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 TWITTER http://twitter.com/VK1WIA 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 WEEK COMMENCING June 26 2011. "Peace, Environment and Natural Disasters". e-QSO for the CB Service in VK denied THESE STORIES AND MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA FOR WEEK COMMENCING JUNE 26 2011. TIM THE TRACKER MAN VK4TIM has been at it again and has successfully tracked down further interference on VHF in Brisbane. He had had contact with ACMA advising him that they had located a radiating personal computer at an address. VK4TIM was unaware that it was a PC, but suspected that it was interference caused by an unintentional radiator. The PC was radiating over an area of Morningside, and was enough to interfere with VK4RBN while driving past. The owners of the PC have been told to get their PC repaired and not to operate it until it has been. Our friends at theACMA offices are on our side and will assist us when we have interference issues, although it is our duty to remain vigilant and pay attention when we hear unusual things that aren't right, locate it and report it. (Tim VK4TIM) PIRACY ON THE HIGH SEAS mysailing.com has a worthwhile article for all our maritime mobile hams who are lucky enough to be roaming the high seas. They seriously recommend avoiding countries and regions where piracy is rife (your insurance will generally exclude coverage there) and be cautious and educate yourself about areas with lower, but existing risks. Areas of risk in our neck of the woods include Indonesia, PNG, Port Moresby. They offer suggestions such as having a second wallet with small amount of cash, expired credit card and perhaps a cheap watch to give aggressive intruders. Always lock hatches and ports when leaving the vessel and leave lights and music on if going ashore in the evening. In questionable areas, it may be prudent to turn off your A.I.S. transmitter while underway. Be modest in your appearance at all times, on deck and ashore. Don’t even consider purchasing firearms, but do purchase pepper spray. HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA. VK2 web service:- http://www.arnsw.org.au/html/news_vk2wi.htm VKG Roundup http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news SARFEST - Sunday 7 August, ALL WELCOME, BE THERE. All traders, sellers, buyers, gawkers, walkers, talkers, just come for the hell of it. Set up is Saturday afternoon, 6 Aug. Sunday 7 Aug, open for traders 0700K, others 0800K. TRADERS INTENDING TO ATTEND ARE ASKED TO CONFIRM TO vk2src@sarc.org.au All and any traders a are cordially invited to attend and sell your goods. SARC will have a disposals table, plenty on it if you have things to sell but not enough for a table, sell them on the SARC table at 10% to SARC. The Blue Mountains amateur radio club holds a HF NET ON 3.543 kHz on Tuesday night at 8pm, it also holds a 2 metre net on the club repeater 147.050 / 147.650, the repeater superimposes a 67Hz CTCSS subtone on Transmit for those who wish to use this feature. A 123Hz CTCSS Subtone is required to access this repeater. The Blue Mountains amateur radio club is holding its annual WINTERFEST on Sunday August 28th entry is $5 more details can be found by contacting the club. (Danny Clark VK2FDCA) Oxley Region Amateur Radio Club’s annual Field Day. Despite the wet and windy weather the event was a great success with 80 registrations and a full program of activities. Congratulations to Ashley VK2XSO of Tamworth on winning the coveted title of Foxhunt Champion. The Tacking Point Surf Club Hall was an excellent venue. The club’s special event callsign VI40BOR which celebrates the club’s 40th anniversary was activated during the Field Day weekend, and will be activated periodically until the anniversary on the 2nd of October 2011. (vk2wi) VK4 QNEWS Welcome to QNews from VK4WIA. I'm Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I've been thinking. Way back when milk was delivered un pasteurised, radio broadcasters largely depended on the telephone service for program relay to affiliated stations and from OB's. Then along came Sputnik and the amateur radio Oscars. Moving along, Australia got on board by launching its own commercial satellites. In the mean time amateur operators were pointing antennas at the sky and working the world using vhf through to microwave frequencies. It was like magic when television footage circled the world in hours with the aid of satellite networks. Now actuality coverage of events is the norm rather than waiting for the aeroplane having to deliver cine film to illuminate previous radio and press reports. In the mix of things, it was thought a good idea to relay broadcast material through satellites. It certainly provided benefits but as experience has shown, these extra-terrestrial relays are subject to fades from meteor showers and moisture attenuation. The reliability of the old system was sacrificed, and as I understand it many of the networks have abandoned satellite relay for fibre-optic services. I find it frustrating to lose programs on radio and/or TV because of rain falling on some remote ground station. Funnily the pay TV and the satellite internet services can be unaffected whilst I am hearing "we apologise for this break in service" messages. It demonstrates a lot of principles of signal propagation that we touched on when studying for our amateur tickets. Even the big boys don't get it right, at times. I'm Geoff Emery and that's what I think....how about you. CLUBBING - TO SUPPLY NEWS ITEMS:- email qnews@wia.org.au MARYBOROUGH RADIO AND ELECTRONICS CLUB For more info, call Secretary Kathy Johns 040-939-8853 Email: kathy.johns@bigpond.com Channel 14 UHF CB call "CQ MERG" Hi, this is VK4TPT, Ray Stockdale from MERG, the Maryborough Electronics & Radio Group in Queensland, and I’ve been thinking. (Oops! Sorry Geoff! That’s your line!) How many out there have, like me, a pile of radios, antennas, parts thereof and other assorted bits and pieces that you always planned to do something with but never got around to? You know what I’m talking about. All that stuff in boxes under the bench, on top of the cupboard, under the house and just about everywhere else. Here’s an idea. Gather it together and come along to the Wide Bay Hamfest on Saturday the 16th of July at the West Scout Hall in Ariadne St. Maryborough. Places are still available, either indoors or in the car-boot area. Doors open at 07:00 for exhibitors, or 09:00 for general entry. $5 will secure a place and include two persons. You don’t have anything excess to requirements? Maybe there is something you’ve been looking for years. In which case, or, if you just like to look around, perhaps have a coffee and meet up with those Amateurs you have spoken to on air, come along. Public entry is $5 per person. Looking forward to meeting you there. TABLELANDS RADIO AND ELECTRONICS CLUB vk4wat@wia.org.au www.treclub.org.au G’Day again from the chilly north this is Dale VK4DMC for the Tablelands Radio and Electronics Club, TREC, in Far North Queensland. As reported a couple of weeks ago Gary VK4FD and Jeff VK4BOF, alias Snoopy and Charlie Brown, activated Etheridge shire using the TREC call-sign VK4WAT for the VK-Shires contest. The intrepid duo setup at Mount Surprise and were on air in time for the start of the contest. The bands were in good shape and provided many contacts into a large number of VK shires. They also managed to work 31 CQ zones which is a very good achievement considering there are only 40 CQ zones worldwide available to work. The next TREC meeting will be held on Saturday the 25th of June at our clubrooms. If you are reading this early and are in the area please feel free to call by and say G’Day. A map showing the location of the TREC clubrooms is available on the WIA website in the radio clubs menu. TREC members are gearing up for a five day communications support effort for the Far North Horse Endurance Riders. With early starts and temperatures hovering around 4 to 5 degrees it should prove to be lots of fun albeit a little chilly. Well that’s your lot for this week. Visit the TREC website at www.treclub.org.au for club information and you can also download the latest monthly club news in TREC-NEWS. Past issues are also available on the site. This has been Dale VK4DMC and you are listening to the WIA news. Travel Well! ACMA NEWS Historic changes to CB radio The Australian Communications and Media Authority (AMCA) has announced further amendments to the Citizen Band Service. UHF CB Australia Director, Ray Oaff said the developments are the result of two year’s work and includes more channels being available for the benefit of more than one million people in Australia each day. His was one of 17 who made a submission. Most agreed with additional channels by reducing their width down to 12.5 kHz, relaxation of the telemetry and telecommand duty cycle, and allowing transmission of station identification and position information. While a new equipment standard (AS/NZA 4365:2010) was released on 27 January, in defining a new 80 channel standard, the AMCA has now set 2017 as the end of the phase-in of narrowband. Similar changes will occur in New Zealand. A few wanted legitimisation of e-QSO for the CB Service, but this has been denied. (Jim Linton VK3PC) EDUCATION YOUTH AND ADVANCEMENT OF AMATEUR RADIO www.hamcollege.com.au Youngsters On The Air The VERON website reports that in July-August youth teams will be going to Romania for a European Commission supported project called 'Youngsters On The Air'. This Dutch team is led by Lisa Leenders PA2LS, other participating national teams are from Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia and Romania. It's good to see many of the world's leading Amateur Bodies and societies really getting to the grass roots level and encouraging kids, after all they are our bloodline! South Africa also pays tribute to "da kids" as Jason Daniels reports in a moment during the international news... Maybe time our WIA looked at this oft neglected area! Schedule for Youngsters On The Air http://www.veron.nl/actueel/download/Programma_Youngsters_On_the_Air.pdf VERON in Google English http://tinyurl.com/NetherlandsVERON SILENT KEY It is with regret that we announce the passing of Bob Barnes VK2FRCS. Bob was better known as the owner of RCS Pty. Ltd., a provider of printed circuit boards to amateur radio operators and the general electronic community as a whole, from the professional to the hobbyist. A funeral service was held Friday 24th at Sefton. INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to RSGB, Southgate AR Club, the ARRL, Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART and the WW sources of the WIA. Ham killer jailed The BBC is reporting that a John Cooper has been convicted for the 1989 murder of Radio Amateur Peter Dixon and his wife Gwenda. Read the full report by BBC news at the url in today’s text edition of your WIA National News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-13538545 WHAT DO YOUNG SOUTH AFRICANS THINK ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO? In an interview with 5 young radio amateurs between the ages of 11 and 17, they shared their views about amateur radio. It was transmitted in a special youth day broadcast which was on the air just before the Youth Day Sprint on 16 June. You can listen to it on www.hamradio.org.za, the new website the SARL is developing with the focus on young people. Limerick 2m repeater vandalised The Limerick Radio Club's 2m repeater is off the air until further notice due to vandalism. The services affected are the voice repeater function, IRLP and Echolink. Club members are doing their utmost to restore the repeater as soon as possible. Significant damage has been done which will incur additional unplanned expense on the club funds. caught red-handed at a Florida radio station Police in Brevard County, Florida had some help when it came down to tracking a copper thief: They had help from Clear Channel Radio. Cocoa Beach, Florida's WMMV-AM (1350) was knocked off the air over the weekend when someone broke in and stole copper and other items from the transmitter. What the burglar did not know was that Clear Channel had placed surveillance cameras at the site and they caught a number of images of the thief in action, including facial shots and some with the man carrying tools used in the break-in. The tapes were handed to police, who also did not have to look far to find the copper thief, who lived two doors away from the transmitter site! All of the stolen property was recovered and returned to Clear Channel Radio (RADIO.INFO) Millions of folk have implantable medical devices, from pacemakers and defibrillators to brain stimulators and drug pumps; worldwide, 300,000 more people receive them every year. Most such devices have wireless connections, so that doctors can monitor patients' vital signs or revise treatment programs. But recent research has shown that this leaves the devices vulnerable to attack: In the worst-case scenario, an attacker could kill a victim by instructing an implantable device to deliver lethal doses of medication or electricity. At the Association for Computing Machinery's upcoming Sigcomm conference, researchers from M.I.T. and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst (UMass) will present a new system for preventing such attacks. The system uses a second transmitter to jam unauthorized signals in an implant's operating frequency, permitting only authorized users to communicate with it. Because the jamming transmitter, rather than the implant, would handle encryption and authentication, the system would work even with existing implants. The researchers envision that the jamming transmitter - which they call a shield - would be small enough to wear as a necklace or a watch. (TODAYS MEDICAL DEVELOPEMENTS) 2011 DAYTON HAMVENTION: CHECK OUT THE NEW PRODUCTS THAT DEBUTED AT DAYTON One of the most exciting things at the Dayton Hamvention each year is the introduction of new products. This year was no exception. From HF transceivers to receivers to test equipment to station equipment, there was a plethora of new products just about everywhere you turned. Read more and as we always say, the address is best read at wia.org.au in this weeks National News. http://www.arrl.org/news/new-products-at-dayton-2011 ============================================================================= NEWS FROM ARNEWSLINE USA SCIENTISTS SAY SOLAR CYCLE HEADED INTO LIMBO For years, astronomers and space scientists have been predicting the Sun would move into solar maximum by around 2012. During this period there would be many intense flares and lots of sunspot activity. Now they are thinking that the opposite may be happening and Amateur Radio Newsline’s Michael Grebert, KJ4ZZV, has the details: According to three studies released in the United States on Tuesday, June 14th, experts believe the familiar sunspot cycle may be shutting down and heading toward a pattern of inactivity unseen since the 17th century. According to experts from the National Solar Observatory and Air Force Research Laboratory, the signs of this include a missing jet stream, quickly fading spots, and slower activity near the poles. Frank Hill is the Associate Director of the National Solar Observatory 's Solar Synoptic Network. At a meeting of the American Astronomical Society's Solar Physics Division in Las Cruces, New Mexico Hill said that the fact that three completely different views of the Sun point in the same direction is a powerful indicator that the sunspot cycle may be going into hibernation. As every ham knows, solar activity tends to rise and fall in 11 year cycles. The solar maximum and solar minimum each mark about half the interval of the magnetic pole reversal on the Sun, which happens every 22 years. According to Hill, the current cycle, number 24, may be the last normal one for some time but the next one, cycle 25, may not happen for some time. He adds that this is important because the solar cycle causes space weather which affects modern technology and may contribute to climate change. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Michael Grebert, KJ4ZZV, reporting from Music City, Nashville, Tennessee. Experts are now probing whether this period of inactivity could be a second Maunder Minimum. This was a 70-year period from 1645 to 1715 when hardly any sunspots were observed. For ham radio such a prolonged solar minimum would mean very little in the way of High Frequency DX for a very long time. The complete article titled Scientists Predict Rare Hibernation of Sunspots can be found using the shortcut of tinyurl.com/slowsun NORWEGIAN HAMS PROVIDE FLOOD COMMUNICATIONS Norway's national amateur radio society, the NRRL, reports that radio amateurs have been providing communications assistance following recent flooding in that nation. The NRRL says that as a result of the flooding and landslides in Oppland and Hedmark, the telecoms company Telenor has had substantial problems with its mobile phone network. Because of the outages the Main Rescue Coordination Centre for Southern Norway has requested assistance from NRRL. Communications were set up between southern Norway and Lillehammer. Repeaters around Oslo have also been used. More about the situation in Google translated English is on the web at tinyurl.com/NorwayNRRL HAM RADIO PUBLIC RELATIONS: PROMOTING ARRL FIELD DAY 2011 The ARRL has released a new press kit along with a set of two new Public Service Announcements to publicize Field Day, 2011. The press kit contains just about everything a club needs to publicize Field Day and its own operations. But it’s the Public Service Announcements that will likely get the most attention if you are willing to download them, burn them to C-D’s and drop off copies at your local radio stations. What do they sound like? Here’s one of them. Take a listen: Actual PSA Yes that’s Don Carlson, KQ6FM, whose voice you regularly here on Amateur Radio Newsline. But this week Don is in another role as spokesman for the upcoming ARRL Field Day event. To get a copy of the new Field Day promotional spots that Don has created please take your web browser to tinyurl.com/fielddaypsa and download the audio file marked Field Day 2011. The complete ARRL Field Day press kit itself is at tinyurl.com/fielddaypress SPECIAL EVENTS AND ON AIR CONTEST COLUMN - D A T E L I N E 2011 June 25 WIA VK/ZL Trans Tasman 160 mtr SSB July 9 WIA 160m CW & Digital Trans-Tasman contest Aug 20-21 WW I.L.L.W. Oct 22 WIA Jack Files Contest 2012 January VK Ross Hull Memorial VHF UHF Contest March 17-18 VK JOHN MOYLE MEMORIAL FIELD DAY June Long Weekend (vk4 time) VK Shires Contest. SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS, DX and BEACON AND NET ADVICE SIX Meter Repeater VK3RDD The Gippsland Gate Radio and Electronics Club are currently overhauling their 6 m repeater VK3RDD located at Cockatoo. Albert VK3BQO and Geoff VK3ZGW have spent considerable time and effort designing a new repeater controller to replace the existing one.. The new controller can be adapted to fit into any new or existing repeater installation regardless of frequency. This will be a major rebuild of VK3RDD which has been operating for many years of reliable service until recent times. Upgraded TX/Rx equipment will also be included. They expect their repeater to be back in operation in approx. 3 weeks and apologize to regular users for this essential outage. Please direct any enquiries / comments to secretary@ggrec.org.au On the air, keep an ear open for EF8M operating from the Canary Islands during the RSGB Islands on the Air Contest on July 30th and the 31st as a Multi-Operator, All-Band, High-Power entry. Operators mentioned are RD3A, EA8CAC and UA5C. QSL via UA3DX. BROADCAST MONITORING SWL AND SCANNER NEWS The US National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters The NASB will team with Dallas-based transmitter maker Continental Electronics will host the first U.S. meeting of a High-Frequency Coordination Conference and Arab States Broadcasting Union conference, Sept. 12–16, in Dallas. Officially the conference gathering of shortwave broadcast professionals is expected to pull approximately 100 delegates from 40 countries. The NASB is encouraging US shortwave professionals to attend to make a good showing. 'This will be an excellent opportunity … to meet with the world’s shortwave broadcasters, and to discuss some of the new platforms of delivery for such as the Internet, satellites, podcasts, etc. Topics dealing with programming, audience research and others are also being planned for the agenda. (IRTS) Danish public-service broadcaster Denmark’s Radio (DR) has shifted some of its programming from medium wave to long wave. On June 16, a new 50 kW transmitter on 243 kHz was activated at their Kalundborg transmission site in Denmark’s West. DR will simulcast programming on the long wave channel until June 27, when it will end its medium-wave broadcasts from the site on 1062 kHz. The existing medium-wave broadcasts uses a 250 kW transmitter. Previously, DR used a 300 kW long wave transmitter at Kalundborg until February 2007. The channel has been entirely vacant in Europe since 2008 when Turkey ended long wave broadcasts. 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 WORLDBEAT INTRUDER WATCH: ONE NEW AND ONE GONE ON 15 METERS The May issue of the IARU Monitoring System newsletter reports that our Australian Over-The Horizon Radar has been heard in the 15 meter amateur band. On a more positive note the same issue of the newsletter reports that the Russian Yakhta vocoder system has disappeared from its self ascribed home on 21.0015 MHz. The complete newsletter can be read on-line in PDF format tinyurl.com/may2011iarums (arnewsline) MEDIA WATCH www.cq-amateur-radio.com/WorldRadio.html VK Club Bulletins http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aarnie/ Inside Amateur Radio magazine for July On last week’s broadcast we covered the topics of the annual convention held this time in Darwin, the posthumous review of QSLing by Neil Penfold VK6NE, now a silent key, and the cover story review ICOMs IC-9100 transceiver. The reviewers reach the conclusion that the long-awaited IC-9100 contains must interest whether you are a lowbander, a HFer, a VHF/UHF FM operator, or microwaver, this radio will cover your needs. This week we draw attention to the extensive writings of WIA President Michael Owen who details what the WIA Board of Directors has been doing for us all. Well worth a read. In DX news, we learn how David McAulay VK3EW regained the top spot on the Australian DXCC by getting QSL’s from the four new DX entities with the changes to the former Netherland Antilles. And continuing the DX theme is good news that the sunspot cycle is likely to peak by 2014, a run-down on the upcoming DXpeditions, plus lots more. The VHF, UHF and Microwaves are well covered. There’s timely reminder on the running of Gippsland Technical Conference, GippTech 2011. AMSAT, ALARA and Shortwave Listening interests are included. Amateur Radio magazine, a WIA membership service is also available through selected news agents. I’m Barry Robinson VK3PV and you are listening to VK1WIA. WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ATV (Every pixel tells a story) - Video arvideonews.com hamradiotube.com youtube.com qdg.org.au Get ready for ARRISat-1 SSTV reception. The ARISSat-1 FM downlink on 145.950 MHz includes live SSTV images as part of the cycling voice ID, select spoken telemetry values, and the international greeting messages. One fun feature is that there are four SSTV cameras mounted on the spacecraft. On photos of ARISSat-1 you may have noticed black brackets on the outside of the spacecraft. These hold the mirrors that reflect the light onto the lens of the cameras. The software-defined-transponder will use the image data from the cameras to generate the SSTV downlink. ARISSat's software will sequentially select a new or stored image from one the four cameras. There are two pre-recorded images as part of the sequence. The camera that took the picture can be identified by the colour of the call sign in the upper left of the SSTV image. The SSTV image will be sent down as FM audio SSTV in Robot 36 format on 145.950 MHz about every 140 seconds. Here are some pointers to help you get your station ready to receive and display the SSTV pictures transmitted by ARISSat-1. The RF downlink power on the 145.950 MHz FM downlink will be 250mW which is predicted to provide a link margin around 6 dB on an HT with a 'big whip' when the satellite is at 15 degrees elevation. This should be sufficient to receive SSTV pictures although you may need to orient the whip to line up the antenna polarization. ARISSat-1 is not stabilized so the antenna orientation is unpredictable and a certain amount of fading will happen. The receiving link margin may be improved with a handheld beam. http://www.wa5vjb.com/references/Cheap%20Antennas-LEOs.pdf 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 UNIVERSITY SEEKS HAM RADIO ASSISTANCE IN SATURN MISSION PREPARATIONS Ham radio has been invited to take part in the preparations for the upcoming exploration of the planet Saturn by remote satellites. This if a group of tiny Cornell University-developed satellites travel to the ringed planet sometime within the next decade. The exploration will be done using tiny micro-sized chip satellites called Sprites. As they flutter down through Saturn’s atmosphere, they will collect data about chemistry, radiation and particle impacts while transmitting as beacons with 10 milliwatts of RF power. Tests of the Sprites is ongoing. Three prototypes of these chip satellites were mounted on the International Space Station after the space shuttle Endeavour delivered them on its final flight. During testing of these micro sized birds, the help of radio amateurs is required. If you would like to serve as one of those trying detecting this signal from one of the Sprites, please follow up by e-mail to zrm3.cornell.edu More information is on-line at tinyurl.com/3fs5ks7 and www.spacecraftresearch.com/blog WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- INTERNET --- THE HAMS DOMAIN TWITTER http://twitter.com/VK1WIA www.HamRadioNation.com Internet body throws open domain names good.food, learnto.salsa, wiameans.help - people companies and organisations will be able to set up a website with almost any address by the end of 2012 IF they have a legitimate claim to the domain name and can pay a hefty fee. The Internet body that oversees domain names has voted to end restricting them to suffixes like .com or .gov and will receive applications for new names from January 12 2012 “It’s the biggest change I think we have seen on the Internet,” Peter Dengate Thrush, chairman of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), told reporters. “We have provided a platform for the next generation of creativity and inspiration.” “It’s the next expansion of the Internet, it’s the future of the Internet,” said Kieren McCarthy, the CEO of .Nxt,Inc, a San Francisco-based company which covers Internet policy and governance issues. “I think our kids will think that we were crazy to always talk about .coms” WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO SCOUTING http://www.scouts.com.au http://www.scout.org/jota http://www.international.scouts.com.au CALLING FREQUENCIES Please QSY off the calling frequency after establishing communication. Australian voice calling frequencies: 3.650, 7.090, 14.190, 21.190, 28.590, 52.160 World CW calling frequencies: 3.570, 7.030, 14.060, 18.080, 21.140, 24.910, 28.180, 50.160 World voice calling frequencies: 3.690 & 3.940 MHz, 7.090 & 7.190, 14.290, 18.140, 21.360, 24.960, 28.390, 50.160 Calling frequencies for Slow Scan TV (SSTV): 3.630, 7.033, 14.227 Calling Frequencies for PSK31 14.070 JOTA 2011 theme announced The theme of the Jamboree on the Air to be held on the 15-16 October is "Peace, Environment and Natural Disasters". IARU International Coordinator for Emergency Communications, Hans Zimmermann F5VKP/ F/HB9AQS, said "This year's JOTA theme is an excellent opportunity to raise the awareness for the role of the Amateur Radio Service in disaster situations." Hans believes we should all support this initiative by direct contact between the respective emergency communications groups and JOTA organisers. World JOTA organiser of the World Scout Bureau, Richard Middlecoop PA3BAR, has asked for help to establish contacts between national JOTA organisers and emergency communications groups. Information about JOTA/JOTI can be found at: http://scout.org/en/information_events/events/jota/the_54th_jota_2011 Richard Middelkoop can be reached at RMiddelkoop@scout.org (Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman, IARU Region 3, Disaster Communications Committee) Nighthawk happening now ! As the WIA news goes to air this morning some VK4 radio amateurs are wrapping up an overnight activity to provide vital communications support for Scouting youth members doing the hard slog through crocodile and taipan infested land. The Kennedy Region Scouts 2011 Operation Nighthawk started on Saturday evening and only just finished a little while ago, today Sunday 26 with a course that traversed suburban Pallarenda and the rugged trails of the Townsville Town Common. Over 90 youth members trekked through 5 radio checkpoints manned by Townsville Amateur Radio club members utilising VHF voice and data channels plus also using UHF to VHF cross-band repeating from vehicles to enhance operator portability and endurance. Planning is already advanced for Kennedy Region Nighthawk 2012, if you reside Townsville way have a think about helping out with that event ! SOCIAL SCENE 2011 Jul 9 VK2e Waverley A R S annual auction at Rose Bay club rooms Jul 16 VK3 Gippsland Gate Radio & Electronics Club Hamfest Cranbourne Community Hall 10am ( secretary@ggrec.org.au ) Jul 16 VK4 Maryborough Electronics and Radio Group "Wide Bay Hamfest" West Scout Hall, Ariadne St, Maryborough 8:30am. secretary@merg.org.au Jul 31 VK2/3 Riverina Field Day 10am at Lavington Scout Group Hall. Aug 7 VK2 Lismore region - SARCFEST Aug 28 VK2 Blue Mountains amateur radio club's annual WINTERFEST Sep 11 VK3 SADARC Comms Day at St Augustine's Hall Shepparton 10am. Sep 16-18 VK4 NQ Amateur Radio Convention Date Set Townsville Sep 23-28 R3 Region 3 ARDF Championship Bendigo VK3 http://r3.ardf.org.au/ Sep 30-Oct 2 VK4 Central Highlands Amateur Radio Club AGM at Camp Fairbairn CONTACT Secretary Gordon, (vk4kal@wia.org.au) Nov 20 vk5 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society Hamfest Goodwood Community Centre, Rosa St Goodwood at 0930. Visit www.ahars.com.au for contact details 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 FEB 26 VK2 CCARC WYONG FIELD DAY MAY 3-18 VK5 YL International 2012 Australia (vk5tmc@bigpond.com) Submitting news items If you would like to submit news items for inclusion in the VK1WIA broadcasts, please email your item in text to nationalnews@wia.org.au to submit audio read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on wia.org.au Remember the sooner you submit material the more the likelihood of it being broadcast in the very next edition of WIA National News. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ============================================================================= WIANews - we've reported...YOU decide. TWITTER http://twitter.com/VK1WIA 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.