Well I have been asking this question to myself several times since this project was launched. The project has not been shelved although due to other "gremlins" in the shack the priority and importance was down-scaled a few times until other breakages were fixed. I am sure that you will agree with me that the 6m Band in the middle of Winter is fairly dead and the priority is on the low side. Just to re-cap here is the links to the project for those that might have missed it.
Now when I found the time I worked on the 6 Meter CW Beacon. I also ordered a few parts that I am waiting for to continue the project. The image below depict the work done so far on the beacon. There is not many things left to do, that's if the "gremlins" stay away from the work-bench.
I will keep those interested updated about the project and when the beacon is switched on and on the air. Updates to follow!
Image: ET phones home correctly by using good operating procedures (Click on image for larger view.)
The title question can be interpreted in two ways. No need for me to explain. I am sure that there are many South African Radio Amateurs that love the hobby and some started in the hobby while they were still kids. On occasion I called the hobby an obsession which is a bit over the top. But that is how I feel about the best and most versatile hobby in the World.
However ...... there are a few things that needs to be rectified or looked at, that is not in line with the Amateur Radio Code of Conduct or that transgress the Radio Act and or Radio Regulations. I on many occasions have said that I am not a "policeman" and has no authority to take any action to rectify any transgressions. I can however voice my dissatisfaction about a few transgressions as the amateur radio hobby is / should be a self regulating hobby without the need for the authorities to intervene.
The incidents / transgressions that I am going to mention here is really damaging the image of the hobby and I am sure that this is not what we want to observe and hear about amateur radio. Be as it may I need to get the following off my chest:
Blatant transgression of call signs on the air - Have you heard the following: "1I good afternoon." 1I is not a call sign. The correct use of the call sign must be "ZS1I good afternoon". The abbreviation of a call sign is a transgression of the radio regulations.
Another transgression is when an operator calls in as "Tobie from Put-Sonder-Water, good afternoon". Where is the call sign and who is Tobie ..... a pirate? Even if you know the voice and the person why does he not provide his call sign when he break into / join a conversation. At least everybody on the air will from the on-set know who Tobie is!
The following example in my opinion is rude and I will not even try to join the conversation. The following happens on many bands. Right off the bat is HF. Two friends are chatting and a third and fourth wants to join but the two operators leave no gap for anybody to join. They just carry on talking. Yes I know about conditions etc. but this also happens on the VHF / UHF bands and repeaters. This is not in line with the Amateur Radio Code of Conduct.
Since when is a cellphone call more important than an amateur radio conversation. Have your heard the following: "Just stand by I have a phone call." Half an hour later the receiver of the phone call returns and expect to chat further. This happens many times. Switch you phone off or do not join a conversation if you expect a call on the cellphone. Why can you not later return the cellphone call after you ended the QSO? I have been left in the cold on many occasions and do not "come back" when the "offender" returns. In my opinion this is out-rite rude conduct.
"Kerchunking ..... Kerchunking!! Need I say anything more about kerchunking a repeater? What is so difficult to say "ZS1I testing / monitoring the 145.775 Mhz repeater"? On several occasions I have heard somebody responding to a Kerchunker, friendly reminding him to provide a call sign but not providing his own call sign on the air.
Amateur Radio has a few musicians on the air as well. They love to play courtesy, sirens and other tones on the air. Sir / Madam your tones are a nuisance and serve no purpose at all. You can still use your DTMF tones by setting it up not to be heard on-air via a node etc. Nowadays there is no need to hear any tones on the air. There are other ways to do it correctly.
CB slang and jargon!! I also started off in CB many years ago when CB radio just started to become popular. Please refrain from using CB slang or jargon in Amateur Radio. I hear many operators in amateur radio talking the talk of CB. If you want to use slang or jargon use your CB radio for that purpose.
Another irritating practice is when a station is talking or busy to hand over to another station and someone makes a comment over a person or in between rounds without providing his call-sign. Why can this person not wait until it is his / her time (over) to speak. This practice in my eyes is causing deliberate interference on the air. Is this a practice that was used by rogue CB operators?
I have only mentioned a few irritating transgressions which also contravene the Amateur Radio Code of Conduct. I am sure that you can think and add more ugly "habits" that is not mentioned in this article.
Ask any older radio amateur that has been a radio amateur for many years and he or she will be able to confirm that this is not the way to operate an amateur radio station. Yes, some of the older operators are also at fault and I do not point finger to any generation in this regard.
If the above transgressions / ugly trends continues it will damage the image of amateur radio and also chase many away from this wonderful hobby which we cannot afford under any circumstances.
The South African Radio League Web Site provides value information on Ethics and Operating Procedure for the Radio-Amateur made available by the IARU, Click HERE to view.
Good operating procedures should and must always be our first priority in amateur radio otherwise ET will not be able to phone home! 👌😢
Reminder: Do tune into the DMR-ZA Net this evening at 19h30 SAST
Herewith a list of different equipment / apps and images that cross transmit / receive the DMR-ZA Net on a Tuesday evening. (Click on images for larger view.)
1. ZS1I 49355 AllStar Hub Network which incorporates Echolink. (ZS1I-R)
2. DMR / DVSwitch /AllStar Bridge (TG 65522)
3. ZS1I MMDVM Digital Repeater (TG 65522)
4. 145.550 Mhz Analogue Simplex RF Link Mossel Bay area.
5. DroidStar / VoxDMR Applications for DMR TG655
6. ASL3 to Mumble Bridge PC (Mumble Client) as well as Mobile Phone (Plumble Client)
7. BrandMeister - Hoseline Application (PC or Mobile Phone - Receive only.)
8. DVSwitch Mobile Application (PC or Mobile Phone)
9. Many Analog-Repeaters and Links are connected to the ZS1I Hub Network on a daily basis. Some of these analogue repeaters will be connected to the ZS1I Hub Network on a Tuesday evening and they might also be linked to other repeaters country- and world wide. So why not link up with your local analogue repeater. You might just be able to connect to the DMR-ZA Net on a Tuesday evening at 19h30 SAST.
Finally: There are an abundance of means illustrated above to connect to the DMR-ZA Net on a Tuesday evening at 19h30 SAST. The DMR-ZA Net is an open net and all radio amateurs are welcome to join / connect to the net. Brian ZS5BR is the net controller and I would like to thank him for professionally conducting the net each Tuesday evening. Highly appreciated!!
1. First ever Moon-Bounce QSO between Netherlands and South Africa on the 24 Ghz Band
"On Sunday 14-06-2026 the first ever 24 GHz EME contact was made with the African continent. John ZS6JON and Hans PE1CKK made a two way contact via the moon. This QSO had a long preparation, John contacted Hans a year ago to find out if Hans had some parts to build a 24GHz setup. Parts are very hard to find in South Africa. Hans had a better solution and shipped his second station to SA together with a small beacon to check the installed setup. After a lot of mail and chatting between the two radio amateurs, John had the system up and running last Sunday. Right at the first TX cycle he had a decode and they achieved the contact (QSO). The setup will stay for some time in SA to allow John to make more contacts via skeds. Working equipment: 1.8m offset dish, wavelab transverter, RW1127 twt 25W and DU3T lna. "
Congratulations to John and Hans on the first ever QSO between South Africa and the Netherlands on 24 Ghz band.
2. Earthquakes in Venezuela prompt request for clear emergency frequency
All radio amateurs are being asked to keep 7.135 MHz in the 40-metre band clear for emergency communications in the wake of back-to-back earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday 24 June. The two quakes, measured by the US Geological Survey at magnitude 7,2 and 7,5 respectively, occurred just one minute apart and caused extensive damage across the South American country, including the capital city of Caracas. As of Thursday morning, government officials were reporting at least 164 deaths, nearly 1 000 injuries and hundreds of people missing. These tolls are expected to rise as rescue/recovery operations continue. More information in the SARL Hamnet report during Amateur Radio Today at 10:00 CAT.
3. SARL Newbie QSO Party Saturday, July 4⋅11:00am – 4:00pm
All the new radio amateurs from the May RAE are invited to participate in the first leg of the SARL Newbie QSO Party from 11:00 to 16:00 UTC on Saturday 4 July. It is a phone only contest on 40 and 20 metres. The exchange is a RS report, your four-character grid square e.g. JF95 and a phonetic letter indicating how long you have been licenced. The QSO scoring also depends on how long you have been licenced. Submit your log sheet by 21:59 UTC on Saturday 18 July to zr3vdk@outlook.com and zr3pa@outlook.com.
4. 40m ZS1I WSPR Beacon show an increase in activity in and around South Africa
Great to see so much activity on the 40m WSPR Beacon section of the band. Quite a few new stations were observed this past week.
5. Solar Cycle 25 Expectations in 2026 and beyond - by Carl K9LA
Carl K9LA recently gave a presentation to the Madison DX club about what propagation conditions would be like in 2026. We are on the way down the peak of the sunspot cycle but there will still be plenty of openings for a while yet. See video for more information.
