RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 12th November 2023

GB2RS News

Sunday the 12^th of November 2023

The news headlines:

• RSGB Construction Competition
• RSGB 2023 Convention videos
• RSGB QSL Bureau 

 

Now the nights are drawing in, don’t forget about the RSGB Construction Competition. To enable members across the country, and even the world, to take part, entries will again be judged over the internet rather than in person. This year two new categories have been introduced so there are six categories you can enter: Antennas; Beginners; Most creative and/or elegant PCB Design; Construction Excellence; Innovation; and Software and Systems. Special recognition will be given to entries submitted by radio amateurs under the age of 24, and to those who have just gained their Foundation licence. A cash prize will be awarded for the winner of each section, with a bonus for the overall winner, who will also be given the Pat Hawker G3VA Award. The deadline for entries is the 1^st of March 2024 and you can find out more, including how to enter, on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/construction-competition

The RSGB has released three presentations from its 2023 Convention. The first is the keynote speech in which Colonel John Doody talks about his life in the RF Spectrum during the last 60 years and asks, “Is this a life for you?”. The second presentation is by the RSGB President, John McCullagh, GI4BWM who talks about his experience of 50 years of RSGB membership and explains the wide range of services that are offered to members. He finishes with an overview of the four strategic priorities that the RSGB Board has set until the 2024 AGM. The third presentation is the Discussion with the Board session that was hosted by Don Beattie, G3BJ who has been both an RSGB President and President of IARU Region 1. This builds on the four strategic priorities, includes questions from those attending this discussion forum and answers from the Board Directors. Although the three presentations are separate, the presentation by the RSGB President was immediately before the Board session at the Convention and is referred to in that discussion. You can find all three on the RSGB YouTube channel at youtube.com/theRSGB

The RSGB QSL Bureau is pleased to advise that a replacement QSL sub-manager is now in place for the  M1, M3, M5, M6 and M7 QSL sub-groups. Ann Eastwood, M7ERT has kindly volunteered to take on all five busy groups. Members can again send 2^nd Class stamped, C5-sized collection envelopes to the new address. Contact details are available from the RSGB website. Please remember to number each envelope and indicate your callsign and membership number in the top-left corner as usual.

Essex CW Amateur Radio Club’s activity week runs from Monday the 13^th of November to Sunday the 19^th of November 2023. This is a friendly non-contest style event to encourage both experienced and new Morse operators. Slow speed operators are especially welcome. Whilst the objective is to contact as many radio amateurs as possible in a week, it is hoped that QSOs go beyond just an exchange of signal reports and become longer chats. Anyone who works at least 25 other stations qualifies for a free PDF award certificate. The stations worked don’t have to be Essex CW Amateur Radio Club members. So, please dust off your key or paddle and get on the air! Listen out for Essex CW club callsigns GX1FCW and GX8CW during the event. More information, and a list of preferred frequencies, can be found at essexcw.uk

Please send details of your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk  The deadline for submissions is 10am on Thursday before the Sunday broadcast.

And now for details of rallies and events

The Rochdale and District Amateur Radio Society Winter Rally will take place on Saturday the 18^th of November. The venue will be St Vincent de Paul’s Hall, Norden, Rochdale, Lancs, OL12 7QR. The doors open from 10am and entry will be £3. The usual traders, caterers and plenty of free parking will be available. All proceeds from this rally will go to a local charity. Last time £1000 was given to the Rochdale Springhill Hospice. For more information, please contact Dave Carden, G3RIK on 01706 633 400 or email dave@cardens.me.uk

The Coulsdon Amateur Transmitting Society Bazaar will take place on Sunday the 19^th of November. The venue will be Oasis Academy, Homefield Road, Old Coulsdon, CR5 1ES. Doors open for the public from 10am to 2pm and the entrance fee will be £3. Traders, bring and buy, club tables and car parking will be available. Tables cost £12, with additional tables priced at £8. Please forward general enquiries to bazaar@catsradio.org.uk

The Wiltshire Winter Radio Rally will take place on Saturday the 25^th of November from 9am to 1pm. It will take place at Kington Langley Village Hall and Playing Field, Kington Langley, Wiltshire, SN15 5NJ. Depending on the weather, there may be a small car boot section. Entry costs £3. There is no charge for under 16s. For further information please contact chairman@chippenhamradio.club

Now the Special Event News

Special callsign HB8DELOY is in use by members of the Swiss Air Force Museum's Radio Club, HB4FR, to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the first transatlantic amateur two-way contact between Leon Deloy, 8AB and Fred Schnell, 1MO in November 1923. Listen for activity until the 31^st of December. QSL via HB9ACA, preferably via the bureau.

RAF Waddington Amateur Radio Club is operating Special Event Station GX3LQS/P from the 17^th to the 19^th of November. The event is being held to commemorate the 20^th anniversary of the RAF receiving its first Typhoon on the 18^th of December 2003. To help commemorate the event, members of the former RAF Coningsby Amateur Radio Club will be putting GX3LQS/P on the air from various locations during November and December. Some former club members, supported by RAF Waddington Amateur Radio Club, will be operating the callsign from RAF Binbrook from the 17^th to the 19^th of November. For more details visit QRZ.com

Now the DX news

Ken, LA7GIA and Shani, HA5DDX are active as 7O8AD and 7O8AE respectively, from Socotra Island, AF-028, in Yemen until the 16^th of November. The team plans to have up to three stations working on the 160 to 10m bands and will operate using SSB, CW and FT8. QSL via OQRS and Logbook of the World.

A team of amateurs is active as TJ9MD from Cameroon using CW, FT8 and SSB. QSL direct to IK2VUC or via Logbook of the World. For more information visit mdxc.support/tj9md

Now the contest news

The Worked All Europe DX RTTY Contest started at 0000UTC on Saturday the 11^th and ends at 2359UTC today, Sunday the 12^th of November. Using RTTY only on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

Today, the 12^th, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on 1.3 to 3.4GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Tuesday the 14^th, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 1955UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Also on Tuesday the 14^th, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Wednesday the 15^th, the Autumn Series SSB Contest runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

On Thursday the 16^th, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Saturday the 18^th, the second 1.8MHz Contest runs from 1900 to 2300UTC. Using CW on the 160m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and District Code.

 

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 9^th of November 2023

Last week was characterised by very unsettled geomagnetic conditions which took their toll on the high-frequency bands.

The Kp index hit seven on the 5^th of November, sparking visible aurora all over the UK. This also caused auroral conditions on the bands with many people commenting on the auroral flutter on the lower HF bands and hearing auroral-type signals on the 10m band.

Unfortunately, these conditions didn’t improve very quickly, and the upper bands were badly affected as the subsequent geomagnetic storm continued.

By late afternoon on the 6^th, HF began to return to normal with MUFs over a 3,000km path hitting more than 28MHz again.

The solar flux index, at this point, was 146, with eleven C-class flares being detected on Monday, but nothing worse.

Unsettled geomagnetic conditions continued on and off until the morning of Thursday the 9^th when the Kp index finally got down below four and stayed there.

A quick check of the 10m band on Thursday afternoon revealed the W1AW CQ practice transmissions on 28.0675MHz, plus two to ten-watt beacons audible from Gibraltar, Italy, Greece and the Eastern seaboard of the USA. The band was open, but not exactly humming!

Also on Thursday, the data feed to Propquest.co.uk failed, resulting in a lack of graphs for the F2-layer critical frequency and extrapolated MUFs. Let’s hope it returns quite quickly.

Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will be around 150 and the Kp index will be around 2 or 3. If that is the case, we can expect conditions to be a little better. But, as always, a coronal mass ejection could soon put an end to the fun with an increased Kp index and decreased MUFs.

And now the VHF and up propagation news

The current spell of unsettled weather is likely to continue for another week at least, with some fairly strong weather systems possible, which could bring gales and heavy rain.

With fast-moving systems it’s pointless, with such a long lead time, to try and nail down the exact timings of each individual system. Once again, Tropo will not be a big player in VHF/UHF operating this week, except perhaps over this weekend, the 11^th and 12^th, as a transient weak ridge crosses the country.

You might still see the odd ’spike’ of higher E-layer critical frequencies on the propquest.co.uk NVIS charts when it comes back online. Lately, these have been during the mid-morning period so maybe give the 10m and 6m bands a cursory check during the coming week. It's not entirely clear why the bands have been so reliable during the recent week, but may be a response to meteor input.

We are approaching the peak of the Taurids meteor shower over the 12^th and 13^th of November. This is followed by the much larger Leonids towards the end of next week on the 17^th and 18^th of November. This also means that it's worth listening for some meteor scatter signals throughout the next week or so.

There was a nice auroral opening on 6m up to 2m late in the afternoon on the 5^th of November, with the planetary Kp index reaching 6 to 7. This produced rare visual aurora sightings down to the south coast. Auroral CW and SSB signals sound  ‘watery’ on the LF bands and very raspy and whispery on HF and VHF.

For EME operators, Moon declination is negative and falling again, reaching a minimum on Thursday the 16^th. Path losses continue to fall and 144MHz sky noise is low, apart from Monday the 13^th when the Sun and Moon are close in the sky. From Wednesday, it rises to a high of 2,900 Kelvin on Thursday.

And that’s all from the propagation team this week.