January 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 JAN 31 2016. IN OUR 21st YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS. WIA ANZAC commemoration on Norfolk Island. - WIA Board has a draft proposal before it for VK5 to host 2017 AGM. - WIA INWARDS QSL BUREAU UPDATE. - WIA suggests changes to the ACMA, and supports the remake of the Determination. - WIA AR MAGAZINE JAN-FEB ISSUE. THESE STORIES AND MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA 2016 AND FOR WEEK OF JAN 31 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. An Australian balloon again crosses the equator The antics of pico solar powered high altitude balloon PS-58 had many USA and Canadian radio amateurs somewhat surprised as the Aussie floated, and lingered in the Northern Hemisphere. Launched by Andy VK3YT from Melbourne on December 29, it entered El Salvador, went over Honduras, across the Caribbean Sea to Jamaica, Haiti and out to the North Atlantic. The flight looped back again to near South America, then did a sharp bend to go east again towards Africa. Andy VK3YT is thought to be the only person with such balloons to cross the equator, not once but twice. He also floated two balloons in the Northern Hemisphere while on a business trip to San Jose in California in September last year – achieving another first. Meantime, balloon PS-57 launched on December 12 went across the Pacific, then into the Northern Hemisphere through South America’s Peru, Columbia and Venezuela, dipped back over the equator to loop over the India Ocean. There it had survived some rough weather with multiple losses of altitude. However, after 4 weeks, 1 day and 18 hours of flying time, PS-57 went down in bad weather. Mal Good VK6MT reported the demise midway between South Africa and Australia. (Jim Linton VK3PC) WIA BOARD TALK President Phil Wait VK2ASD vk2asd@wia.org.au ANZAC commemoration on Norfolk Island A radio station operating on HF as VI9ANZAC will be activated and visitors are most welcome to operate and this will be the final Australian callsign area in the WIA ANZAC 100 program, to commemorate the Australian and New Zealand troops who landed at Gallipoli in 1915, around 101 years ago. Those going to Norfolk Island for the Wireless Institute of Australia annual general meeting and activities may use a VK callsign portable VK9 Norfolk Island although I am sure a number will take out VK9 callsigns and ACMA licences. The portable option will also mostly suit those with hand-held VHF/UHF transceivers. For more information about the event and activities, check out wia.org.au that is 'progressively' being updated. The WIA Board has a draft proposal before it that the WIA annual general meeting in 2017 be held in South Australia. Discussions about the program for 2017 are now taking place. A proposed venue and town are likely to be determined, and revealed at the AGM to be held on Norfolk Island in May this year. The WIA has suggested changes to the ACMA The WIA Board always welcomes such expressions of interest. Guidelines for Hosting a WIA Annual Event Weekend are on the WIA website. wia.org.au/members/clubs/planawiaconference/documents/WIA%20Annual%20Event%20Guidelines%20-%2021-07-13.pdf Overseas qualified radio amateurs The Australian Communications and Media Authority wants to renew its sun-setting legislative instrument that allows those qualified through an overseas administration, to obtain an equivalent licence in Australia. This however does not affect short-term visiting radio amateurs, who may automatically use their valid home callsign, prefixed with the VK call area in which they are located. That provision, under a free Class Licence follows WIA advocacy, is available for 90-days, which can be suitable for those on a business trip or a holiday. The ACMA has consulted on its Radiocommunications (Qualified Operators) Determination 2016, to replace its 2005 predecessor on April 1, 2016. The ACMA in a discussion paper considers that the system has operated effectively and efficiently, and is worth renewal. The ACMA says individuals may have existing qualifications obtained overseas, and these will continue to be addressed, but by eliminating any consistency that may have developed. The WIA has submitted to the ACMA that it supports renewal of the system. The WIA stressed that the qualification held, and not licence conditions, must always be the basis of any determination of equivalency of qualifications gained from an overseas administration. The WIA has suggested changes to the ACMA, and supports the remake of the Determination incorporating the proposed changes, in particular the equivalency of the US Technician Grade licence. In its submission the WIA also flags the need to review the Philippines Class C (Novice) licence grade, which is more aligned to the Australian Standard grade. (Phil Wait VK2ASD) HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA. VK3 web service:- http://www.amateurradio.com.au/news/ Feb 6 Melbourne QRP by the Bay starting 3pm. More later in this newscast. Want to grow Amateur Radio? Then please steer someone suitable to a local class. One such opportunity in Melbourne is the Foundation Licence quality training run by Amateur Radio Victoria at 40G Victory Boulevard, Ashburton and the next Foundation Licence training lessons and assessments will be on the weekend of February 13-14. Prospective Foundation Licence candidates are expected to have read the operational practice guide - known as Your Entry Into Amateur Radio, that can be mail ordered. To also help Foundation Licensees upgrade there is a Standard Licence Bridging Course held on six Wednesday evenings starting February the 3rd, and ends with revision and assessments on the weekend of March 12 and 13. Attendance on all days is expected, as the intensive training bridges the knowledge gap between the Foundation Licence and the Standard Licence. To enrol in either the Foundation Licence session or the Bridging Course, please contact Barry Robinson VK3PV via email vk3pv@amateurradio.com.au or call 0428 516 001. (Jim Linton VK3PC) VK4 - QNEWS Send your stories for news. SCRIPT to qnews@wia.org.au send audio to http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/upload/ get local audio news www.wiaq.org.au/ftp/vk4_qnews_64.mp3 get local news emailed qnews-vk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com BOOT SALE Caboolture Radio Club 13th February 2016. 169 Smiths Road, CABOOLTURE from around 0730. Entry is FREE, just arrive with what you have to sell, should you require a table, the club can provide for a rental of $5. Food and drinks, including bacon & egg rolls, sausages & onion sandwiches, tea, coffee will be on sale by the club. Don't miss it. Listen to QNEWS in VK4 for more from Rick (VK4LW) VK5 The Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program (SHSSP) Stratospheric Balloon Project a success! Payload Recovered! The Australia Day launch of the SHSSP payload under an AREG high altitude balloon from the Mt Barker High School, just east of Adelaide in the Adelaide Hills, was an almost “text book” launch. The AREG launch team were on site early in the morning to prepare for the launch. They were joined by the SHSSP participants and event organisers from the University of South Australia and International Space University a little later in the morning. The launch was attended by visiting dignitaries from the Mt Barker Council, various media reporters and by more than 150 people. The SHSSP participants designed and built their own payload which contained near infra-red and visible light cameras with an experimental UniSA ITR telemetry downlink on the 2m band. The AREG also had primary and secondary telemetry payloads which were tracked, received and data uploaded to the Habitat mapping system by many amateurs both locally in VK5 and VK3, enabling many people to track the balloon flight live on the internet. The balloon was launched at 0933 hours local, with the flight heading east of Mannum, and ascending to an altitude of 36,300 metres before it burst. It descended into dense Mallee scrub approximately 25 kilometres east of Purnong, and landed at 1229 hours local time, for a flight duration of 2 hours and 56 minutes. Two recovery vehicle teams were on site before the balloon landed but due to local terrain and access restrictions did not see the landing this time. The recovery teams had 3km of rough 4WD tracks and paddocks to negotiate and a further 2 km round trip hike through the thick Mallee using classic direction-finding techniques to navigate to the payload and back to their vehicles. The recovery teams were back to their vehicles and headed back to Adelaide at 1440 hours local time. The recovery was successful and no significant damage was experienced by the payload equipment. The SHSSP and AREG teams were ecstatic over the success of the event and there was also very good media coverage. The SHSSP event organisers were thank-full to the AREG for their contribution to the success of their stratospheric balloon launch project. Many thanks must also go to all amateur radio operators who tracked and uploaded the resultant data. Special event SWL QSL cards are being designed and will be issued to participants. Please contact the AREG directly if you decoded telemetry but did not have facilities to upload to the internet. More detailed information on this Stratospheric Balloon launch project may be found on the AREG Web Pages at www.areg.org.au and in the text edition of this broadcast on the WIA Web Pages. I am Ben VK5BB, for the Amateur Radio Experimenters Group. 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. How to build a low-tech Internet Wireless internet access is on the rise in both modern consumer societies and in the developing world. In rich countries, however, the focus is on always-on connectivity and ever higher access speeds. In poor countries, on the other hand, connectivity is achieved through much more low-tech, often asynchronous networks. While the high-tech approach pushes the costs and energy use of the internet higher and higher, the low-tech alternatives result in much cheaper and very energy efficient networks that combine well with renewable power production and are resistant to disruptions. If we want the internet to keep working in circumstances where access to energy is more limited, we can learn important lessons from alternative network technologies. This is demonstrated by several community networks in Europe, of which the largest has more than 35,000 users already. You can read more at: lowtechmagazine.com/2015/10/how-to-build-a-low-tech-internet.html Ham radio tower dispute A USA federally licensed amateur radio operator says he plans to sue the city for harassment in regards to a radio tower he was forced to remove The Biddeford Courier reports: "Karl Reed said the city violated his First Amendment rights and failed to give him due process when it threatened to fine his landlord $2,500 a day if the tower was not removed. Reed, KB1NZQ, claims that federally licensed amateur radio operators are exempt from zoning ordinances as long as the towers used are less than 35 feet in height. “Federal laws supersede these state and zoning rules,” Reed said. Read the full story at courier.mainelymediallc.com/news/2016-01-21/News/Ham_radio_operator_asked_to_take_down_tower.html World Radio TV Handbook updates WRTH has already released a free of charge update file for the B15 international and clandestine target broadcast schedules. The file is in PDF format and follows the same styling as the WRTH printed edition. We understand that there had been an issue with their donations button not working properly - this has been rectified and you are now able to make a donation to WRTH, should you wish to. This is entirely voluntary, of course. To download the file, please visit either: http://www.wrth.com/_shop or http://www.wrth.com/_shop/?page_id=444 Shmoocon 2016: Reverse engineering cheap Chinese radio firmware Every once in a great while, a piece of radio gear catches the attention of a prolific hardware guru and is reverse engineered. A few years ago, it was the RTL-SDR, and since then, software defined radios became the next big thing. Last weekend at Shmoocon, Travis Goodspeed presented his reverse engineering of the Tytera MD380 digital handheld radio. He presented, all the gory details, that turn a $140 radio into the first hardware scanner for digital mobile radio. In Digital Mobile Radio, audio is sent through either a public talk group or a private contact. The radio is usually set to only one talk group, and so it’s not really possible to listen in on other talk groups without changing settings. A patch for promiscuous mode – a mode that puts all talk groups through the speaker – is available. With the help of DD4CR and W7PCH, the entire radio has been reverse engineered with rewritten firmware that works with the official tools, the first attempts of scratch-built firmware built around FreeRTOS, and the beginnings of a very active development community for a $140 radio. This is one of the most exciting radio hacks in recent memory. Before [Travis] presented this hack at the Shmoocon fire talks, Amazon and the top vendor had 18 in stock. Immediately after the talk – 20 minutes later – the same vendor had 14 in stock. Travis sold four radios to members of the audience, and there weren’t that many people in attendance. Two hours later, the same vendor had four only in stock. If you’re looking for the best hardware hack of the con, this is the one. hackaday.com/2016/01/19/shmoocon-2016-reverse-engineering-cheap-chinese-radio-firmware/ ============================================================================= RSGB Things could not have been more exciting for students at the Sandringham School in Hertfordshire, England, earlier this month. During a week-long Space Festival being held at the school, the 11- through 19-year-olds learned about space and space travel, attended rocket workshops, heard a spacecraft engineer's presentation, and even participated in an amateur radio build-a-thon. But just when the students thought they'd heard it all - those talks about Mars and discussions about cosmonauts - they tuned into 145.800 MHz and heard something completely different. Operating with the call sign, GB1SAN, reached out and contacted GB1SS, astronaut Tim Peake, aboard the International Space Station. And that's when things truly couldn't get any more exciting: Jessica Leigh, a Year 10 pupil, was the first student to talk to the astronaut during the QSO on the 8th of January. But it was a first for Jessica in another way. The Sandringham student is a newly qualified amateur, having just passed her Foundation class exam right before Christmas. Her call sign is M6LPJ. And so Jessica's classmates not only got the thrill of a chat in space, but in witnessing a launch. In this case, it was the launch of one of the UK's newest amateurs, Jessica Leigh. And, needless to say, she was flying high. I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH. ARNEWSLINE 10 DAYS OF CONTESTING IN IRAN The first Iranian ham contest kicks off on February 1 and runs to February 11, marking the 37th anniversary of the Iranian Islamic revolution. The contest's goal is simple: Organizers want to encourage and increase new contacts with Iranian hams, and they're placing a special emphasis on DXing. Find the action on 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters, in Single Side Band, RTTY and CW modes. QSL cards and certificates will be available. For further information, send an email to epcontest-dot-2016@gmail.com ============================================================================= WEIRD AND WONDERFUL - I'M JOHN VK2JPM It's been all over the news: a prototype type light bulb produced by US Massachusetts Institute of Technology may see a return of incandescent lighting for everyday use. We stress MAY. But let’s start with some background. The first person to demonstrate an incandescent light bulb in public was inventor Joseph Swan - in 1878. But it was Swan’s rival, Thomas Edison, who patented the first commercially viable incandescent light bulb in 1880 after years of experimenting with filament designs that would last more than a few seconds. The first practical filament was made from carbonised cotton thread – that lasted a whopping 13 hours, which was enough to prove the point. Before long, they moved to carbonised bamboo – which lasted 100 times longer. Remember, this is more than 130 years ago when the alternative was gas mantles and candles. The thing is that incandescent bulbs work by turning electricity into heat, and sometimes as little as 2 or 3% of the input energy ends up as light. That’s why incandescent lamps have been on the way out, with many countries banning them in favour of the significantly more efficient compact fluorescent and LED globes, which deliver up to 15% and 20% efficiency respectively. But just when you thought it was over for the humble filament, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Perdue university have produced an incandescent light bulb claimed to be more efficient than LEDs (and electrically quieter??). This is done by surrounding the filament with a special crystal structure which bounces infrared energy or recycle the energy which is usually lost. MIT hopes the technology will see the re-birth of the glowing incandescent bulb, and while they have only hit the 6.6% mark now, they think the technology will allow incandescent globes to get to 40% efficiency. That’s double the efficiency of LEDs, and 15 times what you get from an incandescent globe today. Even the experimental results are three times as good as incandescent lights today. The big thing in favour of incandescent lighting is ... well, the light. It’s broad spectrum, can be filtered to allow colour selection, and is pleasant on the eye. Against that, LEDs are very spiky in their spectrum, and compact fluorescent globes need startup time. Both feel clinical compared to the good old light bulb. So when can you buy one of these high efficiency wonders? Not for a while. Although the MIT device shows that the concept is correct, there’s a long way to go before they hit the shelves. In the meantime, don’t forget that when cartoonists want to show that someone’s had a great idea, they don’t use a fluorescent tube or an LED. They draw... a light bulb. And great ideas have a way of coming back. For Weird and Wonderful– I’m John VK2JPM Extra ref: news.mit.edu/2016/nanophotonic-incandescent-light-bulbs-0111 classroom.synonym.com/important-thomas-edison-invention-light-bulb-6305.html OPERATIONAL NEWS 2016 LAST DAY SUNDAY! Jan Fri 1st to Sun 31st WIA Ross Hull Memorial VHF-UHF Contest "All aboard" the Sydney Ferries. VHF/UHF 'contest' Sunday March 13. WIA John Moyle Field Day 19-20 March 2016 Harry Angel 80 mtr sprint (WIA) provisional date Saturday 7th May. 10-10 INTERNATIONAL SUMMER CONTEST Aug 6 - 7 Remembrance or RD Contest August 13-14 36th ALARA Contest is on the last full weekend in August, Aug 27-28. AMSAT SKN Winners and Changes for Next Year AMSAT's Straight Key Night 2016 saw the following participants each receive at least one Best Fist nomination: AA5PK,. WA5KBH, WA8SME, W3TMZ, W4CVV, W5PFG. Special kudos to Glenn Miller, AA5PK, who received three. Since this was AMSAT's 25th annual SKN, it's a good time to consider changes. Straight keys, however, have found a niche primarily with the boat anchor crowd and AMSAT's insistence on their use in OSCAR SKN is probably holding down participation. So, in with the new: AMSAT CW Activity Day on OSCAR. As with the old SKN, it will be a fun event, not a contest, and will run for 24 hours on January 1. All forms of CW will be welcome. Instead of best fist nominations, all participants will be encouraged to post "Soapbox" comments to AMSAT-BB. A further announcement will be posted in December 2016. SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS, DX, BEACON REPEATER AND NET ADVICE VK1 - ACT - vk1bureau@wia.org.au VK2 - NSW - vk2bureau@wia.org.au VK3 - VIC - vk3bureau@wia.org.au VK4 - QLD - vk4bureau@wia.org.au VK5 - SA - vk5bureau@wia.org.au VK6 - WA - vk6bureau@wia.org.au VK7 - TAS - vk7bureau@wia.org.au VK8 - NT - vk8bureau@wia.org.au What are these email addresses? It's where you go to register in your state so you DO receive your QSL cards. We told you several weeks ago how after receiving about 6,500 QSL cards at the WIA Inwards QSL Bureau, just after the Christmas-New Year closedown, sorting and distribution had begun. Well it still continues. Several thousand cards have been sent to the State and Territory QSL managers. The remaining will be sorted over the next two weeks. There are a lot of callsigns receiving QSL cards that are new ones for the bureau. You MUST register with your State or Territory QSL manager to receive cards, hence the addresses shown in the text edition (above) or get them via a distribution point, usually a local club. How to be registered is on the WIA website. http://www.wia.org.au/members/qsl/about/ Fred Swanston VK3DAC LUXEMBOURG HAMS HONOUR ROYALTY A special call sign - this one in Luxembourg - is being activated through June to mark the 95th anniversary of His Royal Highness the Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg. Some members of the Luxembourg Amateur Radio Union will be working as LX1AM on single sideband and as LX1EA and LX3X in digital modes. There is a special QSL card that will be sent via the Bureau. QSOs will also be confirmed on LoTW and eQSL. For more details, visit QRZ.COM MEDIA WATCH Amateur Radio magazine – kicks off the year with plenty of interesting material The combined January-February edition of Amateur Radio has several stories covering the ‘last hurrah’ of the WIA ANZAC 100 program. On its cover is Roger Harrison VK2ZRH with his 10 GHz dish as VK 100 ANZAC on Mt Ainslie, , which appears in full. Also on that theme are articles and pictures on VI3ANZAC and VI8ANZAC. The WIA Historian Peter Wolfenden VK3RV looks at “The Secret Wireless War” and how radio amateurs listened and reported enemy spy transmissions in England. The article also refers to similar-type activities by radio amateurs in Australia There’s a World Radiocommunications Conference report, the first of a two part series on ballooning and Amateur Radio, the Sun SDR2 PRO direct digital sampling QRP transceiver from Andrew Barron ZL3DW, and activating Mount McKay in snow by Keith Gooley VK5OQ. The WIA President makes some very interesting observations and reflects on the election process of Directors to the WIA Board. Amateur Radio magazine - the journal of the Wireless Institute of Australia. I’m Barry Robinson VK3PV, and you are listening to VK1WIA. WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ATV (Every pixel tells a story) - Video arvideonews.com hamradiotube.com youtube.com qdg.org.au Homebrewers set for ATV guru talk With experience gained by more than four decades in the Amateur Television scene, Peter Cossins VK3BFG will address the first meeting for 2016 of the Homebrew Constructors Group. A little known fact is that Peter VK3BFG, as a young man, was bitten by the ATV bug at a meeting of the old VK3 VHF Group. Since then, he saw the VK3RTV repeater turned on to give more scope to the previously line-of-sight ATV gang, back in the days when the slash T addition to callsigns had to be applied for, and logbooks were the norm. A lot has happened since, with colour television, and now digital transmission. An interesting talk is promised at the Homebrew Constructors Group meeting, February 6 at 2pm, 40G Victory Boulevard, Ashburton. All are welcome. (Jim Linton VK3PC) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- CW FISTS Club - East Asia www.feacw.net FISTS Club - Australasia www.fistsdownunder.org FISTS Club - UK & Europe www.fists.co.uk FISTS Club - Americas www.fists.org LIDS - The 'Less Involved Data Society' LIDS CW is a loose group of radio amateur who's aim is to promote the use of morse and foster an environment that is supportive and encouraging as well as light hearted. The group is free to join and members use Twitter to chat about ham radio, not just CW and aim to involve hams from around the world. to include awards and resources for those looking to make best use of their new year's resolution in learning CW. The group can support with slow morse (QRS) skeds and the offer of regular on air practice sessions to get you up to the speed you want to get to. If you'd like to start that new year's resolution (with 11 months to go) or just get going with CW and need a bit of support then join Twitter at lids underscore cw The group have recently updated their website http://lidscw.org WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- DEFENCE TARC does the 2016 Defence Welcome and Information Expo theTARCinc will be involved with the 2016 Defence Welcome and Information Expo run by the Townsville office of Defence Community Organisation North Queensland and happening on Saturday 6th February at RSL Stadium Murray Complex from 10am to 1pm. The club is demonstrating the hobby through a mixture of static, dynamic and interactive displays, with members experienced in many facets of the hobby able to provide meaningful answers and guidance for those attending the Expo. WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER Australian Telebridge in ARISS Nepal link-up The well-equipped ground station of Tony Hutchison VK5ZAI enabled students in Nepal to chat with Astronaut Tim Peake KG5BVI from England, as he signed NA1SS on board the International Space Station. Tony VK5ZAI said the ARISS program that brings together orbiting astronauts and students, had a link-up on January 21, with the Brihaspati VidyaSadan High School. Students there asked questions about life in space, the developments and tools used by the astronauts, and of course, bodily functions like sneezing and exercising. Astronaut Tim Peake who has been in space for five weeks, in answer to questions about how to become an astronaut, referred to his own experience. Let have a listen to Tim as he answers that question: (Play audio. “You need to find out what you are passionate about and what you are enjoying.” Outcue: …become an astronaut if you so wish. The school had run a week-long program and exhibition on space travel, and technology that included Amateur Radio. Pravin Joshi 9N1KK was among those who helped prepared the students who had a large audience of about 300. This included the British Ambassador to Nepal, the Cultural Affairs Officer from the US Embassy, ten youngsters other schools, and had considerable media coverage. (Jim Linton VK3PC) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO AMATEUR YOUNG TIMERS A Youth Net meets Saturdays at 0100 UTC on IRLP Reflector #2. Young Hams Net 3.590 - 7:30pm Victorian time. Youngsters On The Air, YOTA http://www.ham-yota.eu/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/youngstersontheair Carole Perry is an advocate for teaching students about the benefits of amateur radio. The American retired middle school teacher is expanding her U.S.-based efforts globally. Carole spoke in 2014 at the world’s second-largest amateur radio convention in Germany. She described how she taught amateur radio for 30 years in middle schools in New York and how others could use similar curriculum to recruit amateur radio operators. She and her counterpart in Germany set up an exchange program where for one year, three young ham operators received technical magazines from each country. U.S. kids were getting the German version of CQ magazine and German kids received U.S. CQ and QST, the monthly magazine of the Amateur Radio Relay League. Last year at the Dayton Ham Convention, Carole conducted a session with young presenters, as she has for 28 years. She had eight young U.S. presenters in the session, in addition to a 16-year-old ham from India. Read the full RadioResource Magazine article: radioresourcemag.com/Features/FeaturesDetails/FID/635 (SouthGate) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO AMATEUR OLD-TIMERS http://www.raotc.org.au Hallo everyone. The Radio Amateurs Old Timers Club of Australia is back with our first bulletin for this year going to air tomorrow, Monday February 1st. This is Clive VK6CSW. As well as all the usual Club news, tomorrow we feature items on the new wonder material graphene which looks set to revolutionise technology, especially the electronics industry. We also look at Samsung’s claim to have improved mobile battery life by 80%. There are several ways to hear the RAOTC bulletin. The main HF transmission starts at 0100 UTC, on 20 metres on 14.150 MHz USB, beamed north from Melbourne for eastern states listeners. An hour later at 0200 UTC, Chris VK6JI will be transmitting on 40 metres on 7088 kHz LSB, simultaneously with the VK6 linked repeaters. Also throughout the day there are several local VHF and HF transmissions. For details for your area please visit the RAOTC website at www.raotc.org.au If these times are unsuitable, as from Tuesday you can download this bulletin, and previous ones, from the RAOTC website www.raotc.org.au Once again, the February RAOTC bulletin is scheduled for tomorrow, Monday February 1st. We hope to hear your call sign during the call backs. 73 de 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 Amateur Radio: Who ya gonna call? Surrey hams! Those of our listeners and readers particularly if you felt the recent earthquake that hit British Columbia you may have pondered the aftermath of a large disaster. Technology, as we know it, would likely be rendered useless The Now newspaper reports: "Our phones no more useful than paperweights. Our televisions and computers worthless without energy to power them." Enter amateur radio. Amateur Radio Operators are often called on to help with emergency communications during disasters around the world, when all other communications fail. We're in pretty good shape should we ever need to call on our Surrey Hams the 'NOW' news item says. Surrey club was placed first in Canada and second in North America in their category in the annual North American Field Day last year. The newspaper interviewed John Brodie VA 7 XB, who got his amateur licence at the age of 15, "Whenever there's a disaster around the world, amateur radio operators are often involved," he explained. More good press on this great hobby of ours! (SouthGate) SOCIAL SCENE 2016 2016 Feb 6 Melbourne QRP by the Bay starting 3pm. Held at Victory Park at Chelsea it is a gathering of QRPers and homebrewers. Bring and talk about your latest project and hear what others have been up to. Gather in the park near the lifesaving club. If there’s wind maybe they'll try kite antennas. Held in February and November each year, there’s a great write up on the previous one by Paul VK3HN at https://vk3hn.wordpress.com/2015/11/17/qrp-by-the-bay-saturday-14th-november-2015/ Feb 13 VK3 MERC HamFest 10am at Werribee Masonic Centre (wia) Feb 13 VK4 BOOT SALE Caboolture Radio Club 169 Smiths Rd CABOOLTURE 7:30 (vk4lw) Feb 28 VK2 Central Coast Field Day (vk2ztm) Feb 28 VK3 EMDRC HamFest Great Ryrie Primary School Heathmont. (wia) Ap-May 29-2 VK4 Clairview Gathering check Mackay ARS website. (theTARCinc) May 27-29 VK9 WIA AGM this year on Norfolk Island (wia.org) June 3- 5 VK4 Central Highlands Social Gathering Theresa Creek dam (wia) June 4 VK4 BARCfest Mt Gravatt Showgrounds. (vk4atc) June 11-13 VK5 VK Foxhunting Championship & SERG convention Mt Gambier(VK5HCF) July 19 VK3 GippsTech 2016 Churchill (vk3pf@wia.org.au) Sep 23-25 VK4 Central Highlands Amateur Radio Club AGM weekend Lake Maraboon Holiday Village, near Emerald. (theTARCinc) Sep-Oct 30-3 VK4 Cardwell Gathering Long Weekend, Beachcomber Motel(theTARCinc) Nov 6 VK5 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society HamFest 8am! (VK5KC) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ============================================================================= 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. 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