2022 JULY 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 JULY 24 2022 IN OUR 27th YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS Welcome to this the WIA National News - Australias source of trustworthy ham radio related topics gleamed from home and around the world. From deep in outer space to the ice shelves of Antarctica and the local Parks of our world WIA National News has been and remains so, the best news you'll get all week! PROGRAM RECORDED IN BRISBANE, OLYMPIC CITY 2032. WIA JOIN THE WIA tinyurl.com/yyj87b9y ROSTERED WIA DIRECTOR BRINGING US NEWS FROM THE WIA ON HAPPENINGS AT BOARD LEVEL WILL BE IN ROTATION:- President Scott VK3KJ Greg VK2GPK (JULY 31) Peter VK8ZZ Lee VK3GK Chris VK3FY Peter VK4EA Steve VK2TSG This is WIA Vice President, Lee Moyle VK3GK. The WIA board wishes to announce that Dr. Kevin Johnston, VK4UH has been appointed as the custodian of the VHF/UHF National Distance Records. Kevin is well known in the VHF/UHF field and as a contributor to Amateur Radio magazine he has been rewarded with a number of WIA awards. Kevin takes over the role from John Martin VK3KM who has overseen the position for many years. Johns attention to detail and accuracy of the records is appreciated. John has stepped back from the role as he has reported some reoccurring health issues recently and the WIA board thank him for his many years of dedication to the WIA and wish him well in the future. As reported previously, the WIA board has commenced a revision of the organizations committee and working groups. The board recently met with the Technical Advisory Committee, TAC, for discussions and planning on future projects. This engagement will be ongoing with the committees as we are looking forward to reinvigorating the activities within each group. The WIA has many committees which often rely on volunteers for successful outcomes. If you can spare some time to contribute in some capacity, email the WIA office with your expression of interest. For all the newcomers to Amateur Radio and for all those studying to obtain your Foundation Licence the following news will be well received as the new Foundation manual has finally gone to print. This is the new and updated version reflecting recent changes in the Amateur LCD. Not only a comprehensive study guide for the Foundation Licence it is an excellent reference source and guide for operational protocols and procedures. The Foundation manuals are expected to be available for purchase from the WIA bookshop from late July to early August, so around a couple of weeks from now. Expect your local radio Club to soon have them available as well. The WIA Board extends their gratitude to Phil Waite VK2ASD for his hard work and contribution with his team in getting the Foundation manual finalized and in print. AR Magazine Editor in Chief, Roger Harrison VK2ZRH informs us that the latest edition of AR magazine is now out and should be showing up in our letter boxes already. Keep an eye out for the MemNet email announcing that the digital version of AR magazine is available for download. Included features in this edition of AR magazine are: - Outdoor Adventures; - The new face of ALARA; - At Queens Jubilee Station GB70E; - Backpack portable Frolics in the wild; - Handy hacks from a homebrewer shack; - Retro tech on ANZAC Day; -John Moyle Field day Scores. Plus all the usual columns and Hamads of course. Last weekend was the Low band Trans-Tasman Contest. There was lots of activity on 40m, 80m and Top band 160m with conditions being excellent. Reports were that both the WIA President and Vice President were active in the contest. Dont forget to send in your log, even if you only worked a couple of contacts. Thanks go to Alan Shannon VK4SN for the N1MM UDC and the provision of the log upload portal at https://www.vklogchecker.com/ for automatic log scoring. Thats it for this week. 73 from Lee VK3GK This is Editor-in-Chief of Amateur Radio magazine, Roger Harrison VK2ZRH. The latest edition of Amateur Radio magazine Issue Number 4 for 2022 is now being read by choir boys and girls across Australia and beyond. And, it seems, the choristers are telling their mates about it. So, let me tell you about it, first hand, so that you non-subscribers know what to look for in your local newsagent. From Issue 1 this year, AR magazine is being delivered to newsagencies in those postcodes where we know licensed amateurs live, or the nearest adjacent postcodes. Let me warn you, though. This issue contains some strong stuff! Kind-a like the spray-on glue the Blues Brothers used in the penultimate scenes to bring on a Good Ol Boys bus crash. Right up front, we have an article on the passing of the web browser many amateurs would have cut their internet teeth on Internet Explorer. As of June 15th, Microsoft ended support across some versions of Windows 10. Three Australian academics set out the tale of Explorers life-and-times over the past twenty-seven years. Thats longer than some radio clubs we know of. The authors note the current ascendency of Googles Chrome browser, but note that its a key part of Googles relentless data-gathering; something that may eventually discourage users. Every magazine issue worth its salt is never without a stirring tale of derring-do! This issue carries the story of how a small team from Brisbane mounted a successful attempt on the VK4 terrestrial distance record for digital modes on 3.4 GHz, the 9cm band. The original record of 502.8 km has now been pushed-out to 524 km. In late May, the two-man team from the Brisbane VHF Group Kevin VK4UH and Colin VK4UV, undertook the road trip to Zilzie on the north side of Rockhampton, in an effort to work Trevor VK4AFL at Birkdale, on the south side of Brisbane. Read about the struggles of the peripatetic proletariat in Issue 4. Furthermore, Justin Giles-Clark VK7TW sets out how to make a success of promoting amateur radio to the general public, without being patronizing about it. There we are, folks. Look out for Issue 4 . . . with the Sun peeking through the magazine banner, shining a light where no other publication can hold a candle. Amateur Radio magazine in print, online, and on-time, Volume 90, Issue Number 4 for 2022. Serving Australian radio amateurs since 1933. This has been AR magazine Editor-in-Chief Roger Harrison VK2ZRH for VK1WIA News. ------------------------------------------------------------* INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, RAC, Southgate AR Club, ARRL, NZART, eHam, AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE & the World Wide sources of the WIA. REGION ONE From July 1, 2023, CBR will run Amateur Radio exams in the Netherlands. Candidates will take their exam Online but only at a CBR exam centre so this differs from standard practice in most countries where online exams can be taken at home. CBR (Centraal Bureau of Driving Licences ((Rijvaardigheidsbewijzen)) is the organization responsible for running theory exams for the driving license in the Netherlands. The rates that CBR charges for exams must be cost-covering. For 2023, the rates for regular exams will be 72.00 per exam. (About 107 AUD) A VERY INTERESTING SERVICE INDEED is that CBR let the candidate indicate what kind of exam you want to take. There are three choices: Regular exam; suitable for anyone who has sufficient reading skills. Regular exam with extra time; if you have difficulty reading or perform better due to less time pressure. With this exam you get 15 minutes extra exam time. Individually supervised exam; suitable if you are dyslexic or have difficulty reading. It can also be a solution if you suffer from certain forms of social anxiety disorders. These special exams due incur a surcharge. tinyurl.com/4bn3epuz Applications for small-scale DAB multiplex licences under the fourth round of the rollout are now open, covering areas from East Fife in Scotland to the Ards Peninsula in Northern Ireland, and from Anglesey in Wales to Wolverhampton in England. Small-scale DAB is an innovative technology which provides ultra-local digital radio stations with a low-cost route to air. Each multiplex will allow several stations to take to the digital airwaves, including grass-roots community services, specialist music stations, and services aimed at minority groups and other under-served audiences. As an example in Brisbane 3 multiplexers, on Mt Coot-Tha dish out some 65-67 different radio stations.. but as yet DAB + is only in the Capitals and Gold Coast Ofcoms rollout of small-scale DAB in the UK will enable the launch of around 200 multiplexes, covering all four UK nations. This story bridges both IARU regions One and Two ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio has recognized Dr. Ulrich L. Rohde, N1UL, as the 2022 recipient of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the IEEE, Photonics Society Engineering Achievement Award. The award is for outstanding engineering achievement in the field of optoelectronic signal generation and optical measurement equipment for next-generation intelligent optical networks. Dr. Rohde is an ARRL Maxim Society and Life Member. Dr. Rohde is currently a partner of Rohde & Schwarz, in Munich, Germany, and Chairman of Synergy Microwave Corporation in New Jersey. He is also President of the Communications Consulting Corporation, serving as an honorary member of the Senate of the University of the Armed Forces in Munich, honorary member of the Senate of the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, and past member of the Board of Directors of Ansoft Corporation in Pennsylvania. A high achiever indeed Throughout his career he has been active in microwave technology and in 2017 was honoured for his work developing software-defined radio Dr. Rohde has been an avid amateur radio operator holding several licenses in the United States and Germany. He has been licensed since 1956s. He also operates N1UL/MM on his yacht, the Dragonfly, and is Trustee of the Marco Island Radio Club, K5MI. REGION TWO CAR MAKERS REPORT DECLINE IN AM RADIOS Is AM mode going away? Well, certainly not in amateur radio but there has apparently been some action among automakers who are making the transition to electric car manufacture. Kent Peterson KCDGY brings us this story he originally filed for Amateur Radio NewsLine. Amplitude modulation - so loved by radio amateurs for being the first voice mode -- is apparently becoming the last-choice commercial radio option for some automobile manufacturers who are having second thoughts about retaining AM radio in their new cars, many are citing electric-motor interference. They claim that the electric motors that provide the power to the drive wheels mess with terrestrial AM radio reception, creating such issues as distortion, static and signal loss. Tesla has already cut AM radios from its vehicles, starting with its original Model S. BMW pulled it from both its i3 and i8 sedans -- and no Audi models that are fully electric are equipped with AM either. A representative for Audi explained on the consumerguide.com website that drivers can make up for the loss by opting to stream those stations via digital signals on a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. An article on the website, thedrive.com, also noted that AM is practically gone from the broadcast radio scene in Europe as well, overtaken by the DAB + format. In the US, however, where AM radio still remains popular, it will be a challenge, especially for those long-distance drivers who most especially love the commercial radio version of DXing. In fact, as one author wrote on the website of incompliancemag.com: [quote] " Woe to those drivers who have fond memories of listening to an ever-changing array of AM radio stations as they travelled across the country in wood-panelled station wagons!" [endquote] Amateur Radio to be showcased at 2022 EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh. ARRL member-volunteers will ensure amateur radio is well-represented at the annual EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. More than 10,000 aircraft and a half-million flight enthusiasts make Wittman Regional Airport the busiest airfield in the world during AirVenture. "There's a kinship among the aviation and amateur radio communities," ARRL Director of Public Relations (NQ1R) . "In addition to introducing newcomers to ham radio, we expect to meet hundreds of ham-pilots at AirVenture. This is a great opportunity to show off ham radio at such a large-scale event." NQ1R co-authored "Growing Amateur Radio, One Pilot at a Time," in the January 2019 issue of QST, describing some of the opportunities and experiences pursued by pilots who become active ham radio operators. REGION THREE Its creation took six years, starting with the earliest stages of design and -- it's on its way! 2 region 3 countries are involved and Col VK3GTV will reveal which countries and what the creation is a little "further down the log". ------------------------------------------------------------* HAM RADIO OPERATIONAL NEWS - IT'S A CONTACT SPORT -------------- NOW CONTEST WISE:- -------------- 2022 -------------- -------------- RSGB IOTA Contest is NEXT WEEKEND July 30 - 31st (SouthGate) -------------- WIA RD or Remembrance Day Contest Weekend closest to the 15th August each year. 2022 its Sat Sun August 13 and 14 -------------- ALARA CONTEST AUGUST 27 and 28 alara.org.au (vk5maz) -------------- WIA - NZART OCEANIA CONTEST PHONE - First full weekend in October 0600 UTC Saturday to 0600 UTC Sunday CW - Second full weekend in October 0600 UTC Saturday to 0600 UTC Sunday Log deadline for ALL logs - 31 October. -------------- WIA VHF - UHF FIELD DAYS SPRING is always in NOVEMBER 0100 UTC Saturday 26 through 0059 UTC Sunday 27 November -------------- ------------ DX WINDOW -------------- -------------- BBC centenary special event GB 100 BBC Members of the BBCs radio club, The London BBC Radio Group, have been on air with their exceptional all-year Special Event callsign to help celebrate the BBCs centenary year, GB 100 BBC. (southgatearc.org) -------------- Irish Radio Transmitters Society. Hams are using the special callsign EI 90I RTS to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of Ireland's national society. Listen for the EI 90 IRTS callsign. QSL via EI6AL. (ARNewsLine) -------------- NETHERLANDS. Members of VERON's section of Mid and North Limburg are QRV with special call sign PI 75 LIM to celebrate their 75th anniversary. QSL via bureau. (arrl) -------------- A year-long special event is call HG 2 PS. Hams are marking the 200th birthday of Sandor Petofi, a revolutionary and celebrated poet. The station will be on the air until March 15th, 2023. Be listening on all bands for operators using CW, SSB and FT8. QSL via HA 8 RD, ClubLog or LoTW. (ARNewsLine) ------------------------------------------------------------* WORLD WIDE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NEWS - AND - SUMMITS ON THE AIR, WORLD WIDE FLORA, FAUNA PROGRAM, PARKS ON THE AIR and other ADVENTURE GROUPS. hema.org.uk/index.jsp minesontheair.com/about-mota parksontheair.com/ sota.org.uk sotawatch.sota.org.uk/en/ wwffaustralia.com/ The latest YASME press release speaks on POTA, "Parks On The Air". "Since the program's inception, it has grown enormously and now has more than 6500 "activators" who operate from the parks and more than 20,000 "hunters" who work them. Next to DXCC and IOTA, POTA has become one of the most active worldwide operating award programs. Even more important, though, is that more hams are OTA (on the air), especially hams with modest stations or who cannot get OTA from home for whatever reason. POTA is making it possible for them to have a great deal of fun, be active on HF/VHF/satellites, and learn about radio." WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - FINAL FRONTIER AMSAT-VK Secretary - secretary@amsat-vk.org Registration Now Open for NASA 2022 International Space Apps Challenge The NASA International Space Apps Challenge, the worlds largest annual hackathon, returns this year with the theme Make Space, which emphasizes NASAs commitment to inclusivity. This years challenge will focus on Earth and space science, technology, and exploration. Participant registration for in-person and virtual events is now open through Oct. 2. Space Apps provides a platform where everyone across the globe with a passion for creativity and innovation can use their unique perspectives to tackle challenges created by NASA experts. The challenges range in skill level, expertise, subject matter, and objective, and span a spectrum of disciplines and interests that range from artificial intelligence and software development to art and storytelling. Each year, Space Apps allows thousands to engage with NASA and its partners open data during the hackathon, said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA associate administrator for the agencys Science Mission Directorate. It has been rewarding to see the innovative projects created by Space Apps Challenge participants and observe their potential to generate meaningful contributions toward solving some of the most difficult challenges studied by NASA on Earth and in space. For more information about Space Apps and to register for an in-person or online event on Oct. 1-2, 2022, visit bit.ly/3IEItbL Indonesia has just sent its first amateur radio CubeSat to Japan where it will be launched in October this year. It is totally student-built. After it arrives at the ISS, it will be launched into orbit from there. Indonesia is calling this a pioneering venture for their country and a big win for students in the area of STEM. It is also being viewed as a symbol that this country can indeed build satellites of its own. It is also seen as showing promise that the country can develop technology to do remote monitoring and emergency communications. Its creation took six years, starting with the earliest stages of design. NASAs Starlings. NASAs aptly named Starling satellite swarm mission consists of four 6U CubeSats which will practice formation flying, autonomous control, ad hoc inter-satellite networking, and autonomous collaboration by measuring the Earths ionosphere using GPS signals. The Starlings will launch on Firefly Aerospaces first commercial launch. NASA envisions future swarms of autonomously-operating CubeSats in deep space working together to collect distributed science data and perform observations. An example is the upcoming HelioSwarm, a 9-satellite, $250m mission planned for 2028 to study solar wind turbulence. WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- IOTA iota-world.org Next weekend, as Felix VK4FUQ has been telling us, will be the next IOTA contest. 3 to work from Europe are EU-016. Operators Miran/S50O, Silvo/S50X, Hubi/S53Z, XYL Zorica/S54ZO, Milan/S58U and Branko/9A7YY will be active as 9A/homecall (expect 9A7YY) from Vis Island. QSL via their home call-sign, direct or by the Bureau. For more details, see: vis-2022.sejmisce.si EU-018. Carsten, OY1CT, will be active from Streymoy Island, Faroe Islands, during the RSGB IOTA Contest as a Single-Op/High-Power entry. QSL via OY1CT or LoTW. EU-062. Stian, LB5SH, will be active as LC1R from Nord-Heroy during the Contest as a Single-Op entry. BUT and this is important for "wallpaper" chasers there will be NO QSL cards. lb5sh.no (SouthGate) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - NET ADVICE 2mFM.uk is a website looking to encourage more activity on 2m in Staffordshire and surrounding areas. It is also the Internet home of a 2m mid-week midday net, Lunch on the Air, YES ham sandwiches! Lunch on the Air takes place each and every Wednesday from 12:30pm. Radio Amateurs from all walks of life are welcome to take part. 2mFM.uk is becoming a good resource for local UK Radio Amateurs, both those new to the hobby and those with a little more experience. Great idea - oh and don't forget the mustard! ------------------------------------------------------------* 2022 Social Scene VK4 - August 6 Redcliffe Club hold Radio display at Altronics Virginia 8.30 AM (vk4bz) VK4 - Redcliffe Club Car Boot Sale Saturday 20th August 9am club house Macfarlane Park, Klingner Road Kippa-Ring. (vk4tfn) VK5 - AREG Car Boot Sale Sept 10 David Roche Park Kilburn (vk5tr) "The Amateur Radio Experimenters Group (AREG) are holding their first annual Adelaide Amateur Radio & Electronics Car Boot Sale - Saturday September 3rd at 10AM at the David Roche Park - Cromwell St, Kilburn. Entry is $5 for buyers and seller car park spaces from $10. There will also be commercial vendor tables, amateur radio displays, plus door prizes and more. For more info or to secure a seller's spot, check out AREG's website at areg.org.au" VK4 - SunFest Sunday 18 September 10:00 AM Mountain Creek State School (noreply email) VK6 - PerthTech October 21-23 (vk6pop) VK7 - November 5 - Tasmanian Amateur Radio Conference Hobart (vk7news) SAVE THAT DATE! For the Tassie Ham Radio Conference & Expo Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th of November 2022 The Radio and Electronics Association of Southern Tasmania Inc (REAST) would like to invite you to the newest and most exciting event on the VK Amateur Radio calendar the Tassie Ham Radio Conference & Expo. It is being held in Hobart at the University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay Campus in the spacious and contemporary Stanley Burbury facility with plenty of free car parking available directly outside the venue. The facility is also only a 20 minute car bus or Uber trip from the airport, flights into Hobart run from all major capital cities and direct to Auckland in NewZealand for all our ZL bros across the ditch, why not come over for a weekend of fun and socialization! There is also plenty of accommodation close by. We have planned a full day of presentations on the Saturday on a huge range of amateur radio topics from presenters from around the world. The Sunday Expo is a full day of Amateur Radio Vendors and Traders and STOP PRESS - ICOM will be there along with many other vendors all eager to sell out their amateur radio products. There will be pre-loved items, fox hunts, trivia sessions, raffles with some very nice prizes along with many information stands including ALARA, Parks, SOTA and much more. Registrations will open shortly for the event and are essential and you can attend in person or online for the Saturday presentations. Take a look at the website reast.asn.au/news-events/tassie-ham-radio-conference-and-expo/ We look forward to seeing you all in Hobart! 73 Tassie Ham Expo Organizing Committee tassiehamexpo@gmail.com VK3 - Rosebud RadioFest November 20 9.3Oam. (vk3pdg) 2023 VK - ALARAMeet2023 4/5 November in HOBART (luther8@bigpond.com) 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 recorded 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) Promote your local rebroadcast; details on wia.org.au/members/broadcast/contribute/ 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 will not give blatant 'plugs' to raffles, be it raffles at the event or "on-line". ------------------------------------------------------------* 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/ Promote your local rebroadcast; details on wia.org.au/members/broadcast/contribute/ 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." 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. ------------------------------------------------------------*