FEB, 01 - VK NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NATIONAL NEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING Feb 01 2015. IN OUR 20TH YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS VK5BA Malcolm Haskard AM ALARA members led by Jean Fisher VK3VIP (ALARA National President) are operating “Maritime Mobile” THESE STORIES AND MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA 2015 AND FOR WEEK OF First of February. 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. Who and where are they? http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/ 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... Who listens to radio? A weekly 'tally sheet' is sent to all rebroadcasters and interested listeners, to get your free copy send a blank email to:- wiabroadcasters-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.au Put the word subscribe in the title or subject field How do I join this National News List? (subscribe for an automatic weekly feed.) Email to vk1wia-news-join@lists.wia.org.au from the email account that you wish the emails to go to. How do I leave this National News List? (unsubscribe your weekly feed) Open mail program which sends mail from the address you want to unsubscribe. Send mail to the list unsubscribe address vk1wia-news-leave@lists.wia.org.au You will be sent a confirmation mail and must follow the instructions given in that mail to complete the unsubscription. Once your unsubscription has been processed, you will probably receive another message confirming your unsubscription from the list, and at that point you should stop receiving messages. 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 and don't JUST send url's links but take the time to pen YOUR contribution. To submit audio read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/contribute/ 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. National News compiled by VK4BB on behalf of the National WIA. Building the future the best reward says VK5BA Malcolm Haskard AM Producing well-trained and qualified university graduates is among the highlights for Professor Malcolm Haskard, who has been recognised in the Australia Day honours. He has been recognised for his significant service to science, particularly to electronic engineering, and to the community. Prof Haskard, 78, of Humbug Scrub, said he was shocked and honoured when he was notified of his appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia. He fell into his career as an electronic engineer after wanting to become an aeronautical engineer, which he said was “the right decision”. Prof Haskard was also recognised for community work including being a Justice of the Peace, amateur radio operator VK5BA and founder of Kersbrook District Men’s Breakfast. (Rob Gurr VK5RG) A number of well-known Amateurs - ALARA members and subscribers - led by Jean Fisher VK3VIP (ALARA National President) are operating “Maritime Mobile” until February Eleven. As this is ALARA's 40th year try and make the effort of a QSO. Transport will be via the Liner M/S Celebrity Solstice. The group is using IRLP and IRLP enabled repeaters available in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and New Zealand. The main nodes that they are calling into, but not limited to, are VK3RSP at Mount Martha (F: 146.675 T: 88.5 Hz Node: 6330 for IRLP Access) and VK3RLP (F: 439.475 T: 123 Hz Node: 6794). You can locate your nearest IRLP enabled device using the list at http://www.irlp.net/statuspdf.html All operators of IRLP nodes please keep an eye on your resources with regards to availability so that they can make as many reliable contacts as possible? As operation is maritime from one of the largest Cruise Liners to operate in Australian waters and the group are limited to permissible low-power handhelds to access devices, they cannot set any schedule as to when they will be calling and listening. The group is unashamedly trying to promote IRLP as a form of communication and linking that is available to all Amateurs with modern analogue FM 2m and 70cm transceivers. (Steve Ireland VK3VM / John Fisher VK3DQ for the Solstice Expedition.) NSW Police searching for a downed light plane in dense bushland in the Illawarra region were forced to triangulate the deceased pilot’s mobile phone to find the wreckage. The homemade single-seater aircraft was reported missing after taking off from Wedderburn Airport, between Sydney and Wollongong, and was discovered by emergency services in bushland south of Bulli BUT Wollongong Local Area Command’s Superintendent Kyle Stewart said rescue efforts had been hampered by the rough terrain, the wet weather and the fact the aircraft blended into its surroundings because it had been painted in camouflage pattern. Supt Stewart said emergency services were forced to triangulate the pilot’s mobile phone to find the plane’s wreckage. “We were fortunate … we used the mobile phone he had on him,” he said. Read more at 9news.com.au/national/2015/01/28/03/41/search-for-missing-plane-continues#jEy20uV0xdeY0VLQ.99 ANZAC Day 2015 portable at Ballarat The Victorian Ballarat Showgrounds will again be a focal point for radio amateurs to commemorate ANZAC Day, which this year is the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing. Organiser Johnno Karr VK3FMPB wants to hear from volunteers with portable stations to operate on the afternoon of Saturday, April the 25th. The event, now in its second year, will honour our heroes through a show of mateship and enjoyment. To volunteer or for more details please contact VK3FMPB on air or email to johnkarr@bigpond.net.au (Jim Linton VK3PC) VK BALLOON Aussie pico balloon lost, while another floats A small solar-powered pico balloon launched from Australia lasted four days before it went down in the South Pacific north-east of New Zealand, probably due to rain and ice in the area. Andy Nguyen VK3YT reports the balloon PS-31 had given its final JT9 mode packet message to VK and ZL on Tuesday. It was falling with an altitude of 630 metres and had slowed up. The balloon was then declared lost. Leaving Melbourne on Saturday January the 24th, it had moved to make an ?S? shape venturing into the sub-Antarctic and turning back, to be lost after crossing the International Dateline for a second time. Andy VK3YT who launched both the PS-31, and days later the PS-32 balloon says: "Thanks everyone for tracking, and hope PS-32 (the other balloon) will keep going for much longer." The PS-32 balloon with the VK3ANH callsign was put up from Woori Yallock 56kms east of Melbourne on Australia Day, January the 26th, at first taking a more polar route then on towards South America. Like all recent Southern Hemisphere balloons, it has an HF payload of both WSPR and JT9 to send telemetry of the location, speed and altitude along with other data. Earlier, PS-30 was launched from Melbourne on December the 27th. After 20 days it crossed South America, then Africa, flew to Madagascar and was lost due to poor weather. Trackers use open-source software and a website made available by the United Kingdom High Altitude Society. It supports high altitude ballooning as a multi-skilled hobby which cheaply explores the edge of space. The flights continue to break new ground. Because small party-type foil balloons are used they don't need a large radar target or permission from most aviation authorities. Larger balloons are used by weather bureaus to measure wind, temperature and other parameters in the upper atmosphere. These have also carried Amateur Radio payloads. Most weather type balloons have restrictions and notifications, and because they're made of latex expanded greatly at high altitude to ultimately burst. Other driving forces behind the pico balloon revolution are payload miniaturisation and very weak signal modes. Thank you Andy VK3YT, for the marvellous achievements you have made so far in the field of high altitude ballooning. (Jim Linton VK3PC) VK3 web service:- http://www.amateurradio.com.au/news/ Foundation Licence weekend training This month's Foundation Licence quality training and assessments will be held by Amateur Radio Victoria at Ashburton. Enrolments are being taken for this course to be held on February the 14th and 15th. An experienced trainer patiently explains the theoretical and regulatory knowledge needed for the 30-minute written assessment paper, plus there's a hands-on demonstration of the equipment used during the actual practical assessment. Each candidate is expected to have read the Foundation Licence Manual. Some hand-out notes and trial questions to test knowledge are provided. To inquire or enrol please contact our Education Team Leader, Barry Robinson VK3PV 0428 516 001 or email at foundation@amateurradio.com.au (Jim Linton VK3PC) DISCUSSION POINT What use is an F-call? As a result of my comments last week about the use of an Iambic Key by a Foundation Licensee, it has been suggested to me that the LCD is unclear and in need of review. Thanks for the feedback, even F-calls have the ear of the WIA board. As well as learning about the finer points of the LCD, during the week I had the opportunity to work a rare DX-station using the antenna farm of one of the clubs I'm a member of. The 10m, 6 element beam at a height of about 10m or so worked great with my radio and the contact was made within a couple of minutes. I then got the idea to try a different antenna, a friend has a 10m, 5 element beam in storage in his shed. We went to a local lake, put the beam together and strapped it to a 3m mast and guyed the contraption with some rope. Using the Arm-Strong rotator, we managed to pick up the same DX station and made another contact. Both contacts were done with 5 Watts SSB, using my 857d and a battery. The second set-up was on a grassed area, the car was parked under a Moreton Bay Fig tree, nice and shady, with little local interference, except that all of a sudden, around 3:30pm, we found ourselves surrounded by mothers and children Turns out that there was a local school, not 200m from our location. Wide-eyed children plucked up the courage, or their mothers did, and came up to ask what we were up to. A picture is worth a thousand words, so we turned up the radio volume and listened to stations around the world. Curiosity is a great thing and several mothers recommended we contact the school to do some demonstrations there. It's now on my to do list. Wonderful talking to curious minds, talking about skipping stones on the water radio waves, the Internet, the sun and the ionosphere, there should be more of it. I'm Onno VK6FLAB SILENT KEY http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/about/ Silent Keys are best sent to AR Magazine and your local state or club news rather than this WIA National News Service. INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club, ARRL, Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART and the WW sources of the WIA. 5-year-old passes ham radio exam Colton Ragdale KE0CRD passed the amateur radio exam at the age of 5 Colton got 93% of the questions in the Technician exam correct, an impressive score. The USA Technician exam permits the holder to run 200 watts output on four HF bands and 1,500 watts on the VHF, UHF and Microwave bands. Techs can operate Maritime Mobile, build their own equipment and run repeaters Colton's parents Debra K0KAI and Zeke K0XK are both radio hams and it was seeing his parents using radios and talking to one another that made him want to become involved. So he took the FCC test and passed. Watch the 9 News video at 9news.com/story/news/local/2015/01/23/5-year-old-passes-ham-radio-exam/22247015/ The 24-hour laptop is almost here. A handful of new systems are promising more than 15 hours' battery life on a single charge, or 20 hours with an optional second battery installed. The days of plugging in on the road are almost over, at least for short business trips. Panasonic have introduced its newest Toughbook 31, which can run for up to 18 hours depending on the use, or 27 hours with an optional second battery installed. The laptop, which has a tough briefcase-type exterior so it can withstand a fall, will go on sale next month starting at US$3,699. Panasonic's claim of 18 hours is for a power-saving mode, with the wireless off and screen brightness reduced. That's probably not a typical use case for most people. And while Dell claims up to 15 hours for the XPS 13, Intel's measured only 11 hours for the same laptop. Dell hasn't provided benchmarks to prove its claims, but says it's confident in its dense battery and unique chemical formula. Battery technology itself hasn't improved much lately, but laptops are getting smarter, more sophisticated circuitry to help them run longer. WW2 Codebreaker secrets for sale Alan Turing the British pioneering computer scientist, mathematician, cryptanalyst, philosopher, mathematical biologist, and marathon and ultra distance runner, the man who helped crack Hitler’s code to bring a war to an end, hand wrote a manuscript that has never been seen in public and dates back to 1942. The 56 page manuscript to be sold at Bonhams auction house in New York in April expects to fetch at least 1 million US dollars. It features his thinking on mathematics and computer science. During the Second World War, Turing worked for the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS) at Bletchley Park, Britain's codebreaking centre. For a time had led the section responsible for breaking German ciphers including an electromechanical machine that could find settings for the Enigma machine. Turing’s pivotal work in cryptanalysis is credited with shortening the war in Europe by as many as four years. British actor Benedict Cumberbatch portrays Alan Turing in the Oscar-nominated film The Imitation Game. NY Stations Testing Signals From World Trade Work has started at One World Trade Centre in lower Manhattan on installing a DTV transmission system that will be tested to glean data on signal strength and other characteristics of ATSC signals with the hope of luring back stations that relocated following the 9/11 destruction of the Twin Towers. Phil Kurz writing in TVNewsCheck says Metropolitan Television Alliance, which represents 12 of the major TV stations in New York City, planned to test the strength and coverage of broadcast signals from the tower atop One World Trade Centre, the new skyscraper that replaced the Twin Towers lost in the 9/11 attacks 13 years ago. If the tests go well, the MTVA stations may move their primary broadcast facilities to One World Trade Centre, which at 1,776 feet is the tallest building in the Western hemisphere. Unlicensed religious broadcaster ordered off the air The FCC has ordered an unlicensed California religious broadcaster, who sometimes broadcast on a frequency in the 40 meter phone band, to shut down his station The FCC’s Los Angeles District Office issued a Notice of Unlicensed Operation in response to a complaint of unlicensed operation on multiple HF frequencies, including some allocated to aeronautical stations. The FCC said its agents used radio direction-finding techniques to confirm that signals on 6280 kHz and 11,595 kHz were emanating from a residence and that property records indicated that Elliott was the current owner and resident. The pirate station identified itself as “YHWH.” ============================================================================= ARNEWSLINE FCC AFFIRMS $11,500 FINE TO PENNSYLVANIA HAM The FCC Enforcement Bureau has affirmed an $11,500 fine against Brian Crow, K3VR, of North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, for deliberately interfering with other Amateur Radio communications. The FCC had first proposed the fine last July, and it released a Forfeiture Order on January 13. The FCC said it imposed the financial penalty because of Crow’s “wilful and repeated violation” of Section 333 of the Communications Act and of Sections 97.101(d) and 97.119(a) of the Amateur Service rules “by causing intentional interference to licensed radio operations and failing to transmit his assigned call sign.” On July 22, 2014, the FCC also issued a similarly-worded NAL to Michael Guernsey, KZ8O of Parchment, Michigan, proposing to fine him $22,000. In both cases, the FCC said the evidence indicated that the transmissions at issue were aimed at interfering with other radio amateurs with whom each licensee “had a long-standing and well-documented dispute” that had spilled out onto the air. The Enforcement Bureau had warned both Guernsey and Crow in the past regarding interference to other Amateur Radio operators. In Crow’s case, the FCC said the fact that he subsequently interfered with other amateur operators “demonstrates a deliberate disregard for the Commission’s authority,” warranting an upward adjustment of $3500 to his proposed base forfeiture. Guernsey’s case is still pending. ============================================================================= RSGB QRZ supports LoTW QRZ Logbook now recognises contact confirmations from ARRL's Logbook of The World and users now can download their contacts from Logbook of The World directly into their QRZ Logbook. QRZ.com has posted an LoTW Download Quick Start Guide. The QRZ.com User Support Centre can provide help with any problems or answer questions. Who and Where are our broadcast stations? http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/ OPERATIONAL NEWS 2015 Jock White Field Day 2015 Saturday February 28th and Sunday March 1st. Tablelands Radio Group will again hold AM and CW on ANZAC Day 25 April Harry Angel sprint conducted on 80 metres May 2. 10-10 INTERNATIONAL SUMMER CONTEST Aug 1 - 2 The Africa all mode International DX Contest will be run from 12:00 UTC Saturday 14 March to 12:00 UTC Sunday 15 March with CW, phone and RTTY activity on 160 to 10 metres, the WARC bands are excluded. The objective of this all mode contest is to stimulate contesting from Africa. All participating stations worldwide may work any country during the contest period, but QSOs with radio amateurs from Africa is encouraged as reflected in the higher points being awarded in the scoring mechanism. (sarl news) SKN on OSCAR Best Fist Nominations Due Thanks to all who participated in AMSAT's Straight Key Night on OSCAR 2015. If you haven't already done so, please take a moment to nominate someone you worked for Best Fist. Your nominee need not have had the best fist of those you heard, only of those you worked. Send your nomination to w2rs@amsat.org CONTINUING OPERATIONAL NEWS Next week we will have another look at operating portable from South Australia’s National and Conservation Parks and the 2nd anniversary of the VK5 National and Conservation Parks Award. Make sure you listen out! Special Event Station PA 70 OV VERON, will be active with this special event station to commemorate 'Operation Veritable', the successor of Operation Market Garden. The PA7ØOV team is busy with the preparations of her activities from February 6th to February 8th. Operation Veritable is not known very well to most people. It was the battle which formed the prelude to the leap across the Rhine after which the eventual defeat of Germany soon followed. http://www.pa2p.nl/pa70ov/ DXpedition to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Operation from February 6th through 13th. 6M to 160M Modes: CW, SSB, RTTY & PSK63. Guantanamo Bay, Cuba http://qrz.com/db/KG4RQ GUATEMALA VE 7 BV is active stroke TG 9 from Guatemala until February 17th on 20, 17 and 15 meters CW and SSB. QSL via his home callsign which again is VE7BV, direct, by the bureau or electronically using Logbook of the World. KENYA DF3FS and DL9OLI will be operating stroke 5Z4 from Diani Beach, Kenya, between February 16th and March 8th. 80 through 10 meters CW and SSB. QSL via their home callsigns via the bureau. GB1BST - British Summer Time 2015 Woody's Top Youth Hostel in Lincolnshire will be the venue for the 2015 GB 1 BST Special Event Station, celebrating the start of British Summer Time, on March 27-29 Situated on the Greenwich Meridian between Louth and Horncastle, Woody's Top is a rather remote and quiet location in the southern part of the Lincolnshire Wolds. Radio operations are scheduled to start late on 27th March with test transmissions on the 40m, 20m, 17m and 2m bands which will be used during the weekend event. 4S7KKG DC0KK will active as 4S7KKG from Sri Lanka through until April 10. He operates mainly using CW and the digital modes. QSL via DC0KK via the bureau. To mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the South African Radio League, ZS90SARL is 'in the ether' until the end of April. TURKEY, TA. Special event station TC 100 GLB is QRV until April 30 to commemorate "Gallipoli" 100 years ago. Activity is on the HF bands using SSB, RTTY and PSK. QSL via TA 1 CM. Lusitania Radio Club The Lusitania Radio Club will be running a Special Event Station with the callsign EI 100 MFA to mark the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Lusitania on the 7th May 1915. The station will operate from 6th to 10th May from a site near the Old Head of Kinsale Lighthouse Co, Cork or from the Lighthouse itself. LRC100@email.com HE200GE commemorates the 200th anniversary of Geneva's entrance into the Swiss Confederation. The beginnings of modern Switzerland go back to the year 1291, when the three German language Alpine forest areas signed the Federal Charter. Over the centuries more cantons allied themselves to the original three and among the last was the Republic of Geneva on 19th May 1815. HE200GE will be active on all amateur bands throughout 2015 and contacts will be valid for the Diploma of GenŠve. QSL via HB9AOF. OZ 90 IARU On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of IARU Danish radio amateurs will be active with a special event call, OZ9ØIARU, in the period now until December 31, 2015 WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER Search for NASA Educational Resources With New Search Tool Are you looking for a lesson plan about the planet Jupiter? Do you need a poster with information about the Wright Brothers' first flight? Or maybe you're hunting for a website with information about NASA's deep space missions. NASA Education has a new tool to help you in your search! NASA's new Educational Resource Search Tool can help you find lesson plans, posters, educator guides and other materials to supplement your science, technology, engineering and mathematics curriculum. Search hundreds of resources by subject, grade level, type and keywords. To check out the new search tool and begin your educational resource hunt, visit http://www.nasa.gov/education/materials/ [ANS thanks the NASA Education Express Message -- Jan. 22, 2015 for the above information] WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ILLW VK has lots of lighthouses Australia has lighthouses dotted around its vast coastline, several others are in the lightship category, with up to 70 regularly active each August thanks to portable radio amateurs. Starting the tradition was the late Mike Dalrymple GM4SUC who in 1998, invited downunder to join the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend. The responses were: Greencape Lighthouse VK2SEA the Australian Naval Amateur Radio Society by Kevin VK2CE, the Brisbane Amateur Radio Club VK4BAR and VK4RAN, both at the Queensland Maritime Museum, and Trevor VK7TS from Eddystone Point in Tasmania. Records show that the four had a very good time and even worked several ZL stations. The ILLW was here to stay. Why has Australia embraced this event with such fervour and enthusiasm? Initially there was some reluctance and misunderstanding by lighthouse owners. With lots of diplomacy explaining the fun-event, and the publicity that flowed from it, there was a decided positive change of attitude. Through a lot the early hard work the number of VK stations has increased with it peaking at 72 in the year 2012, and not that far behind since. Arch rival in the event is Germany which also had 72 a year later in 2013, and the USA had 93 to top the list last year. So far 2015 is shaping up well attracting 130 registrations from 20 countries for the weekend of August the 15th the 16th. If you would like more information or to register on line then please visit the dedicated website www.illw.net (Jim Linton VK3PC) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- QRP and WEAK SIGNAL COMMUNICATION MELBOURNE QRP BY THE BAY – SATURDAY FEBRUARY 14 2015 If you're into QRP, homebrewing and HF antennas don't miss Melbourne's QRP by the Bay. Enthusiastic amateurs will gather on Chelsea beach and show of projects, demonstrate antennas and swap experiences. If you've just got your ham ticket and haven't done much HF, it's a great opportunity to see how it's done with 5 or 10 watts. It's easier than you think. VK3YE Peter Parker told WIA National News that the venue will be Chelsea Beach, near Victory Park and the Chelsea Longbeach Surf Lifesaving Club. The date: Saturday February 14 from 3pm. That's Saturday February 14, any time from 3pm. QRP by the Bay is an informal gathering. Bring any radio related projects, equipment, antenna or accessories. Stay as short or long as you like. The venue is family friendly with numerous parks and food outlets nearby. While it’s Valentine’s day there’s plenty in and around Chelsea to combine a visit with a meal or sunset walk on the beach. This will be the fourth Melbourne QRP by the Bay. Last November’s produced a record crowd with nearly 30 present. Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7MljuBAG5Y or look up the details on VK Ham or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/923023547708264/ Peter Parker VK3YE vk3ye@qsl.net WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO AMATEUR OLD-TIMERS http://www.raotc.org.au Hallo everyone, this is Clive VK6CSW with a reminder that the first Radio Amateurs Old Timers Club of Australia's bulletin for this year goes to air tomorrow, Monday February 1st. Regular listeners will know that after many years of dedicated service preparing the bulletin each month, Bill VK3BR has retired and handed over the reins to Bruce VK3UV and Ian VK3JS. Thanks Bill for a truly magnificent effort and I wish Bruce and Ian every success as the new producers. Although the principal HF transmission will commence at 0100 UTC on 20 metres on 14.150 MHz usb, beamed north from Melbourne for eastern states listeners, the 0200 UTC 20 metre transmission to WA has been discontinued. However, at 0200 UTC, WA listeners can tune in via the linked VHF/UHF repeater network as before, or listen to the simultaneous transmission 40 metres on 7060 kHz lsb by Chris VK3JI. Additionally, other local area broadcasts take place at various times throughout the day. To find a time and frequency for your local area please visit the RAOTC website at www.raotc.org.au. Everyone, RAOTC members and non-members alike, is cordially invited to listen in and we look forward to hearing your call sign in the call backs following each transmission. So once again, tune in tomorrow to hear the latest news and stories from the RAOTC. 73 from Clive, VK6CSW. 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 Tour de France ham radio volunteers rewarded The BBC say a voluntary RAYNET team that helped the 2014 Tour de France race through the Yorkshire Dales has received radio equipment worth about £5,500. The Radio Amateurs' Emergency Network (RAYNET) provided communications over 2,000 square miles in North Yorkshire, operated by 42 volunteers. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-30967391 SOCIAL SCENE 2015 Feb 7 VK3 Homebrew Construction Group 2pm ARVic 40g Victory Bld Ashburton Feb 14 VK3 Melbourne QRP by the bay Chelsea Beach 3pm. Feb 22 VK2 Central Coast Amateur Radio Club Wyong Field Day. March 21 VK3 Dstar Users Group 9am Woodend RSL Anslow St. vk3tq@bigpond.com March 29 VK3 EMDRC Hamfest April 18 VK4 REDFest (Redcliffe Radio Club Event) April 25 VK3 ANZAC Day Radio Afternoon Ballarat Showgrounds (vk3fmpb) May 1-3 VK4 Clairview Gathering contact RADAR's VK4ACC 04 2963 2815 May 9 VK4 BARCFEST Brisbane June 6-7 VK2 Queens Birthday 40th annual Oxley Region Field Day July 1 VK4 Caboolture Hamfest July 11-12 VK3 GippsTech 2015 Sept 12 VK4 SUNFEST Woombye Sept 25-27 VK4 CHARC AGM Weekend Camp Fairbairn near Emerald Oct 2-5 VK4 Cardwell Gathering, Beachcomber Motel and Tourist Park Oct 25 VK4 Gold Coast Hamfest Broadbeach 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 and don't JUST send url's links but take the time to pen YOUR contribution. To submit audio read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/contribute/ 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. Who and where are they? http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/ 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... Who listens to radio? A weekly 'tally sheet' is sent to all rebroadcasters and interested listeners, to get your free copy send a blank email to:- wiabroadcasters-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.au Put the word subscribe in the title or subject field How do I join this National News List? (subscribe for an automatic weekly feed.) Email to vk1wia-news-join@lists.wia.org.au from the email account that you wish the emails to go to. How do I leave this National News List? (unsubscribe your weekly feed) Open mail program which sends mail from the address you want to unsubscribe. Send mail to the list unsubscribe address vk1wia-news-leave@lists.wia.org.au You will be sent a confirmation mail and must follow the instructions given in that mail to complete the unsubscription. Once your unsubscription has been processed, you will probably receive another message confirming your unsubscription from the list, and at that point you should stop receiving messages. National News compiled by VK4BB on behalf of the National WIA. . -------------