SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE
SARL NEWS SUNDAY OCTOBER 29 2000

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

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

SILENT KEY

It is with sadness that the Port Elizabeth Amateur Radio Society advises members that OM "Schalk" van der Merwe ZS2Y passed away on 9 October.

Schalk, or "Van", as he was known by many, got his licence during 1935 and
was instrumental in establishing a radio club in Port Elizabeth before the outbreak of war in 1939. He also started what proved to be the fore-runner
of QSX, the monthly newsletter of PEARS.

OM Van enjoyed the respect of everybody who knew him, and we extend our condolences to his XYL Sheila, family and friends.

Here are the headlines of today's news:

2 m BANDPLAN: PROPOSED RESTRUCTURING

NOMINATIONS FOR RADIO AMATEUR OF THE YEAR AWARDS

WEIRD BUT TRUE

PROPAGATION REPORT

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

2 m BANDPLAN: PROPOSED RESTRUCTURING

The SARL Band-Planner, John, ZS5JF, has announced that the restructuring proposal which was mandated at the SARL AGM has now been approved by council and is being circulated to all clubs and interested parties. A copy has
been placed on the SARL Website for members to peruse. This proposal deals with the changes needed to be made to the 2m band. A subsequent proposal
will follow in due course for the other VHF bands.

If additional persons wish to have a copy of this document they are advised
to download it from the SARL website.

Clubs are urged to download the document, study it carefully and to submit comments to the band-planner by the end of November. His e-mail address is: johnf@futurenet.co.za.

Some of the repeater operators will be advised of frequency moves commencing
in the new year to accommodate the new requirements.

A following document will detail the changes to streamline the number of 2m wide area repeaters where unnecessary duplication in coverage areas is involved.

SARL ON THE AIR INDABA RETURNS

On Sunday 12 November the SARL Indaba on the air returns. Make a note of
the date now and participate in an interactive discussion on Amateur Radio. Your participation can make a difference and help the SARL to shape the
future.

The programme starts at 20:00 CAT. Clubs are invited to link their
repeaters. To book a port on the conference bridge please Email hans@intekom.co.za with the details: the telephone number to be linked and
the frequencies on which you will be interactive.Please Email this
information before 6 November or fax to 012 991-5651.

NOMINATIONS FOR SIEMENS RADIO AMATEUR OF THE YEAR AWARDS INVITED

A reminder that the closing date for nomiations for the Siemens Radio
Amateur of the Year Awards is November 18 and the awards will be presented
on November 30.

Nominations may be submitted by Clubs or individual radio amateurs. Here is
an opportunity to recognise someone in your club. Forms are available by sending a request to ARISAS@intekom.co.za of by fax to 012 991 5651.

Full details are on the SARL Web: www.sarl.org.za.

NEW COMMITTEE FOR THE WELKOM RADIO CLUB

The following committee was elected at the recent AGM:
Chairman: Nico Schoonwinkel, ZS4NS;
Vice Chairman: Johan Roos, ZS4KB;
Treasurer: Theresa Schutte, ZS4TS;
Secretary: Leon Schutte, ZS4LS;
Additional member: Frans Hidler, ZS4AE.

Council thanks the retiring committee for their work during the past year
and wishes strength to the new committee during the new year.

CQ HOU KOERS

The Voortrekkers would like to take this opportunity to thank all the radio amateurs who took part in CQ Hou Koers which took place on the 14th of
October. Such participation can only lead to the expansion of our hobby and good will among everyone in our country and even the world outside.

WEIRD BUT TRUE

In 1938, Dr. Wilhelm Konig, an Austrian archaeologist rummaging through the basement of the Baghdad museum made a find that was to drastically alter all concepts of ancient science.

A 150 mm-high pot of bright yellow clay dating back two millennia contained
a cylinder of sheet-copper 150 by 36 mm. The edge of the copper cylinder
was soldered with a 60-40 lead-tin alloy comparable to today's best solder.
The bottom of the cylinder was capped with a crimped-in copper disk and
sealed with bitumen or asphalt.

Another insulating layer sealed the top and also held in place an iron rod suspended into the centre of the copper cylinder. The rod showed evidence
of having been corroded with acid.

Dr. Konig recognised this configuration was not a chance arrangement but
that the clay pot was nothing less than an ancient electric cell. The
ancient cell in the Baghdad Museum as well as others which were unearthed in Iraq all date from the Parthian Persian occupation between 248 B.C. and
A.D. 226!

Where DID they come from? these BAFFLING BATTERIES OF BABYLON.

PROPAGATION REPORT

Ean Retief, ZS1PR, reports as follows:

Once again the Sun made fools of all the Solar forecasters! The value of
the Solar Flux stayed lower than expected.

It is now hoped that the Solar Flux value will reach the 180 mark today, but unfortunately it will in all probability not rise much above 190 in the
coming week. Then it should decline fairly quickly down to the 150's by
next weekend.

On Wednesday the 25th a long-duration Solar Flare with a fairly large
Coronal Mass ejection took place. You have in all probability noted that conditions was not too good yesterday.

The Earth's magnetic field should still be a bit unsettled for today, but propagation should be very near normal.

A fairly large Solar Flare occurred on Friday, but at this stage we are not quite sure what the effects will be. There should be enough satellite data
and images available shortly to make a forecast, so it is planned to update
you on the possible effects in the programme "Amateur Radio Mirror" at 10:00 SAST this morning.

The coming week looks fairly good, with the exception of Thursday the second
of November when a recurrent Coronal hole will affect the Earth's magnetic field and may even push the field to minor storm conditions.

DIARY OF COMING EVENTS

The SAATI AGM will be held tomorrow night October 30, at 20:00 in the
library Cantonements Road, Lyttelton, Centurion. See you there, come and
enjoy the excellent refreshments as well.

The Bloemfontein ARC is planning a flea market/boot sale in connection with wich the following information is supplied:

1. Date : November 04 2000 at 09:00.
2. Place : "The Shack" at Bloemspruit Air Force Base.
3. Refreshments in the shape of eats and drinks will be fully available.
4. Stall tables at R10 each will be under roof and are freely accessible.
5. Plenty of parking is available.
6. The club has a number of repeaters for sale, interested persons must come and buy it personally on that day - not telephonically.

The Bloemfontein Amateur Radio Club appeals to amateurs to support them -
this is a first for that club and if your reaction is positive, it will be
good for the hobby in Bloemfontein.

Anyone anxious to book a table, can do it with Barney, ZS4AQZ, e-mail firedog@iafrica.com or tel 083 462 7507 or Dennis, ZS4BS,
zs4bs@netactive.co.za or tel 082 770 9126.

The Magalies Radio Amateur Club is hosting a flea market at the Club house
on the corner of Breyer and Mill Streets, Waverley in Pretoria on 11
November at 08:00. Anyone who wishes to book a table or have a boot sale, should contact Fritz Sutherland ZS6ASF at (012) 997-1114 or send an e-mail message to suta@icon.co.za. Refreshments will be available.

The West Rand Amateur Radio club will hold a boot sale on 25 November at the clubhouse in Kroton Ave, Weltevreden Park, Roodepoort. The gates will open
at 09:00. Plenty to drink and eat will be available. For details contact
Bill van Zyl, ZS6REV at 011 726-6807 (office) and 011 &26-6892 (home).

Midlands Amateur Radio Club is pleased to announce a grand
Fleamarket/Bootsale which will take place at our new Clubhouse at the Natal Carbineers, Greer Street, Pietermaritzburg, on Saturday 25th November,
starting at 11:00. Bring your families and your braai gear (AND lots of
spare cash) and help yourself, your pals and your Club. Talk in on the 750 repeater. No auction - just stacks of goodies at bargain prices. No charge for tables, but donations to the Club by salesmen welcomed. SARL President Hans Potgieter will attend - why not come and meet him? And see the reps
from Kenwood, Icom, and Antronic. COME....and enjoy yourselves.

The SARL News Service invites Clubs and individuals to contribute
information regarding Amateur Radio to sarlnuus@mweb.co.za with a copy to gth@mweb.co.za. Please submit in Afrikaans and English wherever possible.

Also join us in the following activities:

The President's Net on Sundays 12:00 on 7082 kHz. Amateur Radio Mirror International Sundays at 10:00 on 9750 and 21560 kHz which is repeated
Mondays at 20:00 on 3215 kHz. Relays on various 2M repeaters can also be heard. A transmission on 145,400 MHz can be heard again.

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

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

We thank all contributors, especially clubs, to this bulletin and all
stations who so reliably relay these bulletins. This bulletin was compiled
by George, ZS6NE, and read by ZS.... = in....... You have been listening
to ZS6SRL. This transmission now ends and we wish you a pleasant week.

/ex
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Internet feed from ZS6ZY moved by Richard de ZR6CK

Regards,
Richard.

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