From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 18 / 02 / 2017 
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

Recent use of HAM-TV on the International Space Station in Europe has taken this popular educational activity to a new level.  The Collège André Malraux in France asked ARISS Europe for HAM-TV support for its scheduled contact with European Space Agency Astronaut, Thomas Pesquet KG5FYG.

The experimental HAM-TV was possible due to the equipped ground stations in Europe to provide video coverage from the ISS downlink signal.  This particular contact had voice transmissions from the ISS on the UHF band on 437 MHz, with a ground station at the school.  As a back-up feed to the school was the ON4ISS ARISS telebridge station in Belgium.

ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) lets students talk directly with those on board, inspiring them to pursue interests in careers in science, technology, engineering and math, and engaging them with radio science technology through Amateur Radio.

The contact lasted about 10 minutes on Monday 13 February and also involved a series of five radio amateur radio ground stations in Europe equipped with the HAMTV receive capability.  These were linked together forming a chain for the video from the ISS.  It had a downlink signal of 2395 MHz and was streamed live on the British Amateur TV Club server seamlessly, using Multi viewer technology which selects the strongest signal.

The video from space in real time was excellent, with Thomas at first testing, and seen checking that the antenna was correctly connected to a hand-held UHF transceiver and the correct frequency was set.  Then, wearing a head-set, the astronaut answered 19 questions in the French language prepared by students watched in awe at the school by an audience of 190 students and guests.  Looking at the camera and gesturing to areas in the Columbus module he seemed at ease in dealing with the inquiring youngsters.  The contact ended with a wave from Thomas, a thank you, and then he floated out of sight.

HAM-TV from the ISS has certainly added a new dimension to talking to the crew on the International Space Station.  It is just another part of our part of our diverse hobby an exciting opportunity to inspire the minds of students and to hopefully generate a greater awareness of our unique hobby.  With two stations already in Australia being HAM-TV equipped ground stations, Shane VK4KHZ and Martin VK6MJ, hopefully video from the ISS via HAM-TV is a possibility for an Australian school.

For more on the story, pictures and videos see the ARISS website here.

Via Southgate Amateur Radio News., original post here.

Here’s something we can all benefit from – In this video Ian White GM3SEK gives helpful advice about how to reduce noise levels on receive and avoid causing RF Interference.

RSGB Convention lecture 2015 – Clean up your shack:

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 12 / 02 / 2017 
Author : Roger Harrison – VK2ZRH

Noting an expressed desire among some members and others in the Amateur Radio community for a formal process for the WIA to encourage consultation on issues affecting Amateur Radio, the WIA Board has formalised a policy and processes for this in its Consultation Policy, which is now available for download.

Despite the fact that various means for members and others have always been available to send comments and feedback to Institute – and these are used daily – the advent of specific online ‘Have Your Say’ facilities by government agencies at national, state and local levels, as well as unions, professional societies and other non-government organisations, has given rise to a general expectation that such a specific facility be instituted by organisations generally.

The principal objective is that all WIA members, and the amateur radio community generally, have the opportunity to provide views and comments to the WIA on identified matters or issues of interest or importance via the means of a specific online channel, with secondary channels via traditional means of email, fax and post.

You can download the WIA Consultation Policy here.

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 12 / 02 / 2017 
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

This WWII event is to be commemorated including the callsign VI8BOD that has been issued to the Darwin Amateur Radio Club for a month.

There were two bombings of on Darwin, an aircraft carrier used to hit Pearl Harbor in December 1941.  It was followed two hours later by 54 land-based bombers from the Dutch East Indies occupied by the Japanese engaged in war in the Pacific.

VI8BOD will be at the old Qantas hangar in Parap, with home of Darwin’s first airport and now an inner suburb.  The event starts at Noon (0330 UTC) Saturday 18 February until 9pm, and continues 6am to 4pm Sunday 19 February.  It will include the warning message in Morse code as used at the time and received by Darwin from the Mission Station Bathurst Island, before it was bombed by enemy aircraft.  The message said: “NUMBER OF BOMBERS PASSED OVERHEAD BOUND DARWIN”.  This will be followed by an explanation of the message and that Morse code was the communication method of the day.

The station will feed a Triband beam antenna on a cherry picker, 40 metre band dipole from the flag pole for voice communication, with Morse code transmissions using a “squid pole” supported vertical antenna at selected locations.  Operating in a public space gives scope for interaction with visitors, and club members able to generate interest and answer any questions about Amateur Radio.  The event is due to start at noon from (0330 UTC) Saturday 18th February until 9pm, and 6am until 4pm Sunday 19th February.

Many VI8BOD contacts both nationally and internationally are expected with the club having the callsign for a month.

More information about VI8BOD and the QSL information can be found at qrz.com.