JULY 9 2017 - 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 JULY 9 2017. IN OUR 22nd YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS ACMA re-sets US General Licence equivalency.- WIA Office visit by 3 WIA directors.- WIA FAQ.- WIA Director Brian Clarke VK2GCE. THESE STORIES AND MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA 2017 AND FOR WEEK OF JULY 09 Historic flight in Australia The around the world solo flight by Brian Lloyd WB6RQN had finally made it into Darwin after reporting seeing it on Friday night and landing. He began on June 1 in Miami Florida using a single-engine 1979 Mooney 231 aircraft, fitted with Amateur Radio, to mark the 1937 flight of Amelia Earhart. The plane was delayed in Singapore waiting a replacement magneto, then a permit to fly to Indonesia, while a further hold-up was caused by a thunderstorm. This was before his plane had the magneto fixed, engine timing set and the oil changed ready for the rest of the trip. Then he took off planning to spend a night in Bandung Indonesia. There he reports being overwhelmed by being greeted by the local aero club, radio hams, commemorative t-shirts and had to face a press conference. Now this in from Stuie VK8NSB "Brian's arrival was to be Thursday 29th Jun, but due to delays did not arrive in Darwin until 2130h (local) Friday 30 Jun 17, I had been in contact with Brian on 20m and on his Iridium phone while he was in the air on the way here from Bandung Indonesia. On arrival I collected Brian from the airport and brought him home, after a 10h day of flying he was starving , so I fed him and he had a nice hot shower and slept just after midnight. Saturday morning I cooked up big brekky, bacon, eggs, full spread, and we headed to Casuarina shopping centre to obtain a Australian phone card for his phone. He was planning to leave at lunch time, so took him to the airport and helped him push his plan onto the taxiway, wrote a welcome to Australia message and signed the wing of the plane, and oh helped him stick the flag (sticker) of Australia on the plane, each country he goes to he puts the sticker on, in order. This was very cool to be part of that with Brian. His aircraft had been parked in the 'bone yard' due to a high number of aircraft in Darwin this week because of Territory day being 1 Jul (Saturday). After sorting out fuel I left Brian at the airport and said my farewells. I returned home and about 2 hrs later noticed on Brian's internet live tracking page he still was in Darwin, and had not taken off, then, and yes it was right at the time I was looking at Brian's live tracking page the phone rang and it was Brian, and he asked if he could stay another night, because he was unable to sort a flight plan out for his Darwin to Ayres Rock flight. Of course he could stay another night and as such I collect him from the airport. With Brian now part of the family, we headed to the Territory Day fireworks at East Point Darwin, we had dinner at East Point and watched the fireworks for about 2 hrs , returning home about 830pm local. Brain then spent a couple of hours answering emails, updating his Face book and other internet requirements. Sunday morning Brian was awake early, and we had another cooked brekky, and we started preparing for him to leave, before this he checked into the WIA news call backs on 2m in Darwin, and was welcomed by the locals. At 11am local, I took Brian to the airport where we said our farewells for the second time. On returning home, I loaded his flight tracking on the net and saw that he had left Darwin and was heading south for Ayres Rock. During the flight down to Ayres Rock, I heard many VK's, working Brian on 20m phone, and the FB chatter was very busy with news that he was on air. Now that's about it for what he did .. Now a couple of questions that I asked him, Where do you think Amelia Earhart disappear --- Answer : Brian believes that both Amelia and Fred Noonan landed safely on the beach on Gardner island (a.k.a Nikumaroro) and attempted to radio for help but ran out of fuel and ended up dying on the remote island. He also believes that the rescue planes flew over and saw that the island was populated (Amelia and George) and did not report it. What’s been the best part of the trip ---- Answer : The people that have been part of this amazing journey. What part of the trip has been the most interesting so far --- Answer : Africa, amazing place, things are done allot differently there. Brian and I spent most our time together talking radio, flying and telling my 2 kids (boy 14, Girl 11) of his adventures so far, Actually my daughter asked him where do you go to the toilet on the plane ... Leave that one with you, Yes we did answer her .. Brian has suggested to me that he would like to return and visit Australia again, I told him that if he does decide to come back, he is more than welcome to stay with me when he does, he said he looks forward to it. Well, I had a great time with Brian, he is a really nice guy and I would have him back at my QTH in a heartbeat ... I will continue to monitor his movements and I feel that I have a new mate for life .." After leaving Darwin he has advised that he will make mostly ‘whistle stops’ at Ayers Rock, Coober Pedy, Birdsville, Longreach, Whitsunday Island, Bundaberg, Gunnedah, Warnervale, and then Sydney. Brian said he has picked places that are ‘good to fly into and have real local charm and exhibit the true flavour of Oz.’ Talking of local 'flavour' at Ayers Rock he had Roo (Kangaroo) burger, lunch was Curried Camel Pie at Birdsville and dinner? maybe trying Snake stew with bugs. His radio has been playing up Monday and he has not been able to make any QSO's but Brian has organised a new tuner for the radio and it was to be fitted Tuesday. Then it’s off to Auckland, Suva, a fly-over of Howland Island which has no runway, then to Hawaii, California, ending in the two month flight. Brian WB6RQN has had contacts (14.210, 14.346, 18.117 or 7.130) using a 125 watt transmitter on SSB. (Jim VK3PC / Stuie VK8NSB) Yes, it's on again. The Great Gippsland Gate Radio & Electronics Club annual HamFest Saturday July 22nd at the Cranbourne Community Hall corner of Clarendon and High St, Cranbourne. Melway reference 133 K4. There'll be door prizes, tea, coffee and a sausage sizzle and it's all under cover with 41 tables of goodies so there should be something for everyone. Entry is $6, Doors open at 10.00am, be there. Oh, and don’t forget to bring a friend…. FROM THE WIA THIS IS VK1WIA ACMA re-sets US General Licence equivalency Following a public review the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has re-set the US General Class Licence as equivalent to Australia’s middle grade Standard Licence. This change has been made to the ACMA ‘Tables of Equivalent Qualifications and Licences’ which lists Australian equivalents to overseas amateur qualifications. Visiting radio amateurs and those from overseas who are residents in Australia, are granted an Australian licence based on their overseas qualification identified on the ACMA website. In another review, the ACMA in September last year re-set the US Technician Licence to be equivalent to the entry level Foundation Licence. It had ruled that the qualification equivalency of the US Technician Licence granted after 22 September 2016, be that of the entry level Australian Foundation Licence. Previously it had been granted the top class Advanced Licence. Among those agreeing with the ACMA re-set was the American Radio Relay League that stated that the US Technician Class Licence was very close to the Foundation Licence, but not higher. (It was downgraded in 1999). Existing licensees who obtained their Advanced Licence based on the US Technician Licence were grandfathered and the ACMA would allow them to continue to operate at the Advanced Level. The ACMA, in the just completed review, said: “These changes are due to changes to the US licence structure which resulted in a misalignment between Australian and USA equivalent qualifications.” The review received two submissions. One was from the WIA who was made aware of the issue by a US Volunteer Examiner (VE) and others that there was concern the US General Licence was inappropriate to Australian Amateur Licence examination standards. This view was supported by the WIA Board. The WIA believed that the standard of some of the foreign country exams had changed in recent years, and no longer reflected equivalence to Australian Amateur Radio qualifications. The WIA Board had analysed the US General Licence question bank in relation to where each question would fit into the Australian Amateur Radio Syllabus. Basically, the WIA found it had a single theory and regulations paper of 30 questions (21 needed for a pass), compared to Australia’s Standard Licence 50 question theory paper (35), 30 question regulations paper (21), and a 20 question practical test with a 100% pass mark. The other submission received believed the US General Licence was close to the Advanced examination, and the US Technician Licence (re-set to Foundation Licence equivalent in 2016) should result in the granting of a Standard Licence. The ACMA assessed both submissions in its US General Licence review, and the one it held last year on the US Technician Licence, on the relative levels of each qualification, and the outcomes related to the level of knowledge that was the best fit for each class of licence. While the ACMA held its recent review, it froze all US General Licence applications and advised the WIA to not accept callsign recommendations after 26 April 2017 on that qualification. Now that the ACMA review is complete, those people with a US General Licence submitted to the WIA after that date (26 April 2017) will be eligible for the Standard Licence. The issue of equivalency was first raised by the WIA with the ACMA in late 2015, and has resulted in the two reviews involving a public consultation process. The ACMA consultation on the US General Licence may be read at: http://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/changes-to-amateur-equivalent-qualifications Three WIA directors spent time last week at the WIA Office in Bayswater Victoria. Justin VK7TW, Greg VK2GPK and Marcus VK5WTF used the time to discover where improvements can be made to support WIA staff - Bruce and Petra and facilitate the delivery of more effective and efficient service for members. One change that comes into effect from Monday 10 July 2017 relates to the hours that Bruce and Petra will be answering phone calls. The phone hours will become 11:00am to 4:00pm AEST each business day. This will allow the actioning of requests for two hours in the morning and the last hour in the afternoon. This will also provide an extended phone contact window for Western and South Australian members to contact the office. Of course you can contact the National Office anytime using email and the email address can be found on the internet edition of this broadcast. Please note that email is the preferred method of contact and phone messages left outside these hours will not be actioned. http://www.wia.org.au/joinwia/wia/emailwia/ Before making an inquiry of the WIA please take a moment to see if your question has already been answered on the WIA website. To make it easier for everyone the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ section along with their answers are on the WIA website. Any questions, ideas, or things you suggest for inclusion on the website are communicated easily online. Click on the ‘Contact the WIA’ form Link to send your query. There may be a reason why things are not included or easily found, but always feel free to contact us about the website. And remember that the website ‘Search’ facility is your friend and can help find information. Hello, Brian Clarke, VK2GCE here, the seventh member of your new WIA Board. Some of you may recall me as the author of technical articles for AR or giving technical presentations at various amateur radio venues. You may have been one of my students in electro technology courses at TAFE. Some of you may have read my technical inputs to Internet technical groups in test equipment, electronics components and military radios. Some of you may recall me as your radio club’s past President or Secretary, or your journal’s editor. And I’ve been a trainer and assessor for amateur radio licence candidates since 2004. Looking back, it was probably short wave listening on my Mum and Dad’s Columbus mantle radio that got me started in radio. When I was about 13, I purchased my first Command receiver, a BC-454-B. On that I listened to the local Air Force base QNH in Morse code on 3.2 MHz. That receiver stood me in good stead for my Boy Scouts Signaller’s badge. At my high school, Jack Woolloxall our physics master had an amateur licence we used as ‘second operators’. We had an RAF R-1155 receiver for spotting and a ZC1-MkII HF transceiver feeding a half-quad between school buildings. Aged about 15, I got an 80 m Command transmitter, linked it to my BC-454-B, thus upgrading our station about 10 dB to contact Australian amateurs. Thank you Jack. I did an electrical and electronics engineering degree at Auckland University, under Prof Gordon Bogle. He had been a boffin in WWII, designing RADAR sets and antennae. Guess what one of the final year exam questions was? Calculate the impedance of a 1/10th λ ground-plane antenna using Finite Element Analysis – by hand. In London, I became a design consultant to a major recording house for the film industry– De Lane Lea; we rubbed shoulders with Rank, Gaumont-Kallee and MGM. My highlight was to design and supervise the building of the recording studio and the electronics for the London parts of Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’. My interest in amateur radio is more on the technology design and construction side. This started when I was at primary school; my mentor was Bob Townsend, ZL1DC (SK), an ex-RADAR technician. His mentoring led to my lifelong career in electronics, working for such firms as Boeing, Cochlear, ResMed, Rockwell and Siemens Plessey. Some of Boeing’s Seattle engineers were surprised at my poking holes in their antenna signal-strength polar plots by my going back to the basic RADAR equation – they had left out the log of distance and inverted the formula. I am a strong believer in learning about people’s expectations – comes from my PhD. Through the WIA’s new Strategy Advisory Committee, we will seek your views about what you would like to see as the Vision and Mission Statements for the WIA. Here’s my starter Vision – for the WIA to become the world’s best amateur radio association. One Mission Statement could be that we build the best nurturing system for radio amateurs in the world, where we mentor newcomers and then convert them into mentors. Already, Australian radio amateurs are seeking licences in other jurisdictions – let’s reverse the flow. Another Mission Statement might be that we lubricate the pathways for radio amateurs to turn their hobbies into vocations and vice versa. (Recall Dr Andy Thomas?) To get there, we need to help young people excel at STEM, and then convert them into radio amateurs; then we need to convert them and would be radio amateurs into WIA members. I look forward to serving you as a Director this year, using my scientific, technological, engineering and management consulting skills and experience. INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club, ARRL, Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART, WIA Local News Service VK7, VK3PC and the WW sources of the WIA. 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNBROKEN LEAGUE MEMBERSHIP The President, Council and Members of the South African Radio League have just congratulated Dennis Wells, ZS1AU, and Artie Perold, ZS1HL, on 70 years of unbroken League membership, as at 1 July 2017. This is quite an achievement, well done Dennis and Artie! , now I wonder what the Aussie Record for WIA membership is? Ofcom’s approach to enforcement The UK regulator, Ofcom, has published a statement summarising updates and revisions to its Enforcement Guidelines These guidelines explain the procedures Ofcom will follow when conducting most types of regulatory enforcement action relating to telecoms and postal services, consumer protection legislation, competition law, and certain competition-related conditions in broadcast licences. Alongside that statement, they have published a number of documents, setting out our new procedures including advice for complainants and whistle-blowers. Updated Table of Radio Spectrum Usage in New Zealand Radio Spectrum Management (RSM) has published a new issue of ‘Table of Radio Spectrum Usage in New Zealand. RSM's updated spectrum usage chart, which is a visible representation of spectrum usage in New Zealand, can be downloaded as a PDF from the link shown in today’s VK1WIA National News Service text edition. https://www.rsm.govt.nz/online-services-resources/publications/pibs/21 It's the season for ham gatherings - from Dayton Hamvention in the U.S. to Westlake’s ARC car boot sale, the Great Gippsland Gate Radio & Electronics Club HamFest, Caboolture HamFest, Germany's Ham Radio Friedrichshafen -- and now hams in Indonesia are preparing for their own big annual radio fair in Jakarta. The two-day event is set for next weekend 15th and 16th of July - the same weekend as Ham Radio Friedrichshafen - but Indonesia's is taking place in North Jakarta's Ancol Beach City. The activities will include mobile and walking direction-finding exercises, a Code receiving contest, a logging contest, a QSL card challenge and everyone's favourite activity of all - shopping for the latest equipment. The Jakarta Amateur Radio Fair will also host a special event station - be listening for the call sign YB 0 JARF One USA club has had a 'gem' of an idea, jewellery, ham-radio style and it could just be a great HamFest money spinner for you. Amateur Radio Newsline's Jim Damron N8TMW says when you're a ham looking to get the message out in flawless CW, would could be better than having a good fist? How about........a good wrist? Anderson Radio Club in South Carolina's great idea is the Morse Code bracelet. Out there amid the radios and the generators was a table beneath a tent offering an assortment of coloured beads, string and clasps. Visitors were encouraged to learn a little Code first and then spell their names out with beads representing dots, dashes and spaces between. From there, they made the bracelets. Best of all no amateur license necessary. Of course, there turned out to be a bit of hidden message behind all that wearable CW. It said: "Become a licensed ham and all this can be yours next time." So perhaps next year some of the guests will indeed be back - and this time, as Jim said " they'll be wearing a headset instead." Who and Where are our WIA News rebroadcast stations? http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/ HAM RADIO OPERATIONAL NEWS - IT'S A CONTACT SPORT All major Australian contests, rules and results, are on the Contest Section of the WIA website. wia.org.au/members/contests/about 2017 Jan 1 – Dec 31 The Victorian Local Government Award 2017 Challenge On now is the IARU HF Championship event, 8 and 9 July. Trans-Tasman Low Bands Challenge 3RD FULL WEEKEND OF JULY (15-16) 10-10 INTERNATIONAL SUMMER CONTEST Aug 5 - 6 VK1 Winter SOTA QSO Party takes place August 6th 2017 9:00 am till 11:30 am. WIA's Flagship contest the Remembrance Day Contest 12th & 13th August Aug 19-20 ILLW the 3rd full weekend in August since 1998 Aug 26 ALARA Contest Start Time 1600 this is a 24 hour Contest for YL's IARU High Speed Telegraphy world championships are 8th to 12th September. October CQ WW DX / SSB CONTEST (always Octobers Last full weekend) Running ALL year 'til Dec 31 Victorian Local Government Award 2017 Challenge 2018 John Moyle Memorial Field Day will be held over the weekend of the 17th-18th March 2018 and will run from UTC 0100 on the Saturday until 0059 on the Sunday. The IARU HF Championships takes place over the second full weekend of July, beginning at 12:00 UTC on the Saturday and ending at 12:00 UTC on the Sunday. This year the contest takes place THIS weekend, 8 and 9 July. Both Single and Multi-operator stations may operate the entire 24-hour period. The aim of the contest is to contact as many other amateurs, especially IARU member society HQ stations, around the world as possible using phone or CW on the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meter bands. Find all the rules at www.arrl.org/iaru-hf-championship The WIA station is VK5WIA/HQ IARU officials also represent a maximum of four multipliers per band with the designators of AC, R1, R2 and R3. As well as being a contest for individuals around the world there is a team element, with teams representing national societies. As an example, the UK have for the past few years the RSGB HQ team, GR2HQ and it will be on the air again this year. GR2HQ stations will be spread across the UK, at some of the best equipped contesters' QTHs. Most GR2HQ stations concentrate on one band and mode, but some of the bigger stations will be active on more than one band and mode. They are all linked live via the internet, so if you want to know what frequency any of them is on you can ask any of the others. So why might you want to do this? To make as many band and mode QSOs as you can, to qualify for one of the free awards. There are several available. See http://gr2hq.webs.com/ Another fast approaching is of course our own WIA Rembembrance Day Contest "HI, this is Alan VK4SN, the RD contest manager. This year the 2017 RD contest falls on the 2nd weekend of August. The contest kicks off at 0300z on August 12th and finishes 0300z August 13th. Categories include Single Operator, Multi Operator Single Transmitter and Multi Operator Multi transmitter. Phone, CW & RTTY modes are allowed. The exchange given is the signal report followed by the number of years you have been licenced. For clubs the exchange is the signal report followed by the number of licenced years of the longest licenced ham present at the start of the contest. Repeat contacts can be made 3 hours after the previous contact with that callsign. If you wish to create a team please notify me, VK4SN, prior to the contest. And above all, remember to send in your log within the fortnight after. All information is available for download from the WIA contest web pages. http://www.wia.org.au/members/contests/rdcontest/ Good luck and hope to work you during the contest. 73, this is Alan, VK4SN, RD contest manager." The second period of the Ted Powell Memorial DX Challenge for 2017 is now closed and entries are open until the 14th of July. If you have worked any DX over the past 3 months, head over to www.vk2au.org and submit an entry. There are several easy ways to enter. See the website for more details. www.vk2au.org ( Submitted by Peter VK2PR on behalf of the Fisher's Ghost Amateur Radio Club ) Indian Ocean 6M EME DXpeditions Lance, W7GJ, will be active from the Indian Ocean to focus on 6 meters EME QSOs. West Island/Cocos Island as VK9CGJ between September 12-28th. Christmas Island as VK9XGJ between October 2-18th. Franz Josef Land Look for RI 1 F to be active from Victoria Island (EU-190) sometime late September (26th or 27th was mentioned). This island group has never been activated. Activity will be on various HF bands. They plan to have up to 12 operators. QSL via the Bureau. Hong Kong celebrates with VR 20 prefix Commemorating the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's reunification with China, Hong Kong licensed radio amateurs are being allowed to use the special prefix VR 20 on a voluntary basis from 1st July 2017 to 30th June 2018. Her Majesty's Royal Mint on the air In what is to be the world’s first special event station operating in a Royal Mint occurs in Wales under the callsign of G B 4 Royal Mint Experience. The Barry Amateur Radio Society will set up the station on CW, SSB, Satellite, RTTY and JT64 looking for QSOs throughout the world. The event from July 31 to August 3 will engage school children and the general public spotting QSOs with pins in a large map. For more information about the event is under GB 4 RME on qrz.com SWL World Radio and Television Handbook's A17 Broadcasting Schedules Update file is now available for free download from www.wrth.com The PDF file contains the changes to the transmission schedules of International, Clandestine and point to point broadcasters. WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- BALLOONING Real-time balloon track https://tracker.habhub.org high altitude balloon links https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/balloons/ Those WIA members who joined us in VK5 for the AGM weekend marvelled as Australia's "Ballooning Club" AREG, flew that high altitude balloon flight "Horus 45" marking the event. Well from Adelaide to Poland and USA a story now on an epic flight from Europe. SP 9 UOB-P30 Pico Balloon reaches USA A solar powered 'around the world' amateur radio APRS balloon launched from Poland June 15, has crossed the Pacific and is flying at just over 14,000 metres across the USA APRS on 144.390 1200/9600 every minute Contestia 32/1000 on 144.251 MHz USB every minute CW every 5 minutes and "HI" between telemetry transmissions on 144.251 MHz USB. Tracker is solar powered only. Real-time balloon track https://tracker.habhub.org/#!mt=roadmap&mz=5&qm=3_days&mc=40.50081,-114.05582&f=SP9UOB&q=SP9UOB;%20SP9UOB-P30 Useful high altitude balloon links https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/balloons/ (SouthGate) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- CW FISTS Club - East Asia www.feacw.net FISTS Club - Australasia www.fdu.org.au FISTS Club - UK & Europe www.fists.co.uk FISTS Club - Americas www.fists.org Recommended FISTS calling frequencies (MHz): 1.808 3.528 7.028 10.118 14.058 18.085 21.058 24.908 28.058 II 2 FIST ( DOUBLE EYE TWO FIST ) is active until the end of the year, CW only, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the FIST Club, the International Morse Preservation Society. QSL via the bureau use IZ 2 FME. WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ILLW ILLW event in prestigious publication The Quarter Century Wireless Association E-journal QCWA of July has a cover of various QSL cards issued during the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend, held on the third weekend of August. This club for those who have been a radio amateur for 25 years also has a story on the annual fun-event written by Don Tucker W7WLL of Oregon. W7WLL has activated many US lighthouses and believes it has become so popular because it’s a relaxing, fun weekend. Not only does the event expose Amateur Radio to the public, it also encourages the worldwide preservation of our lighthouses and lightships. The event participants even send QSL cards showing the station location in reply to shortwave listener reception reports. E-journal QCWA has invited its members who take part in the event to send their photos and reports so they can be published. To see those already registered for the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend on August 19 and 20 please visit the website illw.net (Jim Linton VK3PC) SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - VHF AND ABOVE (The Plumbers Delight) The Brisbane VHF Group is holding a Microwavers get-together on Sunday 16 July at the club rooms of the Redcliffe and District Amateur Radio Club on Klingner Rd, Kippa Ring at 10 AM and a BBQ lunch will be available. Here is Geoff VK4KJJ "A 10 GHz test range is going to be set up so bring along your 10 GHz transverters and check them out. A limited amount of test equipment will also be available if you want something tested. Please let us know if you have a particular request. We will also have on show some equipment for the 47 GHz amateur band. You can also bring along your latest microwave project to show others what you have been working on." Further details can be obtained from vk4kjj@wia.org.au WIRELESS WEATHER Clouds of frosted meteor smoke now rippling over Europe Nightfall is supposed to bring darkness. This week in parts of Europe, nightfall has brought something different: an electric-blue glow caused by clouds of water-frosted meteor smoke rippling over the continent. These summertime "noctilucent clouds" (NLCs) have been much brighter than usual and even seem to be causing strange radio echoes above the Arctic Circle. The sudden intensification of NLCs could herald more widespread sightings in Europe and North America in the nights ahead. Visit Spaceweather.com for observing tips and more information. (SouthGate) NASA prepares for total solar eclipse For the first time in 99 years, a total solar eclipse will occur across the entire continental United States, and NASA is preparing to share this experience of a lifetime on Aug. 21. Viewers around the world will be provided a wealth of images captured before, during, and after the eclipse by 11 spacecraft, at least three NASA aircraft, more than 50 high-altitude balloons, and the astronauts aboard the International Space Station – each offering a unique vantage point for the celestial event. Coast to coast, from Oregon to South Carolina, 14 states will – over a span of almost two hours – experience more than two minutes of darkness in the middle of the day. (SouthGate) SOCIAL SCENE 2017 July 15 VK2 Westlake’s ARC car boot sale 9am July 22 VK3 Great Gippsland Gate Radio & Electronics Club HamFest. July 22 Cranbourne Community Hall Clarendon & High St, Cranbourne. July 22 VK4 Caboolture HamFest on their sprawling clubhouse grounds. HamFest are an opportunity to connect with many technically minded people in a very short timeframe. Luckily tables are still available so if you, your club, or other groups or clubs that you are involved in would like to share or sell something to the Amateur Radio community then organise your table soon. The Caboolture Radio Club will be happy to hear from you. Caboolture is committed to putting the ham into HamFest and will have its famous bacon and egg rolls along with sausages and light refreshments available on the day. Make sure you head out to Caboolture and see the home of this years John Moyle Memorial field day multi-operator, HF Phone winners. http://www.wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/CabooltureRadioClub/ Aug 27 VK2 SACRCfest SHOW, TELL & SELL day. (vk2zdr) Sep 9 VK4 SunFest held at the Woombye School of Arts building 09:00.(vk4vp) Sep 9-10 VK4 ALARAMEET Cairns. Listen for VI4ALARA from July (vk4swe vk3pc) Sep 10 VK3 Shepparton HamFest St Augustine’s Hall, Orr St. (vk3fnqs) Sep29-Oct2 VK4 Cardwell Gathering (tarc) Oct 29 VK3 Yarra Valley Amateur Radio Group HAMFEST 10:00am at the Gary Cooper Pavilion, Yarra Glen. Maybe visit a winery or two after the HamFest : vk3cnw@wingersoftware.com Nov 5 VK3 BARG Hamvention greyhound racing track, Ballarat. (wia events) Nov 12 VK5 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society HamFest 8am (vk5kc) Nov 12 VK3 Rosebud's annual celebration of all things Amateur Radio (wia) 2018 March 25 VK3 EMDRC HamFest - Great Ryrie Primary School, Heathmont. (VK3BQ) May 4 -7 VK4 Clairview Gathering ( between Rockhampton and Mackay ) (TARC) 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/ We would appreciate items no longer than 2 minutes in length as we only have a half hour time slot window. 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. . -------------