President's Report

  This is Michael Corbin VK2PFQ.

  It is not my intention to spoil anyones' Christmas, however,
  since the following information is already on "Packet", in a
  brief form, then it's only fair that those who do not have access
  to this medium, should be as informed as everyone else.  You
  might get yourself a pencil and a large piece of paper....Although
  the need for them is not immediate. I'll give you ample warning
  when to start writing things down.

  An appropriate title to what I am about to tell you might be.....
  "Merry Christmas to all Hams from the SMA".  or "Nothing escapes
  Federal Government New Year Tax Hikes...Not even Ham Radio". I
  must emphasise that the amounts quoted are not necessarily those
  which will be eventually adopted, they could even be....MORE!!!
  The following is an abridged account issued by The Federal Office
  of the Wireless Institute of Australia.  It's headed....

    AMATEUR RADIO LICENSES - NEW SMA PRICING POLICY

    Preliminary figures for new Licence fees, to be introduced next
    year, have been released to the W.I.A. by the Spectrum Management
    Agency (SMA).

    There are to be significant rises in the cost of Amateur
    Licenses.  It should be noted, however, that these are preliminary
    figures and that the final charges, may vary by as much as
    $10.... up or down!

    The licensing costs were released to the WIA at an SMA Liaison
    meeting in Canberra on 5th December.

    The previous hundred-plus licence categories covering all
    services are to be reduced to just 18.  Amateur Radio will be
    a single category, with seven sub-categories under the new
    Amateur Regulations to be announced early in 1995.  Note the
    inclusion of the foreshadowed Intermediate and Novice Limited
    licences, and that beacons and repeaters will be classed in
    sub-categories of their own.

    COSTS
    The issue/re-issue cost depends on the type of licence.  To
    first issue a licence costs the SMA about $140, it was revealed,
    but as Amateurs generally keep it for ten years, this is
    amortized over that period, yielding a cost of $14 a year. The
    cost to Renew a Licence is  about $11, so the Issue/Re-issue
    cost will total $25.

    THE SPECTRUM MAINTENANCE CHARGE  is the proportion of costs of
    the on-going work of the SMA. (Personally I thought that "the
    Spectrum" maintained itself..... with a little help from the
    Almighty!!)

    THE SPECTRUM ACCESS TAX is based on the principle of... "spectrum
    denial."  Primary spectrum users, Amateur Radio, deny use of
    the spectrum to other users. It is on this basis that the
    government charges the Access Tax.  The SMA's "pricing formula"
    takes into account five factors: Spectrum Location (i.e.
    frequency), Geographic Location (VHF-SHF spectrum can be
    "re-used" at sufficiently distant locations), Bandwith and Area
    Coverage.  The formula "values" the spectrum according to usage
    and demand.  i.e.  In Sydney, UHF attracts a high "VALUE". On
    the other hand, the "VALUE" of HF is low, as it is shared by
    Amateurs ....globally.  In calculating Spectrum Access Tax,
    the SMA excluded Amateur bands on which Amateurs are the
    secondary service.... i.e. because it is "shared" use.

    The figure arrived at, taking into account all the primary
    amateur bands and applied nation-wide, was divided by the total
    number of Amateurs.  So, if we had.... MORE AMATEURS...  licence
    fees should decrease!!! The Minimum Access Tax fee is proposed
    to be $20.  The Spectrum Maintenance charge is about 25% of
    the Access Tax.  Initial work on Amateur Licence fees yielded
    figure in the $300-$400 range. The SMA believe therefore that
    Amateurs have been given "a pretty good deal". All fees are to
    be finalised by 1st March,1995.

    Beacon licences will cost less because the WIA Divisions provide
    the initial spectrum planning function through the Technical
    Advisory Committees.  The proposed Repeater licence fee was
    calculated on an Australia-wide basis.  UHF CB repeaters will
    attract a licence fee.  As you are no doubt now aware  CBers
    don't pay fees. Citizen Band Radio is a Class Licence.

    FIVE-YEAR LICENCES will be introduced, for which the Re-issue
    cost will be discounted, if payment is made in advance.  So a
    five-year unrestricted licence will cost around $301, rather
    than $345.

    In future, if an Amateur gives up a licence (e.g. becomes a
    Silent Key), a refund of the "unused" proportion of the licence
    may be provided.

    The WIA is continuing discussions with the SMA.

  Now if everyone has a piece of paper and a pencil.....Divide the
  page into five columns. I'll do this slowly so everyone can get it
  down. Now head the columns up as follows:


                      Issue/     Spectrum      Spectrum
    Licence Class    Re-issue   Maintenance   Access Tax   Total

  Now I will read the information to you across the page...

     UNRESTRICTED      $25         $9            $35         $69

  I'll read that line again so that you can get it down correctly.
  The balance will then be straightforward. The next licence class
  is...

     LIMITED           $25         $8            $34         $67

     INTERMEDIATE      $25         $8            $34         $67

     NOVICE            $25         $5            $20         $50

     NOVICE LIMITED    $25         $5            $20         $50

     BEACON            $11         $5            $20         $36

     REPEATER          $25         $9            $35         $69

    Further information will appear in the January issue of Amateur Radio
    Magazine.

  Now what should we do about all that you might ask, well, I for
  one intend to write a letter to my Local Member expressing my
  complete dissatisfaction.  I encourage all listeners to do the
  same. The more who write the greater hope we will have of squashing
  the whole thing.

  The latest thing in politics is to bounce ideas off people early.
  A good example of this was a couple of weeks ago when the Federal
  Government "leaked" information to the Press about increased
  Taxation in the New Year....Little did we realise that Amateur
  Radio....A HOBBY....Our Hobby would be included. The idea is to
  gauge peoples reaction to a proposal. If the people don't complain
  then they, the government, go ahead with it. If we do complain
  and complain loud enough, then  even though increases might still
  be introduced, they might not be as large an increase as has been
  suggested or even.....no increase at all.

  If time permits this Division will place an insert in AR magazine.
  It will be some type of "form letter"... you fill in the blanks
  and post it off yourself to your local member. Personally I am
  amazed that the Federal Office has kept this information to
  themselves for this long. It is as if they accept the increases.
  Lambs to the slaughter so to speak. Well this Lamb is not going
  quietly. It's a Consumption tax if ever I saw one.....But, such
  statements could be regarded as political so forget that I anything
  about a Consumption Tax!!!!! What a wonderful way to end 1994.
  Hmmmmmmmm!!!

  Finally may I take this opportunity to personally wish all
  Listeners a Happy and a Holy Christmas.....May the New Year bring
  each and everyone of you all that you wish for yourselves.

  See you all next year


  DIVISIONAL NEWS

  The 1995 broadcast roster

  The  first  roster  for 1995 will be drawn up during  the  Christmas
  break. It will start on the 8th January and will run till the end of
  March.  Would all broadcast team members please contact Steve  VK2QZ
  with  their unavailability dates before the end of December,  so the
  roster can be finalised as soon as possible.

  If  anyone  listening would like to join the broadcast  team  you're
  invited to contact the Parramatta office on 689-2417 or directly  to
  Steve VK2QZ -- Steve's telephone number and address is known to most
  people, his address of course is in the call book. No special skills
  are required nor is an amateur licence, although we are in need of a
  few  more  full  call amateurs and  people  with  good  news-reading
  voices.

  Submitted by Steve Pullan, Broadcast Roster Coordinator

             *********************************************

  The  N.S.W.   Division  of  the  W.I.A.  runs  Amateur  classes  and
  examinations,  a free QSL bureau for members, slow morse practice on
  the  80m  band,  a  technical library and bookshop,  and  Trash  and
  Treasure sales on the last Sunday of every odd-numbered month.

  You're invited to contact the Divisional Office for more details  of
  the activities of the N.S.W. Division of the W.I.A.


  FEDERAL NEWS

  Voice Repeater for MIR Space Station

  An  upgrade  planned for the Russian MIR space  station,  a  popular
  platform for amateur radio in space activities, should see a 2 m to
  70 cm FM voice repeater operational within the next two years,  acc-
  ording  to a report from 12th Annual Meeting and Space Symposium  of
  the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT-NA). Held in Florida,
  USA,  in early October, the symposium marked the 25th anniversary of
  AMSAT.

  Other developments outlined at the Florida meeting covered progress
  on  planning  for the "Phase 3D" satellite.  Due for launch in  mid-
  1996, Phase 3D will be the largest, and most complex amateur satell-
  ite ever assembled.  Among the array of ground-to-satellite (uplink)
  channels planned is one in the 21 MHz (15 m) HF band. Others will be
  in the various VHF,  UHF and microwave bands.  Assembly of the Phase
  3D satellite is proceeding on schedule,  it was reported. It will be
  about 2.1 metres in diameter.  Meanwhile, it seems the popular OSCAR
  13,  on  which  many  amateurs "cut their teeth"  in  amateur  space
  communications, is fated for a fiery death in early December when it
  is  scheduled  to  re-enter  the  atmosphere.  Thanks  to  the  ARRL
  Newsletter for details.


                            WICEN News

  This  will be the last WICEN news bulletin for the year, and they
  will start again next year,  on  Sunday  8th  January,  when  the
  Broadcast  recommences.   The  Sydney WICEN net will also go into
  recess during that time, possibly in common with other nets,  but
  the  WICEN repeaters will continue to be monitored.  In the mean-
  time, why not write a letter to the  media,  informing  them  how
  WICEN  provided  the only communications during the Cyclone Tracy
  and the Newcastle  Earthquake  disasters,  the  anniversaries  of
  which  are this month?  Members are warned to keep their communi-
  cations equipment in working order, in preparation for an  unpre-
  dictable call-out.  Finally, the Dural Engineer, who is an active
  WICEN member, will personally ensure that these  facilities  will
  remain  operational during the bush-fire season; members will re-
  call that the Council of the  day,  for  reasons  of  their  own,
  closed  down  the  Dural station during the height of last year's
  fires, despite the fact that Dural is an official  WICEN  command
  post.

  The Hunter region has a meeting tomorrow, at the Emergency Opera-
  tions Centre, corner of Elizabeth  and  Hannel  Sts,  Carrington,
  commencing  at 7pm; please contact Pauline VK2GTB for further de-
  tails.

  Those who are planning for next year should note the RTA NSW Bike
  Ride  over the 4-11th March, the Bungonia Cave Rescue exercise on
  the weekend of 18-19th March, the Oberon Car Rally on 29th April,
  the  Goulburn Training Seminar on the weekend of 13-14th May, the
  Hawkesbury Classic Paddle on the weekend of 14-15th October,  and
  JOTA on the weekend of 21st-22nd October.

  On  behalf of the WICEN (NSW) Management Committee, we would like
  to wish all personnel a safe and happy holiday period.

  -- Dave VK2KFU, WICEN (NSW) Inc. Publicity Officer


  NEWS BRIEFS

  The usual function of this section of the broadcast is to bring news
  from the mainstream memdia to Radio Amateurs;  at this time of year,
  however,  it  might  be  worth bringing Amateur Radio  back  to  the
  mainstream media.  As mentioned in the WICEN News segment, Christmas
  week  sees  the  anniversary of two major  natural  disasters  where
  Amateur  Radio played a vital role in serving the  community,  namly
  Cyclone  Tracy  and the Newcastle earthquake.  This would be a  good
  time to write to your local and regional newspapers,  to remind them
  of the role Amateur Radio played during those difficult times.

  So,  why  not put pen to paper and gain some valuable publicity  for
  Amateur Radio?  It need take only a few minutes of your time and the
  cost of a stamp ... isn't continued support for your hobby worth it?

                                 ******

  2NCR makes the Internet simple.  Listners in the Lismore area  might
  be interested in a new radio programme that explains the Internet in
  terms an ordinary human can understand.  2NCR-FM,  broadcasting from
  the  Southern  Cross  University  on  92.9 MHz  has  begun  a  radio
  programme  on Sunday afternoons from 3pm to 6pm local  time,  called
  "The  Internet  Cruise".   The  programme  aims  to  demystify  this
  "Information  Superhighway" we've been hearing so much  about.

                                 *****

  Santa Claus gets spammed. It was bound to happen ... Santa Claus put
  in  an  appearance  on the Internet,  and for  his  trouble  he  got
  "spammed".  "Spamming" is the Internet term for flooding the network
  with the electronic equivalent of junk mail.

  A  company  called "Schloss Christmas Cheer" broadcast a message  to
  Internet  subscribers last week,  romising to donate 10  cents  each
  time  someone sent them electronic mail to inquire about one of  the
  charities the company was supporting.

  Alas,  many people misunderstood the message,  and thought that  the
  company  would make the donation for each electronic message sent to
  their address.  As a result,  users around the world put the company
  on  the "Cc:" list for every message to anyone,  flooding  "Santa's"
  electronic  mailbox,  at a rate of hundreds of messages every  hour.
  "Santa"  woke  up one morning to find no less than  42,000  messages
  waiting.

  For    those    interested,    "Santa's"   Internet    address    is
  santa@north.pole.org,  but we think his mailbag is plenty full,  and
  listeners  who wish to remain on his "nice" list are advised not  to
  send him any more email.

  "News briefs" looks at communications news items that appear in  the
  mainstream  media.  Thanks this week go to "The Australian" and "The
  Sydney Morning Herald". If your local or regional paper runs an item
  of  interest  to  Radio Amateurs,  why not send a  clipping  to  the
  Divisional office?

  --Ruchard Murnane VK2SKY


  Carbon supercapacitors

  Capacitors  currently  used as electronic components  in  computers.
  televisions,  etc.,  have  relatively  low  capacitance  but  recent
  advances, resulting in greater capacitance (1-10 Farads), allow them
  to  be  used  in energy storage for low  energy  demand  situations.
  Further  capacitance  increases  to 100-1000 Farads  give  them  the
  potential  for  storing  energy in a form superior in many  ways  to
  conventional batteries.

  Capacitors have a number of advantages over conventional batteries:
  *   they  can be charged and discharged almost indefinitely and  have
     superior  charging characteristics,  a much longer life amd  more
     rapid recharge rates,
  *   they can provide hogh discharge currents not easily achieved  by
      batteries,
  *   They require no maintenance and are therefore more suitable for
      use in remote locations, and
  *  they can be fabricated from non-toxic and relatively  inexpensive
     materials - one such material is carbon.

  Electric  double layer capacitors (EDLCs) utilise the separation  of
  charge that occurs when an elctrolyte contacts a conductor.  In car-
  bon  EDLCs,  carbon  acts as the electrodes and the  electrolyte  is
  typically   an  aqueous  acid  or  salt  solution,   or  an  organic
  electrolyte.  When  a voltage is impressed across a pair  of  carbon
  electrodes,  charge  migration occurs in both the carbon electrodes
  and  the  electrolyte.  Carbon is the material of  choice  in  EDLCs
  because  of the extremely high surface area that is obtainable after
  treatment - up to 2000 square metres per gram.

  The  scientific  challenge  is  to produce  a  quality  carbon  that
  combines high surface area with low resistivity.  Dr.  Tony Vassilic
  who  heads  the CSIRO team explains that although  surface  area  is
  important, it  is not the overriding criterion for high capacitance;
  pore  size distribution,  electrical conductivity and particle  size
  need  to be optimised.  In addition the elctrloyte must have a  high
  conductivity and breakdown voltage.

  "Initially  we  will be basing our products on current  carbon  EDLC
  technology  and our own knowledge of this area but,  built into  the
  program will be research to identify and prepare better construction
  methods", he says.

  The importance of this approach is confirmed by Plessey Components,
  the  industrial  partner in this research,  and Australia's  largest
  manufacturer of capacitors. Plessey's managing director, Mr. Anthony
  Kohgats,  says, "There is a limited time-frame available and we must
  run  research and engineering development projects  concurrently  to
  get  marketable components up and running as soon as  possible.  Our
  aim  is to market,  over three years,  a number of capacitors of in-
  creasing  perormance,  each manufactured for a specific  application
  area."

  These  application  areas could include capacitors  as  back-up  for
  computers,  as  energy storage devices for photovoltaic cells and as
  secondary energy storage for electric vehicles.

  "We  see  this  as a major growth technology  and  one  which  could
  provide  Australia  with an opportunity for significant  high  value
  exports".

  Item fom Dr.  J.K.  Wright VK3EXV. Chief, Coal and Energy Technology
  Division of CSIRO.


                        IPS WEEKLY REPORT
                        -----------------
                     09 NOVEMBER - 15 DECEMBER

  DATE OF ISSUE: 16 DECEMBER 1994

  INDICES:
  DATE     09    10    11    12    13    14    15
  10CM     87    86    95    99    97    95    93
  A        11     8    10    10    13     7   (17 ESTIMATED)
  T        18    30    27    41    52     6     8

  SOLAR ACTIVITY WAS VERY LOW 9TH-12TH, AND 15TH DECEMBER, LOW
  ON 13TH, AND MODERATE ON 14TH. THERE WAS AN M2 FLARE ON 14TH,
  AND A SHORT WAVE FADEOUT WAS NOTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THIS
  FLARE FROM 0540-0550 UT.


  THE GEOMAGNETIC FIELD AT LEARMONTH WAS QUIET ON 10TH DECEMBER,
  AND QUIET TO UNSETTLED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD UNTIL
  12 UT ON 15TH WHEN THE FIELD BECAME UNSETTLED TO ACTIVE
  FOLLOWING THE START OF ACTIVITY FORECAST FOR 16TH-17TH
  DECEMBER.

  IONOSPHERIC F2 CRITICAL FREQUENCIES AT SYDNEY WERE NEAR PRE-
  DICTED TO SLIGHTLY ENHANCED 9TH-11TH, ENHANCED BY UP TO 15 PER
  CENT 12TH-13TH, RETURNING TO NEAR PREDICTED MONTHLY VALUES TO
  THE END OF THE PERIOD. OCCASIONAL SPORADIC E WAS REPORTED FROM
  CAMDEN, TOWNSVILLE AND HOBART ON 9TH, AGAIN FROM CAMDEN AND
  HOBART ON 10TH-11TH DECEMBER. SYDNEY EXPERIENCED SPORADIC E
  LAYER BLANKETING AT INTERVALS ON 14TH.

               FORECAST (16 DECEMBER - 22 DECEMBER)

  SOLAR:        LOW TO VERY LOW

  GEOMAGNETIC:  UNSETTLED TO ACTIVE 16 DEC, MOSTLY ACTIVE WITH
                BRIEF PERIODS OF MINOR STORM LEVELS 17 DEC AND
                QUIET TO UNSETTLED THEREAFTER.

  IONOSPHERIC:  OCCASIONAL DEPRESSIONS OF 10-20 PER CENT 16-17
                DEC AND NEAR PREDICTED MONTHLY VALUES FOR THE
                REST OF THE WEEK.

  COURTESY OF THE IPS RADIO AND SPACE SERVICES

  SUMMARY BY PAT VK2JPA ANARTS BROADCAST OFFICER


  CLUB NEWS: AATC

  The  next  of the A.A.T.C. Inc. will be a combined committee meeting
  and  minor general meeting next year 1995 - January 29th on a Sunday
  1.00 pm at RCS Radio Bexley.

  The purpose of this unusual procedure is so the Technical  committee
  can  assess from the members attending as to what the AATC will have
  on display at the Wyong Field Day. - a practice run you might say.

  So please be here with your intended items for display to be  logged
  on  Sunday  the  29th of January at 1.00pm - locstat  - RCS  Bexley.

  The end of the year is nigh and thanks go to the WIA for the  Sunday
  news  broadcasts  and  for all to have a  quite  sobering  Christmas
  break.

  For more information about the A.A.T.C.  listen to the net on  Tues-
  day  nights  from the Liverpool area on 146.625  MHz  - approx 19.30
  hrs  - or  watch us on 1250 MHz from our Oakdale  repeater  anytime.

  Also you can ring the Publicity Officer on (02) 587-3491 any time.

  Remember the Wyong Field Day is only 10 weeks away - see us there!

  AATC Inc. Publicity Officer Bob Barnes


  CLUB NEWS: WAVERLEY

  Waverley Amateur Radio Society

  The Society's next meeting will be held  on Wednesday 21st  December
  at  7:30 p.m.  in the Society's new premises located in the Rose Bay
  Scout Hall in Vickery Avenue,  Rose Bay,  next door to the Rose  Bay
  R.S.L. Club. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.

  The main topic for the evening will be an introduction to Amateur TV
  by  Dave Pack of the Australian Amateur TV Club.  Visitors are  most
  welcome.

  Refurbishing  of  the new premises has come on apace thanks  to  the
  efforts  of a number of members,  so come ans see the  results.  Now
  having  permanent  premises,  the Society is planning to expand  its
  program of activities next year into the operating,  equipment  con-
  struction and morse training fields.

  In  February  the  Society celebrates the 76th  anniversary  of  its
  foundation  in  1919,  and is planning a special event to  mark  the
  occasion.  In  the  menatime  the Society will try to  contact  past
  members   and  trace  historical  records  relating  to  its   early
  activities. If you can help, drop a line to

        VK2BV, P.O. Box 130, Watson's Bay, NSW 2030

  Simon Buxton - VK2EII - Publicity Officer


  ANARTS

  HOLIDAY DATES FOR ANARTS BROADCASTS

  THE ANARTS RTTY BROADCAST WILL GO INTO RECESS AFTER 18TH
  DECEMBER  AND RESUME ON 15TH JANUARY 1995.

  THANKS TO ALL OUR LISTENERS OVER THE PAST YEAR AND WE WISH YOU
  ALL THE COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASON, AND MAY THE CHRISTMAS GIFTS
  BE JUST WHAT YOU DESIRE.

  MERRY CHRISTMAS, FROM PAT VK2JPA ANARTS BROADCAST OFFICER


                             Coming events

  Now, a summary of upcoming events of interest to members and
  other Radio Amateurs ...

  Last VK2WI broadcast for 1994 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TODAY
  Last ANARTS RTTY broadcast for 1994. . . . . . . . .  . . .TODAY
  Fishers Ghost Amateur Radio Club meeting & BBQ . . . . Wednesday
  Waverley Amateur Radio Club meeting. . . . . . . . . .Friday (?)
  Divisional office closes for Christmas . . . . . . . next Sunday
  Christmas Day (no broadcast) . . . . . . . . . . . . next Sunday
  20th Anniversary of Cyclone Tracy. . . . . . . . . . next Sunday
  5th Anniversary of Newcastle Earthquake. . . . . . . 28 December

  1995
  New Years Day (no broadcast) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 January
  First VK2WI broadcast for 1995 . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 January

  (Divisional office closed during January, phone will be redi-
  ected to duty Councillor)

  ANARTS broadcasts resume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 January
  First live ATV transmission of 1995 from Gladesville .18 January
  Divisional Council meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 January

  Do  you  have an event you'd like publicised on the weekly  broad-
  cast?  If so, then please send details to the Divisional Broadcast
  Officer,  Michael Corbin VK2PFQ, by phone on (02) 626-9288,  or by
  fax on (02) 626-6066.Items can also be forwarded to the Divisional
  Office.

  ------------------------------------------------------------------
  VK2WI Broadcast, 18th December  1994. Copyright 1994 WIA (NSW) &
  contributors.   Material  may be used elsewhere if the source  is
  acknowledged.
