Gould Smith, WA4SXM gave a detailed presentation on ARISSat-1 at the Dayton Hamvention, held over the May 14-16 weekend. His presentation has been posted to YouTube.

Radio amateurs in Lithuania have a tradition every summer to meet somewhere in a beautiful place. Lithuanian Amateur Radio Society (LRMD) organize LY HAMFEST-2010 and kindly invite radio amateurs from all countries. It will provide excellent occasion to meet over 300 LY hams in the same place. More information (pictures, maps, etc.): http://www.lrmd.lt/saskrydziai_en.htm

Date and Time:

July 23-25, 2010. Official opening ceremony will take place on Saturday at 12.00 noon, but, as always, we start gathering on Friday. Closing ceremony will take place Sunday afternoon but this would not mean the end of the gathering.

Place:

55° 45' 00" N, 23° 00' 30" E (between Siauliai and Kelme). LY HAMFEST-2009 will take place in tourism homestead “Azuolu slenis” (“Oak Valley"), near highway Riga-Siauliai-Kaliningrad section Kelme in 81-82 km. Turn right and go about 100 meters. If necessary, friendly LY amateurs will give you a lift from Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda or other places. Arrange it with us by e-mail  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call +370-688-01477.

The South African Radio League was formed on 20 May 1925 in Cape Town. To celebrate our 85th annivesary, the special call sign ZS85SARL will be activated during the rest of 2010. On Saturday 22 May, ZS85SARL, will be activated from the Air Force Museum at AFB Ysterplaat in Cape Town. Activity will start at 06:00 UTC and end at 18:00 UTC. A special QSL card will be issued for contacts with the station. QSL cards via the SARL bureau.

The Communications Commission of Kenya has approved the use by amateurs in Kenya of the sub-band 7100 kHz to 7200 kHz.

An ARISS contact is scheduled for Pita Kallak school in Northern Quebec, Canada. The space talk is programmed for Thursday May 20, 2010 at 16:41 UTC, which is 18.41 CEST. The contact will be a telebridge, operated by ON4ISS. Downlink signals will be audible in Europe on 145.800MHz.

Kuujjuaq, Nunavik\'s largest community, is located on the west shore of the Koksoak River, about 50 km upstream from Ungava Bay. Daily life in this community is closely tied to the mighty river. The boreal forest is present around Kuujjuaq. Patches of black spruce and larch stand in marshy valleys. Kuujjuaq also witnesses annual migrations of the George River caribou herd. These animals pass through the region throughout August and September. 

The 7.1 Richter scale earthquake that struck China's Qinghai province on 14 April killed more than 2,000 people and relief efforts are continuing for those left homeless. A day of national mourning was held on 21 April. Amateur radio operators in China were widely involved in the disaster relief actions. They were from Beijing, Sichuan, Shandong, Anhui, Qinghai and Jiangsu, travelling to the disaster centre.

There in poor weather conditions they helped in the transportation of medicines, tents, food and clothes to the disaster area. The amateur radio operators were even directly involved in disaster rescue activities. One Beijing amateur radio rescue team saved 6 people. The high altitude caused 90% of the amateur radio rescue team members to have Plateau Reaction (altitude sickness), but no one was injured during their efforts to help others affected by the disaster.

The tragic Airbus accident in Tripoli claimed the lives of 2 well known South African amateur radio operators. Norbert Taferner, ZS6ANL, and his wife Paula and Anton Matthee, ZS6A, died in this accident.

Norbert will be remembered for his involvement with the Johannesburg Branch of years gone by and although retired was still active in teaching and lecturing to young and new amateur radio operators in helping them to obtain their licences.  As far as we know, Norbert is survived by a son and our condolences go out to his family.

Anton Matthee, ZS6A, lived in Stellenbosch and was a keen off road adventurer, painter and photographer.  From reports, he was an outgoing person with a great personality.  To his family our most sincere condolences.