RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for March 19th 2023

GB2RS News

Sunday the 19^th of March 2023

The news headlines:

• RSGB AGM and Elections
• RSGB Board vacancy for a Nominated Director
• Tonight@8 Webinar

 

Voting for candidates in the RSGB elections is now open. On the Society’s website, you can see details about the Calling Notice, Resolutions, elected Board Director candidate statements and video interviews, as well as the voting process and a link to vote. Voting ends at 9 am on Thursday the 13^th of April. The RSGB will be holding its AGM online this year on Saturday the 15^th of April and will live stream the event. This year, RSGB Members have the opportunity to submit written questions in advance or to ask questions via the live chat on YouTube during the AGM. You can read further information in the April RadCom and on the Society’s website at www.rsgb.org/agm

The resignation of Richard Horton, G4AOJ has left an RSGB Board vacancy for a Nominated Director. The Society needs to embrace new methods of working to help meet the changing needs of the amateur community. Candidates with experience in change management, for example, would be welcomed. The RSGB needs a strong and effective Board; this could be your opportunity to be part of that. To find out more go to the volunteer vacancies section of the RSGB website at rsgb.org/volunteers or for an informal discussion please email Nominations Committee Chair Stephen Purser, GW4SHF at nominations.chair@rsgb.org.uk

The RSGB’s Tonight@8 live webinar series continues on Monday the 3^rd of April with a presentation called “Sheep Worrier: A High Altitude Balloon Flight and Recovery System” by Heather Nickalls, M0HMO. Heather will cover an introduction to flying High Altitude Balloons, the radio systems involved, some science experiments she did on her flights, the recovery system developed to help find the payload when it lands and, of course, lots of pictures from ‘almost’ the edge of space. You can ask questions live during the presentation via the RSGB YouTube channel or a special BATC channel. Find out more about this and other webinars on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/webinars

Barry Lewis, G4SJH, the RSGB’s Microwave Manager, is the IARU Lead on WRC23 AI9.1b.  He reports that the IARU has carried out the only statistical study regarding the WRC-related 23cm Galileo issue. You can read more information about it on the IARU Region 1 website at iaru-r1.org The post includes links to the background and updates on the developments.

The RSGB has received a statement from National Hamfest (Lincoln) Ltd confirming that, due to several factors, there will not be a National Hamfest event in 2023. The organisers of the event say that there will be a bigger and better event next year at Newark Showground on the 27^th and 28^th of September 2024. To read the full statement from National Hamfest (Lincoln) Ltd visit nationalhamfest.org.uk

And now for details of rallies and events

The Hack Green Military Surplus and Military Radio Hanger Sale will take place on Sunday the 2^nd of April. The venue will be Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 8AL. The sale will include electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio items and vehicle spares. For more information email coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk or visit www.hackgreen.co.uk

Yeovil Amateur Radio Club’s 37^th QRP Convention will take place on Saturday the 15^th of April at The Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3AA. Doors open from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm and admission is £3. The Convention will feature talks, traders, bring and buy, club stalls and a café. For more information visit yeovil-arc.com or contact qrp@yeovil-arc.com

The Cambridgeshire Repeater Group Rally will take place on Sunday the 16^th of April. The venue will be Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Doors open at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. Admission is £3. The rally will feature a talk-in, trade stands, bring and buy, an RSGB Bookstall and free car parking. For more information contact Lawrence, M0LCM on 07941 972 724, email rally2023@cambridgerepeaters.net and see cambridgerepeaters.net

The Holsworthy Spring Rally and Boot Sale will also take place on Sunday the 16^th of April. The venue will be Holsworthy Livestock Market, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. There will be plenty of parking, wheelchair access and full catering available. The doors open to the public from 10 am. For more details contact the club secretary Ken, G7VJA via email at m0omc@m0omc.co.uk and visit m0omc.co.uk

Now the Special Event News

GB1PAT and GB2PAT are the special callsigns for members of the Bushvalley Amateur Radio Club to use between the 1^st and 28^th of March to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. Three certificates are available for making contact with both callsigns on different bands. QSL via Logbook of the World only.

HH75RCH is the special callsign for the Haiti Radio Club, established on the 29^th of March 1948,  to celebrate its 75^th anniversary. The station will be active until the 1^st of May. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, or via N2OO.

Special event callsign A60AP will be active until the 31^st of  August. The callsign is active in recognition of the United Arab Emirates' Astronaut Programme which was launched in 2017. The Programme prepares crews of United Arab Emirates astronauts for missions to the International Space Station and other destinations in space. QSL via EA7FTR.

Now the DX news

Andy, DK5ON will be active as PJ2/DK5ON from Curacao, SA-099, until Wednesday the 22^nd of March. He will operate SSB, CW and digital modes on the 160 to 6m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, Club Log's OQRS or via DK5ON directly or via the bureau.

John, N9EAJ will be active as VP5/N9EAJ from Grand Turk Island, NA-003, until Wednesday the 22^nd of March. Activity will be mainly on SSB and some CW. He also plans to be active in the Columbus Landfall National Park for Parks on the Air. QSL via his home call. He will upload his contacts to Club Log and possibly to Logbook of the World.

Stephane, F5UOW will be active as FR/F5UOW from Reunion Island, AF-016, until Monday the 27^th of March. He operates using CW. QSL via Logbook of the World.

Sands, VK4WXW has been on Willis Island, OC-007, since October, and will remain there until the end of April 2023. He works at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's weather monitoring station on the island, and in his spare time, he is QRV as VK9WX.

Now the contest news

The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group HF RTTY Contest started at 0200UTC on Saturday the 18^th of March. It will run until 0200UTC on Monday the 20^th of March. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and time.

On Tuesday the 21^st of March, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Also, on Tuesday the 21^st of March, the IRTS 80m Evening Counties Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and county code.

On Thursday the 23^rd of March, the 80m Club Championship runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

The CQ Worldwide WPX SSB Contest starts at 0000UTC on Saturday the 25^th of March and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday the 26^th of March. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday 16^th of March 2023

Last week was split in two, in terms of HF propagation. The first half of the week was characterised by excellent high-band conditions, with many people commenting on how good things were. The Kp index was low, there was a lack of solar flares and the solar flux index was high – perfect for HF.

There were reports of openings to Hawaii and Alaska on 10m and Bob, MD0CCE said 10m had been open to the Pacific every night for the last five or six days.

But it didn’t last and by Wednesday it all went pear-shaped.

The Earth was hit by a fast-solar wind with a southward-pointing Bz on Wednesday the 15^th, which increased the Kp index to 5.67. Its impact on the ionosphere was quick and very damaging, to such an extent that the two ‘local’ Digisondes at Fairford and Chilton couldn’t detect the F2 layer, leaving their traces blank.

It happened again on Wednesday evening, with the Kp index hitting 5.67 once again.

Luckily, it didn’t last long and the Kp index was back down to less than two by the morning and the MUF over 3,000km was back over 28MHz by mid-morning on Thursday.

Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will remain in the range of 135 to 145. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast for the 20^th but, as we know, anything can happen at this point in the solar cycle. Look for a low Kp index but, above all, get on the bands and see what you can work!

And now the VHF and up propagation news

The unsettled weather pattern seems likely to continue through the coming week driven by an undulating jet stream over the British Isles. This will mean, for yet another week, there is unlikely to be much good Tropo. It’s not all bad news though, since the unsettled part of the weather story may introduce some rain scatter on the GHz bands.

The mention of jet streams should, in a month or so, raise the promise of some Sporadic-E activity, which is often geographically related to the position of jet streams. It’s probably a bit early for that, although it could be worth considering a look at 10 and 6m as we move towards the end of the month.

10m, and 6m if you're in the far South West, can also give some good Trans Equatorial propagation, this time of year. This is typical of the changeover period from the southern hemisphere to northern hemisphere Sporadic-E activity.

As usual, the chance of aurora is still around, so keep a watch out on the clusters or spaceweather.com for all the latest news. Early-morning random meteors should stay on the checklist too.

For EME operators, moon declination is low but rising, going positive again on Wednesday meaning Moon availability windows will lengthen. The Moon is at perigee today, so path losses are at a minimum. 144MHz sky noise is low this week, apart from the whole of Tuesday when the Sun and Moon are close to an eclipse.

It is perhaps worth reminding new licensees that preparing a good list of HF and VHF beacons to monitor can be worthwhile, especially in quieter times before the summer Sporadic-E season gets underway.

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