GB2RS

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 20th April 2025

GB2RS News
Sunday the 20th of April 2025
 
The news headlines:
Take advantage of new RSGB membership benefits for 2025!
The RSGB Board has announced Directors’ liaison roles
The RSGB has released a 1925 bulletin containing the original announcement of the formation of the IARU
As a new benefit, the Society has teamed up with several museums to offer RSGB members discounted entry for 2025. Members can receive between 20% and 50% off admission fees at Amberley Museum, Bawdsey Radar Museum, Internal Fire Museum of Power, PK Porthcurno Museum of Global Communications and The National Museum of Computing. So, whether you’re into engines, radar, transport, computers or communications there’s sure to be something for you. To find out more, visit rsgb.org/partner-museums
Following the RSGB 2025 AGM on Saturday the 12th of April, a brief Board meeting was held. The Board elected Stewart Bryant, G3YSX to continue in the role of Board Chair and Peter Bowyer, G4MJS to continue as Vice Chair. Both will remain in these roles until the 2026 AGM. The Board liaison roles with RSGB committees, Honorary Officers and areas of RSGB strategy have also been agreed. To find out more or to see contact details for each Board Director, go to rsgb.org/board
World Amateur Radio Day was on Friday the 18th of April. It was also on that day in 1925 that the International Amateur Radio Union was formed in Paris. In celebration of this, the RSGB has shared a T & R Bulletin from 1925 that details the original announcement about the IARU’s formation. This unique document has been made publicly available for all radio amateurs to be able to enjoy. To start reading, simply go to rsgb.org/radcom then click on the image to enter the web app and select the ‘RadCom Sample’ option in the header.
The RSGB website has a wealth of information available to you, and the search function is a useful tool to find what you are looking for. However, to make things as straightforward as possible, the Society has updated the contacts page on its website. If you need to get in touch about something specific, you’ll be able to find the correct contact details at a glance. Each Headquarters department is listed with the range of services they offer. For example, you’ll see that the Sales Team can also help with club insurance, Membership Services will help with any issues logging into its online membership portal, and that GB2RS news items should be sent to the RadCom Team. Whatever your query, the Team is there to help. If you need more local help, please contact your Regional Team representatives. Head over to rsgb.org/contact  to find out how to get in touch.
Professor Gwyn Griffiths, G3ZIL is a well-known member of the RSGB Propagation Studies Committee, as well as someone involved with Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation, also known as HamSCI. In celebration of Citizen Science Month during April, the RSGB has shared Gwyn’s HamSCI presentation from the RSGB 2024 Convention on its YouTube channel. In the talk, Gwyn outlines the organisation’s activities, particularly during the 2023 and 2024 eclipses. Go to youtube.com/theRSGB  to watch the talk now. If you’d like to find out more, join the RSGB for May’s Tonight@8 webinar when HamSCI lead Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF presents ‘Space weather we can do together’. Both Gwyn and Nathaniel recently won awards in the RSGB 2025 AGM Trophy Presentation. You can also get involved with HamSCI’s preparations for a series of meteor scatter experiments in August and December. You can find further details via hamsci.org/msqp
Have you ever wondered about the origins of the smart doorbell? Although a modern phenomenon, it has a history dating back over 100 years. During the latest series of The Secret Genius of Modern Life, Hannah Fry explores its early origins with a device created by Leon Theremin. During the episode radio amateur Neil, G4DBN, re-creates Leon’s device. The episode will air on BBC2 at 20.00 on Wednesday the 23rd of April. Many of you will know Neil from Season One, Episode One of the series when he re-created the Great Seal Bug. Both episodes are available to watch now via BBC iPlayer.
Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk The deadline for submissions is 10am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.
And now for details of rallies and events
The Cambridge Repeater Group Rally is taking place on Sunday the 27th of April at Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge, CB22 6RN. Doors open at 7.30am for traders and 9.30am to the general public. The entrance fee is £4. The event will include a car-boot sale, trade stands, a bring-and-buy area, catering, disabled facilities, an RSGB Bookstall and a free, marshalled car park. A cash and card burger van will open at 8am. The venue rules state strictly no dogs except assistance dogs on the field. Go to cambridgerepeaters.net for further details and bookings.
The Dartmoor Radio Rally is taking place on Monday the 5th of May at the Yelverton War Memorial Hall, Meavy Lane, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6AL. Free parking is available. There will be the usual bring and buy, trader stands and refreshments. Doors open at 10am and admission is £3. For further details, please contact Roger by phone on 07854 088882, or email 2e0rph@gmail.com
Now the Special Event news
The Spanish national society, URE, is on the air to mark the 100th anniversary of the IARU. Members are active on 160m to 6m until the 30th of April with ten different special event stations, including AO100IARU. Special awards will be available, as well as medals for the top participants from each continent who achieve the highest number of contacts with the stations on different bands and modes. Go to ure.es for further details.
The Portuguese national society, REP, is also activating a number of special callsigns as part of celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the IARU. This includes CR1IARU from the Azores, CR3IARU from Madeira and CR5IARU from mainland Portugal. Members will be active on multiple bands and modes. Look out for activity until the 24th of April. Full details can be found via tinyurl.com/CR1IARU
The Amateur Radio Society of Moldova is operating special event station ER100IARU until Wednesday the 30th of April in honour of the IARU Centenary. Full details can be found via qrz.com
The Kuwait Amateur Radio Society is pleased to announce its participation in the IARU centennial celebrations. Members of the Society will be operating special event station 9K100IARU until Wednesday the 30th of April.
Ten teams of radio amateurs from around the world are commemorating 80 years since Operation Manna and Operation Chowhound. The two operations were humanitarian food drops that helped to relieve the famine in the Netherlands behind Nazi lines late in World War Two. The teams will be active between the 25th and 27th of April on HF, VHF and the DMR Brandmeister Talk Groups unique to this event. A number of the teams are also welcoming visitors and arranging activities at their locations. To find details of Talk Groups for this event, the teams involved, as well as how to collect a commemorative award, go to manna80.radio
Now the DX news
Aldir, PY1SAD is active again from Georgetown in Guyana as 8R1TM until the 26th of April. Aldir will be operating on all bands using CW, SSB, digital and satellite. QSL via eQSL and Logbook of The World.
Arno, DK1HV is active from Greenland as OX/DK1VK until Sunday the 27th of April. He’ll be QRV on 160m to 10m mainly SSB using wire antennas and 100W radio. QSL available via his home callsign.
Dom, 3D2USU is active again as 3D2AJT from Nadi in the Fiji Islands until the end of April. The call sign is in memory of JH1AJT, now Silent Key. QSL via Club Log's OQRS and Logbook of The World.
Now the contest news
On Tuesday the 22nd of April, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on 2.3 to 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Thursday the 24th of April, the 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using PSK63 and RTTY, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
The UK and Ireland DX CW Contest starts at 1200UTC on Saturday the 26th of April and ends at 1200UTC on Sunday the 27th of April. Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. UK and Ireland stations also send their district code.
The SP DX RTTY Contest starts at 1200UTC on Saturday the 26th of April and ends at 1200UTC on Sunday the 27th of April. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. SP stations also send their province code.
 
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 17th of April 2025
Last week was characterised by increased Kp index numbers and severe geomagnetic storms, peaking at G4. These drove down maximum usable frequencies and disrupted DX contacts, especially on the higher HF bands.
The solar wind speed increased from 380 kilometres per second to around 500 kilometres per second on the 15th and an increase in plasma density was noted as well. Subsequently, the Kp index peaked at 7.67 on Wednesday the 16th, causing visible aurora alerts in the UK.
This was caused by a pair of CMEs that left the Sun on Sunday the 13th of April. We had a total of 22 M-class solar flares over four days, so a CME event was inevitable.
Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are a feature on the declining side of a solar cycle, so we could unfortunately be in for many more.
According to Propquest, MUFs over a 3,000km path fell to below 18MHz for long periods on Wednesday the 16th, before climbing to around 21MHz at the end of the day.
Meanwhile, the solar flux index fell from a high of 170 on Friday the 11th of April to a low of 148 on Wednesday the 16th of April.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the SFI will start the week around 145 but could increase to 165 as the week progresses. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast for the 22nd to the 24th of April, with a predicted maximum Kp index of four.
As always, keep an eye on solarham.com for daily updates, but more importantly, get on the bands, which are a much more effective guide to HF propagation!
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The current period of unsettled weather looks likely to continue into the coming week. This does not mean rain every day, but periods of rain or showers with some intervening drier spells. These drier interludes are not really dominated by high pressure, just gaps between the wetter periods, so it's unlikely to produce much significant Tropo.
In terms of propagation, there may be some rain scatter, although it won’t be very reliable. However, the prospects for meteor scatter are more promising with the peak of the Lyrids due on Tuesday the 22nd of April. It is worth checking up on procedures for meteor scatter working if you’ve not done it before and you may find a new part of the hobby to add to your operating schedule.
The prospects for aurora continue to be raised by what seems like an almost daily supply of aurora alerts. Continue to monitor the Kp index for signs of elevated values, where Kp is above five, for radio activity. Early signs such as fluttery signals on the LF and HF bands may suggest it's worth looking on the VHF bands for auroral activity.
As we move towards the new season it is good to get into the habit of looking for Sporadic-E. The Propquest website www.propquest.co.uk shows several useful components for analysing the Es prospects. If you look at the position of the jet streams shown on the Es blog tab, these can produce favourable conditions geographically to give a hint of the right direction in which to listen. The opening season typically favours 10m or 6m.
EME path losses are now decreasing towards perigee on Sunday the 27th of April. Last Friday, the 18th of April, saw minimum Moon declination, so Moon windows will lengthen along with peak elevation. 144MHz sky noise starts this week very high but decreases to low as the week progresses.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 13th April 2025

GB2RS News
Sunday the 13th of April 2025
 
The news headlines:
Apply to be in the RSGB team for YOTA Camp 2025
Be part of the RSGB Exam Tutors Review Panel
Catch up with the RSGB 2025 AGM on YouTube
If you are aged between 16 and 25 and are passionate about amateur radio, then this news is for you. This year’s Youngsters on the Air Summer Camp will take place between the 18th and 25th of August at the historical Château [SHA-TOW] de Jambville [ZHOM-VIL] near Paris in France. The event is being organised by the French national amateur radio society, REF, and the IARU. It is a chance of a lifetime for young RSGB members to represent their country and their national society. If you are ready for exciting experiences, would like to make new friends and want to help shape the future of amateur radio, then the RSGB would love to hear from you. If you’d like to find out more about what’s involved and to submit an application, go to rsgb.org/yota-camp The closing date for applications is the 2nd of May for Team Leader and the 16th of May for Team Members. Apply today and don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity.
The RSGB is looking to recruit volunteers from the exam tutor community to help pre-screen documentation prior to public release as part of the process of improving the quality of documents issued by the Exam and Syllabus Review Group (ESRG). The Exam Tutors Review Panel is intended to be an informal group of approximately six tutors who are currently involved in providing training for amateur radio licence exams at any of the three current levels. Panel members will be asked to use their skills to help improve the quality of the syllabus, the questions in the published question bank and other published documentation. They will receive advance copies of documents that are due to be published, and they will be expected to return any comments within an agreed timescale, which typically will be two weeks. The ESRG is not obliged to accept the recommendations from panel members, but if they do not accept a recommended change, they will explain why. All documents and additional correspondence sent to panel members will be under an embargo until the final versions are released to the public. The Exam Tutors Review Panel is intended to run for an initial six months and will then be reviewed. If you are interested in becoming a member of this panel, please email Board Director Len Paget, GM0ONX via GM0ONX@rsgb.org.uk
The RSGB would like to thank everyone who joined the RSGB 2025 AGM which was held yesterday, the 12th of April. If you missed the live event, you’ll still be able to watch the full livestream on the Society’s YouTube channel. As well as the formal AGM business, the Board answered questions from RSGB members on a wide range of topics. You’ll also be able to watch the President’s review of 2024, delivered by John McCullagh MBE, GI4BWM, who was the RSGB President at the time. The AGM also included a presentation about the Society’s strategy. Led by Board Director Mark Jones, G0MGX, there were contributions from Board Director Ben Lloyd, GW4BML; Spectrum Forum Chair Murray Niman, G6JYB; and the current President Bob Beebe, GU4YOX. Timestamps will be available in the video summary on YouTube, allowing you to skip to any particular section you may want to watch. Go to rsgb.org/agm to find out more about every aspect of the AGM, including personal statements from the new President, Board Directors and Regional Representatives.
Don’t forget that as part of the celebrations of the centenary of the International Amateur Radio Union, the RSGB will be activating the callsign GB0IARU throughout this month. A Commemorative QSL Card is available for QSOs made during the period from the 1st of April to the 30th of April 2025. On qrz.com you can find full details of the special event station, how to apply for your commemorative card, and a spreadsheet showing who is activating the callsign.
World Amateur Radio Day 2025 is taking place on Friday the 18th of April, and coincides with the centenary of the International Amateur Radio Union. This year’s theme is “Entering the Next Century of Amateur Radio Communications and Innovation”. All radio amateurs are invited to take to the airwaves to show their skills and capabilities to the public. You can read more about the event on the IARU website via iaru.org
Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk The deadline for submissions is 10am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.
And now for details of rallies and events
The Moray Firth Amateur Radio Society Surplus Equipment Sale is taking place on Saturday the 19th of April at Roseisle [ROSE-ISLE] Village Hall, near Burghead. Doors open to traders at 10am, and to the general public between 11am and 4pm. There is ample parking on site and catering will be available. Entry is £5, and tables for sellers are £10. Find out more by going to mfars.club
The Cambridge Repeater Group Rally is taking place on Sunday the 27th of April at Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge, CB22 6RN. Doors open at 7.30am for traders and 9.30am to the general public. The entrance fee is £4. The event will include a car-boot sale, trade stands, a bring-and-buy area, catering, disabled facilities, an RSGB Bookstall and a free marshalled car park. A cash and card burger van will open at 8am. The venue rules state strictly no dogs except assistance dogs on the field. Go to cambridgerepeaters.net for further details and bookings.
Now the Special Event news
The Experimental Danish Radioamateurs association, also known as EDR, will be celebrating World Amateur Radio Day on the 18th of April with special event station 5P0WARD. The group is also operating special callsign OZ100IARU between the 19th of April and the 27th of April to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the IARU. More information can be found at QRZ.com
The Polish Amateur Radio Union is celebrating 95 years since its founding, as well as the centenary of the International Amateur Radio Union. To mark the occasion, ten special event stations are active until the 25th of April. Full details of the event, as well as available awards, can be found via Hamaward.cloud
The Spanish national society, URE, will also be on the air to mark the 100th anniversary of the IARU. Members will be active on 160m to 6m between the 15th of April and the 30th of April with ten different special event stations, including AO100IARU. Special awards will be available, as well as medals for the top participants from each continent who achieve the highest number of contacts with the stations on different bands and modes. Go to ure.es for further details.
Now the DX news
Paul, GW0NGA will be active from Jamestown in St Helena as ZD7PG from the 12th of April until the 19th of April. He will be active on the HF bands during his spare time. QSL via his home callsign and possibly eQSL.
Aldir, PY1SAD is active again from Georgetown in Guyana [GAI-AA-NUH] as 8R1TM until the 26th of April. Aldir will be operating on all bands using CW, SSB, digital and satellite. QSL via eQSL and Logbook of The World.
DA1DX, DK9IP, DM6EE and DL8LAS will be active from Anegada [A-NE-GA-DA] Island in the British Virgin Islands as VP2VI from the 10th to the 27th of April. Full details via QRZ.com
Now the contest news
On Tuesday the 15th of April, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 23cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday the 16th of April, the 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
On Thursday the 17th of April, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using All modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
 
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 10th of April 2025
A fast solar wind caused some disruption last week, often sending the Kp index up to five, with many three-hour periods in excess of four.
The solar wind speed was in the 600-700 kilometres per second range, which caused a moderate, G2, geomagnetic storm and visible aurora at higher latitudes mid-week. Glancing CMEs that left the Sun on the 9th of April brought a small chance of enhanced geomagnetic activity at the end of the week.
Meanwhile, the solar flux index declined slightly from a high of 184 on the 5th of April to 167 on Thursday the 10th. There have been quite a few C-class solar flares, but only two M-class flares and no X-class events over the past seven days.
This geomagnetic activity has taken its toll on HF propagation, with lower critical frequencies at times and lower MUFs. This, coupled with the start of a change to summer ionospheric conditions, has meant that MUFs over a 3,000km path have often struggled to get past 19.7MHz at times.
We have probably seen the best of the long-range 10m propagation until the autumn. But we will have Sporadic-E and its associated short skip from next month to make up for it.
Next week NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will fall further, perhaps to between 135 and 140 by the 15th of April. Geomagnetic conditions are also likely to improve with a Kp index of two to three, forecast for the period after tomorrow, the 14th of April. We may expect more problematic geomagnetic conditions, with a predicted Kp index of four, from the 21st to the 24th of April.
 
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The long spell of fine settled weather and strong Tropo is leaving us for a while, starting this weekend, and the high pressure is giving way to slow-moving areas of low pressure with cloud and rain for the coming week.
Although it won’t rain all the time it will be considerably wetter than recent weeks, with some heavy spells of rain at times and good prospects for rain scatter on the GHz bands. It is possible that there could be some thunder in the heavier rain, so it’s now the season to be aware of lightning risk.
The meteor scatter prospects are staggering towards the 22nd of April Lyrids, which peak on Tuesday of the following week, so we’re still probably relying on random activity for most of this coming week, but with improving chances.
The solar conditions have been feeding low-level auroral activity and it remains a good time of the year when some effective auroral conditions can appear - so stay alert to the state of the Kp index, just in case.
The good news at this time of the year is that Sporadic-E will eventually make an appearance, usually on 10m or 6m, and is quite often first picked out on the digital modes. It will be into late April before we need to get too excited about this, but there is no harm in getting a set of beacons in mind for tracking an opening.
Remember the main characteristic of Es is that it starts on the lower frequencies like 10m, and works up through 6m to 4m and then finally 2m in a high-summer opening.
EME path losses are at their maximum at apogee this evening, the 13th, and Moon declination is negative and falling further. Moon windows will continue to shorten with peak elevation reaching only eight degrees at the end of next week. 144MHz sky noise starts the week low but will increase during the week to more than 2300 Kelvin on Friday.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.
 

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 6th April 2025

 
GB2RS News
Sunday, the 6th of April 2025
 
The news headlines:
Last chance to submit your question ahead of Saturday’s RSGB AGM
Tom Wardill, 2E0JJI has been appointed as RSGB Maker Champion
Reduced exam slots over Easter weekend
The RSGB 2025 AGM is taking place at 10 am next Saturday, the 12th of April. The Society is encouraging RSGB members to take the time to vote for the two resolutions that need your approval. During the AGM, Board members will be answering your questions. Whether your question is about the RSGB, the Board, any of the RSGB services or even the future of amateur radio, your contribution to the discussion is important. Priority is given to questions submitted live by Zoom or by the Society’s web form, so get in touch now rather than waiting for the live chat option on the day. The Zoom question deadline is 9 am on Monday, the 7th of April, and the deadline for submitting a written question is when voting ends at 0900 on Thursday, the 10th of April. Following the formal business of the AGM, the RSGB is delighted that RSGB President John McCullagh, GI4BWM will be sharing his review of 2024. There will also be announcements of trophies and awards, the construction competition results, as well as a presentation about the Society’s strategy, which will be led by Board Director Mark Jones, G0MGX. There will be contributions from Board Director Ben Lloyd, GW4BML; Spectrum Forum Chair Murray Niman, G6JYB; and Bob Beebe, GU4YOX who at that point will be the new RSGB President. Make sure you don’t miss out by putting the date in your diary now. Go to rsgb.org/agm  to find further information.
The RSGB is pleased to announce that Tom Wardill, 2E0JJI has been appointed as the RSGB Maker Champion. In his role, Tom will assist the RSGB to take amateur radio to new audiences in the hackspace and makerspace communities. Tom will also investigate opportunities to encourage crossover in both directions, offering new areas of experimentation to more traditional license holders. If you have any ideas you’d like to discuss with Tom or would like to congratulate him on his appointment, please email him via maker.champion@rsgb.org.uk
A reminder that the RSGB remote invigilation team will be taking a break over the Easter weekend. You will be able to book to take an exam on Friday, the 18th and Saturday, the 19th of April; however, no exam slots will be available on Sunday, the 20th or Monda,y the 21st of April. Exam bookings will resume as normal after that.
The next webinar in the RSGB’s Tonight@8 series will be live tomorrow, Monday the 7th of April. Nick Wood, M0NTV will show you how to use a regular glue stick housing in a rather novel way to form the basis of a variable tuning inductor in a homemade 40m receiver. Nick has a lifelong fascination with radio and electronics, and an insatiable curiosity to discover how things work. His passion is for designing and building his own radio equipment, particularly SSB transceivers, and he has just completed his sixth. Visit rsgb.org/webinars  to find out more. Join the presentation live on the RSGB YouTube channel or special BATC channel and ask questions via the live chat.
The GB3WR VHF Repeater, located on the Mendip Hills in Somerset, was switched back on at 12:30 pm on the 16th of March 2025. The Group is delighted to report that it is working as well as before. It covers a wide area of the South West, and the Bristol Channel area. Amateur stations are regularly heard from the south of the Midlands, South Wales and as far south as Swanage and Basingstoke to the east. The Mendip Repeater Group would like to express its thanks for the generosity of all who have made it possible to put GB3WR back on the air. Find out more via gb3wr.uk
One of the GB2RS newsreaders is retiring from reading the news ahead of his upcoming 101st birthday this Saturday, the 12th of April. Peter Valentine, G0NQZ from Eastbourne, remains an active radio amateur and operates daily, as well as taking part in regular nets such as ISWL and RAOTA. The Society would like to thank Peter for his dedication to GB2RS and wishes him a very happy 101st birthday!
Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk. The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.
And now for details of rallies and events
The Yeovil Amateur Radio Club QRP Convention is taking place on Saturday, the 12th of April at Digby Hall in Sherborne. Doors open at 9.30 am. The convention will include traders, bring and buy, club stalls and a café. For more information, please visit the club’s website via yeovil-arc.com
The Holsworthy ARC Spring Radio Rally is taking place on Sunday, the 13th of April at the Holsworthy Livestock Market, New Market Road, Holsworthy, Devon, EX22 7FA. There will be traders and a bring-and-buy. Catering will be available. Doors open to traders from 8 am and to the public from 10 am. Entry costs £3 per person. The venue has disabled access.
Also taking place on Sunday, the 13th of April, is the Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Exhibition, or NARSA for short. It is also known as the Blackpool Rally. The event will take place at Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool, FY2 9AA. For further details, please go to narsa.org.uk  or contact Dave, M0OBW, on 07720 656542, or via email using dwilson@btinternet.com
Now the Special Event news
The Royal Air Force Amateur Radio Society, also known as RAFARS, has started its popular Airfields On The Air event. RAF Stations are active this weekend as well as on the 12th and 13th of April. More information can be found via rafars.org/rafaota
The Polish Amateur Radio Union is celebrating 95 years since its founding, as well as the centenary of the International Amateur Radio Union. To mark the occasion, ten special event stations will be active between the 11th and the 25th of April. Full details of the event, as well as available awards, can be found via Hamaward.cloud
Now the DX news
The Toshiba Fuchu Amateur Radio Club, JA1YVT, is celebrating its 60th anniversary and, as part of the celebration, team members are staging a DXpedition to the Ogasawara Islands. They will be QRV as JA1YVT/JD1 until Thursday, the 10th of April. The operating schedule, frequencies and QSL information are available via QRZ.com
DA1DX, DK9IP, DM6EE and DL8LAS will be active from Anegada Island in the British Virgin Islands as VP2VI from the 10th to the 27th of April. Full details via QRZ.com
Now the contest news
The FT4 International Activity Day started at 12:00 UTC on Saturday, the 5th of April and ends at 12:00 UTC today, Sunday, the 6th of April. Using FT4 on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report.
The SP DX Contest started at 1500 UTC on Saturday, the 5th of April and ends at 1500 UTC today, Sunday, the 6th of April. Using CW and SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. SP stations also send their province code.
Today, Sunday the 6th of April, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1600 UTC. Using all modes on 1.3 to 3.4GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also today, Sunday the 6th of April, the Worked All Britain Data Contest runs from 1000UTC to 1400UTC and from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8, FT4, JS8, RTTY and PSK on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number, and your Worked All Britain square. Club and multi-operator stations can only score points in one of the two operating periods. Entries need to be with the contest manager by the 17th of April. The full rules are available on the Worked All Britain website.
On Monday, the 7th of April, the IRTS 70cm Counties Contest runs from 1300 to 13:30 UTC. Using FM and SSB on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. EI and GI stations also send their country.
Also on Monday, the 7th of April, the IRTS 2m Counties Contest runs from 1330 to 1500 UTC. Using FM and SSB on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. EI and GI stations also send their country.
On Monday, the 7th of April, the 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030 UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
On Tuesday, the 8th of April, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855 UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also on Tuesday, the 8th of April, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130 UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday, the 9th of April, the 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 70m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday, the 9th of April, the 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and a four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest.
On Thursday, the 10th of April, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130 UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
 
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 3rd of April 2025
We had a week of mixed solar conditions, but it ended with an SFI of 182 and a Kp of 3.67 on Thursday, the 3rd of April.
 
The geomagnetic field declined to quieter levels following a prolonged period of active, Kp4 conditions earlier on Wednesday due to solar wind enhancements. This impacted propagation, with the critical frequency struggling to get much above 7 MHz on Wednesday.
Compare this with the following day, when the critical frequency hit 10.4MHz by 0830 UTC. Nevertheless, there was DX to be worked on Wednesday with FT8 allowing signals from Australia, Japan, Indonesia, China, and Surinam to get into the UK on 21MHz.
The solar proton flux was also high on Tuesday, the 1st of April, affecting signals passing through the polar regions, but this had declined by Thursday and was heading back to normal levels. This was due to a large CME observed off the east limb of the Sun on Frida,y the 28th of March. If it had been Earth-directed, we may have seen a massive aurora.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will stay in the 175-185 region. A Kp of six was forecast for yesterday, Saturday the 5th of April, followed by a further period of unsettled geomagnetic conditions due to an enhanced solar wind.
If this is the case, we may not get more settled conditions until the 14th to the 16th of April.
Nevertheless, this remains a good time for North-South HF paths, such as the UK to South Africa, and UK to South America.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The old forecasting maxim that the ‘longer a high lasts, the longer it will last’ is built upon the presence of blocked upper air weather patterns. When the jet stream gets so distorted into a high-amplitude north/south wave, its lateral movement, from west to east, becomes very slow.
On the upper air charts, this takes the shape of the Greek letter omega, and this is the current set-up. It means that the weather associated with it also lasts a long time.
In this case, it’s the high pressure and its spell of fine weather that is likely to last for the whole of the coming week. The position of the high will change, though, starting over the North Sea and ending over the UK and the nearby Atlantic. This means that Tropo will be the mode of choice for the coming period, which includes the 70cm UK Activity Contest on Tuesday and the 6m UK Activity Contest on Thursday.
Rain scatter is unlikely during this extended period of dry weather.
The meteor scatter options are still mainly driven by random meteors for the coming period into next week, but the next important shower, the Lyrids, peaks on the 22nd of April. The auroral alerts continue to come through, raising interest. As usual, the clue will be fluttery-sounding signals on the bands, particularly noticeable on CW, but they can also be pronounced on speech transmissions. Monitor the Kp index for values above Kp5.
There have been a few trans-equatorial openings to Southern Africa on 50MHz digital modes for the fortunate few who live in the extreme south and southwest of the UK, but it did extend up to Cambridgeshire and Suffolk briefly on some days last week.
The long drought of Sporadic-E will soon be over, but we’re still in the realms of very isolated events for 10m and 6m, which will be short-lasting. The jet stream, which can be a good clue as to potential locations, suggests looking to Scandinavia, the Baltic and northern Europe.
EME path losses are falling again, but Moon declination has been at its highest this weekend, so we have long Moon windows. 144MHz sky noise is low throughout the coming week.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 30th March 2025

GB2RS News
Sunday, the 30th of March 2025
 
The news headlines:
RSGB AGM – your chance to ask the Board a question
The RSGB has published new forms for exam question queries
The April Tonight@8 webinar – using a glue stick in a homemade 40m receiver
Do you have a question about the RSGB’s strategy? Perhaps you have a query about recent licence changes? Or maybe you’d like to understand more about membership growth? Whatever the topic, the Society is asking you to get in touch. RSGB Board members will be answering your questions during the RSGB 2025 AGM on Saturday, the 12th of April. You can submit your question in three ways; live via Zoom, send a written question in advance, or during the live chat on the day. If you’d like to ask a question about the formal part of the AGM, you’ll need to do this via Zoom or by submitting a written question in advance. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to discuss what matters to you. Your participation in the AGM is important, and the Society looks forward to hearing from you. Find out more about how to be involved and the deadlines for submitting questions by going to rsgb.org/agm
As part of its modernisation of the exam systems, the RSGB has introduced online forms for reporting possible errors found in exam questions. These forms replace the current procedure of writing to the Exam Department. RSGB Examinations Standards Chair Tony Kent, G8PBH, explained that there are two forms. The first can only be submitted by exam candidates and is to formally challenge questions in actual exams, where the outcome of a challenge may affect a candidate’s result. The second form can be submitted by anyone and is for informal queries of published exam questions, for example, in mock exams. A separate form is needed for each question that you challenge. Please check carefully that you are using the correct form, otherwise, it may delay the process. Your query will be considered by the RSGB Examinations and Syllabus Review Group, who will let you know the outcome. For more information and to find the forms, go to rsgb.org/exam-challenges
The next webinar in the RSGB’s Tonight@8 series will be with Nick Wood, M0NTV, on Monday, the 7th of April. Nick will show you how to use a regular glue stick housing in a rather novel way to form the basis of a variable tuning inductor in a homemade 40m receiver. After a brief description of a Direct Conversion Receiver and a short technical explanation of how it works, Nick will dive into four separate modules. At the end of the webinar, he will string it all together, and you’ll be able to see some video footage of how it sounds and what it can do. Visit rsgb.org/webinars  to find out more. Join the presentation live on the RSGB YouTube channel or special BATC channel and ask questions via the live chat.
The RSGB is delighted to announce that Chris Aitken, MM0WIC, who is the current RSGB Youth Champion for Schools, is taking on the new position of RSGB Youth Chair. For now, Chris will continue to fulfil his Youth Champion for Schools role but will also take on more responsibilities by leading the Youth Champion team. Chris will work closely with the Board Liaison for Youth, and IARU Youth contacts, to help attract more UK youngsters to amateur radio. Find out more about youth activities by going to rsgb.org/youth
If you live in Region 9, London and the Thames Valley, why not support fellow radio amateurs in your area? There are several volunteer vacancies within the region, including several District Representative positions, as well as the Regional Representative role. If you are passionate about amateur radio, enjoy talking with people, and want to give something back to the hobby, get in touch. Go to rsgb.org/volunteers to find out more, and then email the Regional Forum Chair Keith Bird, G4JED, via rr10@rsgb.org.uk
SOS Radio Week is an annual event that celebrates the invaluable life-saving work of the volunteers of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the National CoastWatch Institute and the independent lifeboats around the coasts of the British Isles and the Channel Islands. This year, the event starts at 0000 UTC on the 1st of May and concludes at 2359 UTC on the 31st of May. SOS Radio Week stations can be run by individuals or groups, from home or at a special location. To register, go to sosradioweek.org.uk
This year’s Mills on the Air weekend is taking place on the 10th and 11th of May. Find out more at tinyurl.com/millsontheair  or search Mills on the Air on Facebook.
Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk. The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.
And now for details of rallies and events
The Hack Green Military Surplus and Military Radio Hangar Sale is taking place on Sunday, the 6th of April at Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 8AL. Items on sale will include electronic equipment, amateur radio gear, components, military radio items and vehicle spares. For further details, please go to hackgreen.co.uk  or email coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk
The Yeovil Amateur Radio Club QRP Convention is taking place on Saturday, the 12th of April at Digby Hall in Sherborne. Doors open at 9.30 am. The convention will include traders, bring and buy, club stalls and a café. For more information, please visit the club’s website at yeovil-arc.com
Now the Special Event news
The Royal Air Force Amateur Radio Society, also known as RAFARS, will be holding its popular Airfields On The Air special event activity from the 1st of April. RAF Stations will be activated primarily during the 5th and 6th of April, as well as the 12th and 13th of April. More information can be found via rafars.org/rafaota
The Polish Amateur Radio Union is celebrating 95 years since its founding, as well as the centenary of the International Amateur Radio Union. To mark the occasion, ten special event stations will be active between the 11th and 25th of April. Full details of the event, as well as details of available awards, can be found via Hamaward.cloud
Now the DX news
Alex, K6VHF/HR9 will again be active from the 30th of March until the 6th of April from Roatán island, IOTA reference NA-057. He’ll be QRV on 80m to 6m using verticals, Hexbeam, Slopers and a Delta loop using FT8, FT4, SSB, RTTY and CW. QSL direct via K6VHF, OQRS Club Log, and Logbook of The World.
Aldir, PY1SAD, is active again from Georgetown in Guyana as 8R1TM until the 26th of April. Aldir will be operating on all bands using CW, SSB, digital and satellite. QSL via eQSL and Logbook of The World.
Now the contest news
The CQ World Wide WPX SSB Contest started at 0000UTC on Saturday, the 29th of March, and ends at 2359 UTC today, Sunday, the 30th of March. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
On Tuesday, the 1st of April, the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855 UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also on Tuesday, the 1st of April, the 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130 UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday, the 2nd of April, the 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and a four-character locator.
Also on Wednesday, the 2nd of April, the 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest.
The UK and Ireland Contest Club 80m Contest is on Wednesday, the 2nd of April and runs from 2000 to 2100 UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator.
The FT4 International Activity Day starts at 1200 UTC on Saturday, the 5th of April and ends at 1200 UTC on Sunday, the 6th of April. Using FT4 on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report.
The SP DX Contest starts at 1500 UTC on Saturday, the 5th of April and ends at 1500 UTC on Sunday, the 6th of April. Using CW and SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. SP stations also send their province code.
 Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 27th of March 2025
Last week’s space weather was dominated by a large coronal hole on the Sun. This was probably one of the largest we have seen for many years.
Moderate, G2, geomagnetic storming was observed following the arrival of a solar wind stream from the hole, with the wind speed exceeding 600 km/s on Wednesday, the 26th. This pushed the Kp index to 6.33, depressing the MUF slightly.
Luckily, the daytime MUF over a 3,000km path mostly stayed above 28 MHz, but it was slow to rise on Thursday, the 27th, when it took until 0900 UTC to reach 28 MHz. At the time of writing, the solar wind speed was more than 800km/s, so we can expect more disruption until at least Saturday, the 29th.
Meanwhile, the solar flux index declined to 152 by Thursday, the 27th, with only four small sunspot regions visible.
CDXC members have been discussing working New Zealand in the morning at the ZL sunset, often on low power. Listen and look for ZL4OL and ZL2CC, usually on FT8, but if conditions allow CW and SSB. 20m or 40m seems to be the favourite, and the VarAC data mode seems popular in ZL as well.
Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will climb again, perhaps to 180 by the 4th of April. However, unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast again, beginning on the 3rd. We may expect the Kp index to reach six, which could be the start of at least ten days of disruption.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The overall picture for the weather patterns in the coming week is that of high pressure, which means that Tropo should be available as a good mode for VHF bands.
There can be quite strong temperature inversions in the region of large well-developed areas of high pressure. The best performance will usually be around the edges of the high where the height of the inversion and ducting layer is typically between 0.5km and 2km above the ground, and can cover large distances for excellent DX prospects.
Occasionally, a shallow ducting layer can form near the ground overnight but often disperses by mid-morning. If you are in a good inversion region, try SSB or CW on the VHF/UHF bands, as paths of up to 1,500km can often be achieved from a good ‘tropo lift’.
The reverse side of the high-pressure systems is that we will have low pressure nearby, mainly to the north and west of the UK. Any potential for rain scatter will mainly be over northwestern Britain, although an active front that was moving south on Friday, the 28th of March, was a good candidate for chance rain scatter on the GHz bands.
The prospects for meteor scatter are still largely dependent upon random meteors, which are usually best in the hours before dawn. Current solar activity will continue to trigger auroral alerts in the coming week.
Now onto Sporadic-E, and last week we had a few out-of-season isolated foEs ‘blips’ to between 5- 7 MHz, which was enough to produce propagation on 10m and 6m, albeit very fleetingly.
There have already been some equinox-related 6m trans-equatorial propagation or TEP workable from the Southern part of the country, so keep an eye open late morning for Africa and late afternoon for South America. 
EME path losses have continued to improve until perigee this morning, the 30th of March. Moon declination is still falling, and reached a minimum last Friday, the 28th. Moon windows will increase throughout the coming week. 144MHz sky noise is low, apart from Saturday the 29th when the Sun was close to the Moon in the sky, rising to moderate next Thursday before dropping back to low for the weekend.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.
 

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 23rd March 2025

GB2RS News
Sunday the 23rd of March 2025
The news headlines:
The RSGB launches its new web app
RSGB Elected Board Director unopposed candidates are announced
Full details of the RSGB 2025 AGM have been released
The RSGB is excited to give you a first look at its new app! The web version has just been launched and is a one-stop shop for all RadCom publications and club newsletters. You can find the web version at rsgb.org/radcom It gives RSGB members easy access to over ten years of back issues of RadCom, as well as RadCom Basics and Plus. The Society will be adding more back issues of RadCom from the archive in the coming months, making it even more valuable. All you need is your RSGB membership portal details to access the editions. If you’re not an RSGB member, you can still view a sample edition of RadCom through the web version of the app. If you like what you see, you can become an RSGB member via rsgb.org/join which will give you access to the back issues of RadCom and its sister publications. Watch this space for news of the release of the RSGB mobile app later this year.
For some roles in the RSGB elections, a single nomination was received. These include the two vacancies for Elected Board Directors. Peter Bowyer, G4MJS and Mark Savage, M0XIC will each take up the role of Board Director at the end of the RSGB AGM on the 12th of April 2025. Both were interviewed separately to enable RSGB members to hear their views on the current issues facing amateur radio and the Society. Their answers were combined into two videos: the first ‘short’ video is just two quick questions, and the second video is a more in-depth interview. You can watch them both on the RSGB website and its YouTube channel. For more information about each of these unopposed candidates, see the April 2025 issue of RadCom or go to rsgb.org/candidates
The RSGB 2025 AGM will take place at 10 am on Saturday the 12th of April. The event will be held online to ensure that as many members as possible can watch and take part. The formal business of the meeting will include the results of members’ votes on the resolutions and details about the election. The RSGB President John McCullagh, GI4BWM will give a video review of 2024, and the Society will announce the recipients of its annual awards and trophies, as well as the winners of its construction competition. You can ask the Board questions on the day via Zoom or the YouTube live chat, or by submitting a written question in advance. After the main AGM meeting, the RSGB is delighted to have a presentation about the Society’s strategy. Led by Board Director Mark Jones, G0MGX, there will also be contributions from Board Director Ben Lloyd, GW4BML; Spectrum Forum Chair Murray Niman, G6JYB; and Bob Beebe, GU4YOX who will at that point be the new RSGB President. Find out more by going to rsgb.org/agm
Maritime Radio Day 2025 starts at 1200UTC on the 14th of April and finishes at 2300UTC on the 15th of April. The annual event takes place to commemorate the almost 100 years of wireless telegraphy service for seafarers, which ended in the UK with the closure of Portishead Radio on the 30th of April 2000. This event is a great opportunity to have a QSO with former Marine Radio Officers and Coast Station professionals who will be exchanging details of their previous ships and coast stations. The mode of operation is CW with all HF bands being used, including WARC. A certificate of participation will be issued to everyone who submits results. Amateur licence holders are invited to register to take part as Friends of Maritime Radio Day. Shortwave listeners may also submit logs. For more information and to register, go to radioofficers.com/mrd-2025
Amateur Radio Clubs On The Air has launched a new activity for radio amateurs to promote their club, have some fun and collect points for an award. All bands and modes may be used including SSB, CW, FM, RTTY, FT8, FT4 and other digital modes. This is an ongoing award, and contacts may be claimed from the 23rd of March onwards. You can find full details on the Leicester Radio Society website at g3lrs.org.uk, via the G3LRS page at QRZ.com  or by emailing arcota@g3lrs.org.uk
Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk  The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.
And now for details of rallies and events
The Pencoed and District Amateur Radio Club Rally is on Sunday the 30th of March at Sarn and Bryncwils Social Club, Bryncoch Road, Sarn near Bridgend, CF32 9NY. Entrance is £2.50. Tables are available at £10 each. Refreshments will be available. Public access to the event is from 10 am, with trader access from 8 am. Please contact Ieuan Jones via 07791 709 691 for further information.
The Dunstable Downs Radio Club will be holding its Annual National Amateur Radio Car Boot Sale at the usual venue, Stockwood Park in Luton, on Sunday the 18th of May.  Excluding a break for Covid-19, this is the 40th consecutive year that the event has been run.
Now the Special Event news
There is still time to work special callsign GB1KBR. Radio amateurs in Scotland are on the air until the end of March to celebrate the start of the official handover of the Commonwealth Games Kings Baton by His Majesty King Charles at Buckingham Palace for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Activity is on HF, SSB, CW and digital modes. QSL via Logbook of The World, eQSL and QRZ.com  An award program is available via the HamAward platform. For further information on the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games please visit glasgow2026.com
The Polish Amateur Radio Union is celebrating 95 years since its founding, as well as the centenary of the International Amateur Radio Union. To mark the occasion, ten special event stations will be active between the 11th and 25th of April. Full details of the event, as well as details of available awards, can be found via Hamaward.cloud
Now the DX news
Heath, VK3TWO is active from Fiji as 3D2TWO until the 27th of March. The station will be active on the 40 to 10m bands using SSB and FT8. More information can be found at QRZ.com
Bud, AA3B will again be active from Antigua as V26K between the 25th of March and the 2nd of April. He’ll be participating in the CQWPX SSB contest. Outside of this, Bud will be focusing on mainly using CW. QSL via home call, Logbook of The World and OQRS.
Aldir, PY1SAD is active again from Georgetown in Guyana as 8R1TM until the 26th of April. Aldir will be operating on all bands using CW, SSB, digital and satellite. QSL via eQSL and Logbook of The World.
Now the contest news
On Tuesday, the 25th of March, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1930 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on 2.3 to 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday, the 26th of March, the UK and Ireland Contest Club Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator.
On Thursday, the 27th of March, the 80m Club Championship Contest runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
The CQ World Wide WPX SSB Contest starts at 0000UTC on Saturday the 29th of March and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday the 30th of March. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
 Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 20th of March 2025
Last week was pretty unremarkable from an HF perspective. After the disturbed geomagnetic conditions on the 12th to the 14th when the Kp index rose to five, conditions were a little more settled.
The solar flux index hit 204 on the 17th of March but then declined back to the 180s.
Having said that things were settled, the Kp index did exceed four for three periods on the 19th, peaking at 4.67. This had the effect of reducing the MUF over a 3,000km path to 21-24MHz.
We also had two M-class solar flares on the 17th and the 19th, with the latter causing a coronal mass ejection that may give Earth a glancing blow around the 22nd of March.
As spring progresses, we may find the F2-layer MUF dropping as we move to summer ionospheric conditions, perhaps to be replaced by enhanced sporadic-E conditions on 10 metres instead.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index may drop further, perhaps hitting 150 on the 28th. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast for the 25th to the 28th, with a maximum Kp index of five.
As we said last week, this is now a peak period for auroral activity, given the angle that the Earth makes with the Sun. The 'Russell-McPherron' effect is down to the alignment of the Sun and Earth around the spring and autumn equinox and means that you are twice as likely to experience the aurora in spring and autumn than in winter and summer.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The recent fine weather has provided some useful Tropo. This has been mainly towards the east and into the near continent, which seemed like nice timing for the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest last Tuesday evening.
Despite this, many participants reported conditions as poor. The high is now moving away and by the time you hear this, it will be a predominantly low-pressure weather sequence from now on. This means limited Tropo in the coming week, and rain scatter comes to the fore as a mode of choice if you have a GHz band set up.
The solar conditions continue to provide a trickle charge of auroral alerts, but not enough for any significant operating advantage. As usual the message is to keep on top of things by monitoring the Kp index for values over 5.
Meteor scatter remains largely in the gift of random meteors, so it's an early start to catch the pre-dawn peak of random meteors if you are so persuaded.
Lastly, a mention of Sporadic-E which is still in its close season. We have a while to wait until later next month when we could expect the occasional stirrings on 10m.
EME path losses continue to improve until the Moon’s perigee (its closest point to Earth) on the morning of the 30th of March. Moon declination has been falling, reaching a minimum yesterday, the 22nd.
So again, we have short Moon windows and reduced peak Moon elevation. 144MHz sky noise started high on Friday the 21st of March but will drop back to low by the middle of next week.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 16th March 2025

GB2RS News
Sunday the 16th of March 2025
The news headlines:
Final chance to get involved in British Science Week and share your activities
Advance notice of how to ask the Board questions at the RSGB AGM
The RSGB has launched new National Radio Centre web pages
Today, Sunday the 16th of March is the last day of British Science Week 2025. If you live in the Derbyshire or Leicestershire area, pop along to the open day being held by South Derbyshire and Ashby Woulds Amateur Radio Group. The group is hosting the final day of its family-friendly open weekend. Members will be showcasing all that amateur radio has to offer, from kit building to operating under supervision. Details of the event can be found on the “Events happening near you” section of rsgb.org/bsw There is also still time to get involved with the official RSGB British Science Week activity, which is featured in the British Science Week Community Activity Pack. This can be done at home on DMR or any other radio. If you’ve been involved in amateur radio activities as part of the annual celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, the Society would love to hear from you. Whether you’ve run an event at your local club, set up and operated a radio station in a school, or introduced the hobby to a community group, get in touch. Please send your reports, with separate high-resolution photographs, to comms@rsgb.org.uk  by the 18th of April. The RSGB would like to thank everyone who has contributed ideas and resources, sharing your passion and expertise with others. It is also welcoming feedback about the British Science Week campaign. Let the RSGB know what worked well, what you learnt, and how the Society could develop its activities for next year. Please email the RSGB British Science Week Coordinator Ian Neal, M0KEO at bsw@rsgb.org.uk  to share your thoughts.
Over the last few years, the RSGB has been developing how the Board can be asked questions at its online AGMs. This year, the AGM will be held on Saturday the 12th of April and you have three ways to get involved. To ask a question via video on Zoom you’ll need to register in advance and give the topic of your question. You’ll have the chance to ask your question live with one follow-up question on the same topic. If you’d prefer to submit a written question in advance, you can do so via a form on the RSGB website. The third way to ask Board members a question is via the Live Chat function on the day. Whilst the Board will take as many questions as possible during the second part of the AGM, if you would like to ask a question about the formal part of the meeting, please submit a written question in advance or register to ask a question via Zoom. Full details of how to take part in the RSGB AGM, along with closing dates to submit a question, will be available from Wednesday the 19th of March via rsgb.org/agm
Have you ever wondered what you’ll discover during a visit to the RSGB National Radio Centre? Or perhaps you’re interested in operating GB3RS during your visit? Maybe you are a group who’d like to arrange a visit. All these topics, plus much more, have been answered in the newly updated RSGB National Radio Centre web pages. Other topics include the RSGB’s involvement in the Voluntary Interceptors, as well as organising your visit and how to volunteer at the Centre. Go to rsgb.org/nrc  to discover more. The team of volunteers looks forward to welcoming you soon.
Bletchley Park will be hosting one of its infamous 1940s weekends in May to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE day. In tribute to the event, the RSGB National Radio Centre will be operating a special event station GB2BP from the 3rd to the 5th of May. Put the date in your diary and make sure you get this callsign in your logbook.
The next event in the popular 145 Alive series takes place on Saturday the 12th of April between 12 noon and 3 pm. If you’d like to be a net controller for the event please email masenville@gmail.com  with the callsign you intend to use on the day and your intended six-digit maidenhead locator. For more information visit the 145 Alive Facebook page.
The South Yorkshire ATV Group is pleased to announce that the GB3YT television repeater on 23cm has completed its move from Mirfield in West Yorkshire to its new site at Birdwell near Barnsley, adjacent to junction 36 on the M1. The repeater receives on 1276MHz DVB-S or DVB-S2 using 1000 or 333 kilo-symbols per second and transmits on 1316MHz DVB-S at 1000 kilo symbols per second. The repeater is switched on between 6 pm and 9 pm on weekdays and 3 pm and 9 pm at weekends. This will be reviewed when activity increases. Further information about GB3YT and membership in the Group can be found via gb3yt.co.uk or by emailing info@gb3yt.co.uk
Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk  The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.
And now for details of rallies and events
The Biggleswade Swap meet, organised by the British Vintage Wireless Society, is taking place on Sunday the 23rd of March at The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, SG18 8JH. Doors open to stallholders from 9 am, with general entry from 9.30 am. Admission is £8. Hot and cold refreshments are available all day. There will be vintage technology of varying sorts, as well as a bring-and-buy stall run by the British Wireless and Television Museum. For enquiries, including stall bookings, please email Jeremy Owen, G8MLK via secretary@bvws.org.uk  More details can also be found via BVWS.org.uk
The Callington Radio and Electronics Rally will be held in the Town Hall, New Road, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7BD on Sunday the 23rd of March. Public access to the event is from 10 am until 1 pm. Entry is £2 each with no charge for those under the age of 16. A comprehensive selection of traders, clubs and societies from the southwest will be present along with a bring-and-buy stall and the usual excellent catering service. As an improvement from last year, the bring-and-buy stall now accepts payment by all major debit and credit cards using contactless, chip and pin or by phone. The venue has disabled access and toilet facilities with ample parking in a nearby car park. Although the main hall is now fully booked, tables are still available in an adjacent room at £5 for the large size and £3 for the smaller one. Pre-booking is essential, so please contact Alastair, M0KRR at alastair.kerr1@btinternet.com or by phone at 01503 262 755 with your requirements as soon as possible.
Also on Sunday the 23rd of March is The Dover Amateur Radio Club 2025 Rally which is taking place at the St Radigunds Community Centre, Poulton Close, Dover, CT17 0HL. The doors are open between 10 am and 2 pm and entry is £3. Tea, coffee and bacon rolls will be available on-site. Tables are available at £15 each, with a maximum of two tables per vendor. For table bookings and the latest news go to darc.online/rally
The Pencoed and District Amateur Radio Club Rally is on Sunday the 30th of March at Sarn and Bryncwils Social Club, Bryncoch Road, Sarn near Bridgend, CF32 9NY. Entrance is £2.50. Tables are available at £10 each. Refreshments will be available. Public access to the event is from 10am, with trader access from 8 am. Please contact Ieuan Jones via 07791 709 691 for further information.
Now the Special Event news
In celebration of its 60th anniversary, the Mid Ulster Amateur Radio Club will be operating the club’s call sign GI3VFW on Monday the 17th of March for one week. Members will be operating on all bands on HF, VHF and UHF from Tandragee, County Armagh. The club will also be operating GI3VFW from the 25th to the 27th of April from Navan Fort Armagh using all bands and modes.
Radio amateurs in Scotland will be on the air throughout March using the special callsign GB1KBR. This is to celebrate the start of the official handover of the Commonwealth Games Kings Baton by His Royal Highness King Charles the Third at Buckingham Palace for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Activity will be on HF, SSB, CW and digital modes. QSL via Logbook of The World, eQSL and QRZ.com There will also be an award programme available via the Ham Award platform. For further information on the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games please visit glasgow2026.com
Dennis Spratt, G7AGZ will be operating as a special event station GB0CHC in aid of Cornwall Hospice Care. This marks his 34th year since his first project for the hospices in 1991. Dennis will be active from near St. Agnes, Cornwall on most bands and modes. The station will be on air from the 1st of April for 28 days. He hopes to beat his target of 912 QSOs from 2024. See QRZ.com for further details, as well as how to donate.
Now the DX news
Heath, VK3TWO is active from Fiji as 3D2TWO until the 27th of March. The station will be active on the 40 to 10m bands using SSB and FT8. More information can be found at QRZ.com
Aldir, PY1SAD will be active again from Georgetown in Guyana as 8R1TM from the 11th of March to the 26th of April. Aldir will be operating on all bands using CW, SSB, digital and satellite. QSL via eQSL and Logbook of The World.
A team of 12 operators are active as VU4AX from the South Andaman Islands, IOTA reference AS-001, until Thursday the 20th of March. The group is operating six stations around the clock, on bands from 10m to 160m, including WARC and 60m, using CW, SSB, and digital. Full details, including QSL information, are available via dx-adventure.com
Looking ahead, DA1DX, DK9IP, DM6EE and DL8LAS will be active from Anegada Island in the British Virgin Islands as VP2VI from the 10th to the 27th of April.
Now the contest news
The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group HF RTTY Contest started on Saturday the 15th of March and ends at 0159UTC on Monday the 17th of March. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and time.
On Monday the 17th of March, the FT4 Series Contest runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using FT4 on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report.
On Tuesday the 18th of March, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 23cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also on Tuesday the 18th of March, the IRTS 80m Evening Counties Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and county code.
On Thursday the 20th of March, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
 
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 13th of March 2025
We’ve had another week of disturbed geomagnetic conditions with the Kp index at four or five for long periods. On the evening of the 12th of March, Kp was five and, at the time of writing, has stayed there for a total of five three-hour periods.
This has taken its toll on the ionosphere with MUFs over a 3,000km path down to less than 24.7MHz during daylight.
Meanwhile, the solar flux index rose to 160 on Thursday the 13th after hitting a low of 147 on the 7th.
The best HF propagation was last weekend, the 8th and 9th of March, just in time for the Commonwealth Contest. This saw stations around the world romping into the UK, including signals from Australia, New Zealand, the Falkland Islands, Barbados, and many others.
As contacts were limited to Commonwealth countries, it meant the UK had little QRM to contend with and it was fairly easy to fill the log book on 40m to 10m.
Australia was still coming in at 59 after dark, and even British Columbia on the west coast of Canada could be worked with simple wire antennas and low power.
This may have been caused by a pre-auroral enhancement, as the Kp index rose late on the first day of the contest.
Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index may rise to 195 by the 21st. It also suggests that we may be back into calmer geomagnetic conditions with a maximum Kp index of two. This will be a welcome change and, if it happens, will no doubt result in better HF conditions.
And remember, March is a good month for north-south contacts, such as the UK to South Africa and the UK to South America.
But with the equinox just around the corner, auroras are twice as common due to the Russell-McPherron effect.
Just as when two bar magnets attract one another when they are oriented oppositely, so opposite Bz components attract. During the autumn and spring equinox, this orientation enables a 'connection' to the Sun, thereby allowing the solar wind to stream in.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The recent change to colder weather brought showers and potential rain scatter to the second half of last week. But this weekend we have lost the showers and gained a large region of high pressure to bring a hint of Tropo.
It's not perfect, since in cold air highs like this, conditions are usually less than ideal, so don’t expect too much from this particular area of high pressure. 
The high will last until midweek before it slips away into eastern Europe and, on its parting, may allow some moisture below the inversion and will improve the Tropo prospects briefly. The second half of the coming week will be dominated by low pressure and back to rain-scatter as an option on the GHz bands.
The solar conditions have continued to provide a few weak auroral alerts and it's worth continuing a watching brief on the Kp index for hints of activity; anything greater than a Kp of five is worth our interest.
Listen out for watery-sounding signals on the LF bands and then check out the 10m and 6m bands for auroral signals.
The next important meteor shower is the April Lyrids, but there’s always the chance of random meteor scatter activity, particularly in the pre-dawn hours.
It’s still a little early to mention Sporadic-E, but it’s always worth looking at the lower frequencies first, which means 10m and 6m. Check the graphs on Propquest for signs of spikes in the foEs, which is the critical frequency of the Es-layer.
EME path losses continue to rise until apogee on Monday evening. Moon declination is still falling, reaching a minimum on Saturday the 22nd. So again, we have short Moon windows and reduced peak Moon elevation. 144MHz sky noise is moderate and rising to high by Friday the 21st.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 9th March 2025

GB2RS News
Sunday the 9th of March 2025
The news headlines:
RSGB members celebrate IARU Centenary with a special callsign
British Science Week events you can be part of
RSGB Propagation Studies Committee members give talks at HamSCI event
As part of the celebrations of the centenary of the International Amateur Radio Union, the RSGB will be activating the callsign GB0IARU in April 2025. If you would like to be an activator, you need to be an RSGB member with a Full licence, as UK licence conditions only allow Full licensees to operate club callsigns. If you would like to take part, please send an email to contestclub@rsgbcc.org  You will be invited to join a discussion group which will be used to provide you with all the information that you will need. You will have to join the RSGB Contest Club to use the callsign, as GB0IARU is linked to the Contest Club’s callsign G6XX. Foundation and Intermediate licensees will be able to take part under supervision. You can find detailed instructions about operating with GB0IARU on the RSGB website at tinyurl.com/GB0IARU  For QSL information please see the QRZ.com page for GB0IARU.
British Science Week began on Friday the 7th of March and will continue until Sunday the 16th of March. The annual celebration presents radio amateurs with the opportunity to showcase their hobby to new audiences. Crowthorne and Wokingham Men’s Shed will be operating as G8EYM during the forthcoming week. Organisers who would like to set up skeds with other groups, particularly other Men’s Sheds groups, should get in touch via info@nmishedww.co.uk  if you’d like to be involved. Some events are also open to the public. South Derbyshire and Ashby Woulds Amateur Radio Group will be hosting a family-friendly open weekend on the 15th and 16th of March. The event will include opportunities for kit building, details of training, as well as an opportunity to operate under supervision. Norfolk Amateur Radio Club intends to support the City of Norwich School with its Super Science Saturday on the 15th of March. To get involved with these events, plus more, go to rsgb.org/bsw  and choose the “Events happening near you” tab on the righthand menu. The Society has also shared several fun ideas that you can take part in, from giving your friends and family a tour of your shack to observing the Sun’s cycles and understanding the aurora. And of course, don't forget to get involved with the official RSGB British Science Week activity, which is featured in the Community Activity Pack. This can be done at home on DMR or any other radio. Whatever inspires you, be part of this fantastic celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths and show the very best that amateur radio has to offer.
Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation, also known as HamSCI, is holding its 8th annual workshop in New Jersey on the 14th and 15th of March. This year’s workshop features nearly 50 presentations, four tutorials, as well as a keynote address by the ARRL's Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R. RSGB Propagation Studies Committee associate member Professor Gwyn Griffiths, G3ZIL will be delivering several sessions at the two-day event, including one on post-sunset Sporadic-F propagation. The RSGB Propagation Studies Committee Secretary Doctor Chris Deacon, G4IFX, is also attending and will be delivering a session on The Physical Nature of Sporadic-E. You’ll be able to watch these sessions, plus more from the workshop agenda online. Details of how to access the event virtually, as well as more information about the event can be found at hamsci.org/hamsci2025
The RSGB remote invigilation team will be taking a break over the Easter weekend. You will be able to book to take an exam on Friday the 18th of April or Saturday the 19th of April, but no exam slots will be available on Sunday the 20th of April, or Monday the 21st of April. Exam bookings will resume as normal after that.
Amateur Radio Clubs On The Air is getting ready for a second weekend of operating on the 22nd and 23rd of March. It is a chance for amateurs to promote their club, have some fun and collect points for an award. All bands may be used, using any mode including SSB, CW, FM, RTTY, FT8, FT4 and other digital modes. This is an ongoing award, and contacts may be claimed from the 23rd of March 2025 onwards. You can find full details on the Leicester Radio Society website at g3lrs.org.uk, via the G3LRS page at QRZ.com  or by emailing arcota@g3lrs.org.uk
Cray Valley Radio Society is running a two-day, face-to-face Foundation licence course on the 5th and the 12th of April, near Greenwich in southeast London. The Foundation training package costs £65 and this includes the online exam at the end of the course. Please apply or contact Cray Valley Radio Society via its temporary website at cvrs.uk 
Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk  The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.
And now for details of rallies and events
On Sunday the 16th of March, the Ripon and District Amateur Radio Society Rally will take place at Great Ouseburn Village Hall, Lightmire Lane, Great Ouseburn, York YO26 9RL. Doors open for traders at 7.30 am and then to the public at 10 am for an admission price of £3. Free parking, refreshments and bacon butties will be available. The tables cost £10 each. For enquiries, or to book one or more tables, email radars.rally@gmail.com
The Biggleswade Swapmeet, organised by the British Vintage Wireless Society, is taking place on Sunday the 23rd of March at The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, SG18 8JH. Doors open to stallholders from 9 am, with general entry from 9.30 am. Admission is £8. Hot and cold refreshments are available all day. There will be vintage technology of varying sorts including radio, TV, communications, audio, vinyl, computing, telephones and components. There will also be a bring-and-buy stall run by the British Wireless and Television Museum. For enquiries, including stall bookings, please email Jeremy Owen, G8MLK via secretary@bvws.org.uk  More details can also be found via BVWS.org.uk
The Callington Radio and Electronics Rally will be held in the Town Hall, New Road, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7BD on Sunday the 23rd of March. Public access to the event is from 10 am until 1 pm. Entry is £2 each with no charge for those under the age of 16. A comprehensive selection of traders, clubs and societies from the south-west will be present along with a bring-and-buy stall and the usual excellent catering service. As an improvement from last year, the bring-and-buy stall now accepts payment by all major debit and credit cards using contactless, chip and pin or by phone. The venue has disabled access and toilet facilities with ample parking in a nearby car park. Although the main hall is now fully booked, tables are still available in an adjacent room at £5 for the large size and £3 for the smaller one. Pre-booking is essential, so please contact Alastair, M0KRR at alastair.kerr1@btinternet.com or by phone at 01503 262 755 with your requirements as soon as possible.
Also on Sunday the 23rd of March is The Dover Amateur Radio Club 2025 Rally which is taking place at the St Radigunds Community Centre, Poulton Close, Dover, CT17 0HL. The doors are open between 10 am and 2 pm and entry is £3. Tea, coffee and bacon rolls will be available on site. Tables are available at £15 each, with a maximum of two tables per vendor. For table bookings and the latest news go to darc.online/rally
Now the Special Event news
The British Railways Amateur Radio Society is running special event stations GB0LMR and GB2SDR during 2025 to celebrate 200 years of train travel since 1825. Starting from April, it will also be running GB2TT to celebrate the same anniversary. QSL will be via the Bureau. More information is available at QRZ.com  and via webrars.info
From the 1st to the 28th of March George, MM0JNL will once again be activating special event station GB0GTS. This year the station is active in support of the Great Tommy Sleepout. This national challenge aims to raise funds and awareness for all former UK service personnel who are living homeless. More details are available at QRZ.com  and rbli.co.uk
Now the DX news
The VK9CU team will be active between the 4th and the 11th of March from Cocos Keeling Islands, IOTA reference OC-003. They will operate on the 160 to 6m bands using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT4 and FT8. QSL via DL2AWG, ClubLog and Logbook of the World.
Elvira, IV3FSG is active as D68Z from Moroni in the Comoro Islands until the 18th of March. IOTA reference AF-007. She will operate on HF bands using CW, SSB and digital modes.
Looking ahead, DA1DX, DK9IP, DM6EE and DL8LAS will be active from Anegada Island in the British Virgin Islands as VP2VI from the 10th to the 27th of April.
Now the contest news
The Commonwealth Contest started at 1000UTC on Saturday the 8th of March and ends at 1000UTC today, Sunday the 9th of March. Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. HQ stations also send ‘HQ’.
On Tuesday the 11th of March, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs between 1900 to 1955UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also on Tuesday the 11th of March, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday the 12th of March, the 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 12th of March, the 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest.
On Wednesday the 12th of March, the 80m Club Championship Contest runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
On Thursday the 13th of March, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group HF RTTY Contest starts at 0200UTC on Saturday the 15th of March and ends at 0200UTC on Monday the 17th of March. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and time.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 6th of March 2025
We started last week with geomagnetic disturbances that saw the Kp index rise to a maximum of 5.67 on the 28th of February and then hover around the 4.5 mark for the next couple of days.
As predicted, the rest of the week went quite well, with the Kp index in the range of one to four.
The solar flux index fell from a maximum of 210 on the 23rd of February to a low of 140 on the 2nd of March. It then climbed back to 160 on the 4th. Over the past week, we have had no X-class and only one M-class solar flare which was on the 5th.
As we head into next week, it looks like all the sunspots in the Sun’s northern hemisphere have now departed. Nevertheless, the southern hemisphere is still supplying lots of spots so don’t panic just yet!
HF conditions have been quite good. VK6IF and VK6IA in Western Australia were booming in on 28MHz USB on the morning of Thursday the 6th, as was VK9CU on the Cocos-Keeling Islands.
Nigel, VP8TXF and Ian, VP8CIW have been operating from the Falkland Islands ahead of this weekend’s Commonwealth Contest and have been worked from the UK on 20m-10m. They are there until the 10th, so get in quick.
Other DX to be worked this week includes VU4AX Andaman Islands, 6Y7EI Jamaica, PJ7AA Sint Maarten Island, 4S7KKG Sri Lanka, TY5C Benin, 6W7/ON4AVT Warang Senegal, RI1ANE Antarctica and H44MS Solomon Islands.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will start off around 150 and may then climb to 185 by the 16th. A large coronal hole became Earth-facing on the 6th, which may result in unsettled geomagnetic conditions this weekend, the 8th and the 9th.
It looks like we can expect unsettled geomagnetic conditions around the 10th to the 16th, with a maximum predicted Kp index of five.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The weather divides into two segments; the first, from the middle of last week through to the middle of next week, is rather changeable with low pressure nearby bringing rain or showers and potential for rain scatter on the GHz bands.
Eventually, the unsettled weather ends with a cold northerly on Tuesday the 11th and this leads to a new high building from Wednesday into the weekend of the 15th and 16th March. 
This is good news for Tropo and could possibly be of benefit to those in the UK 70cm Activity Contest on Tuesday the 11th in the western UK, but more generally for the FT8 70cm Activity Contest on Wednesday and the 50MHz UK Activity Contest on Thursday evening.
We are still between major meteor showers and therefore must rely upon random activity for now. The next shower of note is the Lyrids on the 21st and the 22nd of April, so we have a while to go yet.
The solar activity has continued to produce a regular supply of auroral alerts and fluttery signals on the LF bands, but with a lot of clouds in northwestern areas and southern parts just marginally out of reach for any naked-eye auroras. A few digital camera pictures did surface on the web. 
Keep an eye open just in case though. Remember Kp equalling five or greater is where we need to be.
Lastly, the Sporadic-E prospects are still relatively low with only the odd minor blip up to around a Sporadic-E critical frequency of 5 to 7MHz, often around the middle of the day. This contrasts with the morning and evening windows in the main season. It is enough to promote interest in the 10 or 6m bands, but almost certainly a fleeting moment.
EME path losses rise all this coming week and moon declination falls with associated shortening Moon windows and reducing peak Moon elevation. The best results will therefore be early in the week. 144MHz sky noise is moderate this weekend, falling to low in the week commencing the 10th.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 2nd March 2025

GB2RS News
Sunday the 2nd of March 2025
The news headlines:
British Science Week – will you be taking part in an amateur radio activity?
Could you contribute to the RSGB Technical Forum?
The RSGB is looking for an Assistant RadCom Editor
British Science Week starts this Friday the 7th of March and gives radio amateurs the opportunity to share their passion and knowledge of the hobby to reach new audiences. Schools including Kingsmead School in Taunton and St Anne’s Catholic Primary School, Ormskirk have radio-related activities planned for students. Clubs including South Derbyshire and Ashby Woulds Amateur Radio Group will be involved with events that are open to the public. A Men’s Sheds group in Crowthorne and Wokingham will be active as G8EYM and would appreciate skeds, especially with other Men’s Sheds – could you arrange one with them? In another fantastic development for this year, the RSGB Outreach team has partnered with the Radio Communications Foundation to provide FM radio receiver kits for 15 school, university, scout and youth groups to build. You can find details of these events, plus more, by going to rsgb.org/bsw and choosing the “Events happening near you” tab on the righthand menu. If you have an activity taking place, there is still time to let the Society know so it can help promote the event. Email the RSGB British Science Week Coordinator, Ian Neal, M0KEO via bsw@rsgb.org.uk  Even if you haven’t planned anything yet, you can still get involved by doing the RSGB’s official British Science Week activity with your friends and family. You can find that and other ideas and resources on the RSGB British Science Week web page. Be inspired, get involved and show the very best that amateur radio has to offer.
The RSGB Technical Forum is accepting expressions of interest from people who would like to join the group. The Forum is a body of technical experts that review articles submitted to the RSGB RadCom Editors. It provides a recommendation on whether they should be accepted for publication, and whether they are best suited to RadCom, RadCom Basics or RadCom Plus. If you are able and willing to contribute to the RSGB Technical Forum, please write in the first instance to gm.dept@rsgb.org.uk and include a short summary of your relevant amateur radio and professional expertise.
The RSGB is looking for an Assistant Editor to join the team that produces its suite of RadCom publications. The successful candidate will be involved in everything from magazine production and sub-editing to writing articles and planning content. More information is available on page 83 of the February 2025 issue of RadCom or via rsgb.org/careers  If you are interested in applying for the role, email radcom@rsgb.org.uk
The Commonwealth Contest is a unique annual event which has run every year since 1931. Held over the weekend nearest to Commonwealth Day, it is loved by many RSGB members and radio amateurs throughout the Commonwealth. In 2024 over 240 individual entrants and 15 Commonwealth Headquarters stations representing national societies were active. The Commonwealth Contest is a treasure hunt with amateurs in distant locations looking to make a QSO with you, so if you are not a regular contest participant or you have a simple HF setup, you might use the Contest as an opportunity to make DX QSOs. UK amateurs are travelling to the Caribbean, the Falklands and New Zealand, so your scope for QSOs is expanded, and many VK, ZL, VU and VE amateurs will be joining in too. This year the Contest takes place on the 8th of March, and you can find out more on page 38 of the March issue of RadCom and on the RSGB website via tinyurl.com/commonwealth-contest
On Saturday the 29th of March, the RSGB National Radio Centre Coordinator, Martyn Baker, G0GMB, together with Andy Webster, G7UHN from the Radio Communications Foundation, will be delivering a talk in the Fellowship Auditorium at Bletchley Park. It will introduce people to the radio spectrum and how to get to grips with the fundamentals of radio transmission. The RSGB is delighted that its members can benefit from a 10% discount, reducing the price to £14.40. To find out more, go to the ‘What’s on’ section on the Bletchley Park website via bletchleypark.org.uk  If you'd like to visit the wider Bletchley Park site after the talk, RSGB members can gain free entry by downloading a voucher from rsgb.org/bpvoucher
Amateur Radio Clubs On The Air is getting ready for a second weekend of operating on the 22nd and 23rd of March. It is a chance for amateurs to promote their club, have some fun and collect points for an award. All bands may be used, using any mode including SSB, CW, FM, RTTY, FT8/4 and other digital modes. This is an ongoing award, and contacts may be claimed from 23 March 2024 onwards. You can find full details on the Leicester Radio Society website at g3lrs.org.uk, via the G3LRS page at QRZ.com  or by emailing arcota@g3lrs.org.uk
Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk  The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.
And now for details of rallies and events
Today, the 2nd of March, the Exeter Radio Rally is taking place at a new venue. The event will be held at The Kenn Centre, EX6 7UE, from 10 am. Traders and catering will be available on-site. For more information phone Pete, G3ZVI on 07714 198 374 or email g3zvi@yahoo.co.uk
On Sunday the 16th of March, the Ripon and District Amateur Radio Society Rally will take place at Great Ouseburn Village Hall, Lightmire Lane, Great Ouseburn, York YO26 9RL. Doors open for traders at 7.30 am and then to the public at 10 am for an admission price of £3. Free parking, refreshments and bacon butties will be available. The tables cost £10 each. For enquiries or to book one or more tables, please email radars.rally@gmail.com
Now the Special Event news
The British Railways Amateur Radio Society is running special event stations GB0LMR and GB2SDR during 2025 to celebrate 200 years of train travel since 1825. Starting from April, it will also be running GB2TT to celebrate the same anniversary. QSL will be via the Bureau. More information is available at QRZ.com  and via webrars.info
From the 1st to the 28th of March George, MM0JNL will once again be activating special event station GB0GTS. This year the station is active in support of the Great Tommy Sleepout. This national challenge aims to raise funds and awareness for all former UK service personnel who are living homeless. More details are available at QRZ.com  and rbli.co.uk
Now the DX news
Operators R1BIG, RW3RN, W8HC, R9LR and N3QQ are active from Chiriqui, Panama as 3F3RRC until the 3rd of March.
The VK9XU Team will be active from Christmas Island, IOTA reference OC-002, until the 4th of March. They will operate on 160 - 6m, CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8 and FT4. QSL via DL2AWG, ClubLog and Logbook of the World.
Looking ahead, DA1DX, DK9IP, DM6EE and DL8LAS will be active from Anegada Island in the British Virgin Islands as VP2VI from the 10th to the 27th of April.
Now the contest news
The ARRL DX SSB Contest started at 0000UTC on Saturday the 1st of March, and ends at 2359UTC today, the 2nd of March. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange for non-US and Canadian stations is signal report and transmit power in Watts. US and Canadian stations will send their State/Province in place of transmit power.
The RSGB March 144MHz/432MHz Contest started at 1400UTC on Saturday the 1st of March and ends at 1400UTC today, the 2nd of March. Using all modes on the 2m and 70cm bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number, and locator.
Today, the 2nd of March, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using all modes on the microwave bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also, today, the 2nd of March, the Worked All Britain 80m phone Contest runs from 1800 to 2200UTC. Please note that this is an SSB-only contest, and the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain area. Entries are to be with the contest manager by March the 12th. The full rules can be seen on the WAB website.
On Monday, the 3rd of March, the RSGB 80m Club Championship DATA Contest runs from 2000 to 2130 UTC. Using RTTY and PSK63 on the 80m band only, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
On Tuesday, the 4th of March, the RSGB 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 1955 UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also on Tuesday, the 4th, the RSGB 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230 UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday, the 5th, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour contest runs from 1700 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday, the 5th, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour contest runs from 1900 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest.
On Wednesday the 5th, the UK and Ireland Contest Club Contest runs from 2000 to 2100 UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator.
The Commonwealth Contest starts at 1000UTC on Saturday the 8th of March and ends at 1000 UTC on Sunday the 9th of March. Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. The Commonwealth HQ stations will also send ‘HQ’ as part of the contest exchange.
 
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 27th of February 2025
We had another week of mixed geomagnetic conditions. The Kp index rose to a high of five with visible aurora over the UK at times.
Two large coronal holes are now both facing Earth. A solar wind stream flowing from these zones is expected to flow past Earth, possibly on Friday the 28th of February or Saturday the 1st of March. Active geomagnetic conditions with a Kp index of four are currently forecast for this weekend.
There has also been more solar flare activity over the past seven days with an X2-class flare on the 23rd and ten M-class flares. The X-class flare occurred at 19:27UTC so had little effect in Europe as the Sun had set. Luckily, an associated coronal mass ejection was not Earth-directed. Another fast-moving CME on the 24th was also not Earth-directed.
As we enter March it looks as though the Sun is still very active. The solar flux index stood at 180 on Thursday the 27th, after hitting 210 on the 23rd. Maximum usable frequencies over 3,000km are still reaching 34-35MHz around midday, while night-time MUFs are generally around 10-11MHz, with occasional openings on 20 metres.
This week Bob, VP8LP on the Falkland Islands has been active on 10 metres SSB and has been worked from the UK.
As we enter March this is a good time for North-South paths on HF, such as UK to South Africa and UK to South America. The spring equinox is also a good time for auroral conditions.
NOAA predicts the Sun will start next week with an SFI of 190, perhaps falling to 170-180 as the week progresses. We hesitate to say this, but geomagnetic conditions are predicted to be good once we get past the disturbances on the 28th and the 1st, but only time will tell!
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
There is likely to be a welcome return of high pressure for much of the period from this weekend until the middle of the coming week on the 5th of March.
Models show a return of unsettled Atlantic weather, meaning lows, fronts, showers and rain scatter for the GHz bands. Until then, it will be typical high-pressure Tropo conditions with an extensive temperature inversion aloft caused by the descending warming air in the high-pressure region.
This should provide ducting conditions over a large part of the country. As often, the far north of the UK will probably just miss out and retain too much breeze for the inversion to be effective.
The lull in meteor shower activity continues, so once again your best chances will be in the morning hours around, or just before, dawn.
The Sun has kept aurora seekers busy and shows how frequently it can just tip into the right disturbed conditions at this stage of the solar cycle. As we said earlier, there have been reports of visible aurora in the past week.
The signs for this are the Kp index rising to five or greater and flutter on LF band signals or trans-polar paths on the HF bands.
The new Sporadic-E season is almost upon us, but we are not there yet. Check the graphs on Propquest for signs of enhanced foEs values and check the HF bands first; 10m is particularly good for strong European Es signals.
EME conditions will be predictable as usual, with Moon declination rising all week and path losses at their minimum at perigee late on Saturday the 1st of March. 144MHz sky noise is low from this coming weekend, rising to moderate by Friday the 7th.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 23rd February 2025

GB2RS News
Sunday the 23rd of February 2025
The news headlines:
The RSGB announces the unopposed candidates in its elections
The RSGB releases 2025 Band Plans
A year in numbers 2024 – some great things to celebrate!
Nominations in the RSGB elections have closed. For some roles, a single nomination was received, and the candidate is therefore elected unopposed. They will take up their role at the end of the RSGB AGM in April. These unopposed candidates include the roles of President and also Regional Representatives in Regions 1, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12. In Region 9, no valid nomination was received. For more information about each of these unopposed candidates, see the March issue of RadCom or the RSGB website at rsgb.org/election
The RSGB Band Plans for 2025 were published in the March 2025 issue of RadCom. They are also available on the RSGB website via rsgb.org/bandplans. This year’s plans incorporate further VHF and UHF changes in response to the increased demand that has been prompted by the new Ofcom amateur licence. There are also a few changes from the 2023 IARU Region-1 General Conference. All amateurs are reminded to consult the Band Plans before operating.
Despite continuing challenges nationally and across the world during 2024, the amateur radio community stayed strong and the RSGB supported it. The RSGB General Manager Steve Thomas, M1ACB wrote his annual feature called ‘A year in numbers’ for the March RadCom and shared some great things to celebrate, in which RSGB HQ staff often led the way. You can also see the highlights in a brief video on the RSGB YouTube channel. The April RadCom will show in detail the work of the committees and other specialist volunteers.
Girlguiding groups will be celebrating World Thinking Day on the Air this weekend so listen out for them and encourage the young operators. To highlight the opportunities for young people to get involved in amateur radio activities, this week the RSGB has published two new videos that celebrate the fantastic ISS contact and STEM day held in the autumn and attended by HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh. You can watch both the videos on the RSGB YouTube channel.
Between January and March 2024 Bob Bower, GM4DLG took on a one-man antipodean adventure. The DXpedition is currently being serialised in RadCom, and on Monday the 3rd of March, he will be delivering a Tonight@8 presentation to complement these features. The trip was eight weeks long and covered 27 activations from 11 sites on six islands. Bob operated on 20, 40 and 80m with 100W SSB into vertical arrays of his design, with his holy grail being a valid 80m greyline QSO with Great Britain. Visit rsgb.org/webinars to find out more. Join the presentation live on the RSGB YouTube channel or special BATC channel and ask questions via the live chat.
Don’t forget to submit your entry to the RSGB Construction Competition by Saturday the 1st of March. You’ll need to email a short description of your entry and up to four photographs. It is also recommended to send a link to a video that demonstrates your entry working. More details on submitting your application can be found via rsgb.org/construction-competition  The results of the competition will be announced during the 2025 RSGB Annual General Meeting in April.
Exercise Blue Ham will take place on the 29th and 30th of March on the 60m band. Stations will be active between 9 am and 6 pm. Blue Ham exercises provide a platform to further develop Cadet radio operator skills and confidence by engaging with the amateur radio community via the MOD 5MHz shared band. Cadet radio operators, under supervision, will exchange radio messages with amateur radio operators in the UK and Europe. The Cadets hope to speak to many radio amateurs on the air. For more information visit alphacharlie.org.uk/exercise-blue-ham
The 26th European Hamradio School Stations Day will take place on Monday the 5th of May from 0700 to 1700UTC. This is an activity day, not a contest, so the focus is on personal radio contacts and QSO partners should take time for a short exchange. The organisers look forward to seeing many schools, universities and training centres on the air again. To find out more, go to tinyurl.com/european-schools
Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk  The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.
And now for details of rallies and events
The Red Rose Winter Rally is taking place today from 10 am at Mather Hall, Mather Lane, Leigh, Lancashire, WN7 2PJ. Please note that the maximum number of five-foot tables per trader has had to be reduced from six to five. On a brighter note, the price remains as it has been for several years at £10 per table. For more information visit wmrc.co.uk
The Lagan Valley Amateur Radio Society Annual Rally will take place on Saturday the 1st of March at Hillsborough Village Centre, 7 Ballynahinch Road, BT26 6AR. The doors open at 10.30am. For more details visit lvars.uk
On Sunday the 2nd of March the Exeter Radio Rally is taking place at a new venue. The event will be held at The Kenn Centre, EX6 7UE, from 10 am. Traders and catering will be available on-site. For more information phone Pete, G3ZVI on 07714 198 374 or email g3zvi@yahoo.co.uk
 Now the Special Event news
On 26 February 2025, the 90th anniversary of the Daventry Experiment will be commemorated, marking a pivotal moment in the development of British radar technology. The Daventry Experiment had a lasting impact on both military strategy and civilian applications. To honour this milestone, several special event stations will be active. The Bawdsey Radar Museum will be hosting GB2BRS, with BRS representing Bawdsey Radar Station, whilst Coventry ARS from near Daventry will operate GB9ORE, with RE representing Radar Experiment.  Chelmsford ARS from Great Baddow in Essex will activate GB9OCH with CH representing Chain Home since Chelmsford is where one of the original Chain Home radar masts still stands. 
Special callsign S5701DX is running during February in memory of Slavko, S57DX who became a Silent Key last February. The station has been heard recently using CW and SSB on the HF bands. For more information visit QRZ.com
From the 1st to the 28th of March George, MM0JNL will once again be activating special event station GB0GTS. This year the station is active in support of the Great Tommy Sleepout. This national challenge aims to raise funds and awareness for all former UK service personnel who are living homeless. More details are available at QRZ.com and rbli.co.uk
Now the DX news
Datta, VU2DSI is operating from Lonar Lake in India until tomorrow, the 24th of February. This unique location was formed by the impact of a meteor around 550,000 years ago. The station will be active on the 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands using SSB. More information can be found at QRZ.com
Now the contest news
The CQ 160m DX Contest started at 2200UTC on Friday the 21st and ends at 2200UTC today, Sunday the 23rd of February. Using SSB on the 160m band, the exchange is signal report and CQ zone. USA stations also send their state and Canadian stations send their province.
The REF Contest started at 0600UTC on Saturday the 22nd and ends at 1800UTC today, Sunday the 23rd of February. Using SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
The UBA DX CW contest started at 1000UTC on Saturday the 22nd of February and ends at 1300UTC today, Sunday the 23rd of February.  Using CW on the 80 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Belgian stations will also give their section code.
 Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 20th of February 2025
It seems we were a little over-ambitious in suggesting that last week would be better for HF propagation. It looked like we would avoid coronal mass ejections and see the Kp index fall to lower levels.
Unfortunately, the Sun had other ideas and a fast-moving solar stream, often moving faster than 500 km/s, had a south-pointing Bz, which coupled more easily with Earth and sent the Kp index up to four or more.
So even by Wednesday the 19th, the Kp index was hitting five.
However it seems that the geomagnetic disturbance merely lowered the MUF from around 40-45MHz to 31-32MHz, so it barely affected HF propagation.
At the time of writing, there had only been one M-class solar flare in the past five days, but more than 50 minor C-class events. There were no Earth-directed CMEs.
Nevertheless, there was DX to be had with the standout stations being the V73WW DXpedition to Majuro Atoll on the Marshall Islands, TI1RRC Costa Rica, and 5N9DTG in Nigeria. Upcoming DX next week includes OX3LX (Greenland), Dave G4BUO as 5W0UO (Samoa), TO3Z (Guadeloupe), 4S7SPG (Sri Lanka) and FS/VA3QSL (St Martin).
Next week, NOAA predicts that the week commencing the 23rd of February could see the solar flux index starting at 170, but then rising to 195-200 as the week progresses. Geomagnetic conditions are predicted to start quietly, with a Kp index of two, but then become unsettled by the 27th to the 29th, with a maximum predicted Kp index of five.
If this scenario does pan out then we may expect the best HF conditions to occur at the beginning of next week, from the 23rd to the 26th.
As always, keep an eye on solarham.com for day-to-day solar news, and perhaps monitor PSKreporter, the Reverse Beacon Network and DX Clusters for digital, CW and SSB HF propagation updates.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The current spell of unsettled weather seems likely to continue through to the end of next week. There will also be significant windy weather at times. It is therefore not a particularly good period for Tropo, or big antennas for that matter.
This leaves us with rain scatter on the GHz bands and some of these scattering regions will be large areas affecting the whole of the country as weather fronts pass by, rather than more isolated and harder-to-follow showers which often provide our rain scatter.
Meteor scatter is still within its quieter period with no major showers and better chances coming from random meteor activity, which tends to peak in the hours before dawn.
Recent solar activity has provided some weak auroral conditions on many days.  As usual, check for high values of the Kp index as a good indicator, or even listen for a watery tone on the LF bands. Ultimately you will need to see the Kp index going to at least five to make it worth checking for auroral signals on VHF.
We are still in the dormant period for Sporadic-E propagation, which is a shame given the powerful jet streams likely during this stormy weather. These would produce good Es prospects in the main summer season, but weaker Es at low VHF are still a possibility despite being out of season.
Moon declination is at minimum today, Sunday the 23rd of February, and path losses are decreasing as the Moon moves closer to Earth as it heads to perigee on Saturday the 1st of March. 144MHz sky noise goes high this weekend, beginning Saturday the 22nd.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 16th February 2025

GB2RS News
Sunday the 16th of February 2025
The news headlines:
The RSGB has announced its Scout, Cadet and Girlguiding Youth Champion
Listen out for stations operating for World Thinking Day on the Air
New resources and ideas have been added to the RSGB British Science Week web pages
The RSGB is delighted to announce that Samuel McCutchion, M7UEL will be the RSGB's Scout, Cadet and Girlguiding Youth Champion. Sam brings a wealth of hands-on experience to the role having been part of the Scouts from a young age in Beavers and then working his way up to Network. He then progressed to become an Assistant Section Leader. This knowledge will help the RSGB Youth Team to engage and offer amateur radio support to not only the Scouts but also the Cadets and Girlguiding. If you’d like to congratulate Sam on his role, or if you have any ideas you think would be useful to share, email him via youthchampion.scouts@rsgb.org.uk 
Lots of amateur radio stations are on the air this weekend and next weekend for World Thinking Day on the Air. Listen out for them and encourage the young Girlguiding members. You can find details of some of the active stations via rsgb.org/thinking-day  but, if your station isn’t listed, please share details on the RSGB social media channels. The event aims to encourage Girlguiding members to make friendships with those in other units, using amateur radio as the means of communication.  
Have you visited the RSGB’s British Science Week web pages yet? Two new worksheets have recently been added to inspire you to get involved and showcase amateur radio to new audiences. The activities were designed by the RSGB Outreach Team to fit in with this year’s British Science Week theme of ‘Change and adapt’. If you’d like to deliver these activities to schools or youth groups, the Society has sample lesson plans, risk assessments and a guide to contacting your local school available on its website. Remember that British Science Week isn’t just for younger audiences, it is open to all. If you’re looking for ideas to get your friends and family involved or a local community group, go to rsgb.org/bsw  and visit the British Science Week resources page. There is a wealth of ideas available, from looking at the history of radio communications to building a sustainable system using only solar panels. If you have an activity planned for British Science Week, let the RSGB know by emailing the RSGB British Science Week Coordinator, Ian Neal, M0KEO via bsw@rsgb.org.uk  Details of events taking place will be shared on the Society’s website. 
The deadline for the RSGB Construction Competition is Saturday the 1st of March, which means you have less than two weeks left to submit your entry. The judges will be considering entries in six categories: beginners, construction excellence, innovation, software, antennas and outreach. To find out how to submit your application go to rsgb.org/construction-competition  The results of the competition will be announced during the 2025 RSGB Annual General Meeting on the 12th of  April. 
If you are passionate about amateur radio and have some spare time to support fellow radio amateurs, why not become an RSGB District Representative? There are currently 12 vacancies across the United Kingdom, including in Belfast, Cambridgeshire and Lancashire. To find out if there is a vacancy in your region go to rsgb.org/volunteers  and then get in touch with the Regional Representative of the district with the vacancy.
Amateur radio operators are reminded to take care when operating on the WRC-15 secondary amateur allocation at 5MHz. The UK still has no access to the full WRC-15 allocation. Despite requests, this seems unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. Whilst the UK is fortunate to have more generous licence conditions, these mustn't be put at risk by irresponsible operating in violation of the licence conditions, particularly in the 5358 to 5362kHz gap where there is no UK allocation. The RSGB website has detailed advice for operators, both for SSB and digital modes, on its rsgb.org/5mhz web page. Please take care not to transmit outside of the UK segments even if you hear other amateurs transmitting. Remember that signals heard may be coming from amateurs in other countries with different allocations.
The RSGB ARDF Committee is pleased to announce the return of the British ARDF Championships in 2025. The Championships will be held as a three-day festival in early April 2025. Entries open on the 1st of March and will remain open right up until the event itself. Further information and updates can be found at tinyurl.com/ARDF25
Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk  The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.
And now for details of rallies and events
The Red Rose Winter Rally is due to take place on Sunday the 23rd of February from 10 am at Mather Hall, Mather Lane, Leigh, Lancashire, WN7 2PJ. Please note that the maximum number of five-foot tables per trader has had to be reduced from six to five. On a brighter note, the price remains as it has been for several years at £10 per table. For more information visit wmrc.co.uk
The Lagan Valley Amateur Radio Society Annual Rally will take place on Saturday the 1st of March at Hillsborough Village Centre, 7 Ballynahinch Road, BT26 6AR. The doors open at 10.30 am. For more details visit lvars.uk
On the 2nd of March, the Exeter Radio Rally is taking place at a new venue. The event will be held at The Kenn Centre, EX6 7UE, from 10 am. Traders and catering will be available on-site. For more information phone Pete, G3ZVI on 07714 198 374 or email g3zvi@yahoo.co.uk
Now the Special Event news
Daren, 2E0LXY is hosting a special amateur radio event to raise funds for the Sheffield Children's Hospital today, the 16th. He will be operating on the 80, 40, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10m bands using FT8. He will also be active on the 2m and 70cm bands using FM. DMR users can talk to Daren via Brandmeister talk group 23530. More information, including how to donate, is available via Daren’s QRZ.com page.
Special callsign S5701DX is running during February in memory of Slavko, S57DX who became a Silent Key last February. The station has been heard recently using CW and SSB on the HF bands. For more information visit QRZ.com
From the 1st to the 28th of March George, MM0JNL will once again be activating special event station GB0GTS. This year the station is active in support of the Great Tommy Sleepout. This national challenge aims to raise funds and awareness for all former UK service personnel who are living homeless. More details are available at QRZ.com and rbli.co.uk
Now the DX news
Bob, NC6Q is active as HP1TT from Panama until tomorrow, the 17th.  He is operating CW and some SSB on the 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands. QSL directly to NC6Q.
Datta, VU2DSI is operating from Lonar Lake in India from the 20th to the 24th of February 2025. This unique location was formed by the impact of a meteor around 550,000 years ago. The station will be active on the 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands using SSB. More information can be found at QRZ.com
Claudio, HB9OAU is active as D44OA from Sal Island, AF-086, Cape Verde until Tuesday the 18th. He is operating using CW and SSB on the 40 to 6m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World and Club Log.
 Now the contest news
The ARRL International DX Contest started at 0000UTC on Saturday the 15th and runs until 2359UTC today, Sunday the 16th of February. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and transmit power. USA stations also send their state and Canadian stations send their province.
On Tuesday the 18th, the RGSB 1.3GHz Activity Contest runs from 20:00 to 22:30 UTC. Using all modes on the 23cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Thursday the 20th, the RSGB 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 20:00 to 22:30 UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The CQ 160m DX Contest starts at 22:00 UTC on Friday the 21st and ends at 22:00 UTC on Sunday the 23rd of February. Using SSB on the 160m band, the exchange is signal report and CQ zone. USA stations also send their state and Canadian stations send their province.
The REF Contest starts at 06:00 UTC on Saturday the 22nd and ends at 18:00 UTC on Sunday the 23rd of February. Using SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
 Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 13th of February 2025
Two large coronal holes on the Sun’s surface have been spraying solar material towards Earth, pushing the Kp index to a high of 4.67.
The solar wind speed has been consistently higher than 500 kilometres per second and, with a south-pointing interplanetary magnetic field, the plasma has flooded into Earth’s magnetic field. There have been a few aurora warnings, but these have only been minor.
As a result, the ionosphere has not been too badly affected and daytime maximum usable frequencies over a 3,000km path have generally remained above 28MHz, with the odd dip towards 24MHz.
Coronal mass ejections have not made an appearance and there were only three M-class flares between the 9th and 13th of February.
Meanwhile, the solar flux index fell to the 150s and 160s last week.
Recent HF DX has included the V73WW DXpedition on the Marshall Islands, which has been worked from the UK, including on the 40, 30 and 20m bands using CW. The TX7N DXpedition to Marquesas Island in French Polynesia has just finished. It wasn’t an easy path, but it was worked from the UK on all bands from 30 to 12m using FT8, CW and SSB.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index could rise a little, to be in the 180 to 190 range. Once Earth is free from the effects of the current coronal hole stream, we may expect the Kp index to retreat, perhaps to a maximum of 2.
So, DX next week could be quite reasonable but, as always, keep an eye on solarham.com for daily updates.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The lingering high pressure just to the east of the UK is holding weather fronts over western Britain for the time being with any tropo benefits confined to eastern areas and being marginal at best. 
During the coming week, changes will be slow but gradually a more determined push on the Atlantic fronts may bring them over most areas, except the extreme southeast of the country.
This will make rain scatter more accessible although the models suggest that the fronts are likely to become weaker. So, they will not be especially useful by the time they reach the southeast. Sporadic-E is in its quiet season now, as are the meteor scatter prospects, with no major showers in attendance until the spring Lyrids in late April.
Perhaps this quieter time is a chance to do some operating housekeeping. For example, you could update a list of nearby repeaters and beacons to help you track developing openings. Or maybe you could consider trying a new mode or band. Perhaps you could learn to use digital modes for meteor scatter. Maybe consider joining the increasing numbers trying CW on the 2m band.
Moon declination went negative again on Saturday the 15th and path losses are rising as the Moon moves away to apogee, its furthest point from Earth, on Tuesday the 18th. 144MHz sky noise is low for most of the coming week but goes high for the weekend of Saturday the 22nd.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.