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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!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is WIANEWS for week commencing Dec 21 2008
Good morning I'm Michael Owen VK3KI President of the WIA.
This is the last broadcast before Christmas.
Next Tuesday the 23 December, the office will close, to re-open in January.
Listen to next week's broadcast when I will tell you when in January!
It is right and proper that the WIA extends Christmas greetings to all
amateurs and particularly to its members.
It is also right and proper that at this time of the year we acknowledge
those who give their time and skills for our benefit.
Let me thank you, Graham Kemp and your helpers for making these broadcasts
possible.
Let me thank all of you who look after our QSL service, particularly
Manager Neil Penfold and outwards QSL, the Westlakes club.
Let me thank the Editor of AR Peter Freeman, retiring Call Book Editor
Brenda Edmonds and the rest of the Publications Committee.
A particular thank you to Chris Flak, for providing the bookshop, a great
service for members.
Let me thank all the managers and coordinators, who look after our awards
and contest, ARISS, provide the club coordination, AMSAT, ARDF, the
National Technical Advisory Committee and the Beacon and Repeater licensing,
coordinate D-Star, look after the web page, and so many tasks and services.
Let me thank those whose work is so often unseen, those who deal with
standards. EMC, EMR and BPL, and those who deal with ITU matters, including
Keith Malcolm, David Wardlaw, John Bishop, Brett Dawson, Gilbert Hughes,
Phil Wait and many others.
To our RTO Fred Swainston, to all the Nominated Assessors, WIA Assessors and
Learning Facilitators, all who make our exam service work, thank you.
To our Advisory Committees, particularly in Queensland, South Australia and
Western Australia, thank you.
Let me also thank our staff, Dianne and Margaret, both of whom have brought
a dedication to a what is now much more than just a job.
Let me also thank the directors and secretary, whose commitment, like the
broadcasts and Pubcom, is consistent.
To all of you, my thanks, and to everyone, for myself and the directors and
secretary of the WIA I wish you a Merry Christmas.
VK1WIA News Service Schedule
Please note that there will be VK1WIA bulletins as usual over the Christmas
New Year period.
HOWEVER anyone with news of events taking place between now and 11 January
should send it to nationalnews(AT)wia.org.au as soon as possible.
If your local RF rebroadcaster is taking a break, you will be able to pick
up the news on a myriad of stations, just check the web site wia.org.au
for where and when or even download the mp3 also from wia.org.au
Policy on Club Advertising in AR magazine
For some time, it has been clear to the Publications Committee that there was
a need to develop an official policy to clearly state to affiliated Clubs
what they can expect with respect to the placement of advertising material in
Amateur Radio (AR) magazine.
Following several drafts and much discussion, the policy has been finalised
and has been confirmed by the WIA Board of Directors.
The new policy came into effect on 1 December 2008, which means that the
policy will be applicable to all issues of AR magazine from the
January/February 2009 issue.
Much of the material in the early part of the policy describes the normal
advertising options that are available in AR, including the standard
advertising rates. The advertising rates are subject to review each year.
There are sections of the policy which outline the concessions available to
affiliated clubs.
Basically, each affiliated club is eligible to place an advertisement of up
to one half page, in black and white, once per year, subject to space being
available and the material being booked early enough for production planning
purposes. Eligibility will be determined by the Editor.
Clubs can book colour pages, but will be charged the appropriate fee. Clubs
can also book a larger space, again subject to the appropriate fee.
All inserts (or fliers) have always been placed at the cost of the club -
this policy has not changed.
The full policy document is available from the AR magazine section of the WIA
website:
www.wia.org.au
Any enquiries regarding the policy should be directed to the Editor:
editor-armag(AT)wia.org.au
(Ted Thrift VK2ARA WIA Clubs Co-ordinator)
WOULD YOU REPEAT REPEAT REPEAT THAT PLEASE
In VK6 there is news of 2 - make that 3 - repeaters returning to air,
VK6RLM has been moved to Walliston, which it now shares with the D-Star
repeaters. Some minor work still needs to be done in the way of cavities
and links to restore it to it's full working mode.
In the Southwest VK6RBY Bunbury has returned to activity on 146.650 with a
negative offset. The time out is 5 minutes and there is a courtesy tone
that pips when the mute closes. Signal reports would be appreciated.
In Geraldton VK6ROO has returned to service. This is the one on the
Wheat bins at the southern end of Geraldton. It is on 146.775 with a
negative offset.
And for something different, For those interested in the history of
domestic/broadcast radio etc in WA, the Light & Sound Discovery Centre at
the Fremantle History Museum is running an exhibition from now until
February 15th. I had the opportunity to check it out briefly, and I think
it is worth a look - they have examples of early WA-made sets like the
Mulgaphone, Airporte and Baty Phone models, and a range of other items,
including early televisions, gramophones & the like.
The exhibition is entitled "From Wireless to Radio" and aims to be of
general interest to the public, but there is enough of the technical side
on display to gain an insight. I found the curator (Richard) most
knowledgeable & happy to talk in more detail about the exhibits.
The Fremantle History Museum is at 1 Finnerty St (part of the Freo Arts
Centre complex) - the exhibition is open Mon-Fri 10:30 to 4:30, and weekends
1:00-5:00 until February 15th, when the display will be changed. Best of
all, entry is free!
My thanks to VK6AXB for drawing this to my attention.
Finally, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all regular and
irregular listeners to this news service.
Dennis J Muldownie
vk6kad(AT)iinet.net.au
St. Maksymilian Maria Kolbe (SP3RN)
Recently we ran the story on 'Ham Radios Patron Saint!'
The article briefly explained how, during the WW2 German occupation of
Poland, a ham radio priest, Fr. Maximilian Kolbe, SP3RN was arrested by
the Germans and later executed. He was canonized by Pope John Paul II as
Saint Maximilian Kolbe in 1982.
Henryk Zwolski, SP9JPA, says that you can now read the full story of this
amazing man on his blog.
Although the majority of the page is written in Polish, just scroll down
about 2/3 of the way and you will find the article in English, under the
title 'St. Maksymilian Maria Kolbe (SP3RN)'.
It makes for fascinating reading!
http:/sp9jpa.blogspot.com
EDUCATION YOUTH AND ADVANCEMENT OF AMATEUR RADIO
www.hamcollege.com.au
As a joint venture the Liverpool & Districts ARC together with Fishers Ghost
ARC will be running a Foundation Licence Course on 17 and 18 January.
Standard Licence assessments will also be made on Sunday 18th.
Details are available from both Clubs from Wal Kelly VK2ZWK
on Tel: 46 26 8423 (h)
or
Garry Barker VK2TSR
on Tel: 9896 5763 (h).
IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR
Melbourne's Eastern And Mountain District Radio Club recently presented
Ross VK3UB with a Family Award in recognition of his contribution to
Amateur Radio. All members of Ross's family are now licensed Amateurs and it
is one more ex-ample of the spirit of amateur radio and the success of the
Foundation license as a launching pad for young amateurs.
Joining the ranks of our wonderful hobby is Carolyn VK3FILE, Christopher
VK3FUSE Hayley VK3FFUN and of course not forgetting the one who started
this revolution - Ross VK3UB.
THE SIMPSONS TAKE UP HAM RADIO
The Simpson's I'm speaking off have just featured in QST magazine and are
infact both school teachers who live in VK2 their three daughters are
also licensed. This past USA spring, Alicia, VK2FALI, 9, gave a ham radio
demo to her Fourth Grade class which included a contact to the Phoenix area.
Walt Davidson - KC70MZ - says the Las Vegas reflector has been kind enough
to let them use that channel every morning and the school demo went out
over the US airwaves and included every one of the Simpson family!
(www.phoenixdownunder.net)
Last EMDRC Foundation Licence Training Course For 2008
Would you or someone you know, like attend a foundation license training
course and assessment taking place during the Christmas / New Year Holiday
Period?
If so, then the Eastern and Mountain District Radio Club extends to you an
invitation to attend our final Foundation training course and assessment for
2008.
The training course will be held at the EMDRC clubrooms McCubbin street
Burwood starting 9:00am on Saturday the 27th of December, with the
assessments taking place on the morning of Sunday the 28th of December. Your
course instructors will be Robert Broomhead VK3DN and Peter Elton VK3KG
It is important that all course participants have obtained a copy of the
Foundation Licence Handbook prior to the course and those undertaking an
assessment are reminded to bring with them one form of identification and
a current passport size photograph to be included with your application
for your ACMA certificate.
So if you or someone you know is free over the weekend of the 27th / 28th
and would to undertake the EMDRC's Foundation course and assessment, then
please send an email to vk3dn(AT)wia.org.au or call 0403066686 to book your
place.
BANGLADESH RESUMES HAM TESTING
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission has resumed amateur
radio license testing after a gap of four years. A test session was held
on November 27th using a computer based testing system that required 18
correct answers of 33 questions on the exam.
A total of 84 candidates took the exam and 62 passed. This equates to 62
new S 21 prefix stations soon to be on the air. The administration of ham
radio exams in Bangladesh had been suspended in 2004.
(S21RB)
STUDY GRANT FOR A FIRST YEAR STUDENT TO STUDY ELECTRONICS
The South African Amateur Radio Development Trust has invited students who
are licensed radio amateurs and who are planning to enter University or a
University of Technology for the first time next year to study electronics
or communication to apply for the S.A.A.R.D.T. Study grant.
The 2009 grant is R10 000.
Full details on www.amateurradio.org.za
ENGINEERED...A WEEK OF WONDER!
Engineers Ireland will host a ''week of wonder'' for Primary and Post Primary
students in February 2009. I.R.T.S. in collaboration with Engineers Ireland
will run a number of workshops at Engineers Ireland's Dublin headquarters.
These will consist of a two-hour, hands on, programme which will act as in
introduction to communications and radio technology.
The Irish Society also intends to package the programme so that clubs around
the country will be able to run similar workshops.
On behalf of the VK6 portion of the WIA news broadcast and my family I
would like to wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and
Safe & Happy New Year.
Kylea VK6XYL
INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to RSGB, Southgate AR Club, the ARRL,
Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART and the WW sources of the WIA.
Hawk with transmitters found in India close to the border with Pakistan.
The dead hawk has aroused considerable curiosity among security agencies.
Police said on closer inspection, the bird was fitted with a transmitter and
antennae tied to its tail and wings. The transmitters and antennae were sent
to a Forensic Science Laboratory for inspection to find out the makeup
of the instruments and whether the bird could have been used for spying.
(Hindu Times)
=============================================================================
RSGB NEWS FROM G4NJH
South Africa to launch satellite
South Africa's second satellite carrying an amateur radio element
is now scheduled to be launched on 25th March.
SumbandilaSat will carry an FM voice repeater with an uplink in
the 2 metre band and a downlink in the 440MHz amateur allocation.
Also on board will be a store and forward voice digipeater. This
unit acts as a parrot, immediately repeating back transmissions
beamed to it in the same way a packet digipeater repeats back
data. Finally, there will also be a beacon system, which will be
voice rather than the more common Morse.
More details can be found at www.amsatsa.org.za.
=============================================================================
NEWS FROM ARNEWSLINE
RENO TV STATION HONORS HAM RADIO EMCOMM
Ham radio operators providing emergency communications was also the theme
of a 2 minute news report over NBC television affiliate KRNV in Reno
Nevada. One of those featured was Amateur Radio Newsline's Don Carlson,
KQ6FM., who explained to reporter Lemor Shlomof the way in which hams
helped loved ones learn about the health and welfare in a disaster
area. The story also featured Jack Goetz, WA2FDK, who has been a ham
since 1934 reminiscing about the old days of the hobby. This was a very
positive story about ham radio at a truly fun time of year. Our thanks to
KRVN for permission to use the audio clips heard in this vk1wia report.
=============================================================================
OPERATIONAL NEWS -
ON AIR CONTEST AND EVENT COLUMN - D A T E L I N E
2009
JAN 1 ROSS HULL Contest starts
Jan 10 - 11 Hunting Lions in the air.
JAN 17 - 18 Summer VHF Field Day
FEB 28 - Mar 1 JOCK WHITE MEMORIAL FIELD DAY
Running till Dec 31 2009 is the 4th CQ DX Marathon
Radio Club Slovenj Gradec - S59DCD's contest manager would like to introduce
a brand new World Wide HF contest dedicated to a noble idea of
PEACE MESSENGER CITY association, which was founded within the United
Nations. World Wide Peace Messenger City Contest - WWPMC.
2009 CQ DX Marathon
The fourth running of the CQ DX Marathon begins at 0000 UTC on January 1,
and runs through 2359 UTC on December 31, 2009.
The goal, as always, is to work as many countries and CQ zones as possible
at least once during the calendar year.
The only change from the 2008 rules is that the prohibition on assistance,
such as lists and passes, for the Unlimited Class is deleted (the limitation
remains in effect for the Formula Class).
Once again use a downloadable Microsoft Excel template which may
be filled in and e-mailed to a special address as your log entry.
For complete details, please visit the following
Web page at: http://cq-amateur-radio.com/DX%20Marathon%20Rules%20Dec08.pdf
2009 HUNTING LIONS IN THE AIR CONTEST
The 38th Annual Hunting Lions in the Air contest will take place on
the weekend of January 10 and 11th, 2009.
This annual event is "To create and foster a spirit of International
understanding and cooperation" among Radio Amateurs and Lions through
worldwide radio communication.
The contest is to commemorate the birthday of the founder of Lionism,
Melvin Jones, born in the USA January 13, 1879.
more info from lionajoy(AT)gmail.com or, lions(AT)vsnl.net
Oh and EchoLink is also able to be used in this contest.
SPECIAL EVENTS, BEACON DX 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
C 4 EURO E-Day, 1st of January currency changes to Euro. Until Dec 31
ON 55 INR marks start of TV broadcasting from Brussels Until Dec 31
PY 100 JA Centenary of first Japanese immigration to Brazil. Until Dec 31
VI 90 BV Waverley Amateur Radio Society 90th Birthday JAN 1-DEC 31 2009
E 44 M The Holy Land
A licence to operate from Palestine has been granted to an Italian team, and
the period of their first activity will be from January 1 to January 11.
The callsign is E44M and it covers from 160 meters to 2 meters SSB, CW, RTTY
and all digital modes with a maximum power of 1KW.
They will have 3 stations active with beams, verticals and wire antennas.
CHU to move 41 metre frequency
On January 1, 2009 at 00:00 UTC, CHU will be moving it's 41 metre
time broadcast from 7335 KHz to 7850 KHz as a result of the 2007 WRC
which relocated the band 7300-7350 KHz from Fixed services to Broadcasting.
As a result of increased interference, the National Research Council (NRC)
decided to change frequency at the same time a refurbished transmitter
will be installed.
As part of the 40-meter expansion, the international broadcast band
was shifted to 7200-7350 kHz. As broadcasters began relocating, CHU
on 7335 began experiencing significant interference. Thus, officials
at Canada's National Research Council, which operates CHU, decided to
move the time/frequency standard station's transmissions to 7850 kHz
as of the beginning of 2009.
FREE MAPS!!
Tim, EI8IC, has a great collection of the most comprehensive
prefix maps on the Web; now available for F-R-E-E to download.
There are 34 new maps available separately or in a combined zipped
archive. EI8IC also has a unique IOTA Bearing List which has been updated
with all the latest IOTA island numbers. You can create your own list of
beam headings and distance in miles or kilometres to ALL of the IOTA
island groups.
He also has maps for CQ Zones, ITU Zones, ITU Regions, Grid Squares,
ARRL Sections and much more. Visit the following Web page
at:
http://www.mapability.com/ei8ic/index.html
MEDIA WATCH
Amateur Radio magazine for December is now out. This Christmas issue has
extra pages and many more of them are in colour. Nip down to the newsagents
and get your copy now, before they are all gone.
Perhaps the most frequent contributor to Amateur Radio magazine, over a
number of years, has been Drew Diamond VK3XU. In this issue there are not
one, but two, articles by Drew. He tackles the noise problem that always
troubles operators on 1.8 MHz, the lowest amateur band, with an active
loop-stick antenna. The article tells all you need to build one of these,
with circuit and construction details, operating instructions and advice on
parts selection.
Then, Drew VK3XU provides some excellent advice on frequency counters - in
particular, how well you can rely on their accuracy. To overcome such
uncertainties, Drew describes in detail how to build your own highly
accurate crystal reference oscillator. And once you have built it and checked
its performance, how to use it to calibrate your counter. Everything is
there: circuit , construction details with photos and a very useful list of
references.
Amateur Radio magazine is usually a smorgasbord as the WIA try to include
something to interest everyone. If your special interest is not covered,
please write and tell the Editor Peter Freeman. Or better still, write an
article for the magazine on that special topic - all the articles (and the
regular columns) are written by Amateur Radio readers.
Orders are flowing in for the 2009 WIA Callbook. It will be available in the
first week of December, and contains right-up-to-date call listings plus all
kinds of other useful information for the radio amateur.
Here's wishing all readers of Amateur Radio a Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year. It is hard work sometimes but we volunteers at the
Publications Committee enjoy bringing you this quality magazine, which we
are always aiming to improve. And thanks Mike VK1OO, we do appreciate the
occasional pat on the back.
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
17th IARU Region 1 Amateur Radio Direction Finding Championships
Bulgarian Federation of Radio Amateurs, the B.F.R.A. is pleased to invite
ARDF teams, individual competitors and visitors from IARU Region 1
as well as guests from all over the world to 17th IARU Region 1 ARDF
Championships to be held in Bulgaria September 16-21.
BFRA is proud to host that event in a jubilee year marking 50 years ARDF
activity in Bulgaria (1959 - 2009)
bfra_hq(AT)hotmail.com
www.bfra.org
www.ardf2009.eu
www.hst2009.eu
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- CW
http://fistsdownunder.morsekeys.com
http://www.fistsdownunder.org
http://www.hamradio.hr/ctc
8th World High Speed Telegraphy Championship
Bulgarian Federation of Radio Amateurs (BFRA) is pleased to invite High Speed
Telegraphy (HST) teams, individual competitors and visitors/guests from all
over the world to 8th World HST Championship to be held in Bulgaria 11-15
September.
Championship will be held in Obzor, situated at Black Sea coast, 60 km south
of Varna and 60 km north of Burgas. Obzor is a relatively small town
(population 2400), but one of well known Bulgarian sea resorts.
E-mail: bfra_hq(AT)hotmail.com
Websites:
www.bfra.org
www.hst2009.eu
www.ardf2009.eu
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RESCUE RADIO
EMERGENCY FREQUENCIES ALL REGIONS
21.360 - 18.160 - 14.300 - 7.060 - 3.760 MHz.
REGION 2 TRY ALSO 3.985 - 7.240 - 7.290
New sponsor for canoe marathon
The Amateur Radio Victoria website is advising that the Y.M.C.A. will take
over the running of the Murray River Marathon from 2009.
The Red Cross, which decided in July to end its 40 year association with the
event, reports that the number of paddler registrations are already well up
on this time last year.
It plans to have a wonderful 40th anniversary celebration at the end of the
event which starts on Boxing Day at Tocumwal and concludes on New Year's Eve
at Swan Hill.
The Murray River Canoe Marathon continues to be a major training exercise
for WICEN which will again have radio amateurs on land and water providing
safety and logistics communications.
The Amateur Radio community, through WICEN, is registered as a resource to
be called upon by the Tasmania Fire Service should the need arise. In recent
years this has been through the provision of relief radio operators for
Incident Management Teams established to oversee the control of major fires.
WICEN maintains a list of Amateurs who have indicated it's worth giving them
a call should the need arise. Being on the list is not a commitment to
being available, but simply a means of narrowing down the list of
potentials.
Physical capability is not normally an issue.
Maturity and a calm demeanour is.
Equipment and meals are provided by the Tas Fire Service.
The role is to pass messages between Control and fire ground personnel.
A training session was held for hams recently in Tasmania
WICEN Tasmania (South) - Next Hands-On Workshop
The next hands on workshop will be on January 24th. It will look at power
cables, fuses, connectors and emergency power supplies, with the usual
WICEN emphasis on mobile and portable operations.
The recently introduced Radio Amateurs of Canada ARES Operations Training
Manual has met with widespread approval from the Amateur Radio community
and is even being requested by Emcomm groups in other countries.
Plansare that it will be printed in a handy and portable hard copy form
early in 2009. Once published, the new training resource will be offered
on the RAC On-Line Store.
It will continue to be available for downloading, free of charge, at
rac.ca
http://www.rac.ca/fieldorg/RACARESTrainingManual.htm
SOCIAL SCENE
Dec 27 VK5
AS-LAN #10 takes place in Adelaide.
2009
International Telecommunication Union's Telecom World 2009.
As a joint venture the Liverpool & Districts ARC together with Fishers Ghost
ARC will be running a Foundation Licence Course on 17 and 18 January.
Standard Licence assessments will also be made on Sunday 18th.
Details are available from both Clubs from Wal Kelly VK2ZWK
on Tel: 46 26 8423 (h)
or
Garry Barker VK2TSR
on Tel: 9896 5763 (h).
JANUARY 18 2009 VK2
Mid North Coast Amateur Radio Group's Radio Expo St Johns Church Hall,
Maclean Street Coffs Harbour 8.30am
Feb 8 2009 VK2
WYONG FIELD DAY
June 5 - 8 VK4
FNNQARG at Cardwell Village Beachcomber Resort book on 1800 005633
Contact FNNQARG co-ordinator Gavin VK4ZZ for site booking guidance.
July 11 - 12 VK3
GippsTech 2009, the technical conference with a VHF, UHF & microwave focus.
OCT 12 - 16 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/
Please think of the environment before printing this email
=============================================================================
WIANews - we've reported...YOU decide.
Societies and Club News Letter Editors can EXCHANGE a feed prior to
the actual broadcast date, e-mail nationalnews(AT)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 to our dedicated band of broadcast volunteers who utilize
their time and equipment in bringing you this weekly broadcast.
The purpose of "WIANews" is to rapidly provide news of interest to
active amateurs residing in Australia and the globe.
We strongly encourage membership in the Wireless Institute of Australia
and participation in the activities of local clubs.
Opinions expressed in "WIANews" are those of the writers who submit
material and do not necessarily reflect those of the rebroadcasters,
nor the National WIA, but are broadcast in the spirit in which they were
submitted.
Material may be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form, a credit to
WIANews wouldn't go astray...
Compiled by VK4BB on behalf of the National WIA.
*****************************************************************************
- NEWS POSTING TO PACKET -
Courtesy Tony VK7AX VK7AX(AT)VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC
*****************************************************************************
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