RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 17th November 2024

GB2RS News

Sunday the 17^th of November

The news headlines:

• The RSGB has launched a new practical events section on its website
• The RSGB Awards Manager has added categories to the IARU Region 1 Award
• There is still time to host the Youngsters on the Air Month call sign

The RSGB is keen to promote practical events for radio amateurs as a way of developing their skills and retaining their interest in amateur radio. The Society has also demonstrated that buildathons are a great way of engaging new audiences, giving people a taste of amateur radio in a fun and supportive environment. As part of its strategy, the RSGB held two workshops at the 2024 Convention to introduce individuals to radio-related usage of Micro Controller Units, or MCUs as they are often known. The Society also holds annual build-a-radio events at Bletchley Park for youngsters, with the kits provided by the Radio Communications Foundation. To support radio amateurs to try practical skills themselves or to put on their events, the RSGB has published a new section on its website that is dedicated to practical events. You’ll find a guide to running a buildathon, detailed information from the MCU workshop as well as a short video to inspire you! Feedback from the RSGB’s events has been wholly positive with requests for similar activities around the country. Could your club host an event and perhaps even boost its numbers at the same time? Find out more at rsgb.org/practical-events

The RSGB Awards Manager has announced that, with the support of the Board, he has added new categories of achievement to the IARU Region 1 Award. These include WARC bands only, 10MHz only, 18MHz only and 24MHz only. The standard IARU Region 1 Award check spreadsheet should continue to be used for these categories. However, award chasers are advised to keep separate versions for each band or set of bands. There are no mode or power restrictions and there is no distinction between fixed and portable stations; you just have to be operating within the same country for all QSOs used in the application. There aren’t any limitations on the start dates for the awards other than the dates for particular countries as identified in the check sheet. This reflects, for example, when a country became a member of the IARU. The RSGB would like to thank the award chasers who contributed to the discussions about adding new categories.

With just two weeks to go until Youngsters on the Air Month, operating slots for GB24YOTA are fast filling up. The special call sign will be active throughout December and is a fantastic opportunity to get youngsters active on the amateur bands. Whether you are part of a school, university, youth group, club or individual, the RSGB would love you to be involved. The Society would be delighted to see the callsign hosted every day during December and see as many youngsters on the air as possible. Be part of this goal by visiting QRZ.com and searching GB24YOTA to check availability. Operating slots aren’t fixed and can be adjusted to suit your timings, so don’t delay. Email Jamie, M0SDV via yota.month@rsgb.org.uk now. Visit rsgb.org/yota-month to find out more.

The RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. There will also be reduced hours on New Year’s Eve when the centre will be closing at 2 pm. Following the seasonal closures, the NRC will also be closed for essential maintenance works on the 2^nd of January 2025. Outside of these times, volunteers look forward to welcoming visitors as usual. Remember that RSGB Members can download a free entry voucher for Bletchley Park from the RSGB website via rsgb.org/bpvoucher.

Visitors to and from CEPT countries such as the UK can now operate more easily in the Cayman Islands, which has now joined the CEPT T/R 61-01 Reciprocal agreement. This change was agreed at the CEPT meeting last month.

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

And now for details of rallies and events

The Rochdale and District Amateur Radio Winter Rally is taking place on Saturday the 23^rd of November at St Vincent de Paul’s Hall, Norden in Rochdale. The usual traders and caterers will be attending. Doors open at 10 am and entry is £3. Plenty of parking will be available. For more information contact the Treasurer and Rally Organiser, Martin Shore, via rally.radars@hotmail.com or call 07587 709006.

The Bishop Auckland Radio Amateur’s Club Annual Rally is taking place on Sunday the 24^th of November at Spennymoor Leisure Centre in County Durham. The usual traders will be attending. Catering, ample parking and disabled facilities will be available. For more information, please visit barac.org.uk

The Isle of Man Amateur Radio Society Dinner is at the Creg-ny-Baa on Friday the 29^th of November. Tickets are £25. For more information, including details of the menu and how to book, visit iomars.im

The Wiltshire Radio Winter Rally is on Sunday the 1^st of December at Kington Langley Village Hall in Kington Langley, located just off Junction 17 of the M4. Doors open at 9 am and close at 1 pm. Admission is £3. Indoor tables are £10. Car boot pitches are £10 for a car-size pitch and £15 for a van-size pitch. Hot and cold refreshments will be available on-site. For more information email Chairman@Chippenhamradio.club

The Mid-Devon Amateur Radio and Electronics Fair is on Sunday the 8^th of December at Winkleigh Sports and Recreation Centre. Doors are open from 9 am to 1 pm. Entry is £3 per person and no charge for partners and under 16s. Free parking and Wi-Fi are available, as well as hot food and refreshments. Traders £5 per 6ft frontage with tables supplied. Booking in advance is recommended. Mains electricity is also available on request. Traders, please pre-book as soon as possible. Please contact Phil, G6DLJ via 07990 563147 or email wrg2024@hotmail.com

Now the Special Event news

A special event callsign 9Y20TATT is active from the 22^nd of November until the 29^th of November 2024 to celebrate the 20^th Anniversary of the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago in collaboration with the Trinidad and Tobago Amateur Radio Society. All amateurs are invited to make contact. Limited edition QSL cards will be available, and certificates can be requested by amateurs making at least five unique contacts. Find out more on the event website via 9y20ta.tt

Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the formation of Radio Beograd in 1924, members of the Belgrade Amateur Radio Club, YU1ANO in Serbia are active as YT100RB and YU1924RB until the 30^th of November. For details of a certificate that is available for contacting these stations see yu1ano.org

Special callsign HB50VC is active until the 31^st of December to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Swissair Amateur Radio Club, HB9VC. QSOs will be uploaded to the Logbook of the World. QSL cards will not be provided. You can download a certificate for working this special event station from tinyurl.com/HB50VC-24

Now the DX news

HC5CW and HC2AP will be active as HC5CW/8 and HD8CW from San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos Islands between the 19^th and 28^th of November. The IOTA reference is SA 004. They will operate on the HF bands, CW, SSB and FT8. QSL via M0OXO or OQRS.

The S9Z Team will be active from Sao Tome Island between the 11^th and 20^th of November. The IOTA reference is AF 023. They will operate on the 160 - 6m bands, CW, SSB, Digital modes, and also EME on 432MHz.

The 9L5A Team, who are members of the F6KOP Club, will be active from Sierra Leone between the 27^th of November and the 8^th of December. They will operate on the 160 - 6m bands and QO-100. QSL via F5GSJ, Logbook of the World or ClubLog OQRS.

Now the contest news

Tomorrow, Monday the 18^th of November, the RSGB FT4 Contest runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using FT4 on the 80m to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is a signal report.

On Tuesday, the 19^th of November, the RSGB 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 Thursday, the 21^st of November, the RSGB 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.

The CQ World Wide DX CW Contest starts at 0000UTC on Saturday the 23^rd of November and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday the 24^th of November. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and CQ Zone. The UK is in Zone 14.

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

The solar flux index took a downturn this week, ending up at 150. The visible solar disk is looking rather bare compared with a couple of weeks ago.

This is the lowest SFI value since the 2^nd of May 2024, but it is only a matter of time before we see another sunspot appear as we make our way through solar maximum.

The good news is that we have been pretty devoid of solar flares and coronal mass ejections, with only a few M-class flares occurring. Any CMEs were not Earth-directed and so the Kp index stayed low.

As a result, the bands are still playing ball. A quick look on 10 metres at 10.00UTC on Thursday the 14^th showed the 4X6TU (Israel), OH2B (Finland) and LU4AA (Argentina) International Beacon Project beacons were romping in on 28.200MHz.

Going down to 15 metres it was even better, with ZL6B (New Zealand), VK6RBP (Australia) and JA2IGY (Japan) all audible on 21.150MHz.

Also, the proton flux from the Sun remains low, which bodes well for polar paths.

Next week the Space Weather Prediction Centre forecasts that the solar flux index will rise again, no doubt as new or returning sunspots appear, perhaps putting us into the low 200s.

From a geomagnetic perspective, unsettled conditions are forecast for Wednesday, the 20^th of November when the Kp index could rise to four.

Looking further ahead, fingers crossed for the 23^rd and 24^th weekend when the CQ Worldwide CW contest takes place!

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

It was more of the same on 50MHz last week, with what may be a mix of Es and F2-layer propagation producing morning openings in the afternoon to the Gulf States, Southeast Asia, and the Americas.

On the higher bands, with the high pressure just hanging on in its colder guise, next week looks distinctly on the wintry side for some areas.

The high pressure has, along with its predecessor, given us at least two weeks of Tropo conditions on the VHF bands. The expected change-over to low pressure takes place on Sunday and drives a colder northerly weather pattern down across the UK, even to southern areas. This means that the majority of next week is a good time to look for rain scatter.

Regarding meteor scatter, the peak of the Leonids occurs today, the 17^th of November, with rates of 15-20 per hour.

Also, occasional peaks of the Kp index above four should tempt us to beam north for chance aurora openings. As usual, check the VHF beacons and clusters for signs of activity during the afternoon and evenings when the auroral oval is displaced southwards nearer to our part of the world.

It's a good week for EME operators, the Moon reaches peak declination on Monday morning, but path losses are rising as we have passed perigee on Thursday the 14^th. 144MHz sky noise is moderate, reaching 500 Kelvin on Sunday night.

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