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May - June 2019

Baywest MTB 27th January 2019. Photo by Beavan ZS2RL

This Newsletter is published by the Port Elizabeth Amateur Radio Society P.O. Box 10402, LINTON GRANGE, 6015

Editing by Eric ZS2ECH

QSX-PE - Newsletter for the discerning Radio Ham

Download QSX-PE from www.zs2pe.co.za/Newsletter/Newsletter.htm or www.commco.co.za/pears.htm

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PEARS Monthly Meeting 7:30 pm at the Italian Sporting Club, 17 Harold Road, Charlo.

Saturday 18th of May 2019 PEARS AGM

Boot sale 2 pm, AGM 3 pm followed by Bring & Braai

Tuesday 18th of June 2019 TBA

Tuesday 16th of July 2019 TBA

DIARY OF EVENTS 4 May AWA Valve AM QSO Party

5 May AWA Valve SSB QSO Party

11 May Baywest Rally

18 May PEARS AGM

19 May ZS3 Sprint

24 – 26 May Great Zuurberg Trek

25 – 26 May CQ WW WPX Contest, CW

8 June SARL VHF / UHF QSO Party

8 June Trans Elands MTB

9 June Hammies Sprint

15 June SARL Youth Sprint

17 June World QRP Day

18 June PEARS monthly meeting

20 – 24 June SARL Top Band QSO Party

13 – 14 July IARU HF World Championship

16 July PEARS monthly meeting

19 – 20 July Algoa Rally (ex VW Rally)

It’s with sadness that we have to announce the silent key of Viv Moore ZS2VM. To all family and friends we extend our

sincerest condolences.

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MEMBERSHIP FEE RENEWAL

PEARS membership fees are now due: Ordinary members: R150 p.a. Couples: R200 p.a. Pensioners: R 100 p.a. Pensioners couples: R150 p.a. Scholars & students: R50 p.a. Please note that all payments for membership fees that are made direct into the clubs bank account require a reference. This is usually your callsign, or if you do not have one, your name should be used. This helps me to identify who is making the payment. Banking details (for subs & donations): NEDBANK SAVINGS ACCOUNT No. 221 252 7594 Bank code 121217 A/C name: Port Elizabeth Amateur Radio Society. Please use call signs (or name) as a reference.

HAMNET 40 METER SIMULATED EMERGENCY CONTEST RESULTS

Held on Sunday the 3rd of March, 2019 A total of 14 logs were received RESULTS Single operator stationary 1. ZS4N 1241 points Single operator portable 1. ZS5DCC 1242 points

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2. ZS2U 828 3. ZS6BV 600 4. ZS6BOS 540

Single operator base station 1. ZS4JAN 1218 points 2. ZS1LL 1044 3. ZS2EC 1008 4. ZS3RW 620 5. ZS6AKU 380 6. ZS6ANT 276 7. ZS6AKW 144 Multi operator portable station 1. ZS4FM 420 points

PEARS VHF/UHF CONTEST – 2019 RESULTS Overall National Winner ZS6CBQ 182047 points. Base Station Category Analogue First Place ZS6CBQ 176967 Runner Up ZS4A 43600 Digital First Place V51PJ 38960 Runner Up ZS6CBQ 5080 Field Station Category No Entries Club Multi-Operator Category Analogue First Place ZS1CRG 71463 Digital No entries

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Divisional Winners ZS1 ZS1CRG ZS2 ZS2GS, ZS2PTY tied with ZS2EC as runner up ZS3 No entries ZS4 ZS4A ZS5 No entries ZS6 ZS6CBQ with ZS6KSG as runner up V51 V51PJ Longest distances per band (over 400Km) 4m V51PJ/ZS2PA 1064 6m V51PJ/ZS6NK 1360 The PEARS committee would like to thank all those who took part and submitted a log for the contest. We apologise for the delay in getting the results out, but look forward to a great event again - next year!

A SIMPLE TWO METRE BEAM – BY AL AKERS - ZS2U This antenna was developed for those amateurs who would like to have an antenna which performs somewhat better than a half wave dipole , especially for portable use, but do not wish to construct an elaborate multi-element beam with it’s associated matching requirements and it’s size and time consuming assembly or dismantling. It is a two element beam, consisting of a driven element which is fed directly in the centre with a coaxial cable and a reflector. The elements are made of 3 millimetre diameter brazing rods (one metre lengths). The boom is made of 20 millimetre diameter PVC electrical fittings and tubing. There seems to be some variation between different fittings and tubing, so make sure the fittings fit snugly onto the tubing. Dimensions are given in the diagram. The elements are mounted in the middle of one half of the couplings and this half is filled with epoxy resin or similar material to support the elements. Attach a piece if PVC tubing to the top of the mast to be used, and the T-piece is fitted onto this. The antenna itself takes less than a minute to assemble or dismantle. The driven element on it’s own can be plugged onto the mast and used as a half wave dipole. Used this way, or as a beam, the measured SWR was 1.2: maximum across the two metre band. Gain is approximately 4 to 5 dB.

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What you need to know about RF noise By Kelly Hill

Copied from: https://www.rcrwireless.com/20170722/test-and-measurement/what-you-need-to-know-about-rf-noise-tag6-tag99 In mid-2016, the Federal Communications Commission’s Technical Advisory Committee asked for public comment on whether it should study “changes to the spectrum noise floor over the past 20 years.” The number and type of devices which produce radio frequency energy has radically changed in the past two decades, but by and large, the available data on the overall RF environment, trends and impact of so many more RF emitting devices has not kept pace with the rate of change. RF noise impacts network performance, but as one commenter noted, “the user has no way of knowing the dropped call is interference and will usually attribute it to weak signal.” Here are some of the basics about RF noise and why the FCC is considering a study on the state of the noise floor. What is noise? According to the FCC, “noise in this context [is] unwanted radio frequency energy from man-made sources.” What are general sources of RF noise? “Radio spectrum noise is generated by many different types of devices,” the FCC said in its request for comments on whether it should study RF noise. Incidental radiators are “devices that are not designed to generate … RF energy but do so as a result of their operation.” Some incidental radiators include power lines, electric motors, light dimmers and utility transformers.

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The FCC considers unintentional radiators to be “devices that are designed to generate RF energy for internal use, or send RF signals by conduction to associated equipment via connected wiring, but are not intended to emit RF energy.” Computers, high-efficiency LED lights and portable electronic devices fall into this category. The third category of RF emitters – which can also generate noise – are the Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) radiators that are intended to produce RF energy but also “contribute to the noise floor with emissions outside of their assigned frequencies.” This includes wireless devices (both in licensed and unlicensed frequencies, from cellular and Wi-Fi to Bluetooth and other technologies), broadcast television and radio, radar, microwave ovens, arc welders and fluorescent lighting, according to the FCC. What are some specific sources of RF noise that impact cellular services? In comments responding to the FCC inquiry, Verizon and AT&T both identified a number of common noise sources. According to Verizon, “Some of the major sources identified in recent years are: fluorescent lighting ballasts, cable TV system leakage, LED billboards, various Wi-Fi products, indoor TV antennas, baby monitors, FM broadcast transmitters, security cameras, legacy bidirectional amplifiers, and wireless microphones.” The carrier went on to add that another common source is unintentional radiators like computers and TV equipment at data centers which are controlled by microprocessors that work with an internal clock signal that uses a repetition frequency” – and the signals and their harmonics “can leak from these devices and emit noise.” AT&T said that it sees impact both on its wireless service and in its U-Verse wireline network. In terms of its wireless service, AT&T identified “noise from power supplies” and “in particular, lighting systems, including [compact fluorescent lighting]ballasts and LEDs, such as those used in sports scoreboards, billboards, and other large scale video displays, can wreak havoc with uplink signals to nearby cell sites operating in the lower 700 MHz and 850 MHz cellular services.” What other wireless technologies are vulnerable to the impacts of increased RF noise? Satellite-based positioning systems such as Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) were identified in comments as particularly vulnerable due to the weak signal levels at which they operate. “Even minor increases in the noise floor impede the ability of GNSS receivers to extract signals from the noise, thereby degrading performance,” noted the GPS Innovation Alliance in its comment. Public safety communications systems are also vulnerable. The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) commented that “Historically, public safety communication system design has relied on a relatively low noise floor as sufficient sites to counteract a high noise floor are not affordable for many jurisdictions and may not even be possible in some areas because of environmental regulations and [aesthetic] concerns.”

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NPSTC conducted an online survey in 2015 asking public safety agencies about their experiences with noise. Of 76 respondents, 21 agencies identified interference issues in UHF or VHF bands, typically from LED lighting. For instance, NPSTC noted, Oregon’s state Department of Transportation “reported a loss of coverage when its VHF radios were within 50 to 75 feet of LED traffic lights.”

ANTENNA MATCHING UNITS AMATEUR RADIO, JULY 1991

Some antenna coupling units may be quite satisfactory on some bands with some aerials, but will not load up on all amateur HF bands. The circuit shown on the next page has proved to be very versatile, and it was possible due to the various circuit cone figurations (see A to E) to load a co-axially fed 20m/40m trap dipole as a random wire (i.e. with the inner conductor and braiding-of the co-ax tied together) on all bands from 160m to 2m with a VSHR at the transmitter no worse than 1.2: 1. The ARRL: Handbook 42nd edition 1965 supplied the circuit. The switching to any one of the five L and C combinations can be performed by a three-pole five-position switch (not readily available these days) - see fig. 2 or, quite Conveniently, with six banana sockets and three jumper leads terminated in banana plugs - see fig. 1. Normal two-gang broadcast receiver (the old valve type) capacitors (approx. 20 to 400pF) were used, only one gang on each connected. The capacitors need to be at least 150pF. No arc-over has been experienced on any band with the TS-520S.

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All members that have club trophies – please return them to any committee member so that we

can prepare them for the AGM in May. Please feel free to send nominations for awards to

the committee ASAP.

CONGRATULATIONS

BIRTHDAYS – May

01 Sanet Swart ZR2SDL 05 Anneke XYL of George ZS2GO Whitehead 06 Anne ZR2XT XYL of Alex ZR2T Gogos 07 Garreth Holmes ZS4GH 07 Rouhe XYL of Henry ZS2HD Danielson 13 Charmaine XYL of Charl ZR2CHL Lotter 14 Rory Norton ZS2BL 17 Lyn XYL of Les ZS2VA Barker 17 Matthew Saayman ZS2SA 18 Mark OM of Llise ZS2LLD Dodd 22 Bill Hodges ZS2ABZ 22 Saney Martin ZR1S 24 Les Barker ZS2VA 27 Lilian XYL of Andre ZS2AL Le Roux 31 Charl Lotter ZR2CHL 31 Shirley XYL of Stoffel ZS2C Carr

ANNIVERSARIES – May

02 Johannes ZS2JO and Daschell Geldenhuys

16 Peter ZS2PR and Jacqui Ryder 23 Henry ZS2HD and Rouhe Danielson 25 Neil ZR2NT and Merle ZR2MP Thomas 28 Richard ZS2RA and Chantelle Ashworth

BIRTHDAYS – June

02 Vanessa XYL of Glen Cummings ZS2GV 03 Tim Joubert ZS2X 09 Andre Le Roux ZS2AL 09 Gus Winter ZS2MC 16 Ian Moore ZS2IJ 19 Neville Bowden ZS2N 19 Quintus Moolman ZS2KU 23 Beverley XYL of David Higgs ZS2DH 25 Terry Flanagan ZS2ABB 29 Vaughan Rizzo ZS2VR 30 Barbara XYL of Jimmy De Scande ZS2JIM 30 John Ashworth ZS2GB

ANNIVERSARIES – June

09 Tony ZS2T and Sharon Dove 10 Andre ZS2AL and Lilian Le Roux 25 Gert ZS2GHK and Erika Kok 26 Rob ZS2ROB and Rosemary ZR2MCR

Mac Geoghegan

If you are a member and your birthday or anniversary details are omitted or incorrect, please notify any committee member to update our records

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HAM RADIO OUTLET-SOUTH AFRICA cc “Where Radio is a Passion”

Port Elizabeth’s official distributer of YAESU, Kenwood and ICOM amateur equipment

For all your Amateur needs from plugs to coax…. give us a call 041 3711425. Speak to Donovan (ZS2DL)

We Ship Country Wide!

Visit http://www.hamradio.co.za

For all your ham radio requirements!

Sunday SARL and Monday Club Bulletins

PEARS provides a local reading of the SARL national bulletins on Sundays in Afrikaans at 08h15 and English at 08h30. The club bulletins are transmitted on a Monday at 20h00. All transmissions are on 7098 kHz as well as the 2m linked network that provides coverage from Butterworth to George and up to the Free State and their environs. Please consult the PEARS webpage for any changes.

Bulletin Roster http://www.zs2pe.co.za/bulletins.htm

6 May Mike ZS2MDL

13 May Michael ZS2MG

20 May New Chairman

27 May New Vice-chairman

3 June New Secretary

10 June TBA

17 June TBA

24 June TBA

1 July TBA

8 July TBA

The bulletin readers are always looking for something

to announce. If you have something to contribute,

please forward it to the next reader.

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Your Society’s Committee for 2018-2019 Chairman Gert Schoeman ZS2GS 082 721 4010 gert1schoeman[at]gmail.com Vice Chairman, Events & Rally organising

Tony Allen ZR2TX 082 956 2920 tony.zr2tx[at]gmail.com

Secretary, Treasurer Bernice de Lange ZS2BD 082 390 6340 bernicedelange[at]outlook.com Repeaters Chris Scarr ZS2AAW 082 925 6367 christopher[at]peham.co.za Technical/repeaters/SAR comms

Glen Cummings ZS2GV 082 411 2743 glenvanessa[at]gmail.com

Meetings & Refreshments, Socials

Johannes Geldenhuys ZS2JO 082 320 3032 johannes[at]s4.co.za

Fundraising, Socials Mike de Lange ZS2MDL 082 705 9161 mike[at]mikedelange.co.za Wifi network Michael Gooden O76 489 1764 me[at]zs2mg.co.za QSX Editor Eric Hosten ZS2ECH 072 841 4693 eric.hosten[at]mandela.ac.za

CO-OPTED POSTS RAE Examination Admin. Donovan van Loggerenberg

ZS2DL 082 852 4885 zs2dl[at]hamradio.co.za

Contest Committee Theunis Potgieter ZS2EC 064 901 8079 contest[at]peham.co.za PEARS VHF/UHF Contest

Replace [at] with @ when you want to send an email (this is done to try to prevent spamming).

PEARS' VHF/UHF, Packet & Other Services

Local Repeaters: These repeaters form a separate sub-net in the PE - Uitenhage - Despatch area.

Town VHF 145,050/650

Town UHF 431,050/438,650

Uitenhage 145,075/675

Longmore 145,025/625

IRLP available on this subnet

Cape Linked System Repeaters: These form the PEARS long-range 2-metre repeater system, in conjunction with the Border, Southern Cape and WCRWG

systems. See www.zs2pe.co.za/Repeaters/repeaters.htm for more details. Lady's Slipper 145,100/700

Grahamstown 145,150/750

Cradock 145,050/650

Noupoort (link only) 438,750 / 438,675

Colesberg 431,075/438,675

Kareedouw 145,125/725

Plett 145,175/775

Brenton 145,075/675

Packet network:

ZS0NTP-2 Packet Node Lady’s Slipper

144,800 1200bd 439,850 9600bd

434,800 1200bd APRS

ZS0NTP BBS Lady’s Slipper

On all node frequencies

ZS0GHT-2 Packet Node Grahamstown

144,800 1200bd 434,800 1200bd

439,850 9600bd (to LS)

ZS0CDK-2 Digi Cradock

144,800 1200bd

ZS0KDJ APRS Digi Mount Road

434,800 1200bd

ZS0KDB APRS Digi Longmore

434,800 1200bd

ZS2ABZ-4 WMR918 WX Station

144,625 1200bd

VHF Beacon: 50,007 MHz FSK – ZS2X, 25 Watts into 2 element Yagi beaming north.

Banking details (for subs & donations): NEDBANK SAVINGS ACCOUNT No. 221 252 7594, Bank code 121217, A/C name: Port Elizabeth Amateur Radio Society. Please use call signs as a reference.

Disclaimer. Note: The Editor, nor any PEARS club member, shall not be held liable for errors and/or omissions in any article and/or drawing contained in this newsletter. Furthermore, any view expressed is not necessarily that of the Editor, any committee member or other members of the Club. The material contained in this newsletter is not meant to defame, purge, humiliate and/or hurt someone's person or feelings. If copyright is unintentionally infringed, we apologise, this newsletter is published as a free service to Amateur Radio operators and friends and is neither for profit nor gain.

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IF NOT DELIVERED RETURN TO

Port Elizabeth Amateur Radio Society

PO Box 10402 LINTON GRANGE

6015

AMATEUR RADIO is the hobby for RADIO EXPERIMENTERS

and those who like to fiddle with ELECTRONICS, COMMUNICATIONS or COMPUTERS