May 17th, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 19th May 2013
The news headlines:
The RSGB is pleased to announce that its Patron, HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, KG, KT will be visiting the National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park on the 5th July as part of its Centenary Day celebrations. He will meet with Members and invited guests before unveiling a plaque to commemorate the Centenary. A number of activities, talks and displays are planned in which RSGB Members and members of the public can take part during the day. Full details will be published on the RSGB website.
The CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame honours those individuals, whether licensed amateurs or not, who have made significant contributions to amateur radio; and those amateurs who have made significant contributions either to amateur radio, to their professional careers or to some other aspect of life on our planet. Included in the 2013 inductees is Laurie Margolis, G3UML, long-time BBC correspondent and contributor to amateur radio magazines. Our congratulations to Laurie for this well-deserved accolade.
The Israeli radio regulator has decided to grant 5MHz temporary permissions on an individual application basis. Eight channels are available to General and Extra Class licence holders. See http://rsgb.org/main/news/world-news/ for details of the channels and permitted modes. The maximum power allowed is 100W PEP, measured at the Tx rather than EIRP. The Israel Amateur Radio Club’s main goal is to experiment for local short range emergency communication readiness and the long distance activity is a side product of this. The validity is from application approval date until mid March 2014 but it appears this could be extended. Operation is on a secondary status, of course, and was coordinated with the Spectrum Committee of the IMOC representing some other relevant organisations.
The latest IARU Monitoring System Newsletter reports the Russian Over The Horizon Radar that has invaded the 3.5MHz band is still very active. The interfering radar system is believed to be located in the area of Makhachkala [pronounced Ma·khach·ka·la], on the Caspian Sea and transmits simultaneously between 3.515 to 3.545 and 3.560 to 3.590MHz. As a result, amateur radio and other services are suffering interference during the evening hours. The German and Dutch telecommunications regulators have been informed and have been asked to intercede.
G100RSGB, the special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary will be operated by the UK Microwave group from Andover today, 19 May, with the possibility of EME operation. Monday sees Horndean and District ARC operating 10 to 160m plus 2m from Cosham. On Tuesday 21st the callsign becomes GW100RSGB as it moves to South Wales. Barry ARS will be operating from the 21st to 23rd from Sully using the 10 to 160m bands. On Thursday 24 May Blackwood DARS will be running HF and VHF using SSB, CW and FM, moving to locator IO81KG the following day. Next Sunday, the 26th, Blackwood & DARS will move to Newport for more HF operations. Details of how to get your QSL card are on the website, www.rsgb.org.uk under the Operating drop down menu, clicking on Centenary Station.
The February 1984 operation to TI9CCC, Cocos Island, has now been approved for DXCC credit. In the past, radio amateurs who have submitted this operation on a DXCC application had it rejected due to an incorrect date period. The date issue has now been resolved, so if you had this operation rejected and your confirmation falls within 15 to 28 February 1984, please send an e-mail to DXCC so you can be placed on the list for an update to your record.
The next annual Castles and Stately Homes on the Air Award weekend will be held over 25 and 26 May and is open to anyone wishing to chase Heritage sites or just have some on-air QSOs. For those that wish to activate any historical site, please complete an activation form at www.cashota.co.uk.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, 19 May, the 30th National Amateur Radio Car Boot Sale will be held at Stockwood Park, Luton. Full details can be found on the website www.ddrcbootsale.org.
Also today, the Wolverhampton ARS Table Top Sale is being held at The Electric Club, St Marks Road, Chapel Ash, Wolverhampton WV3 0QH. Doors open at 10am and admission is by donation. There will be an RSGB bookstall. More information from Vaughan, M0VRR by email to tts@wolverhamptonars.co.uk.
The next rally we have details on is the Spalding & DARS annual rally on 2 June at The Sir John Gleed Technology School, Halmer Gardens, Spalding, Lincs PE11 2EF.
Now for the news of special events
GB4PEN is a CW-only special event running until 24 May to remember the loss of the Penlee Lifeboat. Full details on QRZ.com.
GB70BOA and GB70WA will be on the air between 20 and 27 May to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic. Operations using all modes will take place on 10 to 80m bands as well as on 144 and 432MHz. A special commemorative QSL card will be available. More details can be found on line at tinyurl.com/cmvdvq8.
Horndean & District Amateur Radio Club will operate GB0RMM from the Royal Marines Museum, Eastney, Portsmouth, on Saturday and Sunday June 22nd and 23rd.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
7Z1HL will be active from Saudi Arabia until 31 May as HZ1FOC. He is active on the various HF bands. QSL only via Heribert Lennertz, HZ1FOC, PO Box 85661, Riyadh 11612, Saudi Arabia.
OD5SK is currently active from Jordan as JY8KS. He is reported to be on the HF bands only. QSL via IZ8CLM.
WB8BZK/VE3 will be on the air from Seseganaga Lake in Ontario Province between 26 and 31 May. He will be operating only on 6m, primarily on 50.135MHz, running SSB and CW. Operating times are tentatively each morning at 1230UTC and then again between 2230 and 2300UTC each evening. If you make contact, please QSL with a self addressed, USA- stamped envelope to WB8BZK at his address on QRZ.com.
Five English amateurs will use the callsign SZ8S from the Greek island of Samos from 16 – 30 May. This will count as EU-049 for the Islands on the Air Award. QSLs go via G1LAT for direct cards or via M0SCG for bureau cards.
From 21 to 30 May Harry, DJ2II, will visit IOTA reference EU-042 working /P on the 10 to 80m bands using SSB and CW. QSL via DJ2II either direct or via the bureau.
Fred, K9VV and Bob, WP2XX will be visiting the Radio Reef DXers super station on St Croix Island, which is IOTA reference NA-106, from 21 to 28 May. They will be on the air with their own callsigns and as KP2M for the WPX CW contest. QSL for KP2M via LotW and direct via AI4U, for NP2X direct via K5WW and for WP2XX via WP2XX, direct or bureau.
Now the contest news
Today, 19 May, the 144MHz May Contest runs until 1400UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and postcode.
Today, Sunday 19th, the first 144MHz Backpackers contest runs from 1000 to 1500UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On 21 May, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest takes place from 1900 to 2130UTC using all modes. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The 80m Club Championships CW leg takes place on 23 May from 1900 to 2030UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number.
The CQWW WPX CW Contest takes place for the whole 48 hours of 25 and 25 May. It’s a worldwide CW extravaganza on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands. The exchange is signal report and serial number.
Next Sunday, 26 May, the third 70MHz Cumulative Contests runs from 1400 to 1600UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Finally for this week, the first in a series of five 5.7, 10 and 24GHz Contests organised by the UK Microwave Group takes place on Sunday 26th. Running from 0600 to 1800UTC, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 10th to Thursday the 16th of May compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday the 17th of May.
With the aid of the STEREO Behind spacecraft that allows us to see sunspot regions many days before they are seen from earth, we saw a large flare producing active region was to rotate into view. This region came into view on the 13th and then in the next three days produced four X class solar flares. The largest was an X3 on the 14th, which was the third largest flare so far for this sunspot cycle. Several coronal mass ejections also took place but all were located at the east limb, which is not the ideal location for them to head our way, but a glancing blow is possible. Also, five M class and numerous C class solar flares took place. These X class solar flares are the first since last October. Solar flux levels increased sharply from 125 units on the 10th to 150 by the 13th, before a gradual decline to 145 units by the end of the period. The average was 143 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 16th was 120, that's three units up on last week. X-ray flux levels increased from B6.7 units on the 10th to peak at c1.1 units on the 13th. The average was B7.8 units, which is the highest level since the start of the year. Geomagnetic activity was quiet every day till the end of the period, when activity increased to unsettled levels with an Ap index of 15 units for the day. The average was Ap 7 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds decline from 470 kilometres per second on the 10th to 320 by the 14th. Speeds then increased to 450 kilometres per second during the weak disturbance of the 16th. Particle densities were low except for the 15th and the 16th, which increased to 57 and 24 particles per cubic centimetre respectively. Bz varied between minus 4 and plus 3 nanoTeslas on the quiet days and between minus 9 and plus 11 nanoTeslas during the disturbance. The HF bands responded well to the higher solar flux levels and strong 70MHz Sporadic-E openings occurred on several days.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming week. This week solar activity could continue at high levels due to the current active sunspot region, which is still visible and also due to other active regions rotating into view that produced strong solar flares on their last rotation. Solar flux levels are expected to be around the 140's or maybe slightly higher. Geomagnetic activity could be unsettled on Monday and Tuesday due to a recurring coronal hole. Also, a number of coronal mass ejections could deliver a glancing blow, which might increase activity on almost any day during the week. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 24MHz for the south and 21MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be about 13MHz. Paths this week to South Africa should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around or slightly higher than 30MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate of about 27MHz. The best time to try this path will between 1100 and 1600 hours. Sporadic-E is expected on some days with openings up to 70MHz.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
Category: Ham Radio | Comments |
May 10th, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 12th May 2013
The news headlines:
Ofcom has published a call for inputs relating to spectrum use by licence exempt devices in the 2,400MHz band. This band is close to radio spectrum in the 2,300MHz band, which the Ministry of Defence plans to release for new civil uses. The MoD has therefore commissioned work to audit licence exempt uses in the 2,400MHz band, in particular to identify the full range of possible uses of this spectrum. The call for inputs introduces two audit reports that explore licence exempt use in the 2,400MHz band. It also invites stakeholders to identify any other uses that may need to be considered to understand any technical coexistence. In addition to licence exempt use, the 2.4GHz band is also a secondary allocation for the amateur services, including ATV repeater outputs and satellite downlinks. The Ofcom consultation is at http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/2400-mhz.
Rex Moncur, VK7MO, has completed a Earth Moon Earth QSO with the OK1KIR EME Team in the Czech Republic at a distance of some 10,180 miles, to claim the new world EME record on 24GHz. VK7MO used a 1.14m dish and 10 watts and OK1KIR used a 4.5m dish and 22 watts.
G100RSGB, the special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary will be operated by Fort Purbrook Radio Club today, 12 May, using the 40, 20, 4 and 2m bands as well as 70cm. On Monday, Horsham ARC will put the callsign on the air from Ifield, running 10 to 160m as well as 2m. On Tuesday, the Isle of Wight RC will operate on the HF bands plus 6m, 2m and 70cm from Ryde. Then on 16th and 17th, the callsign moves to Corsham with the North Wiltshire DX Group, running a mostly CW station on 10 to 80m. The UK Microwave Group will put the station on the air in Andover running CW, SSB and digital including EME on the 18th and 19th. They will mainly use the 3cm band but some activity will be on the 23cm to 12mm bands. Details of how to get your QSL card are on the website, www.rsgb.org.uk under the Operating drop down menu, clicking on Centenary Station.
According to the IARU Region 1 Monitoring System newsletter, Spanish GPS buoys are a new threat to the 28MHz band. You can find their bursts between 28 and 28.5MHz transmitting in F1B with 51 baud and about 300Hz shift. They were observed and measured by DK2OM and HB9CET and found to be in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Portugal. The Portuguese Monitoring System informed the Portuguese authorities.
There is still time to apply for funding from the Radio Communications Foundation for projects to promote the benefits of radio to the general public. The Foundation meets on 15 May to consider small projects that would benefit from funding. Send details, by e-mail, to marilyn.slade@rsgb.org.uk. All decisions on whether to provide financial support are made by the Trustees and there is no certainty that any project proposed will receive funding.
We have received news on a change of address for the Spanish QSL Bureau. If you send bulk QSL cards to Spain, they should now go to URE, PO Box 55055, 28053 Madrid, Spain.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
We have no details of rallies taking place this weekend.
On 19 May, the 30th National Amateur Radio Car Boot Sale will be held at Stockwood Park, Luton. Full details can be found on the website www.ddrcbootsale.org.
Also on 19 May the Wolverhampton ARS table top sale will be held at The Electric Club, St Marks Road, Chapel Ash, Wolverhampton WV3 0QH. Doors open at 10am and admission is by donation. There will be an RSGB bookstall. More information from Vaughan, M0VRR by e-mail to tts@wolverhamptonars.co.uk.
Members of the RSGB team will be attending the Dayton Hamvention between 17 and 19 May at the Hara Arena, Dayton, Ohio, USA. There will be an RSGB bookstall and RSGB General Manager Graham Coomber, G0NBI will present a talk on the first 100 years of the RSGB to Hamvention visitors and also to participants in the DXers Dinner.
Now for the news of special events
GB4PEN is a CW-only special event running until 24 May to remember the loss of the Penlee Lifeboat. Full details on QRZ.com.
Huntingdonshire Amateur Radio Society will be active for Mills on the Air on 12 May from Duloe Windmill, near St Neots, using the callsign GB2DWM.
South Tyneside Amateur Radio Society is operating GB2CWM from Cleandon water tow on 12 May using the HF and VHF bands.
For the 6th consecutive year, Cray Valley RS will be activating GB6MW in support of National Mills Weekend from Meopham Windmill, Wrotham Road, Meopham Green, Kent DA13 0QA. The station will be on the air using the HF bands as well as 2 and 4m bands from around 10.30am to 5pm today. Guided tours of the mill will be provided by the Meopham Windmill Trust. Further details from www.cvrs.org.
On the 16 and 17 May, Lincoln Short Wave Club is operating GB70DAM in memory of the air crew and German civilians killed during the 617 Squadron’s raid on the great Ruhr dams of Germany. The station will be on RAF Scampton’s bomb dump where Barnes Wallis’s bouncing bomb was delivered on 16 May 1943. The station will operate from 3pm on the 16th until 3pm on the 17th using 40 and 80m, band conditions permitting. A limited edition QSL card will be available, details on QRZ.com.
GB70BOA and GB70WA will be on the air between 20 and 27 May to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic. Operations using all modes will take place on 10 to 80m bands as well as on 144 and 432MHz. A special commemorative QSL card will be available. More details can be found on line at tinyurl.com/cmvdvq8.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
HD2A and HC2AQ will be active from Galapagos Islands, IOTA reference SA-004, from 15 to 20 May as HD8A. Operations will be on all of the HF bands. QSL via HD2A.
OY1CT will be active from the Faroe Islands, IOTA reference EU-018, during May with special call OW75FOC. He will be operating on the HF bands only. QSL via Carsten Thomsen, OW75FOC, Kvivik, Faroe Islands or as directed on the air.
UA4WHX is currently operational portable CP1 from Bolivia. QSL via UA4WHX.
ZL2AGY will be active from Rarotonga Island, IOTA reference OC-013, until 29 May as E51FOC and E51AGY. QSL via his home callsign.
Between 18 and 30 May, five members of the Sands Contest Group from Morecambe will be visiting the island of Samos for a holiday and DXpedition. This is IOTA reference EU-049 or locator KM37JK. Using the callsign SZ8S, operation will be from the Radio House at Zervou Point above Samos town, kindly loaned to the group by the Aegean Radio Association. QSL information is on QRZ.com.
Camb-Hams will be operating GS3PYE/P from the Isle of Mull, which is IOTA reference EU-008, until 16 May. Thirteen operators will be active on all bands and many modes from 2m to 160m. They will also be active on 472kHz for the first time. The HF bands will be covered by five simultaneous stations, while the 6m, 4m and 2m stations will have a great take-off towards the UK and Europe from the island’s south-east coast in IO76 square.
Now the contest news
Today, 12 May, the 70MHz CW Contest runs from 0900 to 1200UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and postcode.
On Tuesday, the 14th, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest takes place between 1900 and 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The data leg of the 80m Club Championships takes place on Wednesday from 1900 to 2030UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number.
Next weekend the 144MHz May Contest runs from 1400UTC on the 18th to 1400UTC on the 19th. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and postcode.
On Sunday 19th, the first 144MHz Backpackers contest runs from 100 to 1500UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 3rd to Thursday the 9th of May, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS, on Friday the 10th of May.
Numerous sunspot regions were visible every day. A few were large enough to produce solar flares every day. Solar activity increased to high when a M5 class solar flare took place on the 3rd and a M1 class flare on the 5th when activity was at moderate levels. The remaining days activity was at low levels, with C class solar flares taking place. Solar flux levels declined from 148 units on the 3rd to 127 by the 8th. The average was 135 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 9th was 117 units, that's two units up on last week. X-ray flux levels declined from B6.5 units on the 3rd to B4.3 by the 8th. The average was B5.6 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet every day except for the 7th, when activity increased slightly to unsettled levels due to a small coronal hole. The Ap index for the 7th was 12 units. The average was Ap 8 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds increase from 330 kilometres per second on the 4th to 600 by the morning of the 6th. Speeds then gradually declined to 420 kilometres per second by the end of the period. Particle densities were low except for a brief increase to 45 particles per cubic centimetre on the 6th. Bz varied between minus 7 and plus 11 nanoTeslas on the 6th during the weak disturbance and between minus 4 and plus 1 nanoTeslas on the quietest day.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming week. This week solar activity is expected to be low, however, there is a reasonable chance of activity increasing on the occasional day. Solar flux levels are expected to be around the 120s but could increase towards next weekend. Geomagnetic activity is expected to be quiet every day. However, if a coronal mass ejection heads our way then activity would increase. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 23MHz for the south and 20MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be about 12MHz. Paths this week to India should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 22MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be about 17MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 1100 and 1600 hours UTC. Sporadic-E is expected to take place on some days up to 70MHz. In any intense openings propagation is possible on 144MHz.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
Category: Ham Radio | Comments |
May 3rd, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 5th May 2013
The news headlines:
G100RSGB, the special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary will be operated today and tomorrow by Horsham ARC, who plan to use the 10 to 80m bands as well as 2m and 70cm with SSB, CW, data and FM signals. On Tuesday, the callsign moves to Brede Steam ARS who will run CW, SSB, PSK and FM on the 10 to 80m bands as well as 2m. Wednesday, Crawley ARC have organised a station to run on the 160m to 23cm bands using CW, SSB, FM and data. Banbury ARS are running the callsign on Thursday and Friday of this week, using the 10 to 160m bands plus 2m and 70cm. On Saturday Newhaven Fort ARG take over with a station on the 20 and 40m bands using SSB and CW. Next Sunday, 12 May, Fort Purbrook RC will put the callsign on the air on the 20 and 40m bands as well as 2m and 70cm using SSB, CW and FM. Details of how to get your QSL card are on the website, www.rsgb.org.uk under the Operating drop down menu, clicking on Centenary Station.
Phil, G7BZD was the sub manager for the G0M series of callsigns but has had to give up the job due to health reasons. The RSGB would like to thank him for his service to the Society and his fellow amateurs. All the remaining cards and envelopes have been returned to the QSL bureau. Please do not send envelopes to Phil as details of the new QSL manager will appear in RadCom and on the RSGB website.
The Spring 2013 edition of The 5MHz Newsletter is now available for free download. This edition features news about 5MHz amateur band allocations, the latest update of the Worldwide Amateur 5MHz Allocations Chart, plus stories on 5MHz Web software defined radios and much more. You can download your copy at tinyurl.com/dxlpgyj.
A NASA funded sounding rocket mission will launch from an atoll in the Pacific in the next few weeks to help scientists better understand and predict the electrical storms in Earth's upper atmosphere. These severe weather outbursts can interfere with satellite communication, the global positioning system and other space-based communications including some used by radio amateurs. The EVEX mission will consist of the launch two rockets from the Marshall Islands for a twelve minute information gathering journey through the equatorial ionosphere above the South Pacific. The twin spacecraft will measure events in two separate regions of the ionosphere to see how they work together to drive the ionosphere from placid and smooth to violently disturbed. The launch window for EVEX runs until 10 May. More on this propagation study mission is online at tinyurl.com/nasa-storm-rocket.
The Radio Communications Foundation will be holding a Trustees meeting on 15 May. The objectives of the charity are “to advance the education of the public in the science and practice of radio communication and electrical engineering and to promote the wider benefits to the public resulting from such education and training”. The Trustees welcome requests for funding for projects that are in line with these objectives. At its May meeting the Trustees will be looking specifically at smaller projects. If you have a project that you think would benefit from RCF funding and would qualify, then please send details of it to marilyn.slade@rsgb.org.uk or by post to The Secretary, Radio Communications Foundation at RSGB HQ. If you are proposing or considering undertaking a major project requiring funding then please let the Secretary know so it may be considered at a later date. All decisions on whether to provide financial support are made by the Trustees and there is no certainty that any project proposed will receive funding.
Due to the demand for tickets, the RSGB Centenary dinner booking deadline has been extended. In addition to the after dinner speech by Prof Peter Cochrane, OBE, G3RVC, we can now announce that Steve Dean, a close up magician who will be familiar to regular Convention diners, will mix and mingle with guests during the early part of the dinner. He is a popular part of the RSGB Gala dinner at recent RSGB Convention and will add an interesting element to the event.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The Dambusters Hamfest will take place today, 5 May, at the Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre, Coningsby, Lincs LN4 4PE. Doors open at 10am and entry is £3. This year there will be a Bring & Buy, and GB617SQN will be on the air.
Bank holiday Monday, 6 May, sees the Dartmoor Radio Rally taking place at Tavistock College, Crowndale Road, Tavistock, Devon PL19 8DD. Doors open at 10.30am with entry costing £2. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy. Details from Viv on 01752 823 427.
The next rallies take place on 19 May and include the 30th National Amateur Radio Car Boot Sale in Luton and the Wolverhampton ARS Table Top Sale.
Now for the news of special events
The Radio Society of Harrow will be running demonstration station GX3EFX at the Harrow Museum May Day celebrations, at the Headstone Manor in Harrow on bank holiday Monday, 6 May. Details from Linda, G7RJL on 020 8386 8586.
GB4PEN is a CW only special event running from 10 May for 14 days to remember the loss of the Penlee Lifeboat. Full details on QRZ.com.
Huntingdonshire Amateur Radio Society will be active for Mills on the Air on 11 and 12 May from Duloe Windmill, near St Neots, using the callsign GB2DWM.
On the 16 and 17th May, the Lincoln Short Wave Club are operating GB70DAM in memory of the Air Crew and German civilians killed during the 617 Squadron’s raid on the great Ruhr dams of Germany. The station will be on RAF Scampton’s bomb dump where Barnes Wallis’s bouncing bomb was delivered on 16 May 1943. The station will operate from 3pm on the 16th until 3pm on the 17th using 40 and 80m, band conditions permitting. A limited edition QSL card will be available, details on QRZ.com.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
JA9LSZ is currently active from Nepal as 9N7SZ. His operation is on the HF bands only. Please QSL to JA9LSZ.
JJ8DEN will be active from Puka Puka Atoll, IOTA OC-062, in French Polynesia until 7 May. This will be followed by an operation from Raivavae Island, OC-114 in the Austral Island group as KH0PR stroke FO from 8 to 15 May. He will be active on the HF bands using CW, RTTY and PSK. QSL via JJ8DEN.
The Oceania DX Group will activate Norfolk Island, OC-005, as VK9NT, until 13 May. Four stations on the 10 to 80m bands will use CW, SSB and RTTY. An Online QSL Request Service will be available for bureau and direct cards on Club Log, which is the preferred method. Paper QSL can go direct to VK2CA.
A group of nine operators will be active as SX5KL from Kalolimnos, IOTA EU-001, from 10 to 20 May. They will operate CW, SSB and RTTY on the 6 to 160m bands. QSL via SV2FWV, direct or bureau and Logbook of The World.
Pierre, HB9AMO is currently active as 5U9AMO in Niger. It is a holiday-style operation and he will be there until 30 May. Listen for his CW signal on all bands from 10 to 80m. QSL manager is M0URX and logs will be uploaded to Logbook of the World.
ZL1AAO will be on Rarotonga Island, OC-013, in the South Cook Islands, until 14 May. He will use the callsign E51AAO running 100 watts on SSB on the 10 to 40m bands. QSLs go via the home callsign.
A team of Egyptian IOTA enthusiasts will operate from Nelson’s Island in the Nile Delta and Sinai Region until 10 May. The callsign will be SU8N. This will be the first operation from this island, and the Islands on the Air reference number is AF-109.
Now the contest news
The Worked All Britain LF phone contest on the 40, 80 and 160m bands takes place today, 5 May. Running from 1000 to 1400UTC, the exchange is signal report, serial number and WAB square. Entries need to be with the contest manager by 26 May. Full details of the rules and logsheets may be obtained from the WAB website, www.worked-all-britain.co.uk or from the contest manager, G3XKT, by email to aebbooks@ntlworld.com.
May 6 sees the 80m Club Championships SSB leg take place from 1900 to 2030UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number.
The following day, 7 May, it is the 144MHz UK Activity Contest from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Next weekend, 12 May, the 70MHz CW Contest runs from 0900 to 1200UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and postcode.
Now the solar report for the period from Friday 26 April to Thursday the 2nd of May, compiled by Martin Harrison, G3USF, on Friday 3rd May.
Solar activity was mostly low, though numerous C-class flares were reported every day. The level rose to moderate on the 2nd, when an M1.9 flare was reported. The solar flux increased from 122 on the 26th to 165 on the 30th, the highest level since January. The average over the week was 144, which is 33 higher than the previous week. The 90-day average gained 3 points to 115. The X-ray flux was also up, from an average B4.5 units to B7.9. Geomagnetic activity was variable. A C7 flare on the 24th resulted in a short, sharp disturbance early on the 26th and an Ap index for the day of 18 units. HF MUFs were depressed by a couple of MHz for most of the day. During the next few days geomagnetic activity was low, with the Ap index in single figures. There was another disturbance on May 1st. A high-speed coronal stream caused a minor storm when the interplanetary magnetic field turned south to -11 nanoTeslas. Particle densities, which were generally low, surged to 43 per cubic centimetre. The Ap index for the day was 21. VHF aurora was reported from midday through to the evening. As usual, its main UK beneficiaries were in Scotland. However, just before that disturbance, the whole UK had strong Sporadic-E at both 50 and 70MHz, and the MUF was reported to have reached 87MHz.
Now the forecast. Solar activity is likely to remain mostly low. However, several sunspot groups now on the solar disc or about to turn into view have the potential for M-class flares. The solar flux may fall back from the level of recent days, possibly into the 130s. The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly quiet, though a recurring coronal hole may lead to slightly higher levels at the start of the week. The major uncertainty is whether one of the sunspot regions facing us will produce a coronal mass ejection, bringing a disturbance later in the week. MUFs at equal latitudes will be around 23MHz in the south and 20MHz in the north. Darkness lows will again be about 12MHz. Sporadic-E up to 70MHz should occur on most days. It is still a little early in the season for openings on 144MHz, but they have been known. So it’s a good idea to keep an ear on Band 2 FM for rising MUFs. Paths to South America this week should have a maximum usable frequency, with a 50 per cent chance of a contact of 28MHz. The optimum working frequency, where there should be a 90 per cent prospect of success, will be 22MHz. The best times will be between 1300 and 2100UTC.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
Category: Ham Radio | Comments |
April 26th, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 28th April 2013
The news headlines:
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RSGB Contest Committee Newsletter released
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IARU Region 1 Interim Meeting news
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School visits start to National Radio Centre
The latest RSGB Contest Committee Newsletter is now available. You can subscribe to this newsletter by visiting www.rsgbcc.org and clicking on the link in the box at the top of the page. You may also be interested to learn that special Centenary commemorative certificates will be available for entrants in this year’s VHF NFD, although the rules for VHF NFD itself are unchanged. Special Centenary commemorative certificates will also be available to all participants in July's RSGB IOTA contest. More information will be published on the Contest Committee website nearer the contest.
IARU Region 1 held its Interim Meeting in Vienna last weekend. The RSGB presented a total of 11 papers, three on HF matters and eight on VHF and microwaves. The RSGB was represented by Murray Niman, G6JYB and Ian Greenshields, G4FSU. HF topics included preparations for the WRC15, which includes the possibility of a worldwide amateur allocation at 5MHz. Other proposals included trying to align some of the HF band plans between Regions and the DXpedition Code of Conduct. A number of other papers covered contest matters, support for newcomers via JOTA, operation of unmanned stations, and discussions on a possible band plan for the new 472 to 479kHz.amateur allocation. For VHF and microwaves, there were a total of 34 papers covered technical, operating, band planning and contest matters. Areas of focus were improvements to IARU contests and accommodating digital voice, beacon and TV developments. Band plans at 4m, 2m and 70cm came under particular scrutiny. Pressure on spectrum, notably at 2.3GHz, was also discussed. Several topics are expected to be further developed in time for the next Region 1 Conference in the autumn of 2014. The minutes and recommendations of the Interim Meeting will be published shortly, once approved by the Region 1 Executive Committee.
The National Radio Centre had its first school visit as part of the Bletchley Park education programme last week. Sixty pupils, aged around 10 years, from Christ the Sower school visited the centre in four groups, spending around 45 minutes exploring the exhibits. The visit was enjoyed by pupils and the RSGB is looking forward to welcoming more schools. This week, sixty 12 year old pupils from the Hill House International Junior school will visit the centre.
G100RSGB, the special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary, will be operated by CDXC from Maplehurst today using the 10 to 160m bands. Monday sees Horndean & District running HF and 2m from Cosham, then on Tuesday Brede Steam ARS will transmit from Rye on the 10 to 80m bands and 2m. On Wednesday, Crawley ARC will run from Top Band to 23cm and will include datamodes. On 2 and 3 May, Mid Sussex ARC will run 15 to 80m plus 2m from Burgess Hill. Saturday sees Hasting Electronics RC running 10 to 80m plus 2m and 70cm. Finally for this week, Horsham ARC will transmit from St Leonards next Sunday and Monday on the 10 to 80m bands plus 2m and 70cm. Details of how to get your QSL card are on the website, www.rsgb.org.uk under the Operating drop down menu, clicking on Centenary Station.
The Arfon Repeater Group 2m repeater, GB3AR, is once again connected to the Echolink system following the issue of an NOV to Brian, GW4KAZ. The GB3AR logic requires either CTCSS or tone burst for access from RF, plus audio of about 7 seconds to allow the logic to initiate. This period of audio is also required from internet access. Reports and constructive comments would be welcomed and further information on the Arfon Repeater Group can be found at www.Arfon.info.
The twice-delayed maiden flight of the Orbital Sciences Corporation Antares rocket carrying three CubeSats launched on 21 April. All three of the Phonesat based Cubesats carry an amateur radio payload downlinking on 437.425MHz. Each Cubesat transmits during individual time slots using AFSK modulation at 1200bps, AX.25 packet coding and have vertical linear polarisation. The orbit of the PhoneSat satellites are very low and they are only expected to remain on-orbit for two weeks.
The Bath based Advanced Distance Learning Team are starting to plan for their next course, which will run from June to December 2013. There are no fees for the classes but students will need a copy of the RSGB Advance! textbook and will, of course, need to pay the exam fee. Full details can be had from Steve Hartley, G0FUW, via G0FUW@tiscali.co.uk.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, 28 April, the 29th Yeovil QRP Convention takes place in Digby Hall, Hound Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3AA. Doors open at 9.30am and there will be trade stands and lectures as well as a Bring & Buy. Details from Steve, G7AHP on 01803 666 407.
The Dambusters Hamfest will take place on 5 May at the Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre, Coningsby, Lincs LN4 4PE. Doors open at 10am and entry is £3. This year there will be a Bring & Buy. GB617SQN will be on the air.
Bank holiday Monday, 6 May, sees the Dartmoor Radio Rally taking place at Tavistock College, Crowndale Road, Tavistock, Devon PL19 8DD. Doors open at 10.30am with entry being £2. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy. Details from Viv on 01752 823 427.
Now for the news of special events
Radio Society of Harrow will be running demonstration station GX3EFX at the Harrow Museum May Day celebrations, at Headstone Manor in Harrow on bank holiday Monday, 6 May. Details from Linda, G7RJL, on 020 8386 8586.
GB4PEN is a CW only special event running from 10 May for 14 days to remember the loss of the Penlee Lifeboat. Full details on QRZ.com.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
9M2SE will be activating Perhentian Besar Island, IOTA AS-073, from 1 to 3 May. The group will use a pair of 100 watt transceivers on the 10 through to 40m bands running CW, SSB and some digital modes. For QSL information please check 9M2SE carefully on QRZ.com.
Victor, R6AF will be active as DU1/R6AF from Busuanga Island, which is IOTA reference OC-090, until 3 May.
JD1YBT and JD1BLC will be on the air from Chichijima, which is IOTA reference AS-031, until 5 May. Plans are to be active on the 6 to 160m bands using CW, SSB, RTTY plus FM on 10m. QSL both calls via JP1IOF and Logbook of The World.
A large group of Italian amateurs will operate from Djerba Island, Tunisia until 4 May. They will use the callsign TS8IT. This operation will count as AF-083 for the Islands on the Air Award. QSL manager is IK2DUW.
Now the contest news
The BARTG Sprint 75 Contest takes place for four hours starting 1700 today, the 28th. Please note that all activity is 75 bauds and the contest exchange is a serial number only.
The 70MHz UK Activity Contest takes place from 1900 to 2130UTC on 30 April. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The 432MHz to 248GHz trophy contest runs from 1400UTC on 4 May to 1400UTC on 5 May. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
There are two contests running between 1400 and 2200UTC on 4 May: the 432MHz Trophy and the 10GHz Trophy. In both contests you can use all modes and the exchange is the same, signal report, serial number and locator.
The Worked All Britain LF phone contest on the 40, 80 and 160m bands is next Sunday, 5 May. Running from 1000 to 1400UTC. the exchange is signal report, serial number and WAB square. Entries need to be with the contest manager by 26 May. Full details of the rules and log sheets may be obtained from the WAB website www.worked-all-britain.co.uk or from the contest manager G3XKT by email to aebbooks@ntlworld.com.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 19th to Thursday the 25th of April compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday the 26th of April
Sunspot regions were visible every day throughout the period, with one group which was much larger and magnetically complex than the others. This region produced numerous C class solar flares every day and on the 22nd an impulsive M1 class solar flare took place, which increased activity from low to moderate levels. Solar flux levels increased from 99 units on the 19th to 119 by the 25th. The average was 111 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 25th was 112 units, that's one unit up on last week. X-ray flux levels increased from B2.5 units on the 19th to B7.3 by the 25th, the average was B4.5 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet every day till the 24th, when a predicted coronal hole disturbance arrived late on the 23rd. The Ap index for the 24th was 24 units. The average was Ap 7 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds increase from a very slow 240 kilometres per second on the 21st to peak at 480 by the 24th. Particle densities were low initially but increased to 105 particles per cubic centimetre on the 23rd and 168 on the 24th. I feel sure that these are the highest densities record here on GB2RS. Bz varied between minus 5 and plus 6 nanoTeslas prior to the arrival of the coronal hole disturbance and between minus 12 and plus 11 nanoTeslas during the disturbance. A good sporadic-E opening took place during the afternoon of the 24th on 50MHz. Also, around the same time, an aurora reached the north of Scotland.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming week. This week the more active side of the Sun is expected to be looking our way. Several sunspot regions should be in view, with more rotating into view during the week. These regions have produced solar flares while on the far side of the Sun. Solar activity is expected to be low but could increase to moderate or high on the occasional day. Solar flux levels are expected to increase and be around 130 units for most of the week. Geomagnetic activity is expected to be at quiet levels but if a coronal mass ejection heads our way then activity would increase. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 23MHz for the south and 20MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be about 12Mhz. Paths this week to Australia should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 24MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be about 18MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 0900 and 1100 hours UTC. Sporadic-E should take place on some days, especially on 28MHz and occasionally on 50MHz.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
Category: Ham Radio | Comments |
April 19th, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 21st April 2013
The news headlines:
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Amateur volunteers at Boston Marathon
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South Africa licences 5MHz
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Distance Learning for the Advanced Exam
As has happened many times in years past, over 200 amateur radio operators participated in communications for the Boston Marathon on Monday 15 April 15. Unlike previous years, this year’s marathon will be remembered for the bombings that took place at the finish line. Despite this tragedy, professional first responders, medical volunteers from the American Red Cross that staffed the route and amateur radio operators performed magnificently in the face of adversity. The RSGB were delighted to learn that no amateur radio volunteers were injured on the course, including ARRL colleagues. The full story can be seen at www.arrl.org/news.
South Africa is the latest entrant onto 5MHz. The SA equivalent of our Ofcom approved two 5MHz frequencies for the South African Radio League to carry out propagation research. The SARL expects the licenses to be issued next week and is the process of creating a special webpage for the project. It is planned to schedule transmissions on one channel from various parts of South Africa at various times and radio amateurs will be requested to send in reception reports. The second channel will be available for individual QSOs.
The Bath based Advanced Distance Learning Team are starting to plan for their next course, which will run from June to December 2013. There are no fees for the classes but students will need a copy of the RSGB Advance! textbook and will, of course, need to pay the exam fee. The exam can be sat either in Bath or at any local exam centre. There is a deposit to pay that is intended to signal some commitment to the training. Deposits are refunded to those that take an active part in the learning; those that drop out, or study in silence, agree to donate their deposit to a radio charity. So, how does it work? Each week, students receive guided reading instructions and revision questions. Allocated tutors mark students’ answers and provide worked solutions in return. Tutors will also provide points of clarification on request. The material is supplemented by additional exercises and some video demonstrations on YouTube. Pass rates for those that sit the exam after the Distance Learning have been between 90 and 100% since the courses started in 2011. Further details can be had from Steve Hartley, G0FUW, via G0FUW@tiscali.co.uk.
After almost a year of planning and building, a new RSGB website is up and running. A web-based Software Defined Radio for the 5, 7 and 14MHz bands is now available and can be found under the MyRSGB drop-down menu. Also on the new site are Live DX Cluster and Live solar data pages under the News drop-down menu. Check out www.rsgb.org.
G100RSGB, the special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary, moves to Region 10 this week. Today, 21 April, is the final day of GU100RSGB operation by the Guernsey ARC with operation on the HF bands and 6m to 70cm. Monday, the callsign reverts to G100RSGB and will be run by the Wessex Group from Cold Ashton for 24 hours of operation. Tuesday 23rd is the turn of Chippenham & District ARC using the 2, 10, 15, 20, 40 and 80m bands. Wednesday sees the callsign in Chandler’s Ford with the Itchen Valley club and on the 25th the club move operation to Winchester, both with HF stations. On Friday the FOC will run a station from Brighton using mainly CW on the HF bands. Then next weekend, Trowbridge and District ARC will run HF and VHF on Saturday and CDXC on Sunday with a station in Maplehurst. Details of how to get your QSL card are on the website, www.rsgb.org.uk under the Operating drop down menu, clicking on Centenary Station.
Communicating between a cave and the surface is a formidable challenge, yet it’s a common requirement for underground explorers and it plays a vital role in coordinating cave rescues. With the growth of interest in low frequency radio in recent years, radio amateurs and electronics enthusiasts are well placed to make a contribution in this area. If you’d like to get involved in this unusual yet fascinating realm of radio, and perhaps make a contribution to the state of the art, the Journal of the Cave Radio and Electronics Group (CREG), published by the British Cave Research Association (BCRA), is essential reading. Check out the website at http://bcra.org.uk/pub/cregj/.
ED8ZAB is the first D-Star repeater in the Canary Islands. It is rated at 10 watts and transmits on 438.462.5MHz at 1200m altitude from Gran Canaria. A new CCS system consisting of a routing via DMTF has been installed; send the DTMF D-Star 40412 from your nearest repeater. Please send reports to ed8zab@yahoo.es.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, 21 April, the West London Radio & Electronics Show takes place at Kempton Park Racecourse, Staines Road East, Sunbury on Thames TW16 5AQ. Doors open at 10am and there will be trade stands, a Bring & Buy and special interest groups. Details from Paul, M0CJX, on 08451 650 351.
Also today, 21 April, the RADARS Rally and Surplus Equipment Sale will be held in The Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 2TP. Doors open at 10.30am and entry is £2. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy. Details from rally@ripon.org.uk.
Next Sunday, 28 April, the 29th Yeovil QRP Convention will take place in Digby Hall, Hound Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3AA. Doors open at 9.30am and there will be trade stands and lectures as well as a Bring & Buy. Details from Steve, G7AHP on 01803 666 407.
Now for the news of special events
Gordano Amateur Radio Club will be operating GB5IMD, an International Marconi Day special event station, on all bands from 10 to 80m from Flat Holm Island in the Bristol Channel on 20 April. On the 19th and 21st the club will be operating as GW0GRG/P.
GB1PC will be on the air until 28 April to celebrate the new police service of Scotland.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
Andy, M0HLT, will be off to the Falkland Islands on a 2 year work contract. Arrangements have been made to acquire a VP8 callsign for use when work allows. He will be meeting up with Bob, VP8LP and operating from his location with his kind permission when work commitments allow.
Hans, DL6JGN and Guenter, DL2AWG will activate Nukunonu Atoll until 30 April. They will use the call ZK3N and be active on CW, SSB and RTTY. This one counts as OC-048 for the Islands on the Air Award.
Prefix hunters will be interested to work XR86PL. This station is on the air from Chile until 30 April. It marks the 86th Anniversary of the Chilean Police. QSL Manager is CE3ETE.
Pai, VU2PAI and Krish, W4VKU are due to appear as 8Q7KP, with two stations on the bands from 23 to 30 April from Bodu Finolhu Island, AS-013. QSL via OQRS, eQSL and Logbook of the World.
Members of the Kilmarnock and Loudoun ARC are signing as MM0KLR from the Isle of Canna, EU-008, between 22 and 27 April. All HF bands and all modes will be used. QSL via MM0KLR via the bureau or direct to MM0GHM.
Now the contest news
Today, Sunday 21st, the second of five UK Microwave Group Low Band contests takes place between 1000 and 1600UTC. The bands for this one are 23cm, 13cm and 9cm and the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The 50MHz UK Activity Contest takes place on 23 April from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On the same day, the SHF UK Activity Contest takes place from 1900 to 2130UTC on the 2.3GHz and up bands. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The RTTY leg of the SPDX Contest runs for 24 hours from 1200 on Saturday 27th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number, with SP stations also sending their Province code.
Finally for this week, the BARTG Sprint 75 Contest takes place for four hours starting 1700 on Sunday 28th. Please note that all activity is 75 bauds and the contest exchange is a serial number only.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 12th to the 18th of April compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday the 19th of April.
Solar activity started at moderate levels when a M3 class solar flare took place during the evening of the 12th. Since then activity was low with only occasional C class solar flares taking place. However, none occurred on the 14th and solar activity was at very low levels. Solar flux levels declined from 138 units on the 12th to 105 by the 18th. The average was 117 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 18th was 111 units, that's two units down on last week. X-Ray flux levels declined from B5.9 units to B2.8 units by the 17th and the 18th. The average was B3.5 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet every day. The most disturbed day was the 14th, with an Ap index of 10 units. The average was Ap 5 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds decline from 550 kilometres per second to end of the period at 280 kilometres per second. Particle densities were low except for the morning of the 14th, which increased to 20 particles per cubic centimetre. Bz varied between minus 5 and plus 6 nanoTeslas except for the 14th, which varied between minus 8 and plus 12 nanoTeslas.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming week. At least for the first half of the week the quiet side of the Sun will be in view. However, after midweek the more active side of the Sun will start to rotate into view. Solar activity is expected to be very low on the occasional day but should increase later in the week. Solar flux levels are expected to be around the 100 mark but should increase to around 110 units by the end of the week. Geomagnetic activity is expected to start at quiet levels but by midweek increase due to two recurring coronal holes. There are two holes, one in each hemisphere with the hole in the southern hemisphere the larger. Activity should have declined to quiet levels by the end of the period. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 23MHz for the south and 20MHz for the north. Levels could be slightly lower during any geomagnetic disturbance. Darkness hour lows should be around 12MHz. Paths this week to the Middle East should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 23MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be about 18MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 0900 and 1600 hours UTC. Normally, around the end of April sees the start of the summer Sporadic-E season. It will still be some weeks yet before openings become frequent and reach the VHF bands.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
Category: Ham Radio | Comments |
April 12th, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 14th April 2013
The news headlines:
On 18 April, World Amateur Radio Day celebrates the forming of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) on 18 April 1925. This year the theme is Entering Its Second Century of Disaster Communications. This commemorates the first known use of amateur radio in a disaster situation when, in March 1913, the Scioto River in Columbus, Ohio flooded its banks, killing more than 100 people. According to local newspapers, Herbert Akerberg, a 15-year-old from Hilltop, Ohio used his home radio transmitter to send SOS calls via Morse code for nearly 72 hours. His actions were highly commended by the city authorities and his achievement widely heralded over the country as a new contribution to the comparatively new science of radio.
After almost a year of planning and building a new site by a small team led by Alan, G0TLK, we are pleased to announce the new RSGB site will be going live at the end of this week at www.rsgb.org. It's not yet complete and development work will continue. We need authors, particularly for the technical section, and good quality pictures. If you want to help please contact the RSGB General Manager, Graham Coomber, G0NBI by e-mail at graham.coomber@rsgb.org.uk.
G100RSGB, the special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary, stays in Region 11 again this week. Today, 14 April, Torbay ARS are running a 24 hour HF station in Newton Abbot using SSB, digital modes and FM. Monday sees Taunton & District ARS running CW and SSB on the 10 to 40m bands. Tuesday the callsign moves to Sidmouth where Norman Lockyer Observatory will be running HF, 6m and 70cm using SSB, PSK31 & ROS. Wednesday sees Exmouth ARC putting the callsign on the air. On Thursday 18 April, West Devon RC will be running CW and SSB on 70cm, 2, 6, 10, 20 and 40m from Plymouth. Friday 19 April and Riviera ARC will be on the air from Torquay using the 2, 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 40 and 80m bands on CW, SSB, PSK and SSTV. Next weekend, 20 and 21 April, the callsgin moves to Guernsey and changes to GU100RSGB. The club will be on the HF bands as well as 6m to 70cm using SSB, RTTY, PSK, Satellite, WSJT and SSTV. Details of how to get your QSL card are on the website, www.rsgb.org.uk.
On Thursday, the RSGB gave a presentation to staff at Ofcom entitled the RSGB’s first 100 years. It celebrated the history of the Society, its relationship with the regulator and what amateur radio can achieve in today’s world. After the talk, which was presented by Jim Lee, G4AEH, Ofcom’s Head of Business Radio, Paul Jarvis, thanked the Society for the presentation and said it showed the amateur hobby in an excellent light.
On Tuesday 9 April, the count took place for the re-establishment of the RAIBC committee. The ballot was overseen and conducted by the RSGB. Brian Tuffill was elected Chairman and Terry Baldwin was appointed equipment manager with Mr Maunder and Mr Watts elected as Committee Members. The count was conducted by Carlos Eavis, G3VHF and Mark Allgar, M1MPA from the RSGB staff and an independent scrutiniser Bill Pyle, G8IAY. The RAIBC were represented by Terry Baldwin who took no part in the count process.
The latest Region One IARU Monitoring System newsletter reports a Russian over the horizon radar has been transmitting between 3.555 to 3.590 and 3.750 to 3.785MHz. The signal is always 35kHz wide with its location believed to be in the area of Makhachkala in the Caspian Sea. A letter has been sent to the Russian Radio Society asking for assistance in ending the operation of this radar system. An Iran based over the horizon radar has been interfering with amateur radio operations on the 10m band. This radar is on the air daily on 28.000 to 29.700MHz transmitting bursts that are 60kHz wide. The splatter from the signal often covers spectrum 500kHz or more in bandwidth. The German Department of Post and Telecommunications has sent an official complaint to its counterpart in Iran. The Dutch Datawell buoys are still operating illegally on 10 meters. If you happen across signals in the amateur radio bands that you know do not belong there, please send a report to the Intruder Watch Coordinator for the nation that you live in, see www.iaru-r1.org for more information.
The Hurdy Gurdy Museum of Vintage Radio will be celebrating International Marconi Day and the tower will be open from 11am to 4pm. The callsign will be EI0MAR. The tower was the site for an experimental Marconi Station in 1905. All visitors are welcome, licensed amateurs, SWLs and anyone with an interest in radio. The museum is located in the Martello Towel, Howth Harbour, Fingal, County Dublin.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
A WW2 Air Forces Radar Reunion will be held at Blackpool from Friday, 12 April to Monday 15 April. Operators, mechanics, filter room and airbourne radar visitors welcome. Day visitors are also welcome. For further details please contact Jim Ward, G0DGG, 17Valley Walk, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire WD3 3TA.
On 21 April, the West London Radio & Electronics Show will take place at Kempton Park Racecourse, Staines Road East, Sunbury on Thames TW16 5AQ. Doors open at 10am and there will be trade stands, a Bring & Buy and special interest groups Details from Paul, M0CJX on 08451 650 351.
On 21 April the RADARS Rally And Surplus Equipment Sale will be held in The Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 2TP. Doors open at 10.30am and entry is £2. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy. Details from rally@ripon.org.uk.
Now for the news of special events
Gordano Amateur Radio Club will be operating GB5IMD, an International Marconi Day special event station, on all bands from 10 to 80m from Flat Holm Island in the Bristol Channel on 20 April. On the 19th and 21st the club will be operating as GW0GRG/P.
Telford and District Amateur Radio Society will be operating from the old Marconi receive only station at Tywyn, on the west coast of Wales, on 20 April. Using GB100TMD they will be on the air from 0001 until 2359UTC on all bands from Top Band to 28MHz using both SSB and CW. They will also be using CW only around 474kHz. Visitors are welcome and may operate too. For more details contact Simon Taylor, 2E0CHV on 01588 673053, evenings only.
Cleddau ARS will be operating a special event station, GC0SYG/MM, from on-board the Stena Europe Irish Sea ferry in memory of the 101st Titanic remembrance weekend until 2359UTC on 14 April. The ferry will travel between Fishguard in Wales and Rosslare in Eire and the station will operate on 40m and 20m primarily using CW and SSB with and some PSK31. Spots will be made via clusters.
The Radio Society of Harrow will be running GX3EFX and displaying period radio equipment at the 1940's Family Experience Weekend on 14 April at the Lincolnsfield Centre, Bushey Hall Drive, WD23 2ES.
On Saturday 20 April, Halifax & District Amateur Radio Society will be running a special event station during the St George's Day Youth Festival in the Piece Hall, Halifax. The callsign GB4HPH will be active between 10am and 4pm on 40m. It is also hoped to activate the callsign on Friday 19th on 2m. QSL cards will be issued via the RSGB's QSL bureau only if requested.
On 20 April, Southport and District Amateur Radio Club will be operating an International Marconi Day special event station under the club callsign G2OA on various HF and VHF bands using CW, SSB and FM. The station will be located at the club house in Scarisbrick. Visitors are very welcome to attend and for directions see www.sadarc.org.uk.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
Rob, J6/N7QT and Frans, J69DS will be active from St Lucia, IOTA reference NA-108 until 16 April. They will operate CW, SSB and RTTY or PSK on the 10 to 80m bands with field portable activity and lightweight antennas from beaches or mountain tops. QSL J6/N7QT via his home callsign either direct or via the bureau, LoTW and eQSL and QSL J69DS direct only.
Brian, GW4DVB will be active as J8/G4DVB from Palm Island, which is IOTA reference NA-025 until 20 April. [
The ZK3N DXpedition to Tokelau has been brought forward and Hans, DL6JGN and Guenter, DL2AWG will now be active on 15 to 30 April. They will operate CW, SSB and digital modes on the 10 to 80m bands. QSL via DL2AWG.
Maurizio, IK2GZU will be back in Tanzania until 8 May. He will be working on electrical installations in the local hospital and orphanage. In his spare time he plans to reactivate his 5H3MB callsign. QSLs go via his home callsign.
Mario CT1FTR will be in Khartoum, Sudan until June. He is signing ST2FT.
Rick AI5P is off to the Caribbean and will first visit Dominica until 20 April. While there he will use the callsign J75PX. Then he travels to Martinique until 30 April where his call will be TO5PX. QSLs are via his home callsign.
Now the contest news
On 16 April the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest takes place from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The data leg of the 80m Club Championships takes place on 18 April from 1900 to 2030UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number.
The Spring EU Sprint Contests SSB leg takes place on Saturday 20th. Running from 1600 to 2000UTC on the 3.5 to 14MHz bands, the exchange is both callsigns, serial number and name. Note there is no signal report in this exchange.
On Sunday 21st the second of five UK Microwave Group Low Band contests takes place between 1000 and 1600UTC. The bands for this one are 23cm, 13cm and 9cm and the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 5th to Thursday the 11th of April compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday the 12th of April.
During the period many sunspot groups were visible with up to ten groups on the 5th, some of these groups were large and looked rather threatening. Right at the start of the period, an impulsive M2 solar flare took place and then, at the end of the period, a much larger M6 solar flare occurred. An Earth directed coronal mass ejection was associated with this flare. Solar flux levels increased from 134 units on the 5th to 148 by the 10th. The average was 140 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 11th was 113 units, that's one unit down on last week. X-ray flux levels increased from B3.6 units on the 5th to B7 by the 10th. The average was B5.1 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet everyday with an average of Ap 4 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds increase erratically from a slow 250 kilometres per second on the 5th to 500 by the 11th. Particle densities were low everyday except for the 10th, which increased to 20 particles per cubic centimetre. Bz never varied more than minus 7 and plus 8 nanoTeslas for the entire period.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming week. Later this week the quiet side of the Sun is expected to be rotating into view. Solar activity is expected to be low but activity could increase to moderate levels with the occasional M class solar flare taking place. Solar flux levels should decline and be around the 100 mark later in the week. Geomagnetic activity could be at 'storm levels' due to the coronal mass ejection that departed the Sun on the 11th. Activity should then decline for the rest of the period to quiet levels. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 23MHz for the south and 20MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows are expected to be about 11MHz. Paths this week to the east coast of North America should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 22MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be about 17MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 1600 and 2100 hours UTC.
And that’s all for another week from the propagation team.
Category: Ham Radio | Comments |
April 5th, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 7th April 2013
The news headlines:
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Spectrum Pressure Continues
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STRaND-1 Signal Reports Requested
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GJ100RSGB goes on air this week
The Ofcom 4G auction has now concluded and raised £2.4bn. However inexorable demand now requires further spectrum for 5Gand one of the topics for WRC-15 is additional spectrum for mobile broadband. Ofcom is consulting on potential bands for this, largely within the 400MHz to 6GHz range, with a deadline of 29 April. The RSGB is liaising with Ofcom in order to enhance their familiarity with amateur microwave activity and protect ATV and narrowband users. The recruitment of Noel Matthews, G8GTZ from BATC to RSGB-ETCC for ATV matters adds to our volunteer base for the effort involved. A background article on ‘Spectrum Release’ was featured in the January edition of RadCom and is now available as a download on the RSGB band plan web page.
Dr Chris Bridges, M0GGK, from the Surrey Space Centre, has advised that the amateur radio beacon on their STRaND-1 CubeSat became intermittent over the Easter weekend. Both DK3WN and ST2NH have reported that no signals have been heard since Sunday. Radio amateurs are asked to listen for STRaND-1 over the next few days and report any positive results, by e-mail, to C.P.Bridges@surrey.ac.uk. Listen for a 9k6 bps AX.25 signal around 437.568MHz, plus or minus the Doppler shift.
G100RSGB, the special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary stays in Region 11 this week. GJ100RSGB will be on the air today, Sunday 7, and Monday from Jersey with Jersey ARS running the station from La Moye Signal Station. They are planning to use the 10m to 160m bands as well as 2m and 70cm. On Tuesday, Dartmoor Radio Club take over with a station running on the 80, 20, 15 and 6m bands as well as 2m and 70cm. Wednesday and Thursday is the turn of Appledore & DARC with HF and VHF from Northam. On Friday, Poldhu ARC is running the station from the Marconi Centre in Mullion using the 20 and 40m bands. Next weekend, 13th and 14th, Torbay ARS are running the callsign from Newton Abbott and plan to be on air for 24 hours on the 13th. They will have an HF station on the air running SSB, digimodes and FM. Details of how to get your QSL card are on the website, www.rsgb.org.uk.
The RSGB Centenary dinner will take place at Horwood House in the evening of 5 July, the anniversary day. As well as this being a voluntary black tie event to recreate the dinners held in the early days of the Society, it is intended to re-create a menu based on one of these early dinners, including a souvenir menu card. Tickets and overnight accommodation are still available, although numbers are limited and are selling quickly. Visit the RSGB shop for your tickets and don’t forget we are planning to re-create the early days with a commemorative photograph.
Eddie Bennett, G3ZJO, may now hold a QRP distance record for a micro power transmission using a Raspberry Pi microcomputer as a transmitter. He used the 10 milliwatts of RF that can be generated from the Raspberry Pi computer board to be heard at over 2000km on the 7MHz band as the Pi can be made to operate as a WSPR mode transmitter. Among the stations who received his WSPR signal on 40m was LA9JO in JP99 at a distance of 2124km. Details of how you could try this is available at tinyurl.com/raspberry-pi-transmitter.
OE13M is an official International Marconi Day station and will be on the air from 0000UTC on 19 April to 2400UTC on 21 April, although only contacts made on 20 April are valid for the IMD award. Run by the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation and the Documentary Archives Radio Communications /QSL Collection, you can QSL via OE1WHC. Details are on QRZ.com.
The RSGB’s Centenary AGM will take place at the IET, Savoy Place, London on the 20th April at noon. If you are intending to attend, it would be appreciated if you could let the RSGB know by filling in the very short form at www.rsgb.org/attendagm.
A new 70cm beacon based upon the Next Generation Beacon platform has come to the airwaves from Denmark. The OZ7IGY beacon on 432.471MHz became operational on 30 March and is expected to remain very stable in frequency as the transmitter is locked to a GPS receiver. The transmission sequence is timed to start at 00 second sending PI4 followed by a short pause then CW ID sending callsign and locator. It’s then is in carrier only mode until next cycle begins. The beacon joins its counterparts on 6, 4 and 2 meters operating from the same location and running the same transmission sequence. All four use the PI4 digital modulation system that was specifically designed to work with beacons and propagation studies in mind. You can download the PI-RX to decode PI4 at tinyurl.com/pirx-beacon-software.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The Cambridge Repeater Group Rally will be held at Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN today, 7 April. Doors open at 10am and admission is £2. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy. More details can be obtained from M0LCM on 01223 711 840.
Also today, 7 April, the Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Exhibition will take place in the Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool FY2 9AA. Doors open at 10.30am, 10.15 for disabled visitors and there will be trade stands, special interest groups a Bring & Buy and an RSGB bookstall. More information from Dave, M0OBW on 01270 761 608.
Finally for today, 7 April, the South Gloucestershire Amateur Radio Rally will be held at the Scout Activity Centre, Woodhouse Park, Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4LX. Doors open at 10am and there will be a Bring & Buy at this rally. More details from Mike, M1DPB, on 07806 310 095.
A WW2 Air Forces Radar Reunion will be held at Blackpool from Friday, 12 April to Monday 15 April. Operators, mechanics, filter room and airbourne radar visitors welcome. Day visitors are also welcome. For further details please contact Jim Ward, G0DGG, 17Valley Walk, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire WD3 3TA.
There are no rallies next weekend, 13 and 14 April. The West London Radio and Electronics Show, also called the Kempton Rally, will take place on 21 April as will the RADARS rally and surplus equipment sale in Ripon. More details next week
Now for the news of special events
As part of its 100th anniversary events, Northampton Radio Club is operating a special event station at a model exhibition weekend at Windmill Primary School in Raunds, Northamptonshire today, 7 April. As well as there being an exhibition of model boats and hovercrafts, helicopters, aircraft and trains, Northampton Radio Club will be operating HF, VHF, UHF and D-Star. Everyone is welcome to attend and further information including the school address can be seen at the clubs’ website at www.nrc1913.clubbz.com.
From 9am on Friday 12 April to 5pm on 13 April, Sheffield Amateur Radio Club will be operating as GB5SWW for Sheffield Wireless Worlds from the Sheffield Hallam University Cantor Building in the centre of Sheffield. The station is part of an exhibition of art and film by Esther Johnson, a talented artist, film maker and Reader in Media at the Hallam University. GB5SWW hopes to be active on all bands from 80m to 10m as well as D-Star and the local 70cm repeater GB3US. QSL cards should go via the GB sub bureau or direct to G3PHO with appropriate return postage and SAE. The exhibition features radio memorabilia, QSL cards and two interesting films screened at intervals throughout the period. Entry to the exhibition is free.
Cleddau ARS will be operating a special event station, GC0SYG/MM, from on-board the Stena Europe Irish Sea ferry in memory of the 101st Titanic remembrance weekend from 0200UTC on 13 April to 2359UTC on 14 April. The ferry will travel between Fishguard in Wales and Rosslare in Eire and the station will operate on 40m and 20m primarily using CW and SSB with and some PSK31. Spots will be made via clusters.
The Radio Society of Harrow will be running GX3EFX and displaying period radio equipment at the 1940's Family Experience Weekend on 13 and 14 April at the Lincolnsfield Centre, Bushey Hall Drive, WD23 2ES.
A CW only special event station, GB4RPI, will be on the air from 11 April. Operation will be on Top Band, 80m, 40m, 30m and 20m to commemorate those who lost their lives in Trident Tragedy at Staines in 1972. Details are on qrz.com.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
A team of 15 German operators will be active as 5W0M from Le Lagoto, Samoa until 18 April. Operation will be on the 6 to 80m bands using CW, SSB and RTTY plus 2m EME. They plan to have four stations active simultaneously. QSL HF and 6m via DL4SVA, direct or by the Bureau and EME QSOs to DL9MS.
CT1FTR is now active from the Sudan as ST2FT operating both the HF and VHF bands using a Yaesu FT-857 and a loop antenna. QSL via CT1FTR.
Paul, 2E1EUB will be operational as 2M1EUB from the eastern side of Scotland in the Cairngorms National Park until 13 April. Activity will be on 160, 80, and several satellites as well as 2m SSB. Check out QRZ.com under 2M1EUB for more information.
Rob N7QT will be on the air from St Lucia in the Caribbean until 16 April. Using the callsign J6/N7QT with battery power and lightweight antennas.
Chris, GM3WOJ and Keith, GM4YXI are operating as VK9CZ on Cocos Keeling until 13 April. They are active on all bands from 10 to 160m using SSB, CW and some RTTY. QSL manager is N3SL and logs will be uploaded to Logbook of the World.
Now the contest news
The SSB leg of RoPoCo takes place on the 80m band today, 7 April, from 1900 to 2030UTC. Both RoPoCos are HF Championship events, with the maximum output power limited to 100 watts. The exchange is signal report and the full postcode received.
In the 3-hour 1st 70MHz contest taking place from 0900 to 1200UTC today, 7 April, there are no multipliers. It’s a straight race to accumulate as many kilometres worked as possible. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The CW/SSB leg of the SPDX Contest runs for 24 hours until 1500 today, 7 April. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz bands. Work Polish stations only, giving them a signal report and serial number. Expect a signal report and a single-letter province code in return.
9 April sees the 432MHz UK Activity Contest take place from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all mode the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The SSB leg of the 80m Club Championships takes place on 10 April from 1900 to 2030UTC. The exchange is the usual signal report and serial number.
The EU Spring Sprint takes place on 13 April from 1600 to 2000UTC using the 3.5 to 14MHz bands. You should exchange callsigns, serial number and name. There’s no need to exchange a signal report.
The First 50MHz Contest is on Sunday 14th. This event has multipliers for countries, Postcodes and locator squares, which means continually turning the beam and searching for new multipliers if you want to be successful. Running from 0900 to 1200UTC and using all modes the exchange is signal; report, serial number, locator and postcode.
Now the solar report for the period from Friday March 29th to Thursday the 4th of April, compiled by Martin Harrison, G3USF, on Friday April 5th.
Solar activity was again very low. During the entire period only four small C-class flares were reported and these had no impact on propagation. The solar flux level rose from 105 on the 39th to 129 on the 4th to average 116 over the week – an increase of 20 points on the previous week. However, the 90-day average dropped one point to 114. The X-ray flux rose steadily to average B2.6. The weel began with the geomagnetic field was at minor storm level. This was the result of a high-speed coronal wind stream that sent the Ap index for the 29th to reach 23 units. That was enough to trigger bright Arctic auroras and radio auroras at 50 and 144MHz lasting several hours on the afternoon an early evening of the 29th. But, as so often happens, these were almost wholly restricted to stations at high latitudes. HF propagation was below par for much of the day as a result. The disturbance died down during the 30th and, for the rest of the period geomagnetic activity stayed low, with the daily Ap in single figures. Solar wind speeds recorded by the ACE spacecraft reached 540km/second during the disturbance on the 29th, then declined to 274km/second on the 3rd of April. Particle densities were generally low. Bz – that’s the interplanetary magnetic field - varied between plus and minus 4 nanoTeslas on quiet days and between minus 10 and plus 8 nanoTeslas during the disturbed days.
Now the forecast for the coming week. Solar activity is expected to remain low or very low, with only occasional flares, mostly of modest C-class dimensions. There are no indications of any highly active areas currently on the far side of the Sun rotating into view. Solar flux levels appear likely to fall back from the level of recent days but are expected to remain above the 100mark. Geomagnetic activity should stay low. MUFs at equal latitudes will be around 24MHz in the south and 21MHz in the north. Darkness lows will stay in the region of 10MHz. Paths to Japan should have a maximum usable frequency of about 25MHz, where there should be a 50 per cent chance of a contact. There should be a 90 per cent success rate at the Optimum Working Frequency of 20MHz. The path should be its best between 1000 and 1300UTC.
And that’s all for another week from the propagation team.
Category: Ham Radio | Comments |
March 29th, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 31st March 2013
The news headlines:
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AROS Deputy Controller sought
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Australian amateurs try to protect 13cm
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GJ100RSGB goes on air this week
A vacancy exists for a Deputy Controller for the Amateur Radio Observation Service. AROS has an important role as it works behind the scenes, largely independent of the rest of the RSGB, to assist radio amateurs and others to investigate reports of licence infringements and poor operating, which might bring the hobby into disrepute. Apart from managing issues being sent into AROS, the deputy coordinator will work closely with the coordinator to support and organise any investigation carried out by the group of observers and liaises directly with Ofcom’s enforcement and licensing teams. A good working knowledge of amateur radio is needed for the position, along with a discrete but objective approach to problem solving and issue resolution, and a track record of good inter-personal skills. Applications along with an appropriate CV, or expressions of interest, should be sent to the Chairman of the RSGB Spectrum Forum, John Gould, G3WKL by e-mail to g3wkl@rsgb.org.uk or by mail, marked Personal, to AROS, 3 Abbey Court, Fraser Road, Priory Business Park, Bedford MK44 3WH.
The Wireless Institute of Australia, which has already seen losses in its UHF and microwave amateur allocations over the years, is mounting a spirited response as it tries to protect its diminutive 13cm allocation. The WIA wishes to preserve a future for leading edge weak-signal narrowband and EME operators who have now just 2300-2302MHz remaining from their original ITU 13cm allocation. The submission is available on the WIA website http://wia.org.au.
G100RSGB, the special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary remains in Region 11 this week. Today, 31 March, Plymouth Radio Club & Saltash will put an HF, VHF and UHF station on the air using SSB and possibly CW. On Monday, Riviera ARC will run the station on Torquay, look out in particular for the SSTV signals. 2 and 3 April sees the callsign with Poole ARS running 2m and HF bands with SSB, CW and datamodes. On Thursday the callsign moves to Wimborne with Flight Refuelling ARS running three stations from 70cm to Top Band, including 4 and 6m. On Friday Weston super mare RS will run the callsign on UHF to Top Band using CW and SSB. Then on 6th to 8th the callsign changes to GJ100RSGB when Jersey ARS run the callsign from La Moye Signal Station. Listen for their HF, VHF and UHF signals. Details of how to get your QSL card are on the website, www.rsgb.org.uk
The RSGB’s Centenary AGM will take place at the IET, Savoy Place, London on the 20th April at noon. If you are intending to attend, it would be appreciated if you could let the RSGB know by filling in the very short form at www.rsgb.org/attendagm
The next RSGB Getting Started e-mail newsletter is due out in early April. Any RSGB Member who hasn’t already signed up to receive copies should go to www.rsgb.org/gettingstarted.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Next weekend there are a number of rallies taking place.
The Cambridge Repeater Group Rally will be held at Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge, Cambs CB22 6RN on 7 April. Doors open at 10am and admission is £2. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy. More details can be obtained from M0LCM on 01223 711 840.
Also on 7 April, the Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Exhibition will take place in the Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool FY2 9AA. Doors open at 10.30am, 10.15 for disabled visitors and there will be trade stands, special interest groups a Bring & Buy and an RSGB bookstall. More information from Dave, M0OBW on 01270 761 608
Finally, on 7 April the South Gloucestershire Amateur Radio Rally will be held at the Scout Activity Centre, Woodhouse Park, Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4LX. Doors open at 10am and there will be a Bring & Buy at this rally. More details from Mike, M1DPB, on 07806 310 095.
Now for the news of special events
GB2RAF, the RAF Neatishead Radar Museum Permanent Special Event Station, will be on the air celebrating the 75th Anniversary of The Royal Air Force Amateur Radio Society on 1 April from 0900 to 1700UTC on 80m or 40m using SSB or CW.
GM0OBX will be running a special event call of GB1PC during April from Stirling and District Amateur Radio Society HQ to celebrate the new Police Service of Scotland. Working on all bands, full details can be found on QRZ.com. Please QSL via bureau and GM0OBX.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
N7QT will be heading back to Saint Lucia to operate stroke J6 between 5 and 16 April. Activity will be on 10 through to 80m using CW, SSB and RTTY and PSK. He will also be operating field portable from the St. Lucia beaches and mountain tops. QSL as directed on the air.
Jonas, LY5A will be active as LY23A until 11 April to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of the restoration of Lithuanian independence. QSL via LY5A
Dirk, DL5DCL, will spend his holidays on Ameland which is IOTA reference EU-038 from 1 to 6 April. He will be transmitting in holiday style signing PA/DL5DCL mostly in CW on HF. QSL via DL5DCL either via the bureau, direct or OQRS.
Ela, DL1TM, and Tor, DJ4MG, will be active in SSB and PSK on the 10 to 160m bands signing OZ7TM and 5P4MGN from 1 to 18 April. They will also try to activate the callsign OU1RAEM. QSLs for OZ7TM via DL1TM, 5P4MG via DJ4MG and OU1RAEM via DF5LW
Chris, GM3WOJ, and Keith, GM4YXI, are going to visit the Cocos-Keeling Islands and plan to show up as VK9CZ in SSB/CW and some RTTY on the HF bands until 13 April. If possible they want to upload their logs to the LoTW every day. An OQRS will be installed after their return home. Please check the QSL information on their website:
Now the contest news
On 1 April the CW leg of the 80m Club Championships will take place from 1900 to 2030UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number.
On the afternoon of Easter Monday, 1 April, the IRTS 2m Counties Contest takes place for two hours between 1300 and 1500UTC. There are awards for non-EI stations. If you live in GI or have a good takeoff to Ireland it would be worth giving it a try. The exchange is signal report, serial number and EI and GI stations also send their county.
On 2 April, the 144MHz UK Activity Contest will take place between 1900 and 2130UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The SSB leg of RoPoCo takes place on the 80m band on 7 April from 1900 to 2030UTC. Both RoPoCos are HF Championship events, with the maximum output power limited to 100 watts. The exchange is signal report and the full postcode received.
In the 3-hour 1st 70MHz contest there are no multipliers, it’s a straight race to accumulate as many kilometres worked as possible. Although Sporadic-E propagation is not beyond the realms of possibility, no long-haul DX was worked in this event last year or in 2011. Maybe this year? Running from 0900 to 1200UTC on 7 April and using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The CW/SSB leg of the SPDX Contest runs for 24 hours from 1500 on Saturday 6 April using the 1.8 to 28MH z bands. Work Polish stations only, giving them a signal report and serial number. Expect a signal report and a single-letter province code in return.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 22nd to Wednesday the 27th of March, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Thursday the 28th of March.
Yet another week when solar activity resembled solar minimum, rather than solar maximum. All the visible sunspot regions during the period were small and simple. Several small C class solar flares took place on the 22nd when solar activity was at low levels, but the remaining days’ solar activity was at very low levels. Solar flux levels declined from 101 units on the 22nd to 92 by the 26th. The average was 96 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 27th was 115 units, that's one unit down on last week. X-ray flux levels declined from B3.2 units on the 22nd to B1 by the 27th. The average was B1.6 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet everyday except for the 23rd when the Ap index increased to 11 units. The average was Ap 7 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds increase from 340 kilometres per second on the 23rd to 570 by the 27th. Particle densities were moderate most days, levels were up to 32 particles per cubic centimetre during the 23rd. Bz varied between minus 10 and plus 8 nanoTeslas on the most disturbed day and between minus 4 and plus 4 nanoTeslas on the quieter days.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming week. This week the more active side of the Sun is expected to be rotating into view. Saying that, activity is only expected to be at low levels with only a small chance of solar activity increasing any higher. Solar flux levels should increase and be around the 120 mark later in the week. Geomagnetic activity should be quiet everyday. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 23MHz for the south and 20MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be about 10MHz. Paths this week to South Africa should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success of around 33MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be about 27MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 1000 and 1500 hours UTC.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
Category: Ham Radio | Comments |
March 22nd, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 24th March 2013
The news headlines:
Further to last week’s news story, Ofcom has issued clarifications for the 472kHz and 5MHz Notices of Variation. These include confirming that the NoVs are available to all holders of Full licences, including Club and Reciprocal licences. They also note that the NoV permits operation only in the United Kingdom, Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey, and that the band may not be used mobile or maritime mobile. In response to a number of enquiries, Ofcom separately noted that a Club Licence holder may authorise any Club member, who holds their own separate Full Licence, to use and supervise the operation of the club radio equipment on the Licensee’s behalf. These members can then supervise holders of Foundation and Intermediate licences.
The Society would like to remind amateurs to exercise caution when operating abroad under CEPT Recommendation T/R 61-01. Take a full copy of your licence with you, and consider taking a translation into the local language. Some countries have rules that ban amateur radio operations in certain areas, for instance within so many kilometres of any military facility. It may be worth contacting the host country’s national society before you travel, and ask whether your plans will break any local rules. This should also mean you have a local point of contact in case of difficulties during your stay. The vast majority of amateurs who travel with their radios have no problems, but a little preparation is often worth it, just in case. The RSGB is currently supporting a UK amateur who experienced problems whilst operating in Turkey, and last year we reported similar problems for a colleague operating in Greece.
RSGB Centenary dinner tickets are proving popular following the announcement in the April RadCom. There are a limited number of tickets available and over a third have already been booked. The Dinner will be held at Horwood House near Buckingham and Milton Keynes on the evening of 5 July, the RSGB Centenary day. Full details are in the April RadCom or on the RSGB website and both dinner tickets and accommodation can be booked via the RSGB shop.
EME enthusiasts should note that DL7APV has posted a 2013 weekend Moon Calendar on the internet. The Lunar Weekend Calendar gives all sorts of information regarding the Moon’s position on weekends throughout the year, along with amateur radio events taking place on the same dates. You can access the DL7APV Lunar Weekend Calendar online at www.tinyurl.com/find-the-moon.
The RSGB’s Centenary AGM will take place at the IET, Savoy Place, London on the 20th April at noon. If you are intending to attend, it would be appreciated if you could let the RSGB know by filling in the very short form at www.rsgb.org/attendagm.
This year, International Marconi Day will take place on 20 April. For more information and to see which stations are taking part in IMD activities, go to www.gb4imd.com.
G100RSGB, the special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary, moves from Region 4 to Region 11 this week. Today and tomorrow, 24 and 25 March, the East Yorkshire Contest group will put the callsign on the air from Gilberdyke. Then on Tuesday, Region 11 takes over with the Norman Lockyer Observatory in Sidmouth running 6m & 70cm using SSB, PSK31 & ROS. On Wednesday, Flight Refuelling ARS in Wimborne will be running stations on Top Band to 70cm. The 28th and 29th sees Christchurch ARS running HF and UHF stations using SSB, CW, PSK31, RTTY and FM, with 2m being added on the 29th. On Saturday and Sunday, Plymouth RS will have HF and VHF/UHF stations on the air using SSB, possibly CW and FM on VHF and UHF. Details of how to get your QSL card are on the website, www.rsgb.org.uk.
The next RSGB Getting Started e-mail newsletter is due out in early April. Any RSGB Member who hasn’t already signed up to receive copies should go to www.rsgb.org/gettingstarted.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, Sunday 24 March, it’s the Devon & Cornwall Hamfest at The Engine House, Compton Park, Callington PL17 8EA. There will be trade stands, a car boot sale, special interest groups, family attractions and much more. Contact Dereck, M0YDW, by email to disco5live@btinternet.com.
Also today is the Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club Annual Rally. This opens at 11.30am at Share Discovery Village, Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh BT92 0EQ, N Ireland. There is car parking, a bring and buy, trade stands, a licensed bar, catering and disabled facilities. For more information contact Iain, on 028 6632 6693.
WW2 Air Forces Radar Reunion 2013 will be held at Blackpool from Friday, 12 April to Monday 15 April. Operators, mechanics, filter room and airborne radar visitors are welcome. Day visitors are also welcome. For further details please contact Jim Ward, G0DGG, 17Valley Walk, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire WD3 3TA.
Advance notice now for the Dambusters Hamfest on 5 May. This will be held at Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre, Coningsby, Lincs LN4 4PE. Doors open at 10am and admission is £3. There will be a Bring & Buy. For full details check out www.qsl.net/gb4tcm/dambusters.html.
Now for the news of special events
GB2RAF, the RAF Neatishead Radar Museum Permanent Special Event Station, will be on the air celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force Amateur Radio Society on 1 April from 0900 to 1700UTC. Operations will be on 80m or 40m using SSB or CW.
ZB2MOLE will be active from 27 to 31 March. Operation will be on HF with a combination of voice and CW. The antennas will be several verticals.
The Derby & District Amateur Radio Society will be operating G2DJ at Duffield Junction railway station during the gala at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway over the 4 day Easter weekend, 29 March to 1 April. Operation will be on the HF bands and on 2 metres. Further details are on the website www.dadars.org.uk.
GB0BD will be operating from Boyndie Aerodrome on 30 March to 1 April, celebrating 75 years of Royal Air Force Amateur Radio Society. Details can be found on at QRZ.com.
Riviera Amateur Radio Club is operating the special event callsign GB4ZOO on Saturday 30 March at Paignton Zoo Environmental Park, to mark the 90th anniversary of the zoo's opening on Easter weekend in 1923. The station will be operating on 40m SSB and 2m FM. QSL via bureau, direct or eqsl. For more details see www.rivieraarc.org.uk.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
LY5A will be active as LY23A until 11 April to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of the restoration of Lithuanian independence. QSL via LY5A.
TA1HZ will be in Mogadishu, Somalia on a humanitarian mission until 4 April. He plans to operate on the HF bands in his spare time, hopefully as T5TC, although his callsign has not been assigned yet. QSL via home callsign.
Now the contest news
Tuesday 26 March sees the 50MHz UK Activity Contest taking place from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
At the same time, the SHF UK Activity Contest is taking place on the 2.3 to 10GHz bands. This contest also uses all modes and the exchange is the same, signal report, serial number and locator.
Next weekend, 30 and 31 March, the CQ World Wide WPX SSB contest takes place for 48 hours from 0000 to 2359UTC. Using SSB only on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
And now the solar report for the period from Friday 15 March to Thursday the 21st, compiled by Martin Harrison, G3USF, on Friday the 22nd.
Solar activity remained mostly low, though C-class flares were reported almost every day, and a smallish M-class flare occurred on the 21st. The solar flux slowly declined, from 123 on the 15th to 106 on the 21st. The average was 116, a drop of four points on the previous week’s level. However, the 90-day average was unchanged, also at 116. The X-ray flux showed little daily variation and averaged B3.0. At the start of the period geomagnetic activity was low, with an Ap of 6 units. It rose to an unsettled Ap of 10 on the 16th as a result of a coronal mass ejection on the 12th. This was followed by a jump to minor storm level early on the 17th, caused by another coronal mass ejection on the 15th. Solar wind speeds increased to 790km/sec on the 17th. MUFs were depressed by several MHz throughout the day, with east-west and high-latitude paths the most severely affected. VHF aurora was reported during most of the day, peaking around 1600 to1700 and reaching all areas of the UK, with contacts into Scandinavia and Germany on both 50 and 144MHz. This was the best auroral event so far this year. Geomagnetic activity then fell back to quiet levels for the next few days, but was back to an unsettled Ap of 10 on the 21st, again as a result of coronal hole effects.
Now the forecast for the week from today. Solar activity will mostly continue to be mostly low, with mostly C-class flares, though there is potential for an occasional M-class flare. And there is always a chance of an Earth-directed coronal mass ejection. In the light of the events of the past week it is perhaps worth a reminder that chances of auroral events tend to be greater around the equinoxes. This week, MUFs at equal latitudes should be around 24MHz in southern Britain and 21MHz in the north. Paths to India and South-East Asia should have a maximum usable frequency of 32MHz, where there should be a 50 per cent chance of a QSO. The optimum working frequency, where there should be a 90 per cent chance of success, will be around 26MHz. The best times for this path will be between 0800 and 1400.UTC
And that’s all for another week from the propagation team.
Category: Ham Radio | Comments |
March 15th, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 17th March 2013
The news headlines:
Ofcom is shortly expected to make an announcement concerning the validity of 5MHz Notices of Variation on Club and Reciprocal licences. The details are expected to appear first on the Ofcom website, and on the RSGB site shortly afterwards. This announcement is prompted by a number of enquiries by clubs and individuals.
The April edition of RadCom contains the formal Calling Notice for the 86th Annual General Meeting of the RSGB. The AGM will take place at the Institution of Engineering and Technology at noon on Saturday 20 April. Full details of the Agenda and other relevant details have been sent to Members of the Society. Voting is now underway on the Resolutions, and Members may vote online or by post.
The Regional winners of the RSGB Club of the Year competition have been announced and have been posted on the RSGB website. The Regional winners will now be whittled down to three finalists. These three clubs will be invited to the RSGB AGM to find out which among them has won the prestigious National Club of the Year award.
The special event station celebrating the RSGB Centenary, GB100RSGB, is going from strength to strength. This weekend it’s being operated by Otley ARS. On Monday and Tuesday GB100RSGB will be operated by Hornsea ARS, who hand it over to Denby Dale ARS for Wednesday to Friday. Next weekend it will be in the hands of M2D East Yorkshire Contest Group.
The QSL Bureau is looking for an active G3 L, M or N callsign holder to take over responsibility for the G3 L to N QSL sub group. The current volunteer, Tom Bartlett, G3ITB, is stepping down after 18 years and the RSGB would like to thank him for his excellent service to his fellow members. The ideal replacement needs to have time available, email available and some basic knowledge of Excel spreadsheets. This sub group currently handles around 15 to 20 thousand cards per year. If you hold a callsign starting G3 L, M or N and are interested in helping others, please contact the QSL bureau via email to qsl@rsgb.org.uk.
Two IARU spectrum planning committees are meeting in late April this year. The C4 committee handles HF, while C5 looks after VHF, UHF and microwave matters. All UK amateurs are invited to view and comment on the papers submitted for this meeting. They can be found online at two Yahoo reflectors. The C4, HF papers and discussions are at http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/ukc4discussion. The C5, VHF, UHF and microwave papers and discussions are at http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/ukc5discussion. In early April 2013 the RSGB IARU Committee will review comments on these reflectors and also input from the RSGB Spectrum Forum in order to agree the brief for the RSGB delegates at the two committee meetings.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
We start with advance notice that the South Lancs Spring Rally planned for 25 May has been postponed until 22 June due to unforeseen circumstances.
We are not aware of any rallies this weekend.
On Saturday 23 March the Laugharne Rally takes place at the Millenium Memorial Hall, Laugharne, Carmarthenshire SA33 4QG. Open from 10am to 2pm, admission is free – as are trader tables and flea market places. Details from Matthew Twyman, GW6KOA, on 01994 427 581.
Sunday 24 March sees the Devon & Cornwall Hamfest at The Engine House, Compton Park, Callington PL17 8EA. There will be trade stands, car boot sale, special interest groups, family attrarctions TS, SES, CBS, SIG, CP, FAM, CS. Dereck, M0YDW, disco5live@btinternet.com.
Also on Sunday 24 March is the Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club Annual Rally. This opens at 11.30am at Share Discovery Village, Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh BT92 0EQ, N Ireland. There is car parking, a bring and buy, trade stands, a licensed bar, catering and disabled facilities. For more information contact Iain, on 028 6632 6693.
Now for the news of special events
Coventry Gliding Club is on the third and final day of operating its Special Event Station GB6CGC today, celebrating the club’s 60th anniversary. The station is at The Soaring Centre, Husbands Bosworth Airfield, Leicestershire.
The Marconi Radio group will be operating GB0SPD at Ballycastle sea front today to mark St Patrick's Day. Activity will be from 40m to 2m.
From today until the end of the month, members of Team Cartagena will be operating EH5SIP. This is to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the submarine Isaac Peral. QSL and other information is on QRZ.com.
23 March sees GB1CMR operating from Suvla Barracks in Hereford, celebrating 35 years of Clansman military radios. Operation will be on 80m through to 2m.
The Mesilla Valley Radio Club of Las Cruces, New Mexico will be operating Events Station K5BL on 23 March, in celebration of one of New Mexico’s oldest, continuously operating radio clubs. Operation will be 1400-2300 UTC, as near as possible to 21.337 and 14.330MHz, as band conditions permit.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
A UK-led expedition to Easter Island is scheduled for 20 to 27 March, with activity planned mostly on CW on 160 through 10m. Plans are to use Elecraft K3s, small amplifiers and vertical antennas with plans to work challenging paths on the low bands, with emphasis on Europe. For receive antennas on the low bands they will use a Beverage or flag, depending on available space. Plans are to upload daily to Club Log and LoTW. Team members include G7VJR, G3TXF, G4IRN and G3ZAY. The callsign will be XR0YG. QSL via G3TXF and LoTW.
G1EUZ plans to be active from Ascension Island, IOTA reference AF-003, from 18 – 22 March using the call ZD8RAF.
Tim, NL8F plans to be on the air from Tuvalu, OC-015, from 19 March to 2 April, mostly on SSB. The callsign is not known yet. QSL via K8NA.
TA1HZ will be in Somalia from 24 March until 4 April and plans some time on HF, probably as T5TC from Mogadishu. QSL to TA1HZ as per instructions on www.qrz.com.
Now the contest news
The BARTG HF RTTY contest is in progress now and ends at 0200 UTC on Monday. Operation is on all contest bands from 80 to 10m and the exchange is RST plus serial number and time.
Tuesday sees the 1.3GHz UKAC from 2000-2230 UTC. Operation is all modes on the 23cm band, and the exchange is RST, serial number and locator.
The 80m Club Championships SSB is on Thursday from 2000-2130 UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, RST and serial number form the exchange.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 8th to Thursday the 14th of March, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday the 15th of March
Up to eight sunspot regions were visible on the 11th but most were small and stable. However, a couple of groups produced occasional C class solar flares. Solar activity was very low for the first three days of the period but increased to low from the 11th. In total eight C class solar flares took place. The most impressive was a long duration C2 solar flare in connection with a filament eruption. Associated with this solar flare was a coronal mass ejection. Solar flux levels increased slightly from 115 units on the 8th to 123 by the 12th. The average was 120 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 14th was 116 units, that's one unit up on last week. X-ray flux levels varied little day to day and averaged B3.2 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet every day and the average was Ap 4 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds decline from 360 kilometres per second on the 8th to around 300 for the rest of the period, except for an increase late on the 14th to 400 kilometres per second. Particle densities were at moderate levels every day and varied between 12 and 45 particles per cubic centimetre. Bz varied between minus 5 and plus 6 nanoTeslas every day but increased to minus 7 and plus 9 nanoTeslas late on the 14th.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming week. This week the quiet side of the Sun is expected to be looking our way. Solar activity should be low with only C class solar flares taking place, however, on some days, activity could decline to very low levels. Solar flux levels should be around the 100 mark and may even dip slightly below 100 on several days. Geomagnetic activity is expected to be mostly quiet, but if a coronal mass ejection heads our way then activity would increase. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 24MHz for the south and 21MHz for the north. Paths this week to Japan will have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 21MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be about 16MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 0800 and 1100 hours UTC.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
.
Category: Ham Radio | Comments |
March 8th, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS2
Sunday 10th March 2013
The news headlines:
The Cass Award encourages DXpeditions to maximise the number of unique contacts made. It comes with a $1000 prize for the single-operator DXpedition that works the most unique callsigns within a 4-week period. This award honours the wisdom and spirit of Cass, WA6AUD, after whom this new award was named. The first winner of this award is Rob Chipperfield, M0VFC. From the remote South Atlantic island of Tristan Da Cunha as ZD9UQ in October 2012, Rob worked 3362 unique stations over his 4-day DXpedition, demonstrating an outstanding effort to log as many individuals as possible. Michael, G7VJR presented Rob with his plaque and prize in Cambridge, England on 7 March. Many of you will remember that Rob returned from his DXpedition and came straight to the HF Convention to give a much enjoyed talk to delegates, it was standing room only. Well done Rob.
The special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary stays in Region 4 this week. Today, 10 March, sees Durham and District ARS putting an HF and VHF station on the air using SSB and PSK. On 11 March, GD100RSGB will be heard again as the callsign goes back to the Isle of Man with CW, SSB and data on HF and VHF. On Tuesday, Humber Fortress Club will be on the air from Fort Paull running CW, SSB, FM and data on the HF and VHF bands. Maltby and District ARS take the callsign to Rotherham on Wednesday running HF and VHF stations on CW, SSB and data with Pontefract and DARS adding FM to the mix for Thursday the 14th. Friday it’s the turn of Sheffield ARC with a station running CW and data on all bands. Next weekend, 16th and 17th, Otley ARS are running an SSB and data station on the 10 to 80m bands from Otley. Details of how to get your QSL card are on the website, www.rsgb.org.uk.
Phil Williams, G3YPQ, an amateur radio astronomer in North Cornwall reports picking up a signal from the LES 1 satellite, a satellite launched in 1965. The satellite failed to reach its intended orbit owing to a wiring error and has been drifting out of control ever since. G3YPQ ran across it while monitoring near 237MHz when he noticed a signal with a peculiar signal drift caused by the bird tumbling end over end every 4 seconds as the solar panels became shadowed by the satellites engine. He said that gives the signal a particularly ghostly sound as the voltage from the solar panels fluctuates.
On 2 March, 54 candidates sat the Advanced Examination and 39 were successful. The next examination will be held on Thursday 2 May at 7pm. The closing date for applications is on 10 April. Congratulations to all those who were successful.
Pierre, F1SHS, President of Digital Radioamateur France, reports that all digital modes and experimentations are now possible for French amateurs. Until now, French radio amateurs had been banned from using digital modes such as D-Star. It is reported the new draft regulation was signed by the Minister on Wednesday morning, March 6.
The International Museums Weekend special event will take place on the double weekends of 15th & 16th June and 22nd & 23rd June. Radio amateurs are encouraged to participate in this event by setting up stations in their local museums. Organiser Harry, M1BYT, asks that all those intending to take part in the event should register their museum via the web form please, on the International Museums Weekend website www.ukradioamateur.co.uk/imw.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Wythall RC Radio and Computer Rally will be held on 10 March at the Woodrush Sports Centre, Shawhurst Lane, Hollywood, nr Birmingham B47 5JW. The venue is on the A435, 2 miles from J3 M42. Talk in will be on S22. Doors open at 10am and admission is £2.50. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy. More details from Chris, G0EYO on 07710 412 819.
Now for the news of special events
West Tyrone ARC will be taking part in the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on Monday 18 March in Omagh, Co Tyrone. The club will be running a special event station using the callsign GB1SPD. They will be operational from the Strule Arts Centre in the Heart of Omagh Town during the Omagh District Council St Patrick Day Parade and Festival. The club will be operating on HF, VHF and UHF, Echo Link and digital modes between 11am & 5pm. Special event QSL cards will be available to those who wish to have a conformation of the QSO. Details available on www.qrz.com and www.wtarc.org.
The Mesilla Valley Radio Club in New Mexico will be operating Special Events Station K5B on 17 March. K5B will operate from 1000 to 2300UTC on or near 21.337, 14.330, 7.225 and 3.893MHz. Most of the activity will likely be on 20m. A commemorative QSL card will be available by request www.n5bI,org/bataan.
GB1PER will be operated by members of the Worcester Radio Amateurs Association on 19 and 20 March as a demonstration station for the primary school at Perdiswell, Worcester as participation for this year's National Science Week. They plan to operate on HF and VHF during school hours with the intention to give as many junior children as possible the opportunity to get on the air and how amateur radio encompasses the spectrum of the science curriculum.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
TA1HZ will be in Somalia on a humanitarian mission from 23 March to 4 April. His primary purpose is as a doctor and but he also plans some on the air time, most likely from the city of Mogadishu using the call T5TC. His operation will be on the HF bands using a Kenwood radio and a Windom antenna. If you work him, QSL to TA1HZ as per the details found on www.qrz.com.
9M4SLL will again be active from Layang-Layang, Spratly Islands, which is IOTA AS-051, on all bands from 10 through to 160m using CW, SSB and RTTY until 18 March. The operators include John, 9M6XRO, Steve, 9M6DXX and Don, G3BJ. The group will use several stations with linear amplifiers to vertical antennas all within a few metres of the ocean. This counts as a separate entity for DXCC purposes and also for the IOTA Award. QSL Manager for this operation is Tim, M0URX either via OQRS, direct, bureau or Logbook of The World. Logs will be uploaded to LoTW as quickly as possible after the DXpedition.
OE1MWW will be active from the Maldives as 8Q7WK until 23 March. His operation will be holiday style on the HF bands. QSL via his home callsign.
F2FD is now active stroke HR5 from Honduras and should be there until 20 May. He states that he will be active as much as possible on CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via F6AJA or Logbook of the World.
A multi-national DXpedition is visiting the Solomon Islands until 25 March. The callsign for this one is H44G and they hope to be on the air on all bands from 6 to 160m. 160 – 6m. QSLs go via DL7DF.
Four experienced Scottish operators will be on the island of Tuvalu in the Pacific from 12 to 23 March. The callsign will be T2GM and they will be very active on all bands. The QSL Manager is GM4FDM.
Now the contest news
The 2nd 70MHz Cumulative contest takes place today, 10 March, from 1000 to 1200UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The 432MHz UK Activity Contest takes place on 12 March from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The following day, the 13th, it’s the turn of the CW leg of the 80m Club Championships running from 2000 to 2130UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number.
The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group’s HF RTTY Contest takes place on 16 to 18 March. Please note the start/finish time is 2am. Exchange a signal report, a serial number and the time in GMT. The multipliers are countries plus call areas for W, VE and JA and VK and continents. For single-operator stations there are time-limited 6-hour all-band and 30-hour all-band / single-band categories. Only multi-operator stations, single or multi-transmitter, can operate the full 48 hours.
For 24 hours over the same weekend the Russian DX Contest takes place from 1200 to 1200UTC. There are numerous entry categories, for single- and multi-band, single- and multi-mode, multi-op, various power levels, clubs, etc. An interesting aspect of this event is the possibility of submitting two single-band entries, eg 10m and 80m. Work everyone and send a signal report and serial number, but expect Russian stations to send you a signal report and a 2-letter Oblast code.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 1st to Thursday the 7th of March, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday the 8th of March.
With numerous sunspot groups visible everyday, however, most were small and simple. Solar activity varied between very low and moderate levels. Activity was very low on four days with no C class solar flares taking place. On the 5th activity increased to moderate levels when the only M class solar flare of the period took place. Only four C class solar flares took place during the period. Solar flux levels increased from 111 units on the 2nd to 118 by the 5th. The average was 114 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 7th was 115 units, that's one unit up on last week. X-ray flux levels averaged B2.8 units and varied little day to day. Geomagnetic activity started at elevated levels with an Ap index of 30 units on the 1st and 12 on the 2nd. This was in response to a coronal hole disturbance. Activity then returned to quiet levels for the remainder of the period. The average was Ap 9 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds decline from 690 kilometres per second to 300 by the 5th. Particle densities declined from 28 particles per cubic centimetre on the 1st to low levels for the remainder of the period. Bz fluctuated between minus 16 and plus 14 nanoTeslas on the 1st and between minus and plus 3 nanoTeslas on the quieter days. MUFs were comfortably reached almost everyday. An impressive visual aurora took place on the 1st but radio contacts were only reported from stations at high latitudes.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming week. This week the more active side of the Sun is expected to have just rotated into view. Monitoring this sunspot region for the last several days via the STEREO Behind spacecraft as shown that it has produced a number of large solar flares and coronal mass ejections. Solar flux levels will depend on how active and complex this region (and others) will be once in view. Possibly, solar flux levels could be around the 120's or as low as 100 units. Geomagnetic activity is expected to be mostly quiet but an Earth directed coronal mass ejection would increase activity. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 25MHz for the south and 22Mhz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be around 9MHz. Paths this week to South Africa should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate in excess of 30MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate of about 27MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 1000 and 1600 hours UTC.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
Category: Ham Radio | Comments |
March 1st, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 3rd March 2013
The news headlines:
The UK’s first CubeSat, named STRaND-1, was launched on 25 February into a 785km orbit. Signals from STRaND-1 were received by the Surrey Space Centre later in the day. STRaND 1 was built in only three months using a Google Nexus One smartphone with an Android operating system. It carries an amateur radio AX.25 packet radio downlink on 437.568 MHz using 9600 bps FSK modulated data with an HDLC frame and NRZI encoding. The STRaND-1 team has asked if radio amateurs can assist in collecting telemetry from around the world to help them determine the health and attitude of the spacecraft. Reports go by e-mail to Dr Chris Bridges at C.P.Bridges@surrey.ac.uk.
The special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary stays in Region 4 this week. Today, 3 March, sees Tynemouth ARC operating from North Shields on the HF bands as well as 2m and 70cm using SSB, CW and data. Then on Monday 4th the callsign goes back to the Isle of Man and GD100RSGB will be on the air from Douglas on both HF and VHF using CW, SSB and data. Humber Fortress Club will put the callsign on the air from Fort Paull, near Hull on the 5th and 8th using HF and VHF, look out for their CW, SSB, FM and data signals. On 6 March, Bishop Auckland Radio Amateurs Club, operating in Crook, County Durham, will use the 80, 40, 20 and 2m bands with SSB, FM and PSK31 signals. York Radio Club will have an HF station running SSB, CW, FM and data on 7 March. Then on 9 and 10 March, Durham & District ARS will run HF and VHF stations using SSB and PSK 31 from Durham. Details of how to get your QSL card are on the website, www.rsgb.org.uk.
On 19 February the International Telecommunication Union announced the simultaneous adoption and approval by correspondence of a new Recommendation entitled Telegraphic Alphabet for Data Communication by Phase Shift Keying at 31 Baud in the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services. The alphabet, commonly called Varicode because the more frequently used characters in the English language occupy fewer bits, was developed by Peter Martinez, G3PLX, in the 1990s. Adoption of the Recommendation is the culmination of work conducted in ITU-R Study Group 5 and its Working Party 5A during 2011 and 2012. Working Party 5A is responsible for studies of techniques and frequency usage in the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services, as well as certain aspects of the land mobile and fixed services.
The IARU amateur radio satellite frequency coordination panel has announced the frequencies for the OSSI-1 CubeSat developed by Hojun Song, DS1SBO. It has a beacon in the 145MHz band, a data communications transceiver in the 437MHz band and carries a 44 watt LED optical beacon to flash Morse code messages to observers on Earth. The IARU coordinated frequencies are for a downlink on 145.980MHz and an uplink/downlink on 437.525MHz. OSSI-1 is planned to launch on 19 April into a 575km 64.9° inclination orbit.
The Commonwealth Contest takes place on 9 and 10 March and the RSGB have donated one of the Centenary Keys for the prize draw. All stations that enter the contest and make at least 75 good QSOs after adjudication are entered into the free prize draw. This is a 24hour CW contest on the 10 to 80m bands. The exchange is simply a report and serial number and there is free software to make the logging, sending and entry very easy. Only QSOs between call areas in the Commonwealth count, so have a look at the call area list in the rules. Check out the website at www.beru.org.uk.
A new 6m beacon should now be on the air from near to the South Pole. Craig Hayhow, VK0JJJ from Mawson Base in Antarctica is reported to have brought with him a beacon transmitter with the callsign VK0RTM that is now operational on 50.300MHz. The VK0RTM transmitter runs 50 watts. The beacon will not be the only 6m meter coming to the air. While at Mawson Station for about 12 months, Hayhow plans to be active on all bands from 6m to 80m with priority given to 6m band operation.
The Sri Lanka 4S7DXG and Maldives 8Q7VR operations in 2008 and 2011 have been approved for DXCC credit. If you had a request rejected for contacts with these dates only, send an e-mail to dxccrules@arrl.org to be put on the list for an update. Contacts before or after these periods cannot be accepted.
The Over The Horizon Radar from Iran is daily transmitting on our 10m band, often long lasting on 28.245MHz. You can hear a high and a low tone, corresponding to the sweep rates of 870 and 307 sweeps per sec. The system is about 60kHz wide, the splatters are covering ±250kHz. The Austrian, Dutch, Swiss and German PTTs have been informed.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
It’s a busy time for rallies today with four events spread over the whole country.
Today, Sunday 3 March, sees the BRATS Rainham Radio Rally take place at Rainham School for Girls, Derwent Way, Rainham, Gillingham, Kent ME8 0BX. Doors open at 10am. More from Trevor, G6YLW on 07717 678 795.
The Cambridge & District Amateur Radio Club Rally is also on today, 3 March, from the Wood Green Animal Shelter, King's Bush Farm, A1198 London Road, Godmanchester, Cambs PE29 2NH. Doors open at 10am and the entry is £3. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy as well as special interest groups and a licensed bar. Details from David, M0ZEB on 01353 778 093.
In Devon, the Exeter Radio & Electronics Rally will be held today, 3 March, at the America Hall, De La Rue Way, Pinhoe Exeter EX4 8PW. Doors open at 10.30 and the admission is £2. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy. Information from Pete, G3ZVI on 07714 198 374.
The Spring Militaria & Electronics & Radio Amateur Hangar Sale is the final rally taking place today, 3 March, at Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 8AL. Doors open at 10am and there will be civil, military & vintage radio equipment, vehicle spares & more on display. Details from Rod Siebert on 01270 623 353.
On 5 March, the Friskney & East Lincolnshire Communications Club Desktop Sale takes place at Friskney Village Hall, Church Road, Friskney, Lincolnshire PE22 8RD. Doors open 6pm for traders and 7pm for the public. Tables are £3.50 and entry is £1.50 with free tea and coffee. More information from Ian Donnelly, 2E0XOD on 07554 362 020.
Wythall RC Radio and Computer Rally will be held on 10 March at the Woodrush Sports Centre, Shawhurst Lane, Hollywood, nr Birmingham B47 5JW. The venue is on the A435, 2 miles from J3 M42. Talk in will be on S22. Doors open at 10am and admission is £2.50. there will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy. More details from Chris, G0EYO on 07710 412 819.
Now for the news of special events
West Tyrone ARC will be taking part in the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on Monday 18 March in Omagh, Co Tyrone. The club will be running a special event station using the callsign GB1SPD. They will be operational from the Strule Arts Centre in the Heart of Omagh Town during the Omagh District Council St Patrick Day Parade and Festival. The club will be operating on HF, VHF and UHF, Echo Link and digital modes between 11am & 5pm. Special event QSL cards will be available to those who wish to have a conformation of the QSO. Details available on www.qrz,com and www.wtarc.org.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
KK4GV will be active as J79GV from the northeast side of the island of Dominica between 8 and 17 March. His operation will be holiday style and SSB only. QSL via his home callsign either direct or by the Bureau.
W0FK will be active from Longboat Key until 16 March. QSL via his home callsign, direct or by the Bureau.
EI7CC will be operational from Lesotho as 7P8PB from 6 to 26 March. Activity will be limited because he will be on a family holiday and will operate when circumstances permit. QSL via EI7CC either direct or via the bureau. Logs will be uploaded to Logbook of the World immediately upon his return to Ireland.
A group of three Japanese operators will be QRV from the island of Rodrigues until 10 March. Their callsign will be 3B9DX and they will be active on all bands from 10 to 80m using SSB, CW, RTTY and PSK31. QSLs go via EA5GL.
H44 Solomons and H40 Temotu are the destinations for a group of nine German and Polish operators. H44G will be activated from 8 to 25 March while part of the group will operate as H40T from 12 to 23 March. They will have several stations on the 10m to 160m bands using CW and SSB. There will also be a station dedicated to RTTY, PSK31 and SSTV. QSL via DL7DF.
9M4SLL will again be active from Layang-Layang, Spratly Islands, which is IOTA AS-051, on all bands from 10 through to 160m using CW, SSB and RTTY from 10 to 18 March inclusive. The operators include John, 9M6XRO, Steve, 9M6DXX and Don, G3BJ. The group will use several stations with linear amplifiers to vertical antennas all within a few metres of the ocean. QSL Manager for this operation is Tim, M0URX either via OQRS, direct, bureau or Logbook of The World. Logs will be uploaded to LoTW as quickly as possible after the DXpedition.
Now the contest news
The SSB leg of the ARRL International Contest ends after 48 hours at 2359UTC today, 3 March, on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and transmitted power. W stations will send their State and VE station their Province too.
Also today, 3 March, the first of five UK Microwave Group Low Band series of contests takes place. The bands for this one are 23cm, 13cm and 9cm. Running from 1000 to 1600UTC, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The data leg of the 80m Club Championships takes place on between 2000 and 2130UTC on 4 March. The exchange is signal report and serial number.
On 5 March it’s the 144MHz UK Activity Contest. Taking place from 2000 to 2230UTC and using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The Commonwealth Contest is a worldwide 24-hour CW event that’s largely free of Continental European activity, because the only contacts that count are between Commonwealth countries. Every year some quite rare entities are activated by DXpeditioners and this year will be no different. A list of Commonwealth Call Areas can be found at www.rsgbcc.org/hf/information/codes.shtml. Running from 1000 on 9 March to 1000UTC on 10 March, the event uses all bands from 3.5 to 28MHz and the exchange is signal report and serial number. HQ stations also send HQ.
The 2nd 70MHz Cumulative contest takes place on 10 March from 1000 to 1200UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 22nd to Thursday the 28th of February, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday the 1st of March.
At first solar activity was at low levels with five small C class solar flares taking place on the first three days. Solar activity then declined to very low levels. Normally, B class solar flares do not get a mention in this report but, on the 25th, a long duration B class flare took place and lasted for approximately nine hours. This took place from a large sunspot group that rotated out of view two days before. This flare would have been much stronger if it was on the Earth facing side of the Sun and the associated coronal mass ejection would have headed our way. Solar flux levels declined from 107 units on the 22nd to 95 by the 24th and the 25th. Levels increased slightly by the end of the period and the average was 101 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 28th was 114 units, that's one unit down on last week. X-ray flux levels varied little day to day and averaged B2.5 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet everyday. The most disturbed day was the 22nd with an Ap index of 8 units. The average was Ap 5 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw slow solar wind speeds at first but towards the end of the period increased to around 400 kilometres per second. Particle densities were low at first but on the 25th increased to 46 particles per cubic centimetre and 25 on the 27th and 90 on the 28th. Bz varied between minus 3 and plus 2 nanoTeslas on the quietest day and between minus 8 and plus 7 nanoTeslas on the most disturbed day.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming week. There are a number of sunspot regions that will rotate into view during the coming week. Solar activity is expected to be mostly low, however, there is the possibility that activity could increase occasionally. Solar flux levels should be slightly around the 100 mark or maybe higher if any of the sunspots groups are large. No coronal hole activity is expected this week so geomagnetic activity is expected to be quiet everyday. As always, around sunspot maximum, a coronal mass ejection could head our way and increase activity due to a number of reasons. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 25MHz for the south and 22MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be about 8MHz. Paths this week to India should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 27MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be about 22MHz. The best time to try the path will be between 1000 and 1300 hours UTC.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
Category: Ham Radio | Comments Off |
February 23rd, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 24th February 2013
The news headlines:
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Pat Hawker MBE, G3VA, Silent Key
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EMC volunteers sought
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Top Band newsreaders wanted
Radio amateurs around the world will be saddened to learn of the death of Pat Hawker MBE, G3VA, on 21 February 2013. He was 90 years old. His son and daughter, Philip and Virginia, were with him at the time. Pat was first licensed in 1936 as 2BUH, becoming G3VA in 1938. We send our deepest condolences to Pat’s family and close friends. Amateur radio has lost one of its legends.
The RSGB EMC committee provides many services to its members including help with EMC issues, lobbying and representation on Standards Committees as well as publishing information and technical updates. If you have any EMC expertise you can offer to help to provide an outstanding service to RSGB Members in any of these areas, please contact John, M0JAV by email to emc.chairman@rsgb.org.uk or by phone on 07836 731 544.
Two additional news readers are required to join the GB2RS rota for the Sunday evening Top Band national news reading at 21.30 on 1990kHz, LSB. Volunteers may be located anywhere within the UK, but must be RSGB Members. Please contact the GB2RS news manager Gordon Adams, G3LEQ on 01565 652 652 for more information.
The special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary finishes its stay in Region 2 this week. Today, 24 February, Caithness ARS are in Freswick running a station operating on the 20, 40, 80 and 160m bands. Tomorrow, 25 February, the callsign spends its last day in Region 2 with the GMDX Group in Invergordon with an HF station running SSB and CW. On Tuesday the callsign moves to Region 4. On 26 February, Mexborough and District ARS will have the station in Doncaster running HF and 4m using CW, SSB, FM and PSK. Wednesday sees Grimsby ARS running an HF and VHF station from Cleethorpes using CW, SSB, FM and PSK. York Radio Club will put G100RSGB on the air from York on 28 February running both HF and VHF stations using CW, SSB, FM and datamodes. On Friday, 1 March, the callsign moves to Fort Paul near Hull with the Humber Fortress Club, who plan to have both HF and VHF stations on the air using CW, SSB, FM and datamodes. Next weekend, look for the callsign from Tynemouth ARC in North Shields running an HF station as well as 2m and 70cm, using SSB, CW and datamodes. 4 March sees the GD100RSGB callsign on the air again from the Isle of Man ARS running HF and VHF stations using CW, SSB and datamodes. For those who haven’t tried it yet, there is a comprehensive ‘Am I in the log’ feature at www.rsgb.org/centenary/ that shows on which Regions and Bands you have contacted the Centenary station. Details of how to get your QSL card are also on the website.
Existing Notices of Variation, or NoVs, for repeaters and beacons are due to expire on 31 March 2013. If you are the Keeper for one of these stations and already hold a NoV against your Full licence, you may apply for a temporary extension until 31 March 2014. Ofcom has set up a system to extend these NoVs online using the RSGB website. Go to www.rsgb.org and click on the Extend your Repeater or Beacon NoV link. These extensions are valid only when applied to an existing variation and are not otherwise valid.
The Central Scotland Ham Radio Conventions committee has announced that the 2013 Central Scotland Mini Ham Radio Convention will take place on Saturday 8 June at the Crofthead Farm Community Education Centre, Templar Rise, Livingston EH54 6DG. Further details are available at uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/cshrc.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
It’s a busy time for rallies next weekend with five events spread over the whole country. On Saturday 2 March, the Lagan Valley ARS Rally will take place at the Village Centre, Ballynahinch Road, Hillsborough. Doors open at 11.30am and there will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy. Details from Jim, GI0DVU, on 028 9266 2270.
Sunday 3 March sees the BRATS Rainham Radio Rally take place at Rainham School for Girls, Derwent Way, Rainham, Gillingham, Kent ME8 0BX. Doors open at 10am. More from Trevor, G6YLW on 07717 678 795.
The Cambridge & District Amateur Radio Club Rally is also on 3 March at the Wood Green Animal Shelter, King's Bush Farm, A1198 London Road, Godmanchester, Cambs PE29 2NH. Doors open at 10am and the entry is £3. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy as well as special interest groups and a licensed bar. Details from David, M0ZEB on 01353 778 093.
In Devon, the Exeter Radio & Electronics Rally will be held on 3 March at America Hall, De La Rue Way, Pinhoe, Exeter EX4 8PW. Doors open at 10.30 and the admission is £2. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy. Information from Pete, G3ZVI on 07714 198 374.
The final rally is the Spring Militaria & Electronics & Radio Amateur Hangar Sale, which takes place on 3 March at Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 8AL. Doors open at 10am and there will be civil, military & vintage radio equipment, vehicle spares & more on display. Details from Rod Siebert on 01270 623 353.
Now for the news of special events
West Tyrone ARC will be taking part in the St Patrick’s Day celebrations on Monday 18 March in Omagh, Co Tyrone. The club will be running a special event station using the callsign GB1SPD. They will be operational from the Strule Arts Centre in the Heart of Omagh Town during the Omagh District Council St Patrick Day Parade and Festival. The club will be operating on HF, VHF and UHF, Echolink and digital modes between 11am and 5pm. Special event QSL cards will be available to those who wish to have a confirmation of the QSO. Details are on www.qrz,com and www.wtarc.org.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
G3RWF plans to be in Rwanda between 4 and 12 March and has requested the callsign 9X0NH. The licence should be valid for all of 2013 and he could return later in the year. Activity will be mainly CW. QSL via G3RWF.
A group of Japanese operators will be active from Rodrigues Island, IOTA AF-017, from 1 to 10 March as 3B9DX. They will be operational on the 10 to 80m bands using CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK31. QSL direct only, via EA5GL.
G3SWH and G3RTE will be operational from Guadalcanal, IOTA OC-047, in the Solomon Islands, until 28 February. Their activity is on CW only on the 10 to 80m bands. QSL via G3SWH.
N6MUF will be active from Kota Kinabalu from 1 to 8 March before travelling to Layang-Layang Island, Spratly, IOTA AS-051, as 9M4SLL from 10 to 18 March. QSL Manager for 9M6 / N6MUF is DJ0YI, please QSL either direct, via the bureau or Logbook of the World. Logs will be uploaded to LoTW after the DXpedition.
An Italian DXpedition Team will activate Burkina Faso with the callsign XT2TT until 6 March. Then a second activity by a Japanese group with the callsigns XT2CJA, XT2IVU, XT2AEF and XT2VWT will activate Burkina Faso. They plan to be on the air on all bands from 10 to 80m using CW, SSB and digital modes.
Now the contest news
The first 70MHz Cumulative Contest takes place today, 24 February, from 1000 to 1200UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The CQWW 160m DX Contest ends its 48 hours run at 2200UTC tonight, 24 February. This is the SSB leg of the event, the CW leg having taken place last month. The exchange is signal report and CQ zone; W stations send their State and VE stations send their Province.
The SSB leg of the French REF Contest closes at 1800UTC tonight, 24 February, after a 36 hour run. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number, with French stations also sending their Department number or overseas prefix.
The 50MHz UK Activity Contest will take place on 26 February from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on 26 February, the SHF UK Activity Contests runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3 to 10GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The 144/432MHz Contest is a major one and runs from 1400UTC on 2 March to 1400UTC on 3 March. The weather often makes portable activity a real challenge for this, but the hardiest of souls will always find a way of getting on the air from a hilltop, in spite of snow or gales. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The SSB leg of the ARRL International Contest is on 2 and 3 March. Running from 0000 to 2359UTC on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and transmitted power. W stations will send their State and VE stations send their Province.
Next Sunday, 3 March, the first of five UK Microwave Group Low Band series of contests takes place. The bands for this one are 23cm, 13cm and 9cm. Running from 1000 to 1600UTC, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 15th to Thursday the 21st of February, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday the 22nd of February.
The number of sunspot groups increased as the week progressed to seven visible groups by the 21st. One of these regions produced an unexpected impulsive M1 class solar flare on the 17th that increased activity to moderate levels. On the 15th and 16th solar activity was very low. The remaining activity was at low levels, with C class solar flares taking place. Solar flux levels increased from100 units on the 15th to 114 by the 20th. The average was 104 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 21st was 115 units, that's two units down on last week. X-ray flux levels increased slightly to peak at B3.6 units on the 19th, the average was B2.5 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet on the 15th with an Ap index of only three units, however, activity increased to just unsettled levels on the 16th and the 17th. The most disturbed day was the 16th, with an Ap of 11 units. The average was Ap 6 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds vary between 300 and 440 kilometres per second. Particle densities were low on the 15th and 21st and moderate on the other days, with densities peaking close to 20 particles per cubic centimetre. Bz varied between minus and plus 11 nanoTeslas on the 16th, which was the most disturbed day, and between minus and plus 3 nanoTeslas on the quietest day.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming week. This week the quiet side of the Sun is expected to be looking our way. Solar activity is expected to be at low levels or even very low on the occasional day. Solar flux levels are expected to be below the 100 mark but may increase slightly later in the week. Geomagnetic activity is expected to be mostly quiet, but could increase towards next weekend due to a small recurring coronal hole. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be about 24MHz for the south and 21MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be around 8MHz. Paths this week to South America should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 30MHz. The optimum working frequency for a 90 per cent success rate is about 23MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 1100 and 1800 hours UTC.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
Category: Ham Radio | Comments |
February 15th, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 17th February 2013
The news headlines:
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Digital Radio switch-on at RSGB National Radio Centre
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AMSAT UK talk at National Student Space Conference
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Successful Scottish ISS contact
A new digital radio service was switched on at 0846 on Thursday, 14 February at the RSGB’s National Radio Centre in Bletchley Park. Serving the people of Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, the new service enables listeners to hear BBC Three Counties Radio, Heart, Capital FM, Gold, MK FM and Connect FM. Chairman Bob Whelan, G3PJT, General Manager Graham Coomber, G0NBI, Amateur Radio Manager Carlos Eavis, G3VHF and RSGB Member Robert Chipperfield, M0VFC attended the event. Graham and Robert were interviewed by Heart radio during the event.
Jim Heck, G3WGM, is Honorary Secretary of AMSAT-UK and project lead on the FUNcube amateur radio satellite project. He will be giving a presentation on FUNcube-1 to the UKSEDS National Student Space Conference (NSSC), which takes place in Bristol on 23 and 24 February. More information at www.amsat-uk.org.
Students at Breadalbane Academy in Aberfeldy had an ARISS contact with the International Space Station on Tuesday 12 February. The students spoke to Commander Kevin Ford, KF5GPP, in a contact lasting a little over nine minutes. A telebridge was used, operated by RSGB DRM Bernie McIntosh, GM4WZG.
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, KC5RNJ/VA3OOG, has been very busy whilst on the International Space Station. Among his activities has been creating music. Most recently he has been working with Ed Robinson of the Big Bang Theory theme song creators. The result has been I.S.S., Is Somebody Singing, which was recently released with a national fanfare in Canada. Check it out on YouTube by searching for I.S.S. Is Somebody Singing.
The special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary continues its stay in Region 2 this week. Today, 17 February, Lerwick ARS will be running an HF SSB station from Dunrossness. On 18 February, the GMDX Group will have an HF station running SSB, CW and RTTY from Culbokie, before Caithness ARS take over on the 19th from Windhaven Brough, running PSK, CW and RTTY on 30m. Then, for the 5 days from 20 to 24 February, Caithness ARS will put their HF station using SSB on the 160, 80, 40 and 20m bands from Freswick. For those who haven’t tried it yet there is a comprehensive ‘Am I in the log’ feature at www.rsgb.org/centenary/ that shows on which Regions and Bands you have contacted the Centenary station. Details of how to get your QSL card are also on the website.
Papers for the IARU Interim Meeting in April have been released and are available for download and comment on the UK C4 and UK C5 discussion groups on Yahoo. C4 is on HF matters and C5 is on VHF and microwave matters. The Interim Meeting is, as its title implies, a place for discussion and potential agreement on current issues midway between the triennial General Conferences. Your comments on the various proposals are sought. Go to http://uk.groups.yahoo.com and search for ukc4discussion or ukc5discussion, note these searches are without spaces.
Leicester Radio Society is celebrating its Centenary year this year, and is trying to find out the exact date the club started. Records are scarce to say the least and so they are hoping that someone could shed some light on the subject. They know that it was formed in 1912 or 1913 but cannot find the exact date, although they know it was featured in a Model Engineer magazine of that period. Please can anyone assist? If you can help in any way, please email lrs100years@gmail.com.
Ofcom has published the responses to the radio spectrum planning consultation for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Those responding include the Radio Society of Great Britain, the BBC and the Met Office. You can read the responses by going to http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk and searching on Glasgow 2014. Then click on show responses, which is on the right hand side of the screen.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
It is with regret that the Wakefield & District Radio Society announces that the annual Northern Cross Rally that was scheduled for today, Sunday 17 February, has had to be cancelled due to circumstances beyond their control. For more information, contact the Chairman and Rally Manager, Ken Quinn, G8FSO on 07 900 563 117.
The next rallies that we are aware of are over the weekend of 2 and 3 March. More details will be broadcast nearer the time.
Now for the news of special events
TC16BURSA will be active until 19 March in Bursa, Turkey. It is operated by members of local branch of the Turkish Radio Amateur Club. QSL as directed on the air.
Prefix hunters will be interested in the special event station PF100ZOO. This will be active until the end of the month. It is to celebrate 100 years of the Burgers Zoo in Arnhem. The operator and QSL Manager is PA0FAW.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
V47JA will again be operating from his holiday home in Calypso Bay, St Kitts, from 20 February until 21 March. Activity will be on the 160 to 6m bands, including 60m. QSLs via W5JON either direct or electronically via Logbook of the World.
An international team will be on the air from Burundi until 23 February. In total they will have 9 operators and four stations using the callsign 9U4U. Activity is on the 10 to 160m bands using CW, SSB and RTTY. The QSL Manager is M0URX.
An Italian group will operate from Guinea-Bissau in West Africa until 2 March. The callsign is J52HF and the QTH will be the Cumura Mission, where they operated from last year. Activity will be on SSB only and QSLs go via I3LDP.
John, KF0RQ will be back in Cambodia until 18 March. He will reactivate his XU7ACQ callsign. He plans to be active on the 10 to 80m bands using SSB and CW. QSL to his home callsign.
Roy, KE4TG will be active again as J38RF from Grenada, IOTA reference NA-024, until 8 March. He will operate JT65HF, PSK31 and RTTY on the 10 to 80m bands, with some activity using SSB, CW and digital modes on 60 metres. QSL via KE4TG and LoTW.
Now the contest news
The ARRL International DX Contest finishes today, 17 February, at 2359UTC. This is the CW leg of the event. The SSB leg takes place next month. Work the USA, contiguous 48 States, and Canada only, giving them a signal report and your transmitter power. US/Canadian stations give a signal report and their State/Province code.
The 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest takes place on 19 February from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The 80m Club Championships CW log will be on 21 February from 2000 to 2130UTC. The exchange is the usual signal report and serial number.
The first 70MHz Cumulative Contest is on 24 February from 1000 to 1200UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The CQWW 160m DX Contest runs for 48 hours from 2200UTC on Friday 22 February. This is the SSB leg of the event, the CW leg having taken place last month. The exchange is signal report and CQ zone and W stations send their State and VE stations send their Province.
The SSB leg of the French REF Contest takes place for 36 hours starting 0600UTC on 23 February. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number, with French stations sending their Department number or overseas prefix too.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 8th to Thursday the 14th of February, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday the 15th of February.
Only two new sunspot regions appeared during the period, with a maximum of four regions visible on some days. On the whole solar activity was at very low levels, with one small C class solar flare taking place on the 9th, 12th and 14th. Solar flux levels declined from 108 units on the 9th to 100 by the 13th and 14th. The average was 104. The 90 day solar flux average on the 14th was 117 units, that's three units down on last week. X-ray flux levels varied little day to day and averaged B1.7 units. This is definitely not what we would expect so close to sunspot maximum. Geomagnetic activity was quiet until the 13th, when a weak disturbance commenced and lasted into the 14th. The cause of the disturbance is not known but is probably due to a glancing blow from a coronal mass ejection from an eruptive filament. Several of these took place during the period. The most disturbed day was the 14th, with an Ap index of 12 units. The average was Ap 6 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds decrease from 480 kilometres per second on the 8th to 340 by the 13th. Particle densities where low except for a brief increase to 15 particles per cubic centimetre on the 13th and the 14th. Bz varied between minus 3 and plus 4 nanoTeslas on the quiet days and between minus and plus 9 nanoTeslas on the 13th and the 14th.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming week. This week solar activity is expected to be predominately at low levels, with only C class solar flares taking place. There is though a chance that the occasional stronger solar flare could take place and increase activity. Solar flux levels are expected to be around the 110 mark, or slightly less for most of the week. Geomagnetic activity is expected to be at quiet levels until later in the week, when activity could increase slightly due to a small recurring coronal hole. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be about 24MHz for the south and 21MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be around 8MHz. Paths this week to Australia should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 26MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be about 21MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 0900 and 1300 hours.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team. .
Category: Ham Radio | Comments |
February 8th, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 10th February 2013
The news headlines:
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Details published of Ofcom-RSGB meeting
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Raspberry Pi powers Echolink node
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GM100RSGB on the air this week
A report of the meeting between Ofcom and the RSGB which took place on 23 January is now available on the RSGB website. Among the topics discussed were Repeater and Beacon NoVs, Licence re-validation, Enforcement and Commonwealth Games 2014. Read the report at www.rsgb.org.
The GB3LV IRLP/Echolink node, located in Enfield, north London, is now powered by a tiny Raspberry Pi computer running a reduced version of Debian Linux and a version 3 IRLP interface. This reduces the energy and physical footprint of the node dramatically. This development, over the past 3 months, has only been possible because of a great deal of work done by Dave Cameron, VE7LTD.
The special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary continues its stay in Region 2 this week. Today, 10 February, Moray Firth ARS plans to run both HF and VHF stations using SSB, CW, RTTY and PSK. On Monday and Tuesday, Caithness ARS takes the callsign to Thurso with HF and VHF stations. Then, on Wednesday and Thursday, Upper Speyside ATG will run their HF station from Tomintoul. Friday the 15th sees Caithness ARS on the air again with HF and VHF stations, followed by next weekend with an HF station run by Lerwick ARS in Dunrossness. For those who haven’t tried it yet there is a comprehensive ‘Am I in the log’ feature at www.rsgb.org/centenary/ that shows on which Regions and Bands you have contacted the Centenary station. Details of how to get your QSL card are also on the website.
The RSGB Training and Education Committee is beginning preparations to run a pilot of the revised Train the Trainers course. This first course is aimed at those who are new to amateur radio training and it is hoped to have attendees from a wide area. Attendees will be expected to provide feedback on the course content and delivery methods to help with final development before it is rolled out across the UK. A second course is being developed for those that have been training for some time and would like to update themselves and/or prepare to step up to delivering Advanced level training. That course will be piloted later in the year. The team are therefore looking for volunteers who are new to amateur radio training to register interest. The course is likely to be over a weekend but the date and venue are not yet finalised; it is expected to be in the spring and will be located as central to the attendees as possible. Those interested in attending should contact Steve Hartley, G0FUW, by email to tec.chair@rsgb.org.uk, to receive full details.
Are you an active 2E Series call holder in England, with space and time to sort and distribute around 12,000 cards each quarter, to your fellow members? If so, the QSL bureau would like to hear from you. If you have an interest in helping others this could be a rewarding opportunity. The ideal candidate needs to be available by e-mail and have some basic Excel spreadsheet knowledge, time, and a little patience. Interested? Please e-mail the bureau via qsl@rsgb.org.uk.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, 10 February, the Harwell Radio and Electronics Rally takes place at Didcot Leisure Centre, Mereland Road, Didcot. Doors open at 10.30am and admission is £2.50, with under 12s free. There will be trade stands and special interest groups. For more details contact Ann, G8NVI, on 01235 816 379.
It is with regret that the Wakefield & District Radio Society announces the annual Northern Cross Rally, which was scheduled for Sunday 17 February, has had to be cancelled due to circumstances beyond their control. For more information, contact Chairman and Rally Manager, Ken Quinn, G8FSO on 07 900 563 117.
Now for the news of special events
TC16BURSA will be active until 19 March in Bursa, Turkey. It is operated by members of local branch of the Turkish Radio Amateur Club. QSL as directed on the air.
The Upper Speyside Contest Group will be operating GM100RSGB in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the RSGB on 13 and 14 February. The location will be Aanside Studios in Tomintoul, the highest village in the Highlands of Scotland, Postcode AB37 9EX. They expected to operate on 80, 40 and 20m using SSB & CW. Other bands and modes will be announced as necessary. Further details from Barry Horning, GM4TOE, on 01807 580 376.
Prefix hunters will be interested in the special event station PF100ZOO. This will be active until the end of the month. It is to celebrate 100 years of the Burgers Zoo in Arnhem. The operator and QSL Manager is PA0FAW.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
RW6ACM will be active as RI1ANP from the Russian Antarctic station Progress until the end of year. Modes and exact operating times are not known. QSL via RN1ON, direct or via the bureau.
I2JIN is currently operational from El Salvador as YS3CW. He is reportedly operating mainly CW on the 10 to 80m bands. QSL via I2JIN, direct, via the bureau or electronically using Logbook of the World.
F6AML is visiting Zanzibar until 28 February using the callsign 5H1Z. Operation is on the 10 to 40m bands using SSB and CW. He will also try to activate the Islands on the Air groups AF-054, 063 and 075 while in the area. QSL via F6AML via the bureau or direct. No eQSLs on this one.
Jack, F8AEJ will be active holiday style as 5V7JD from Lome, Togo until 15 March. QSL via his home callsign and log search on Club Log.
Drew, N2RFA will be active as C6ABB from Nassau in the Bahamas, IOTA NA-001, from 10 to 21 February. He will be using the 10, 17, 20, 40 and 80m bands with some PSK31, JT65, RTTY and possibly SSTV. QSL via N2RFA, eQSL and Logbook of The World.
Elena, RC5A and Alex, RA1AGL will be active as HC2/home callsign from Ecuador between 10 February and 9 March. They will operate SSB and CW on the 6 to 160m bands. QSL via their home callsigns either direct or via the bureau.
Now the contest news
The CQ WW WPX RTTY Contest finishes at 2359UTC today, 10 February, having run for 48 hours. There are numerous entry categories, but single operator stations are limited to a maximum of 30 hours activity. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands the exchange is signal report and serial number.
The PACC Contest finishes its 24 hours at 1200UTC today, 10 February. There are numerous single-op categories for non-Dutch stations. Work everyone, but concentrate on working the Netherlands because multipliers are awarded for the twelve Dutch provinces. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz bands the exchange is signal report and serial number, although Dutch stations send their Province too.
The 432MHz UK Activity Contest takes place from 2000 to 2230UTC on Tuesday. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The 80m Club Championships takes place on Wednesday from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using datamodes the exchange is signal report and serial number.
The full 48 hours of the 16th-17th is when the ARRL International DX Contest takes place. This is the CW leg of the event. The SSB leg takes place next month. Work the USA, contiguous 48 States, and Canada only, giving them a signal report and your transmitter power. US/Canadian stations give a signal report and their State/Province code.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 1st to Thursday the 7th of February, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday the 8th of February.
Several small simple sunspot groups were visible every day. Solar activity was very low on the 1st and again on the 7th, with no C class solar flares taking place. Activity then increased, with a small number of C class solar flares taking place on the remaining days. The largest flare was a C8 on the 6th; a coronal mass ejection was associated with this flare. Solar flux levels increased slightly to peak at 112 units on the 2nd before declining to 103 units by the 7th. The average was 107 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 7th was was 120 units, that's one unit up on last week. X-ray flux levels showed little variation day to day and averaged B2 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet every day and the average was Ap 4 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds vary between 300 and 480 kilometres per second. Particle densities were low every day except for the 7th, which increased briefly to 63 particles per cubic centimetre. Bz varied between minus and plus 5 nanoTeslas most days.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming week. This week solar activity is expected to be low, with only a small chance of activity increasing any higher. Solar flux levels should be around the 100 mark or slightly below for most of the week. Geomagnetic activity could be unsettled today due to a recurring coronal hole but then decline to quiet levels for the remainder of the week. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 24MHz for the south and 21MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be about 8MHz. Paths this week to the Middle East should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 27MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be about 21MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 1000 and 1400 hours UTC.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
Category: Ham Radio | Comments |
February 1st, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 3rd February 2013
The news headlines:
Amateurs may have heard or worked G100C last weekend. This is a special callsign that has been granted to the RSGB’s GR2HQ Team that provides the RSGB’s HQ entry to the IARU Contest each year. The G100C callsign, or its variant for the other UK DXCC prefix areas, will be operated on many weekends during 2013 by different members of the Team. The next time is the weekend of 9 and 10 February. Details of the Centenary Challenge have been put onto the RSGB Centenary website, www.rsgb.org/centenary/. Certificates will be issued to the stations with the most number of different Region or band contacts for the Centenary station, Gx100RSGB, and there are also certificates for the leading stations in terms of band or mode slots for G100C, GM100C, etc.
The special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary continues its stay in Region 2 this week. Today, 3 February, Dundee ARC will be on the air from Monikie [pronounced Moneekee] in Angus and will run both HF and VHF stations. On the 4th the station moves to Perth, with HF operation from the GMDX Group. The 5th sees operation from Ross and Cromarty with another HF station run by the GMDX Group. On the 6th, the GMDX Group takes the HF station to Invergordon, then hands over to Moray Firth ARS for the 7th to 10th. Moray Firth ARS plan to run both HF and VHF stations using SSB, CW, RTTY and PSK. For those who haven’t tried it yet, there is a comprehensive ‘Am I in the log’ feature at www.rsgb.org/centenary/ that shows on which Regions and Bands you have contacted the Centenary station. Details of how to get your QSL card are also on the website.
The deadline for Regional entries for the Club of the Year competition has been extended until 14 February. Any club that would still like to enter should contact their Regional Manager as soon as possible. The 13 Regional winners will go forward to the National Club of the Year competition. The winner and runners-up of the national title will be announced at the RSGB AGM in April.
Italian amateurs have regained access to 70MHz until 31 December 2013. All Italian stations are authorised to use 70MHz, unless they are within 30km of the Italian border with Austria, Switzerland or France. Frequencies in use are 70.100, 70.200 and 70.300MHz, with 25kHz of bandwidth. All modes are permitted with a maximum power of 50 watts ERP.
A new animated video has been released that tells the story of the UK Space Agency's first CubeSat, UKube-1, which is slated to launch in the 3rd quarter of 2013. UKube-1 will carry a set of AMSAT-UK FUNcube transponder boards. These will provide a 435 to 145MHz linear transponder and a 1200 bps BPSK beacon for educational outreach. For more information on FUNcube and a link to the video please go to www.amsat-uk.org.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, 3 February, the 28th Canvey Radio & Electronics Rally will take place at The Paddocks, Long Road, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 0JA. The venue is at the southern end of the A130. Doors open at 10.30am. For more information, contact Vic Rogers, G6BHE on 01702 308 562.
Also today, 3 February, the Radio-Active Rally will be held at the Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 5DG. Organised by the Mid Cheshire Amateur Radio Society, doors open at 10.30am. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy. More details from Simon, G8ATB on 01270 841 506.
On Sunday 10 February the Harwell Radio and Electronics Rally will take place at Didcot Leisure Centre, Mereland Road, Didcot. Doors open at 10.30am and admission is £2.50, with under 12s free. There will be trade stands and special interest groups. For more details contact Ann, G8NVI, on 01235 816 379.
Wakefield & District Radio Society announces with regret that the annual Northern Cross Rally, which was scheduled for Sunday 17 February, has had to be cancelled due to circumstances beyond their control. For more information, contact the Chairman and Rally Manager, Ken Quinn, G8FSO on 07 900 563 117.
Now for the news of special events
PA0FAW says that he will be operating with the special callsign PF100ZOO between 1 and 28 February. This activity is to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Arnhem Zoo. Operations will mainly be CW and SSB, with some digital modes. QSL via PA0FAW either direct, via the bureau or electronically using eQSL. SWL reports are also welcome and appreciated.
Moray Firth ARS will be operating GM100RSGB in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the RSGB over the weekend 7 to 10 February. The location will be Clochan Community Hall near to Buckie, which is postcode AB56 5EP. There will be various demonstrations featuring equipment through the ages, Morse code and information on how to gain a licence. They plan to operate on 80m, 40m and 20m using SSB, CW, PSK and RTTY. Other bands and modes will be announced as necessary. The club welcomes any assistance with setup from 10.30am on 7 February; the sooner they are set up, the sooner they will be on the air! All visitors will be most welcome and refreshments will be available at the hall.
And now the DX news, compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
F6KOP is expected to be active from Uganda as 5X8C between 6 and 18 February, from a location some 20km from Entebbe airport. They have announced that they will comply with the latest IARU band plan on 40 meters for the region, with the frequencies of the PSK and RTTY moved to 7040 and 7042kHz. For more details see www.5x2013.com.
Bert, CX3AN will be on the 6 to 80m bands as S79AN from Mahe Island, which is IOTA reference AF-024, from 4 to 11 February, mainly using SSB and CW. Preferred times for South America are around 1800UTC on 21.280MHz and 2000UTC on 14.180MHz. QSL via EB7DX.
Jean-Pierre, FG/F6ITD, will be in Guadeloupe until 25 February. First he will visit Guadeloupe until 8 February and then La Desirade Island, IOTA NA-102, until 25 February. Listen for him in SSB and digital modes on the HF bands. QSL via F6ITD either via the bureau or direct.
Bob, W7YAQ and Bill, N7OU will activate Fiji and Rotuma until 21 February. The first stop is Viti Levu Island, which is IOTA reference OC-016, and they will use the callsign 3D2NB until 7 February. The second trip leads them to Rotuma, which is IOTA reference OC-060, from where they will show up as 3D2RX from 8 to 21 February. They will operate mostly CW, with some RTTY and SSB on the 10 to 160m bands using vertical antennas next to salt water on a north-facing shore at both locations. QSLs for both callsigns go via W7YAQ. The logs will be uploaded to the LoTW as soon as they get back to the USA.
Now the contest news
The first VHF event of the month is the final Super League event of the 2012/2013 season, the 432MHz AFS. It takes place today, 3 February, between 1000 and 1300UTC. The nature of 70cm means that a good takeoff makes a huge difference to your QSO potential. If you’re not blessed with a good site and/or the owner of multiple long Yagis, the best way of moving yourself up the results table is to head off to a hilltop and operate portable. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The European Phase Shift Keying Club’s Worldwide DX Contest finishes today, 3 February, at 1200UTC. Activity is on PSK63 only. There are no fewer than 22 categories that you can enter and certificates are on offer to the winner of each of them in each DXCC Entity. Even if you don’t manage to come first in your country, there are certificates for the top three in each continent. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands the exchange is signal report and serial number.
The wait is over for the new 80m Club Championship series. The first session, using SSB, takes place on Monday 4 February. For the whole series the maximum permitted power is 100 watts, although there is also a 10 watt section for Foundation licensees and those who enjoy the extra challenge. It’s a team event that runs for six months, but unlike AFS contests there’s no 50-mile limit. Instead there is a 35-mile limit for Local Clubs. If your team includes any members outside of this limit you become a National Club. Running from 2000 to 2130UTC the exchange is signal report and serial number.
Tuesday 5 February sees the 144MHZ UK Activity Contest taking place from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The First 1.8MHz Contest takes place for four hours on the evening of Saturday 9th, from 2100 to 0100UTC. This is the first of this year’s HF Championship events and you can enter CW-only, SSB-only or mixed mode. Exchange a signal report, serial number and the first two letters of your postcode.
For 48 hours on the weekend of the 9th and 10th, the CQ WW WPX RTTY Contest takes place from 0000UTC to 2359UTC. There are numerous entry categories, but single operator stations are limited to a maximum of 30 hours activity. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
The PACC Contest takes place for 24 hours on the same weekend, running from 1200 to 1200UTC. There are numerous single-op categories for non-Dutch stations. Work everyone, but concentrate on working the Netherlands because multipliers are awarded for the twelve Dutch provinces. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number, although Dutch stations send their Province too.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 25th to Thursday the 31st of January, compiled by Martin Harrison, G3USF, on Friday the 1st of February.
Solar activity was mostly very low, with only two small C-class flares over the entire week. The Solar flux declined from 101 on the 25th to 97 on the 30th, then recovered to 103 on the 31st. The average was 99, compared with 108 the previous week. The 90 day solar flux average was 119 on the 31st – one point down on last week. X-ray flux levels declined from an average of B2.1 units to B1.3, with little daily variation. At the start of the period the geomagnetic field was mildly disturbed as a consequence of a high-speed coronal stream, which brought the Ap index up to 18 on the 26th. Bright arctic auroras resulted, with radio aurora at high geomagnetic latitudes during the afternoon and evening of the 26th. However, for the rest of the week the geomagnetic field was very quiet, with the Ap index in low single figures. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft showed a decline from 590 kilometres per second on the 26th to 274 kilometres a second on the 31st. Particle densities were mostly in single figures. Bz varied between plus 12.7 and minus 12 nanoTeslas during the disturbance, and between plus or minus five nanoTeslas on the quiet days. MUFs were around predicted values every day except the 26th. At HF, openings up to 28MHz were reported on most days, while 24MHz remained in good shape.
Finally, the solar forecast. During the coming week solar activity is expected to be low or very low, with only occasional C class solar flares. There is only a very small chance of a large flare. Solar flux levels may well recover much of their recent losses, reaching the 120s. On current expectations the geomagnetic field will remain quiet or slightly unsettled on most days, though it may be a bit more unsettled around the 4th and 6th. As always, the possibility of a coronal mass ejection cannot be completely excluded. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should continue to be around 25MHz for the south and 22MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be about 8MHz. Paths to the east coast of North America should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 26MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be about 21MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 1200 and 1700 UTC.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
Category: Ham Radio | Comments |
January 25th, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 27th January 2013
The news headlines:
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G100RSGB moves to Scotland and becomes GM100RSGB
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New Centenary live feed available
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More operations approved for DXCC
The special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary ends its stay in Region 3 this week and moves on to Region 2, Scotland North and the Northern Isles. Today, 27 January, and tomorrow, Warring ARC close the Region 3 operations, then on Tuesday, 29 January, the callsign becomes GM100RSGB as it moves to Invergordon with the GMDX Group. Operation moves to Dalgety Bay from 30 January to 1 February, again with the GMDX Group. Finally for this week, On 2 and 3 February Dundee ARC take over the callsign from Monikie [pronounced Moneekee] in Angus.
For those who haven’t tried it yet, there is a comprehensive ‘Am I in the log?’ feature at www.rsgb.org/centenary/ that shows on which Regions and Bands you have contacted the Centenary station. Details of how to get your QSL card are also on the website. This past week another feature has been added. This is a UK and Overseas ‘leader board’, which lists in rank order of Regions and Bands the top 100 stations that have contacted the Centenary stations. A further operating aid is the addition of an ‘alert’ messaging system. This is to allow Centenary station operators to provide some real-time forewarning of their operating plans, see www.rsgb.org/centenary/alertsandspots. As of 22 January, just short of 9,000 QSO were in the log, covering 160m to 70cm, excluding 60m and 4m, with contacts in 89 DXCC entities on SSB, 51 on CW and 26 on data.
ARRL Awards Branch Manager Bill Moore, NC1L, reports that the 2010 to 2011 XWPA and the current XW4XR operations from Laos have been approved for DXCC credit. Cards for those operations can now be submitted and will be counted toward your DXCC standing. The callsign XWPA with no number designator is correct.
IARU Region 1 reports that a Publicly Available Specification on the limitation of the emissions of plasma TVs between 150kHz and 30MHz was voted and agreed at the last CISPR meeting. It has now been published and is available from the IARU Region 1 website, www.iaru-r1.org. This is the result of work started in 2007 by the IARU Region 1 EMC Working Group. Even though a PAS does not have the same legal implications as a regular EMC standard, it shows the plasma industry now what could be part of a standard in the future.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
With another weekend of snow and ice forecast for much of the country and major disruption on both road and rail networks, please check that the rally or event is still taking place before you travel any distance.
Horncastle Winter Rally will take place today, 27 January, at the Horncastle Youth Centre, Lincolnshire LN9 6DZ. Doors open at 10.30am and half an hour earlier for disabled visitors, admission is £1.50. There is plenty of free car parking and good catering facilities, and there will be plenty of traders. For more information contact Tony, G3ZPU on 01507 527 835.
Next weekend, on 3 February, the 28th Canvey Radio & Electronics Rally will take place at 'The Paddocks', Long Road, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 0JA. The venue is at the southern end of the A130. Doors open at 10.30am. For more information, contact Vic Rogers, G6BHE, on 01702 308 562.
Also on 3 February, the Radio-Active Rally will be held at the Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 5DG. Organised by the Mid Cheshire Amateur Radio Society, doors open at 10.30am. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy. More details from Simon, G8ATB, on 01270 841 506.
Now for the news of special events
Some SOS Radio Week stations will still be active today, 27 January, with a final day of operations. Check out the SOS Radio Week website for more details.
On Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd February, Dundee Amateur Radio Club is operating GM100RSGB portable at Monikie [pronounced Moneekee] Scout Hut. The club plan to have both VHF and HF stations active using SSB and FM with voice and CW as appropriate.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
The Indian Ocean DXCC entity of Reunion Island will be visited by two French amateurs who will operate as FR/F8APV and FR/F8EOI until 8 February. They will focus mainly on 30m CW and 20m SSB. QSLs go via their home callsigns. The IOTA reference is AF-016.
Bernie, W3UR and Tony, N3ME, will be on the Caribbean island of Dominica, IOTA NA-101, using the callsigns J77A and J76A respectively. J77A will be active until 1 February and J76A until 11 February.
Nick, RW6ACM will be active as RI1ANP from the Russian Antarctic station Progress from 1 February until the end of year. QSL via RN1ON, direct or via the bureau.
Roberto, I2JIN will be active again as YS3CW from Corinth, El Salvador until 31 January. He will operate mainly CW on the 10 to 80m bands. QSL via I2JIN, direct or via the bureau and Logbook of the World.
Sam, F6AML, is visiting Zanzibar until 28 February. He will sign 5H1Z using SSB and CW on the 10 to 40m bands working with his FT-857D and verticals during his spare time. He will also try to activate the IOTA groups AF-054, AF-063 and AF-075. QSL via F6AML via the bureau or direct, no eQSLs please.
Theodore, K8AQM, will be on the air as ZF2TA from the Caymans, NA-016, working in CW and SSB on the 10 to 20m bands until 2 February. QSL via K8AQM either via the bureau, direct or Logbook of The World.
Now the contest news
The CQ WW 160m DX Contest finishes at 10pm tonight, the 27th. Work the contiguous 48 States plus Canada only, giving a signal report and CQ Zone, which is 14 for the UK. USA stations will send a signal report and their 2-letter State code, while Canadian stations will send a signal report and their 3-letter Province code. This is the CW leg of the contest. The SSB leg takes place next month.
The BARTG RTTY Sprint finishes at 1200UTC today, the 27th. Using the bands between 3.5 and 28MHz, the contest exchange is serial number only. Full rules can be found on the BARTG website www.bartg.org.uk.
On 29 January the 70MHz UK Activity Contest takes place from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The first VHF event of the month is the final Super League event of the 2012/2013 season, the 432MHz AFS. It takes place on 3 February between 1000 and 1300UTC. The nature of 70cm means that a good takeoff makes a huge difference to your QSO potential. If you’re not blessed with a good site and/or the owner of multiple long Yagis, the best way of moving yourself up the results table is to head off to a hilltop and operate portable. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The European Phase Shift Keying Club’s Worldwide DX Contest takes place next weekend on 2 and 3 February from 1200 to 1200UTC. Activity is on PSK63 only. There are no fewer than 22 categories that you can enter and certificates are on offer to the winner of each of them in each DXCC Entity. Even if you don’t manage to come first in your country, there are certificates for the top three in each continent. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 18th to Thursday the 24th of January, compiled by Martin Harrison, G3USF, on Friday the 25th of January.
Two large and magnetically complex groups rotated off the visible Sun, leading to markedly quieter conditions. At the start of the period a C5 flare was reported but subsequent days brought only a few small C-class flares, then none from the 21st to the 24th. Solar flux levels declined from 123 on the 17th to 103 on the 24th. The average was 108 units, compared with 150 the previous week. The 90 day solar flux average on the 24th was 120 – three units down on last week. X-ray flux levels declined from an average of B5.9 units to B2.1. The geomagnetic field was quiet or no more than slightly unsettled every day except the 18th, when the Ap index was up to 9. Ap levels as low as 1 were reported on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th, and the average over the period was less than 5 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft showed a decline from 487 kilometres per second on the 19th to 285 kilometres per second on the 23rd. Particle densities reached 28 per cubic centimetre on the 18th but were mostly in single figures. Bz ranged between plus and minus five nanoTeslas on the quiet days – apart from the 19th, which varied between minus 21 and plus 17 nanoTeslas. Aided by the low level of geomagnetic activity MUFs reached or slightly exceeded predicted values on most days. Radio aurora was reported on the 18th but only from northern Scotland.
Finally, the forecast for the coming week. The quieter side of the Sun is expected to be looking our way. Solar activity is expected to be low or very low, with only occasional C class solar flares. There is only a small chance of large solar flares. Solar flux levels should decline further, possibly below 100. However, they may start rising by the end of the week. Geomagnetic activity could be up slightly today as a consequence of a filament eruption on the 23rd but, otherwise, quiet levels are likely to prevail. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should continue to be around 25MHz for the south and 22MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be about 8MHz. Paths this week to South America should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 33MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate is about 25MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 1200 and 1700UTC.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
Category: Ham Radio | Comments |
January 18th, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 20th January 2013
The news headlines:
The special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary, GD100RSGB, will be operated today, 20 January, and tomorrow, the 21st, by the Isle of Man ARC. Tuesday 22nd sees the Chester & District ARC take over at Waverton and on the 23rd and 24th the callsign moves to Bolton, with the Bolton Wireless Club. Next Friday, 25th, Southport & District ARC takes the callsign to Scarisbrick and, next weekend, Warrington ARC will run the callsign from Grappenhall. Details of how to get your QSL card or check that you are in the log appear on the website www.rsgb.org/centenary.
The national association of Icelandic Radio Amateurs has announced that amateurs in that country have been granted operating privileges on 472 to 479kHz. Access is granted on a Secondary basis, with a maximum power of 5W EIRP. Maximum bandwidth is 1kHz. This new allocation is open to the G licence class and higher. In addition, the regulatory authority recently extended temporary permits for 1850 to 1900kHz, 5.26 to 5.41MHz and 70 to 70.2MHz.
Greenland has now moved to a full band allocation of 5250 to 5450kHz from its previous channelised status, according to recent news received from Peter, OX3XR.
As a part of the RSGB programme during our Centenary year, we have been offered the opportunity to submit an article to the Journal of the Institute of Telecommunications Professionals. This quarterly publication generally carries an article of historic interest, and the suggestion is that we aim at the publication that comes out just prior to our Anniversary Day, 5th July 2013. We are looking for a small group of volunteers to scope, research and draft the article. The draft is required by the ITP Editorial Board by April 2013. Please contact John Gould, G3WKL, vie email to centenary@rsgb.org.uk if you are interested in getting involved in this project.
Yesterday, 19 January, BBC Radio Three transmitted the Between the Ears edition entitled Space Ham, which was a celebration of amateur radio enthusiasts who have eavesdropped on space exploration. The idea for the programme came when a Radio Three producer visited the National Trust Lizard Marconi Wireless Station last summer. The programme is available online this week on www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006x2tq.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
With a weekend of snow forecast and major disruption on both road and rail networks, please check that the rally or event is still taking place before you travel any distance.
The Dover Amateur Radio Club Rally will take place today, 20 January, at the Whitfield Village Hall, Dover CT16 3LY. Doors open at 10am and entry is £2. The auction will take place at 12.30pm. Details from Peter, M0PKH on 07775 515 890.
Also today, 20 January, the Pencoed Amateur Radio Club Bring & Buy Sale will be held at Pencoed Rugby Football Club, The Verlands, Felindre Road, Pencoed CF35 5PB. Doors open at 9.30am and entry is £2. Tables are £5 each. Bookings and more information from Gerry Day on 01656 860 761.
Horncastle Winter Rally will take place on 27 January at the Horncastle Youth Centre, Lincolnshire LN9 6DZ. Doors open at 10.30am, half an hour earlier for disabled visitors. Admission is £1.50. There is plenty of free car parking, plenty of traders and good catering facilities. For more information contact Tony, G3ZPU on 01507 527 835.
Now for the news of special events
The RNLI SOS Radio Week runs until 27 January and more than 40 stations have registered to take part. For full details of those stations, check out the website, www.sosradioweek.org.uk. Anybody working one of the registered stations can apply for the Worked SOS Radio Week Award.
Pontefract & District ARS will be operating GB0SRW until 27 January as part of the RNLI SOS Radio week. The club will operate on the 2, 4, 20 and 40m bands. QSLs will be sent but only on receipt of a card either direct to G0BPK or via the bureau to GB0SRW. Full details are on QRZ.com.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
Members of the 'Buddies in the Caribbean' suitcase mini-DXpedition group are going to Barbados, IOTA reference NA-021, and will be active between 29 January and 6 February. All members will use Buddipole portable antennas at 100 watts or less. Several teams will be battery-only, field portable either from Barbados beaches or from scenic mountain tops and will sign their own call stroke P. QSL via Logbook of The World or direct to each operator with an SASE.
Carl, SM6CPY is in Rwanda until 31 January, reactivating his 9X0PY callsign. He will operate mainly CW, look for him 25kHz up. QSL to his home callsign.
The island of Minami Torishima, IOTA OC-073, will be on the air until 15 April. This quite rare DXCC entity will see JG8NQJ signing JG8NQJ/JD1 during that period. He plans to operate 17-10m CW during his spare time on the island. QSLs go to his home callsign via the bureau or direct to JA8CJY.
Pierre, FR/F8APV and Stephane, FR/F8EOI will be on the air from Reunion Island, which is IOTA reference AF-016, between 21 January and 9 February. They will work with Buddipoles on 10 to 40m, with emphasis on 30m CW and 20m SSB. QSLs via their home callsigns either via the bureau or direct.
Hermann, HB9CRV and Rudolf, HB9CQL will be on Flores Island, EU-089, between 22 January and 8 February. They will use the callsigns CT8/HB9CQL and CT8/CT3FN until 25 January and after that CR2V, especially on the low bands. QSL via HB9CRV.
Now the contest news
The 50MHz UK Activity Contest takes place on 22 January from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also on 22 January, the SHF UK Activity Contest takes place from 2000 to 2230UTC. Again using all modes on the 2.3 to 10GHz bands the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The CQ WW 160m DX Contest takes place for the 48 hours starting 10pm on Friday 25th. Work the contiguous 48 States plus Canada only, giving a signal report and CQ Zone, which is 14 for the UK. USA stations will send a signal report and their 2-letter State code, while Canadian stations will send a signal report and their 3-letter Province code. There are five different operating categories with various power levels and number of operators, but there are strict rules regarding the use of DX spotting in three of them, so please check the rules beforehand. This is the CW leg of the contest. The SSB leg takes place next month.
The BARTG RTTY Sprint takes place for 24 hours on the 26th and 27th, starting at 1200UTC. Please note that this is no longer a qualifying event in the HF Championship. Single band entries are not allowed. Using the bands between 3.5 and 28MHz, the contest exchange is serial number only. Full rules can be found on the BARTG website, www.bartg.org.uk.
You don’t have to be an active member of the Worked All Britain awards scheme to take part in the WAB 1.8MHz Phone Contest on the evening of Saturday 26th, between 1900 and 2300UTC. Exchange a signal report, a serial number and your WAB square, which is the first, second, third and sixth digits of your 8-digit National Grid Reference.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 11th to Thursday the 17th of January, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday the 20th of January.
Sunspot groups gradually disappeared from ten groups at the start of the period to only five by the end. Two large and magnetically complex groups remained visible every day but failed to produce any sizeable flares. They did though produce two small M class solar flares on the 11th and again on the 13th. Numerous C class solar flares took place every day except for the 17th when solar activity was very low. Solar flux levels declined from 172 units on the 11th to 123 by the 17th. The average was 150 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 17th was 123, that's two units up on last week. X-ray flux levels declined from B9 units on the 11th to B2.9 by the 17th. The average was B5.9 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet every day till the 17th when a coronal mass ejection arrived that departed the Sun on the 13th and the Ap index was 15 units. The average was Ap 7 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds increased from 280 kilometres per second on the 11th to 550 by the 15th. Particle densities were around or slightly above 10 particles per cubic centimetre every day but on the 17th increased to 45 particles per cubic centimetre. Bz showed little variation except for the 17th which varied between minus 14 and plus 11 nanoTeslas.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming week. This week the quiet side of the Sun is expected to be looking our way. Solar activity should be at low levels with only occasional C class solar flares taking place most days. There is only a small chance of any large solar flares occurring. Solar flux levels should decline and be in the 110's for most of the week. Geomagnetic activity could be unsettled today due to a coronal mass ejection that departed the Sun on the 16th, otherwise, conditions are expected to be at quiet levels. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 25MHz for the south and 22MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be about 8MHz. Paths this week to South Africa should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 32MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate of about 24MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 1100 and 1600 hours.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
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January 11th, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 13th January 2013
The news headlines:
The new variation to the UK Amateur Full Licence, allowing a wider range of privileges, came in force from 1 January 2013. Following the Christmas and New Year period, RSGB web support for the new frequencies has been updated. You will find a link at www.rsgb.org/5mhz. Whilst the RSGB continues to encourage experimental work on the 5MHz band, the experimental licensing requirement has been dropped and it is considered that the Society no longer needs to continue to run the 5MHz Experiment to the extent that it has in the past. The 5MHz Working Group has agreed that its primary role has been done and that it can be stood down as a working group. The RSGB would like to acknowledge the contribution by the 5MHz Working Group for its work in developing our presence at 5MHz. The Society also looks to its Members, indeed all UK amateurs, to act responsibly in respect of the new privileges at 5MHz.
Irish amateurs have been informed by ComReg that the band segment 472 to 479kHz is available to all licensed radio amateurs in Ireland, on a Secondary basis. Stations must not cause interference to the Primary Users, including coast stations and the aeronautical radionavigation service.
The special event callsign celebrating the RSGB Centenary, GB100RSGB, will be operated today, 13 January, by Furness ARS. On Monday and Tuesday, South Manchester Radio and Computer Club will put the station on the air in Sale. South Lancs ARC will run the station from Wigan on Wednesday and West Manchester Radio Club take up the callsign in Astley on Thursday. On Friday and Saturday the callsign will be on the air with Wirral & District ARC and then it moves to the Isle of Man as GD100RSGB on Sunday and Monday when the Isle of Man ARC runs the station. Details of how to get your QSL card or check that you are in the log appear on the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/centenary.
A new group has been formed on Facebook for amateurs wishing to organise skeds with other amateurs. So if you need a particular contact for an award, or just a chat, then go to www.facebook.com/groups/hamsked and have a look.
The Logbook of The World queue has been shrinking steadily since 7 January, when the system was brought back online after the installation of a new database server equipped with solid state drives. Since then, the delay between a file being uploaded and processed is about 8 days and is dropping by one day approximately every 10 hours.
The IT support group for the IOTA programme is engaged in the beta testing of a ADIF log upload module on a live test server. Additional software support is required to assist Dom Smith, M0BLF with this process, as well as other developments on the IOTA site. The RSGB is looking for a volunteer to provide software programming support for IOTA. The ideal candidate would have skills that include object oriented PHP, MySQL, Javascript and associated technologies such as AJAX, JSON, jQuery, etc and be familiar with working in a GitHub collaborative environment. A team worker, comfortable with virtual collaborative working, would be essential. Whilst someone resident in the UK would be an advantage, consideration will be given to overseas applicants. Expressions of interest, with a brief CV, should be sent to John Gould, G3WKL, by e-mail to g3wkl@btinternet.com.
UK amateur radios clubs still have time to enter the National Club of the Year competition. Kindly sponsored by Waters and Stanton, the closing date for the Regional entries is 31 January. After judging by the Regional Managers team, each of the 13 winners will go through to the national competition, the winners of which will be announced at the RSGB AGM on 20 April. Entries should go to the Regional Manager and details can be found on the Regional websites.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The Red Rose Winter Rally takes place today, Sunday 13 January, in the George H Carnell Leisure Centre, Kingsway Park, M41 7FJ. The venue is easily accessible from M60 junction 9. Doors open at 11am and there will be trade stands, special interest groups, a Bring & Buy and an RSGB bookstand. More details from Steve on 07502 295 141.
The Dover Amateur Radio Club Rally will take place on Sunday 20 January at Whitfield Village Hall, Dover CT16 3LY. Doors open at 10am and entry is £2. The auction will take place at 12.30pm. Details from Peter, M0PKH on 07775 515 890.
Also on 20 January, the Pencoed Amateur Radio Club Bring & Buy Sale will be held at Pencoed Rugby Football Club, The Verlands, Felindre Road, Pencoed CF35 5PB. Doors open at 9.30am and entry is £2. Tables are £5 each. Bookings and more information, from Gerry Day on 01656 860 761.
Now for the news of special events
The RNLI SOS Radio week runs from 19 to 27 January and more than 25 stations have registered to take part. For full details of those stations, check out the website at www.sosradioweek.org.uk.
Pontefract & District ARS will be operating GB0SRW from 19 to 27 January as part of RNLI SOS Radio week. The club will operate on the 2, 4, 20 and 40m bands. QSLs will be sent but only on receipt of a card either direct to G0BPK or via the bureau to GB0SRW. Full details are on QRZ.com.
South Tyneside Amateur Radio Club will be operating GB1SLB from the RNLI Lifeguard Station, Marine Walk, Roker, Sunderland, on 19 January. Operation will be on all HF bands from 10am to 7pm. Details can be found on QRZ.com.
Austrian amateurs will have the option of replacing their normal prefix with the special prefix OE2013 between 15 January and 18 February. This is to celebrate the Alpine Ski World Championships. Details of a special award in connection with this event can be found on the internet.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
4ZW is currently on the air from South Sudan as Z81Z. He is active on the HF bands, mostly using CW. Please QSL via his home callsign or electronically using Logbook of the World.
SM6CPY will be operational as 9X0PY from Rwanda between 15 and 31 January. Activity will be holiday style, on all bands, using mainly CW and listening up 25kHz. QSL via his home callsign, either direct or via the Bureau.
F6BLP is again active as 6W7SK from Senegal until 18 January. Operations are holiday style using an IC-7000 into a G5RV antenna, mainly on CW. QSL via F6BLP, direct or via the bureau.
Christian, F5UII will be active in his spare time as FY/F5UII from Kourou, French Guiana, from 13 to 30 January. He will operate SSB only from the FY5KE radio club's premises, typically on weekdays before 1200UTC and after 2200UTC. He also plans to spend a weekend on Ile Royale, IOTA SA-020, operating SSB with 100 watts on 10, 15, 17, 20 and 40m. QSL via his home callsign, direct or via bureau. You can follow him on Twitter, @f5uii, for updates.
Dennis, WA2USA will be active as WA2USA/4 from St George Island, IOTA NA-085, between 20 January and 27 February. He will operate mainly CW on 15, 20 and 30 metres, with some SSB on 20 and 40 metres. QSL via his home callsign, direct or via the bureau.
Now the contest news
Today, 13 January, the CW Affiliated Clubs Contest takes place from 1400 to 1800UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
Tuesday 15th sees the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest take place between 2000 and 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 23cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The SSB leg of the Affiliated Clubs Contest takes place on 19 January from 1400 to 1800. Again on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
And now the solar factual data for the period from the 4th to the 10 of January, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on the 11th of January.
During the period numerous sunspot regions appeared and on the 6th, fourteen regions were visible. Most were small and quiet, even some of the larger regions remained quiet. Solar activity was low every day, with numerous small C class solar flares taking place, except on the 6th when an M1 solar flare took place, increasing activity to moderate levels. Solar flux levels responded well and increased from 143 units on the 4th to peak at 174 units by the 10th. That’s the highest daily figure since the 11th of November 2011. The average was 148 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 10th was 121, that’s three units up on last week. Geomagnetic activity was very quiet every day, the most disturbed days were the 6th and 9th, with an Ap index of only 3 units. The average was Ap 2 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds vary between 290 and 360 kilometres per second. Particle densities were moderate to high most days, with 34 particles per cubic centimetre recorded on the 6th. Bz showed very little variation on any day.
And finally the solar forecast. At first the more active side of the Sun is expected to be looking our way before rotating out of view. There is a chance that solar activity could be moderate on some days, but certainly low on most days. Solar flux levels could decline dramatically and be around 110 units later in the week. Geomagnetic activity is expected to be mostly quiet, however, due to a small coronal hole activity could increase slightly during the next couple of days. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 26MHz for the south and 23MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be about 8MHz. Paths this week to India should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 28MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be about 21MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 0900 and 1300 hours.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
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January 4th, 2013
This is the combined RSGB podcast in iTunes format, compiled by Ed VK2JI. Please note as the complete text will not be visible on an iPhone/iPOD (limit on device), to read the complete text please go to http://gb2rs.podbean.com.
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 6th January 2013
The news headlines:
The news team and all the staff at RSGB HQ would like to wish our newsreaders, listeners and online readers a very Happy New Year. We would like to remind listeners that the deadline for news items is 10am on Thursday mornings and we welcome your news every week. The GB2RS script is uploaded to the Members Only area of the RSGB website on Friday afternoons and placed in the public area on Mondays.
RSGB President Dave Wilson, M0OBW, opened the year-long operation of the RSGB Centenary station, GB100RSGB, on 1 January as it was being hosted by the Widnes & Runcorn ARC. During the year the callsign will be operated by many different clubs and groups as it moves around the 13 RSGB Regions. Today and tomorrow, 6 and 7 January, the G100RSGB callsign will be operated by Workington & District ARS; on 8 & 9 January it’s the turn of South Cheshire ARS; 10 January sees Oldham ARC operating the special event station and, finally for this week, Furness ARS have the callsign from 11 to 13 January. Although intentionally a celebration for all to enjoy, there is an associated RSGB Centenary Award. The rules for this have been amended this week to allow contacts with the station to count for points on a Region/Band basis. Please check www.rsgb.org/centenary/ for further information.
UK Full Licence holders can apply for 472kHz and 5MHz Notices of Variation online at www.rsgb.org/operating. Click on Notices of Variation in the right hand column. Both NoVs became effective on 1 January 2013.
Sadly, we’ve received a report that an FT-897, serial number 7L860208, has gone missing from the Finningley Amateur Radio Society clubhouse. Please contact the Secretary by e-mail to stuartboast@yahoo.co.uk if you come across it.
UKube-1, the UK Space Agency’s first satellite, has booked its journey into space on a Russian Soyuz-2 rocket. The launch is expected to take place in Kazakhstan in March 2013. UKube-1 has also completed thermal vacuum testing to verify the spacecraft operation in a simulated space environment. UKube-1 will carry a set of AMSAT-UK FUNcube boards to provide a 435/145MHz linear transponder and a 145.915MHz BPSK telemetry beacon for educational outreach.
Many radio clubs took part in the International Museums Weekend special event in 2012. In 2013, this event will take place on the double weekends of 15 & 16 and 22 & 23 June. Radio amateurs are encouraged to participate in this event by setting up stations in their local museums. Organiser Harry, M1BYT asks that all those intending to take part in the event should register their museum via the web form on the website www.ukradioamateur.co.uk/imw.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
There are no rallies taking place this weekend and the first rally of the year will be the Red Rose Winter Rally on 13 January in the George H Carnell Leisure Centre, Kingsway Park, M41 7FJ. The venue is easily accessible from M60 J9. Doors open at 11am and there will be trade stands, special interest groups, a Bring & Buy and an RSGB bookstand. More details from Steve on 07502 295 141.
It is with regret that the Wakefield & District Radio Society must announce the annual Northern Cross Rally, which was scheduled for Sunday 17 February, has had to be cancelled due to circumstances beyond their control. For more information, contact the Chairman and Rally Manager, Ken Quinn, G8FSO, on 07 900 563 117.
Now for the news of special events
RNLI SOS Radio week runs from 19 to 27 January and more than 25 stations have registered to take part. For full details of those stations, check out the website at www.sosradioweek.org.uk.
Pontefract & District ARS will be operating GB0SRW from 19 to 27 January as part of RNLI SOS Radio week. The club will operate on the 2, 4, 20 and 40m bands. QSLs will be sent but only on receipt of a card either direct to G0BPK or via the bureau to GB0SRW. Full details are on QRZ.com.
Today, 6 January, the Icom club of Vienna supports an event known as Kids Day. It’s an opportunity for young people to become acquainted with amateur radio via a hands-on experience. If you have the time and inclination please tune in to 14.285MHz or thereabouts and give them a call. They will be using the callsign OE1KIDS and would be very pleased to hear from you.
Throughout 2013, Irish families and clans will be coming together in many events to celebrate their history and heritage in The Gathering. Irish amateur radio stations, both north and south of the border, will be participating. The special event callsign EI13CLAN will be active throughout the year and there will be a variety of awards and other activities, details of which will be posted on the IRTS website, www.irts.ie/thegathering.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
4T4RDP will be active until 13 January as part of the 2013 Dakar Rally. They will be using SSB, CW, RTTY and digital modes on the 6 to 80 metre bands. QSL via OA4O.
W6HGF/J8 will be on the air from St Vincent, IOTA NA-109, between 9 and 24 January. His operation will be focused on RTTY using dipoles and a travelling beam. QSL direct to his home callsign, via Logbook of the World or ClubLog.
DF3ZS and DL1QW will be active as stroke 5Z4 from Diani Beach, Kenya, between 7 and 20 January. Their operation will be holiday style on 10 through to 80 metres using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via their home callsign, direct or via the DARC Bureau.
Max, DJ4EL will operate as V31ME from Belize until 17 January, making a side trip to Long Caye, IOTA NA-123, until 12 January.
A number of Japanese operators will be on the air from Palau from 9 to14 January. Callsigns to look for are T88SM, T88CP and T88HK. Activity will be on all bands from 10 to 80m using SSB and CW. QSLs go via their home callsigns.
Now the contest news
The ARRL RTTY Roundup will be making the datamodes portions of the HF bands busy today, 6 January. Activity is on all datamodes and finishes at 2359 tonight. In this event you can work everyone. There are low- and high-power categories for single- and multi-operator stations, but no single-band entries. Entrants are limited to a single transmitter, irrespective of section. Send a signal report and serial number. US stations will send a signal report and their 2-letter State code, while Canadian stations will send a signal report and their 3-letter Province code.
The 432MHz UK Activity Contest takes place from 2000 to 2230UTC on 8 January. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 14th of December to Thursday the 3rd of January, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday the 4th of January.
Solar activity was mostly low with only low strength C class solar flares taking place on most days. The largest solar flare was a C4, which occurred on Christmas Day. On several days the activity was very low, notably around the end of December. Solar flux levels declined slightly from 122 units at the start of the period to just above 100 units by the 29th. The 90 day solar flux average on the 3rd of January was 117 units, that’s a decline of 28 units from exactly 12 months ago. X-ray flux levels showed little variation day to day and varied between B2 and B4 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet every day. The most disturbed day was the 17th with an Ap index of only ten units. In fact, this was the only day in December with the Ap in double figures. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw normal solar wind speeds, which varied between 270 and 500 kilometres per second. Particle densities were low every day except for the 30th, which increased briefly to nearly 100 particles per cubic centimetre. Bz never varied more that minus and plus 10 nanoTeslas. There was some Sporadic-E propagation into Europe on 28 and 50MHz on some days and on others F2 openings to Asia, Australia and North America.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming year. Twenty thirteen should see the maximum for sunspot cycle 24; this is expected to take place during late spring or early summer. We are already in the maximum phase of the cycle. Most, but not every maximum sees a ‘double peak’; the first took place in February 2012 with a smoothed sunspot number of 66.9. Levels are still declining, and the latest figure for May 2012 is 61.7. If that turns out to be the maximum, it will be the lowest maximum since sunspot cycle number 6 that peaked in May 1816 with a smoothed sunspot number of 59. At sunspot maximum the Sun’s polar magnetic field reverses. The polar regions change and become the opposite magnetic polarity to what they had been for about the last 11 years. This process takes between 12 and 24 months to complete. This is thought to be the one of the reasons why solar activity is not as intense during this period, and the reason behind the double peak. During the last maximum the first, higher peak took place in the April 2000, with a smoothed sunspot number 121. The second, lower peak took place in November 2002, at 116, before continuing to sunspot minimum. Comparing this sunspot cycle with the last for the number of X class solar flares, 120 took place during the last cycle and only 8 so far for this cycle. They were 331 days with the daily solar flux figure above 200 flux units during the last cycle, with the highest of 289 units on the 26th of October 2003. The highest daily figure so far for this for this cycle is only 182 units, which occurred on the 7th of November 2011.
During the summer months MUFs will reach their daily highs during the evening but during the autumn and winter months will take place around local midday. The daily highs are expected to peak probably for this cycle next autumn. Sporadic-E will take place on most days from May to late August.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
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