Baluns etc.

The club has over the years collected a lot of information. Both in the Anode magazine and on the web site.

Recently members have been putting these documents on to the WhatsApp group. This takes up space on your device and will be unreadable on the small screen. Especially for the older hams!

So for the RAE Videos:-

RAE Videos

And for the Baluns:-

Baluns etc.

 

 

73 John ZS6WL

 

What to do after the RAE exam?

When you have your licence, maybe a rig, what is next on your list of things to do?

1. Antenna installation.
2. S.W.R. measurement (standing wave ratio).
3. Field strength measurement.
4. Listening to H.F. beacons to wait for "openings".
5. Local repeaters - listen before talking.

Maybe all of the above. Or figuring out the source of all your H.F. interference. The constant buzzing on the receiver. The first thing to do - if it is S9+20dB - is to switch off all the chargers etc in the house. Check with the xyl first! Switching off the washing machine or cleaner can be very annoying.

Item 1 - Antenna Installation

[Read all the articles and then discuss with your club for particular installation requirements in SA.]

Item 2 - Standing Wave Ratio Measurement

[Some research needed. Will get back to you as this is 'contentious' to say the least!]

Item 3 - Field Strength Measurement

This is the subject of another blog item... "Am I getting Out?"

Item 4 - H.F. beacons

There are a lot of them. But the International Beacon Project is still going. Also our 'local' one ZS6DN is still running. So check out the ibp program available for your Raspberry Pi or PC running Linux. There is probably a program for the Windows system. But I haven't seen it.

Item 5 - VHF/UHF Repeaters

There are a few, some even on 'EchoLink'. So you can monitor them from your tablet or PC. For the local ones an indoor aerial will usually do. Putting an antenna on the roof has other implications. A short cable run of even quarter inch cable will do. Just don't place the antenna near your HiFi or TV. Or you will find out about XYL EMC!

 

 

yl.beam #90 jan 2021

Contents

• AMRS Frauenreferat – YL's
• Christmas Witch
• WELCOME NEW Yls
• Ja-Well-No-Fine
• SYLRA update
• WOTRA  2020  Report Back
• Dutch Young Ladies Club
• The Day of the YL's  Nov 2020  Results :
• Indian Amateur Radio & Hindu pilgrimage at Sagar Island
• Contacts & Calendar

AMRS Frauenreferat – YL's New Years YL Round invitation January 3., 2021
The New Year's YL round will take place on Sunday, January 3., 2021 at 16:00 LT.
On the 80 m band on the QRG 3,740 MHz +/- QRM we will be QRV.
Marion OE3YSC will take over the control center with the call sign OE3XRC.
After the round, listeners and OM's are called as usual by Julia OE3YJM for confirmation traffic.
All YL's are cordially invited to participate in the round!
The AMRS YL team is looking forward to seeing you soon.
Marion Vy 73 OE 3YSC (AMRS YL speaker)  Austrian Military Radio Society

The Christmas Witch
 6 January marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas commemorating the day when the three Wise Men arrived in  Bethlehem  bearing gifts. It is a national holiday in Italy celebrated with nativity scenes,  processions through the city centers, and the arrival of La Befana.  
Although La Befana followed the same star, she was unable to find the child in the manger before the Wise Men on January 6 and so she continues to travel the world searching every house and leaving small gifts. The gifts are reminders of the gifts the Magi offered the Child, born in a poor manger in Bethlehem.
In European folklore the 12 days between Christmas and Kings Day was when the presence of witches was most felt, especially on the 12th night, considered one of the magic nights in the year.  
The broom, which Befana, a ragged old lady uses to fly, is a connection back to the forests  and the nature rituals of the peoples who once inhabited the Pianura Padana region and parts of the Alps.

WELCOME NEW YLs
Congratulations to South African  candidates of RAE Dec 2020
ZS1HAR Becker Elizabeth Nicoline
ZR5LB Bell Lindle
ZS6YBH Holder Ynona
ZS6NIK Maritz Nicole Elizabeth
ZU1ISS McLean Kiara
ZS6MAZ Nel Mazuriek
ZR5DW Smith Dominiq Arion
ZS2AM Van der Mescht Maré
ZS3EIW Walsh Esme Isabella
ZS6LEZ Zeevaart Lydia

RC Ce4ylc Chile  
24/12/2020 Today is a reason for joy for all members of Radio Club YL Chile - CE 4YLC.
We want to extend the warmest welcome to  CD1CQY Catalina Villarroel Fortu ñoo, who today at age 14 becomes part of the family of Chilean Radioaficion. She  is the daughter of our colleague and friend CELLROA (Tuty) of the city of Iquique.
Our heartfelt congratulations Catita!  73's and 88's

Ja-Well-No-Fine
Future Propagation is looking 'brighter' and we are able to contant each other without masks.  Amateur Radio is the original social media, with distance, especially DX! That  means we can send loads of “88”s safely.
What a wonderful hobby we enjoy!
Of course we mourn those who are no longer with us and I want to share a post I came across in the hope that it will inspire us to cherish our radio contacts - said of a recent Silent Key:
” Rest in Peace, my friend You will always be in my logbook.”
Best wishes to you all and your families for this New Year of 2021.
Editor Heather (ZS5YH)

 

SYLRA update
Dear YL friends, much to my regret, I have to inform you, that the next SYLRA meeting planned for next summer has been postponed to 19.-22. of August 2022. SYLRA board thought about the present situation with COVID-19 still spreading around the world and affecting so many things, not the least the airline companies, flight schedules and prices, etc.
We all agreed that SYLRA meeting is about meeting new and old friends and having fun. It should not be tempered by the shadow of an infectious disease.
So, I welcome you all to Turku, Finland, on the 19.-22. of August 2022! Let's mark it to our calendars and start dreaming about the time when travelling is safe again!
Take care! 33! - Marita Ritmala-Castrén  2 Dec, 2020

WOTRA  2020 (Women On The Radio Award) Report Back
A large number of radio amateurs from around the world, participated in the 2020 annual event.. More Awards for YL's stations were delivered this year, thereby fulfilling the group mission of encouraging more YL participation.
In 2019 when the Award was launched, the event was more of a practice session, but one year on (2020) it can be considered a success thanks to the increased interest and participation of YLs.
This year, WOTRA has focused more on the work of the Special-Event-Stations  and their regular attendance on the bands, rather than on the individual making a certain number of QSO's.
Becoming involved required commitment and the responsibility of regular participation.  
Much effort and determination was needed  in an event at this level.  Not always an easy task and for this reason, several of the participants who started at the beginning of November, found themselves unable to continue through to the end.
Special thanks to the Operators that participated through out, they displayed  great team-work and coordination amongst  everone. In alphabetical order they are:
Ana - EI / EA7KMA
Angels - EC1YL
Carmen - DM4EAX
Cath - MW7CVT
Laila - OE3LZA
Pink- LU7IRS
Ydorca (Mariela) - YV5EVA
Zulema - CO8MGY
In particular I  would like to recognise  Zulema Gonzalez Ochoa CO8MGY  from Cuba.
To reward and recognize her work, as the operator that made the most QSO's, especially as it was her first year in this great event,  She participated with enthusiasm and dedication.
 Laila OE3LZA, also had the privilege of being able to get her beautiful Award for her contact with my special station on November 25 (EH1YL), on the occasion of the 'International Day against Gender Violence'.
Special thanks of course to all the Operators of the Wotra Award 2020  and for their effort to contact their WOTRA colleagues and in obtaining their beautiful Awards.
Ángeles M.T ( EC1YL ) , 2 Dec, 2020  
Women on The Radio  is a Radio Group, created by Ángeles M.T ( EC1YL), for licensed Radio Amateur YL's Worldwide  https://web.facebook.com/groups/1913222872262810/about

Dutch Young Ladies Club
Proud 2B PI4YLC in 2020 Posted on 22/12/2020 by pa1eng
Just before Christmas it is time to look back on the almost past year. 2020 was a crazy year for many, including the Dutch Young Ladies Club. We had made great plans for 2020. On March 21 and 22 we would participate in the Russian DX contest, just like every year. It would be the eighth time in a row that we entered this contest that has since become a favorite. This year would also include a YL-meet, a kind of “open house” where ladies could join the contest team. A week earlier, however, the country was closed and we had to decide cancel these events.
In addition to organizing these activities, we also worked on replacing our old QSL card with a new design. And it worked! We hope to make good connections with the call PI4YLC in the future and then send this card as confirmation.
The Day of the YLs contest took place on May 24 and 25 (and also on November 7 and 8). This contest is organized by a number of Young Ladies in memory of Carine F5ISY (SK). They want to promote the activities of YLs all over the world. A number of our YLs participated with their own callsigns.
Unfortunately we could not be visible at radio amateur events this year and our contest activities were canceled. Plans are already being made for the new year. The coming year will be a special year: it will be 40 years ago that the Dutch Young Ladies Club PI4YLC was founded.
And if propagation is kind to us…see you  in contest in 2021!

The Day of the YL's MEMORIAL NOV 7, 8 2020  Results :
Niece Kaoneuln  KA1ULN   22/12/2929
Summary: 5 x High power; 15 x Low Power;  5 x Oms
 Category  High Power
Callsign       Name                        PTS
YU3AWA   Marija Kostic                 888
DL3CR       Christiane Rester         628
OE3LZA     Laila Zaidan                   53
VK7GH      Catherine Hammond      46
WB9TFF    Donna Van Blaricom      39
         Category  Low Power
VU2RBI     Devulapalli Bharathi      182
AC4SJ     Sarah Joiner                   108
G6QA     Lynda Val Jopson              85
VU2MGS Manorita Singh                83
KA1ULN   Niece Haynes                78
ZS1DS   Denise van Vuuren          71
KC9YL     Anne Dirkman                44
VU2NIS     Nisha M Mohan            44
M0BYL     BYLARA                        39    
S55BA     Barbara Molicnik            34
G0KZH     Elaine Clayton               33
PD4SON   Sonja de Jong-Stam     33
PY2TEY   Deborah Galdi Bortolin  14

Callsign       Name     OMs         PTS
YO3GNF   Jack Ursulean             1
F6ESM   Earl S. Mead                39
PY2BN Antonio  Rodrigues          4
PY2LCD      Billy Heinz Dorsch    4
TM10GFT    Andreas Schumm     1

 

VU2JFC  Saborni

 

Amateur Radio in India
Saborni – VU2JFC has helped at this event since 2015 when she was only 12 years old.
Her father Biswas’s Sodepur (VU2JFA) home, on the outskirts of Calcutta, doubles as the West Bengal club office and his daughter, Saborni, age 18  is one of the youngest ham radio operators in India. Both father and daughter wear navy blue collared T-shirts with the word HAM emblazoned and the club logo embroidered on the pocket.  Saborni, explains about the radios:  one is a Very High Frequency radio (VHF) and can be used to communicate across 100 to 120 kilometres. The other is a High Frequency radio (HF); it can be used to communicate worldwide. The walkie-talkie in Saborni's  hand  does not work beyond a range of 10 kilometres.
The central government’s ministry of telecommunication conducts exams to grant licences and certify people as amateur radio operators. A unique “call sign” is assigned so they can transmit and access radio signals of a particular frequency range — something that only those belonging to specialized groups such as the army, air force, navy, secret services and the police had access to in the past.. The call sign for all Indians begins with VU.
Being a ham radio operator is not about indulging a personal whim. Over the years, Biswas and his team have used the radio to track down missing people, especially at giant annual mass pilgrimage congregations such as the Gangasagar Mela in West Bengal.
Every year, a number of people get lost and although  precautions  are taken,  the sheer scale makes communications important. An integrated control room  monitors the situation and a ham radio team  from the West Bengal Radio Club provides communication support.

 Ganga Sagar Mela -Ham team at Hovercraft of Indian Coast Guard

Hindu pilgrimage at Sagar Island
Sagar Island  IOTA AS-153, is an island in the Ganges delta, lying on the continental shelf of Bay of Bengal about 100 km South of Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Aka  Gangasagar or Sagardwip, the island  is a place of Hindu pilgrimage.  Every year on the day of Makar Sankranti (14 January), hundreds of thousands of Hindus gather to take a holy dip at the confluence of river Ganges and Bay of Bengal and offer prayers (puja) in the Kapil Muni Temple. Ganga is regarded as the holiest river in Hindu religion.

Ganga Sagar Mela-crowds

 CONTACT  US:  https://web.facebook.com/ham.yls?_rdc=1&_rdr ‘HAM YL'
  yl.beam news:  Editor Eda zs6ye.yl@gmail.com    
Earlier newsletters can be found on the website of WEST RAND ARC
 wrarc-anode.blogspot.com     &   https://wrarc-anode.blogspot.co.za/
and:  Italian Radio Amateurs Union: QTC U.R.I.
also @ https://www.darc.de/en/der-club/referate/yl/
Unsubscribe: If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, please  email zs6ye.yl@gmail.com

Calendar January 2021
Jan 1 Straight Key Night  0000 UTC - 2359 UTC. ARRL  CW party
Jan 1 CQ Marathon Starts
Jan 2 Kids Day ARRL 1800Z-2359Z, , 2021
Jan 3 AMRS New Years YL Round  Sunday, 16:00 LT./  80 m
Jan 9 Ham Radio University 2021 22nd event
Jan 12 World Castles Award 12th Birthday
Jan 14-15 8T2G  Ganga Sagar Mela 2020, Sagar Island IOTA AS-153,
West Bengal Radio Club, India
Jan15,16, 17 PEARS National VHF /UHF Contest
Jan 16     Malaysia DX Contest
Jan 17 - 23 Quartz-Pause in the desert.
Jan 20 SARL 80 m Club Sprint
Jan 30-31 UBA DX Contest SSB  (Belgian A R Union)  13:00 UTC  Sat -13:00 UTC Sun

Feb 19–21      Summer Lighthouse Weekend - Southern Hemisphere.
March 8          International Women’s Day