RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for March 26th 2023

GB2RS News

Sunday the 26^th of March 2023

The news headlines:

• RSGB Elections
• RSGB Membership and communications
• Coronation regional secondary locator

 

If you are an RSGB Member, don’t forget to vote for the two candidates that you would like to see as Board Directors for the next two years. You can find out more about each of them on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/candidates and then there is a link at the top and the bottom of the page to cast your vote. Read their personal statements, watch the videos and see if their background, skills and aspirations match your view of what the Society needs. The decision about who to vote for is entirely yours, but please do vote – it only takes a few minutes and will help to ensure that the RSGB Board reflects your views. 

As the RSGB continues to expand the use of its new Membership and management systems, it will make greater use of electronic communications to advise Members of important changes to their fees, benefits and offers as well as to send notifications for important publications and events. If you are an RSGB Member, please remember to keep your preferences and personal information up to date, including your callsign and email address, by logging into the Society’s Membership portal via rsgb.org/members or by contacting membership@rsgb.org.uk

As part of our Coronation celebration activities, Ofcom has approved “R” as the optional Coronation regional secondary locator prefix for all UK radio amateurs to use during May and June 2023. You will need to apply for a Notice of Variation – or NoV – and the form is now available on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/nov

A group of radio amateurs in Jersey will be using a special event callsign GB3KCJ as part of the Coronation celebrations. An opportunity exists for groups in each of the UK Nations who have a regional secondary locator, and the Crown Dependencies, to apply for similar special event callsigns. Applications for special event callsigns can be made through the Ofcom web portal, as usual. Using the same format as the Jersey special event station callsign, applicants might consider the following if they are available: Scotland: GB3KCM; Wales: GB3KCW; Northern Ireland: GB3KCI; Guernsey: GB3KCU; and the Isle of Man: GB3KCD.

The RSGB’s Tonight@8 summer programme begins on Monday the 15^th of May when Jack Purdum, W8TEE and Al Peter, AC8GY will talk about “The T41-EP ALPS: A High-Performance CW Decoder”. Jack and Al collaborated to build the T41-EP, a seven-band, 20W, CW/SSB SDR transceiver but this presentation is chiefly about how they developed the high-performance CW decoder. The two were awarded the RSGB’s Bennett Prize in 2021 for their article on their “Double-Double Magnetic Loop” antenna article in the February 2020 issue of RadCom. Full details of all the webinars in the summer programme are on our website – there are some great topics, so take a look and put the dates in your diary! Go to rsgb.org/webinars to find out more.

If you are an RSGB Member who is interested in online webinars and events, don’t miss out! Log into the RSGB Members’ portal, choose the preferences tab and click the online events option. The RSGB will be using this mailing list in future to send out details of forthcoming online events, for example, the packed programme of Tonight@8 live webinars that are booked until July. Go to rsgb.org/members

 

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 the cambridgerepeaters.net website.

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 the m0omc.co.uk website.

 

Now the Special Event News

In celebration of the 25^th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China on the 1^st of July 1997, Hong Kong licensed amateurs are granted the use of the special prefix VR25 until the 30^th of June 2023. The VR2 Contest Club and the Hong Kong Amateur Radio Transmitting Society will be using VR25CC and VR25HK, respectively.

YR1400VT is the special callsign that members of Radio Club YO6KGS will be using until the 30^th of June 2023 to popularise the newly inaugurated Via Transilvanica, a long-distance trail used for hiking, cycling and horse riding that crosses Romania. More information can be found on QRZ.com QSL via eQSL.

9A66AA is the special callsign that Tom, 9A2AA will be using throughout 2023 to mark his 66^th year in amateur radio. QSL via Tom's home call.

 

Now the DX news

Neville, G3RFS will be active as 6Y5FS from Jamaica, NA-097, until the 29^th of March. He will operate mainly using CW and some SSB. QSL via Logbook of the World, Club Log's OQRS, or via G4BWP.

Rich, PA0RRS will be active as 9M2MRS from Penang Island, AS-015, West Malaysia until the 29^th of March. He will operate using CW most of the time but will also use RTTY, FT8 and FT4 on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS is preferred, but also via Logbook of the World, or via PA0RRS.

Willy, ON4AVT will be active as 6W7/ON4AVT from Warang, Senegal until the 31^st of March. He usually operates using FT8, with some SSB and CW, on the 80 to 10m bands. He will also be available on the QO-100 satellite. QSL via Club Log's OQRS is preferred, or via his home call.

Lars, SM6NT will be active as HS0ZME from Hua Hin, Thailand until the 2^nd of  April 2023. He will operate mainly CW on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via SM6NT.

 

Now the contest news

The CQ Worldwide WPX SSB Contest started at 0000UTC on Saturday the 25^th of March and ends at 2359UTC today, 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.

On Monday the 27^th of March, the FT4 Series Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using FT4 on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is your report.

On Tuesday the 28^th of March, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1930 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Wednesday the 29^th of March, the UK and Ireland Contest Club Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator.

On Saturday the 1^st of April, the FT4 International Activity Day runs from 0800 to 2000UTC. Using FT4 on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report.

The SP DX Contest starts at 1500UTC on Saturday the 1^st of April and runs until 1500UTC on Sunday the 2^nd of April. Using CW and SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Polish stations send their province code.

On Sunday the 2^nd of April, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using All modes on the 1.3 to 3.4GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

 

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday 23^rd of March 2023

The solar flux index dipped a little last week, down to 148, but it didn’t last long and was back up to 159 by Thursday the 23^rd. We were free of major solar flares with only one M-class flare occurring on the 20^th.

Geomagnetic conditions were mainly settled as well, but that could change this weekend thanks to a large coronal hole.

The massive coronal hole on the Sun became Earth-facing on Thursday. A coronal hole is an area on the Sun’s surface with open magnetic field lines, which allows plasma to flow out. They appear dark when photographed in extreme UV light.

Although the bulk of the hole is south of the Sun’s equator, a long finger reaches out to the equator, which makes it a potential threat to Earth.

All eyes will be on the Kp index over the weekend as we expect it to increase, possibly dramatically as the solar wind impacts us. Solar wind speeds are likely to be in excess of 600km/s and continue into the weekend, resulting in isolated G1 storm levels. Keep an eye on solarham.net for updates.

We are now at the spring equinox, so it is prime time for auroral activity. The spring equinox traditionally brings greater solar activity which results in an increased frequency of auroral displays.

It is also a prime time for north-south HF paths, such as the UK to South Africa, and the UK to South America.

Next week, the US Air Force predicts that the solar flux index will decline slightly to bring it into the range of 130 to 140. Once the weekend’s solar storm declines, we may expect a few days of relatively calm geomagnetic conditions before another period of unsettled space weather is predicted for Thursday the 30^th and Friday the 31^st. This could see the Kp index rise to five once again.

 

And now the VHF and up propagation news

The overall unsettled nature of the current weather pattern is likely to continue for much of the period through to the end of next week, except for a brief ridge of high pressure crossing the country after the weekend.

This might offer the only tropo potential for VHF operators. The rest of the time will probably be beset by bands of rain, showers and, at times, strong winds and introduce the prospect of some rain scatter on the GHz bands.

It’s a week to focus on fleeting tropo, rain scatter and aurora as modes of choice. As we said earlier, the aurora is worth looking out for since the solar conditions are still very disturbed. As usual, good indicators are the Kp index values, which ideally should be five or greater to get our attention.

The meteor shower calendar is still in its quiet period, and with no major showers to look for, it would be best to try your luck with random meteors, which tend to peak just before dawn.

The Sporadic-E season has not started yet but is getting closer, say from mid-April on 10m, perhaps.

For EME operators, Moon declination reaches maximum next Tuesday meaning long Moon availability windows. Path losses increase throughout the week and 144MHz sky noise starts out moderate, falling to low next weekend.

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