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Text edition: Weekly news from the WIA:
MP3 edition of news available at:
http://www.wia-files.com/podcast/wianews-2019-12-01.mp3
Text edition:
December 1 2019 - VK NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA
(Note.. please remove spaces in email addresses before using)
DECEMBER 1 2019 - VK NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA
---------------------------------------------------------------------*
THE BEST NEWS YOU'LL GET ALL WEEK
---------------------------------------------------------------------*
NATIONAL NEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING DECEMBER 1 2019
IN OUR 24th YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS
WIA Director, Aidan VK4APM with news on the BRAND NEW "Future of
Amateur Radio' papers AND POLL!
THIS & MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE
WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA
AND FOR WEEK OF DECEMBER 1 2019
LOCAL
Typical Public Exposure To Radio Waves Against The Australian Standard
The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA)
has returned serve to the myriad submissions made to the
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications Inquiry
into 5G in Australia that state 5G is a health threat to humans and fauna.
"Higher frequencies do not mean higher exposure levels," ARPANSA bluntly
stated in its submission.
"Current research indicates that there is no established evidence for
health effects from radio waves used in mobile telecommunications. This
includes the upcoming roll-out of the 5G network. ARPANSA's assessment
is that 5G is safe."
The agency stated that while the frequencies used in 4G and 5G mean some
energy is absorbed into the body, it is too low to create any "significant
heating of tissue", and the higher millimetre-wave frequencies set to be
used for 5G in the future do not "penetrate past the skin".
"The power level will be low and no appreciable heating will occur in the
skin," the agency said.
If exposed to energy levels 50 times higher than the Australian standard,
heating of tissue can occur, such as when welding or exposed to AM radio
towers, but that is why safety precautions are taken, ARPANSA said.
The submission also reiterated the scientific fact that radio waves are
non-ionising, and cannot break chemical bonds that could lead to DNA
damage.
"There is no established evidence that low-level exposure to radio waves
causes cancer," the submission said.
ARPANSA acknowledged that in 2011 the International Agency for Research
on Cancer (IARC) placed mobile telecommunication frequencies on its list
of possibly carcinogenic to humans, but also put it into perspective.
"This classification is not intended to cause alarm, but to encourage
further research in this area," it said.
"Other things that IARC classify at this level include pickled vegetables
and aloe vera."
ARPANSA struck out at bogus science circulated online as not having
balance, cherry-picking data, and not taking a weight of evidence approach.
"No single scientific study, considered in isolation, will provide a
meaningful answer to the question of whether or not radio waves can cause
(or contribute to) adverse health effects in people, animals or the
environment," the submission said.
See also: Telstra chair likens 5G health truthers to anti-vaccination and
Flat Earth movements.
ARPANSA said it would continue to assess the impact of exposure from
radio waves on people and the environment.
(vk7wi news)
VK5 South Australia is certainly on the map for Rocketry and Space stories.
Some 450 kilometres northwest of Adelaide the SA Capital lies the
RAAF Woomera Range Complex, during the 1950s and 1960s, the complex was
the second busiest rocket range in the world !
Then in 1979 the for runner of the ISS, Skylab, broke up over Australia
and its debris re-entered earth, bits even landing in Western
South Australia.
Now, 2019, Japan's Hayabusa-2 Probe Heads Back to Earth and is expected
to drop the samples off in the South Australian desert.
Hayabusa-2 mission to the asteroid Ryugu received its orders to head for
home November 13, next, November 18 it broke free of the asteroid's
gravity. It will fire its main engines early December 2019 enroute to
Earth.
Hayabusa-2 is carrying samples that could shed light on the origins
of the Solar System.
Hayabusa will spend the next year closing the distance to Earth and will
eject its sample capsule into the atmosphere in December 2020 which is
expected to be retrieved 'somewhere' in the South Australian desert.
Under the current plan, Hayabusa-2 will boldly continue its journey in
space after dropping off its capsule to VK5 and might "carry out another
asteroid exploration," according to JAXA.
Https://tinyurl.com/ANS-328-Hyabusa-Coming-Home
TOWNSVILLE BUSH FIRES
In a previous episode of WIA National News we brought you news of the
damage done to the RF assets of the TARCinc up on Mount Stuart.
Well good news is that the VK4RAT VHF and UHF Amateur Radio Repeaters,
VK4RAT uiDIGI/AX25 Digipeater, the VK4RTL 23cm beacons and the TAC08
CH8 UHF CB Repeater along with the SES CH07 Repeater are back in normal
service!
Unfortunately the VK4RTL 10 metre and 6 metre beacons are still off-air,
pending antenna and feedline repairs.
(TARCinc news)
WIA
Directors heard usually as follows
Greg VK2GPK (President), Peter VK8ZZ (Secretary),
Mike VK8MA, Aidan VK4APN, John VK4JJW
Howdy,
This is Aidan, VK4APM with this weeks board comment.
It is is with a heavy heart that we announce the resignation of
Dr Harry Edgar VK6YBZ from the Board of the Wireless Institute of
Australia and as Editor and Chief as he undergoes medical treatment.
Harry joined the WIA board following hiw work as a member the
Education Group working on the Deed tender response in 2018.
The board, on behalf of all members of the WIA wish Harry a
speedy recovery.
Over the past few weeks the WIA has been in touch with the ACMA
regarding resolving the foundation callsign issues that that have
resulted from the recent LCD changes .
The ACMA has asked, and the WIA has agreed, to put in place a
mechanism for seeking credible feedback from all amateur users
in Australia.
As a result of this agreement the WIA is pleased to announce the
"Future of Amateur Radio" programme.
The WIA encourages all licenced operators, regardless of whether or
not they are a member of the WIA to join the program and have your
say on issues that are of importance to the Amateur Service.
The program will consist of a series of information papers on issues
important to Amateur Radio, each of which will be followed by a poll.
This process will allow every operator, armed with the facts and
recommendations around each matter to consider, debate and ultimately
vote on the course of action to be taken.
Registration in the Future of Amateur Radio programme is free, and
can be accessed by following the link on the WIA website, or,
following the link in the text version of this article.
The link to register for this is
http://ems.gs/3CMJ0cdbIga
As many have noted, AR magazine has undergone significant changes in
recent months with a renewed focus on technical depth. I would like
to thank all those who have contributed articles over the past few
months your contribution is appreciated.
If you would like to contribute to our journal, either as an editor,
or a contributor, please contact editor @ wia.org.au
Thats all from me, Aidan, VK4APM.
Next week, WIA Director John Williams will 'front the mike'.
---------------------------------------------------------------------*
INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club,
ARRL, RAC, NZART AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE & the World Wide sources of
the WIA.
UNITED NATIONS
4U 1 UN news update
On FaceBook, the United Nations Amateur Radio Club (4U1UN) reports their
beacon is back although the antenna is literally being held together
with gaffa tape and chewy gum at this point.
Crew at 4U1UN have managed to figure out the kinks with the rack mounted
system and Elecraft have fixed and returned the malfunctioning K3.
That said, you should start to hear 4U1UN back on the air very soon.
facebook.com/United-Nations-Amateur-Radio-Club-4U1UN-169357566427247
INDIA
Lightning strikes:
A single hit can cost a ham the contents of their shack or -- far worse,
someone's life.
In many parts of rural India, farmers have struggled with the reality of
their own mortality as they toil on rain-soaked land during storms and
thunderstorms. They now have use of a low-cost lightning arrester fashioned
out of bicycle wheels - and crafted by amateurs of the West Bengal Radio
Club.
The club has been working with students in the region on this project,
which is designed to save the farmers' lives as well as money. The
homebrew device uses a bamboo pole that is at least 30 metres long and a
bicycle wheel affixed to the top by an electrical wire. The wire then
connects to a metallic object for grounding. Club secretary
Ambarish Nag Biswas (OMBA-rish NOG Biswas) VU2JFA said that the devices
are being installed on treeless parts of the farmland and the students are
helping educate the farmers on how they work.
The club reports that a number of schools have got involved with the
bicycle-wheel device and now everyone is on a roll helping farmers
stay safer as they work on their land.
AUSTRIA
The 'hills are alive' with the sound of Austria' first 134 and 241 GHz QSO.
GHz-Europe reports Rudi OE5VRL and Gerald OE2IGL made the contacts over a
distance of 53 metres but it's thought they can probably reach 8-10 km
with this equipment.
ghz-europe.com/2019/11/25/first-134-and-24ghz-qso-in-austria/
NORWAY
Upgrading of LA8W contest station
The NRRL report on a major upgrade to the amateur radio contest station
LA8W located in Rakkestad, Norway
In recent years a new shack has been built with space for 6 stations
suitable for participation in the multi operator multi transmitter class
in the major contests, and 4 masts with rotary monoband antennas for the
four highest bands have been set up previously.
Now the next step is completed as two rotating 56 meter high masts have
emerged. One mast is equipped with a 3 element 80m beam, a two-stack with
4 element 40m beamer and a tri-stack with 16 element beams for 20m, 15m
and 10m.
The second mast is equipped with a two-stack with 4 element 40m beamer
and a tri-stack with 21 element trippers for 20m, 15m and 10m.
The masts are from Finland and the antennas are of German make.
Three stations simultaneously, one at 20m, one at 15m and one at 10m, can
run simultaneously on the tri-band stacks.
https://tinyurl.com/NorwayNRRL
USA
FCC seeks to clear radio amateurs out of 3.4 GHz
An FCC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposes to remove the existing
non-federal allocations in the 3.3-3.55 GHz band.
The FCC say by taking the initial step needed to clear the band of
allocations for non-federal incumbents, the Commission furthers its
continued efforts to make more mid-band spectrum potentially available
to support next generation wireless networks—consistent with the mandate
of the MOBILE NOW Act.
They note that the 3.40-3.41 GHz segment is designated for communications
to and from amateur satellites and seek comment on the extent to which
the band is used for this purpose, whether existing satellites can operate
on other amateur satellite bands, and on an appropriate timeframe for
terminating these operations in this band.
Facilitating Shared Use in the 3.1-3.55 GHz Band Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking - WT Docket No. 19-348
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-360941A1.pdf
Radio hams help in Festival of Lights
Los Altos is a city in California, in northern Silicon Valley in the
San Francisco Bay Area. Their local news, Los Altos Town Crier, reports
on the amateur radio involvement in the Festival of Lights parade
For more than a decade, the Festival of Lights Parade has relied on a crew
of ham radio operators working in the background to help the Police Dept.
and event organizers keep things running smoothly.
Los Altos Amateur Radio Emergency Service (LAARES) intends to continue
that tradition at this year's event, scheduled 6 p.m. tonight, Dec. 1
their local time in downtown Los Altos.
While many amateur radio enthusiasts compete in contests to contact the
most people or communicate over the longest distance, LAARES†focus is
emergency support and emergency communications.
"Our goal is to provide backup communications in the event of an
emergency," LAARES member Jim Clark N6JRC said.
The approximately 50-member organization also employs these communication
skills at other annual events in town, such as the New Year's Day Fun Run,
the Kiwanis Pet Parade and the Los Altos Arts & Wine Festival.
Halfords (in the UK) make radio signals travel 'super-fast'
Gareth Corfield writes on The Register about how Halfords, a car
accessories retailer, can apparently defy the laws of physics.
He says: Halfords is telling potential DAB radio buyers that the digital
radio tech is "super-fast" compared to analogue AM radio, which might come
as a surprise to the laws of physics.
It also claims that British listeners can pick up DAB stations from abroad,
which is certainly news to anyone here in Australia who's tried to pick up
domestic VK stations, particularly in Capital City tunnels, let alone ones
from further afield.
The Register asked Halfords what it intends to do about its webpage of
techno-babble and a PR person said: "Thanks to the eagle-eyed readers
of The Register for bringing this outdated and incorrect description
to our attention. It has now been updated."
theregister.co.uk/2019/11/22/halfords_amazing_physics_defying_dab_radio/
--------------------------------------------------------------------*
HAM RADIO OPERATIONAL NEWS - IT'S A CONTACT SPORT
All major Australian contests, rules and results, are on the
Contest Section of the WIA website.
wia.org.au/members/contests/about
--------------
Ross Hull Memorial VHF/UHF Contest takes place ALL of January 2010
--------------
VHF - UHF SUMMER FIELD DAY - Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 January.
--------------
AM QSO PARTY 2020
Saturday 25th January 2020 - 06:00 UTC until Sunday 26th January
at 12:00 UTC.
It's to promote/encourage the use of AM on 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 12
and 10-metre amateur bands.
Full details of the AM QSO Party can be found at
https://amqsoparty.wixsite.com/mysite?fbclid=IwAR0bmxpQqQa9-QVoNMM7HdIBcqqcAfDJR4FO935RKGOVZZn6gnNtCVDQnxg
--------------
WIA John Moyle Field Day 2020
Although the date has YET to be promulgated on our WIA website we assume
it will be from UTC 0100 Saturday March 21 to 0059 on Sunday 22nd of March.
Keep an eye as always on the wia.org.au website for official notification.
--------------
The provisional date for the next Harry Angel Sprint will be Saturday
May 2nd 2020. 10:00 - 11:46 UTC.
--------------
The VK SHIRES the June long weekend, which is the weekend prior to the
second Monday of June each year.. making it June 6 - 7 in 2020
--------------
TRANS TASMAN LOWBAND CONTEST
Next contest - 17 JUL 2020 - and has the aim of encouraging
Low Band activity between VK and ZL on 160 80 and 40M using
SSB, CW and RTTY OR PSK
--------------
RD or Remembrance Day Contest will be August 15 - 16 next year.
--------------
OCEANA CONTEST
VOICE from 0800 UTC Saturday October 3 to 0800 UTC Sunday October 4
CW from 0800 UTC Saturday October 10 to 0800 UTC Sunday October 11
--------------
A new WIA Certificate has been produced for past and future winners and
place getters of the annual DX Leader board competition.
Here with more on behalf of the WIA Awards Committee is Graham VK3GA
"Previously, place getters did not receive the recognition
they deserved for their efforts in this prestigious competition.
The annual DX Leader board competition is an annual competition,
open to VK hams only, that is used to determine the DXer of the year.
It lists who has worked most DXCC, most band slots by mode, and
most unique 4-character grid squares. The list is updated dynamically
as users upload their QSO's into the awards system, so everyone
can see their position in relation to other competitors.
The Leader board runs each calendar year, with the winners determined
prior to the following year's AGM. This is to allow time for QSO's
to be confirmed.
Previous winners and place getters have been notified by the
Awards Manager that they can now download their Certificates
from the Awards site.
73
Graham Alston, VK3GA, WIA Awards Manager
on behalf of the Awards Committee.
--------------
THROUGH THE DX WINDOW ---- DECEMBER
GABON, TR8CR.
Roland will be QRV as TR8CR until December 15.
Activity will be on the HF bands using CW. QSL via F6AJA.
Anniversary of the Federal Republic of Germany
Look for special event stations DM 70 GER and DL 70 BRD now active
until December 31st, 2019 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the
Federal Republic of Germany which was established on May 23rd, 1949.
Operations will be on CW and SSB.
(SouthGate)
--------------
Not long to log this one!
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Sweden's National Society for
the Active Visually Impaired is active as SF 50 CG throughout 2019.
QSL via SM 0 BYD.
(RSGB)
--------------
LAST CALL for Special call EI 19 RE active for 2019
The special call sign EI 19 RE will be active for the duration of
2019 to commemorate the establishment of the first Irish parliament.
It first met in January of 1919 following a landslide victory for
Irish nationalists in December 1918.
https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2019/01/special-call-ei19re-active-for-2019.html
(SouthGate)
--------------
Scouting's Gilwell Park is being honoured through 2019 with GB 100 GP.
(vk6pop)
--------------
In the World of DX, amateurs in Turkey are using the special call
sign TC 10 GITRAD to mark the 10th anniversary of the radio group
G.I.T.R.A.D.
They are on the air all year through the 31st of December.
No cards are required. However, if you need a paper QSL card please
mail yours directly to TA 7 AZC and include a stamped self-addressed
envelope and money for postage.
--------------
BARTG GB60ATG special event
Members of the British Amateur Radio Teledata Group (BARTG) are
active as GB 60 ATG until June 20-20.
The BARTG is celebrating their 60th Year Diamond Jubilee anniversary
with this callsign and special awards are available for contacts with
GB 60 ATG using any Data Mode.
More information can be found on the BARTG Web site on
bartg.org.uk
--------------
NEW CALEDONIA, FK.
QRV is FK 8 CJ from Noumea, IOTA OC-032, until the end of 2019
on 30, 20 and 17 meters.
QSL to F 6 EYB.
(arrl)
--------------
Be listening for Roly, ZL1BQD using the call sign 8Q7XR from the
Maldives until the 30th of December. He will be on 80-10 meters using
CW, SSB and FT8. Send QSLs to his home callsign.
---------------------------------------------------------------------*
WORLD WIDE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NEWS
5 MHz
FIVEMEGS FOR FALKLANDS
Major changes to the Falklands Islands Communications Laws have been
announced by the Falklands Islands Communications Regulator. They are now
in effect.
regulatorfi.org.fk/legislation
One of these has resulted in the new WRC-15 60m Secondary Allocation
becoming available to Falklands Radio Amateurs. The allocation
5351.5 – 5366.5 kHz, with a maximum power of 25W EIRP has been granted
for Amateur Radio operations in the islands.
The Falkland archipelago would appear to be crying out for IOTA activation
as it consists of not only the two main islands, West and East Falkland,
but about 776 smaller islands!
(Sourced to wikipedia and the 5 MHz Newsletter)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- APRS (AVRS)
Open Source 'APRS to Discord' Bridge Project Begins Testing
Harold Giddings, KR0SIV, reports on an on-going open source project
called the 'APRS to Discord bridge'. The Discord network supports
text and voice chat, project documentation and source code for dev-
elopers, gamers, and makers in an open source environment. For more
information about the Discord network see https://discordapp.com/
The APRS to Discord bridge, by Alexandre Rouma (@WhatsTheGeekYT on
twitter), is designed to connect APRS traffic from terrestrial and
spacecraft sources with user's servers on the Discord network. The
software, still under development, is pretty simple at the moment
but will be open source (Node.js). The design will allow amateur radio
groups to set up their own node for bridging an APRS callsign/message
to their discord server. It is written in a way that requires the bot
operator to validate amateur operators with a special role in Discord
preventing illicit use by non-licensed operators.
Source code can be found here:
https://github.com/AlexandreRouma/aprs_bridge
https://github.com/AlexandreRouma/npm-aprs-parser
(ANS)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - ASTRONOMICAL
Starlink satellites photobomb a meteor shower
Astronomers monitoring the skies for an outburst of alpha Monocerotid
meteors on Nov. 22nd were surprised when their cameras filled instead
with an outburst of satellites.
A train of Starlink satellites flew over the La Palma observatory in the
Canary islands, stealing the show.
Despite the interference, a flurry of alpha Monocerotids was observed.
Visit Spaceweather.com in particular the Nov 23 edition
for the full story and video.
(SouthGate Nov 24)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS ATV (Every pixel tells a story) -
arvideonews.com
hamradiotube.com
youtube.com
qdg.org.au
In a collaboration between VK7MAG and VK70O, a new SSTV camera has been
established on Hobart's eastern shore operating in the ten meter band
on 28.680.
VK7MAG is providing the antenna and receiving equipment while VK7OO
is hosting the SSTV cam on 28.680 will operate 24 hours a day. That is it
is never off, except if the power fails!
The time stamp on each image is UTC time & is the time the image began
being received (typically 2 minutes before it is posted to the web).
Website address is https://vk7oo.tasme.com/sstv10m/
(vk7news)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - FINAL FRONTIER
AMSAT-VK Secretary - secretary@amsat-vk.org
The FUN has gone - Long Live the FUN
Closing down old FUNcube data servers
The server addresses warehouse.funcube.org.uk and data.funcube.org.uk
are no longer operational so if you have FUNcube Dashboard(s) using the
URL data.funcube.org.uk, please change it to data.amsat-uk.org as
forwarding will no longer take place.
All data from data.funcube.org.uk was transferred to the new server some
time ago.
(G4DPZ via SouthGate)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- INTERNET, THE HAMS DOMAIN.
Brian Kantor, WB6CYT co-founder of the AMPRnet became Silent Key
last week at his home in San Diego.
Brian retired only two years ago after 47 years of service on the
staff at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). Brian had
been the principal software architect for the university's
Network Operations group. According to the university website, for
many years he ran the on-campus Amateur Radio Club at the university.
Way back in the mid-1980s, Brian helped start AMPRnet, the TCP/IP
over amateur radio network and continued to manage it until his
passing. AMPRnet, uses TCP/IP over amateur radio.
In July of this year, an estimated 4 million unused AMPRNet internet
addresses were sold to fund grants and scholarships in communications
and networking. Brian and AMPRnet cofounder Phil Karn KA9Q were among
the addresses' owners.
(sourced to vk2akg Frank and ARNewsLine)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP --- MARITIME
Ham Radio Day Aboard the Queen Mary
This takes place Saturday December 14 and supporting the event?
AMSAT
The Ham Radio Day Aboard the Queen Mary, is an on-air event which will
include satellite operations from the RMS Queen Mary who is berthed
at the Port of Long Beach in California, grid DM03vs.
Satellite operations will take place from the Queen Mary's Sports Deck,
next to the W6RO Wireless Room, visitors to the Golden State are welcome,
and hams from near and far, with a copy of their valid amateur license,
can board the ship for free on 14 December
(sourced to ANS)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO AMATEUR OLD-TIMERS
http://www.raotc.org.au
Hallo everyone. This is Clive VK6CSW reminding you that the
Radio Amateurs Old Timers Club of Australiaâ€s December bulletin
goes to air tomorrow.
This month as well as the latest Club News, we have for you a request from
WIA historian Peter Wolfenden VK3RV concerning Francis Chambers; an item
on the 98th Anniversary of first Amateur Trans-Atlantic test in 1921;
a review of a book about British Secret Intelligence Service agent
Geoffrey Pigeon; and a piece about the Orpheus Museum in Ballarat.
Full details of morning and evening broadcast times and frequencies are
published on the Club website, www.raotc.org.au, where you will also find
information about the RAOTC and membership.
Everyone is most welcome to tune in and to join in the call backs
afterwards.
Experimental transmissions.
In addition to our normal relays, there is an experimental transmission
from VK3ADM tomorrow afternoon at 1600 hours Melbourne time, 0500 UTC,
on 7.146 MHz. Signal reports would be much appreciated to determine the
viability of this transmission on a permanent basis. Once again, 7.146 MHz
at 0500 UTC or 4 pm Melbourne daylight saving time.
Also, tomorrow morning the RAOTC Broadcast will be on Digital Mobile Radio
on the VK DMR network Talk Group 5, at 1100 hours VK3 time, 00 hours UTC.
If none of the broadcast times suit you, you can download the audio file
from our website at any time as from today. If you do listen via the
internet, would you please email your feedback to us.
Once again, check the website www.raotc.org.au for your local transmission
schedule, tune in tomorrow or download the file for the December bulletin,
and we look forward to hearing your call sign in the call backs afterwards.
Happy Christmas everyone and
73 from Clive VK6CSW.
---------------------------------------------------------------------*
REWIND - I'M JOHN KNOW VK4FJRK
45th Birthday celebrations continue for AMSAT-OSCAR 7!
At 17:11 UTC on November 15, 1974 a Delta-2310 rocket lifted off
from SLC-2W at Vandenberg Air Force Base, sending AO-7 into orbit
along with NOAA-4 and Intasat.
Details about the launch and initial telemetry reception can be found
on https://tinyurl.com/ANS-321-AO7Launch
After nearly 7 years of service, AO-7 was thought to have reached
the end of its life due to battery failure, this was in June 1981.
A retrospective detailing its exemplary record was published in the
AMSAT Satellite Report, available on
https://tinyurl.com/ANS-321-AO7Record
Though it was thought to be lost in 1981, there are reports that the
Polish Solidarity movement used AO-7 to pass messages in 1982 while
Poland was under martial law.
An article, in Polish, with the details is available on
https://tinyurl.com/AO-7-Poland
Twenty years later, on June 21, 2002, G 3 IOR reported that he heard
an old-style CW beacon from an unknown OSCAR satellite near
145.970 MHz. This was soon identified as AMSAT-OSCAR 7.
The original AMSAT-BB post with news of the discovery is archived
at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-321-AO7BB
Despite some pre-launch predictions that the CMOS logic circuits
on-board "wouldn't last 3 weeks," AO-7 remains operational and
well-used while in sunlight. It is the OLDEST operational satellite
in any service, in orbit.
https://www.amsat.org/two-way-satellites/ao-7/
WITH REWIND - I'M JOHN KNOW VK4FJRK
---------------------------------------------------------------------*
CHRISTMAS IS
VK2 - SARC's end of year party will be held at the Clubrooms SATURDAY 7th
from about 1600 to 1830 (VK2 time). BYO but cold soft drinks will be
available for purchase from the SARC fridge as usual and nibbles
aplenty.
VK7 - December 11 sees the NTARC Christmas.
This year it will be held at the Commercial Hotel, George Street,
Launceston 7.00 pm, can always arrive earlier and get comfortable
before the happy crowd arrives.
VK4 - December 15 theTARCinc Xmas Party.
Sunday afternoon from 2-00pm at the VK4ME Antenna Farm.
VK4 - December 20 TARC Monster Xmas Lights Tour.
Get out your Santa Hats, flashing pins and Christmas Costumes and
get ready for another magical mystery tour of the 'lights fantastic!"
Itâ€s a Drive Yourself Dazzling Spectacular and all mobile shack
chariots monitor 146.5MHz during the tour to hear instructions
from the guide vehicle.
2020 Social Scene
The year 2020 is going to be huge for our VK7 community, with three big
events on the calendar:
Meet the Voice in March,
WIA Conference in May,
and HamFest in November!
Meet the Voice will be held over the third weekend in March, with Sunday
being the main event, held at the Ross Recreation Centre. Attendees are
advised that no longer is camping at the recreation grounds allowed, so
please make alternative arrangements.
The only scheduled activities will occur on Sunday, with attendees given
the freedom to catch up with friends old and new casually in the couple
of days prior, as is usually the case.
Sunday will include the annual announcement of the Sewing Circle award
and submissions are requested for presentations or workshops to be
delivered on the day. Feedback from the 2019 event has been taken on board,
and a barbecue will be arranged for the day.
Information regarding the WIA conference and HamFest will be delivered
in the near future.
(sourced to vk7news)
VK4 - TARC Australia Day Long Week Family Radio Camp Thursday afternoon
23rd to Monday afternoon 27th January 2020 at Girl Guides Association
of Queensland Campsite and Training Centre, Bluewater. (TARCinc)
VK2 - WYONG FIELD DAY 23rd February 2020 (dd5lp)
VK4 - SEQ Amateur Radio Field Day March 10, 10am at
Landsborough Sports Complex 15 Tunnel Ridge Rd. (vk4an)
VK4 - REDFEST 2020 18th April. St. Michael's College
Old Toorbul Point Rd from 8am (vk4tfn)
VK - WIA Annual Conference, Hobart 8-10 May. (vk7tw)
VK - ALARAMEET 2020 Bendigo October 2 - 5 (vk5yl)
Submitting news items
If you would like to submit news items for possible inclusion in the
VK1WIA broadcasts, please email your item in text to
nationalnews @ wia.org.au
and don't JUST send url's links or posters,
but take the time to pen YOUR contribution.
To submit audio
email nationalnews @ wia.org.au
and ask for the current password then read "how to submit items"
in the weekly news page on
http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/contribute/
We would appreciate items certainly no longer than 2 minutes in length
as we only have a half hour.
Remember the sooner you submit material the more the likelihood of it
being broadcast in the very next edition of WIA National News.
Each item will only be broadcast once, if you want a couple of
mentions, please submit different slants to keep your event 'fresh'
and always if the news room is to read your item ---
write it in the 3rd person.
A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't plug
DEALS from commercial traders "on air", but we at the WIA will put
your supporters 'goods' in this text edition "no worries."
We cannot give blatant 'plugs' to raffles. (new Jan 2019)
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WIANews - we've reported...YOU decide.
TWITTER http://twitter.com/VK1WIA
Societies and Club News Letter Editors can EXCHANGE a feed prior to
the actual broadcast date,
e-mail nationalnews @ wia.org.au
Call-backs follow the RF editions, but also for text readers you may
lodge a quick reply to let us know you read it, who knows, you might
even get a "cheerio call".
Thanks to our dedicated band of broadcast volunteers who utilize
their time and equipment in bringing you this weekly broadcast.
Who and where are they?
http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/
The purpose of "WIANews" is to rapidly provide news of interest to
WIA affiliated clubs and active amateurs residing in Australia and
the globe.
We strongly encourage membership in the Wireless Institute of
Australia and participation in the activities of local clubs.
Opinions expressed in "WIANews" are those of the writers who submit
material and do not necessarily reflect those of the rebroadcasters,
nor the National WIA, but IF broadcast, are done so in the spirit in
which they were submitted."
Material may be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form,
a credit to WIANews wouldn't go astray...
If you have call-backs to contribute to the National News call back
tally then please send through your call-backs to
callbacks@wia.org.au
How do I join this National News List?
(subscribe for an automatic weekly feed.)
Email to vk1wia-news-join @ lists.wia.org.au
from the email account that you wish the emails to go to.
How do I leave this National News List? (unsubscribe your weekly feed)
Open mail program which sends mail from the address you want to
unsubscribe from. Send unsubscribe to the list
unsubscribe address vk1wia-news-leave @ lists.wia.org.au
You will be sent a confirmation mail and must follow the instructions
given in that mail to complete the unsubscription.
Once your unsubscription has been processed, you will probably
receive another message confirming your unsubscription from the list,
and at that point you should stop receiving messages.
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(Posted to the packet network courtesy Tony VK7AX)
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