H'Quarter » Infoline » 2012 Infolines » 260-18-OCT-2012

 

 

NZART Headquarters Infoline Issue 260
  18 October  2012
NZART Website: www.nzart.org.nz

In this issue:

  • From the desk of HQ
  • Close Down of Channel 1
  • Proposed Waipa District Plan
  • Phasing out of International Reply Coupons
  • FMTAG Notes
  • VHF-UHF-SHF-EHF Contest Committee reminder
  • 30 Meter Multi Mode Weekend
  • ZL9HR DX’Pedition update
  • Amateur Radio Property for sale – attachment.

 

Debby says…my sincere apologies for missing the October 5th issue of HQ Info-line, I was unable to come to work due to an injury. Sadly I have not received one complaint that it wasn’t sent out…does this mean that no-one reads it?!

 

It is not NZART policy to advertise real estate, however there are extenuating circumstances stances to why this has been included in this issue.  John Nixon (ZL1FR, VK4BJN) has a property here in New Zealand that he would love to be able to sell to a fellow ham. John is undergoing treatment and is critically ill in Australia, so has asked if we would help.  John’s contact details can be found on the pdf file attachment to this issue of HQ Info-line, together with a small photo and description of the property.

 

Talk soon…Debby ZL2DL

 

Close Down of Channel 1 and Amateur use of 50 to 51 MHz

As many members are aware, the bottom end of the 6 metre band (50 to 51 MHz) is to be returned to Amateurs once all Channel 1 television has ceased and the current management right for this expires. 

What may not be known is that the last channel 1 television transmitter is not due to close down until November 2013 and the management right under which they operate does not expire until August 2015.    

NZART is working with Radio Spectrum Management on arrangements for the period between when all the Channel 1 transmitters are turned off and the management right expires. 

In the interim, the current arrangements will continue; an amateur in an area where channel 1 is no longer operating can apply for a permit to operate (see http://www.rsm.govt.nz/cms/licensees/types-of-licence/amateur-licences) by contacting Radio Spectrum Management at info@rsm.govt.nz or on 0508 RSM INFO (0508 776 463) . 

 Don Wallace, ZL2TLL, NZART Administration Liaison Officer

 

Proposed Waipa District Plan

Waipa District Council is reviewing its district plan and NZART has made a submission to incorporate the gains made in Tauranga City into the Waipa plan.

 

If you wish to read the NZART submission, either go directly to http://www.waipadc.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/A005939D-5CEC-4D3A-AA88-48CB4B6A9386/83429/260NewZealandAssociationofRadioTransmittersIncorpo.pdf

or you can navigate your way through the Council's web-site – look for submission 260.

 

Waipa DC has called for further submissions. Included as an attachment to this issue of InfoLine is a pro forma further submission to the proposed Waipa District Plan.

 

(If you want an original I can send it to you as a doc, odt or pdf file.)  Alternatively you could look at the NZART web-site Antennas and Planning area (give me a couple of days to get it posted).

 

You can help by forwarding a further submission to the Council which could assist building the weight of argument to bear on the Council.  Further submissions can be mailed or emailed to the Council.  Mail and email address are shown on the pro forma submission, Submissions must reach Waipa DC by 5pm on Wednesday 7 November 2012.  You need to enter your full name, address for service, and email address.

 

You don't have to use the proforma form, instead you may wish to enter your reasons for your submission in your own words.  In that case you can get the form from the Waipa DC web-site which is www.waipadc.govt.nz, or send an email request to zl1bnb@nzart.org.nz

 

You also need to forward a copy of your submission in support to zl1bnb@clear.net.nz, do this as a cc if you email your submission to the Council.  You don't need to sign a submission that you sent by email.

 

For any further information, please email me, Mike Newman, zl1bnb@nzart.org.nz

 

Let's send a strong message to Waipa DC.  Your submission will count.

 

 

 

 

Phasing out of International Reply Coupons

I have just received the following response from Royal Mail to my enquiry
about the rumoured phasing out of IRCs

"Due to declining international mail volumes and electronic substitution,
customer demand for International Reply Coupons has been falling
dramatically over the last few years. Overall sales of International Reply
Coupons have been very low indeed - on average just 4 per annum bought from
each Post Office branch. Therefore, it was no longer commercially viable to
maintain the sale of coupons and Royal Mail has taken the decision to
withdraw them from sale.

International Reply Coupons have not been withdrawn globally from sale.
Under UPU regulations Royal Mail through Post Office Counters is obliged to
redeem International Reply Coupons presented having been purchased overseas,
but we are not obliged to sell them. However, I can confirm that customer
have up to December 2013 to redeem IRCs."

This seems to be much more in line with the Royal Mail's responsibilities
under their UPU membership. Looks like they're safe until 31st December
2013. It may be that the UPU will change their rules after that date (which
would be no bad thing IMHO).

73 for now

Phil Whitchurch
G3SWH and AD5YS
www.g3swh.org.uk

 

FMTAG NOTES FOR HQ INFOLINE 260

Annual License Fees for Beacons Links and Repeaters

Most of the Licences fall due for renewal during November, which is RSM's “Billing Month” for licences in the name of NZART.

 

Early in November, FMTAG will send Invoices, for $51.11 per licence, to the following Branches:

 

05        Christchurch                                     26        Nelson

28        Whangarei                                        34        South Canterbury

37        Southland                                         38        Taumarunui

48        Wanganui                                         49        Westland

51        Eastern Bay of Plenty                     56        Christchurch West

67        Kawerau                                            78        Far North

82        Southern Wairarapa                                    84        Bay of Islands

87        South Taranaki                                CARDS

 

Other Branches will receive their Invoices direct from RSM, by email, to the address registered in SMART.

 

Many of these Branches have an RSM “Billing Month” of November. However, the “Billing Month” of a particular licence can be confirmed by the following method. Go to:      http://www.rsm.govt.nz/smart-web/smart/page/-smart/WelcomePage.wdk

 

Click on “Search Licences”.

Enter the transmit frequency in the box “Frequency (From)”.

Click on the “Search” button.

All stations on that frequency will be displayed.

Click on the blue underlined number, at the left-hand-side of the screen, of the appropriate station.

The Licence will appear.

The line “Fees paid on” displays the “Billing Month” of the Licence.

 

Proposals

None this time.

 

Final recommendation to NZART Council

None this time.

 

NZART Council Approval

On the 2nd of October, NZART Council approved the following Final Recommendation, published as a Proposal in HQ InfoLine 258:

 

Branch 39 Tauranga. Frequency change of its 885 Repeater at Papamoa, located at TOPO50 BD37 894.73 184.87. The new repeater transmit frequency is 433.025 MHz and the receive frequency is 438.025 MHz.

 

Comments and applications

Please send your comments and suggestions on the above matters, and on any other FMTAG matters, by e-mail to: fmtag@nzart.org.nz

 

Applications for repeaters, beacons, digipeaters, point-to-point links, and so on, should be made on the latest version of FMTAG Form 10. The latest versions of FMTAG Form 10, and the explanatory Form 10A, are available on the NZART website:   http://www.nzart.org.nz/fmtag/index.html

 

Completed forms should be sent by e-mail to fmtag@nzart.org.nz

 

 

VHF-UHF-SHF-EHF CONTEST COMMITTEE REMINDER

Time is running out for submitting logs for the Microwave Contest, held on the 6th and 7th of October 2011. Please send all remaining logs by email to:

zl2wa@clear.net.nz, with Contest Log in the subject line.

 

 

The Next Contest

The next contest is the Field Day Contest, all bands 50 MHz and up, on Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd of December 2012.  The operating times are: Saturday 1700 to 2300 NZDST and Sunday 0700 to 1300 NZDST.

The contest after that is the DX Weekend Contest, all bands 50 MHz and up, on Saturday the 2nd and Sunday the 3rd of February 2013. The operating times are: Saturday 1700 to 2300 NZDST and Sunday 0700 to 1300 NZDST.

 

The Contest Rules are available at:

www.vhf.org.nz/VHF-UHF-SHF-ContestRules

 

All contest logs should be sent, to arrive within two weeks, to:

zl2wa@clear.net.nz with Contest Log in the subject line, or by post to:

 

Contest Manager

Wellington VHF Group

P.O. Box 12-259

Thorndon

Wellington

 

Please include your email address if you wish to receive the results as soon as they are available.

 

 

30 Meter Multi Mode Weekend

When: October 27th and 28th 2012

Where: 10 MHz - 30 Meter Band (10.100 – 10.150)

Objective: To promote experimenting and using different digital modes on the unique 30 Meter Band.

 

For a more detailed listing of this event go here:

http://www.30mdg.net/news.html

 

The 30 Meter Digital Group (30MDG) is celebrating….5 year Anniversary, 6,000 members (120DXCC), and our 30MDG Award Program issuing over 31,000 Award Certificates. 30MDG is FREE to join, FREE Awards program with FREE Award software – Ultimate 30 or U30).

 

GL and as always this is NOT a contest – no start or stop times, no exchanges, no logs to send to anyone, no winners or trophy – this IS to PROMOTE AWARENESS of the 30 METER BAND and the only winners are those that participate and have fun!

 

Don KB9UMT 30MDG#0001-Founder

And the 30MDG “Team”

http://www.30mdg.net

 

 

ZL9HR DX’Pedition Update

Fifteenth most wanted DXCC location entity – Campbell Island will soon drop down the charts as many, many Radio Hams work ZL9HR between November 28th. and December 9th. Campbell Island is at IOTA OC-037 600Km south of New Zealand in the Great Southern Ocean.

While the equipment makes its way down to New Zealand, I wanted to highlight some essential parts of the DX'Pedition organisation that are not always obvious.

DX'Pedition "Pilots".
The “pilots” are assigned, for Europe it's Col MM0NDX, For Australia & New Zealand it's Peter VK2NN, for Africa it's Andre V51B, for the Pacific region Stan KH6CG is doing the honours and last but not least we have Richard KY6R in Western USA. 

For those who haven't come across Pilots before they act as a conduit between amateurs trying to contact the DX'Pedition and the DX'Pedition leaders. The Pilot doesn't play God - but is a faithful "technical support agent" whose boss is the leader of the DX'Pedition. The pilot may tell the DX'Pedition that he is receiving a lot of requests for a particular mode or band from a certain area of the world and if justified, the DX'Pedition may look at changing planned operations to fit this need as much as they can. Pilots often have to put up with abuse from idiots. It's not an easy job! Pilots are volunteers and form another part of the DX'Pedition that is crucial to its success. All amateurs owe a vote of thanks to the pilots of this and all other DX'Peditions for the work they kindly perform. So if you communicate with a DX'Pedition pilot, show them some respect – remember they don't have to do this work!
 
Please refer to the web site ZL9HR.COM for the full, up to date, information about the major ZL9HR DX'Pedition to Campbell Island.

Housekeeping

  1. Break-In-Closing Date Reminder: Copy for the Sept/October issue of Break-In-closes on 10 Nov 2012.
  2. Copy for Break-In: Copy is welcome in most electronic formats but word.doc files are preferred. Photos and other graphics should be send as separate discrete files (*.jpg preferred); not as embedded pix in the body of the text. Please ensure that suitable descriptive captions/legends are included with your copy.  All received copy will be acknowledged to confirm receipt.
    Thank you for your cooperation.
    John Walker ZL3IB Editor.
  3. Break-In: Early receipt of copy is much appreciated
  4. Break-In-AREC Column: The close-of-copy date is the 5 Nov 2012 for articles for publication in the AREC COLUMN OF BREAK-IN. Photos, if available, to be on a separate floppy or CD (with captions), posted DIRECTLY TO US. Use the Call Book address. All other material can go to e-mail: 
    zl3qr@nzart.org.nz or zl3ov@nzart.org.nz
  5. The ARRL and WIA Weekly News
  6. Subscribe TO/FROM Infoline

Next NZART Official Broadcast is on Sunday 28th October. Next HQ-Infoline e-mailed on FRIDAY 2nd November 2012. Closing date for this is Thursday 1st November 2012.

Attachments to this issue:

Waipa DC proforma submission

John Nixon Property offer