May 31 - 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 May 24 2015. IN OUR 20TH YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS Phil Wait, VK2ASD President, WIA looks at the revised 2m and 70 cm Bandplans. WIA Director Roger Harrison VK2ZRH with more news from the WIA AGM. VK's Foundation Licence is due for review THESE STORIES AND MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA 2015 AND FOR WEEK OF MAY 24 ANZAC 100 activities continue ANZAC-suffixed callsigns will be at Launceston, Elizabeth and Sydney this week. More news about them on this broadcast today. Meantime, an enthusiastic eight Blue Mountains Amateur Radio Club members had success in the face of what could have been a disaster, to effectively use the VI2ANZAC callsign. The Glenbrook-Blaxland RSL Bowling Club keenly invited VI2ANZAC to join them on ANZAC Day. The radio club had examined the site. However, an RSL committee member removed a tree that was to hold up an antenna. This caused a delay on the day. When VI2ANZAC was ready, so were locals for an ANZAC ceremony, so BMARC members honoured it. Then VI2ANZAC began, however BMARC secretary, Daniel Clift VK2DC said: “We continued operating until we had to abandon the venue and make a quick dash to our clubrooms when lightning was getting too close for comfort and wait for a storm to pass.” Fortunately the brunt of the storm was missed, but other areas had large hail stones. Daniel VK2DC says after the storm passed, 40 metres was alive and well, and the proverbial ‘dogpile’ was encountered. BMARC had VI2ANZAC for a week. Some eight members used it from either the BMARC club or their home QTHs. At the end of the event it had 447 contacts. One member was ‘over the moon’ in contacting 0POPPY from Belgium on CW - very poor copy but perseverance paid off. The BMARC activated VI23ANZAC on SSB, CW, SSTV and Echolink. The three-day VK100ANZAC event which starts today, 'Our Local ANZACs", is run by the Northern Tasmanian Amateur Radio Club. Backed up by an audio visual display, it marks the close of a three week period of Gallipoli action, in which Australia's and the Empire's most decorated soldier, Harry Murray participated. He was born and grew up in Northern Tasmania. June 4 to 10 the VK100ANZAC callsign will be heard thanks to DXer Tommy Horozakis VK2IR, which is promising to be very active with DX on the HF bands. VI5ANZAC activated on June 6 by the Elizabeth Amateur Radio Club, is in honour of Vietnam War Veterans. Of the 521 fallen Australian soldiers in that conflict, 25 remain buried overseas. The government recently offered to repatriate them, at no cost to their families, so they may be buried in Australia. After a successful event on ANZAC Day at the Elizabeth RSL in VK5 by the Elizabeth Amateur Radio Club using the VI5ANZAC100 call sign the President and Secretary of the RSL requested that the AR club set up a similar event to assist the Vietnam Veterans commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the landing of Australian forces at Vung Tau by the Royal Australian Navy on June 6th. The club will be setting up two EARC VK5LZ stations on 80Metres, 3.650Mhz +/- QRM and 40Metres, 7.050Mhz +/- QRM (Vertical Polarisation) at 1900Hrs Central standard time until 2300Hrs Central standard time on the evening of Saturday 6th June 2015. We invite and would appreciate contacts from operators willing to spare the time however short. Thank you in anticipation from the Elizabeth Amateur Radio Club and the Elizabeth RSL in VK5 First In - Last Out, we continue RAN activity with a look at the vital role of Royal Australian Navy submarine AE2 and her brave crew in the waters off Gallipoli which was highlighted during the recent commemorative event station VI4AE2. A group of former Australian Defence Force members, who are also radio amateurs, put VI4AE2 on air for 5-days from ANZAC Day to commemorate the Centenary of HMAS AE2. Michael Charteris VK4QS says he decided to do something to show that the Royal Australian Navy was at Gallipoli, and it wasn’t just an all-Army campaign. With the help of other radio amateurs following a well thought out publicity plan the positive story of HMAS AE2 was told. The program added a new element to ANZAC 100 in its ability to highlight the role of AE2. The AE2, through a picture and model, appears in the vast WW1 display at the National War Museum in Canberra. HMAS AE2 an E-class submarine at the Dardanelles breached the defences, survived shelling from Turkish shore batteries, but ran aground to narrowly miss netting and minefields. After resurfacing it signalled its strategic position, helped the invasion of Gallipoli, and given the mission to “Run amok in the sea of Marmara”. The submarine crew were eventually made prisoners of war by the Turks who held them until the Armistice of 1918. The wreck of the submarine is a war grave site. VI4AE2 paid honour to the submarine and its crew. It had about 2,500 contacts around the world using both SSB and CW, plenty of visits to the qrz.com website seeking information, and an article in Navy News. That article gives Amateur Radio good publicity showing that those within it really care that a story of AE2 be told. Navy News has a readership of 15,000 current and past members of the Navy. (Jim Linton VK3PC) 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 Director Roger Harrison VK2ZRH with more news from the WIA AGM. This week, I have a confession to make. In last week’s news item on the annual awards given out at the WIA AGM in Canberra, I made a serious omission – two, in fact. I did not include two worthy awards. Rather than just three President’s Commendations, as I said last week, five were actually awarded. Mea culpa! Ernie Walls VK3FM was awarded a President’s Commendation in recognition of many years’ service to the Publications Committee as both member and Secretary. Ernie began a well-earned rest some months ago from being Secretary of the Publications Committee. That West Australian of note, Will McGhie VK6UU, received a President’s Commendation for outstanding dedication to scanning the issues of Amateur Radio magazine over the decades from the early 20th century to the present era and producing digital files, providing an invaluable historical and technical resource. Will has published the scanned editions online, which is a continuing project for him. If you want to find them, just Google “VK6UU Amateur Radio Magazine” and his website appears at the top of the list. My apologies to you two gentlemen. Mea culpa ! This has been a sheepish Roger Harrison VK2ZRH for VK1WIA News. Phil Wait, VK2ASD President, WIA looks at the revised 2m and 70 cm Bandplans. The WIA has published draft revisions to the 2 metre and 70 cm bandplans. Amateur radio bandplans are a voluntary operating code which divides the various amateur radio bands into segments, in order to minimise interference between often incompatible modes and technologies. As technology progresses and patterns of usage change, amateur bandplans need to be reviewed and updated to ensure they meet current needs. Following the revision of the 630m, 40m and 6m bandplans earlier this year, the WIA now presents to 2m and 70cm bandplan as a “Draft for Comment”. We encourage you to lodge your comments with the WIA by the 15th July – you have about 6 weeks. Please note that these revised bandplans do not require or force any existing users to move frequency, but they do make some very fundamental and wide-ranging changes to improve our band usage and spectrum efficiency. The WIA would like to sincerely thank John VK3KM, Peter VK3APO, Grant VK5GR and the entire TAC committee for undertaking the difficult task of reviewing the bandplans and finding a workable solution to satisfy the various competing interests. The WIA President holidays in the USA You may not have been aware that our Wireless Institute of Australia's President Phil Wait VK2ASD gave us that report on the band plans as he arrived back in Australia after a personal holiday that included the Dayton Hamvention. While drafting the President’s column for Amateur Radio magazine in July at Dallas Airport, he reflected on where the busy WIA is heading in this period of rapid change. The WIA Board has heard the valuable input received in the WIA Open Forum, as part of the annual general meeting in Canberra. Phil VK2ASD, was able explore most important areas while at the Dayton Hamvention, speaking to the ARRL officials on some similar areas of activity. The latest AR magazine column will reflect on the annual general meeting, improved communications, the next generation of radio amateurs through youth, and point to the latest on our regulation changes. Over in the UK, RSGB President John Gould, G3WKL and General Manager Graham Coomber, G0NBI represented the RSGB at a garden party at Buckingham Palace recently. They were formally presented to the Society's Patron, HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, KG, KT. Foundation Licence is due for review The 10th anniversary of the new entry level licence in Australia has seen a great turnaround with Amateur Radio being made more accessible to a greater number of people. When it was proposed as part of the Australian Communications Authority "Big Review", the Foundation Licence was embraced by radio amateurs as the way forward for Amateur Radio. The Foundation Licence has transformed us from a worrying declining interest in Amateur Radio, to one of growth with new people entering the hobby and most upgrading to the Standard or Advance levels. Designed more than a decade ago, it gave entrants a taste of Amateur Radio, inspiring many to explore the multi-faceted hobby, and encouraged some to go further and upgrade their qualification. Since 2005 over 5,000 Foundation Licence assessments have held, but with a decline in the number of candidates, more needs to be done to promote the hobby and review the attractiveness of it as the entry point. While the Foundation Licence is now 10 years old and due for a review to reflect new technology of the last decade, and provide a better taste of a modern Amateur Radio, it remains a popular entry point into the hobby. News of the Department of Communications' release of the foreshadowed Spectrum Review report is now up on the WIA website. http://www.wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2015/20150523-40/index.php The Department of Communications has released its Spectrum Review Report, recommending replacement of the Radiocommunications Act with a new Act and reforming the current licensing framework into a single licensing system. "While the current framework is prescriptive about processes, the new Act would focus on the outcomes that should be achieved through spectrum management," the report explains. In a joint statement, the Minister for Communications, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP and the Parliamentary Secretary, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said "the report recommends simplifying processes for new and existing spectrum users and increasing opportunities for market-based arrangements, including spectrum sharing and trading". The report’s recommendations cover new legislation, a single licensing system, user involvement in spectrum management, improved compliance and enforcement measures, government spectrum use and spectrum pricing, among others. It must be said that the implications for amateur radio licensing and the WIA are far-reaching. The report resulted from a review conducted by the Department of Communications in conjunction with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). Developing the report included extensive stakeholder consultation over 2014. The federal Government anticipated that the report would be finalised in the December 2014 to January 2015 timeframe, but it was finally delivered in March. The Government is currently considering the report and will respond in due course. Meanwhile, the Department of Communications has invited comments. The WIA will be sending a submission. 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. From Producer Skeeter Nash N5ASH: this is a Facebook post from Sunday, 5/24/15 by the Amateur Radio Newsline Facebook page administrator, James Pastorfield KB7TBT: Hi folks, got some bad news to report: A few days ago Bill Pasternak WA6ITF was admitted into the hospital. He is currently in ICU and stable. I have not directly talked to Bill but I am in constant contact with Dave Booth KC6WFS who has been with him every day. Bill has said that "it was ok to mention his situation to you and to understand if the reports are a delayed". Bill is still listed under critical condition, please put him in your thoughts and prayers. I will keep everyone updated... 73 James-KB7TBT The contribution of Colin Wilson CT7ACG has been internationally highlighted in regards his involvement with the Nepal Emergency Net. Colin CT7ACG located in Southern Portugal, together with Israeli colleague Emir 4X6TT have both played an admirable and important role in the Nepal Emergency Net - recognized worldwide in various international forums. All hams involved in assistance to earthquake victims in Nepal are unanimous in highlighting the dedication and efforts of stations CT7ACG and 4X6TT, particularly in maintaining such important radio network active, providing communication assistance to the affected nation. Colin is documented for his dedication to amateur radio, highlighted before thanks to his special call CR5CW, well known for contest performance. CQ Magazine has announced 2015 Hall of Fame inductees who have made significant contributions to amateur radio or to some other aspect of life on our planet include our near neighbour Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, YD2JKW - President of Indonesia. New NASA Deputy Administrator is a Radio Ham Prof. Dava Newman KB1HIK has been sworn in as NASA Deputy Administrator. Her appointment had been confirmed by the U.S. Senate. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (formerly KE4IQB) said, “I am delighted with the Senate confirmation of Dr. Dava Newman to be the deputy administrator of NASA. The strong bipartisan support Dr. Newman received in the Senate is a reflection of her well-earned reputation and renown as a global leader in science and technology research and policy.” Kenyan amateurs are now permitted to use 50 MHz The Communications Authority of Kenya has allocated 50 to 52 MHz to the amateur service with maximum power of 150 Watts DC input or 400 Watts PEP. Who and Where are our broadcast stations? http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/ OPERATIONAL NEWS 2015 Trans-Tasman contest 18th July from 0800utc 10-10 INTERNATIONAL SUMMER CONTEST Aug 1 - 2 Remembrance Day Contest August 15 and 16 Oceania DX contest Voice First full weekend in October Oceania DX contest Continuous Wave Second full weekend in October. International Museums Weekend This year's International Museums Weekends take place on 20th/21st and 27th/28th June. So far 50 museums will be on air for the International Museums Weekend events in June. In one of those portable operations, Julie VK3FOWL and Joe VK3YSP will again set-up outside the Melbourne Museum at Carlton Gardens. Their solar powered station will be on both June the 20th and 21st, and June the 27th and 28th, engaging the public to operate on 80m, 40m and 20m bands SSB sideband and digital modes. They will join others who also have permission from the museums to set-up stations in England, France, Greece, Ireland, Scotland and South Africa. To register a museum in this annual event, visit the website www.radio-amateur-events.org (Jim Linton VK3PC) AWARDS First all CW 73 on 73 Award Congratulations to Hideo Kambayashi, JH3XCU, for working 73 different stations on the amateur radio satellite AO-73 (FUNcube-1) since September 1, 2014. Notably, he is the first to work all 73 different stations using Morse code. AO-73 was launched in 2013 and is the first spacecraft to have a primary mission of educational outreach to schools and the smallest ever satellite to carry a linear (SSB/CW) transponder for radio amateurs. Go portable in VK3 National Parks and gain recognition The Keith Roget Memorial National Parks Award activity period is November 15 to 19. This year something special is to be introduced. We also announce the first Foundation Licence to get Merit Certificate recognition. A Participation Certificate will be available for those who have don’t have an award certificate, provided they operate within a VK3 National Park and make five contacts. The KRMNPA activity period last year had 34 National Parks on air. With the participation certificate now on offer, who knows how many will be activated this November? You can also still work those in National Parks from your own home, and the activity period is ideal to get your tally started or increased. One such person is Amanda VK3FQSO, who is the first Foundation Licence holder to get a Merit Award - having worked all 45 National Parks. A very proud Amanda VK3FQSO says the great thing about the KRMNPA is that it is achievable for all even Foundation Licences. From her experience, portable Activators usually have low noise levels so they are able to hear the many Chasers that call in to make a contact. VK3FQSO topped off all 45 this month with Mick VK3PMG in the Wyperfeld National Park. She used a solar powered Alinco DX-SR8 transceiver on its super-low setting of 500mW, into a dipole. Amanda started in November 2013 contacting Joe VK3YSP in the Great Otway National Park, and followed the VK3YSP and wife Julie VK3FOWL on their KRMNPA sojourn. Prepare now to venture out portable for the Keith Roget Memorial National Parks Award period of November 15 to 19 - and join others including those from interstate. (Jim Linton VK3PC) On 29th May 1815, over 6,000 British cavalry gathered for an inspection beside the river Dender before the battle of Waterloo. To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the inspection and the crossing of the river to battle, the Belgian Amateur Radio Society, UBA, will operate special event station OT200GBN. On Friday the 29th, operation will be in CW on 80 to 10m from the nearby town of Schendelbeke. On Saturday the station moves to Onkerzele and switches to SSB. A special QSL card is available. In DX, word that DL1HRN is currently operational as 3 W 9 HRN from Hanoi in Vietnam. His length of stay is not known, but activity is mainly CW on the HF bands. QSL via DL1HRN, his home callsign. WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER Fox-1 news from Dayton During the Dayton Hamvention, AMSAT Vice President Operations, Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, and AMSAT Vice President - Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY, provided more information about the Fox-1 satellites under development. Buxton, N0JY, says Fox-1A has passed all environmental testing and is integrated into the P-POD deployment canister. "The 'remove before flight pin' has been pulled, the doors closed on the P-POD, and everything is aboard the shipping container now en route to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California for launch", said Buxton. Fox-1A Frequency, Uplink FM (67 Hz tone) is 435.180 MHz downlink in our 2mtr band, 145.980 MHz Fox-1A will launch on a NASA ELaNa flight scheduled during the third quarter, 2015 from Vandenberg AFB. Fox-1A is a passenger aboard this launch driven by the schedule of the primary payload. When updates are available with firm dates they will be announced via the ANS bulletins and in the AMSAT Journal. ISS contacts unlikely until crew change While on the subject of space, the RSGB understands that it is unlikely there will be any contacts with the Columbus module station on the International Space Station until after a crew change, which will probably occur in June or July. WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- IOTA http://rsgbiota.org Christoph DL1YAF will be active from Lord Howe Island signing DL1YAF/VK9L and is operating 30th May to 3rd June, SSB and CW on 10 – 80m. WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO AMATEUR OLD-TIMERS http://www.raotc.org.au Hallo everyone, this is Clive VK6CSW with a reminder that tomorrow, Monday June 1st the Radio Amateurs Old Timers Club of Australia’s monthly News and Information bulletin goes to air. This month as well as all the usual RAOTC news, we have an article describing some recent developments in electric car technology. The principal HF transmission will be on 20 metres on 14.150 MHz upper side band at 0100 UTC beamed north from Melbourne for the eastern states. An hour later at 0200 UTC there will be a 40 metre transmission from Perth on 7060 kHz lower sideband plus a simultaneous transmission via all linked NewsWest VHF and UHF repeaters. Additionally tomorrow, numerous local relays will take place. For the details for your local area please visit the RAOTC website at www.raotc.org.au and remember as from Tuesday you can download the audio file from this website. Everyone, RAOTC Members and non-members alike is invited to listen to this interesting half hour of Old Timer news information & anecdotes and to participate in the call backs afterwards. Once again, the RAOTC monthly bulletin is scheduled for tomorrow Mon June 1st. WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO SCOUTING http://www.scouts.com.au http://www.scout.org/jota http://www.international.scouts.com.au Swiss Scout centre seeks PMR radios Kandersteg International Scout Centre is a not-for-profit campsite situated in a small Swiss Alpine village. It gives Scouts and Guides from around the world the chance to experience international friendship. Now as this VK1WIA News DOES travel the world maybe a listener/Reader can help. They are looking for any robust PMR-type hand portable radios that can be used on a daily basis. If you can help, please contact programme@kisc.ch 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 Last week we told you about the upcoming WICEN SA AGM and of the great work they did this past year. We mentioned SAVEM. SAVEM may not be well known to folk outside VK so VK3PC in a report has said "SAVEM with its voluntary nurses and veterinary surgeons, cared for kangaroos and other native animals that had lost their habitat or were injured. It patrolled the fire ground, took injured animals to their hospital triage centre, and kept in touch - thanks to a hand-held radio network proved by WICEN." There have been other community events to keep WICEN busy. It has obtained longer range radios, applied for commercial VHF frequencies, and built a ‘Radio Go Box’ ready to set-up a command post. Good publicity for Amateur Radio and WICEN South Australia has resulted, included being invited to mount displays for the Country Fire Service Mawson Group and the Morphett Vale Brigade. You may very well be forgiven to think WICEN is purely a VK3/5/7 affair as we seldom hear of WICEN participation from other call areas. Not so as this report from the Sunshine Coast Amateur Radio Club and VK4VP Gordon shows. The Sunshine Coast Amateur Radio Club Inc. (SCARC) and the Noosa Ultimate Sports Festival joined forces for about the 10 year in a row. "This was operated as a WICEN exercise and the SCARC provided their bright yellow Emergency Communications and Operations Caravan equipped with all forms of communications. This enabled the Sports Festival people to operate in this van and for the SCARC operators to communicate to the check points around the course via the 2 metre Noosa and Maleny repeaters. A big bonus which was very well accepted by the organisers was the SCARC APRS tracking system. The two lead motor vehicles and one pick up and one tail vehicle were equipped with GPS /APRS systems. The data from these vehicles were relayed via a club digital repeater to a base which then entered the map onto the internet, showing the position of each vehicle in real time. The Ride coordinators back in the caravan could see exactly where the front and the tail of both the 160km and the 85 km were at any time. This bike ride is a large event with about 900 bike riders participating on public roads for about 6 hours. The added safety of good communications was essential to the success of yet another Noosa bike ride. The Sunshine Coast Amateur Radio Club is proud to be associated with such an important local event." VK4 listeners will hear a comprehensive report in their QNEWS local news following this bulletin. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- SUMMITS ON THE AIR www.sotawatch.org www.sota.org.uk REAST Presents SOTA. As heard on the WIA National News Simon Pearce VK1FAAS presented his experiences and enthusiasm for SOTA at the WIA AGM. Now REAST in VK7 are privileged to have Simon VK1FAAS and his XYL who are both touring around VK7 for a few weeks as a guest speaker at the Domain. Simon is a keen SOTA activator and will probably be heard on some summits around VK7 whilst they are here, he has agreed to give a presentation after the broadcast TODAY (31 May 2015). This presentation will start from 11am after this broadcast and then REAST will have a BYO BBQ and hotplate and tea & coffee will be available in the nice warm clubrooms up on the Queens Domain. Yes the astute among you would have picked up that this presentation is in May even though it is for their June Presentation! (Tony, VK7VKT via VK7News) SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - LOW DOWN Sub 9 kHz Yahoo Group:- https://groups.yahoo.com/group/sub9khz/ VK-JA update on 630m band. It was earlier reported how a Medium Wave signal from Australia was heard in Japan on March 23, using the WSPR weak-signal mode. Phillip Dwyer VK3ELV sent his 474.2 kHz signal to be received by Tetsuya Hirose JN1MSO in Tokyo, a distance of about 8031km, with a -27 signal level on the WSPR mode. Now we have heard from the Japanese end. Tetsuya Hirose JN1MSO reports being still very surprised at finding the VK3ELV callsign in his WSPR window. The WSPRnet database had caught the VK3 signal. Japan got the new band in January after it was granted by the World Radiocommunication Conference in 2012. Tetsuya JN1MSO says his receiving system is quite simple. Antenna is 8-metre length vertical with a variometer coil installed in a balcony of the top floor of 6-storey apartment house on the hill top. Receiver was a Kenwood TS-850. He advises that in Japan, there is a radius distance rule of 200-metres to avoid interference with AM stations. With many areas densely populated with apartments it becomes difficult, and has led to limited use of the 475 kHz band. Phillip VK3ELV said the signal to JA was on a greyline path. Gear was an Icom IC706M2G, VK3XDK Transverter and an old HF amplifier modified for 630-metres, running 130 watts. The antenna was an inverted-L, 18-metres vertical, 80-metres horizontal and top loaded. His inland location at Mt Bruno in northeast Victoria has an extensive ground system. Phillip VK3ELV says getting started is a lot easier people think. He had worked stations using Software Defined Radios and others transmitting with signal generators and receiving on crystal sets. A lot of groundwave work had loaded verticals and other compromised antennas, as the secrets and techniques of this new band begin to be learned. Up the dial abit and we hear the revamped Mildura 473 kHz beacon that sends CW has already had a number of reception reports including one from Perth, a distance of more than 2,400 kms. Brian McDonald VK6LO reported that he heard the VK3FI beacon on his 160m inverted vee antenna at RST 4 2 9 on May the 24th. Whether you have previously heard the Mildura 473 kHz beacon, or receive it for the first time, please send a signal report to vk3fi@wia.org.au (Jim Linton VK3PC) SOCIAL SCENE 2015 VK3 Home-brewers look into space A very interesting presentation to the Homebrew Construction Group meeting on Saturday, June the 6th is on Amateur Radio high altitude ballooning. Julie VK3FOWL and Joe VK3YSP will talk about the design, hardware, software and the recovery of a balloon With its homebrew 30-metre beacon which was tracked last month as part of the Global Space Balloon Challenge. Jim Linton VK3PC says all are welcome to attend the Amateur Radio Victoria rooms at 2pm Saturday June 6 to hear the talk. Meantime, balloon PS-45 launched by Andrew Nuygen VK3YT reached Chile last Sunday, moved slowly to Argentina with its departure from that country tracked by Julio LW2DYB, and then out to the South Atlantic Ocean. These solar powered helium filled aluminium foil party-type Pico balloons have a 25mW transmitter on weak signal modes using 20m and 30m for their position, speed, altitude, temperature, and battery condition. Its sister PS-46 also from Victoria went north of New Zealand, dipped to the south-east then turned north-east tracked by Bob ZL1RS, before adopting an easterly path to South America. In April, PS-41 was the first of its type to circumnavigate the earth coming back to Australia. It then moved south towards the Antarctica, turned east to the southern end of South America for a second time on its flight, before being declared lost. June 5- 7 VK4 Central Highlands ARC & Theresa Creek Campout, Clermont. June 6- 7 VK2 Queens Birthday 40th annual Oxley Region Field Day June 6- 7 VK5 51st South East Radio Group Convention / Australian Foxhunting Championship July 1 VK4 Caboolture HamFest July 11-12 VK3 GippsTech 2015 July 18 VK3 Gippsland gate Radio & Electronics Club HamFest @ Cranbourne July 25 VK3 ALARA 40th Bday Lunch, Novotel Glen Waverley vk3vip@wia.org.au 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 VK3 Ballarat Amateur Radio Group Hamvention Greyhound Track Oct 25 VK4 Gold Coast HamFest Broadbeach Nov VK3 QRP By the Bay details from VK3YE held 2nd Saturday 2016 Feb 28 VK3 EMDRC HamFest Great Ryrie Primary School Heathmont. Ap-May 29-2 VK4 Clairview Gathering check Mackay ARS website Submitting news items A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't plug commercial traders "on air", but we at the WIA will put your supporters in this text edition "no worries." 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. . -------------