RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 2nd March 2025

GB2RS News

Sunday the 2^nd of March 2025

The news headlines:

• British Science Week – will you be taking part in an amateur radio activity?
• Could you contribute to the RSGB Technical Forum?
• The RSGB is looking for an Assistant RadCom Editor

British Science Week starts this Friday the 7th of March and gives radio amateurs the opportunity to share their passion and knowledge of the hobby to reach new audiences. Schools including Kingsmead School in Taunton and St Anne’s Catholic Primary School, Ormskirk have radio-related activities planned for students. Clubs including South Derbyshire and Ashby Woulds Amateur Radio Group will be involved with events that are open to the public. A Men’s Sheds group in Crowthorne and Wokingham will be active as G8EYM and would appreciate skeds, especially with other Men’s Sheds – could you arrange one with them? In another fantastic development for this year, the RSGB Outreach team has partnered with the Radio Communications Foundation to provide FM radio receiver kits for 15 school, university, scout and youth groups to build. You can find details of these events, plus more, by going to rsgb.org/bsw and choosing the “Events happening near you” tab on the righthand menu. If you have an activity taking place, there is still time to let the Society know so it can help promote the event. Email the RSGB British Science Week Coordinator, Ian Neal, M0KEO via bsw@rsgb.org.uk  Even if you haven’t planned anything yet, you can still get involved by doing the RSGB’s official British Science Week activity with your friends and family. You can find that and other ideas and resources on the RSGB British Science Week web page. Be inspired, get involved and show the very best that amateur radio has to offer.

The RSGB Technical Forum is accepting expressions of interest from people who would like to join the group. The Forum is a body of technical experts that review articles submitted to the RSGB RadCom Editors. It provides a recommendation on whether they should be accepted for publication, and whether they are best suited to RadCom, RadCom Basics or RadCom Plus. If you are able and willing to contribute to the RSGB Technical Forum, please write in the first instance to gm.dept@rsgb.org.uk and include a short summary of your relevant amateur radio and professional expertise.

The RSGB is looking for an Assistant Editor to join the team that produces its suite of RadCom publications. The successful candidate will be involved in everything from magazine production and sub-editing to writing articles and planning content. More information is available on page 83 of the February 2025 issue of RadCom or via rsgb.org/careers  If you are interested in applying for the role, email radcom@rsgb.org.uk

The Commonwealth Contest is a unique annual event which has run every year since 1931. Held over the weekend nearest to Commonwealth Day, it is loved by many RSGB members and radio amateurs throughout the Commonwealth. In 2024 over 240 individual entrants and 15 Commonwealth Headquarters stations representing national societies were active. The Commonwealth Contest is a treasure hunt with amateurs in distant locations looking to make a QSO with you, so if you are not a regular contest participant or you have a simple HF setup, you might use the Contest as an opportunity to make DX QSOs. UK amateurs are travelling to the Caribbean, the Falklands and New Zealand, so your scope for QSOs is expanded, and many VK, ZL, VU and VE amateurs will be joining in too. This year the Contest takes place on the 8^th of March, and you can find out more on page 38 of the March issue of RadCom and on the RSGB website via tinyurl.com/commonwealth-contest

On Saturday the 29^th of March, the RSGB National Radio Centre Coordinator, Martyn Baker, G0GMB, together with Andy Webster, G7UHN from the Radio Communications Foundation, will be delivering a talk in the Fellowship Auditorium at Bletchley Park. It will introduce people to the radio spectrum and how to get to grips with the fundamentals of radio transmission. The RSGB is delighted that its members can benefit from a 10% discount, reducing the price to £14.40. To find out more, go to the ‘What’s on’ section on the Bletchley Park website via bletchleypark.org.uk  If you'd like to visit the wider Bletchley Park site after the talk, RSGB members can gain free entry by downloading a voucher from rsgb.org/bpvoucher

Amateur Radio Clubs On The Air is getting ready for a second weekend of operating on the 22^nd and 23^rd of March. It is a chance for amateurs to promote their club, have some fun and collect points for an award. All bands may be used, using any mode including SSB, CW, FM, RTTY, FT8/4 and other digital modes. This is an ongoing award, and contacts may be claimed from 23 March 2024 onwards. You can find full details on the Leicester Radio Society website at g3lrs.org.uk, via the G3LRS page at QRZ.com  or by emailing arcota@g3lrs.org.uk

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

Today, the 2^nd of March, the Exeter Radio Rally is taking place at a new venue. The event will be held at The Kenn Centre, EX6 7UE, from 10 am. Traders and catering will be available on-site. For more information phone Pete, G3ZVI on 07714 198 374 or email g3zvi@yahoo.co.uk

On Sunday the 16^th of March, the Ripon and District Amateur Radio Society Rally will take place at Great Ouseburn Village Hall, Lightmire Lane, Great Ouseburn, York YO26 9RL. Doors open for traders at 7.30 am and then to the public at 10 am for an admission price of £3. Free parking, refreshments and bacon butties will be available. The tables cost £10 each. For enquiries or to book one or more tables, please email radars.rally@gmail.com

Now the Special Event news

The British Railways Amateur Radio Society is running special event stations GB0LMR and GB2SDR during 2025 to celebrate 200 years of train travel since 1825. Starting from April, it will also be running GB2TT to celebrate the same anniversary. QSL will be via the Bureau. More information is available at QRZ.com  and via webrars.info

From the 1^st to the 28^th of March George, MM0JNL will once again be activating special event station GB0GTS. This year the station is active in support of the Great Tommy Sleepout. This national challenge aims to raise funds and awareness for all former UK service personnel who are living homeless. More details are available at QRZ.com  and rbli.co.uk

Now the DX news

Operators R1BIG, RW3RN, W8HC, R9LR and N3QQ are active from Chiriqui, Panama as 3F3RRC until the 3^rd of March.

The VK9XU Team will be active from Christmas Island, IOTA reference OC-002, until the 4^th of March. They will operate on 160 - 6m, CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8 and FT4. QSL via DL2AWG, ClubLog and Logbook of the World.

Looking ahead, DA1DX, DK9IP, DM6EE and DL8LAS will be active from Anegada Island in the British Virgin Islands as VP2VI from the 10^th to the 27^th of April.

Now the contest news

The ARRL DX SSB Contest started at 0000UTC on Saturday the 1^st of March, and ends at 2359UTC today, the 2^nd of March. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange for non-US and Canadian stations is signal report and transmit power in Watts. US and Canadian stations will send their State/Province in place of transmit power.

The RSGB March 144MHz/432MHz Contest started at 1400UTC on Saturday the 1^st of March and ends at 1400UTC today, the 2^nd of March. Using all modes on the 2m and 70cm bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number, and locator.

Today, the 2^nd of March, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using all modes on the microwave bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Also, today, the 2^nd of March, the Worked All Britain 80m phone Contest runs from 1800 to 2200UTC. Please note that this is an SSB-only contest, and the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain area. Entries are to be with the contest manager by March the 12^th. The full rules can be seen on the WAB website.

On Monday, the 3^rd of March, the RSGB 80m Club Championship DATA Contest runs from 2000 to 2130 UTC. Using RTTY and PSK63 on the 80m band only, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

On Tuesday, the 4^th of March, the RSGB 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 1955 UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Also on Tuesday, the 4th, the RSGB 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230 UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Wednesday, the 5th, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour contest runs from 1700 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday, the 5th, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour contest runs from 1900 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest.

On Wednesday the 5^th, the UK and Ireland Contest Club Contest runs from 2000 to 2100 UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator.

The Commonwealth Contest starts at 1000UTC on Saturday the 8^th of March and ends at 1000 UTC on Sunday the 9^th of March. Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. The Commonwealth HQ stations will also send ‘HQ’ as part of the contest exchange.

 

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 27^th of February 2025

We had another week of mixed geomagnetic conditions. The Kp index rose to a high of five with visible aurora over the UK at times.

Two large coronal holes are now both facing Earth. A solar wind stream flowing from these zones is expected to flow past Earth, possibly on Friday the 28^th of February or Saturday the 1^st of March. Active geomagnetic conditions with a Kp index of four are currently forecast for this weekend.

There has also been more solar flare activity over the past seven days with an X2-class flare on the 23^rd and ten M-class flares. The X-class flare occurred at 19:27UTC so had little effect in Europe as the Sun had set. Luckily, an associated coronal mass ejection was not Earth-directed. Another fast-moving CME on the 24^th was also not Earth-directed.

As we enter March it looks as though the Sun is still very active. The solar flux index stood at 180 on Thursday the 27^th, after hitting 210 on the 23rd. Maximum usable frequencies over 3,000km are still reaching 34-35MHz around midday, while night-time MUFs are generally around 10-11MHz, with occasional openings on 20 metres.

This week Bob, VP8LP on the Falkland Islands has been active on 10 metres SSB and has been worked from the UK.

As we enter March this is a good time for North-South paths on HF, such as UK to South Africa and UK to South America. The spring equinox is also a good time for auroral conditions.

NOAA predicts the Sun will start next week with an SFI of 190, perhaps falling to 170-180 as the week progresses. We hesitate to say this, but geomagnetic conditions are predicted to be good once we get past the disturbances on the 28^th and the 1^st, but only time will tell!

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

There is likely to be a welcome return of high pressure for much of the period from this weekend until the middle of the coming week on the 5^th of March.

Models show a return of unsettled Atlantic weather, meaning lows, fronts, showers and rain scatter for the GHz bands. Until then, it will be typical high-pressure Tropo conditions with an extensive temperature inversion aloft caused by the descending warming air in the high-pressure region.

This should provide ducting conditions over a large part of the country. As often, the far north of the UK will probably just miss out and retain too much breeze for the inversion to be effective.

The lull in meteor shower activity continues, so once again your best chances will be in the morning hours around, or just before, dawn.

The Sun has kept aurora seekers busy and shows how frequently it can just tip into the right disturbed conditions at this stage of the solar cycle. As we said earlier, there have been reports of visible aurora in the past week.

The signs for this are the Kp index rising to five or greater and flutter on LF band signals or trans-polar paths on the HF bands.

The new Sporadic-E season is almost upon us, but we are not there yet. Check the graphs on Propquest for signs of enhanced foEs values and check the HF bands first; 10m is particularly good for strong European Es signals.

EME conditions will be predictable as usual, with Moon declination rising all week and path losses at their minimum at perigee late on Saturday the 1^st of March. 144MHz sky noise is low from this coming weekend, rising to moderate by Friday the 7^th.

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