Subj : SA Radio League News Bulletin for Sunday 25 February 2001
To   : SA Radio League
From : Richard Peer
Date : Sat Feb 24 2001 02:29 pm

SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE
SARL NEWS SUNDAY FEBRUARY 25 2001

This is Amateur Radio Station ZS6SRL transmitting Amateur Radio News, a
service by the South African Radio League, the National Society for Amateur
Radio in South Africa, for the interest of all Radio Amateurs, Short-wave
Listeners and Electronic Enthusiasts.  For a complete list of broadcast times
and frequencies please send a SASE to Amateur Radio News, SARL, P O Box 1721,
Strubensvallei 1735.

This bulletin is also available on the SARL's web pages hosted by Intekom at
www.sarl.org.za, as well as the packet radio bulletin board system.  You may
also request [email protected] to e-mail it to you in either text or MSWord
6.0 format.

Here are the headlines of today's news:

HAM RADIO EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE WINDS DOWN IN INDIA

G6JP, IS A SILENT KEY

MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH IN QSL VERIFICATION FOR DXCC

REMINDER ABOUT VHF LOGS

INTECNET 2001 ON THE AIR TONIGHT

RESTRICTIONS ON TOWERS AND USE OF HANDHELDS IN THE USA

DAVID CLARK WISHES TO COMPLETE SOLO CRUISE AROUND THE WORLD

PROPAGATION FORECAST

You are listening to ZS6SRL.  The news follows in detail.

HAM RADIO EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE WINDS DOWN IN INDIA

Raj Kumar, VU2ZAP, in Bangalore, reports that Amateur Radio's role in the
disaster response is nearly over.  "Ham radio's part, in my opinion, is
done," he said.  He said some members of the Bangalore Amateur Radio Club,
which had posted several members to the Gujarat quake zone, already had
returned to Bangalore.  The January 26 earthquake killed more than 50000
people, injured many others and left upwards of 1 million homeless.  In the
immediate aftermath of the earthquake, Amateur Radio provided the only
reliable communication with the outside world.  Telecommunications systems
have been at least partially restored to the stricken region.  Salvation Army
Team Emergency Network Coordinator Pat McPherson, WW9E, says his organization
will provide care for up to 100 children from the Bhuj area orphaned or
disabled by the quake.

G6JP, IS A SILENT KEY

Another well-known name is lost to amateur radio with the death of George
Jessop, G6JP, on the 11th of February at the age of 93.  He joined the Radio
Society of Great Britain in 1929 and was first elected to the Council of the
Society in 1968.  He served for 17 years on the Technical and Publications
Committee and was President in 1974, becoming General Manager and Secretary
from 1975 to 1977.

He was the author of many articles and books, notably the VHF/UHF Manual and
the Radio Data Reference Book both of which went to many editions, and was
also a contributor to the Radio Communication Handbook.

His contribution to the work of the Society was incalculable, in recognition
of which he was made a Vice-President in 1991.  Despite poor eyesight, he
served as the RSGB's Historian until his death.

In 1934 he was responsible for conducting, on his own initiative, the first
air-to-air VHF radio transmissions in the United Kingdom.  As a result,
George Jessop can truly be described as the father of airborne VHF radio
communication - a facility much taken for granted by today's airline and
military aircrews.  These experiments received widespread national publicity
at the time.

A full obituary can be found on the RSGB web site, and will also appear in
the April issue of RadCom.

MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH IN QSL VERIFICATION FOR DXCC

The South Africa Radio League has nominated Tjerk Lammers, ZS6P, as the
official DXCC verification point for QSL cards for the ARRL DXCC.  Tjerk's
appointment was recently confirmed by the ARRL.  Join Chris Burger, ZS6EZ, on
Amateur Radio Mirror International today at 10:00CAT on 21560 and 9750 kHz or
Monday evening at 20:00 CAT on 3215 kHz for the full story.

REMINDER ABOUT VHF LOGS

Here is a final reminder that all logs for the PEARS National VHF/UHF contest
must be in by the end of February 2001, but one week grace will be permitted.

A number of logs have already been received, but do send in your logs even if
you have a low score.  The information on each log could help to asses
propagation conditions across South Africa on the VHF and UHF bands for the
two day period.

Thank you for your participation.

INTECNET 2001 ON THE AIR TONIGHT

SARL Intechnet 2001 is on the air tonight at 20:00 CAT with an interesting
discussion on SETI - the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

Recently, the notion that we share our universe with countless sentient
species has emerged out of the realm of fiction, into the scientific
mainstream.  SETI is a science, not a single search.

Two experts will be joining host Hans van de Groenendaal ZS6AKV to take an
in-depth look at the subject and answer your questions.  From the University
of Pretoria Prof Alex Antonites who was recently appointed as the South
African representative of the SETI-League will be talking about the South
African involvement.  From the USA SETI-League Executive Director Dr Paul
Shuch will be taking us into this part of the science world, will take an
international view and talk about how radio amateurs can get involved and use
their technical ability to advance SETI.

Intecnet 2001 is sponsored by Sentech and Telkom and is on the air today, 25
February at 20:00 CAT on 3215 kHz and many repeaters around South Africa.  In
the Pretoria area listening can be done and questions asked on the 145,750
repeater since the program will be presented directly on that frequency.

Clubs who have not yet booked a link have until noon today to do by sending
an Email to [email protected] giving details of the telephone number to be
linked and the frequencies on which the relay will take place.  Requests may
also be faxed to 012 991 5651.  It should be noted that cell phones and
pre-paid phones can not be linked.

TOWER HEIGHTS RESTRICTED IN USA

Ten states in the USA already have laws restricting tower heights.  In a few
states amateurs are campaigning for the ease of restrictions.  In Alaska they
propose that a formula be adopted which will govern tower heights relative to
population density and stand size.

Amateurs, wake up, it is going to happen here as well.

USE OF HANDHELDS ETC RESTRICTED WHILST DRIVING IN SEVERAL USA STATES

Several states in the USA have already restricted the use of many types of
hand held electronic apparatus, including microphones, when driving a moving
vehicle.  In Maine, amateurs are organising against the proposed legislation.

DAVID CLARK WISHES TO COMPLETE SOLO CRUISE AROUND THE WORLD

David Clark, KB6TAM, who lost his boat and dog on February 7, 2 days form
Cape Town, wishes to continue his solo cruise around the world in order to
become the oldest person to achieve that distinction.  Clark used amateur
radio to elicit help.  His wife Lynda expressed her thanks to the South
African amateurs in East London and Cape Town for their assistance to David.

More information is available on the web sites www.dclark.com and
www.captainclark.com.

PROPAGATION CONDITIONS

Ean Retief, ZS1PR, reports as follows:


increase is however very slow and it seems that the expected value for this
weekend will only be reached by next weekend.

The low level of solar activity however caused a much quieter than forecasted

better than expected.

Unfortunately the stratosphere in the nortern hemisphere was at a higher
temperature than normal for this time of the year with the result that
propagation was not good to that hemisphere.

Conditions were good in the southern hemisphere especially towards Australia,
New Zealand and the Antarctic zone and interesting contacts were made.

It seems that the favourable conditions to and from these areas may continue
with MUF's 15 to 25% higher than normal.  It is thus recommended that you
concentrate on these areas especially in the mornings and forenoons.

Good signals can be expected before and after sunrise from South America,
especially on 40 m.

A few sizeable flares can be expected with increasing solar activity this
week but in general quiet to unsettled geomagnetic conditions can be
expected.  Propagation should be reasonably normal.

CLUB ACTIVITIES

The SAATI monthly meeting wil be held in the Lyttelton Library in Cantonments
Road on Monday February 26 at 19:30 for 20:00 and will be in the form of a
workshop.  All are welcome and refreshments will be served.

The West Rand Amateur Radio Club will be holding a boot sale and beerfest on
Saturday March 3 at their club house on Kroton Avenue, Weltevreden Park.
Gates open at 09:00.  Phone Bill van Zyl during office hours at 011 726 6807
for more information.

The Pretoria Amateur Radio Club will be holding a fleamarket and boot sale on
Saturday 31 March at 08:00.  This will again be a grand occasion and all are
welcome to visit us at the University grounds as usual.  Reserve the 31st for
a nice get-together and bargain hunt.

Contact Hans ZS6KR for more information and table bookings at 012 333 2612.

DATES TO REMEMBER

The closing date for registration for the May RAE is April 10, registration
fee R135, and for late registration April 17 with registration fee R235.

The SARL AGM will be held in Cape Town over the weekend of 27-28 April 2001.
More details will be announced later.

The SARL News Service invites Clubs and individuals to contribute information
regarding Amateur Radio to [email protected] with a copy to [email protected].
Please submit in Afrikaans and English wherever possible.

Also join us in the following activities:

The President's Net on Sundays 12:00 on 7082 kHz.  Amateur Radio Mirror
International Sundays at 10:00 on 9750 and 21560 kHz which is repeated
Mondays at 20:00 on 3215 kHz.  Relays on various 2M repeaters can also be
heard.

Correspondence for Amateur Radio Mirror International is via
[email protected].  Include your telephone number to allow the producers to
call you for a possible interview.  Send written reports to PO Box 90438
Garsfontein 0042 and include a self-addressed envelope and sufficient postage
so that you may receive a QSL card.

These transmissions are sponsored by Sentech, the common carrier for
broadcasting signals in South Africa and Telkom who provides the transmission
lines.  Various local repeater frequencies on 2 metres and 70 cm are also
used in your area.

We thank all contributors, individuals, clubs and other organisations to this
bulletin and all stations who so reliably relay these bulletins.  This
bulletin was compiled by George, ZS6NE, and read by ZS....  in.......

You have been listening to ZS6SRL.

This bulletin now ends and Sarlnews wish you a pleasant week.

Goodbye to all.
/ex
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Internet feed from ZS6NE moved by Richard de ZR6CK

Regards,
       Richard.

--- Msged/Q 1.60
* Origin: QTHR KG44DG, Novell User Group, Pretoria, RSA (5:7106/22)