WIANEWS - MAY 19 - 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 MAY 19 2013. Many of we Hams come across Radio Microphones in our travels, be it Churches, Schools, Sporting events and the like. Well the Australian Communications and Media Authority has announced changes to frequency ranges used for wireless microphones. The changes are a key plank in supporting the transition of wireless microphones from the digital dividend band. The changes made are arrangements for wireless audio transmitters in the Radiocommunications (Low Interference Potential Devices) Class Licence 2000. The changes to the class licence: mean that after 31 December 2014, wireless audio transmitters (including wireless microphones) will no longer be authorised to operate in the frequency range 694-820 MHz (the digital dividend band) introduce new arrangements supporting the use of digital wireless audio transmitters in the frequency range 520-694 MHz introduce new arrangements supporting the use of wireless audio transmitters operating in the frequency range 1790-1800 MHz. The ACMA website provides a range of useful material for potentially affected users. www.acma.gov.au Rotary International (RI), the worlds first Volunteer Service Organisation, is holding it's annual convention this year in Lisbon, Portugal June 22nd - 26th. About 30,000 participants are expected. Rotarians Of Amateur Radio (ROAR), a fellowship of Rotarians, is activating a special event station CR 6 RI during the Convention's exhibition hours from 0900utc to 1800utc. Frequencies to be used will be 14.293 MHz, 14.287 MHz and possibly 21.293 MHz. More information will be made available on qrz.com Next year Australia has the privilege of hosting this Convention in Sydney and ROAR will be activating a special event station to celebrate Rotary in Australia. (VK4ZD President Rotarians Of Amateur Radio 2012-2015) This is our last broadcast for the WIA Year, our AGM is next weekend in VK6 so a final reminder to discover WHERE to download next weekends AGM Broadcast from, to find out WHEN it is available and to find out the duration, a must for some automated stations who have the 30 minute set you must be subscribed to the wiabroadcasters@yahoogroups.com conference server. In the last 12 months, 52 broadcasts, we have reached some 125,000 Amateurs with RF/TEXT/NETCASTS. Of that an amazing 47,500 were RF checkins. Adelaides VK5RAD achieved the highest check in tally of over 3 and a half thousand. Highest on Short Wave was in VK6 on 40 meters some one thousand three hundred And again from the west the highest MW on 160 meters was achieved with over 600 people calling back or emailing reception reports. Thanks to all our rebroadcasters, all our regular readers and those who dropped us a recording now and then to share with YOU the active Radio Amateur of "the 3rd rock." (graham vk4bb) 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 On WIA Front Page News, wia.org.au, a story attributed to our President Phil Wait VK2ASD is a must read item. In brief it highlights how your WIA has lodged a submission to the ACMA concerning the High Power Trial. The WIA submission is based on responses received from trial participants following a call for information, and also on its own observations. The WIA's submission notes that the trial appears to have gone very well, with licensees generally having a sound understanding of the self-assessment process and the use of EMR assessment tools. The WIA also notes that it is not aware of any incidences of interference to other spectrum users, or an increase in interference to other Radio Amateurs, or an increase in the noise floor on affected amateur bands. Many responders noted that the advantage of the higher power was most evident in contesting, when many stations are calling on the same frequency and all at once, and the relatively small 3-4 decibel increase in radiated power (from 400W pX to 1kW pX) can make all the difference in being heard. The High Power Trial commenced on 1 March 2012 and will conclude on 31 August 2013. The ACMA is currently evaluating the success of the trial and is considering if permanent regulatory arrangements are warranted. The WIA would very much like to see the higher power 1kW pX limit become a permanent feature for Australian Advanced Grade Radio Amateurs. WIA AGM Less than a week to go, time is running out for you to participate in the Amateur Radio Conference of the year. You can still register to attend and you don’t need to be a member of the WIA. Head on over to the font of information located at conference.vk6.net While you’re there, you can also sign up to operate the VI 103 WIA call sign and promote Amateur Radio with your station or club. Information packs have been sent by email. If you have not received it, get in touch. We’ve added the list of Technical Speakers, secured a very special speaker as our dinner guest and we have a little something happening after dessert on Saturday. Check conference.vk6.net for details closer to the time. Register now and don’t miss out. HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA. VK2 web service:- http://www.arnsw.org.au/html/news_vk2wi.htm The Oxley Region Amateur Radio Club Inc. 38th annual field day takes place at Port Macquarie on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9th of June. The venue is the Tacking Point Surf Life Saving Club hall in Matthew Flinders Drive, Lighthouse Beach, Port Macquarie NSW. There will be all the usual attractions and events over the two days of the Field Day. The Field Day dinner will be held at the Port Macquarie Golf Club at 6pm on the Saturday night. Foxhunts will be conducted on both days. Sunday is the day for the traders and the trash and treasure tables. There is no charge to sellers so bring your treasure. Don’t forget to enter your latest project in the Home Brew competition. The famous barbeque lunch will be available on both Saturday and Sunday. Mark your calendar now for Port Macquarie on the June Long Weekend. Visit the Oxley Region Amateur Radio Club Inc. website at http://www.orarc.org for more information or write to the club at PO Box 712 Port Macquarie NSW 2444. (Henry Lundell VK2ZHE President, Oxley Region Amateur Radio Club Inc.(ORARC)) Albury Wadonga Hamfest is 28-07-2013 at 10.00 am The annual HamFest will be conducted at the First Lavington Scout Hall Mutch Street Lavington NSW VK3 web service:- http://www.amateurradio.com.au/news/ Raising the Public Profile of Amateur Radio. This reminder from the Midland Amateur Radio Club, is of their ongoing efforts to raise the public profile of amateur radio, particularly an event with a difference May 25. Kevin Crockett, VK3CKC, will take to the Axedale end of the O’Keefe Rail Trail which forms part of the old Heathcote Junction to Bendigo rail line. A radio-equipped, recumbent tadpole trike has been purpose-built for the event. The Club, callsign VK 3 CMZ, will also have an operating amateur station set up at the Axedale Market next to the hall where the public can listen in on 40m HF contacts around 7.090MHz being made. They will be able to directly communicate with the trike itself on 2m via the local VK3RCV repeater as the trike makes its way towards the town accompanied by children from the Axedale Primary School. Automatic Packet Reporting System, or APRS, will be used to display progress on a laptop computer at a display stand at the Market. Those who can’t attend should be able to follow the trike via www.aprs.fi/. An offer for Internet streaming communications audio via www.vk3cmz.com has also been received. The City of Greater Bendigo is currently extending the Rail Trail to Heathcote and this event is something of a shakedown for a larger event later in the year that will cover from Bendigo to Axedale or even beyond if any of the extension is ready by then. It may even be repeated for the WIA National Field Day next year. The event has attracted proud support from the City of Greater Bendigo Eppalock Ward Councillors, Friends of the Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail, Axedale Primary School, Axedale Our Town Our Future Committee and Axedale Public Hall Committee. Homebrewers meet at Ashburton A near full house of the group held on Saturday May the 4th saw examples of medium and microwave techniques on display in the 'show and tell' session. Drew Diamond VK3XU and Rob Whitmore VK3MQ presented transmitters for the new 630 metre band while Dave Smith VK3HZ described the construction, from ex-commercial modules, of his 24 GHz transverter. The latter produced many thoughtful questions regarding the dish feed. After coffee Dave VK3HZ went on to present a talk on reverse polarity protection for homebrew equipment which proved to be very interesting and informative. The next meeting of the Homebrewers group will be on Saturday June the 1st at 2pm. All are welcome. On display at the Amateur Radio Victoria rooms, 40g Victory Boulevard, Ashburton will be the new low cost spectrum analyser marketed by Rigol, and a good opportunity to discover the potential of the instrument for hobby use. (Jim Linton VK3PC) DISCUSSION POINT What use is an f-call? (20120826) This morning I made three QSO's, that is, three contacts with new stations. People who keyed their microphone for the very first time. The thing is, there is nothing to distinguish them from other amateurs, they sound alike, their call-sign comes out the way you expect it. The only challenge for one of the stations was that they were having some minor issues with their transceiver - they were able to hear me, but I wasn't quite able to catch them. I'd forgotten what the thrill was like to have such a contact and it reminded me of my first on-air interaction. Unfortunately I forgot to write down, actually more accurately, I didn't know to, write down the details. All I can say is that it was on the National Field Day in 2011. I'd put together my first HF antenna - in fact, it's my current HF antenna - it works very well for me - and I was sitting in a park with other amateurs and I made my first contact. I spoke with a Japanese station on 15m. We exchanged a signal report and everything worked as expected. These three contacts today reminded me of the thrill that I experienced then. If for no other reason than the thrill, get on air and talk to other amateurs, share your experience, exchange call signs and remember to make a record of your contact, you'll treasure it at some time in the future. 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. First radio report of sporting event commemorated In July 1898, the first reporting by wireless of a sporting event took place in Dublin Bay during the Kingstown Yacht Regatta. At the request of the Express newspaper, Marconi installed wireless equipment aboard the Flying Huntress and transmitted reports to the harbourmaster's office in Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire). The results were posted in a window ashore and published even before the yachts had returned to port. To commemorate the anniversary, the Howth Martello Radio Group and the South Dublin Radio Club plan to set up two special event stations. As the races took place off Howth Head, one station will operate from the Martello Tower in Howth and the other from the Maritime Museum in Dun Laoghaire. Plans are at an early stage still but we will keep you posted on progress. The weekend of 20-21 July is proposed for this operation. SULTAN ORDERS CONSTRUCTION OF HEADQUARTERS FOR ROARS His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said has ordered the construction of a permanent headquarters for the Royal Omani Amateur Radio Society also known as ROARS. The plan was recently unveiled by the Secretary General of the Royal Omani Amateur Radio Society. In a speech during opening the regular session of the General Assembly, the Secretary General extended the thanks and appreciation of ROARS members to His Majesty the Sultan for the support given to the group since its establishment in the 1970’s. He also noted that is what he termed as the wise vision of the Sultan that has played a major role in moving forward with all of the activities that may advance the nation’s youth while giving them the opportunity of added scientific and technical progress. SSB using a Raspberry Pi Guido PE1NNZ has released code to enable the Raspberry Pi computer board to generate SSB on the 7 and 14 MHz bands. On his blog he writes, and I quote: "My code can generate SSB modulation just by controlling a PLL carrier. I have applied this method on the RapsberryPi PLL, and made several contacts on 40m and 20m band with my RaspberryPi. The RaspberryPi receives the Microphone input via an external USB sound device. To improve the SSB quality, the signal is compounded by a A-law compression technique. Three parallel BS170 MOSFETs were directly driven by RaspberryPi GPIO4 output to create about 1Watt of RF. On 40m I could made several SSB contacts through Europe using this setup, receiving stations back by using a nearby online WebSDR receiver. Blog - Direct SSB generation by frequency modulating a PLL http://pe1nnz.nl.eu.org/2013/05/direct-ssb-generation-on-pll.html Concerns over loss of amateur radio repeaters Ruidoso News reports that the removal of ham radio repeaters from a tower worries emergency service personnel. Tony Davis, president of White Mountain Search and Rescue, said he learned late Wednesday week that the tower on Buck Mountain holding the amateur radio repeater that is owned and maintained by South-western Wireless, also a member of Sierra Blanca Amateur Radio Club, was sold to American Tower Corporation. "Despite attempts to negotiate an arrangement, American Tower has decided to terminate ham use of the tower, effective (Friday)," Davis said. The lack of backup communications could have serious implications for public safety in Lincoln County, Davis said. Read the story at http://www.ruidosonews.com/ruidoso-ruidoso_news/ci_23215653/ removal-ham-radio-equipment-from-tower-worries-emergency ============================================================================= NEWS FROM ARNEWSLINE USA DARC AND UBA SUPPORT AMATEUR RADIO IN TUNISIA Amateur radio could soon have a new life in Tunisia as we hear from Amateur Radio Newsline’s Norm Seeley, KI7UP: -- The Deutscher Amateur Radio Club, which is Germany’s national amateur radio society, reports that after the political changes in Tunisia amateur radio in that North African country has a new opportunity to expand. This as members of the Association of Tunisian Radio Amateurs used World Amateur Radio Day on April 18th to inform the that nations public and in particular its Minister for Technology, Information and Communication about amateur radio in its various forms. Representatives of European amateur radio organizations were there to support the event. This included the International Office of the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club in the person of Mustapha Landoulsi, DL1BDF. Landoulsi gave a presentation on the important role of amateur radio in emergency and disaster situations. Stefan Dombrowski, ON6TI, from the Belgian federation the U-B-A was also on hand. He explained the history of the development of amateur radio satellites, and in particular, the construction of CubeSat spacecraft and the AMSAT-UK FUNcube satellite. According to reports, the Tunisian Minister was quite impressed by the potential of amateur radio. As a result he has promised to ensure that the necessary statutory basis for granting individual licenses would be created as soon as possible. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Norm Seeley, KI7UP, in Scottsdale, Arizona. HAM RADIO IN SPACE: NASA AND HAM RADIO ASSEMBLE THE PHONESAT PICTURE Engineers at NASA's Ames Research Centre in California and amateur radio operators around the world recently collaborated to reconstruct an image of Earth sent to them from three smartphones launched into a low Earth orbit. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Heather Embee KB3TZD, reports: -- The joint effort was part of NASA's Nano satellite mission called PhoneSat. The first phase was launched on Sunday, April 21st aboard the Antares booster from NASA's Wallops Island Flight Facility in Virginia. Although the ultimate goal of the PhoneSat mission was to determine whether a consumer-grade smartphone can be used as the primary flight avionics for a satellite in space, the three miniature satellites also used their smartphone cameras to take pictures of Earth. These images were then transmitted to multiple ground stations as data packets with each packet holding a small piece of the big picture. As the data became available, the PhoneSat Team working with multiple ham radio operators pieced together a high-resolution photograph from data sent back by the tiny birds. Amateur radio operators from every continent except Antarctica contributed in capturing the data packets needed to piece together the final image. This first PhoneSat mission successfully ended Saturday, April 27th after atmospheric drag caused the tiny satellites to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up as predicted by the mission planners. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Heather Embee, KB3TZD, in Berwick, Pennsylvania. -- The PhoneSat project is a technology demonstration mission funded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and the Engineering Directorate at NASA Ames Research Centre. The project started in summer 2009 as a student led project between the Ames Research Centre and the International Space University at Strasbourg. For more information about the PhoneSat mission and the part played by amateur radio please visit www.phonesat.org on the World-Wide-Web. (NASA Release, Southgate) ** ** THAT FINAL ITEM: GLOW IN THE DARK SHEEP And finally this week, word that scientists in Uruguay have announced the world's first genetically-modified phosphorescent sheep. No, we are not kidding as we hear from Amateur Radio Newsline’s Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, who has this glowing report: -- According to news reports, nine glow-in-the-dark sheep were born in October of 2012 at Uruguay's Institute of Animal Reproduction in a genetics experiment in conjunction with the Institute Pasteur. The scientists say that they used the fluorescent protein from a species of jelly fish to give sheep a distinct glowing green colour when exposed to ultraviolet light. One of the team’s lead researchers is Alejo Menchaca. In a recent press conference he noted that the genetic modification was done in the desire to fine tune the technique. Other researchers believe that these genetically modified, glow in the dark animals can help mankind to better understand diseases and how they develop in both the animal kingdom and in human beings. The scientists say the nine sheep developed normally. They claim there are no differences between them and their non-genetically modified siblings other than that they can be made to glow from head to toe. And before you ask, we have no idea if they can been trained to blink on and off in Morse code nor if they did if they would be considered for bonus points on Field Day. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, not all that far from the glow of Hollywood. -- More can be found on line at various on-line news sites including tinyurl.com/sheep-glow. (Various news sources) ** OPERATIONAL NEWS - DATELINE 2013 The Day of the YL’s will be held 18 and 19 May. VK SHIRES June long weekend 0600 UTC Sat June 8, ends 0600 UTC June 9. WW International Museums Weekends June 15/16 and 22/23 160M PHONE & 80/160M CW & DIGITAL TRANS-TASMAN CONTEST: 20 JULY, 8PM-2AM SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS, DX and BEACON AND NET ADVICE Current Arctic and Antarctic info needed John, KL7JR, is once again requesting that if you or any of your radio friends, SWL or Ham operators, have worked or heard any Arctic or Antarctic stations of late, he would love to hear from you for his monthly Arctic and Antarctic DX column which goes to CIDX (Canadian Int'l. DX Club) for publication in the monthly "Messenger". Scanned copies of QSLs or reception reports from anywhere north of 60 degrees or the Antarctica are also welcomed. You can receive a sample of his column by E-mailing him at: KL7JR@yahoo.com (SouthGate) ZL 2 AGY is active from Rarotonga Island to the 29th May as both E 51 FOC and E 51 AGY. QSL either via his home call ZL 2 AGY. BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC SPECIAL EVENT G 0 ELZ and G 3 UFO have announced that special event call signs GB 70 BOA and GB 70 WA will be on the air between May 20th and 27 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic. Operations using all modes will take place on 80 through 10 meters as well as locally on 144 and 432 MHz. Station operators are hoping to make over 2800 contacts during this period. A special commemorative QSL card will be available. More details can be found on line at tinyurl.com/cmvdvq8 (G0LEZ via arnewsline) AWARDS Victorian Local Government Award This operating award encourages amateur radio activity by contacting Victoria's 79 municipalities. Qualifying VK3 stations need contact 40 different municipalities while others in VK require 30 and DX stations 20 municipalities. Check out the Amateur Radio Victoria website for the full rules, how to apply, useful log sheets and a name-list of the 79 local government areas. (Jim Linton VK3PC) 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 Spanish buoys QRM on 11m According to the IARU Region 1 Monitoring System newsletter, Spanish GPS buoys are a new threat to the 28MHz band. You can find their bursts between 28 and 28.5MHz transmitting in F1B with 51 baud and about 300Hz shift. They were observed and measured by DK2OM and HB9CET and found to be in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Portugal. The Portuguese Monitoring System informed the Portuguese authorities. 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/ STUDIO: Peter Ellis VK1PE found a classic mention of Amateur Radio, but in disguise. Peter Ellis VK1PE (0m42s): For my friends in amateur Radio.... Mentions of Amateur Radio pop up in amazing places, often out of context and so people may not notice them. I was looking through a set of one-liners on The UK Daily Telegraph website today. There was the English actor, Tony Hancock (1924-1968), with his on-screen one-liner from "Hancock's Half Hour" show, The Radio Ham, when he says, 'This radio lark's a wonderful hobby, y'know. I've got friends all over the world, all over the world... none in this country, but friends all over the world.' REFERENCE: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/9594011/30-great-one-liners.html?frame=2363017 :-) Peter VK1PE WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ATV (Every pixel tells a story) - Video arvideonews.com hamradiotube.com youtube.com qdg.org.au HamTV from the International Space Station Frequencies have been announced for the new Ham Radio Digital TV transmitter that will transmit from the ISS in the amateur radio 2400 MHz band. The main mission of HamTV is to perform school contacts between the astronauts on-board ISS and the scholarship, not only by voice, but also by unidirectional video from the ISS to the ground within ARISS program. In addition to the existing VHF radio amateur station, ISS will host a S-Band video transmitting station. This new equipment can broadcast images from the ISS during the school contacts or other pre-recorded video images up to 24 hours a day to allow ground stations tuning. It is planned to transmit DVB-S signals on 2.4GHz at either 1.3Msps or 2.3Msps with 10 watts of RF from the ISS Columbus module. The IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel have announced coordinated frequencies of 2422.0 MHz and 2437.0 MHz. (SouthGate) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER ANOTHER DEAD SATELLITE COMES ALIVE The Times of India reports that a three-kilogram student satellite named Jugnu that was thought to be dead has come back to life. Jugnu was launched on October 12, 2011 with a one year mission life. After it stopped transmitting controllers stopped tracking it. Now comes word from the Nitte Amateur Satellite Tracking Centre in Bengaluru that it has been heard once again. Also that while its signals were strong, some of its internal functions had apparently weakened. You can read the entire story on the re-birth of this bird at tinyurl.com/india-satellite-lives. (Times of India VIA ARNEWSLINE) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ILLW International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend update Australia has 41 registrations with a total of 230 received so far from 30 nations for the fun event in August. Victoria with 11, is followed by New South Wales and Queensland on 7, South Australia 5, Tasmania 6 and Western Australia 4. At least another 20 lighthouses, lightships or marine beacons are available for registration in Australia on August the 17th and 18th of August. Visit the dedicated website www.illw.net (Jim Linton VKPC) SOCIAL SCENE 2013 MAY 24-26 VK6 WIA AGM AND CONFERENCE IN PERTH JUNE 9 VK2 Oxley Region Amateur Radio Club 38th annual field day. JUL 20 VK3 Gippsland Gate Radio & Electronics Club Hamfest JUL 28 VK2 Albury Wodonga Amateur Radio 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 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. 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 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. -------------