RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for March 17th 2024

GB2RS News

Sunday the 17^th of March 2024

The news headlines:

• The RSGB’s 2024 AGM is coming up
• British Science Week is drawing to a close
• Changes to examination fees are coming soon

This year’s RSGB AGM will take place at 10 am on Saturday the 13^th of April and will be held online to ensure as many members as possible can watch and take part. The formal business of the meeting will include the results of members’ votes on the resolutions, including the endorsement of three Nominated Directors. The President will give a video review of 2023 and the Society will announce the recipients of its annual awards and trophies, as well as the winners of its construction competition. At the end of the meeting, there will be a recorded presentation on “Making amateur radio licensing fit for the future” by Ofcom Group Director, Spectrum, David Willis. This will be followed by a live Q&A on the new licence conditions, with four senior RSGB representatives answering your questions: President, John McCullagh, GI4BWM; Board Chair, Stewart Bryant, G3YSX; General Manager, Steve Thomas, M1ACB; and Spectrum Forum Chair, Murray Niman, G6JYB. You can find more information about the candidates, voting and how to ask the Board a question on the RSGB AGM web pages at rsgb.org/agm

British Science Week is drawing to a close and lots of exciting activities have been going on. Radio amateurs across the country have been encouraging young people to explore and understand our hobby and there have been some wonderful ways of incorporating the theme of “Time” into amateur radio activities. The RSGB would like to thank those who have shared ideas and resources, promoting the magic of radio communications with young people. There will be a report in the June issue of RadCom to showcase the activities that have happened and to inspire people to get involved next year! Perhaps you ran a construction day, set up and operated a radio station in a school or achieved a QSO with GB3RS at the RSGB National Radio Centre. Whatever you’ve been doing, please send your reports, with separate high-resolution photographs, to radcom@rsgb.org.uk by the 21^st of April 2024. The RSGB would welcome feedback about what worked well, what you learned and how the Society could develop its British Science Week activities next year. Please email the RSGB British Science Week Coordinator Ian Neal, M0KEO at bsw@rsgb.org.uk to share your thoughts.

Early in February the RSGB announced that the fees for Foundation, Intermediate and Full level examinations would increase from the 1^st of May 2024. You can now use the online booking system to book an exam before the 1^st of May at the current price or select exam dates from the 1^st of May at the new prices. Please ensure you make the correct date selection, as booking errors that need to be changed may incur an administration fee as outlined in the exam terms and conditions. To book an exam, go to the Student Information section of the RSGB website and choose the option to book and pay for your exam from the right hand menu.

The RadCom Contesting column has new editors! The RSGB Contest Committees will be overseeing the column and have planned a schedule of topics. Some will be written by members of the three contesting committees, and some by others who can share their experiences. As well as information about various aspects of contesting, the committees hope that the column will feature a contesting tip of the month, a featured UK contester, as well as a contest of the month. Once each issue is published, the column content will be shared on the RSGB website to provide a useful resource about contesting. You can see a list of the planned topics at rsgb.org/radcom-contesting  The committees are keen to hear from people who would like to be involved, so if you would like to suggest a missing topic or offer to write something for the column, please email ContestClub@rsgbcc.org

And now for details of rallies and events

Callington Radio and Electronics Rally is taking place today, the 17^th. The rally is being held in the Town Hall, New Road, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7BD. The doors will be open from 10 am. Entry is £2 each and there is no charge for those under the age of 16. A comprehensive selection of traders, clubs and societies are present along with a bring-and-buy stall and the usual catering service. The venue has excellent disabled access and toilets, and there is ample car parking nearby. More details, including a list of items currently registered for sale at the huge bring-and-buy stand, are available at callingtonradiosociety.org.uk

Grantham Amateur Radio Club Radio and Electronics Rally is also taking place today, the 17^th. The venue is Grantham West Community Centre, Trent Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire. The doors are open from 9 am to 1.30 pm and entry for buyers is £3. Those under the age of 16 will be admitted for free. Ample free parking is available. For more information visit garc.org.uk/rally

In Wales, the Pencoed and District Amateur Radio Club Rally is taking place today, the 17^th. The event is being held at Sarn and Bryncwils Social Club, Sarn, Bridgend, CF32 9NY. The entrance fee is £2 but there is no charge for those under the age of 16. Doors open to the public at 10 am and refreshments are available. Disabled access is available via a chair lift. For more information contact Leuan Jones at 07791 709 691.

The Dover Amateur Radio Club Rally will take place on Sunday the 24^th of March at Saint Radigunds Community Centre. The doors will be open from 10 am to 2 pm and the entrance fee will be £3. Tables cost £15 each with a maximum of two tables per vendor. For more information visit darc.online/rally

The Ripon Rally will also take place on Sunday the 24^th of March. The venue will be Great Ouseburn Village Hall, Lightmire Lane, Great Ouseburn, York, YO26 9RL. Lots of parking will be available adjacent to the venue. Traders are welcome from 7 am and tables cost £10 each. The doors open for visitors from 10 am and entrance is £3 per person.

For more information visit radars-g4sjm.club

Now the Special Event News

HI180RD is on the air to celebrate the 180^th anniversary of the Dominican Republic declaring its independence from Haiti in 1844. Listen for activity on all bands and modes until the 30^th of April. Around 25 operators from five radio clubs will be part of the event. For details of an available certificate, visit QRZ.com

A special event call sign EI80MB is active until the 31^st of May 2024 to commemorate the 80^th anniversary of the rescue of 168 German seamen who were rescued from the waters of the Bay of Biscay after a battle between British and German naval forces in 1943. The men were carried out by a small Irish coaster called ‘Kerlogue’ which had the callsign EIMB. The rescue took more than ten hours. QSL via Club Log's OQRS or via EI6AL.

Now the DX news

Nobby, G0VJG is active as 5H3VJG from Zanzibar Island, AF-032, in Tanzania until the 20^th of March. He is operating mainly using SSB and with some CW and FT8. QSL via M0OXO's OQRS. QSOs will be uploaded to the Logbook of the World and Club Log.

Gerard, F2JD is active as HR5/F2JD from Copan, Honduras until the 21^st of March. He is operating CW, SSB, FT8 and FT4 on the HF bands. QSL via F6AJA directly or via the Bureau.

Now the contest news

On Monday the 18^th, the FT4 Series Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using FT4 on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report.

The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group HF RTTY Contest started at 0200UTC on Saturday the 16^th and ends at 0200UTC on Monday the 18^th. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and time.

On Tuesday the 19^th, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using All modes on the 23cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Tuesday the 19^th, the IRTS 80m Evening Counties Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and county code.

On Thursday the 21^st, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 14^th of March 2024

What a difference a month makes. We’ve gone from a solar flux index up to almost 200, to one that is down in the 120s.

Over the past week, we have had only two M-class solar flares, which means we have had limited coronal mass ejection activity and therefore low Kp indices.

Last weekend’s Commonwealth Contest saw UK amateurs making plenty of HF contacts, some with Australia, but everyone agreed that HF propagation was a little lacklustre.

There is a daily chance of moderate-class solar flares from AR 3607, the largest sunspot region, but all remaining spots remain mostly small and simple.

The solar wind speed has been quite high with sporadic periods of a south-pointing Bz field. This is what has pushed the Kp index to three, but this isn’t a big threat to HF. There is a slight chance of unsettled intervals caused by a weak coronal hole near the south centre of the solar disc coupled with the fast solar wind.

NOAA reports that active region 3590 has been detected on the far side of the Sun using helioseismology. This may mean that it will still be active and a threat when it returns in a week or so. This region was the source of the X6 solar flare on the 22^nd of February – the largest so far in solar cycle 25.

Next week, commencing the 18^th of March, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will remain in the 120 to 130 range, although the US Air Force predicts it could reach 150. Geomagnetic conditions are likely to be mainly settled with a maximum Kp index of two or three. 

So, this is a reasonable forecast for HF propagation, which should remain open up to 28MHz during daylight hours. This is also a good time for north-south paths, such as the UK to South Africa, and the UK to South America.

And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO

The continuing theme of unsettled weather will produce further spells of rain and heavy showers and once again provide some rain scatter options on the GHz bands.

Another thing to mention is that, as we move towards the latter part of the month, the intensity of showers becomes greater due to the additional warmth improving the effectiveness of the rain scatter process.

It is very hard to find any traditional Tropo until we get well into the coming week. It may occur on Thursday the 21^st when a high will develop a ridge from Biscay across southern Britain and the near continent. This should provide a chance of Tropo for the final few days of the coming week. Unfortunately, this is not in time for the UK Activity Contest on 1.3GHz on Tuesday the 19^th, but the 70MHz UK Activity Contest on Thursday the 21^st may be luckier.

The north of Britain may start to see the next low bringing rain over that weekend, so although it has an early exit from any Tropo, at least being well north gives Scottish stations a head start for any aurora, which tends to favour the spring months.

Meteor scatter remains in the random territory – try just before sunrise for best results. But with the next major shower being the Lyrids in late April, we have a while to wait for an uptick in activity.

Lastly, a brief mention of Sporadic-E. It has popped up with some weak events on the Dourbes plots on Propquest, but the main season is still a little way off.

Maybe check next month for a heads-up on the lower bands like 28 and 50MHz. Of course, digital modes will get a head start, so best to check the clusters and chatrooms for signs of fleeting activity. Some UK stations reported 50MHz trans-equatorial propagation to Africa last week, so check for that.

For EME operators, Moon declination reaches a maximum on Sunday, but path losses are starting to increase again. 144MHz sky noise is moderate, falling to low on Wednesday.

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