| February, 2009 |  |
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SWITZERLAND ALLOCATES 6 METERS TO HAM RADIO ON JANUARY 1
Some good news for hams in Switzerland. Swiss telecommunications authorities will allocate the 50 MHz
band to amateur radio on a secondary basis beginning January 1, 2009. Swiss and foreign CEPT class
licensees will be permitted to transmit with up to 100 watts PEP on 50 to 52 MHz without any antenna
restrictions. The one caveat is that primary users may not be disturbed. This includes some TV stations
active on the VHF band I in Northern Italy. (Southgate)
SOUTH AFRICA TO HOST 2011 IARU REGION 1 CONFERENCE
Sun City in South Africa will host the next IARU Region 1 Conference in 2011. The Deutscher Amateur
Radio Club website reports that the IARU Region 1 Conference meeting in Cavtat, Croatia held a ballot to
choose the venue for 2011. Of the 47 votes cast, there were 22 to Sun City, 15 to Malaga and 10 votes to
Hatfield. According to the DARC's website. newly elected secretary Dennis Green, ZS4BS was visibly
surprised. He's quoted as saying that the delegates would be welcome in South Africa.
HONG KONG TO FINE AND JAIL ILLEGAL CB OPERATORS
Operate a CB radio in Hong Kong without a license or run to much power and you may go to jail. That's
the essence of the warning from the Hong Kong's Office of the Telecommunications Authority which has
mounted an enforcement operation against the citizens radio operators which suspected of using illegal
transmitters. Under Hong King law it is unlawful for any person to establish or maintain any means of telecommunications without an appropriate license. If convicted of this kind of an offense he or she is
liable to a maximum penalty of a 100,000 Hong Kong Dollar fine and five years in jail. Hong Kong's Office
of the Telecommunications Authority that it intends to enforce the law to ensure proper management of
radio spectrum which calls a valuable public resource. (AR Newsline)
ON THE AIR: TONGA TO VK - ON 6 METERS
Some 6 meter history was made on December 26th. This, when Paul Kidd, A35RK, on Lifuka Island,
Tonga, twice contacted Colin Clark, VK4CC in Slacks Creek, Queensland, Australia on the 50 MHz band.
The first QSO took place at 01:27 UTC with both stations running in the PK 31 digital mod. They then
switched to RTTY at 01:29 and completed a contact using that mode as well. According to the Ohio Penn
DX News, this is the first time it has ever been done on 6 meters between the two locations. (OPDX)
(AR Newsline)
Special Event Prefix callsign approved in Canada
The use of a Special Event Prefix callsign has been approved by Industry Canada and can be used by all
Canadian Radio Amateurs. It commemorates Galileo's first use of an optical telescope and the subsequent discoveries he made in his lifetime. Until 28 February, all Canadian amateur radio operators may use
special prefixes, where VE changes to CG, VA changes to CF, VO changes to CH and VY changes to CI.
[RSGB]
Desecheo Island DXpedition Granted Call Sign
The DXpedition to Desecheo Island -- February 12-26 --will use call sign K5D. "As soon as we land on
Desecheo, two stations will be immediately activated," said DXpedition co-leader Bob Allphin, K4UEE.
Stations will continue to operate until the final moments of departure on February 26."
| February, 2009 | |
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