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VK7AX  > NEWS     09.08.08 08:14l 969 Lines 34054 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 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(AT)wia.org.au


 Please.. write your story as you would expect to hear it being read back
 do NOT send us links and url's!!

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------


 WIANews 24/7 with the following bulletin in Audio 
 when you visit the MEMBERS AREA on www.wia.org.au
 This weeks WIANews available in Audio after 0100hrs UTC Saturday.
 http://www.wiaq.com/ftp/wianews_64.mp3             FM Radio quality
 http://www.wiaq.com/ftp/wianews.mp3                AM Radio Quality
 http://www.wia.org.au  (news in member area)       Submit your audio news     
 http://www.wiaq.com/admin/pandaupload.php          Submit your Audio (backup)
 http://www.wiaq.com and click the QNEWS link to see weekly news stats 

 free emailed script    http://lists.wia.org.au/mailman/listinfo/vk1wia-news
 
 Now you can dial this WIANews wherever you are on the
 "gateway dot net dot au" 1300 phone service.
 Dial 1300 558 592 and at the prompt type W.I.A.N. (That's 9426).
 "Standard call rate from fixed home phone, higher from mobiles".





 This is WIANEWS for week commencing Aug 10 2008   
 

 CQ OLYMPIC GAMES

 The Beijing 2008 Olympic Game Special Event Amateur Radio Station set-up
 application was approved by the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of
 the 29th Olympiad and State Radio Regulatory Committee.

 Five call signs will be used: BT1OB, BT1OJ, BT1OH, BT1OY and BT1ON, which
 represent the 5 Beijing Olympic Games symbols.

 The theme is "One world one dream". The stations will be on the air till
 17 September.

 QSL manager is BA4EG. For more details visit http://www.bj2008ses.com.cn.





 NATIONAL NEWS     
 
 Ballot for Two Letter Callsigns - Some More Questions 

 The WIA has answered a number of further questions about the ballot for 
 two letter callsigns. Details were released on 1 August 2008 and placed 
 on the WIA website. Now the same details can be found in the August 
 issue of the WIA's magazine, Amateur Radio, which is now starting to 
 appear in member's letterboxes.

 Michael Owen, VK3KI, President of the Wireless Institute of Australia.
 " May I remind you that the ballot for two letter callsigns being conducted on
 behalf of ACMA by the WIA is now open?

 To participate you must be qualified.  You are qualified to participate if you
 hold or are qualified to hold an advanced licence, you reside permanently in
 Australia and you do not already hold a two letter callsign.

 A list of the available two letter callsigns is on the WIA website, details of
 the ballot process can be found on the WIA and ACMA websites and in August AR,
 which is now being delivered.  The downloadable application form is on the WIA
 website, or may be requested from the WIA office.

 The application t form must be completed and delivered, by hand or mail, to the
 WIA national office by 29 August.  The application must be accompanied by the 
 non refundable payment of $59.74, including GST.

 That charge is reasonably related to the anticipated cost of conducting the 
 ballot.

 The ballot will be conducted by Friday 19 September and letters advising
 participants whether they have been successful or not will be posted by
 24 September.

 Now let me answer briefly a number of questions that have been asked.  The
 answers to these questions are set out in slightly more detail on the WIA
 website.

 Question.  Can someone who is prepared to meet the fee in each case put in
              multiple entries for the ballot?

 The answer is no.

 Can clubs participate in the ballot?  

 The answer is "no".  The principles set by ACMA and the definition of
 eligibility is based on individuals.

 Can someone who has more than one three letter callsign (but no two letter
 callsign) participate in the ballot?

 The answer is "yes".  The application form now asks about callsigns in the
 plural.

 If someone is successful in the ballot, they has only one callsign, can they
 keep their current callsign and have the two letter callsign as an additional
 callsign?

 The answer is "no".  One object of the ballot process is to allow the WIA to
 recommend the allocation of a two letter callsign to an amateur who is going to
 actually use the callsign.

 If someone has more than one three letter callsign and is successful in the
 ballot, what callsign should they surrender?

 We expect licence for the primary callsign, that is, the callsign for the state
 or territory where the amateur is resident and which is ordinarily used, will
 be varied.

 A final note of clarification.

 Further two letter callsigns will become available in the time between the time
 that the list of available callsigns was prepared and the close of applications
 to participate in the ballot on 29 August 2008.  

 Any two letter callsigns that becomes available after the list of available
 callsigns was compiled will remain quarantined until the whole ballot process
 has been completed on 24 October 2008.  They will not be included in the 
 callsigns subject to the ballot.  

 After 24 October 2008 the WIA expects that these two letter callsigns will be
 treated by ACMA in exactly the same way as ACMA treated callsigns before October
 2005, that is, they will be available on a "first come, first served" basis.

 Thank you."





 News from the Sunshine Coast of Queensland.

 WICEN Megastars featured in Emergency Magazine

 The Official Publication of the QLD Department of Emergency Services, Emergency
 Magazine July 2008 edition contains a comprehensive write-up on the efforts of
 the Sunshine Coast Amateur Radio Club's WICEN contingent to successfully
 formalise operations with Emergency Management Queensland's North Coast Region
 along with extending interoperability with Queensland Police Service and
 Australian Red Cross Recom systems.

 In reporting this to WIA News, Townsville Amateur Radio Club say that the
 article includes a full colour photo of some of the guys and girls involved with
 Sunshine Coast WICEN along with the mobile communications centre the club got
 together with local council and community support.

 Very prominent in the middle row is none other than WIA QTAC Co-ordinator
 Bill Sebbens VK4XZ, who is also very well known through Central, North and Far
 North Queensland for his efforts to bolster support for WICEN across the entire
 state.

 Congratulations to everyone involved for a great effort in raising the profile
 of Amateur Radio in Australia !

 (tarc)





 The Amateur Radio community engages in many, many different kinds of activities.

 Sometimes there's a potential clash between one activity and another. Seeking
 to avoid conflicts between various modes and types of operation is the primary
 aim of the amateur band plans.

 But what about some of the common operational aspects such as rag chewing, award
 hunting, contests, nets, WICEN exercises, JOTA, broadcasts and activities.

 Usually these can co-exist with good will. Next weekend sees the running of
 both the Remembrance Day Contest and the International Lighthouse and Lightship
 Weekend.

 Neither can change their dates - the RD Contest is always on the weekend 
 nearest to the cessation of hostilities in the southwest Pacific during 
 World War 2. This year it coincides with the International Lighthouse Weekend.

 Mutual respect should see those engaged in the RD Contest allowing the
 lighthouses to do their thing without being deluged by callers seeking contest
 contacts, and the lighthouses appreciating that the contest runs 24 hours.

 This is particularly important for the traditional Saturday night VK and ZL
 Lighthouse Net from 8pm Australian Eastern Standard Time on 3.585MHz.

 The net is designed to try and keep all the lighthouse people in one place,
 while leaving the rest of the band for those engaged in the RD Contest. 

 All the best for those taking part in the Remembrance Day Contest and the 
 International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend - do enjoy.

 I'm Jim Linton VK3PC and you're listening to VK1WIA.

 Further on the light house weekend came from VK2CE who points out that a
 copycat web site owned by an American lighthouse group is confusing things and
 the only OFFICIAL web site is http://illw.net and has been since 2001





 The Fourth National Radio & Phono Fest

 This occasional event is the largest of its kind in Australia, held once
 every two or three years at University House of the Australian National
 University in Canberra,

 The latest will be on the weekend of the 13th and 14th of September and
 includes displays and talks focusing on radio history, equipment and
 restoration. 

 There are to be four workshops on restoration, fault finding, repair of old
 equipment, a Saturday night dinner and Sunday has a trading market of radio
 and recording.

 More than 300 collectors and enthusiasts from around Australia usually
 attend.
 
 If you're interested then Google    National Radio & Phono Fest    for more
 information.

 (Jim Linton VK3PC)





 HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA. 


 VK2    
 web service:-  http://www.arnsw.org.au/html/news_vk2wi.htm   
 VKG Roundup    http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news 
  

 * * SARCFEST  Sunday 10 August 2008
 All are invited to and reminded of SARCFEST 2008. 



 Manly-Warringah Radio Society

 Next weekend is the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend, and the
 Manly-Warringah Radio Society will once again activate Barrenjoey Lighthouse
 (AU0046) at Palm Beach, in Sydney's north. Axel VK2HXL and Gerard VK2IO will
 also be operating from this location.

 The last time VK2MB was activated at Barrenjoey, the club had to rely on
 battery power, which limited operations. This time, the National Parks and
 Wildlife Service, which manages the lighthouse, has kindly given the club
 access to mains power, so expect a bigger signal from this fine location.

 For more information about the Barrenjoey Lighthouse operation, visit the club
 web site at www.mwrs.org.au
 click on "Special Events", then on the "Lighthouse and Lightship" link.
 Check out the YouTube video, which includes a helicopter fly-past by Yves
 [PRONOUNCED "EVE"] VK2AUJ and Connie VK2CON.

 Callsign in use will be VK2BLH (for Barrenjoey Light House, presumably)
 Bands will be 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m (probably 2m and 70cm as well)
 QSL via buro

 The Manly-Warringah Radio Society meets every Wednesday evening at the
 Warringah Volunteer Services Centre, Thompson Drive off Kamber Road, 
 Terrey Hills. Door open at 7.30 pm for an 8 pm start. If you need directions,
 call in on the club's two metre repeater on 146.875 MHz, or phone 9450-1746 on
 the night. Or you can visit the club's web site at www.mwrs.org.au


 73 Richard VK2SKY, Publicity Officer




 VK3 
 web service:-  http://www.amateurradio.com.au/news/      
 VKC Roundup    http://www.police 
 
 The NORTH EAST RADIO GROUP Inc. (The Nergs) will be holding their AGM 
 on Thursday 14th August 2008 at their Club Rooms, 126 Mountainview Road,
 BRIAR HILL, beginning at 1930 hrs. This will be followed by Birthday
 celebrations and a presentation by Steve on the workings of the 
 VK3RHF repeater system. At the conclusion, supper will be provided.
 All members past and present together with other interested parties
 are invited to attend.   



 Popular VK3 repeater adopts tone access

 The 2-metre repeater VK3RGL at Mt Anakie near Geelong is now fitted with
 the Victorian standard CTCSS tone of 91.5Hz to overcome some site and
 operational problems.

 The main issue was pager and other co-sited services triggering the repeater.
 Another was a clash during enhanced propagation with the VK7RAD Mt Barrow
 repeater in North West Tasmania which shares the same frequency.

 VK3RGL provides good coverage to the Geelong and Melbourne areas on a
 frequency of 147.000MHz with negative off-set.





 EDUCATION YOUTH AND ADVANCEMENT OF AMATEUR RADIO  
 
 Paul Hoffmann VK5PH from the Scout Radio Activities Group says a
 Training & examinations weekend will take place the last weekend of August,
 30 & 31
 Yes the SA Scout Radio Activities Group is conducting another of its Foundation
 License Training and Examinations weekends on the 30th & 31st of August.
 Examinations for all grades & regs will be conducted on Sunday afternoon.
 If you require any more information please email
 vk5ph(AT)wia.org.au




 SUMMERLAND (Lismore Area) FOUNDATION TRAINING / EXAM WEEKEND.
 A very successful and enjoyable weekend WAS had by all AND 2 ops, Tom Sharp
 (10 YEARS OF AGE ) and Peter Reeves were successful.
 Congratulations, we hope to hear you on air soon.  




 A little further north and a call has gone out from the Gold Coast Club
 they wish to keep their examination/teaching crew alert but to do so they
 desperately need prospective candidates!!
 85 Harper Street Nerang on the gold coast most Saturdays you will find the
 club members only to willing to help out!




 Ham College
 August 30th is the next open Exam Day - if you want to sit an exam on this day
 please get in touch with us at hamcollege to book your seat.
 www.hamcollege.com.au 
 or ring direct 0412 704 226.
 




 INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to RSGB, Southgate AR Club, the ARRL, 
 Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART and the WW sources of the WIA.   
      
 Dear Colleagues:

 Please be advised that the IARU Region 3 Web-Site has been relocated to a
 new server with the unique domain name in line with the other IARU family.
 Accessing the old URL http://www.jarl.or.jp/iaru-r3/ will be automatically 
 redirected to the new www.iaru-r3.org server, however, please update your 
 bookmarks accordingly.
 Sincerely, Keigo Komuro, JA1KAB Secretary, IARU Region 3
 mailto:iaru-r3(AT)jarl.or.jp




 New Zealand UHF Animal Tagging

 The Dominion Post has a report about using UHF RFID to tag sheep, cattle and
 deer. The report says 

 "The Government approved $23.3 million in the Budget to help pay for the cost of
 electronically tagging all cattle and deer by 2011. The funding will also cover
 the cost of Farms OnLine, an electronic database mapping out all farms, with
 records of their herds."

 "But a study published by the RFID Pathfinder Group - a non-profit standards
 body - says an opportunity may be missed if "tried and tested" low-frequency
 RFID technology is used for tagging, as currently proposed." 

 The UHF RFID bands favoured by the RFID Group are 860 MHz and 960 MHz in 
 preference to the 125 to 134 kHz system supported by the National Animal 
 Identification and Tracing (NAIT) project. 

 Read the full story at http://www.stuff.co.nz/4633186a3600.html

 RFID Pathfinder Group
 http://www.rfid-pathfinder.org.nz 




 Spectrum for road traffic

 Europe is poised to allocate a slice of the 5.9 Gigahertz band for road
 safety wireless application devices.
 
 With rising petrol and diesel prices, long traffic jams plus severe weather
 affected roads, measures to reduce travel time will result in huge cost
 savings.
 
 The potential exists for wireless devices to help motorists avoid lengthy
 delays.
 
 Smart vehicle communication systems, either automatically car-to-car or via
 traffic control centre broadcasts to warn motorists of hazards ahead will
 open up a range of possibilities.
 
 A European consortium has begun development of products and will welcomes
 the European Commission decision on 5.9 GHz that is due this week.
 
 And the good news is that the band already has users including amateur
 radio, which will continue to have access to the 5.9GHz band.
 
 (vk3pc)





 OPERATIONAL NEWS -  

 ON AIR CONTEST AND EVENT COLUMN -  D A T E  L I N E 
  
 2008   
 
 August        
          16-17 VK Remembrance Day Contest
          16-17 WW International Lighthouse Weekend
          16-17 VU NIAR Silver Jubilee Contest
          30-31 VK A.L.A.R.A Contest     


 October   4- 5 OC Oceania Contests - Phone 0800 UTC Sat until 0800 UTC Sun.
          11-12 OC Oceania Contests - CW    0800 UTC Sat until 0800 UTC Sun.

 
 November 15-16 (Weekend) Spring VHF/UHF Field Day 

 
 well the time is near to the 2008 RD contest.

 Commencing approximately 07:45utc next Saturday the 16th August 2008, we will 
 present the opening address for this years RD Contest. This year the address has
 a special twist to it, which will be a first for the WIA and for Australian
 Amateur Radio, to find out what it is you will have to listen to the Opening
 Address.

 By now most of you will have, and those that have not yet, should have logged
 onto the WIA website, sussed out the RD Contest link and downloaded the 2008
 Rules, Sample Log Sheet, and Cover Sheet.

 Those Electronic loggers have the rest of this week to check and or update your
 software. PLEASE check your version as many of the programs have revisions over
 the last 12 months, log on and download the latest version.

 A memory jogger here, any form of Computer aided assistance are NOT permitted 
 excepting for the use of log keeping. 

 For the Clubs and multiple operators, please be aware that only 1 Transmitter on
 the SAME HF Band / Mode at anyone time. However you are permitted to run several
 TX's  as long as each TX is on a different band.

 Be sure to clarify your operation, from the chart at the bottom of the 2008 RD
 Contest Rules in which section you wish to enter. ANY Doubts PLEASE Email ASAP
 at vk4od(AT)wia.org.au  

 I would ask you all to remember to get your logs away on time, as any logs sent
 by Snail Mail or Electronically, that are received after the closing date will 
 be returned. 

 For the email dispatched logs, PLEASE only use the following email address that
 is  rdlogs(AT)wia.org.au , once again this year several helpers are keeping tabs on
 who is sending in their Electronic logs, this way we can compare log numbers.
 
 Logs being sent by Australia Post please send them to "RD Contest Manager c/o
 40 Centaurus Cres, Regents Park QLD 4118. Please ensure that a return address is
 on the back of the envelope,( over the last couple of years many did not
 comply.)

 This year the International Lighthouse event is on the same weekend as the RD
 Contest, I would like to suggest that all and any operators take time out to
 work in both events.

 Good luck and may you have many contacts, I'm Peter VK4OD Contest Manager.





 Invitations to lighthouse activation

 For next weekend's International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend, Amateur
 Radio Victoria VK3WI will activating the Williamstown Lighthouse & Timeball
 Tower. 

 Event Coordinator Terry Murphy VK3UP says it will operating on the 20, 40
 and 80 metre bands as well as VHF and UHF.

 Everyone is welcome to pop down and support the activity, particularly
 those who have joined amateur radio recently or just want to see how a
 portable station operates.

 The QTH is Point Gellibrand at Williamstown, in Melbourne's inner
 southwest, just across the Westgate Bridge or Melway 56 Foxtrot 10. 

 And a reminder that contact with VK3WI at Williamstown also qualifies as
 the City of Hobsons Bay for the Victorian Local Government Award. 
 
 North to Brisbane and the Bayside Amateur Radio Club will operate during the
 lighthouse weekend from Cleveland Lighthouse ( AU 0014 ) on Cleveland Point
 for the duration of the event and the club callsign VK4BAR will be active on
 all recommended frequencies.

 QSL via PO Box 411 Capalaba, Queensland. 4157 or buro.


 (Jim Linton VK3PC - Peter Black VK4VY -)





 SPECIAL EVENTS, BEACON AND NET ADVICE  
 hf nets ON the net,  www.timroberts-vk4yeh.id.au/
 
 9M1CS* 18 Scouting stations (* Apart from 9M1CSS in 9M6 all
                                others are 9M2 stations.
                                QSL via 9m2 bureau)                 Until Dec 31

 BT1OB, BT1OJ, BT1OH, BT1OY and BT1ON. Beijing Olympic Games
 The last letter of the callsign corresponds to the Chinese
 name for the colour of each of the rings of the Olympic flag       Until Sep 17  

  C   4 EURO  E-Day,  1st of January currency changes to Euro.      Until Dec 31

 EI 100    S  Jamboree 2008 Punchestown race course in Ireland.         Aug 2-10
 
 
 PY 100   JA  Centenary of first Japanese immigration to Brazil.    Until Dec 31
  
 
 TS  1  CUBS  Cub Scout Mediterranean Camp station.                     Aug 6-15 





 Finally OPERATIONALY SPEAKING, on the Intruder watch scene, and it's great to
 know VK has had no reports of intruders for well over 14 months now! Well other
 than the "shemozzle" being caused by headphone transmitters to the Brisbane
 147.000 repeater frequency!
 

 HOWEVER IN eIRLAND A NEW IARUMS Co-Ordinator has been selected for EI

 

 EI 4 GXB has been appointed the new International Amateur Radio
 Union Monitoring System Co-ordinator for Ireland. The IARUMS does NOT deal
 with licensed amateurs who do not follow IARU rules, band plans etc. and is
 only directed against intruders such as broadcast stations, harmonics from
 broadcast stations (usually from 40 meters appearing on 20 meters or 15
 meters), military, diplomatic and illicit private broadcasts, on our hard
 fought for amateur bands.  IARUMS has a well-documented system of successful
 actions taken against intruders on the amateur bands, the latest from EI
 being the church broadcasts on 10 metres FM.

 The general release of the 70 MHz band and the allocation of frequencies at
 5 MHz from COMREG, shows the continual hard work being carried out by the
 IRTS to protect and enhance the amateur bands for all experimenters in
 Ireland.
 

 And as we go a reminder in Australia the address to report intrusions to is
 intruders(AT)wia.org.au
 

 Region III IARUMS Coordinator B.L.Manohar (Arasu) VU2UR
 r3msc_iaru(AT)rediffmail.com

 IARU Monitoring System International Coordinator:-
 Robert E. Knowles, ZL1BAD.

 Len Martinson,  ZL1BYA, is Monitoring Service co-ordinator for the NZART.
 Lenmart(AT)clear.net.nz
     
 VK National Coordinator = Karl Hennig VK6XW    intruders(AT)wia.org.au

 VK IARUMS reflector email to subscribe intruders(AT)wia.org.au

 VK Coordinators for I.A.R.U.M.S.
 VK3TZE  Jimmy           intruders(AT)wiavic.org.au
 VK5EV   John
 VK7BBW  Paul            vk7bbw(AT)bigpond.com


 IARUMS NETS
 Friday 0730 UTC 7.065.5 with VK4CEU David.  


 Amateur exclusive frequencies where any non-amateur signal is definitely an
 intruder.

 Exclusive amateur only 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  





 NOW ROBERT BROOMHEAD - VK3KRB. 

 WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ARDF
 WIA ARDF COORDINATOR VK3WWW  Jack vk3www(AT)alphalink.com.au
 http://users.mackay.net.au/~ron/
 http://www.homingin.com
 http://www.ardf.org.au 

 Time to get ready for Radio Direction Finding "Fun in the Sun"

 If you are in the vicinity of the Townsville Region on Saturday September 6th,
 then you will be in for a real treat as the first in a long time of many
 Foxhunts will be happening.
 Tony VK4TJS has planning underway for the Foxhunt which will include things to
 involve the whole family to start from the Ross Dam car park from 2pm.




 WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ATV (Every pixel tells a story)   

 Again live video and audio of the 2008 Huntsville, Alabama Hamfest via the
 internet begins on Friday Aug 15 at 1300 UTC. 

 Hams will be able to join in with a real time chat room while they are 
 watching the video. Viewers will also be randomly selected throughout 
 the days and be eligible to win a great prize Sunday afternoon.

 Video quality should be many times better than past hamfests.
 
 Watch as "helmet cam" takes you on a virtual tour of all the tables and booths.

 http://wa5kub.com <http://wa5kub.com/
 
 (Tom Medlin,  W5KUB)




 WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- DIGITAL
 
 ==> HF DIGITAL VOICE PROGRAMS ONCE AGAIN AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD 

 Citing codec (coding/decoding) licensing issues, three free Windows
 programs for sound card-based HF digital voice were yanked from their
 download site for a short time recently, surprising hams who are
 interested in HF digital voice operation; several online groups that
 supported the software were also closed for a short time.

 WinDRM, DRMDV and FDMDV, all written by Cesco Lanza, HB9TLK, used a
 codec that was developed for the US Department of Defence and NATO.
 Rights to various forms of the codec are held by several companies.
 According to Gary Pearce, KN4AQ, the companies have "winked" at ham
 radio use for several years, but a recent complaint caused the programs
 to be pulled from the download site. "Lanza did a quick rewrite to use
 an open-source codec, and now WinDRM and FDMDV are back," Pearce said.
 "DRMDV, an intermediate program between the other two, has been
 abandoned. WinDRM could always use the open-source Speex codec, but
 FDMDV users will need to download the new version."

 Pearce said these three programs all allow hams to transmit and receive
 digital voice by connecting their PC sound card to an ordinary SSB
 transceiver: "The result has been surprisingly high quality audio, with
 virtually no noise -- sort of like listening to FM, but in the narrow
 bandwidth of a sideband signal. WinDRM, the best sounding program, uses
 2.5 kHz of spectrum. FDMDV sounds a little rougher, but uses only 1.1
 kHz of spectrum. They both use OFDM modulation, a set of close-spaced
 carriers that are each modulated with a little bit of data to add up to
 the final digital signal. The main problem with HF digital voice is that
 it needs fairly strong signals. FDMDV works better with weaker signals
 than WinDRM."

 Pearce said that none of the available open-source codecs work as well
 as the old one: "MELP <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MELP>, or Mixed
 Excitation Linear Prediction, was designed specifically for
 high-quality, low data-rate voice communication. So the on-air audio
 might suffer some with the new version. Digital voice users have been
 waiting and hoping for someone to concentrate on developing a codec
 optimised for ham radio use, but none has been forthcoming."
 
 FDMDV and WinDRM can both be downloaded from Jason Buchanan's, N1SU, Web
 site <http://www.n1su.com/>.
 
 The AOR digital voice modems and D-STAR radios both use the AMBE 2020
 vocoder, and are not affected by the coding changes; the AMBE 2020
 vocoder is a proprietary chip that is embedded in each unit.
 
 For more information on WinDRM, check out QST Editor Steve Ford's,
 WB8IMY, article ["Life Could Be a DReaM," pages 38-40] in the April 2007
 issue of QST.




 WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FEMALES IN RADIO
 ALARA - AUSTRALIAN LADIES AR ASSOCIATION
 http://alara.org.au
 Net is held each Mondays on 3.580 MHz, commencing at 1030 UTC.
 (1000utc during daylight saving)
 geencee(AT)picknowl.com.au
 

 An International YL Meet is scheduled to be held in South Africa during
 October when YLs and their partners will be arriving in ZS from Japan, Korea,
 Germany, Sweden, Norway, Canada, Australia and France.

 The tour starts on 3 0ctober 2008.

 Janet, ZS5JAN, and Vee, ZS6ZEN, are organisers of this International YL Meet
 South Africa.
 
 Local radio amateurs have been invited to join the international group at
 various points during their tour of South Africa and a gala dinner
 happens on October 4. 

 For details and to book contact: Vee, ZS6ZEN, fax 088 011 675 2793 for the
 Johannesburg and Cape Town events and Janet, ZS5JAN, on 082 321 1158 for
 the Durban event.




 WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER 

 AMSAT-VK UNOFFICIAL HF Net.
 2nd Sunday each month.
 November through March 0900 UTC 7.068 MHz
 April through October  1000 UTC 3.685 MHz    

 CAPE CANAVERAL.
 
 Richard Garriott will make history as the first child of an American astronaut
 to rocket into orbit, and his dad will keep in touch with him during his time in
 space.

 Garriott is set to fly aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the international
 space station in October.
 
 The elder Garriott will be at Russian Mission Control outside Moscow during the
 10-day mission. The two hope to speak frequently.
 
 Father and son also will speak via ham radio. Owen Garriott made the first ham
 radio call from space during a shuttle flight in 1983.




 HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  NEW P5-A MOVIE ON YOUTUBE

 Amsat says that its Phase 5-A will be the first spacecraft built by radio
 amateurs to go to the Red planet and now there's a movie about it.  
 
 Produced by AMSAT Germany and covers almost every aspect of the AMSAT
 organization since its very beginning before taking us through the development
 cycle of P5-A.




 WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- INTERNET --- THE HAMS DOMAIN  
   
 China now has the world's largest net-using population, say official figures.
 In a report on the BBC more than 253 million people in the country are now 
 said to be online, according to statistics from the China Internet Network
 Information Centre. 

 The figure is 30 million higher than the US mustered in June, according to
 Nielsen Online. 
 
 About 95% of those going online connect via high-speed links. Take up of
 broadband has been boosted by deals offered by China's fixed line phone firms
 as they fight to win customers away from mobile operators. 




 WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO SCOUTING
 http://www.scouts.com.au
 http://www.scout.org/jota
 http://www.wiaq.com/nationalnews/jotahead.htm

 SCOUT JOTA HF Voice Calling Frequencies
  3590 primary, 3.650 secondary, 7090, 14190, 21190, 28590 kHz
 14290, 18140, 21360, 24960, 28390 kHz (DX)
   

 TS28ASJ is a special event callsign from the 28th Arab Scout Jamboree in
 Tunisia that was active until Saturday 2nd August. 

 TS1CUBS is the Cub Scout Mediterranean Camp station. TS1CUBS will be on the
 air from 6th to 15th August. 

 http://www.scouts.org.tn/




 WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RESCUE RADIO

 EMERGENCY FREQUENCIES REGION ONE
  21.360  -  18.160  -  14.300  -  7.060  -  3.760 MHz.  
 

 Orissa State Disaster Mitigation Authority in India has decided to install
 21 HAM radios in seven districts, including six coastal ones. 

 Informing this, the Manager of OSDMA, said the decision was taken as the amateur
 radio network can easily communicate when other communication services fail
 during natural disasters like cyclone, tsunami, storm and earthquake.
 
 The scientists and officials of the National Institute of Amateur Radio (NIAR),
 Hyderabad, trained 100 youths of the coastal pockets of Orissa in 2007- 08 to
 operate HAM radios during emergency.




 SOCIAL SCENE        
 

 Aug 10  VK2
 SARCFEST the Summerland area HamFest at Richmond Hill Lismore


 Aug 24  VK2
 WINTERFEST the Blue Mountains ARC Hamfest Glenbrook Scout Hall
 Email Address : bmarc-webmanager(AT)bmarc.org
 

 Sept 13  VK4 
 The Sunshine Coast Amateur Radio club Sunfest at Woombye hall .
 contact Harry VK4TK at vk4tk(AT)dodo.com.au 
 or  0 40 94 880 25
 

 Sept 13 -14  VK7
 Alarameet 2008 in Ulverstone Tasmania
 Susan Brain VK7LUV 0400-173280 or
 vk7luv_susan(AT)yahoo.com.au



 Sept 19-21  VK4
 Central Highland Amateur Radio Club AGM, Monster Auction and Gathering at
 Camp Fairbairn near Emerald. Gordon VK4KAL telephone 07 4985 4168


 Oct 11 & 12  VK4
 Dalby and Sunshine coast October Camp, Lake Dyer near Laidley.
 Neil VK4NF holmzie(AT)bigpond.com         07 4662 4950

 
 Oct 26  VK3
 B.A.R.G. Hamvention Ballarat  held at the Great Southern Woolshed approx 3kms
 from Ballarat CDB, located on the Melbourne side of Ballarat on the western
 highway.  General public admitted at 10-00am.
 Door prizes, raffles good food and fellowship  
 dougr(AT)ncable.net.au



 Nov 9 VK5
 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society will hold their Bigger Better Buy and
 sell day Sunday November 9 at Goodwood community centre, Rosa St.  



 2009
 
 International Telecommunication Union's Telecom World 2009.


 Feb 8 2009  VK2
 WYONG FIELD DAY


 June 5 - 8 2009  VK4
 FNNQARG at Cardwell Village Beachcomber Resort book on 1800 005633
 Contact FNNQARG co-ordinator Gavin VK4ZZ for site booking guidance.


 OCT 12 - 16 2009  ZL
 14th IARU R3 Conference Christchurch 12 ? 16 October 2009.
 Details at www.christchurch.org.nz/
 The Region 3 Web Site: www.jarl.or.jp/iaru-r3/

 
 
 =========================================================================
		

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 The purpose of "WIANews" is to rapidly provide news of interest to
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 and participation in the activities of  local clubs. 

 Opinions expressed in "WIANews" are those of the writers who submit
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 Material may be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form, a credit to
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 Compiled by VK4BB on behalf of the National WIA.

      
 
 Please think of the environment before printing this email 



 **************************************************
           - NEWS POSTING TO PACKET - 
 Courtesy Tony VK7AX  VK7AX(AT)VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC 

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