• WIANEWS for WEEK COMMENCING FEBRUARY 12 2023

    From National News Broadcast Email List@3:633/280.2 to All on Fri Feb 10 10:29:23 2023
    Reply-To: nationalnews@wia.org.au

    Weekly news from the WIA:
    MP3 edition of news available at: http://www.wia-files.com/podcast/wianews-2023-02-12.mp3 Text edition:

    2023 FEBRUARY 12 VK NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA ------------------------------------------------------------*

    THE BEST NEWS YOU'LL GET ALL WEEK

    THIS LINK IS A VIDEO VERSION OF NEWS COMPILED BY VK5BD BEVAN tinyurl.com/WIA-News-Videos

    ------------------------------------------------------------*

    NATIONAL NEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING FEBRUARY 12 2023
    IN OUR 28th YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS

    ( 1937 in a mention we've come across relating to weekly
    broadcasts of information prepared by VK4 was a plea to
    restart the weekly news service which was on air in the
    late 1920's )

    THIS WEEK:-

    WIA IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT VK2GPK GREG

    WIA's ARMAGAZINE EDITOR IN-CHIEF VK2ZRH ROGER
    PLUS MUCH MUCH MORE IN THIS EDITION OF
    NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA
    I'M NATIONAL NEWS EDITOR GRAHAM VK4BB
    WIA

    JOIN THE WIA
    tinyurl.com/yyj87b9y

    This is Greg VK2GPK with this weeks comment.

    Unless you were a hermit living in a cave, you would be aware that
    the spectrum regulator, the ACMA has canvassed submissions over
    the last year or so on its proposed elimination of the current
    Amateur Service licence defined as a non-assigned (meaning not
    restricted to a fixed location) apparatus licence. In an earlier
    board comment , based on the ACMAs own description of a class
    licence, I postulated that the Amateur Service is not an appropriate
    USE CASE for a class licence. In other words, a class licence has
    dubious fitness for purpose for the Amateur Service. There are
    unavoidable collateral impacts in various legal contexts outside of
    the regulators jurisdiction, with local and international legislation
    that create exposure for amateur operators.

    Importantly amateur operators would transition from being clients
    of the ACMA to being at best tenuous stakeholders as unlicensed
    spectrum users with no real rights of representation with the
    regulator. This has potentially ominous long term implications for
    the future, especially in regard to retention of the GHz spectrum.

    Well, as was widely anticipated as the only likely outcome, the
    ACMAs 2022-2027 Five year spectrum outlook (FYSO) and 2022 -2023
    work program published only a few weeks ago contains the following sentence.., <begin quote> We (Ed The ACMA) recently reviewed
    non-assigned amateur and outpost licensing arrangements and
    concluded that a transition from apparatus to class licensing was
    suitable. end quote

    Quote for the 2022 2027 ACMA FYSO

    We recently reviewed non-assigned amateur and outpost licensing
    arrangements and concluded that a transition from apparatus to
    class licensing was suitable. The amateur service is a longstanding
    and valued user of the radiofrequency spectrum and is designed
    primarily to facilitate hobby radiocommunications and technical experimentation. Given that there are over 15,000 licensed amateurs
    in Australia, the transition to class licensing is expected to be a
    substantial reduction in regulatory burden. End quote

    Interestingly, in their definition the word hobby has never been
    part of the official definition of the Australian Amateur Service
    and it silent in regards that experimentation has contributed to
    continual technical innovation for the benefit of society over many
    decades. And the last sentence is quite telling what is the
    regulatory burden? There is no real business case to support such a
    statement. Why are they eliminating a perfectly serviceable class
    licence? A class licence for the Amateur service makes Australia a
    global outlier.

    Begin Quote

    A change to a class licence is non trivial, as the ACMA has stated.

    Activities planned for 202223

    ...The implementation of class-licensing arrangements will be a
    large and complex body of work, involving administrative and
    operational changes to how amateur qualifications and certificates
    are issued and recognised under the Act, how call signs are managed,
    and consequential changes to Deed arrangements for the delivery of
    amateur radio services.

    We do not expect this body of work to cause interruptions to the
    amateur radio service for licensees. We will focus on communicating
    the changes and timeframes to the amateur community and making the
    transition as smooth as possible. We encourage amateur licensees to
    subscribe to our Amateur update newsletter to ensure that they are
    kept up-to-date.

    End Quote

    Because of time constraints, I have included in the text version of
    this comment an extract from ACMAs response to submissions 2022.
    It is worth reading, especially in regard to committees which is
    almost nonsensical.

    I hope WIA affiliated clubs discuss the impending class licence
    particularly the ACMA planned activities for 2022 -2023. in their
    meetings as it is not quite yet set in concrete. It is worth
    remembering that the IARU is the ITU sector owner for the Amateur
    service and the WIA is the sole Australian member and also Region 3
    founding member.

    Until next time, this is Greg VK2GPK.
    The following was not included in the audio, but is useful
    background

    Begin quote from ACMA Response to Submissions 2022

    Amateur radio
    An amateur radio representative body expressed its concerns that
    the transition to class-licensing arrangements for the amateur
    service would lead to a reduction in protection from interference,
    and a reduction of future privileges, updates and support to the
    service. The submitter recommended that a service level agreement
    be established under the class licence that would define the
    responsibilities and expectations of all parties. The submitter was
    also of the view that the amateur service would benefit from an
    independent committee made up of amateur community representatives,
    and that operated on a consensus-based model akin to a self- or
    co regulatory arrangement. Additionally, it requested that standard
    amateur operators be allowed to access the 5052 MHz band.

    Submitters supported further investigations into higher power limits
    for foundation and standard operators, in addition to advanced
    amateur operators.

    Our response (ed The ACMA)
    We consulted on non-assigned amateur licensing arrangements,
    including a draft class licence, in Q1 2021. In our response to
    submissions to that consultation, we addressed concerns raised
    about interference protection and the perceived dilution of amateur
    operator privileges under a class licence. Specifically, we
    explained that the level of interference protection for
    non-assigned amateur stations will remain the same under a
    class licence, and regulatory conditions that apply to amateur
    operations, including operating privileges afforded to operators at
    each level of qualification, will not be changed.

    We expect to consult in Q3 2022 on the specific implementation
    issues for amateur class licensing. We continue to consider the
    best ways to engage with the amateur community through various
    channels. It is our view that amateur class-licencing arrangements,
    which will encompass the class licence and any operational procedures,
    are adequate for the regulation of the amateur service. We do not
    consider it is necessary or possible to establish a service-level
    agreement for the service.

    It is open to members of the amateur community, including
    amateur representative bodies, to form one or more amateur
    radio committees, and to do so without the involvement or
    endorsement of the ACMA.

    We have made some updates to the FYSO to clarify the scope of
    implementation activities we will conduct in the 202223 period.

    End quote.

    This is Editor-in-Chief of Amateur Radio magazine,
    Roger Harrison VK2ZRH.

    Amateur Radio magazine is now in newsagents and should be in most
    members hands via Australia Post by now.

    If not, a little patience and it soon will be.

    As I said last week, the theme for Issue 1 is on Antennas and
    Propagation.

    Accordingly, our lead item in WIA News covers how Solar Cycle 25 is
    confounding forecasts of the timing and size of the peak.
    DXers may be in for a surprise.

    Another item of note is WestNews, a new column covering happenings
    in our largest state Western Australia. Our correspondent,
    Will McGhie VK6 U U, details the operation of Perths International
    Propagation Beacon VK6 R B P, one of the 18 five-band HF beacons
    at locations across the world, transmitting on all the bands from
    20 metres through 10 metres.

    The two authors of our Antenna Modelling feature series that ran
    over last year, complete it by detailing the design of a
    five-element Yagi for two metres.

    Meanwhile, Dale Hughes VK1 D S H completes the description of his
    multi-mode transmitter for the 2200 metre band, and Phil Fitzherbert
    VK3 F F expands on his journey of conserving a Collins S-line setup,
    this time covering the 75S-3 communications receiver.

    To round-out the technical content, Eric VK3 E A C reveals all about
    a simple controller for bipolar stepper motors.

    Amateur Radio magazine, Volume 91, Issue Number 1 for 2023.
    Published continuously for 90 years!
    Always published to a schedule, never random.
    Available in print and online.

    This has been AR magazine Editor-in-Chief Roger Harrison VK2ZRH
    for VK1WIA National News.

    EDUCATION

    Redcliffe and Districts radio club. http://www.wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/RedcliffeAndDistrictRadioClub/

    Gday to my name is Steve VK4SJH

    THIS IS A PRINT ONLY STORY:- AUDIO IS ON THIS WEEKS QNEWS from VK4

    vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
    The Redcliffe Radio Club is commencing and Advanced/Standard course
    using Microsoft Teams from Sunday 12th Feb 19:30 hrs QLD time.
    The course will run for several months or until you are ready to
    have a go at either the Standard or Advanced Theory exam.

    Course notes and plenty of practice exams will be provided to you electronically.

    If you would like to be part of that training then send an email to education@redclifferadioclub.org.au and one of the education team
    will send you details for the advanced/standard training course and
    cost being run via Microsoft Teams. You will find an extremely
    friendly bunch of Amateurs who will help you with any theory
    question you may have.

    Hope to hear from you 73s Steve VK4SJH

    AUDIO ON
    vk7ax.id.au/wianews/

    ------------------------------------------------------------*
    INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, RAC,
    ARRL, NZART, eHam, AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE,
    Radioworld.com and the World Wide sources of the WIA.
    REGION ONE

    TURKEY and SYRIA

    A 7.8 Magnitude earthquake hit Trkiye and Syria 6th February
    leading to well over 20,000 deaths and many many casualties.
    Aftershocks continued in the area with another large 7.5 magnitude
    event happening soon after affecting the response.

    The emergency communications group of TRAC will be involved in the
    response activities, primarily expected to be on VHF/UHF but they do
    also use 3.777 and 7.092MHz as needed. Transmissions in Turkish have
    been heard on the frequency of 28.540 MHz. Radio Amateurs are
    requested to give way to any emergency traffic around those
    frequencies.

    Aziz Sasa TA 1 E President of TRAC has stated in a report on IARU
    Region One website that Turkey has asked for assistance from the
    international community and notes that if SAR Groups intend to come
    for assistance they should contact the Embassies of Turkey in their
    countries. He also says that SAR groups should be advised to have
    at least one Ham Radio operator in their team and / or the facilities
    to program their radios.

    This is a devastating event for the area but please remember that
    it is easy for ports and airports to be blocked with unrequested
    supplies so only materials formally requested by the relief agencies
    should be dispatched and only to named destinations or they are
    likely to be blocked from import.
    SWEDEN

    In honour of World Radio Day, tomorrow Monday February 13,
    radio station SAQ in Grimeton, Sweden, and amateur radio station
    SK 6 SAQ, are scheduled to be on the air to send out a peace message
    to the world, using the unique 1924 200 kW Alexanderson alternator
    on 17.2 kHz CW.

    Test and tuning transmissions will begin approximately at 12:00 UTC
    and SAQ will be on the air for 20 - 30 minutes. Start-up and tuning
    of the Alexanderson alternator will begin at 14:30 UTC and
    transmission of the peace message from SAQ will start at 15:00 UTC.

    SK6SAQ has picked a set of unique frequencies with a "connection"
    to SAQ's transmission frequency on 17.2 kHz, and will be QRV between
    09:00 UTC and 16:00 UTC on the following frequencies:
    - 3517.2 kHz CW
    - 7017.2 kHz CW- 14017.2 kHz CW
    - 3755 kHz SSB- 7140 kHz SSB

    QSL cards will be available and there will be live coverage on
    YouTube.

    youtube.com/channel/UC-83S-l9JKD1iuhsXx3XQ3g

    For more information about the World Radio Day event and SAQ
    Grimeton visit their website

    alexander.n.se

    (eHam)
    GREAT BRITAIN

    March 10-19 is British Science Week, an annual event celebrating
    science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

    It provides a platform to support teachers, STEM professionals and
    the public in delivering STEM activities and events across the UK.

    This years theme is Connections, which lends itself perfectly to
    wireless communication and amateur radio-related activities!
    The RSGB has put together a set of activities suitable for children
    in early years, primary and secondary school. The RSGB hopes its
    resources will inspire all to get involved too.

    Find out more on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/bsw
    GERMANY

    The 46th HAM RADIO exhibition and the 72nd Lake Constance Convention,
    both organised by DARC, will take place from Friday, June 23rd
    until Sunday, June 25th, 2023 in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance.

    Thomas Wrede DF 2 OO from the DARC International Affairs Committee
    says an informal international meeting for representatives of all
    IARU member societies will be held on Friday, June 23rd followed
    by an International Reception on Friday evening -

    REGION TWO

    KENTUCKY

    FCC HELPS UNDERWRITE EXAM COST FOR YOUNG AMATEURS

    One amateur radio club in Kentucky is making full use of an FCC
    measure that helps cover costs for amateur radio candidates under
    the age of 18.

    Alec VK2APC is following the thread:-

    The Paducah Amateur Radio Association is encouraging local youngsters
    between 8 and 13 to join the club's program, which it calls
    "Pre-teen Talkers." The goal is to help them take the FCC licensing
    exam and get on the air. Last April, the FCC and the ARRL announced
    a negotiated agreement permitting Volunteer Examiners at amateur
    radio clubs to waive the $35 license fee for applicants under the
    age of 18 and to reduce the $15 ham radio testing fee to $5.

    Nice touch by the USA Regulator!

    JASON PICKS UP HERE =

    BUT the good news doesn't stop there, Ham Club secretary
    Michael Durr, KN4 TIP, told local TV WPSD that those who pass
    the entry level Technician Exam will become eligible for a free
    handheld radio to be given to them by
    the Paducah Amateur Radio ------------------------------------------------------------*
    HAM RADIO OPERATIONAL NEWS - IT'S A CONTACT SPORT

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

    NOW CONTEST WISE:-
    --------------
    2023
    --------------
    --------------

    FEBRUARY 25 - 26

    New Zealands Jock White Memorial Field Day

    This annual ZL contest is named to honour Jock White ZL2GX,
    NZART Contest and Awards Manager for over 40 years, for the
    service that he gave to NZART during that time

    The Jock White is always held the last full weekend in February
    Saturday 1500-2400 NZDT
    Sunday 0600-1500 NZDT
    and on 40 and 80 meters.

    Overseas stations in the South Pacific area are welcome and a
    special category exists for "us".

    (nzart)
    --------------

    MARCH 18 - 19 (the 3rd Weekend) John Moyle Field Day
    UTC 0100 Saturday to 0059 Sunday.
    (wia.org.au)--------------
    YOTA CONTEST
    Youngsters On The Air
    1st round 22nd April 0800 1959 UTC
    ham-yota.com/contest/

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

    EAGLE EYED PETER PARKER

    MAY SIX Saturday Harry Angel Memorial Sprint 106 mts an annual 80m
    contest event, first established in 1999, to commemorate the life of
    Harry Angel VK4HA who at the time of his becoming a Silent Key was
    the oldest licensed amateur in Australia. (106)
    The duration of the contest is 106 minutes one minute for each year
    of Harry's life.

    The Harry Angel Memorial Sprint has been run annually since 1999
    It is usually held on the first Saturday in May each year
    10:00 UTC - 11:46 UTC (wia.org.au)

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

    MAY 20-21 Don Edwards Memorial Slow Morse Contest
    begins the weekend after Mother's Day.

    80m section Saturday 20th May 6 to 9pm Sydney time.
    40m section afternoon of Sunday 21st of May, 1 to 4
    Sydney time. (vk2wi)

    --------------
    --------------
    DX WINDOW--------------
    --------------

    BRAZIL

    Listen and work ZX 89 L until February 15 to celebrate the 89th
    anniversary of the founding of the Brazilian Amateur Society LABRE.

    QSL via LoTW.

    (arrl)

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

    Peter, G4HSO is active holiday style as S79 / G4HSO from the
    Seychelles until the 21st of February, concentrating on CW and
    VarAC. QSL via LoTW, note Peter has asked for NO paper QSLs.

    Now those not up on the mode VarAC, during Special Interest Group
    news I'm sure Bruce will have something on it this week

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

    SAMOA.

    Pista, HA5AO, George, HA5UK and Paul, W7IV are QRV as 5 W 0 DX
    from Savai'i Island, IOTA OC-097, until February 28 on 80 to 10 mtrs
    using CW, SSB, RTTY.

    QSL via operators' instructions.

    (arrl)

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

    KUWAIT

    Special event station 9 K 9 NLD is active until February 28 to
    commemorate Kuwait's National Liberation Day.

    (vk2wi)

    ------------------------------------------------------------*
    MEDIA WATCH
    The RSGB was delighted to see the feature in The Times on Saturday
    the 28th of January about amateur radio. It was a great opportunity
    to highlight both amateur radio and the Society in the mainstream
    media.

    Heather Parsons, the RSGB Comms Manager, spent a week liaising with
    Rhys Blakely, the Science Correspondent, and coordinating the
    interviewees. She put forward a whole range of ideas and possible
    interviewees. An external media monitoring agency has confirmed that
    the potential online audience for this feature was over 42 million.

    The feature is called Ham radio tunes in to a new generation and
    you can still read it online. Go to thetimes.co.uk and search for
    amateur radio.

    From the UK to Australia:-
    Hi, Im Bob VK4BOB in Cairns.

    Three members of the Cairns Amateur Radio Club, Steve VK4SJB,
    Mark VK4JU and I, operated the clubs contest station VK4HM for
    the Australia Day Contest.

    While we were setting up a field station on The Esplanade in Cairns,
    a promo SMS I sent earlier to the local ABC Radio station was read
    out by the breakfast announcer. Then we got a surprise visit from
    the shows producer with his recorder, and the following morning an
    interview of about 8 minutes was broadcast during the popular
    breakfast program. This was broadcast by ABC Local Radio all over
    Cape York and Far North Queensland

    This is Bob, VK4BOB, signing off for the Cairns Amateur Radio Club. ------------------------------------------------------------*
    WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS ATV (Every pixel tells a story) - tinyurl.com/WIA-News-Videos
    THAT LINK IS A VIDEO VERSION OF THIS NEWS COMPILED BY VK5BD BEVAN

    LETS GO TO THE MOVIES

    SuitSat-1 (AMSAT-OSCAR 54) deployed from the ISS 17 years ago
    February 3rd. It played voice messages in languages recorded by
    ARISS partners and students from around the globe. It also sent
    telemetry data.

    It was lost 15 days later.

    Suit Sat came back to life in a 2021 short horror film!

    If you'd like to watch the Sci-Fi Horror short film "Decommissioned"
    based on the ARISS Suit Sat, it can be found on YouTube at
    the link we like in the text edition of this newscast best read at
    wia.org.au

    youtube.com/watch?v=TNtpdvfbTjA

    (ARISS)
    WORLD WIDE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NEWS - AND - SUMMITS ON THE AIR,
    WORLD WIDE FLORA, FAUNA PROGRAM, PARKS ON THE AIR and other
    ADVENTURE GROUPS.

    hema.org.uk/index.jsp
    minesontheair.com/about-mota
    parksontheair.com/
    sota.org.uk
    sotawatch.sota.org.uk/en/
    wwffaustralia.com/
    SOTA EAST MALAYSIA

    On air on a mountain top is 9 M 8 SOTA from the mountains in
    Sarawak, 80 to 10 meters using CW, SSB, and FT8.
    9M8SOTA's length of stay is unknown. QSL via LoTW.

    (arrl)
    SOTA SOUTH AFRICA

    Be listening February 18, a Saturday for many activations from South
    Africa as that's the day they will be celebrating their 20th
    anniversary of SOTA in that country.

    (sarl)

    Closer to home, it takes all types to make up a park-fest!
    Marty VK4KC 'speaks up'

    While most will be driving from their home QTH to Pilliga in the
    comfort of their motor vehicle, spare a thought for Stuart VK3UAO
    who is incorporating the Pilliga Park-fest weekend as part of his
    long bicycle journey in which he will depart his home QTH at
    Niddrie, a suburb of Melbourne on around April 8th and ride for
    3 weeks to Pilliga and then following Pilliga will ride for another
    week to Port Macquarie. A total of 1550 KM.

    Stuart will try and activate one park per day and will report his
    position via aprs using some custom made equipment and a flowerpot
    antenna for his bike.

    His QRZ page will have a map showing his daily progress.

    For the weekend he is at Pilliga he will pair up with another park
    activator and be driven between parks in a motor vehicle to give his
    legs a break.

    What an adventure!

    I'm sure the ham radio community joins with me in wishing Stuart all
    the best as he prepares his gear and his body for this gruelling
    adventure.

    All are welcome to attend the Pilliga park fest on the 29th & 30th
    April.

    For more information Contact Alan VK1AO or Marty VK4KC whose details
    are on their QRZ pages.

    Pilliga Park-Fest, the place to be in 2023!

    Im Marty VK4KC on behalf of the Pilliga Park-fest organising
    committee.
    WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ARDF
    WIA ARDF COORDINATOR VK3WWW Jack vk3www@wia.org.au users.mackay.net.au/~ron/homingin.com
    ardf.org.au

    WHAT'S IN A NAME?

    USA Radio Orienteering Championships Set for April 19 - 23, 2023.

    This is the 22nd USA Radio Orienteering Championships and this year
    will be held at Cooper Lake State Park in Texas, and is hosted by
    the New Mexico Orienteers

    nm-orienteers.org

    The White Rock Lake Amateur Radio Club will provide communications
    support and the new name Radio Orienteering has been transitioning
    to this new name but it is actually the same radio navigation sport
    we know as Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF).

    The sport involves using special radio receivers to find hidden
    transmitters in timed events.

    (arrl)


    WORLD WIDE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- DIGITALvkdmr.info/ brandmeister.network/?page=repeaters

    VarAC

    Felix mentioned that DX station in the Seychelles using CW and
    Varac.

    Gaining in popularity, some who were FT8 devotees have swung to
    VarAC. They say you get the best of both worlds, a quick connection
    for the log using the Ping function where it exchanges signal report
    and location, or you can have a proper chat by calling or answering
    a CQ call. If you nip out, someone can leave you a message in your
    mailbox and likewise, if you see someone on and connect to them, you
    can leave them a message if they don't answer.

    And one of the best features it's been suggested is the beacon
    function where stations will leave their beacon running once every
    15 mins, so you can see exactly what the propagation is doing
    as well as who is online.

    Its still quite new, so give it a go and be an early(ish) adopter!

    youtube.com/watch?v=Dw12-MguZd4

    varac-hamradio.com

    (VarAC)

    ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BUT REAL RAGCHEW

    ChatGPT is the intensely popular chatbot launched late last year by
    Open AI. It has quite literally become the talk of more than quite a
    few towns, if not the world.

    Now, it seems, it is also the talk of amateur radio.

    Ralph Squillace KK6ITB from ARNewsLine explains.

    An enterprising ham in Manitoba, Canada, has found a way to use a
    voice recognition engine and a text-to-speech engine to give
    ChatGPT its own voice -- via a transmission that occurs over D-STAR.

    William Franzin, VE4VR, has been a ham since the 1990s, long before
    the age of today's modern digital modes, but he has almost always
    tinkered with voice repeater controllers. He told NewsLine that
    those early projects really didn't take off for him. It was only
    after Amazon released its Alexa voice assistant that the project
    gained real traction.

    Five years ago he successfully integrated voice-assistant products
    with popular ham radio platforms. His recent addition of ChatGPT
    simply meant including it as one more platform.

    An article on the Hackaday website describes the process:

    A DSTAR digital voice transmission is received and transcoded to
    regular digital audio. A voice recognition engine delivers the
    question for ChatGPT's AI. The AIs output then enters a
    text-to-speech engine which delivers the question's reply over
    D-STAR. William has registered the VE 4 AVS callsign just for these applications. He stressed that all of this is still in the experimental
    phase.

    However, he posed one question that might prove too tough even for
    ChatGPT itself to tackle: Could the AI answer enough questions to
    qualify for a license and an upgrade on its own?

    We're listening for that answer.

    This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.
    WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - FINAL FRONTIER
    AMSAT-VK Secretary - secretary@amsat-vk.org

    AO-95 QRT

    After a lingering illness of the battery, AO-95 passed away
    peacefully on December 23rd. While a miraculous return is always
    possible, it is not expected.

    AO-95, known prior to launch as Fox-1Cliff to commemorate amateur
    satellite pioneer Cliff Buttschardt, K7RR, who became a silent key
    himself in 2007, launched in 2018.

    Shortly after deployment, it was discovered that the receiver had
    failed for unknown reasons. Still, the satellite provided an easy
    to receive beacon and telemetry data for over four years before the
    NiCad batteries failed.

    (ans)
    WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RESCUE RADIO
    IARU REGION 3
    Emergency Centre of Activity (CoA) frequencies
    3.600, 7.110, 14.300, 18.160 and 21.360 MHz
    Region 1 3760 7110 14300 18160 21360 kHz

    Region 2 3750 3985 7060 7240 7275 14300 18160 21360kHz
    Now to Allan VK4HIT with news from Ipswich and District Radio Club.

    Robert VK4KHW highlighted this years WICEN events with the first
    being the Pinnacles Classic on April 2. This will be followed by
    the Brisbane Trail Marathon on April 30, Guzzler Ultra Marathon
    July 22 and 23, Lake Manchester Trail August 20 and Mt Glorious
    Trail November 12.

    Ipswich will join with Brisbane WICEN for the Cooyar Horse Ride on
    March 18 and 19.

    Additional volunteers are always needed and welcome to help bolster
    numbers at check points.

    Contact ipswichwicen@gmail.com if you can help at any of these
    events throughout the year.

    WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- CW
    www.morsecodeclassnet.com

    CWVox Converts "Dah" and "Dit" Speech Into Morse Code with an
    Arduino.

    Every project these days that involves detecting speech seems built
    around complicated algorithms: machine learning, pattern matching,
    and spectrum analysis to name a few. However, amateur radio
    operator Kevin Loughin KB 9 RLW created CWVox, a voiced-activated
    keyer that converts the spoken "dits" and "dahs" into morse code
    using only an Arduino Nano's ADC!

    The Nano has a simple eight-bit microcontroller. That board,
    a couple of transistors, and a few passive components are all you
    need to convert verbal morse code into electronic tones

    KB 9 RLW provides a real-time demonstration of CWVox in action
    in this weeks national news script, wia.org.au

    youtube.com/watch?v=GpDYJO81-LE

    (eHam)
    ------------------------------------------------------------*

    2023 Social Scene

    Clubs are welcome to submit text with audio for this section

    Details of all WIA affiliated clubs and societies can be found
    on the WIA website, including email addresses and website links.

    VK4 - REDCLIFFE - REDFEST APRIL ONE (vk4tfn)
    VK - WIA AGM May 13 at 10:30am AEST proposed for Canberra (vk8zz)
    A hybrid event conducted both in person and by video
    conference and able to be viewed on an internet streaming
    platform.
    VK4 - SUNFEST - NOTE THE DATE SEPTEMBER 9 (vk4an)

    At Mountain Creek State Schools massive air conditioned
    auditorium, just off the Sunshine Motor Way. Mountain Creek
    is tucked in to the west of Mooloolaba
    VK - ALARAMeet2023 4/5 November in HOBART (luther8@bigpond.com)
    Reception Reports

    WIA News rebroadcasters often give Short Wave Listeners a
    welcome to the broadcast as they commence call-backs
    straight after the Local News. Local news follows National
    news in all states. It would be great if those SWL's would
    email their reception reports and location to
    callbacks@wia.org.au
    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 send BOTH the audio and the text

    We would appreciate items certainly no longer than 1.5 mts 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 recorded 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. (First if YOU are
    reading your own item)

    Promote your local rebroadcast; details on wia.org.au/members/broadcast/contribute/

    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 will not give blatant 'plugs' to raffles, be it raffles
    at the event or "on-line".

    ------------------------------------------------------------*

    Oh... and to contact us with your news because
    If It Matters To You It Matters To Us!
    Click the links below to download the most recent edition of
    National News, BUT this is ONLY the backup site!

    WIANEWS backup thanks to Brendan VK4BLP can be found on
    wiaq.org.au

    BACKUPS OF THE BACKUP!! thanks to Tony VK7AX
    www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/

    wia.org.au/members/broadcast/wianews/ (This is the link
    to the original text version and original audio on wia site) ------------------------------------------------------------*

    WIANews - we've reported...YOU decide.

    TWITTER 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?
    wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/
    Promote your local rebroadcast; details on wia.org.au/members/broadcast/contribute/
    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."

    If you would like to see the call-backs reported each
    broadcast, OR 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 a message confirming your unsubscription
    from the list and at that point you should stop receiving
    messages.

    ------------------------------------------------------------*

    _______________________________________________
    Vk1wia-news mailing list
    Vk1wia-news@lists.wia.org.au http://lists.wia.org.au/mailman/listinfo/vk1wia-news


    --- MBSE BBS v1.0.8 (Linux-x86_64)
    * Origin: Wireless Institute of Australia (3:633/280.2@fidonet)