From: dave@ips.oz.au (Dave Horsfall)
Subject: VK2WI Broadcast, Sunday 23rd August, 1992
Organization: IPS Radio and Space Services.  Sydney, Australia.
Distribution: aus
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1992 00:11:38 GMT

VK2WI Broadcast, 23rd August, 1992.  Copyright 1992 WIA
(NSW) & contributors.  Material may be used elsewhere if the
source is acknowledged.



                      VK2WI BROADCAST

                     23rd August, 1992



          THE MAJOR NEWS ITEMS THIS WEEK INCLUDE:

               WIA "Open Forum" at Parramatta

          Computer Outperforms Human Disk Jockies

               New National 23 cm ATV Record





             HOW DID YOU DO IN THE RD CONTEST?

Did you take part in last weekend's Remembrance Day Contest?
If you did, please remember to send in your logbook summary
sheets, to the RD Contest Coordinator, 2 Moss Court,
Kingsley, WA 6026, before Friday, 2nd October.  The VK2
division needs your scores to get the RD trophy back where
it belongs.



                      A CLARIFICATION

In last week's broadcast, Ashley VK2XSO was quoted [*] as having
had difficulties with the WIA, in obtaining a license for a
70 cm repeater.  On enquiring of Ashley, as to what
difficulties he had experienced, Ashley stated that the
group that intended to install the repeater had disbanded,
without even lodging an application.

- Barry White VK2AAB, Chairman of the repeater committee.

[*] - This must have been on the tape segment, as I don't
remember typing anything of the kind! :-)



                          AAPRA NEWS

The Australian Amateur Packet Radio Association advises that
a new ROSE switch on the Far South Coast is now on air.  The
switch is located at Mt. Wandera near Moruya; its callsign
is VK2RMW and net address 447400, with a frequency of
144.875 MHz.  VK2RMW gives coverage for the ROSE network as
far as Bega.

This packet switch repeater is sponsored by the Mid-South
Coast Amateur Radio Club, with equipment support from the
Australian Amateur Packet Radio Association.

AAPRA has also provided fifteen Baycomm packet modems, for
use by WICEN portable packet stations, during the
International Six Day Enduro next week.  Details of these
compact modems are available from the Australian Amateur
Packet Radio Association, 59 Westbrook Avenue, Wahroongah,
NSW 2076.

   - info from Barry VK2AAB and Geoff VK2BQ



          COMPUTER OUTPERFORMS HUMAN DISK JOCKIES

The Sydney Morning Herald reported this week that AM
commercial radio station 2SM has been operating from a
temporary location at Homebush, while the station's North
Sydney offices and studios are being refurbished.

Nothing so odd about that, except that when the station was
sold to Wesgo last month, the new owners retrenched most of
the humans working there, and replaced them with a computer.

In these recessionary times, however, even that is not so
suprising.  What IS rather interesting though is that, since
the changeover, the station's popularity ratings have
improved by 40%!

The computer randomly selects "easily listening" music from
a selection of 60 hours of taped material and, apart from
station identifications, the music is transmitted without
interruption.

The question now is: have the ratings improved because the
computer picks better music, because it doesn't chatter as
much as human announcers, or is it just the lack of
advertising?  And, when the station refurbishment has
finished, will the computer get to keep its job, or will it
too be retrenched?

   - Richard VK2SKY



               A NEW NATIONAL 23CM ATV RECORD

We've been advised, by the Federal Technical Advisory
Committee, that a new record was set recently for ATV
operation in the 1250 MHz band.

Simone Buck VK2TOY and John May, both from Collaroy on the
Northern Beaches, made an ATV contact with Chris VK2XQW,
some 105.7 km away.  The full details of the record will be
published in "Amateur Radio" magazine, as well as the 1993
call book.  Congratulations Simone, Chris, and John!  Now,
how about the other ATV groups around Sydney - can you top
that?

Australian VHF and UHF records are published each year in
the Australian Radio Amateur Callbook.  If you think you
have beaten any of the records printed there, you may submit
a claim for the record by following the instructions given.

Still on 23 cm ATV, the Australian Amateur Television Club
reminds us that their repeater, located at Oakdale in
southwest Sydney, transmits back into the city on 1250 MHz,
at a power of 7 Watts.  The repeater also carries test
transmissions from VK2TVG at Gladesville.

A further ATV test from Dural is being planned, to take
place for part of a weekend in September.  The transmit
frequency will be 70cm channel ATV2, i.e. 444.25 MHz vision.
We will advise further details in a subsequent broadcast.



                         WICEN NEWS


Last Saturday was the WICEN AGM, held at Hornsby SES with a good 
attendance, and full details will appear in a later Broadcast.  
Regretfully WICEN was not able to provide communications for the 
City to Surf race last Sunday, but we will be back next year.

This weekend is the Batemans Bay Car Rally, and the following 
week sees the International Six Day Enduro, a premier event 
involving non-military communications for the first time; and the 
Shahzada Memorial Endurance Test, an equestrian event that WICEN 
is becoming famous for.

With the frenetic pace of August almost over, WICEN members can 
look forward to an easier pace in September.  Friday 4th Septem-
ber sees the start of the Variety Club Bash, and Richard VK2SKY 
is looking for a few operators to organise the start of the event 
in Darling Harbour.  This is a "high-profile" event, with several 
VIP's attending, so it's important for WICEN operators to put in 
a good appearance.  If you wish join "Team WICEN" for this event, 
please contact Richard VK2SKY, by packet as "VK2SKY @ VK2RWI", at 
work on (02) 260-5823, at home on (02) 971-4431, Fax on (02) 260-
5911, or via the Divisional office.

Sydney South WICEN are assisting the St.George Amateur Radio 
Society in running the Como-Jannali Rotary Fun Run on 13th Sep-
tember, and further details are available from Kevin VK2CKD.  
Contact Kevin QTHR, or via the Divisional Voice Mailbox on (02) 
552-5188.  Sydney South will also hold their regular meeting at 
Sutherland SES, Caringbah, on Tuesday 15th September.

The major event in October is of course the Hawkesbury Canoe 
Classic, which will be held on the weekend of 17-18th October, 
the same weekend as JOTA (unless somebody moves the moon).  WICEN 
is looking for operators to provide a safety communications 
network.  Please contact the event coordinator, Kevin VK2CKD, 
either QTHR or via the Divisional voice mailbox on (02) 552-5188.

One for amateurs in Sydney North: on Sunday, 8th November, com-
mercial radio station 2MMM-FM will be staging a triathlon on 
Sydney's Northern Beaches, and WICEN will be doing the communica-
tions.  Details will be available in coming weeks from Barry 
VK2AAB and Richard VK2SKY.

Finally, don't forget the WICEN HF Net, 8:30pm Tuesdays on 3615 
kHz, and the Sydney VHF net 9:30pm Thursdays on 2m repeater 7150.




                     IPS WEEKLY REPORT

                 14 August - 20 August 1992

Issue no. 34

Date of issue: 21 August 1992

Date      14    15   16   17   18   19   20
10cm     129   131  137  134  130  135  156
A         12    08   10   03   08   07  (20 estimated)
T         89    87   80   79   73   75  102

                    Summary of Activity

Solar activity was low 14th-19th August, and moderate on
20th, when there were four M class flares.  The geomagnetic
field at Learmonth was quiet to unsettled on 14th-15th,
with an active period 1200-1800 UTC on 14th.  The field was
quiet 16th-18th,  becoming quiet to unsettled on 19th-20th
with brief active periods on 20th.

Ionospheric F2 critical frequencies at Sydney were near
normal until 18th-19th when they became slightly depressed
during the day and near normal otherwise.  On 20th
frequencies became 15-20 per cent enhanced 1000-160 UTC, and
otherwise near normal.

        Forecast for the next week (21 - 27 August)

Solar :          Low to moderate.
Geomagnetic :    Quiet  to  unsettled  with  possible
                 active periods.
Ionospheric :    Near normal.

    - Courtesy of IPS Space and Radio Services



                        COMING EVENTS

The IPS User Training Course will be held in Sydney on the
16th September.  Details may be obtained from IPS Radio and
Space Services by phone on (02) 414-8000, or by fax on (02)
414-8331.

Southern Cross & DX Australia Clubs meet     .    .   TODAY
St. Albans Shahzada Enduro (WICEN) .    .   UNTIL WEDNESDAY
International Six Day Enduro (WICEN)  TUESDAY - NEXT SUNDAY
Closing date for Fisher's Ghost examinations .    .  FRIDAY
Open forum on the WIA    .    .    .    .    .     SATURDAY
VK2 Division examinations     .    .    .    .  NEXT SUNDAY
St George ARC meeting    .    .    .    .     2nd September
Annual Variety Club Bash (WICEN)   .   starts 4th September
Saint George Amateur Radio Club Examinations  5th September
Wagga Wagga City Fun Run (WICEN)   .    .     5th September
CAPRG Technical Symposium     .    .    .     5th September
St George ARC "Bill Shakespeare" Auction     12th September
Como to Jannali Fun Run (St George comms)    13th September
Fisher's Ghost ARC examinations    .    .    13th September
WICEN Sydney South meeting    .    .    .    15th September
I.P.S User Training Course    .    .    .    16th September
Warragee One Day Equestrian Event (WICEN)    20th September
Closing Date for Waverly ARC examinations    25th September
Divisional Trash and Treasure Sale .    .    27th September
Wollongong SES navagation exercise (WICEN)   27th September



                         CLUB NEWS


The Annual General Meeting of the Waverley Amateur Radio
Society was held a couple of weeks ago, and all of last
year's committee was re-elected.

The next meeting of the club will be on Monday 7th September
at the Clarrie Martin Community Centre, 61 Newland Street,
Bondi Junction, commencing at 8PM.  At this meeting, Nat
VK2OP will be giving a talk on Packet Radio. Nat is the
Sysop of one of the major Packet Bulletin Boards in Sydney
and it should be a very interesting talk.

A reminder also that the Society conducts weekly Morse Code
tuition sessions, on Wednesday evenings at 19:30 local on
28.330 MHz.  Stations may check in up to 15 minutes before
the net, which is run by Ric VK2QU, either on 28.330 MHz, or
on the Paddington repeater on 147.025 MHz.  The club is
especially looking for callbacks on the 10 metre frequency.

The format of the sessions varies from week to week: last
week, text from the "Sunday Telegraph" was sent at 5, 8, 10
words per minute (all with a 12 WPM character speed).  The
faster character speed assists your character recognition,
even if you don't catch entire words yet.

Remember: Wednesdays at 19:30 local.  Check in before and
after the net, on 28.330MHz, or the Paddington 2 metre
repeater 147.025 MHz.

   - Eric van der Weyer VK2KUR



The St. George Amateur Radio Society regrets to announce
that once again, the Mt. Bindo repeater site has been broken
into and vandalised.  Most of the damage was to the UHF
packet link equipment, with the voice repeater suffering
some as well.  The society is now considering its options
regarding the site, and wishes to thank those amateurs who
helped to put the voice repeater back in operation.

The society's next monthly meeting will be held at the usual
venue, the 1st Allawah Scout Hall, Bellvue Parade and
Blakesley Road, South Hurstville, on Wednesday 2nd
September, starting at 7:30pm.  The guest speaker will be
Tony Liolio VK2ZLT, who will talk about Stereo FM
Technology.

Listener's are also advised that the society's next "Bill
Shakespeare Auction" will take place on Saturday, 12th
September, at the 1st Allawah Scout Hall, South Hurstville.
Equipment for action will be accepted from 10-11am, and may
be viewed from 11am-12 noon, when the auction will begin.
Details are available from Phil VK2AXS at home on 520-2828,
that number again 520-2828.

Phil also needs volunteer radio operators for the Como to
Jannali Rotary Fun Run, on Sunday 13th September.  If you'd
like to join in the fun, and help raise the image of Amateur
Radio, contact Phil at the club, or on that phone number,
520-2828.

   - Allan VK2XF, publicity officer



                      BROADCAST ROSTER

This evening:            Bill VK2DWW and Colin VK2DYM
Next Sunday morning:     Tony VK2DJW and Steven Carr
Next Sunday evening:     John VK2FRJ and David VK2GHZ

The Duty Councillor at Amateur Radio House next Wednesday
night is Tim VK2ZTM.  The Divisional Office is located at
109 Wigram St, Parramatta and is open from 11am to 2pm
Monday to Friday and from 7pm to 9pm on Wednesday nights.

Items for inclusion in this bulletin may be submitted by
mail to Post Office Box 1066, Parramatta 2124; by fax on
(02) 633-1525, or by packet radio to "VK2WI at VK2RWI".
Highlights of this broadcast are also available by phoning
the divisional voice mailbox on (02) 552-5188, and you can
leave a message afterwards if you wish.


VK2WI Broadcast, 23rd August, 1992.  Copyright 1992 WIA
(NSW) & contributors.  Material may be used elsewhere if the
source is acknowledged.
-- 
Dave Horsfall (VK2KFU)         VK2KFU @ VK2RWI.NSW.AUS.OC
dave@ips.OZ.AU                  ...munnari!ips.OZ.AU!dave
Newsgroups: aus.radio