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WIANEWS - FEB 06 - VK NATIONAL NEWS
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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@wia.org.au
http://www.wia.org.au (click news in member area) Submit your audio news
Please.. If you are only submitting text and not audio, write your story as
you would expect to hear it being read back and NEVER send just links & url's.
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WIANEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING FEB 06 2011.
Hams listening in while Yasi attacks
Uniden announces Australia's first 77 channel UHF-CB radio
CSIRO, NASA use Parkes telescope to take the pulse of the universe
BRAINWAVE CONTROL IS COMING
Twitter for ham radio
ALL THESE STORIES UP AND COMING IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS
INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA FOR WEEK COMMENCING FEBRUARY 6 2011.
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Hams listening in while Yasi attacks
Hams have been keeping in touch via HF radio and keeping a vital link alive
during the passage of one of the more fierce and expansive severe tropical
cyclones to hit the North East coast of Australia in recent times.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi, named by the Regional Specialist Meteorological
Centre at Nadi, Fiji, tracked from its breeding ground east of Vanuatu to make
landfall on the Far North Queensland Coast, during late Wednesday 2nd February.
The system was so vast that it affected communities along a 900km stretch of
coast from Cooktown to Mackay and 500km inland to Croydon, Richmond, Charters
Towers and Clermont.
A storm surge forecast of between 3 and 5 metres along with high seas forced
the evacuation of many coastal facilities such as nursing homes, caravan parks
and low lying residential areas.
A massive effort during Tuesday 1st was undertaken at construction sites,
business areas, government centres, tourist facilities and farms to secure
everything to prevent the incidence of flying debris during the onset of
hurricane force winds.
Schools in most areas affected were closed on Wednesday and Thursday, with
only those not damaged by the passage of Yasi opening on Friday.
Whilst making sure that their families and houses were safe, radio amateurs
within the warning area and across the country kept in touch via HF Radio
with a listening watch on Queensland WICEN frequency 7075kHz and regular
contact via the morning Gnarly Net on 3600kHz and the afternoon Friendly Net
on 7115kHz.
This regular contact has kept the communication lines open just in case the
well engineered cyclone rated commercial telecommunication networks failed.
Operators also maintained operations on VHF and UHF during the phenomenal
weather conditions.
A number of Radio Amateurs who are members of the Australian Defence Force
have been involved with flood relief operations during the previous weeks and
are now assisting with the relief effort following the passage of Severe
Tropical Cyclone Yasi.
Also assisting, some 120 Queensland, Tasmanian and Victorian State Emergency
Service (SES), personel have headed north to cairns to assist with Yasi
recovery effort.
Radio Amateurs living in the disaster area are now picking up the pieces,
getting their stations back up and running as the Cyclone Season in Northern
Australia is not over until the end of April and there might be another call
to action during the next few months ahead.
Townsville hams are monitoring the local repeaters 146.7MHz and 438.225MHz and
will be reverting to 146.5MHz and 439MHz should those repeaters fail.
Atherton Tablelands hams are monitoring the local repeaters
146.075MHz and 439.9MHz
along with 146.5MHz and 7075kHz.
Rockhampton hams are monitoring the local repeaters 146.7MHz and 438.225MHz
along with 7075kHz and 3600kHz.
Cairns hams are monitoring the local VHF repeater 146.950MHz along with the
Atherton Tableland repeaters, 146.5MHz and 7075kHz
Later in this bulletin you will hear from Felix, a long time contrbiutor to
both Amateur Radio Magazine and this WIA National News Broadcast, Felix, or
VK4FUQ, is based in Ingham, one of the areas hit hard by "yaesu" whoops yasi.
Currently Felix is A-OK but VKR THe police in Queensland have advised of road
closures in Ingham and isolation for Cardwell
Yes police wish to advise all motorists that Cardwell can not be access via
road due to flooding and extensive damage caused to the roadways.
Motorists are asked to avoid this area until further notice.
All vehicles heading to Ingham are urged to delay travel or head back to areas
that can facilitate their stay as there is currently no power or water in the
town.
Vehicular access is restricted to local residents or those officially assisting
with recovery due to flooding.
(Police Media / Commercial Radio / Gavin VK4ZZ - Townsville, North Queensland)
WIA
President Michael Owen VK3KI president@wia.org.au
Vice President Phil Wait VK2ASD vk2asd@wia.org.au
Secretary Geoff Atkinson VK3AFA secretary@wia.org.au
Treasurer John Longayroux VK3PZ vk3pz@wia.org.au
Hi everyone,
Just a reminder to get yourselves registered real soon for the fabulous Annual
conference up here in Darwin at the end of May.
Plan and book your travel early so you can get a good priced seat on the plane.
Mirrambeena resort is the conference venue and we have secured a great
accommodation deal there specially for conference participants so don't forget
to make your bookings direct with them as well, as per the information on the
WIA website.
The idea is to plan and book in advance don't leave it till the last minute you
could be very disappointed.
We have lots of good things planned and we would love you to come and enjoy the
top end in the dry. Find out why we love this place.
The theme this year "technology for the bush" and you could probably add
"the joys of living in the top end". So come on up for the weekend and stay and
have a bit more of a look around at this part of Australia.
www.wia.org.au is the place to do it just follow the prompts and take a look at
the program as well. Its pretty well all there.
That's it for me for now i'm spud vk8zwm
Emergency Communications Training.
Eric VK2VE says that " It appears publicity for the first NSW course have not
filtered through from the WIA so for NSW participants the first course will
take place over two weekends, being February 19 20 then April 9 and 10.
Please note that 100% attendance at the two weekends is a requirement for
successful course completion. If you have previously expressed an interest
in doing the course, you STILL need to fill in the application form on
wia.org.au
Many people have not realised that the expressions of interest previously
submitted were only to gauge interest and will not result in automatic inclusion
or the WIA contacting them to see if they still want to participate.
You can also contact the course convenors,
Eric van de Weyer VK2VE on 0414 528 629 or
Greg James, VK2GRJ on 0418 614 813.
"Although as shown in the great Queensland floods of January 2011 little
if any use is made of Ham Radio operators, our time may very well come
so to quote BP.. "Be Prepared".!" (ed)
Uniden announces Australia's first 77 channel UHF-CB radio
From waterlogged antiques to modern narrowband communicators.
Unidens Mini Compact Mobile UHF-CB series accommodates all 77 channels to be
open for business in May. The band restructuring aims to reduce congestion.
Uniden's Brad Hales, said it is an exciting development for CB radio users.
The Mini Compact series features a seven colour backlit LCD and keypad to
match a vehicle's dashboard light colour, as well as a flip LCD feature for
optional reverse mounting. The radios can be mounted in a variety of places
including the console, dashboard, cabin roof and under the seat.
( press release plus current.com.au )
IT'S A GAS
Queensland Gas Corporation (QGC) has signed a $14 million contract with
Motorola Solutions to provide project infrastructure communications for the
Australian gas giant.
The deal will result in QGC being provided with a microwave radio system
that will link its central processing plant to its head office in Chinchilla
and provide project infrastructure communications.
The contract will include the integration of a Terrestrial Trunked Radio
(TETRA) radio system for its offices.
Work on the site will commence this year, with the 28-site radio network set
to be comprised of more than 3000 Motorola radios operating in the 450 to 470
MHz bands during both the construction and operation phases of the project.
READ IT IN FULL ON BOTH THE MOTROLA SITE AND
comuterworld.com.au
CSIRO, NASA use Parkes telescope to take the pulse of the universe
CSIRO astronomers using Parkes radio telescope are working closely with NASA
to unlock one of astronomy's great enigmas - the science behind pulsars.
The project has tracked down 25 ultra fast "millisecond" pulsars in just two
years, the same number discovered in the previous 20 years.
"This has been a hugely productive collaboration, and it is generating
unprecedented returns for physics and astronomy," says the leader of the
Parkes observations, the CSIRO's Dr Simon Johnston.
Innovation Minister, Senator Kim Carr, says the research exemplifies the sorts
of international collaboration that the Australian Government is fostering
across the board.
"We have a proud history of co-operation and involvement with NASA on a number
of fronts, from assisting with communicating with the Apollo missions to the
moon, to deep space exploration, and understanding how our universe works,"
says Senator Carr.
"It's all about exploring new frontiers and building Australian capacity as a
research intensive and innovative nation.
Read the full story on
http://cowracommunitynews.com/viewnews.php?newsid=6480&id=47
HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA.
VK2
web service:- http://www.arnsw.org.au/html/news_vk2wi.htm
VKG Roundup http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news
Exams available at Wyong HamFest Sunday February 27.
Amateur Radio New South Wales in conjunction with the Central Coast Amateur
Radio Club will hold assessments with the first session at 7am, second session
10.30 am.
This is the fourth year that ARNSW has conducted exams at the Field Day.
A prior booking is desirable but not essential but you should make contact
with the co-ordinator Brian Kelly to find out how the find the rooms, the costs
and what is needed with the paperwork.
Brian's contact details are by mobile 0418 659 043 or
email to 3323wbk@tpg.com.au
VK3
web service:- http://www.amateurradio.com.au/news/
VKC Roundup http://www.police
All is set for next weekend's big one, the Centre Victoria RadioFest at
Kyneton, just an hour from Melbourne, Ballarat and Bendigo.
The commercial traders are lined up, club corner participants set and the
second hand sellers are ready.
The mini-lecture program is set to go off with many interesting and varied
presentations.
Don't miss the Centre Victoria RadioFest Sunday 10am at Kyneton Racecourse.
Checkout the arv website for the details.
See you there. I'm Bruce Lees VK3FFF and you're listening to VK1WIA.
VK4 - QNEWS
web service local audio news:- www.wiaq.com/ftp/vk4_qnews_64.mp3
local news email qnews-vk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
VKR Roundup http://www.police.qld.gov.au/News+and+Alerts/Media+Releases/
Welcome to Qnews from VK4WIA. I'm Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I've been thinking.
Over the past few years the internet has become the ubiquitous contact point
for the majority of people. We lost the telegram and the price of postage has
just risen even although delivery times are slower in areas such as where I
live. I suppose that I can't complain because I have been able to use the
internet to deliver messages, DX when the bands have been dead and obtain
equipment for my station as well as research many things without going to a
library.
Those businesses serving the amateur radio market are very savvy to the power
and speed of the internet and questions are usually very promptly answered.
The down side is that the hamfest gatherings are finding it harder to attract
commercial displays as the competition has sliced profit margins very low.
I have recently been gathering information on a particular item that I need to
buy - but not AR related. This is a major sector of the Australian retail
economy whose figures feed into the Consumer Price Index. A search of the
range brings pages of results all with "contact the dealer" tags. Unlike our
niche AR traders, these players ignore contact via email and telephone and
they are ignoring customers.
I suppose the moral is to support your local amateur radio supplier as he is
giving good service in the e-commerce world.
I'm Geoff Emery and that's what I think, how about you?
CLUBBING
TABLELANDS RADIO AND ELECTRONICS CLUB
vk4wat@wia.org.au
www.treclub.org.au
G'day again, this is Dale VK4DMC for the Tablelands Radio and Electronics
Club, TREC, in Far North Queensland.
As you are no doubt aware a severe Category 5 Cyclone called Yasi crossed
over the coast here in Far North Queensland.
As I write this item it is Wednesday the 2nd of February and we are still in
the process of battening down for Yasi which is due to visit us here on the
Atherton Tablelands in around 12 hours time.
Local amateurs have been preparing for this cyclone now for a few days now by
dismantling antenna systems, ensuring that their emergency power and
transceivers are working and of course also looking after the family home.
Some local amateurs have evacuated to safe centres. John VK4JKL, Gary VK4FD,
Jeff VK4BOF, Paul VK4ZJD to name just a few.
A listening watch has been established on 7.075MHz and 3.600MHz as well as
Ch.50 on 2 metres and various local repeaters.
This is a huge system with great potential to cause massive damage and by the
time you hear or read this the outcomes will have been well published by the
media.
I will endeavour to give a more comprehensive report next week, providing I
still have a shack.
Visit the TREC website at www.treclub.org.au for further information and you
can also download the latest monthly news in TREC-NEWS.
February 19 a Saturday will see the Tablelands Radio and Electronics Club's
Social get-together at 1000hrs, a Show and Tell at the clubrooms, followed by
a management committee meeting. Guest speaker is Howard VK4BS President of the
Cairns Amateur Radio Club.
VK7
local area news :- http://reast.asn.au/news.php
vk7 local news, email vk7regionalnews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Training and Education
Congratulations to Pat Price, Angela Devine and Nicole Sweeney who all passed
their Foundation Licence assessments last Saturday week the foundation
training day put on by REAST in Southern Tasmania..
We look forward to hearing you all on air.
(vk7news)
VK8
News from the Darwin amateur radio club.
G'day, this is spud vk8zwm president of the Darwin Amateur Radio club with the
latest club news.
The annual general meeting was held early in December.
The new committee members are
Spud vk8zwm president
Geoff vk8gp vice president
Peter vk8hpb secretary
Mike vk8xz treasurer
Station manager Richie vk8rr
Committee vk8hf John, Patrick vk8zmx and Alan vk8ab
A new public officer Ian vk8ip was also elected.
Membership remains at $25.00 and is now due. See spud or Mike to pay your dues
soon.
A special general meeting will be held soon to pass necessary paperwork, so
keep an eye on your e-mails and on air please.
The annual fee (Fridge emptying exercise) was held on the first meeting night
of the year the 5th of January after we all had a chance to do a little
recovery from the Christmas break. A good attack on the fridge and a chinwag
was held.
Catch ya later
This is spud vk8zwm in Darwin hooroo.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to RSGB, Southgate AR Club, the ARRL,
Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART and the WW sources of the WIA.
Ham Radio used to by-pass Egypt net block
The BBC reports that fax machines, ham radio and dial-up modems are helping
to avoid the net block imposed on Egypt.
Read the full BBC report at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12322948
We Rebuild - Egypt/Ham radio
http://werebuild.eu/wiki/Egypt/Ham_radio
Balloon flight pictures in the press
Alex Baker and Chris Rose, mechanical engineering students at the University
of Sheffield, UK, attracted widespread media publicity after releasing
pictures taken from their High Altitude Balloon. It reached a reported height
of 37km where it took some stunning pictures of the stratosphere
before landing in Cambridgeshire.
The equipment to take the pictures cost them just 350.
To track it they used a cell-phone attached to the balloon that sent back the
GPS co-ordinates by text.
At the present time Amateur Radio payloads are not permitted on balloons in
the UK, hence the innovative use of mobile phones.
Watch the BBC Video at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12323098
Read the Daily Mail newspaper story at
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1352086/It-Hubble-The-stunning-images-space-taken-students-350-budget.html
Army CubeSat SMDC-ONE
Radio Amateurs pioneered the development of CubeSat technology and
demonstrated the communication capabilities of these small satellites.
Now young US Army engineers are developing their own CubeSats at the
Redstone Arsenal in Alabama.
Their first 3U CubeSat called Space and Missile Defence Command-Operational
Nanosatellite Effect or SMDC-ONE for short was launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9
rocket.
This initial demonstrator mission went into a very low orbit, about 300km
above the earth. During its short lifetime it proved the ability to receive
text and images from a ground sensor and then to relay that data to a ground
station.
An article on SMDC-ONE by Kari Hawkins is now available on the web.
Read The Redstone Rocket article Flying into orbit in small package
www.theredstonerocket.com/node/216
=============================================================================
NEWS FROM ARNEWSLINE USA
ALASKA CLUB LOOSES EMCOMM TRAILER TO MOTHER NATURE
A windstorm has destroyed a mobile ham radio emergency communications trailer
in Alaska. According to a posting on Q-R-Zed dot com by District Emergency
Coordinator Don Bush, KL7JFT, the Matanuska Amateur Radio Association lost its
vehicle in the wind storm on January 12th.
Bush says that the trailer was originally purchased with a grant from the
Anchorage Amateur Radio Club along with donations received from various
members and organizations in Alaska. Not having any insurance on it, Bush
says that the club does not know it can replace it. He adds that this is a
big "blow" for a small club that is very active in the community in helping
with all kinds of events. He also says that the trailer was the only backup
communications for the Borough Emergency Services if conventional
communications is lost.
A fund has been set up to try to raise funds to replace the destroyed vehicle.
NEW 60 METER BLOG
Peter Ourednik, OK1RP, in the Czech Republic, now runs a blog covering the
60 meter or 5 MHz band. It features information on DX operation and related
news for the band. You can read it on-line at 60mband.blogspot.com
BRAINWAVE CONTROL IS COMING
Get ready to control your, TV set, your stereo and maybe even your ham radio
station with only your mind. That's what you may be able to do with brain
waves if the technology developed by a company called PLX Devices proves out.
No its' not science fiction as we hear in this report:
According to its website, the XWave from PXL Devices is the first consumer
product priced under $100 which can sense and detect human brainwaves,
interpret them and connect it to everyday technology.
PLX Devices founder and CEO is Paul Lowchareonkul. He recently told the U.K.
Daily Mail that it was only a matter of time before products like the XWave
entered the mainstream. Lowchareonkul says that the human brain is the most
powerful, complex thing in the universe, and for the first time, we're able to
harness its amazing power and connect it to everyday technology.
Lowchareonkul says that with the development of 3rd party applications or
apps, the potential for innovation is limitless. At the moment, PLX is only
offering apps that interact with the XWave for Apple mobile devices like the
iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. There are four apps currently available that
interact with the XWave. These include a basic set-up app; an app that allows
you to upload your song list and sync your brainwaves with any song in your
library; a "Tug of Mind" app and a meditation app. In the future, PLX says on
its website that you will be able to control and float objects in video games
by simply thinking about it, or train your mind to focus and relax on command.
And if you do get one and are able to develop an app to control your ham
station with your brain, please be sure to let us know so that we can pass it
along to what will then become a truly mew world of amateur radio.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW. In Los Angeles.
From pictures on-line, the XWave device itself looks almost like an ordinary
headset for telephone operator. The PLX website claims that XWave is
perfectly safe because it only listens to brainwaves and does not transmit or
send out any signals. That's a good thing for many reasons including there
being no need to add more QRM to our already overcrowd bands.
More on this rather interesting device is on-line at
www.plxwave.com/info.html
REWIND - WITH COL VK4CC
Historic callsign heard again in Australia.
The callsign G2YT, Peter in the UK is quite well known on the 20m amateur
bands each summer but possibly less well known is the fact that this call
has a fascinating history.
In the early 1920's, the UK call 2YT was issued to the Marconi Wireless
Telegraph Company for use by the Poldhu radio station in SW England. It is
likely that the call was also used by Marconi whilst aboard his yacht
"Electra". In 1924 2YT at Poldhu took part in test transmissions to receivers
built by AWA and installed at 2FC in Willoughby, NSW.
One of the engineers working with Marconi was radio pioneer Mr Crispin (Cris)
Redshaw. When Cris became silent key in 1974, one of Cris' relatives asked
Peter if he would like to resurrect the old call, by this time, G2YT. It was
only after having done this Peter discovered its fascinating history.
Peter is the fourth custodian of G2YT, it having been reissued twice
previously.
For further information please see www.qsl.net/vk2dym/radio/Marconi.htm
OPERATIONAL NEWS -
SPECIAL EVENTS AND ON AIR CONTEST COLUMN - D A T E L I N E 2011
Feb 26-27 ZL Jock White Field Day
Mar 19-20 WIA John Moyle Field Day weekend
Apr 30 WW Marconi Day 2011 www.gb4imd.org.uk in due
DX Records News
New 1296 MHz mobile record
John VK3KM WIA Contest Manager let the vk7 news team know last week that
there is a new 1296 MHz mobile record in VK, just under 1000 kms, in fact
933.7 km!
He has also added to the official history 2 retrospective 6 metre records
VK4DV to PA0HIP - 15,742.4 km, 15 Feb 1991
VK4DV to GJ4ICD - 16,278.0 km, 12 Oct 1989
Details of all current VHF-UHF records, and a list of all Australian records
since 1947, are on the WIA web site at the web address that can be found on
the email and internet editions of this broadcast.
http://www.wia.org.au/members/records/data/index.php
(vk7news)
2.4GHz VK-ZL Record
A record 2.4GHz VK ZL record was set between VK4OX and ZL1TPH 2317.1km.
Adrian made an mp3 recording - it runs for 34 minutes and can be found at the
link on the email and internet editions of this broadcasts.
www.vklogger.com/docs/zl1tph_vk4ox_13cm.mp3
As Jim VK3OX told Graham " If you listen to the mp3 recording Adrian made
the sigs on 2403.2MHz were peaking 5-8 and quite amazing! Later that day
Adrian pushed the record out a few km more when he worked Brian, ZL1AVZ".
The highlights are at 02 mins and 40 secs into the recording where they are
on 2 metres arranging to QSY to 2.403GHz when ZL1TPH/P says he has never heard
a VK so strong.
At 24.43 Adrian starts TXing his callsign on CW on 2.4GHz followed by a
series of dits. This ends at 26.31.
26.32 ZL1TPH/P replies on SSB on 2.403GHz.
Two way sig reports are exchanged by 27.00.
27.40, ZL1TPH comments "first crossing (from ZL) towards Australia on 2.4GHz.
(VK3OX AND VK7NEWS)
SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS, REPEATER BEACON DX AND NET ADVICE
"BARRY"" FIRST ZS WORKED ALL STATES TRIPLE PLAY AWARD
The ARRL has awarded the first Worked All States Triple Play award to a South
African Radio Amateur. Barry Murrell, ZS2EZ, is the recipient of Award number
492 issued on 7 January 2011.
The Triple Play Award requires working all 50 US States on SSB, CW and RTTY
(150 contacts) with all confirmations via LoTW. Only contacts from 1 January
2009 count.
LAST CHANCE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH ZS85SARL
For the SARL Field Day on 12 to 13 February, members of the Boland Amateur
Radio Club will have the SARL's birthday call sign, ZS85SARL, on the air and
will offer the last opportunity to radio amateurs, who have not yet made
contact with ZS85SARL, to do so.
An effort will be made to achieve a WAZS 200 via the SA QSL system under this
call sign. Radio amateurs, who have not yet made contact with ZS85SARL, are
thus specially invited to contact ZS85SARL during the Field Day event and to
confirm the contact via the SA QSL system.
Kuwait is using the special prefix 9K50 until 28th February.
Province of Nova Scotia will use special prefixes CJ1 and CK1 all February.
St Vincent J88DR February 16 to March 14, this by Dave G3TBK.
Mauritius listen for 3B8/SP2JMB and 3B8/SP2FUD until 24th February
Until February 6th (1800hrs utc) two major cities of Kazakhstan - Astana and
Almaty are hosting the 7th Asian Winter Games.
Almaty Amateur Radio League (ARL) is pioneering the initiative to celebrate
the games by activation of special central stations:
* UN2011G (Game) - ARL club station in Almaty - regular callsign UN0GL
* UP2011AWG (Asian Winter Games) - club station in Astana - regular callsign
UP7Z
And 8 special stations from Almaty featuring special prefix UP2011.
* UP2011AS (alpine skiing) - UN8GU, op. Andy
* UP2011BN (biathlon) - UN7QCC, op. Victor
* UP2011CS (cross-country skiing) - UN6GAE, op. Alexander
* UP2011FG (freestyle skiing) - UN8GZ, op. Vitaliy
* UP2011HB (Russian hockey, bandy)- UN6GT, op. Valeriy
* UP2011IH (ice hockey) - UN2G, op. Evgeniy
* UP2011SJ (ski jumping) - UN6QC, op. Artur
* UP2011SO (ski orienteering) - UN8GC, op. Michael
CYCLONE SEASON
Radio amateurs across the country keep in touch via HF Radio:-
This with a listening watch on Queensland WICEN frequency 7075kHz and regular
contact via the morning Gnarly Net on 3600kHz, the afternoon Friendly Net
on 7115kHz and the Afternoon net on 7098kHz.
THE QNEWS WORK BENCH - the nuts and volts report -
(Measure twice - Cut once!)
Nanotape may oust solder pads
Solder pads in IC packages could soon be made obsolete by a new nanotape
material developed by the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) and
Stanford University.
Using a sandwich of thermally conductive carbon nanotubes between thin metal
foils, the nanotape transfers heat away from chips better than solder, and
it is a lightweight, flexible material that is cheaper and more compliant.
Externally, a nanotape pad looks like a conventional solder pad because both
the top and bottom are metallic, but internally it harbours the superior
thermal conductivity of carbon nanotubes, with heat transfer characteristics
similar to those of copper.
The researchers predict that early adopters will begin using the nanotape by
the end of next year, with mainstream benefits to end users starting around
2014.
http://www.src.org/
(vk7news)
MEDIA WATCH
www.cq-amateur-radio.com/WorldRadio.html
VK Club Bulletins http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aarnie/
IRTS Changes
The layout of the IRTS web site www.irts.ie has been updated. While the
structure of the site remains broadly the same as before, we have revised
some of the content.
There is no shortage of data and information about Amateur Radio on the 'Net.
With this in mind, the IRTS site focuses on material of particular interest
to its members and for visitors to Ireland.
The IRTS weekly news is now read on 'Dundalkfm' local community radio station
on Tuesdays. This provides open access to amateur radio news for the general
public. Dundalkfm broadcast on 100 MHz and stream live on the internet on
www.dundalkfm.com
Also advanced plans are in place to provide a Podcast version of the IRTS
weekly news. The MP3 Podcast will be available for download from the IRTS
website.
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- CW
FISTS Club - East Asia www.feacw.net
FISTS Club - Australasia www.fistsdownunder.org
FISTS Club - UK & Europe www.fists.co.uk
FISTS Club - Americas www.fists.org
1951 PMG Telegraphers
In the Daily Telegraph newspaper this may interest some old timers out there.
"Seeking telegraphists from the class trained at the Chief Telegraphists
office GPO Sydney in 1951. The diamond anniversary reunion will be held on
February 11th. Call Ted Mercer on 02-9525-7350.
(vk2wi)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER
AMSAT-VK UNOFFICIAL HF Net.
2nd Sunday each month.
April through October 1000 UTC 3.685 MHz
November through March 0900 UTC 7.068 MHz
Over the past weeks we have made reference to NanoSail-D, well according to
NASA, the nanosatellite was last heard at 1354 UTC on January 21.
Telemetry indicates that the sail deployed on schedule and the satellite is
now believed to be out of power, which NASA said was to be expected. NASA is
now asking for visual tracking and sighting reports of NanoSail-D which is
about 650 km above the Earth. According to the agency, when the nanosatellite's
sail reflects off the Sun, it could be up to 10 times as bright as the planet
Venus, especially when the sail descends to lower orbits.
You can track NanoSail-D on the web
http://spaceweather.com/flybys/
or on your smart phone
http://simpleflybys.com/
NASA estimates that NanoSail-D will remain in low Earth orbit (LEO) between
70 and 120 days, depending on atmospheric conditions.
(arrl)
Kletskous, is a hands-on CubeSat aimed at promoting greater involvement in
satellite activity by South African Radio Amateurs.
A preliminary teleconference has been held reviewing the various options and
payload. The first draft of a project plan is available on amsatsa.org.za
Project manager is Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP. Hannes is inviting interested
ZS persons to join the team. "We are particularly looking for radio amateurs
with RF design experience, antenna design experience and software writing
experience.
( saamsat@intekom.co.za )
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- INTERNET --- THE HAMS DOMAIN
Twitter for ham radio
Twitter? Everyone has heard about it, but few ham radio operators actually
use it for real.
Here is a guide to start on Twitter and use it for ham radio activity.
http://f1jxq.passion-radio.org/ham-radio-operator/how-to-twitter-for-hamradio-operator/
(Southgate)
SOCIAL SCENE
2011
Feb 13 VK3 Centre Victoria RadioFest No.4 Kyneton Racecourse
( http://amateurradio.com.au/node/865/ )
Feb 27 vk2 Central Coast Amateur Radio Club Ham Fest at Wyong
Start Time : Gates open 6.30 am
Feb 27 vk3 YARRA VALLEY HAMFEST at Gary Cooper Pavilion 16 Anzac Av
Yarra Glen. Opens 10am-2pm.
( www//yarravalley.ar.org.au)
Mar 13 vk3 EMDRC White Elephant Sale Heathmont.
Mar 20 vk7 MEET THE VOICE BBQ "Ross Caravan Park".
Apr 9 vk6 Hills Amateur Radio Group HARGFEST at club rooms Lesmurdie.
(HARGFEST. ie, hamfest run by HARG)
Apr 18 WW "Amateur Radio: The first technology-based social network"
World Amateur Radio Day, April 18, 2011.
May 27-29 WIA AGM Weekend in Darwin
secretary@wia.org.au
Jun 10-12 VK4 Far North and North Queensland Amateur Radio Gathering at
King Reef Resort Kurrimine Beach.
Jul 31 VK2/3 Riverina Field Day 10am at Lavington Scout Group Hall.
Aug 7 VK2 Lismore region - SARCFEST
Sep 23-28 R3 Region 3 ARDF Championship Bendigo VK3
http://r3.ardf.org.au/
Nov 20 vk5 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society Hamfest
Goodwood Community Centre, Rosa St Goodwood at 0930.
Visit www.ahars.com.au for contact details
2012
15TH IARU REGION 3 CONFERENCE hosted by V.A.R.C. in Ho-Chi-Minh City, Vietnam.
JAN 23-FEB 17 YEAR 2012
World Radio Conference WRC-11 Geneva 23rd January TO 17th February 2012
MAY 3-18 2012 VK5
YL International 2012 Australia (vk5tmc@bigpond.com)
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