2021 OCTOBER 24 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 OCTOBER 24 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 ) AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PORTAL Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest news, key facts and figures, contacts and answers to your questions. www.health.gov.au/ WIA VICE PRESIDENT LEE MOYLE AND OUR NEW 2*1 CALL SIGNS THIS & MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA PROGRAM RECORDED IN BRISBANE, OLYMPIC CITY 2032. WIA JOIN THE WIA tinyurl.com/yyj87b9y WIA Announces New Club Coordinator Peter Schrader, WIA Director VK4EA writing on WIA Front Page News ( www.wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2021/20211012-1/index.php ) tells how Angelo Giuffre VK2NWT is our new WIA Club Coordinator. Angelo as far as background goes is owner and operator of a Post Office in the Snowy Mountains. Prior to that, was the local Newsagent in Jindabyne for thirteen years after working a long stint in Ski Resort administration. He's been a a very keen shortwave listener for many years and a licensed amateur since 2009, member and secretary of the Snowy Mountains Amateur Radio Club. Good morning from Lee Moyle, VK3GK, WIA Vice President. Contest 2x1 Callsign - Wrap Up. Wednesday, 13 October 2021 at 10am will be remembered by many VK contesters as Frenzy Day. The instant demand at exactly 10am for 2x1 contesting callsigns definitely stress tested the AMC website in more ways than one. Luckily for all those applying it was a serious pile up, with anxious feelings of missing out, waiting impatiently for that 2x1 page refresh, not unlike waiting to hear the rare DX return your callsign and then when propagation shifts and unfortunately that rare one you need for honour roll is all but gone. It seems many felt they may have been a Busted Call or Not In Log (NIL) during the frenzy. Understandably, the AMC office has been inundated with phone calls. Let us sincerely hope that the callers were understanding and respectful of the AMC office staff who continue to do an excellent job at managing all things Amateur Radio including examination processing and callsign recommendations etc. The day one results are actually quite surprising as after all the dust has settled only about 138 callsigns were allocated out of about 702.... or around 19.5% The highest demand was for 2x1s was from the eastern states of VK3, VK2 and VK4 in that order, with many now been allocated. The VJ and VL prefixes seeming not so popular, however still being sought after for use in general and WPX type contesting. More interesting to note is that not a single VK9 2x1 callsign has been allocated. VK3 has had more issued than all of VK1, VK5, VK6, VK7 and VK8 combined. Who would have even considered that so many contesters lived in VK3? A snapshot on day 7 which was last Wednesday 20th of October reveals that there has only been another 156 callsigns allocated or at least removed from the AMC available 2x1 callsign register. The list shows fewer than 10 available in VK3 but many are still unclaimed from all the other states, collectively about 408 remain. This reflects around 43% of the available 702 2x1 callsigns having been allocated. Considerable thanks need to be given to all the members of VK Contest Club (VKCC) who inspired and began this 2x1 callsign project well over 10 years ago and have continually pushed the 2x1 callsign agenda. The WIA thanks all stake holders and individuals who contributed to the success of this long term project. In particular, the WIA congratulates the Australian Maritime College (AMC) for a successful release and implementation of the 2x1 Callsign blocks to the Amateur Radio Contesting community. To apply for a 2x1 Contest callsign (Advanced only) go to the AMC website and follow the instructions: www.amc.edu.au/industry/amateur-radio/callsigns/2x1-contest-callsigns With less than a week to go until the biggest global HF contest, the CQ World Wide SSB Contest, many are praying to the contesting gods that AMC along with ACMA will have all these new 2x1 Callsigns granted for use. 73 from Lee VK3GK EDUCATION HERE WE GO AGAIN IRELAND'S HAM EXAM MAY GET NEW OVERSEER In Ireland, the regulator is seeking applicants to oversee the amateur radio exam there. This after regulator, ComReg notes the current agreement expires with the Irish Radio Transmitters Society December. The Harmonised Amateur Radio Certificate, or HAREC, is to be set, organised and corrected by whoever enters into the new agreement with the regulator afterward. The Ham Society IRTS has been administering the 60-question HAREC exams on paper. There has been no option to take the exams online. A report on the Southgate Amateur Radio News website noted, however, that the Radio Society of Great Britain has been using a Dublin-based provider for its own online exams. (sourced to arnewsline.org) DISCUSSION POINT WIA NATIONAL NEWS AND YOUR 3 W's. WASH YOUR HANDS WEAR YOUR MASK WATCH YOUR DISTANCE (1.5 metres) www.health.gov.au/ ------------------------------------------------------------* INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, RAC, Southgate AR Club, ARRL, NZART, eHam, AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE & the World Wide sources of the WIA. Radio Amateurs Invited to Participate in the Antarctic Eclipse Festival in December As the shadow of the moon passes across Antarctica on December 4, it will generate traveling ionospheric disturbances that will, in turn, affect radio propagation. The unusual geometry of this years eclipses will give researchers an opportunity to investigate complicated ionospheric dynamics over the poles as the long daytime of polar summer is briefly interrupted by the eclipse. During this HamSCI eclipse festival, hams and citizen-scientists are asked to collect Doppler-shift data from time-standard stations, such as WWV. All thats needed is an HF radio connected to a computer. Data collection will run from December 1 through December 10. All radio amateurs and shortwave listeners are invited to join in, even those located far from the path of totality. In 2020, more than 100 individuals from 45 countries took part in eclipse festivals. For more information on the Antarctic Eclipse Festival and how to participate, visit the HamSCI website. www.hamsci.org/festivals No ham radio for Golden Globe Race 2022 Yachting Monthly magazine reports the use of amateur radio in the Golden Globe Race 2022 has been banned due to unlicensed usage in 2018 The magazine says: Next year, the Golden Globe Race will return, but with some changes. HAM radio will also be banned, replaced with a 100% waterproof HF SSB radio and weather fax for receiving weather charts. In 2018, there was controversy when it was revealed some of the skippers didnt have HAM radio licences. This change has caused concerns, with some of the 2018 entrants highlighting difficulties in picking up Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) frequencies in the Southern Ocean due to the shrinking of the broadcasting network as more mariners rely on satellite communication. The route is also different in the Golden Globe Race 2022, to make it less demanding on the boats, according to McIntyre. Read the full article on tinyurl.com/2x34fmu9 Over in Region One, the Swedish communications regulator PTS has issued a clarification about the expiry date of permits for high-power operation above 200 watts Amateur radio users who are licensed for transmission with a higher power than is normally permitted by pts regulations exempting the use of certain radio transmitters and expiring on 2021-12-31 need not apply for a new permit. The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority extends these permits for five years at a time. The extended permits will be issued before the end of the year. What's a long length of LAN cable ? A transmitter, of course LAN cables can be sniffed to reveal network traffic with a $30 setup, says researcher. An Israeli researcher has demonstrated that LAN cables' radio frequency emissions can be read by using a $30 off-the-shelf setup, potentially opening the door to fully developed cable-sniffing attacks. Mordechai Guri of Israel's Ben Gurion University of the Negev described the disarmingly simple technique, which consists of putting an ordinary radio antenna up to four metres from a category 6A Ethernet cable and using an off-the-shelf software defined radio (SDR) to listen around 250MHz. "From an engineering perspective, these cables can be used as antennas and used for RF transmission to attack the air-gap," said Guri. He added that his setup's $1 antenna was a big limiting factor and that specialised antennas could well reach "tens of metres" of range. The research shows that poorly shielded cables have the potential to leak information which sysadmins may have believed were secure or otherwise air-gapped from the outside world. REGION THREE Writing in the ALARA newsletter, President Linda VK7QP mad note that Women Amateur Radio Operators of New Zealand, WARO, is up and running again. Ngaire ZL2UJT reports that 12 people attended a recent meeting and plans for the coming year have been established. This will include a Monday night net a quarterly bulletin and one formal meeting a year at the NZART Conference. ------------------------------------------------------------* HAM RADIO OPERATIONAL NEWS - IT'S A CONTACT SPORT -------------- AN IMPORTANT AND MEANINGFUL CONTEST IS LOOMING! For 36 hours between the 26th and 28th of October, international teams of radio operators will push the limits of their abilities and their radio equipment to compete in an event that military organizers in Canada are calling the world's "most prestigious military-led High Frequency Radio competition." Graham VK4BB has the details later when Bruce joins us with Special Interest Group News. -------------- SPRING VHF - UHF FIELD DAYS November 27-28 -------------- CQ World-Wide CW contest Nov 27-28 -------------- December 4-5 160 Meter WW -------------- DECEMBER 11 - 12 10 Mtr World Wide -------------- 2022 -------------- January, the entire month every year is the WIA ROSS HULL VHF - UHF MARATHON CONTEST 00:00 UTC 1 January to 23:59 UTC 31 January -------------- WIA VHF - UHF FIELD DAYS Summer 2022 - 0100 UTC Saturday 15 January through 0059 UTC Sunday 16 January (differs in VK6). -------------- DX WINDOW -------------- REPUBLIC OF KOREA, HL. Special call sign HL30UN is QRV until October 31 to celebrate the 30th anniversary since the Republic of Korea was admitted to membership in the United Nations. QSL via EA5GL. -------------- ANTARCTICA. A group of operators are QRV as KC4USV from McMurdo Station on Ross Island, IOTA AN-011, until October 31. Activity is on 40 and 20 meters using SSB and FT8. QSL via K7MT. Speaking of the Antarctic, news of a French special event Station TM 60 ANT between November 16-30th. Activity is to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Antarctic Treaty Signature. Activity will be on various HF bands between 40-10 meters. QSL via F8DVD, direct (SAE + 2 USDs) or by the Bureau. France was one of the 12 countries who signed the ATS in Washington on December 1, 1959. The treaty officially entered into force on June 23, 1961. All info on this event is on: www.qrz.com/db/TM60ANT -------------- AUSTRIA. Members of the Amateur Radio Contest DX Club will be QRV as 4U2U from October 10 to 31 to celebrate United Nations Day. QSL via bureau. -------------- Until the 2nd of November, West of Scotland ARS are running station GB 4 GDS, celebrating 90 years of the Guide Dog Association. More information about the station can be found at wosars.club (rsgb) -------------- SARL News report that a special call sign, ZS 18 MOTH, will commemorate the signing of the Armistice 103 years ago. Monday 11 November 1918, the Armistice was signed in a railway carriage of Marshall Foch's special train located in the forest at Rethondes in France on the western front. At 11 o'clock, the roar of guns ceased as peace and silence finally descended on the western front, ending the First World War. The call sign represents ZS = South Africa; 18 = 1918 the year the guns of World War 1 fell silent and MOTH = the Memorial Order of the Tin Hats. The call sign will be active from 06:00 UTC on Thursday 11 November until 16:00 UTC on Sunday 14 November on 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metres. (sourced to southgatearc.org) -------------- PANAMA 3 E 200 P from Colon, Panama, marking the nation's 200th anniversary of independence from Spain. The station is on air until November 30th on various HF bands using several modes. QSL via ClubLog's OQRS or LoTW. (SOURCED TO ARNEWSLINE.ORG) -------------- MEDIA WATCH In the media only 2 reports in on last weekends JOTA JOTI did we receive, one from the Ipswich and District Amateur Radio Club and VK4HIT and the other from activity in .. SAUDI ARABIA. The Saudi story we'll hear in a moment when VK3FFF steps up to the microphone in Special Interest Group news, the VK item, those who also get QNEWS in primarily VK4, Allan will report. Also in QNEWS Clive VK4ACC and news of new Life Members of his RADAR club in Rocky. BUT NOW in media watch Email Address : vk4zen@gmail.com Feedback : Just a quick note to let you know that I've been rebroadcasting the news on Sundays at 10am on my narrowcasting station "Spud FM" in Kalbar Qld. As it's become an extension of my AR hobby I thought what better way to get interest in the hobby itself. I have no idea on listeners!! Cheers Paul Tiffany VK4ZEN / VK4IV ------------------------------------------------------------* WORLD WIDE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NEWS SUMMITS ON THE AIR, WORLD WIDE FLORA, FAUNA PROGRAM, PARKS ON THE AIR and other ADVENTURE GROUPS. parksontheair.com/ www.sota.org.uk sotawatch.sota.org.uk/en/ www.wwffaustralia.com/ minesontheair.com/about-mota First POTA (Parks on the Air) in India ARUNAVA DEY CALL SIGN VU3XRY AND ABHRAJIT DAS VU3YDA have recently Operated H.F from Kanchanjungha National Park DESIGNATED AS VU-0081, above an altitude of 6000 ft. ASL in Sikkim, India. This is an Historical moment for us as we are the first to participate in an International Event Known as PARKS ON THE AIR ( POTA) from India. WE HAVE MADE AROUND 14 CONTACTS from all over India over HF radio. VU3XRY (sourced to southgatearc.org) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- BALLOONING A South African club, the Secunda Amateur Radio Club, will be launching a Balloon Carrying Amateur Radio, known as the BACAR project) on Saturday 30 October. Several interesting payloads are being prepared, including the new AMSAT-SA AfriCUBE linear transponder, Slow Scan TV, a cross band FM repeater and an ion thruster scientific experiment. Amateurs from various Clubs are involved in this project. The Club can be contacted for info via e-mail secradio@jenny.co.za (southgatearc.org) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - FINAL FRONTIER AMSAT-VK Secretary - secretary@amsat-vk.org Adapter structure with 10 CubeSats installed on top of Artemis moon rocket. Workers at NASAs Kennedy Space Centre have lifted the Orion Stage Adapter on top of the Space Launch System moon rocket, adding the structure housing 10 CubeSat rideshare payloads heading into deep space on the Artemis 1 mission. NASA has not announced a target launch date for the mission but it is expected to fly sometime in early 2022. The test flight will pave the way for the next SLS/Orion mission, Artemis 2, to carry four astronauts to lunar orbit as soon as 2023. bit.ly/3FETY0P (ANS) The astronauts who will ride SpaceXs newest Dragon spaceship into orbit later this month have named their spacecraft Endurance as a tribute to the human spirit and a historic sailing vessel used by Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. The new spacecraft's scheduled to launch to the ISS on Oct. 30 carrying Raja Chari, KI5LIU, Tom Marshburn, KE5HOC, Matthias Maurer, KI5KFH, and Kayla Barron, KI5LAL. (ANS) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP --- MILITARY An exercise, known as Noble Skywave, is a friendly contest among military radio operators and their affiliates to contact other teams, making use of voice and data modes. Teams can comprise radio operators active in various nations' military forces or they can be in the Reserves or National Guard. Operators also participate from the US Military Auxiliary Radio System and the Canadian Forces Affiliate Radio System. This year, more than 150 teams in 10 nations are expected to be on the air hoping to be crowned the best of the best. Although the majority of participants are in the US and Canada, past exercises have also drawn participation from teams in Australia, the UK, New Zealand and Peru. The Communications and Electronics Branch of the Canadian Armed Forces has been at the helm of this training exercise since 2013. Lt. Taylor Curran of the Canadian Armed Forces' 21st Electronic Warfare Regiment told NewsLine in an emailed statement that his regiment is the Lead Mounting Unit for the event. (arnewsline.org) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO SCOUTING JOTA - JOTI DONE AND DUSTED FOR ANOTHER YEAR DEEMED A REMARKABLE EVENT From all corners of the globe they came, Scoutings youngsters stepped up to the microphone helping bring a sense of belonging to all in these Covid times. In the middle east, in partnership, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Alwaleed Philanthropies and World Scouting joined forces to empower the next generation of young female leaders On 15th-17th October, last weekend, JOTA-JOTI connected millions of young people around the world over online activities that promoted friendship and global citizenship. In Saudi Arabia, it rallied support in achieving the Kingdom's ambitions of garnering one million individuals to volunteer per year This year's JOTA-JOTI event was in full support of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, with the PNU female Scouts involvement having created particular alignment with gender equality. (hamradiodaily.com) SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - VHF AND ABOVE (The Plumbers Delight) The Brisbane VHF Group are holding a 122GHz Testing and Tune-up Day starting at 10:00AM today, Sunday 24th October at the Club house of the Redcliffe and Districts Radio Club. Go to: Triple W dot redcliffe radio club (all 1 word) dot org dot au (vk4tfn) SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - VLF ALEXANDERSON ALTERNATOR TO TRANSMIT TODAY, UN DAY The Alexanderson Association is once again marking United Nations Day Sunday the 24th of October - by transmitting a global message in Morse on the historic Alexanderson alternator at the World Heritage Grimeton Radio Station in Sweden. The CW message will be transmitted on 17.2 kHz. The transmitter uses the call sign SAQ. The event itself will be carried live on the association's YouTube channel. The transmission & YouTube live stream starts at 14:25 UTC. alexander.n.se/ (arnewsline.org) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- YOTA (Youngsters On The Air) youtube.com/channel/UClAapljf0VQ751sOgu2IzaA twitter.com/hamyota STUDENTS AT THE FORE FRONT OF SPACE After months and months of research, testing and development, the Portland State Aerospace Society is preparing to hand off Oregon's first satellite destined for the stars. The interdisciplinary student group will deliver the satellite known as OreSat0 to Seattle's Spaceflight Inc. who will integrate OreSat0 into its Sherpa(R) Orbital Transfer Vehicle. The propulsive vehicle will carry and deploy many small satellites to orbit after hitching a ride to space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, scheduled to launch no earlier than January 2022. OreSat0 is the first in a series of three satellites designed by the Portland State Aerospace Society and is just about the size of a tissue box. The satellite includes solar panels, batteries, a colour camera and an amateur radio system. (eHam.et) Finally, don't forget that the new Youth category for the CQ World Wide DX Contest will debut October 30 31 with the phone weekend. The category covers contesters age 25 years old or younger and applies to both the phone and CW weekends (CW, November 27 28). (arrl) ------------------------------------------------------------* 2021 Social Scene 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. AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PORTAL Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest news, key facts and figures, contacts and answers to your questions. www.health.gov.au/ VK3 - ROSEBUD RadioFest by SPARC 9:30am Nov 14 (vk3pdg) VK5 - Australian Fox Hunting Championship and SERG Convention Mount Gambier SA Queens Birthday weekend June 2022 (vk5dj) FINAL FINAL Maybe the first year of pandemic living was good for something: the number of UFO sightings in Idaho skyrocketed in 2020 to almost 130 reportings. The number of sightings in 2019 was also more than 100, but 2021 has been significantly less exciting. UFO Sightings In Idaho On The Decline It makes sense that there would be more UFO sightings in 2020. Everyone was stuck at home and we had already binge-watched all the shows we could. We all got bored, ventured out of our houses, and surprised all the aliens who thought we would be hiding indoors. In 2020, there were 128 UFO sightings reported. Back in 2019, the number was 104. So far in 2021, there have only been 39 reports. I have a theory on why there are fewer sightings this year. Aliens Can Get COVID Too Just like in the War of the Worlds story, I think the aliens can get sick the same as humans and that has been their demise. We hid in our houses, they ventured out more and got sick. Their alien immune systems couldn't handle the human virus and they died. There are still some out there, but not nearly as many as before and that is why we've seen a decline in reported sightings on the NUFORC (National UFO Reporting Centre) website. KLIX NEWS RADIO USA Read More: Less Than 40 UFO Sightings Have Been Reported Over Idaho in 2021 | https://newsradio1310.com/less-than-40-ufo-sightings-have-been-reported-over-idaho-in-2021/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral Read More: Less Than 40 UFO Sightings Have Been Reported Over Idaho in 2021 | https://newsradio1310.com/less-than-40-ufo-sightings-have-been-reported-over-idaho-in-2021/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral 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 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 send BOTH the audio and the text 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. ------------------------------------------------------------* 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. ------------------------------------------------------------*