RAST Newsletter No 004 October 1999
This informal news brief has been prepared by Ray HS0/G3NOM for English
speaking members of RAST.
- If any list-member does not wish to receive the RAST Email Newsletter, or
wishes to receive past copies please contact HS0/G3NOM. Also, if you know of
any RAST member who may wish to receive it, please contact HS0/G3NOM
(details below). Members who do not have Email can send Self Addressed
Stamped Envelopes to receive a hard copy. A number of Emails gave repeated
failures last month, and have been deleted from the RAST Email Distribution
list. If you know the recipient please ask them to forward a valid Email
address to be restored to the mailing list - thanks. Failed Emails were:
E20GJW,E21ATY, E21DWM,E21EJC,E21ER, E21SNN, HS0MKG, HS0RJI, HS0TA, HS0ZBN,
HS0ZBO, HS0ZBP/AA6KW, HS0ZCK/K2XX, HS0ZCM, HS1AFR, HS1AQX, HS1FBJ, HS1HOS,
HS1IEL, HS1IFU, HS1JQP, HS1LLZ, HS1XIM, HS2JFW, HS2KSP, HS2MIM, HS2YM,
HS3IAK HS4AWF, HS4HNL, HS5HGZ, HS5HPO, HS5RGP, HS6CQL, HS7CMJ, HS9DLW,
HS9XP, YU7EF.
- RAST EYEBALL MEETING - The venue for the monthly RAST Eyeball meeting is
now: Sena Place, 17 Phaholyothin Soi 11, (Soi Senaruam), Bangkok, 10100, at
the intersection with Padipat Soi 14. It is in Sapan Kwai district, about
two kilometres north of the Victory Monument, it should be easily accessible
from the new elevated train system in a couple of months time. The meeting
starts at 11am and a buffet lunch (140 Baht) is available. The next meeting
is Sunday 7th November 1999. Hotel telephone number: 271 4410 and 271 4424-8.
- RAST ANTENNA MEASUREMENT COMPETITION on 27th November 1999. This event is
being staged to celebrate the 72nd Birthday of His Majesty the King HS1A,
Patron of our Society. The proceeds will be donated to His Majesty the King
for charity work. Special awards for the winners will be made by HRH
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn HS1D, The Minister of Communication, the
Office of the Director General of the Post Telegraph Department (PTD)and the
President of RAST.The actual performance/gain measurements will be made on
12/13th November 1999 at a site next to Muang Thong Thani, Builting T1 and
the remaining parameters will be judged on 27th November 1999 at Sipathum
University, where prize giving and a party will be held. A separate bulletin
will be issued shortly on this important event.
A press conference was held at the Sena Place Hotel on 16th October 1999 to
publicise this event. Coverage was given later on Channel 3 TV.
RAST would appreciate help in locating and possibly borrowing the following
items of equipment for use in the competition. Please contact HS0/G3NOM or
HS1CKC:
All items are for VHF Ie. 78 MHz to 245 MHz.
Signal Generator
Signal or Spectrum Analyser
RF Attenuator for receive purpose
Sensitive RF Field Strength Meter
SWR/Power Meter
Any receiver with Signal Strength Meter
Scanning Receiver?
- SPECIAL EVENT CALL-SIGN HS72A. To celebrate the 72nd Birthday of His
Majesty the King HS1A, on 5th December 1999 : RAST has obtained the special
call-sign HS72A. This will be activated between 1st October 1999, and 31st
December 1999. HS1CKC is the QSL manager for this activity. HS1CHB is the
activity manager. HS72A received it's first airing on the weekend 23/24th
October 1999 from the QTH of HS0GBI in Rayong. Operators were HS1CKC,
E21EIC, E20REX, 882 QSOs were made with 55 countries.
- CONGRATULATIONS to Khun Thida (HS1ASC) and Khun Suchart and all staff on
the 10th Anniversary of 100W Magazine in Thailand. A giant celebration party
was held on 23rd October 1999.
- SEANET Brunei 1999. This will take place 19-21st November 1999 at the
Brunei Hotel. A good contingent of representatives from RAST will be
travelling to the convention. Gary V8GTW has negotiated a very special deal
with Royal Brunei Airlines, and has obtained reductions on hotel prices. A
discount of 10 US Dollars will be given to Over Sixties. Please contact
HS0/G3NOM for information.
- SEANET 2000 THAILAND.The location will be Pattaya, the dates will be
17/18/19th November 2000.
- LIST OF MEMBERS. Khun Add E21XGO has produced an up to date computer
print list of all members, and given a copy to HS0/G3NOM. RAST is up to
membership number 3800. Overseas members can contact HS0/G3NOM first for
queries on membership, address or details. Thai members can contact Khun Add
directly.
- SWEDISH RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT. The Swedish Licensing Authority has agreed
to terms with the Thailand Post Telegraph Department and has started
proceedings to conclude the agreement via diplomatic channels. (Thanks
HS0/SM3DYU).
- PTD REGISTERED HF TRANSCEIVERS Here's an updated list. Thanks to those
who have forwarded information.
Updated 5th October 1999 - new information = *
*Collins KWM2a Tnx HS0ZAA
*Collins 32S1 Tnx HS0ZAA
*Collins 75S1 Tnx HS0ZAA
*Heath HW101 Tnx HS0ZAA
Icom IC720 Tnx HS1CHB
Icom IC730 Tnx HS1CHB
* Icom IC725 Tnx HS1JC
Icom IC737 Tnx HS1CHB
Icom IC738 Tnx HS1CHB
Icom IC751A Tnx HS1CHB
Icom IC781 Tnx HS0AC
Kenwood TS50 Tnx HS1CHB
Kenwood TS120B Tnx HS1CHB
Kenwood TS120S Tnx HS1CHB
Kenwood TS440S Tnx HS1CHB
Kenwood TS450S Tnx HS1CHB
*Kenwood TS570D Tnx E20GJW
Kenwood TS850S Tnx HS1CHB
Kenwood TS870S Tnx HS1CHB
Kenwood TS940S Tnx E21EIC
Kenwood TS950S Tnx HS0AC
Kenwood TS950SDX Tnx HS1CHB
Yaesu Ft747GX Tnx HS1CHB
Yaesu FT840 Tnx HS1CHB
Yaesu FT890 Tnx HS1CHB
* Yaesu FT900 Tnx E20GJW
If you know of any other PTD registered rigs which are in service, please
let me know so that they can be added to this list for reference.
- INTERNET WEB SITES: Tony HS0/G4UAV is working on the re-juvenated RAST
Internet Web-site, and this should be up-dated and running soon
(www.qsl.net/rast). (HS1JC has also kindly offered free web facilities to
RAST.) In the meantime the SEANET Web-site can be viewed at:
<http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Hollow/4283/seanet.html> This site contains
the latest RAST newsletter and other regional news. This site is maintained
by Allan 9M8MA. Please check the following site:
<http://www.wiaq.powerup.com.au> for DX news. The International Short Wave
League (ISWL) also run an edited DX News service at "iswl-dx-news"
<iswl-dx-news@cwcom.net>.
- RECENT VISITORS TO BKK - JA1UT, JA1AFF, JA8RUZ, JS1QHO, returning from
S21ZE DX Pedition. KA1RBC/HS0ZDB Jack - new licensee. HS6PAU Khun Paisarn to
HS0AC. Rudi HS0/OE2REL.
- JOTA OPERATIONS. HS0AJ was set up at the National Stadium in Bangkok by
RAST TG96 group and assistance given with operating in the Annual Jamboree
on the Air on 16/17th October 1999. Khun Kanok E20EHQ has advised us that
there will be a local Scout Jamboree on the Air on 2m on 13th November 1999
from HS0AJ.
- WORLD SCOUT JAMBOREE Siracha 2003. RAST Committee members attended a
recent meeting organised by the National Scout Association. Thida HS1ASC is
a full time permanent member of the National Scout Association concerning
the WSJ 2003, and is liaising with RAST in this capacity.
- CONTEST RESULTS (From CQ Magazine - September 1999)
CQ WW CW 1998.
Multi-Op Single Transceiver HS0AC 852,398 Points 1671 QSOs (operated by TG96
Group)
Multi-Multi E22AAA, 339,184 Points, 756 QSOs.
Multi-Multi E22AAD, 105,958 Points, 469 QSOs.
Single Band: HS0/SM3DYU 21978 Points, 71 QSOs
- CQ WW SSB. HS0AC AIT will enter Multi-Multi if equipment problems can be
overcome, and enough operators commit themselves. Othewise it will be a
Multi-single entry. (Organiser HS1CKC). E22AAA will enter using the special
call-sign HS72A (QSL via HS1CKC). on the same basis. Organiser HS1CHB.
HS0/SM3DYU will enter single band. Entries were made in the CQ WW RTTY
Contest (100 QSOs), and the Scandinavian Activity Contest (50) QSOs.
- HS0AC RAST Club Station AIT
HS0AC needs the following equipment. Any donations, loans, or sales would be
most appreciated. RAST is already paying rent/electricity and has agreed to
pay for the repair of the TS950s (damaged by lightning). Please contact
HS0/G3NOM or HS1CKC.
- Pair of 3-500z tubes/valves
- Great Circle Map with Bangkok at Centre
- Filing Cabinet for QSL cards
- 386/486 PC for Packet work
- Telephone with money box (AIT now charge us for telephone calls HI)
- HS7AS CLUB STATION Paul VK3AJJ has written to ask for help in obtaining a
QSL card for a 160m contact with HS7AS in the 1997 CQ WW contest. He has
written twice to the advertised QSL manager including IRCs and Greenstamps
but has not had a reply. Can anyone help Paul get a reply?
<vk3ajj@techno.net.au>
HS8AS CLUB STATION - Surat Thani. G3PMR has written to ask for help to
obtain a reply to his QSL requests for an HS8AS operation from Koh Samui.
HS1CDX was believed to be the QSL manager for this operation. Can any club
members from HS8AS help? Email <SHACKLOG@aol.com>
160/80 Metres. Dick N6FF has written to say that he and other W6/W7s look
forward to working HS0AC on 80/160m in the CQ WW CW. They also hope other
Thai stations will operate in the 160m only contest before the end of the
year. Like many others they are looking for Thailand on the WARC bands. They
note that Thailand is one of the last few countries in the world to obtain
the WARC bands and wish us luck in obtaining them.
- NEWS FROM OVERSEAS MEMBERS
JA5TNF Takashi Morioka is now working in Washington DC at the Japanese
Embassy. He has passed the EXTRA class US licence and has the call sign
AA3QM. He is QRV on 5w QRP, and has worked HS1RU and heard HS0/G3NOM.
HS0ZAB Ted Drake has now moved QTH from Michigan to Sun City West, Arizona.
He has changed his call from W8JBI to a new vanity call N8GZ.His new station
set-up in Arizona uses the YAESU FT-1000-MP, 1500 watt linear amplifier by
Command Technologies, and the Hy Gain TH-11-DX yagi antenna at 65'.
K4VUD Charlie has written an article in DX Magazine about his last visit to
Bangkok. He wonders if anyone receives this magazine in BKK. The article has
pictures of HS1RU, and E21CJN stations etc. He hopes to take up a post at
one of the Bangkok Universities in the future.
YU7EF Popa. Popa is now back in Yuguslavia after his African travels. He has
a FT847 and a 20m dipole and will be looking for Thai stations.
- LIL PISTOLS. These are the opposite to "BIG GUNS". They have small
stations like QRP or a "Back yard" set-up. John K2JF is a "lil pistol" from
New York, running 100w and a mini quad. He is surrounded by BIG GUNS (Like
K3ZO and W3PP?) He asks Thai stations to listen for the "Lil Pistols" in
pile-ups to give them a chance. John can be contacted on <fisherjo@voicenet.com>
- RS 13 SATELLITE. Bindu VU2IR has written to us about using the Russian
Satellite RS13. It requires no special equipment other than a HF
transceiver, and he wishes to promote it's use in South East Asia. He says
it is easy as this: Transmit on 21.280Mhz. Receive 29.480Mhz. Simple
enough! He has forwarded an orbit schedule for Bangkok, and further
information attached. Thanks to Bindu.
- PSK 31. This is a Packet Digital Mode. Karl Drage is a 20 year old SWL
from England and has written to us regarding use of this mode.
"I have just setup an internet reflector dedicated solely to PSK31 DXing.
<http://www.swl.net/rs174461/open.htm> One of my main aims is to increase
the number of active DXCC Entities on the digital modes, primarily PSK31,
Feld-Hell, SSTV and RTTY. In this day and age it is not necessary to own a
TNC to run these modes. All you need is a reasonable PC with a 16 Bit
Soundcard, a patch cord between the TX and the Line IN socket on the
soundcard, and of course, a transceiver. To my knowledge, no-one is QRV on
ANY of these modes from your country. I wonder if I could persuade you to
try them? If you are interested and you have the necessary equipment, I
will gladly send you the FREE software to get you up and running.Mary -
NA6E, has even stepped in to help out those who would like to become QRV on
digital modes, but can't because they can't afford to buy a PC. She has
offered to provide a surplus PC in order to help them out. So, are you
interested yourself, or do you know someone in your country who would be?
If so, please spread the word!" Karl can be contacted at <RS174461@aol.com>
- FOR SALE. A Cushcraft R7000 Multi-Bang Vertical, used but in very good
condition, price 250 USD (approx 9750 Baht). Please contact HS0/G3NOM
- VOLUNTEER NEEDED. To translate this newsletter into Thai Language for
members. Preferably with Email or on line Fax.
73 de Ray HS0/G3NOM
RAST Secretary (International)
Station Manager HS0AC
PO Box 24
Nakhon Nayok
26000, Thailand
Tel: 037 328 041
Fax: 037 328 042
Email: g3nom@ibm.net