long ago surrendered style to Apple and the ubiquitous iPod. But one day the iPod will likely go the way of the 45 RPM record, the L.P. and the Walkman. When that happens in some far distant time, that generation will be waxing nostalgic about its passing just as we are today about the Walkman as it becomes a part of electronic history. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, looking for my earphones and cassette tapes in Los Angeles. The Walkman is survived by the CD-based Sony Discman and hundreds of Chinese-made knock-off tape based players. It's also revered by those music listeners who think using a Walkman in this day-and-age is charmingly out-of-touch. (Compiled from various published news reports) SOCIAL SCENE 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/) Feb 27 vk2 Central Coast Amateur Radio Club Field Day at Wyong Start Time : Gates open 6.30 am Feb 27 vk3 YARRA VALLEY HAMFEST at Gary Cooper Pavilion 16 Anzac Av Yarra Glen. Opens 10am-2pm. ( www//yarravalley.ar.org.au) Apr 9 vk6 Hills Amateur Radio Group Swapmeet at club rooms Lesmurdie. 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) ============================================================================= 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. *****************************************************************************