WIANEWS - MARCH 24 - 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. When you upload audio email us the txt version. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WIANEWS WEEK COMMENCING MARCH 24 2013. Roger Harrison VK2ZRH with more on the Australian Communications & Media Authority's proposed withdraw of the 2300 to 2302 MHz band THIS STORY AND MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA FOR WEEK COMMENCING MAR 24 2013. WIA BOARD TALK President Phil Wait VK2ASD vk2asd@wia.org.au Vice President Chris Platt VK5CP vk5cp@wia.org.au Secretary David Williams VK3RU vk3ru@wia.org.au Treasurer John Longayroux VK3PZ vk3pz@wia.org.au This is Roger Harrison VK2ZRH. The Australian Communications and Media Authority – the A C M A – proposes to withdraw the 2300 to 2302 MHz segment of the 13 cm Amateur band from July 2015 so that it can be re-allocated for Spectrum Licensing nationally. All Advanced Amateur licensees will be affected. The ACMA has already advised all Advanced licensees by letter and invited comment on the proposal. The driver behind the ACMA’s proposed move is to create a tidy 100 MHz-wide band from 2300 to 2400 MHz for the purpose of Spectrum Licensing by auction. It is understood that the likely technology to be deployed under Spectrum Licensing in the 2300-2400 MHz band will be that known as Long Term Evolution – L T E. The 13 cm Amateur band has only a secondary service status at 2300 to 2450 MHz. Primary user status goes to the fixed, mobile and radiolocation services. 2400 to 2450 MHz is widely used by Class Licensed Wi-Fi wireless computer networks and radio amateurs have to share the use of this sector of 13 cm, with the inevitable rise in the noise floor and interference issues. The 2300 to 2302 MHz segment has been used for narrowband, weak-signal working and this is reflected in the WIA band plan for 13 cm. In the face of the ACMA’s proposal, the WIA intends to fight back. The WIA is preparing a submission that strongly argues for the retention of a 150 kHz-wide allocation at 2300 MHz on at least a co-primary basis. A 150 kHz-wide “line in the sand”, you might say. Some have suggested that the Institute should bargain the loss of 2 MHz in the 13 cm band for more spectrum elsewhere – like the 80 metre DX window, or securing exclusive access to 50 to 52 MHz, for example. However, the WIA Board has adopted the stance that this is no time to roll over and die on the 13 cm issue, to use the loss of 2 MHz as a bargaining chip when it comes to issues affecting other bands – OR, for that matter, bargaining for a new band elsewhere in the radiofrequency spectrum. Each issue really has to be addressed on its own merits. The Institute will continue to seek from the ACMA more favourable consideration in other amateur bands under threat or other disadvantage, along with new allocations. Back to the fate of 2300 MHz. LTE employs complex modulation technology to provide very high capacity and data speed in new cellular mobile networks. The spectrum used by LTE may be configured in channels of various widths, ranging from 1.4 MHz up to 20 MHz wide. Hence, many channels will fit within the proposed 100 MHz band at 2300 to 2400 MHz. The good news for us is that the whole of a channel’s bandwidth is not used. There is some unoccupied spectrum at the edge of each channel, regardless of what channel bandwidth might be deployed. For the minimal channel bandwidth of 1.4 MHz, the unoccupied spectrum at each edge – or “white space”, if you like – amounts to 160 kHz. For a 10 MHz channel, it’s 500 kHz at each edge. So – there will always be some unoccupied and otherwise unused spectrum right at 2300 MHz. Hence, the WIA submission proposes that a 150 kHz-wide allocation, from 2300 to 2300.15 MHz, is retained for Amateur use on at least a co-primary basis. In addition, the 10 MHz immediately below 2300 MHz, from 2290 to 2300 MHz, is allocated in Australia for weak-signal space research, fixed and mobile services. Australian Defence systems in that band are protected against harmful interference. It is envisaged that Spectrum Licensees using the 2300 to 2400 MHz band will be required to reduce out-of-band emissions below 2300 MHz to meet a specified standard, tailoring-off the transmission power and bandwidth usage so as to protect licensed users of the 2290 to 2300 MHz band from interference. This, too, works in our favour in arguing to retain a segment of the 13 cm band for narrowband, weak-signal working, be it terrestrial point-to-point DX, rain scatter propagation or moon bounce. The WIA submission notes the significant loss of segments of Amateur allocations in the 70 cm, 23 cm and 9 cm bands. It also emphasises the long history of leading edge weak-signal terrestrial, space (EME and satellite) and ATV work carried out on the 13 cm band over more than 60 years, since the band was allocated following WW II. Many state/territory and national distance records have been established and re-established over the decades and are recognized around the globe. In addition, there are currently at least two Australian suppliers of high performance transverter kits for the 13 cm band. Use of the band is relatively popular among stations deploying microwave equipment on field days. The submission argues that loss of 2300 to 2302 MHz would, at best, severely hamper – or at worst – eradicate weak-signal terrestrial and moon bounce work by Australian radio amateurs. This is about preserving a future for leading edge weak-signal Australian amateur radio work in this region of the microwave spectrum. The Institute encourages all interested licensees to respond to the ACMA’s invitation to comment. You might develop your own detailed submission, and / or you might care to write to the ACMA and support the WIA’s submission. It is in the interests of the future of amateur radio in Australia. The deadline for comment is close of business on Wednesday 27 March. If you can’t find your letter, the ACMA’s consultation paper is available on the ACMA website under “Issues for comment”. Information is also available on the WIA website. Look for “Looming loss of 2300 to 2302 MHz – WIA fights back !” Get cracking ! Thank you for bearing with me. This is Roger Harrison VK2ZRH. Learn - 24 March 2013, 0'37" Have you prepared for the last weekend in May; the 2013 WIA AGM and Conference? With access to Amateurs from all levels of experience, you'll participate in sessions about and related to Amateur Radio. With so much expertise in one place we offer a platform to tap into the assembled knowledge and experience and give you front row access to it all. The 2013 WIA AGM and Conference, it's all about Engaging, Learning, Appreciating, Socializing and Discovering. You'll find all the information online at the VK6 conference site, conference.vk6.net HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA. VK2 web service:- http://www.arnsw.org.au/html/news_vk2wi.htm HEAR THIS NEWS HERE 146.475 MHz VK2JJW Buttaba, Lake Macquarie EchoIRLP IRLP Node 6527 EchoLink Node 96527 Sunday 12:00pm, 9pm, 11pm, 12am. Monday 11:30pm Wednesday 7:30pm Thursday 9:00pm Friday 10:30pm VK3 The wait is over, it’s on today ! The big friendly HamFest the EMDRC White Elephant Sale Doors Open at 10am Come down to the Great Ryrie Primary School, Great Ryrie Road Heathmont Vic. Pick up a bargain, stay for BBQ lunch and socialise with friends. See you there 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 North Queensland Amateur Radio Convention in jeopardy News in this week that the main venue for this years North Queensland Amateur Radio Convention - the Charters Towers RSL - has had to close its doors due to poor local patronage and mounting debts! Moves are afoot to find a single or combination of venues in Charters Towers to house the Convention - stay tuned for further info ! (tarcinc) VK6 BOB THE BUILDERS TO THE RESCUE The old 6DL regional transmitter was trucked to Wubin in the WA wheat belt and reassembled in the Wubin Wheat Bin Museum, in the Shire of Dalwallinu by local and imported enthusiasts. Bob, VK6KW had spent a week at the Wireless Hill Museum pulling it apart. Bob, plus the 'other' Bob, VK6CG, Trevor Kelly who had worked on this AWA transmitter when he was technician at 6WF/6WN along with Gina Capes and Kaylene Poon (they look after the Wireless Hill and other museums for the City of Melville) and some very capable Wubin locals, they all put 6DL back together again. This beautiful 10KW Art Deco AWA broadcasting transmitter was "Type J50961" and was in use at 6WN, Wanneroo, before its redeployment to Dalwallinu as 6DL. It is 6m long, 2m high, 1m thick and weighs tons, a forklift, adeptly driven by a local farmer, made light of the heavy lifting. The transmitter is probably the most complete of this type left in Australia though the power and modulation transformers and filter capacitors are missing. They were located behind the main cabinet and access to them was through a door at the right of the transmitter. A complete 500W standby transmitter was earlier found stored behind this door. Its provenance is unknown but is also Art Deco in style so probably also made just pre-World War II. (Bob Crowe VK6CG) INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club, ARRL, Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART, ARVictoria and the WW sources of the WIA. DID YOU KNOW THAT AMATEUR RADIO PLAYED A ROLE IN ENDING THE CIVIL WAR IN MOZAMBIQUE? To stem the flow of weapons from Mozambique into KwaZulu- Natal, a two-man special operations team was inserted into Mozambique for this mission. One of those two persons was Anthony Turton, selected in part because of his skills as a radio operator, which was deemed to be a necessary element for the success of this high risk but strategically important mission. Anthony used these skills, honed to a high level of technical competence as an active radio amateur, to gain strategic access to the rebel group RENAMO. Anthony has authored a book "Shaking Hands with Billy' which tells this story for the first time. AM Radio on the way out in the UK UK Government reports indicate an intention to abandon AM broadcast radio for emergency communications and to phase-out AM broadcasting from 2016. The report Impact of a Radio Switchover on the Government’s Emergency Communications Policy says: The coverage of AM services are near universal across the UK, delivered by a small number of transmitters which could more easily be restored in the event of a national disaster. However, while AM services are universally available, the number of households which both have access to and choose to access such services is on the decline. The declining value of the AM platform is best displayed in the case of the National Attack Warning System (NAWS). The use of the BBC Radio4 LW frequency to broadcast emergency information nationally in the case of a nuclear attack or similar disaster was formalised through the NAWS arrangements between the BBC and the Cabinet Office. However, as a result of the limitations of this system in the present day, from the falling numbers of LW receivers in homes, to the delay incurred from having to restore transmitters following an attack, the Cabinet Office has since cancelled their NAWS arrangements with the BBC. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/136351/Emergency_Communications_1_.pdf Neighbours at war over aerial New Zealand's Nelson Mail reports that a Nelson couple, dismayed by the erection of a large ham radio aerial in the middle of their expansive view from Princes Dr, have taken their fight to city councillors. Dallas Woods made a presentation to the council's public forum, asking councillors to change the rules so that amateur radio aerials were no longer a permitted activity in residential zones or the "landscape overlay" which covers city ridgelines. The landscape overlay prevented the putting up of cell phone towers, power poles and light standards as of right, but the plan did not prohibit other structures such as radio aerials. Read the full Nelson Mail article, with pictures, at http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/8429054/Neighbours-at-war-over-aerial Amateur Radiocommunication service - it is not only a hobby On March 12, 2013, a conference titled 'Amateur Radiocommunication service it is not only a hobby' took place in the Lower Chamber of the Parliament of the Republic of Poland. It was organized by the Committee on Culture and Media together with the Foundation of the Nation-wide Agreement of Amateur Radio Organizations (FOPOR), and in cooperation with the Polish Amateur Radio Union (PZK). The conference was attended by representatives of the governmental administration, amateur radio organizations, guide and scouts, and young radio amateurs. ============================================================================= NEWS FROM ARNEWSLINE USA HAMVENTION ANNOUNCES 2013 AWARD WINNERS I’m Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, with word that the Dayton Hamvention has announced this years winners of its famed Hamvention Awards. The news was made public on the March 13th edition of Ham Nation by past Hamvention General Chairman Michael Kalter, W8CI, with a well-known ham from Germany garnering the top spot: -- W8CI: Our Amateur of the Year is Mustapha Landoulsi, DL1BDF. He was actually born in Tunisia and has set up six amateur radio stations in Tunisia and has brought them into the IARU. He’s worked tirelessly to help Middle-Eastern countries and African counties in amateur radio. He also sped up and organized the delivery of emergency medical equipment and medicine to African and other third world countries, and he is so well known throughout the world that his work actually embodies what amateur radio is about. He tries to bring peoples together from different countries and his heart is one hundred per cent into amateur radio. -- Recognized as this years Special Achievement Award recipient was George Thomas, W5JDX, of Ridgeland, Mississippi. For those few of you not aware, George the producer of the Internet TV show known as amateurlogic.tv. He also co-hosts Ham Nation with Bob Heil K9EID and Gordon West WB6NOA on TWiT TV. And he took the opportunity to thank those who have been working with him over the past few years: -- W5JDX: "You know I couldn't do this without my partners Tommy, Jimmy and Peter and of course Bob and Gordo." -- ============================================================================= RSGB's G4NJH LES-1 satellite heard again Phil Williams, G3YPQ, an amateur radio astronomer in North Cornwall, reports picking up a signal from the LES-1 satellite, launched in 1965. The satellite failed to reach its intended orbit owing to a wiring error and has been drifting out of control ever since. Phil ran across it while monitoring near 237MHz when he noticed a signal with a peculiar signal drift caused by the bird tumbling end over end every four seconds as the solar panels became shadowed by the satellite's engine. He said that gives the signal a particularly ghostly sound as the voltage from the solar panels fluctuates. ============================================================================= WEIRD AND WONDERFUL Pirate Radio Station In Florida Jams Automotive Electronics Peter Ellis VK1PE has dug up another humorous radio-related story. "In December there were reports that, for months, dozens of people could not use their keyless entry systems to unlock or start their cars when parked in the vicinity of the eight-story Regents bank building in Hollywood, FL. Once the cars were towed to the dealership for repair, the problem went away. The problem resolved itself when police found equipment on the bank's roof that was broadcasting a bootleg radio station. A detective and an FCC agent found the equipment hidden underneath an air conditioning chiller. The man who set up the station has not been found, but he faces felony charges and fines of at least $10,000 if he is caught. The radio station was broadcasting Caribbean music around the clock on 104.7 FM." http://yro.slashdot.org/story/12/12/28/1655238/pirate-radio-station-in-florida-jams-automotive-electronics OPERATIONAL NEWS Hi! this is Ed VK2JI, contests manager for the Central Coast Amateur Radio Club. Do you know it's only three weeks to the National Field day? These are the two days of the year that we should especially try to get out in public and explain our great hobby to all interested and see if we can welcome new people into the hobby and into our clubs. So why not get out to a public place and put on a small station - The Central Coast ARC are doing just that. We will have several stations across the region, having fun and meeting people. From the WIA website when I'm recording this, it seems the CCARC are leading the registrations, perhaps the other states are lagging a little behind? In any case, here's hoping lots more stations will be on in public places on the 13th. and 14th. of April! (Ed VK2JI) Good Morning, This is Denis Johnstone Contest Manager for the John Moyle Memorial Field Day. So far I have received about 70 logs and there has been plenty of contesting done during the weekend. The weather has been a little kinder than many years in the past.. Of course having taken part in the contest, which in most cases requires you to plan your site, pack and transport your accommodation, food and equipment. Then to set up your station as well as operate your station for up to 24 hrs. Then pack up your station and return to your home QTH. It would be such a shame, if you were not to complete the process by filling out your log and getting it to me. You can use Electronic or snail mail. For details of course you can check the details on www.wia.org.au/members/contests/johnmoyle/ Your log is very important to you, but it is also important to others as it in this way I am able verify the logs submitted by other stations. So make sure that you complete you log and get it to me before the closing date of 19th April 2013. OPERATIONAL NEWS - DATELINE 2013 WW International Museums Weekends June 15/16 and 22/23 HOLYLAND CONTEST 2013 - APRIL 19 - 20 SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS, DX and BEACON AND NET ADVICE VI 100 ACT - Centenary of Canberra, capital of Australia. Canberra Region Amateur Radio Club members are activating special event call until 31 Dec LF through to VHF using multiple modes. www.qrz.com/db/VI100ACT PA øø KING is the special call on the 30th April 2013, the Coronation of Dutch new King, ”Willem Alexander”. Queen Beatrix’s decision to hand over the throne to her eldest son may have historical significance, but the actual process and ceremony is very simple. On April 30, she will sign a document – the act of abdication – and Willem-Alexander automatically becomes king, although he still has to be inaugurated. His oldest daughter, Catharina-Amalia, will automatically become first in line to succeed him. Willem-Alexander will be sworn in in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, but it will be a secular rather than a religious ceremony. The inauguration takes the form of a meeting of the upper and lower houses of parliament – as set down in the constitution. This means all members of the lower and upper houses of parliament will be there as will a limited number of other guests. The new king will then swear to be faithful to the constitution and to fulfil his role properly. For more please go to: www.pi4kar.net IMD - International Marconi Day 20 Apr celebrate the birth of Guglielmo Marconi (25 Apr 1874) Special Worldwide event organised by the Cornish Radio Amateur Club. Website: www.gb4imd.org.uk/ MEDIA WATCH www.cq-amateur-radio.com/WorldRadio.html VK Club Bulletins http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aarnie/ VK2 CCARC news ccarc.org.au/wp/2012/09/ccarc-news-12-31/ Zen and The Art Of Radiotelegraphy The book "Zen and The Art Of Radiotelegraphy" by Carlos Consoli IK 0 YGJ is now available for the Kindle This book is the result of several years of experience in amateur radiotelegraphy. It suggests, for the first time, a learning methodology based on an integrated and multidisciplinary approach designed to accompany the apprentice from the first steps in ham radio all the way to a world-class proficiency in telegraphy. The book introduces, ad-hoc tailored to amateur radio, techniques used successfully by competitive athletes, including extreme sports such as free diving, adapted to the difficult process of learning telegraphy. The Kindle book is on Amazon at amazon.com/Zen-The-Art-Radiotelegraphy-ebook/dp/B00BVOBJDQ/ Ham Radio EME 'Go Work Yourself' In this latest episode of HamRadioNow Gary Pearce KN 4 AQ talks to Pete Rimmel N 8 PR about Earth-Moon-Earth communications. With new software and techniques, you don't need that monster station anymore. But you'll need more than an HT. Somewhere in between.... Google Episode 67: EME "Go Work Yourself" WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ATV (Every pixel tells a story) - Video arvideonews.com hamradiotube.com youtube.com qdg.org.au MODERN AMATEUR RADIO FROM CANADA Modern Amateur Radio is the title of a new, bi-lingual video produced in Canada by Donald Boucher, VE2XT. Boucher put the show together in full wide screen High Definition and it includes some truly breathtaking aerial footage of the Canadian countryside. VE2XT owns a video production company in Montreal and he shot the video last year in his spare time. Posting of the video to YouTube was done by CQ Propagation Editor Thomas Hood, NW7US. What makes Modern Amateur Radio unique is its international flavour. While the narration is in English most of the natural sound background conversations are in French. But you do not have to understand the French language to truly enjoy this Canadian look at our great hobby. You can see it for yourself at tinyurl.com/modern-amateur-radio (ARNewsLine™) SPECIAL EVENT STATION 2 O 12 L VIDEO NOW AVAILABLE The organizers of 2 O 12 L, the amateur radio special event station celebrating the London Olympic and Paralympic Games in the Summer of 2012 have now released a 45 minute DVD of the event. Produced by Fred Curtis G3SVK, the DVD goes behind the scenes of the event, telling the story of how those 69,644 QSOs were made possible. Details can be found at www.2o12l.com under the ‘News’ link. (Southgate via ARNewsLine) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER USAF APPROVES AMSAT REQUEST FOR REDISTRIBUTION OF KEPS The Keps will keep on coming. So says AMSAT North America after a deal was reached between the Amateur Radio Space Agency and the Air Force Space Command that will permit AMSAT to continue to re-distribute Keplerian elements from the latter’s SpaceTrack service. Keplerian elements. sometimes called by the acronym Keps are the basis for all satellite tracking. According to AMSAT’s Orbital Data Manager Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, the re-distribution agreement was approved for the period April 1, 2013 to April 1, 2014. (ARNewsLine) The largest-ever array of radio telescopes, ALMA, has gone online today in Chile, seeking to unravel mysteries of the Universe. The ALMA (Atacama Large Millimetre Array), located in the South American country, is the culmination of an international effort that had been going on for nearly a decade and promised to outdo all previous ground-based telescopes and even outdo the mighty Hubble Telescope, producing images almost ten times sharper. Costing $1.4 billion, the 66 radio telescope array is the product of an international collaboration between Europe, the United States, Canada, East Asia and Chile, and according to ALMA scientists, will herald a new age in astronomy. The telescopes have been placed 5,000 meters above sea level, affording astronomers unique conditions. As the array of telescopes is placed at such an altitude and in a desert, dry condition, good observation of the universe is ensured almost year round. What is even more unique about the telescope array is the manner in which it observes the heavens, picking radio waves instead of light to make its images of the universe - a method that basically “unclutters” the telescopes’ views, piercing through any celestial haze. 66 telescopes in the array cover an area of some 70,000 square feet and are individually capable of capturing the stars. The data generated by the array will then be fed into a supercomputer, which will then collate the information, producing images never seen before Read more at allvoices.com SOCIAL SCENE 2013 MAR 24 VK3 EMDRC White Elephant Sale: Great Ryrie Primary School MAR 24 VK7 "Meet the Voice" barbecue at Ross. APR 18 WW IARU World Amateur Radio day MAY 3- 5 VK4 Clairview AR Weekend details 04 296 32815 MAY 11 VK3 Moorabbin & District Radio Club Hamfest MAY 11 VK4 BARCfest Mt Gravatt Showgrounds 9:30am MAY 11 VK6 Hills Amateur Radio Group - HARGfest - 1pm. MAY 24-26 VK6 WIA AGM AND CONFERENCE IN PERTH JUL 20 VK3 Gippsland Gate Radio & Electronics Club Hamfest AUG 11 VK2 SARCFEST 414 Richmond Hill Rd near Lismore AUG 17-18 WW ILLW Oct 3- 7 VK4 North Queensland Amateur Radio Convention Charters Towers NOV 2 VK4 Gold Coast ARS HamFest at Albert Waterways Hall. NOV 3 VK5 HamFest Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society Goodwood. NOV 15-17 VK3 Victorian National Parks Weekend Nov 24 VK3 Southern Peninsula Amateur Radio Club: Rosebud RadioFest SICK PARADE One of Australia’s well known hams, Barry Wilson VK3MBW, is currently in intensive care at Burnie Hospital, Tasmania, with pneumonia. Barry and his wife Sandra had flown to Tasmania from Victoria last week, intending to join in at the annual “Sewing Circle” BBQ at Ross this Sunday (March 24) Barry is an avid DXer and a co-founder of the Friday Night “Bottle Shop” Net for Valve Radio Operators which has run for 166 editions so far. He is also president of the Geelong Radio and Electronic Society. Barry is still medically “asleep” for now, but he seems to be responding slowly to treatment. Our thoughts and prayers are with Barry, Sandra and their family. (Keiran VK3BTV and the Bottle Shop Net.) 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. Each item will only be broadcast once, if you want a couple of mentions, please submit different slants to keep your event 'fresh ‘and always if the news room is to read your item write in the 3rd person. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ============================================================================= WIANews - we've reported...YOU decide. 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