WIANEWS - April 29 - VK NATIONAL NEWS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE BEST NEWS YOU'LL GET ALL WEEK Oh... and to contact us with your news because If It Matters To You It Matters To Us! Email nationalnews@wia.org.au http://www.wia.org.au (click news in member area) Submit your audio news 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 FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA FOR WEEK COMMENCING APRIL 29 2012. Are You coming the WIA Annual Conference in Mildura ? With only one month remaining on the calendar till this years WIA Annual Conference registrations have been filling quickly particularly since the announcement of our special guests and details of the weekend Technical program. In previous weeks we have talked to Peter Cossins about his Digital ATV Presentation, Andrew Martin VK3OE about the developments with his chirp radar system and we have interviewed Jan King W3GEY a founding member of AMSAT and we spoke with Jan about his much anticipated presentation of the AMSATsatellite program. A major feature of the technical program is the presentation by the Adelaide based Project Horus team who will be both presenting in the Saturday afternoon technical Symposium AND launching a real Horus balloon, Horus 25 on Sunday morning from the old aero ovals a publicly accessible councilproperty in Mildura. So this morning it's my pleasure to introduce to you Terry Baum VK5VZI who one of the lead members of the Horus team Good morning Terry... Good morning Robert First up Terry thanks to you and your team for being part of the WIA Annual Conference in Mildura. Now I'm sure that many will have heard of and be familiar with the Horus program, but for those listeners who are not, could you tell us a little of the background behind the program. No problems Robert and a very good morning to all the listeners here on this WIA news broadcast. Project Horus is a amateur high altitude balloon project. Our aim is to build and fly low cost weather balloon payloads into the stratosphere, capturing photographs, recording sensor data and providing a reliable launch platform for high altitude experiments. Our typical launches attain altitudes in excess of 35,000m (115,000ft), passing through regions of extremely low pressure and temperature - temperatures frequently reach as low as -55 degrees Celcius. Payloads are tracked by GPS and radio communications - once the balloon has burst, the payload descends to Earth and is retrieved. We had our first launch in 2010 and since then we have launced 23 balloons, Mildura will be our 25th launch and so it has the designation Horus 25 So the plan is to launch Horus 25 on a public oval on Sunday Morning at 8:00am and everyone attending the WIA conference and the general public is invited to come along and watch the launch. What happens after the balloon is launched? Well as part of the payload on the balloon, we will have a rtty stream of telemetry on 70cm, with the aid of some software that people can install on their laptop, using the laptop sound card hooked to their 70cm radio they will be able to decode telemetry data. We will also be sending this same information to our Project Horus website in real time so people with internet access including interested Midura residents will be able to track the balloons progress via the internet. Horus 25 will also have and amateur voice repeater on board with input on 70 cm and output on 2m. We expect the balloon will remain in the air for about two and a half hours before it bursts and the payload parachutes back down to the ground. I guess your balloon launches would normally attract a lot of public interest. Yes they do and quite often we get inquiries from people if they can come and watch a launch, in many cases this may not be practical for a number of reasons, sometimes they are on private property, sometimes access is a problem etc, so for all the people out there who have been hanging out to see a launch, come to Mildura and see us launch Horus 25 And there is a prize for the person who tracks and recovers the payload. Yes I have been informed a Yaseu FT 1900r has been generously donated as a prize for the person who locates and recovers the balloon payload, mind you it's much easier these days with the balloons onboard GPS than it was in days gone by when you had to DF the payload, I doubt it will land on the Paddleboat Mundoo so if you plan to follow and track the payload that will be separate exercise to the Mundoo lunch and afternoon boat trip. I understand the boat boards at 11:00 an departs at 11:30 Well thanks again Terry for you and your team, we are looking forward not only to your talk during the Saturday technical Symposium but also the Sunday morning balloon launch. Thanks again Robert and our team are very excited about coming to Mildura Join us at the WIA Annual Conference in Mildura and be part of history in the making with the launch of Horus 25. Register online today, simply visit the WIA website www.wia.org.au and click the link to the Annual Conference Mildura Olympic Games 3D TV trials The Australian Communications and Media Authority has agreed to issue licences to Nine Network Australia, provided certain conditions are met, to conduct trials of 3D TV featuring daily highlights of the 2012 Olympic Games, ACMA Chairman, Chris Chapman has confirmed. The ACMA has considered Nine’s applications to use unassigned TV channels for 3D TV trials in Adelaide, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. ’Viewers with a 3D television should be able to view the trial if they are within the coverage area of the trial services,’ Mr Chapman said. To ensure that viewers understand the month-long transmission will only be available in certain areas, the Nine Network has agreed to implement a range of consumer protection measures. The ACMA developed the measures in consultation with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission following misleading statements from a number of electronics retailers during previous 3D TV trials. ‘Viewers need to be aware these broadcasts are temporary trials of the 3D TV format and that the long term technology is still developing,’ Mr Chapman said. Detailed information about the coverage areas and other aspects of the trials will be available from the Nine Network before the services are due to commence on 16 July. WIA President Michael Owen VK3KI president@wia.org.au Vice President Phil Wait VK2ASD vk2asd@wia.org.au Secretary Sarah Thompson VK3AUD secretary@wia.org.au Treasurer John Longayroux VK3PZ vk3pz@wia.org.au In recent times a number of amateurs have asked questions about the WIA Awards program. I expect that the release published in the last few days will answer those questions. Shortly after becoming the WIA Director for Awards Chris Platt VK5CP found that he had very little time for the task because of increasingly intense work pressures. WIA Director Trent Sampson VK4TS has been appointed Acting Director for Awards until Chris is able to devote the necessary time to the role. Steve Chamberlain VK6IR was appointed Awards Manager last February but found that he was unable to use the time he had set aside for establishing the role and so felt it better to allow someone else the opportunity to deal with this important area of WIA interest. Bob Robinson VK3SX has been appointed Awards Manager. In addition, Allan Meredith VK2CA has rejoined the Awards Committee and Laurie Davison VK7ZE has joined the Committee. Laurie is expected to become the first VK ARRL card checker in the very near future. Last March Dale McCarthy VK4DMC retired from the Awards Committee as he felt that he was no longer able to devote the necessary time to that role. The routine management of the Awards process will continue to be through the WIA office, and WIA Treasurer John Longayroux VK3PZ, currently overseas, has reorganised much of the basic current data to provide a basis for the work being undertaken by Trent, Bob and the Awards team. The Awards pages on the WIA website have been updated, work is continuing to update the DXCC standings and the delay in issuing WIA Award certificates is expected to be largely overcome in the next 6 weeks. May I take this opportunity to thank everyone involved for their efforts to overcome the difficulties we ran into and their ongoing work to improve the program, and in particular Trent Sampson, Bob Robinson and John Longayroux working as ever in the background. HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA. VK2 web service:- http://www.arnsw.org.au/html/news_vk2wi.htm VKG Roundup http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news Email Address : r_demkiw@yahoo.com.au Its all happening at the Summerland Amateur Radio Club this Sunday the 29th. Starting at 10 am today, there will be a big tidy-up, and with many tasks to be done they need all hands on deck. Things to be done include weeding, sorting out the magazine collection, tidying the workroom and storeroom, and also sorting out surplus sales stuff, ready for the Spring Hamfest. There will be a BBQ lunch, then at 2pm will be the AGM of Northern Rivers WICEN. All members are asked to be there if possible, and all interested persons are welcome to attend. That's this Sunday, at the clubrooms: a map is available on the Summerland Club website. www.sarc.org.au. (Chris VK2ACD) VK4 - QNEWS Send your stories for news. SCRIPT to qnews@wia.org.au send audio to http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/upload/ get local audio news www.wiaq.org.au/ftp/vk4_qnews_64.mp3 get local news emailed qnews-vk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Centenary of organized Amateur Radio in Queensland Special Event Callsign and Operations VK100WIQ will be available to Clubs during July and August and a special QSL card is being designed and printed for the operation. Clubs interested in using the special call for a 3 day bracket (or more if you are keen) need to contact Michael VK4QS. mikevk4qs@gmail.com or telephone 41 222 927 (sourced to thetarcinc) VK5 For the last year the Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society has held the call VK5MGY. MGY being the radio call sign of the Titanic. Doc VK5BUG and Shaun VK5ASC have used the call at Titanic displays. Doc, who operates exclusivly on CW has made over 300 contacts worldwide to over 30 countries. QSL's have been printed and distributed from a winning competition entry of James Zinkler. Thanks to Doc and Shaun for their efforts. Across Australia from VK1WIA you're tuned to the WIA National News Service. In Adelaide it can be heard on VK5RAD at 9am local time. I'm David VK5KC. DISCUSSION POINT What use is an f-call? (Past editions of What use is an f-call can be found online at harg.org.au under F-troop.) Recently I had the opportunity to see a group of amateurs show and tell lots of little inventions, from antennas through measuring equipment, hand-made and historic. The atmosphere was electric, HAMs showing off their technical achievements. It was exciting to see the glint in the eye of each demonstrator, proudly sharing their accomplishments. I realized that in many places in life there is competition, even in Amateur Radio there are contests, but this was something else. This was an experience that highlighted to me what Amateur Radio is all about, figuring out how to achieve something and sharing it with others. I understand that you could think that this too could turn into a competition, but the web-sites I've seen in the past year contradict that notion. Everywhere I look there are people trying to share their knowledge, trying to make Amateur Radio a great place to be, telling stories, inventing things, making and building. All this is a run-up to something, a run-up to one question: "What have you shared lately?" If you received your license recently, you may think that you have nothing to share. Ironically that is absolutely untrue. You bring with you a new curiosity, a fresh set of inquisitiveness that you can share with fellow amateurs. You bring an excitement to the hobby that might assist experienced HAMs with a thrill of their own. So, don't be shy, young HAM or old hand, share and share alike. I'm Onno vk6flab INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club, ARRL, Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART, ARVictoria and the WW sources of the WIA. Amateur Radio Posters for Download The RSGB has made available a collection of amateur radio promotional posters that can be used when demonstrating the hobby to the public. The posters can be downloaded from rsgb.org/posters Meteoroid the size of a mini-van explodes over California An explosion over California that rattled homes across at least two states has been analyzed by NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office: It was a natural meteoroid the size of a mini-van. Analysts say the space rock exploded in the atmosphere with an energy equal to nearly 4 kilotons of TNT and might have sprayed the Sierra Nevada mountains with meteorites. Visit http://spaceweather.com for more information Rassie Erasmus, ZS1YT new SARL President Rassie Erasmus, ZS1YT, was elected as the South African Radio League (SARL) President. In his address at the annual dinner he said that his objective for his year of office is "Together we will achieve more for amateur radio." He said "I believe that clubs should become more active in the SARL and its national activities and on the flip side, the SARL must be more engaged with clubs. The old cliché of "unity is strength" could not be more true today than ever before. While we achieve successes at international level, we need to work harder at successes at national level. We need to work better together, communicate more with each other. Clubs and the SARL need to support each other to grow and expand. The IARU's international voice is only strengthened by national members and societies. "I urge each club to affiliate with the SARL and appoint a liaison officer to strengthen the communications channel. Communications must be two way and that is the important role of a liaison officer at every club. Communicate to the SARL what is happening at club level and how the SARL can add more value. It should also be the task of the liaison officer to ensure that the SARL communication channels reach club members by including information in local bulletins, at club meetings and at club committee meetings." RADIO SCOUTING: NEW DEDICATED IRLP TOPIC CHANNEL FOR SCOUTS Radio Scouting and the Jamboree on the Air now have a common meeting place for Internet Radio Linking Project contacts or IRLP. As one of the new Topic Channels, scouts need only connect to IRLP Node 9091 to make contact with one another. The Radio Scouting and Jamboree on the Air Topic Channel is available for use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A recommended time for calling has initially been established for 1800 UTC for weekend activities, such as Radio Merit Badge events, as well as contacts during Summer Camp. Another suggested time is 0100 UTC to accommodate most scouts during the evening hours. For detailed information on available IRLP repeaters in your area, how IRLP works and operating guidelines, visit www.irlp.net on the World-Wide-Web. For more information about this and other IRLP Topic Channels take your web browser to www.irlptopics.net ============================================================================= NEWS FROM ARNEWSLINE USA NEW OTH RADAR REPORT RELEASED BY DK20M A new paper released by a ham in Germany may shed some light on sources of interference on the ham bands caused by radar systems world-wide. Jim Davis, W2JKD, has more: -- Wolfgang Hadel DK2OM has made available a report documenting High Frequency Over The Horizon radar systems used around the world. Also included are Ionosphere and Troposhere Diagnostic Radars as well as well as Ocean Wave and Coastal Radars. All of these can interfere with amateur radio and shortwave listening. The report is an exceedingly thorough look at these various Radar systems and their uses. It also includes explanations of how some of these systems work and include photographs, maps and graphs of some of the operations. The 36 page report is free to anyone who wants a copy. You can download it in Adobe .pdf format at tinyurl.com/oth-radar-report. I'm Jim Davis, W2JKD. WEIRD AND WONDERFUL JAPAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY PLANS SPACE ELEVATOR And finally this week, while it might the stuff of science fiction dreams are made ofr, a Japanese construction company has announced that it will have built a working space elevator by 2050. Amateur Radio Newsline's Heather Butera- Howell, KB3TZD, is here with this glimpse into the future: -- Imagine putting a microsat under your arm, taking it on an elevator ride to a geostationary on-orbit outpost and eventually hsving it tossed into space. Such might be the case in about 40 to 50 years if the plans of a Japan-based construction company come to pass, According to the The Daily Yomiuri newspaper, the company known as Obayashi Corporation has announced it will build a kind of space elevator by the year 2050. One that will be capable of shuttling passengers and supplies 36,000 kilometers above the Earth. The company plans to use carbon nanontubes, which are said to be 20 times stronger than steel, to produce the cables required for the elevator. Those cables will be stretched to a counterweight 96,000 kilometers above our planet. Thats about one-fourth of the distance between the Earth and the moon. An Obayashi official told the newspaper that the terminal station to be located 36,000 kilometers above Earth, will be reached by cars that can carry 30 people and travel at 200 kilometers per hour. He adds that at this moment, the company cannot estimate the cost for the project. However, they will try to make steady progress so that it won't end just up as simply a dream. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Im Heather Butera-Howell KB3TZD, looking at the future from near Burwick, Pennsylvania. -- The Obayashi spokesperson could not estimate the cost the cost of the project but did admit that it will be high. And whether this project can actually become a reality is up for discussion for at least the time being. RADIO SPORT Greetings Everyone - this is Trent VK4TS- Coming up shortly is the WIA AGM and its time to reflect over the past 12 months in contesting - my area of special interest 2012 has seen the formation of the WIA Contest Committee and the introduction of general rules for WIA contests - Contrary to some misconceptions these are not an attempt to make all contests the same but rather to use the same terms for all our sponsored contests. Sadly we saw the resignation due to ill health of our long time RD Contest manager Peter VK4OD - however Peter recommended Alan VK4SN as his replacement and Alan has taken on the role with gutso - Interestingly he has proposed a couple of changes to the rules and these are in the May issue of AR or on the WIA website The Oceania Dx Contest has another record in logs received (over 1200 logs) an amazing turnaround by a contest that only 15 years ago was almost extinct Well done Brian VK3MI and team. The Field Day contests have continued to increase activity with the John Moyle capably managed by Denis VK4AE leading the way however more interest is also being shown in the VHF/UHF only events under the stewardship of John VK3KM. With the changes to the RD Contest there has been a proposal put forward for individual sponsored trophies, Chris VK3FY has already volunteered the South Pacific Contest Club to donate a shield for the highest scoring Multi Operator and I look forward to hearing from any others groups interested in sponsoring one. this has been Trent VK4TS SPECIAL EVENTS AND ON AIR CONTEST COLUMN - D A T E L I N E 2012 VK/ZL Trans Tasman Contest 80metres Phone May 12 VK Shires Contest June 9-10 VK Winter VHF-UHF Field Day June 23-24 ZL NZART Memorial Contest July First full weekend VK/ZL Trans Tasman Contest 80+160metres July 21 VK Remembrance Day Contest August 11-12 WW International Lighthouse Lightship Wknd August 18-19 VK Spring VHF / UHF Field Day November 24-25 SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS, DX and BEACON AND NET ADVICE N6G TO CELEBRATE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE AT AGE 75 A Healdsburg, California ham has announced a special event operation to celebrate the 75th anniversary of one of the states most usefull landmarks. Will Pattullo, AE6YB, tells Newsline that he will be hosting special event N6G an May 26 and the 27th. This to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the opening of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. AE6YB says he will definitely be on 7.265, 14.265 and 21.265 MHz during the two-day operation. He will also try to get on 80 and 10 meters if time permits. Domestic U-S stations should QSL N6G via AE6YB with a self addressed stamped envelope direct via his callbook address. DX stations are asked to include a US dollar to cover return postage. Details on www.sfarc.org F4CYZ iS operational from Morocco as CN2YZ through years end. His activity will be from Tangier especially on the weekends. The Mediterraneo DX Club is supporting his activities and is also providing a Web site with a log-check. Its in cyberspace at mdxc.org/cn2yz MEDIA WATCH www.cq-amateur-radio.com/WorldRadio.html VK Club Bulletins http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aarnie/ When a new broadcaster comes on line they are encouraged to subscribe to the wiabroadcasters at yahoogroups.com webservice. Twice a week you receive emails, the first is posted detailing that weeks news broadcast, duration and where the audio can be downloaded from. The 2nd email is a detailed tally sheet from all the official rebroadcast stations across VK. Remember the only rebroadcast stations of this news shown on the WIA "where to hear us" web page are the ones regularly sending us the number of callbacks each week. If you wish to join and are a rebroadcaster drop us an email now, to nationalnews@wia.org.au Also when sending National News Material PLEASE read the "how to submit items" on the weekly news page at wia.org.au Don't send us just url's and please post your audio onto the news area, not by email. WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER 16 Japanese educational satellites to be launched Sixteen educational satellites are under construction in Japan. The first should be launched in May followed by the others over the next two years. The first to launch is the amateur radio satellite HORYU-2 built by students at the Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT). The launch is on a Japanese H-IIA rocket planned for May 17 at 1639-1642 UT. The mission aims to take pictures of the Earth using a small CMOS camera SCAMP (Surrey Camera Payload) developed by the University of Surrey, a sister university of KIT. SCAMP takes a 640×480 pixel picture in a JPEG format. From 700 km altitude, one pixel corresponds to 1.6 km. HORYU-2 will be followed in July by the launch of the HTV3 to the International Space Station (ISS). This will deliver the JEM-Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) along with the Japanese CubeSats WE-WISH, FITSAT-1 and RAIKO. These CubeSats should be deployed from the ISS in September using the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) robot arm. FITSAT-1, also known as NIWAKA, will use a neodymium magnet for attitude control. It has multiple downlinks, CW on 437.250 MHz, AX.25 on 437.445 MHz and a 4 watt high speed data transmitter on 5840 MHz capable of sending a 640 by 480 VGA JPEG image in 6 seconds. In addition it carries high power LEDs that will be driven with 100W pulses to produce extremely bright flashes. These, it is hoped, will be observable by the unaided eye or with small binoculars. Both the 5840 MHz and optical downlinks have a high power consumption so it may be that they are only activated over Japan. In December TSUBAME is planned to be launched on a H-IIA. It aims to have a CW beacon on 437.250 MHz and AX.25 1200/9600bps telemetry on 437.505 MHz. Further information on all the satellites can be found on the AMSAT-UK website at http://www.uk.amsat.org/6691 AMSAT-UK publishes a colour A4 newsletter, OSCAR News, which is full of Amateur Satellite information. Free sample issue at http://www.uk.amsat.org/on_193_final.pdf Join online at http://tinyurl.com/JoinAMSAT-UK WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO AMATEUR OLD-TIMERS http://www.raotc.org.au WITH QCWA BECOME A MEMBER OR PAY DUES ON-LINE The Quarter Century Wireless Association has announced that those eligible can now join the organization or renew membership on-line. The link to the applications are at www.qcwa.org/how-to-join.php After you complete the form, click 'Add to Cart. From there you will be taken to PayPal to complete the transaction. You don't need to be a member of PayPal to use a Debit or Credit card. You do need to be a member of PayPal to use your checking or savings account electronic transfer. Eligibility to join QCWA requires a continuous 25 years as a licensed amateur radio operator. 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 Saturday May 5th 2012 East Gippsland Stages Bairnsdale Contact: Colin Pomroy VK3BLE phone: 03 5149 7228 Email: colinpomroy@bigpond.com Sunday May 6th 2012 Kenda Nav Rally Rubicon Contact: Peter Weeks VK3YZP phone: 03 5772 1454 Email: weeksradio@virtual.net.au Regards, WICEN Secretary, secretary@vic.wicen.org.au SOCIAL SCENE 2012 APR 28 VK6 HARGfest (Hills ARG) MAY 3-18 VK5 YL International 2012 Australia (vk5tmc@bigpond.com) MAY 5- 6 VK4 RADAR and MARC Clairview Gathering MAY 25-27 VK3 WIA Annual Conference Mildura MAY 26 VK4 BARCFEST (a hamfest) Mt Gravatt Showgrounds 9am. JUN 8-11 VK4 FNNQARG! QLD Cassowary Coast JUN 9-10 VK5 South East Radio Group Convention, Mt Gambier. JULY 14 VK4 Wide Bay Hamfest. West Maryborough Scout Hall JULY 21 VK3 Gippsland Gate Radio & Electronics Club Hamfest @ Cranbourne JULY 21 VK4 WIA VK4 CLUB PRESIDENTS LUNCH Hervey Bay AR Club NOV 4 VK5 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society HAMFEST @ Goodwood NOV 11 VK3 Yarra Valley Amateur Radio Group Hamfest NOV 25 VK3 SPARC HAMFEST AT ROSEBUD WIA Annual Conference Mildura May 25th, 26th and 27th 2012 Details for the WIA 2012 Annual Conference being held in Mildura are on wia.org.au Host club is Sunraysia Radio Group, led by Garry Briant VK3KYF and Noel Ferguson VK3FI. WIA Members who register for the event will be able to participate in a range of fascinating and memorable activities. 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