HAMNET - Bulletin for July 2012

HAMNET THE SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION BULLETIN FOR JULY 2012

This bulletin was prepared and produced by Francois Botha – ZS6BUU


HAMNET (IARU Region 1) dedicated emergency communication frequencies are:-

80m band – 3,760 MHz, 40m band, 7,110 MHz. 20m band – 14,300 MHz.


IN THE BULLETIN TODAY

RECENT EXERCISES - ATTACHMENT


NSRI BULLETINS


ID CARD PROGRESS


CHANGING WEATHER

The Hamnet Bulletin is distributed once a month to all HAMNET members and is also available in text format as well as an audio clip on the SARL web site. News updates are read on the Amateur Radio Today Sunday transmissions and posted on the SARL web site as well as our Facebook site. All Bulletin audio clips are also available as a Podcast. Follow the links on the SARL web site.

HAMNET is a voluntary group of amateurs who make their unique communication skills available to assist and help others in distress during and after disasters. HAMNET is represented on the sub-committee of the South African Search & Rescue Organisation. Training Modules are available either from your Provincial Director or from the National Director via e-mail and is also available on the SARL HAMNET Welcome CD.

HAMNET forms part of the Constitution of the South African Radio League which means that you have to be a member of the SARL to be a member of HAMNET. All information on SARL HAMNET is available on the web site of the SARL at www.sarl.org.za - follow the links!

You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter

RECENT EXERCISES

On 9 and 10 June, a full Hamnet exercise was held in the Knolfontein, Western Cape region.

To try and cut this report into a workable Hamnet Bulletin item would do an injustice to the content of the report which contains some excellent photographs.

With result, we obtained permission to send you the full report as an attachment to this bulletin so one can get a good insight into the exercise, the content, the photographs and the people involved.

N.S.R I

A month or two ago we mentioned a closer working relationship with the National Sea Rescue Institute or N.S.R.I.

Craig Lambinon, the driving force behind the NSRI recently introduced an innovative or rather a better way of highlighting their involvement in saving lives around our shores as well as their inland arm covering places like Germiston Lake, Hartbeespoort Dam and the Vaal Dam.

This past months as usual has been a very busy month for Craig and his teams around our shores and inland.

These reports are sent to me and I have already discussed this with one or two Provincial Directors that maybe we should introduce a similar report back to not only ourselves but also as a media push to advertise our involvement in community services.

I will not attach any NSRI reports to this bulletin, but if anyone would like to get a better insight into the work Craig and his teams are doing, please let me know and I will send some reports on to you!

NEW ID CARD - PROGRESS

Little progress has been made since the item appeared as a bulletin item two months ago. Bruce Hepburn, ZR6BDH indicated that their Off Road cards are done on a regular basis, have an expiry date and done by an outlet in Edenvale.

I sent an e-mail to the company to ascertain the costing involved but to date have not heard from them. Off Road ID cards all expire on a specific date by which time a new card was issued and some blanks printed for those joining during any year.

For me to redo over 300 cards in one fell swoop is an impossible task!

I will approach them again as the idea of someone else doing the cards – namely outsourcing them, does have a benefit for me as if an expiry date is introduced, it is their responsibility to send out the new cards.

However, no costing has been forthcoming but well have a look at this avenue for future ID cards.

In the mean time, the alternative as suggested by Paul, ZS1PVS, is still being considered as a new format but possibly with the logo or emblem on the reverse!

CHANGING WEATHER PATTERNS

Recently, and especially on various Facebook Weather sites, questions have been raised about changing weather patterns around our globe. Anyone who turns a blind eye to these changes should become a little more aware of what is going on around us!

Tornado’s and mini cyclones do occur in South Africa, but not that often. Lately their numbers have increased and the South African Weather Service, SAWS indicated in a radio release that they cannot accurately predict this phenomenon!

You may recall we even had a very late in the season cyclone developing east of Madagascar in May, which is also unusual. More and more photographs are beginning to appear on Facebook of strange weather phenomena.

I mentioned in our Sunday Amateur Radio Today audio clip that some parts of the Florida in the USA, had 25 inches of rain over 3 or 4 days. That equals over 625mm rain which is also unusual for that part of the globe. A cut-off low maybe – fairly common in our country!

I personally believe that we should seriously consider creating a similar SKYWARN or Weather Watch situation across our country to report and advise of unusual weather situations or conditions – either through a website or by cell or landline. It is common practice in the USA, so why not here?

GENERAL

For the collectors of trivia – consider this one. Take a good look at your July calendar; it will have 5 Sunday’s – 5 Monday’s and 5 Tuesday’s.

This only happens – according to a Facebook insert once every 823 years!

INFORMATION FOR REFERENCE PURPOSES!

The following frequencies are purely calling frequencies-

‘Eightynet’ 3.695 MHz ‘Fortynet’ 7.095 MHz ‘Thirtynet’ 10.135 MHz

‘Twentynet’ 14.295 MHz


PROVINCIAL DIRECTOR AND 2ND IN COMMAND CONTACT LIST.

PROVINCE

DIRECTOR/2nd COMMAND

CELL NUMBER

WESTERN CAPE

Paul van Spronsen ZS1PVS

083 302-3366

WESTERN CAPE

Dave Reece ZS1DFR

083 270-6843

NORTH WESTERN CAPE

Daniel Swart ZS3DS

082 884-1200

NORTH WESTERN CAPE

Carel Oberholzer ZS3OBE

082 805-0181

EASTERN CAPE

Serge Smetryns ZS2SJE

084 515-1077

EASTERN CAPE

KWAZULU-NATAL

Keith Lowes ZS5WFD

082 685-6666

KWAZULU-NATAL

Glenham Duffy ZS5GD

082 962-6681

FREE STATE

Vacant

FREE STATE

Martin Schwella ZS4MS

082 968-3765

NORTH WEST

Chris Viljoen ZS6BYQ

082 857-8641

NORTH WEST

Johan Bamberger ZS6LVG

018 297-1900

GAUTENG SOUTH

Chris Gryffenberg ZS6COG

083 543-5668

GAUTENG SOUTH

Andre van Tonder ZS6HE

082 554-7469

GAUTENG NORTH

Johan de Bruyn ZS6JHB

082 492-3689

GAUTENG NORTH

MPUMALANGA

Gert Botha ZS6GC

082 771-0663

MPUMALANGA

Strauss Roux ZS6JFS

076 430-5082

MPUMALANGA

Piet Badenhorst ZS6G

082 574-4829

LIMPOPO

Vacant

LIMPOPO

Vacant

NATIONAL DIRECTOR

Francois Botha ZS6BUU

083 585-3847

NATIONAL DIRECTOR

Jan Schubart ZS6ARV

082 458-1484

WEATHER INFORMATION –

www.sawdis1.blogspot.com

To send weather information - 076 251 3482 - Text Messages Only!!

Alternatively - sawois05@gmail.com

www.weatherphotos.co.za – Highly recommended for up to date information!

USEFUL NUMBERS IN EMERGENCIES:-

1. AMBULANCE – 10177

2. ER24 – 084 124

3. Werner Vermaak Direct ER24 real emergencies only (Gauteng) 082 907.4557

4. TRAFFIC – 112

5. WESTERN CAPE ALL EMERGENCIES 021 937-0300

6. JAMLINE - 084 5265463

7. CRIME LINE – 32211 alternatively 08600 10111. HAMNET actively supports the SAPS and CPF to fight crime!

8. N3 Toll Concession Help Line – 0800 N3 HELP or 080063 4357

9. Graham – Maritime Mobile Net 046 648-1071 (Maritime Emergency Only)

10. Sam Maree – Maritime Mobile Net 021 782-2840 (Maritime Emergency Only)

11. MRCC – 021 938-3300 (Only in dire Maritime emergencies)

Comments suggestions and contributions please contact or send to: jfbotha@iburst.co.za or zs6buu@gmail.com or at 011 679-5260 or 083 585-3847. Fax 086-580.6110.