2021 JANUARY 17 VK NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA ------------------------------------------------------------* THE BEST NEWS YOU'LL GET ALL WEEK THIS LINK IS A VIDEO VERSION OF NEWS COMPILED BY VK5BD BEVAN tinyurl.com/WIA-News-Videos ------------------------------------------------------------* NATIONAL NEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING JANUARY 17 2021 IN OUR 26th YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS ( 1937 in a mention we've come across relating to weekly broadcasts of information prepared by VK4 was a plea to restart the weekly news service which was on air in the late 1920's ) WIA President Greg, vk2gk with this weeks board comment. - WIA Secretary Peter, VK8ZZ looks at Merit Awards. THIS & MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA NEW KID ON THE BLOCK New on 160 meters in VK7 is this, the WIA National News Service. Graham VK7GS has volunteered to rebroadcast the WIA and VK7 Amateur Radio broadcasts on 1.865 MHz LSB. Transmission is from Claude Road Sheffield. If you hear Graham then please given him a call or callbacks@wia.org.au STOLEN South Australias Country Fire Service at Edan Hills has had it's antenna stolen from its roof. Not what you'd call a 'brazen thief' maybe if karma gets the thief it will be a BLAZING thief. This station in the past year has racked up some 15,000 hours plus work. Their radio paging system is now unusable but emergency messages are still coming to them from the central emergency communications studio. (aar - Australian Amateur Radio) WIA JOIN THE WIA tinyurl.com/yyj87b9y WIA BOARD MINUTES wia.org.au/joinwia/wia/minutes/ WIA BOARD NEWSLETTERS (older) Giving members to have a better awareness of Board activities. wia.org.au/joinwia/wia/newsletters/ Hello, this is WIA President Greg, vk2gk with this weeks WIA board comment. I will start with wishing everyone a happy New Year for 2021 and hopefully a better year than 2020. This time last year the eastern states of Australia were in the midst of a bushfire emergency following a protracted drought exacerbated by extreme temperatures with, as reported by the Bureau of Meteorology, 2019 being the hottest year on record. Little did we know then that we were being stalked by an invisible menace, later dubbed the COVID19 pandemic. So far 2021 does seem to be shaping up with the potential for a much better year. Of course, given 2020, thats hardly a stretch goal! Australia has fared well relative to other countries in the handling of the pandemic even with the recent outbreaks causing havoc for many. Science in this time has been brought once again to the fore, in both the guiding of suppression of the pandemic and with the amazing speed of development of effective vaccines. Applied science electro technology - is so much a part of the Radio Amateur Service, that it is never top of mind. It is important to be aware that an Amateur licence is fundamentally an experimental licence the reason we continue to have access to radio spectrum. The list of contributions to science from innovations pioneered by Radio Amateurs is long. And science is exciting and we need to find more ways to share that excitement with the younger generation of such things as communicating with satellites or the International Space Station. ARISS has done much in this endeavour of engaging with youth and IARU initiatives such as YOTA Youth on the Air - are now gaining traction now after a slow start two or three years ago. YOTA is introducing a new generation to Amateur Radio and showing them that science can be fun. But for YOTA to work we need to recruit and support what are best called YOTA Evangelists younger amateurs that can interact and spread the word in the context of the language of the already technology enabled younger generation. This is a train the trainer approach that works some earlier YOTA approaches were not so successful. It is early days with YOTA, but it is a worthwhile initiative. So if you or your local club is interested in becoming involved with YOTA visit the IARU website: iaru.org/on-the-air/youth-in-amateur-radio/ Finally, dont forget that nominations close end of January for director vacancies on the WIA board. If you have prior director experience, either at a NFP or commercial, or have skills in marketing, legal or strategy please seriously consider nominating. The WIA, now 110 years young can only continue to support the Amateur Radio community with YOUR support. If you have a real passion for the future of Amateur radio, the WIA needs you! Until next time, this is Greg VK2GPK President of the WIA WIA Merit Awards The AGM is the time of the year when the WIA announces its annual merit awards and nominations are currently are open for the 2021 MERIT AWARDS. The WIA Merit Award program identifies and recognises sustained outstanding achievement in a field of Amateur Radio that furthers the science of radio, and/or for service to the WIA. It plays an important role in promoting excellence with nominations made by members and the final decision made by the WIA Board of Directors. Nominations are made using a specific form that is available on the WIA web site. tinyurl.com/ybumueev If the nomination is successful, the awards will be announced at the WIA annual general meeting. All of the WIA Merit Awards are not necessarily awarded every year. Full details of all of the WIA Merit Awards including the nomination form is on the WIA web site:- wia.org.au/members/wiaawards/about/ This is WIA Secretary Peter VK8ZZ ------------------------------------------------------------* INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club, ARRL, RAC, NZART AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE & the World Wide sources of the WIA. INDONESIA When finding a signal is all-important Divers are searching for black boxes off Indonesia after the air crash last Saturday, 9th, of the Boeing 737-500 jet on a domestic flight to Pontianak on Borneo island, about 740 km. It disappeared from radar screens four minutes after take-off and crashed into the Java sea. Authorities pinpointed the area where the black boxes may be located after they lifted chunks of the Boeing 737-500 fuselage off the sea bed. Every commercial black box is fitted with a low-frequency underwater locator beacon when it's immersed in water, it will begin to radiate an acoustic signal, nominal operating frequency: 37.5 kHz which can be received and transformed into an audible signal by a receiver. The beacon is sometimes called a pinger due to the audible signal created by the receiver. The devices send out a signal on contact with salt water that can be picked up within a radius of about two kilometres At such a short range, the location of the wreck should already be more or less pinpointed in order to find the device within its 30 day battery life. UNITED KINGDOM Radio imports Now that the United Kingdom has left the European Union, hams will see major changes in importing radio equipment. Definitive information is scarce but imports from the UK can have VAT paid on purchase or depending on the retailer, VAT may have to be paid before delivery. If it comes via Post, any charges will have to paid before the item is sent out for delivery. The Post Office employees will not be collecting money at the door. Whether duty is also collected is not very clear, but some sources say that anything originating outside the European Union will attract duty as well as VAT. There may also be a handling charge. USA Dayton Hamvention Cancels Show Dayton Hamvention will not take place for the second year. Unfortunately, several setbacks in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic make necessary the difficult decision to cancel Hamvention 2021, an1 announcement from the Hamvention Executive Committee said. Hundreds of volunteers have been working to do everything necessary to bring this Hamvention to the many amateur radio enthusiasts and vendors who support the Dayton Hamvention. Vaccine distribution both in the United States and around the world is lagging behind what was planned. In addition, the emergence of a more communicable form of the COVID-19 virus increases the potential for further public health problems in the next few months. We make this difficult decision for the safety of our guests and vendors. Those who had their tickets deferred last year will be deferred again. FCC EYES ADDING ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEER EXAMINER COORDINATORS The Federal Communications Commission is asking: Is 14 enough? That's the current number of Volunteer Examiner Coordinator organizations who oversee volunteer examiners, the hams who administer the US license exams. FCC would like public input on whether it should authorize as many as five to support the volunteer examiners' ongoing work. VE coordinators oversee accreditation of the volunteer examiners, managing administrative tasks connected to the exams they give, and coordinating when the tests are given. CANADA Former RAC President John Hopwood, VE7RD, Silent Key. Hoppy Hopwood, VE7RD, of British Columbia, was 91. Hoppy was instrumental in the founding of RAC and was inducted in 2015 as a member of the Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame. Licensed in 1955, an early member of the Canadian Radio Relay League, the CRRL, the Canadian Amateur Radio Federation and ARRL. As Vice President of CARF, Hopwood encouraged the CARF and CRRL boards to resume talks to consider creating one national society. Merging the two societies was a complex, delicate process, RAC said in remembering Hopwood. He worked with CRRL President Dana Shtun, VE3DSS, who, RAC said, shared the vision for a strong national amateur radio society. Hopwood served as RACs first Vice President and subsequently was appointed as RAC President, retiring in 1998 after six terms. RIP John Hopwood, VE7RD, Silent Key. BRAZIL Home constructed ham radio equipment On December 29, 2020, Brazil's national amateur radio society LABRE participated in a video conference with their communications regulator ANATEL On the agenda, the Agency's treatment of homemade equipment, those built by the radio amateur himself, which currently requires approval / certification. At the meetings, regulator ANATEL raised, among other issues, its understanding that artisans should be certified under the General Telecommunications Law . In view of this position, LABRE has insisted on the need for the exemption of artisans based on more historical arguments and statements about decisions already taken by Anatel in favour of the exemption, including based on Resolution 697/2018 , which is clearly stated in its Article 13 that Hams DO have the claimed exemption. LABRE awaits ANATEL's response, in the expectation that the Agency will accept their arguments and be able to exempt all radio amateurs who build their own equipment from having to carry out this legal procedure, that is, approval, as they understand that there is no reason for such a requirement. tinyurl.com/BrazilLABRE ------------------------------------------------------------* HAM RADIO OPERATIONAL NEWS - IT'S A CONTACT SPORT -------------- Ross Hull Memorial VHF/UHF Contest takes place ALL of January -------------- VHF-UHF SUMMER FIELD DAY - On now! Saturday and Sunday. -------------- CQWW 160M CW CONTEST January 29 - 31. CQWW 160M SSB CONTEST February 26 - 28. -------------- CQ World Wide RTTY WPX Contest February 13-14 -------------- International DX CW Contest February 20-21 International DX Phone Contest March 6 - 7 These contests are for we VK area stations (and DX as far as Canadian and USA stations are concerned) to work as many W/VE stations in as many of the 48 contiguous states and provinces as possible. The bands will be alive with LOTS of W/VE hams looking to work as many DX stations in as many DXCC entities as possible. -------------- WIA John Moyle Field Day 2021 March from UTC 0100 on Saturday 20 to 0059 Sunday 21nd. -------------- the CQ World Wide SSB WPX Contest March 27-28 the CQ World Wide CW WPX Contest May 29-30 -------------- April 25 AM / CW ANZAC Day, Mon 25th from 9am on 7125kHz AM. -------------- Harry Angel Sprint will be May First 2021. 10:00 - 11:46 UTC. -------------- The VK SHIRES the June long weekend, which is the weekend prior to the second Monday of June each year.. making it June 12-13 in 2021 -------------- WINTER VHF-UHF Field Days - June 26 - 27 -------------- DX WINDOW -------------- In what appears to be a growing trend yet another DX Special Event station is said to have announced " There will be NO QSL cards" Still, hams are honouring the work of Lions Clubs International with event call GB 4 BLC in England. Members of Bedworth Lions Club and operators from the Coventry Amateur Radio Society are operating through until January 28 on most of the HF bands. But again, there will be no QSL cards. (sourced to ARNewsLine) -------------- THE RAAF is flying high to celebrate it's 100 years on March 31.. The Royal Australian Airforce call signs to 'target' are VI 100 AF March 1 - 29 May VK 100 AF March 1 - 31 August (vk8nsb) -------------- FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY. Uwe, is QRV as DB 100 AVUS during all of 2021 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the AVUS. Located in the southwest of Berlin and opened in 1921, it is the oldest controlled access motorway in Europe. QSL to home call DO 2 PZ (arrl) -------------- PAKISTAN and INDONESIA A couple of FT8 stations worth looking out for are AP 2 AM and YD 7 RV Ravie, YD7RV is QRV from Laut Island, IOTA OC-166 and is active almost daily around 1700z on 40 meters using FT8 Syed, AP 2 AM is on 160 and 80 using FT8 at his sunrise. (sourced to arrl) ------------------------------------------------------------* WORLD WIDE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NEWS ASTRONOMICAL The Juno spacecraft orbiting Jupiter has discovered an FM radio signal coming from the moon Ganymede. SALT LAKE CITY'S ABC TV CHANNEL 4 says the find is a first-time detection from the Jupiters moon. Patrick Wiggins, one of NASAs Ambassadors to Utah, said, Its not E.T. Its more of a natural function. Juno was traveling across the polar region of Jupiter, where magnetic field lines connect to Ganymede, and thats when it crossed the radio source. Scientifically, it is called a decametric radio emission. Here on earth we know it as Wi-Fi. And we use it every day. According to britannica.com Jupiters radio emissions were discovered in 1955, and over the last 66 years, more and more discoveries have been made about how the signals work. The spacecraft saw the moons radio emission for only 5 seconds as it was flying by at 50 km per second. What caused the radio emissions from Jupiters moon? Electrons cause the signals. The electrons oscillate at a lower rate than they spin this causes them to amplify radio waves very rapidly. The process has an interesting name, cyclotron maser instability (CMI). The electrons that generate the radio signal can also cause auroras in the far-ultraviolet spectrum which was also observed by the camera on Juno. tinyurl.com/yynfu3sw (abc4) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS ATV (Every pixel tells a story) - tinyurl.com/WIA-News-Videos THAT LINK IS A VIDEO VERSION OF THIS NEWS COMPILED BY VK5BD BEVAN WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - FINAL FRONTIER AMSAT-VK Secretary - secretary@amsat-vk.org Rocket Lab announces "Another One Leaves The Crust" launch window: The mission will launch a single communication microsatellite from Launch Complex 1 on New Zealands Mhia Peninsula for the OHB Group that will enable specific frequencies to support future services from orbit. The launch will be Rocket Labs 18th Electron mission. OHB Cosmos is responsible for launching the spacecraft built by the Group's satellite manufacturers based in Germany, Sweden, and Czech Republic. The mission will launch from New Zealand. [AMSST-NA] Alba Orbital, the space broker that manages the launch of AMSAT-EA (AMSAT Spain) EASAT-2 and Hades satellites, has informed of a delay in the scheduled one for January with SpaceX. "This delay has nothing to do with our satellites, or with Alba Orbital itself. It is attributable to Momentus, which acts as an integrator with SpaceX." "The delay means the next try would probably go to March, coinciding with the Starlink mission and being located in an estimated orbit between 450 and 550 km with an inclination of 53 degrees." Momentus offers two services. Shuttle flights from rocket drop-off points to 'popular' destinations and charter flights for customers whose intended destinations are not served by shuttle flights. Momentus plans to offer Vigoride service on quarterly launches in 2021. More than a dozen customers are currently booked across the various missions, Dawn Harms, Momentus chief revenue officer said. Additional customers have signed up for Momentus charter flights from the Falcon 9 drop-off to other destinations. Charter customers include C3S Electronics Development of Hungary and Spacemanic of Slovakia, a spinoff of the Slovak Organisation for Space Activities, a nongovernmental group that promotes space research and technology. [AMSST-NA plus Web] The launch of the UVSQ-SAT satellite carrying an FM transponder is provisionally scheduled for January 21 On the AMSAT Bulletin Board Christophe (and re-printed here in the WIA written word, not audio) writes: "The satellite designed by LATMOS had its frequencies coordinated by IARU. In addition to experimental and educational missions, it will provide the amateur radio community with a new FM transponder. AMSAT-Francophone and the radio club F6KRK have been involved throughout the project. AMSAT-Francophone provides the amateur radio community with software to interpret the data and send it to the AMSAT-F & Satnogs database. Information for downloading : tinyurl.com/yxtu7vr8 WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- IOTA iota-world.org OC-139. Grant, VK5GR, says "Final antenna packing lists are being drawn up and at this stage, I hope to also include an inverted L for 160m. Having tried to operate 160m at home recently I decided I was silly not to give it a go in a much more RF quiet location with a better antenna, a better ground plane. I will try and pay attention in particular to my morning grey-line into Europe, but will also do some activity during the NA morning grey-line as well. IOTA OC-139. See you on the air!" Activity will be a combination of CW, SSB and FT8, possibly with some RTTY and PSK thrown in for fun. I also hope to put VK5KI on air during the WIA Summer VHF/UHF field day on 6m/2m/70cm (and maybe 23cm). Visit VK5GR Web page at: vk5gr-iota.net (SouthGate) SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - LOW DOWN Very low frequency (VLF) enthusiast Joe Craig, VO 1 NA, reports that Stefan, DK7FC, copied his 50-character message transmitted from Newfoundland on 8.271 kHz, with a radiated power of 10 mW. This is a new record for amateur transatlantic VLF, Craig told ARRL. The mode used was EbNaut by Paul Nicholson, a synchronous coherent BPSK mode for use at VLF and low LF. Craigs tower supports a VLF RL (rotated L) 10-meter average height and 100 meters long. VLF is the ITU designation for radio spectrum in the range of 3 30 kHz, corresponding to wavelengths from 100 to 10 kilometres, respectively. Since VLF waves can penetrate at least 40 meters into saltwater, they are used for military communication with submarines, Craig noted. (SouthGate) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO SCOUTING Brett Nicholas VK2BNN Scouts Aust. National co-ordinator for JOTA. Lorraine OHare VK2FICQ is Girl Guides Australia National JOTA-JOTI Co-ordinator. CALLING FREQUENCIES Please QSY off the calling frequency after establishing communication. Australian voice calling frequencies: 3.650, 7.090, 14.190, 21.190, 28.590, 52.160 World CW calling frequencies: 3.570, 7.030, 14.060, 18.080, 21.140, 24.910, 28.180, 50.160 World voice calling frequencies: 3.690 & 3.940 MHz, 7.090 & 7.190, 14.290, 18.140, 21.360, 24.960, 28.390, 50.160 Calling frequencies for Slow Scan TV (SSTV): 3.630, 7.033, 14.227 Calling Frequencies for PSK31 14.070 Girl Guides Thinking Day on the Air Thinking Day on the Air is an opportunity for Girl Guides of all ages to talk to other Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world via Amateur Radio. This year the event will be on 20 - 21 February 2021. If you know of any Girl Guides please invite them to participate. Station registration can be made on the UK Girl Guide website guides-on-the-air.co.uk/station-list.html The ALARA EchoLink conference station will be available for use by Girl Guides during the weekend. For more details contact Norma VK2YL on VK2YL@fanden.com (Guides in text edition only) ---------------------------------------------------------- MEDIA WATCH MURDER - "WHO SPOKE?" A TV drama about the murder of radio ham G 0 HFQ was aired in the UK Monday 11th. ITV broadcast the first of a three part TV drama about the murder in 1989 of Oxfordshire radio amateur Peter Dixon G 0 HFQ and Gwenda Dixon who were on holiday in Pembrokeshire In the November 1989 Radio Communication magazine the RSGB asked: " Did you work GW 0 HFQ / M ? As weve reported in previous editions of RadCom, Peter Dixon, G 0 HFQ and his wife Gwenda were brutally murdered whilst on holiday in South Wales last June. Police have asked us to say that they are still anxious to talk to anyone who had a contact with Peter whilst he was operating as GW0HFO/M on 7 or 14MHz SSB. 28MHz FM/SSB or 144MHz FM. The dates between which theyd like you to check your logbooks are 19-29 June 1989." Police believe that Peter Dixon had a contact with another mobile station in the area on 28MHz FM on the morning of Wednesday 28 June. tinyurl.com/y39vclf9 ( ITV ) (SouthGate) INTRUDER WATCH - ENFORCEMENT ZONE Region III IARUMS Coordinator Peter Young VK3MV VK IARUMS reflector email to subscribe intruders@wia.org.au SUBMITTING a report? go to http://www.wia.org.au/members/protecting/intruderreport/ INTRUDER NETS Friday 0730 UTC 7.065.5 with VK4CEU David. Amateur exclusive frequencies where any non-amateur signal is definitely an intruder. Amateur HF Spectrum world wide 7.050 to 7.100 14.000 to 14.250 14.250 to 14.350 No broadcasters 21.000 to 21.450 24.890 to 24.990 28.000 to 29.700 FOR HUNTING DECOY MARKETER, THE COST OF RFI IS "DEER" This story is about an FCC action against a company it has charged with radio interference. The US government agency, it seems, is making some noises involving - of all things - animal noises. Amateur Newslines Kent Peterson KC0DGY has more. "Can the grunt or snort or a bleat of a deer be considered QRM? Probably not, but instructions being transmitted wirelessly, directing a hunting decoy to utter those noises is quite another matter. The FCC and a US company called Primos have entered into a consent decree over its product, the Waggin' Whitetail Electronic Deer Tail Decoy, for what the FCC has called noncompliance with Part 15 of its rules. The FCC believes the decoy's remote, which users report has a transmission range of between 40 and 60 yards, exceeds authorized field strength emissions limits and could interfere with nearby electronics. According to the FCC, the company acknowledged that it had marketed six such models that exceed those limits. Primos has agreed to embark on a plan for compliance and has begun a voluntary recall. The company will also pay a civil penalty that could be considered somewhat.....dear: $55,000. Primos noted that it had received no complaints of interference occurring with any other devices. As for interference complaints from any of the local wildlife -- no bucks or does were available to grunt, snort, bleat or otherwise comment for this report." EDUCATION JAN 17 Feb 14 ALL USA grades of licence will be held at the Sunshine Coast Amateur Radio club March 13. All details on vk4wis.org or contact Trent vk4ts@wia.org.au (FBook) USA exams eventbrite.com.au/e/136052553851 ARRL Life Member Neil Rapp, WB9VPG 2021 Carole Perry Educator of the Year The award recognizes an outstanding individual contribution in educating and advancing youth in amateur radio. WB9VPG is a voice you've heard on this WIA News Service due to his ongoing commitment to our sister service Amateur Radio NewsLine. Hes an Assistant Central Division Director and an ARRL VEC certified examiner and currently teaches chemistry at Bloomington High School South. Hes also the schools amateur radio club sponsor and has introduced 3,600 students and parents to amateur radio through his involvement in the organization. Neil got his license when he was 5 years old, YES FIVE! and, at the time, was touted as the worlds youngest ham. Now 50, hes the host and founder of the amateur radio podcast Ham Talk Live, a member of AMSAT and was the youngest person to both join and be eligible for membership in the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA). Congrats Neil, 2021 Carole Perry Educator of the Year. (arrl) ------------------------------------------------------------* REWIND The Secret Listeners I'm John Knox VK4FJRK A 1979 BBC programme about civilian involvement in radio-based intelligence during WW1 and WW2 features amateur radio The YouTube description says: Illustrated with archival film and photographs, as well as interviews with those involved, the documentary traces the evolution of civilian involvement in radio-based intelligence during both world wars. It was the tireless work of amateur radio enthusiasts during World War I, that initially convinced the Admiralty to establish a radio intercept station at Hunstanton. Playing an integral role during the war, technological advances meant that radio operators could pinpoint signals, thus uncovering the movement of German boats, leading to the decisive Battle of Jutland in 1916. Wireless espionage was to play an even more important role during World War II, with the Secret Intelligence Service setting up the Radio Security Service, which was staffed by Voluntary Interceptors, a band of amateur radio enthusiasts scattered across Britain. The information they collected was interpreted by some of the brightest minds in the country, who also had a large hand in deceiving German forces by feeding false intelligence. Watch Wartime Radio The Secret Listeners BBC (1979) My time is up, with REWIND for the WIA national news service I'm John Knox VK4FJRK ------------------------------------------------------------* 2020 Social Scene KEEP ONE WAVELENGTH AWAY AT 144 Megacycles #2MetersMatters Due to the COVID-19 situation, please check these events' direct for up-to-date status information and even without Covid dates have an uncanny knack of being changed at last moment. VK4 - TARC Australia Day Long Week Family Radio Camp NEXT Thursday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon 26th January at Girl Guides Association of Queensland Campsite and Training Centre Bluewater. (vk4zz) VK4 - A WICEN event at the Ipswich and District Radio Clubhouse. February 13 between 1000 and 1400 hours (vk4hit) VK2 - WYONG FIELD DAY February 28 ( vk4zz) VK3 - EMDRC HamFest - March 28th 10am (vk3bq) VK2 - Urunga Radio Convention Easter weekend 3/4 April (Sec URC) This year it is in the Pensioners Hall, Bowra Street Urunga. Fox Hunters, Planning is in hand for this years Urunga Convention. The program will be as in previous years, with the major emphasis on competitive Fox Hunting. They endeavor to be the best. The Committee is determined to make up for missing 2020, the year that nothing happened. 2021 begins at 9.00 am Saturday. The presentation takes place at 3.00 pm on Sunday. No entries are required prior to the day; however they would like to hear from you if you have comments or inquiries. Trading tables are available on the days. Urunga is the ideal village for a relaxed holiday weekend for families and fox hunters without the big holiday crowds. It is situated where 2 rivers meet the sea and offers plenty of outdoor activities including a patrolled surfing beach for everyone. The Convention venue has no steps to negotiate and a comfortable loungeroom in which to relax. The whole family is welcome and you will have a great weekend. Contacts are Ken VK2DGT, Terry VK2TEZ, Merv VK2DMS (Gloria Savins Uurunga Radio Convention) VK4 - REDFEST 2021 April Ten (vk4tfn) VK - ALARAMEET 2021 Bendigo VK3 October 1 - 4 (vk5yl) VK3 - ROSEBUD RadioFest by SPARC 9:30am Nov 14 (vk3pdg) SOCIAL DISTANCING KEEP ONE WAVELENGTH AWAY AT 144 Megacycles FINAL FINAL Things might just get a little challenging for UTC, Coordinated Universal Time, that is - the time-keeping system so familiar to us hams who pursue precision in our DX contacts or use some of the newer digital modes. As reported on the UK news website "The Telegraph," scientists are now suggesting that the world's atomic clocks, which control UTC, shorten the minute so that UTC can better keep pace with the irregular rate of the Earth's rotation, which most people measure using the less precise method known as "solar time." Let's face it, it's hard to stay in sync. When the Earth's rotation was seen to be slowing, scientists added something called a "leap second" to the end of a particular year. They've done this 27 times since 1972 to keep atomic clocks and UTC sympatico with solar time. Scientists believe Earth's 24-hour rotation has grown swifter now, making the days ever-so-slightly shorter. They also believe 2021 could well be the shortest year we've had in many decades. They say this will ultimately have an impact on navigation systems and satellite communications and anything else that requires precision in cosmic timekeeping. This very subject is up for discussion at WRC 2023 which is at least two years - and many, many, many, many seconds away. Now that's a thought that could probably make our own heads spin a lot faster too. For Amateur Radio NewsLine I'm Graham Kemp VK4BB. Reception Reports WIA News rebroadcasters often give Short Wave Listeners a welcome to the broadcast as they commence call-backs straight after the Local News. Local news follows National news in all states. It would be great if those SWL's would email their reception reports and location to callbacks@wia.org.au One person last week was:- Marc van der Linden PA3GJL I can receive your transmission now (sat 23:18 utc/ sun 00:18 local time) here on 2m, on 144.450 in FM. Since I am in the Netherlands in Europe, I guess it is broadcast from a station here in Europe. But where? From de UK? There are some conditions here because of the thick fog. Best 73 Marc Submitting news items If you would like to submit news items for possible inclusion in the VK1WIA broadcasts, please email your item in text to nationalnews@wia.org.au and don't JUST send url's links or posters, but take the time to pen YOUR contribution. To submit audio email nationalnews@wia.org.au and ask for the current password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on wia.org.au/members/broadcast/contribute/ We would appreciate items certainly no longer than 1.5 mts in length as we only have a half hour. 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 it in the 3rd person. (First if YOU are reading your own item) A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't plug DEALS from commercial traders "on air", but we at the WIA will put your supporters 'goods' in this text edition "no worries." We cannot give blatant 'plugs' to raffles. vk1wia-broadcasters@lists.wia.org.au ------------------------------------------------------------* Oh... and to contact us with your news because If It Matters To You It Matters To Us! Click the links below to download the most recent edition of National News, BUT this is ONLY the backup site! WIANEWS backup thanks to Brendan VK4BLP can be found on wiaq.org.au BACKUPS OF THE BACKUP!! thanks to Tony VK7AX www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/ wia.org.au/members/broadcast/wianews/ (This is the link to the original text version and original audio on wia site) ------------------------------------------------------------* WIANews - we've reported...YOU decide. TWITTER 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? wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/ The purpose of "WIANews" is to rapidly provide news of interest to WIA affiliated clubs and 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 IF broadcast, are done so 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... If you would like to see the call-backs reported each broadcast, OR have call-backs to contribute to the National News call back tally then please send through your call-backs to callbacks@wia.org.au 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 from. Send unsubscribe 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 a message confirming your unsubscription from the list and at that point you should stop receiving messages. ------------------------------------------------------------*