South African Radio League

Non profit organisation

infobox organization
|name = South African Radio League
|image = South African Radio League logo. png
|image border =
|size = 101px
|caption =
|map =
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|abbreviation = SARL
|formation = 1925
|extinction =
|type = Non profit organisation; Amateur Radio
|status =
|purpose = Education
|headquarters = National Amateur Radio Centre, Radiokop, Johannesburg, South Africa
|location =
|region served = South Africa
|area served = Worldwide
|membership =
|language =
|leader title = President
|leader name = Nico van Rensburg, ZS6QL
|main organ = Council

The name of the magazine is derived from the radio call sign prefix block assigned to South Africa by the International Telecommunication Union. Most South African amateur radio operators have call signs that begin with the letters ZS. The other call sign prefixes are ZR, ZT and ZU.

The SARL provides members with a channel for negotiation with the South African regulatory authority for telecommunications, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). The SARL also gives members the advantage of collective representation and control in all matters affecting amateur radio. The SARL promotes and negotiates a legal and regulatory environment that acknowledges and permits the Amateur Radio Service. The SARL also advocates for access to all amateur radio bands allocated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) radio regulations.

The League participates in an ionospheric research project led by the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory(HMO). The project is to study radio propagation in the 40 m band in the ionosphere. The project entails a number of 40 milliwatt beacon transmitters at a frequency of 7.023 MHz being operated by amateurs across the country. Propagation data from these beacons is then analysed by scientists at the HMO to reveal details about the structure and behaviour of the ionosphere. Reception data is collected from reports by other amateurs all over the country. A further educational component of the project is participation by schools. School children equipped with sponsored simple receivers developed by the SARL, also participate in the project and send reception reports to the HMO. The receivers, supplied in kit form, provide a further educational opportunity as the children will assemble and install them with assistance from local amateur radio clubs. A fun element of the project for the learners is when schools compete to be the first to decode the "secret messages" that some of the beacons transmit. According to Dr Lee Anne McKinnell, the HMO Space Physics Group manager, "This project is truly a collaborative project. It will benefit the scientists, the hobbyists, and the schools". The project stalled soon after launch due to problems co ordinating the timing of the transmitters.

Through its affiliate, AMSAT SA, the League has participated in two amateur radio satellite projects; SUNSAT in collaboration with Stellenbosch University's department of electronic engineering and Sumbandila which is a SunSpace project. AMSAT SA started a Cubesat programme during 2011.