RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 8th December 2024

GB2RS News

Sunday the 8^th of December

The news headlines:

• Take part in the RSGB Construction Competition
• A new edition of RadCom Basics has been published
• A busy week with GB24YOTA hosted by many groups for YOTA Month

During November, the RSGB used its Photo Friday feature on social media to highlight construction and practical skills. Photos included everything from Construction Clubs for newcomers to ground satellite repairs at university clubs. If these have left you feeling inspired and wanting to get creative, why not submit an entry to the Society’s 2025 Construction Competition? There are six categories, including a new Outreach category that gives entrants the opportunity to create a project that can be reproduced in a school or public environment. Whether you are a seasoned constructor, used to building your own projects or a beginner looking to take your first steps in amateur radio construction, the RSGB would love to hear from you. Visit the RSGB website at rsgb.org/construction-competition  for full details of the competition and how to enter. For further inspiration, pick up a copy of the June Edition of RadCom and turn to page 36 to view last year’s entries.

The November 2024 issue of RadCom Basics is now available on the RSGB website for members to read. The publication is aimed at new licensees or anyone who enjoys reading about the fundamental principles behind the many facets of amateur radio. This issue includes part one of how to get on 40m with a small suburban garden, as well as articles on home construction and using repeaters. If you aren’t one of the thousands of members who have done so already, you can subscribe to receive notifications about RadCom Basics via the RSGB Membership Portal. Log in and choose the “Manage preferences” tab. To read the latest edition go to rsgb.org/radcom-basics

The RSGB would like to congratulate everyone who operated GB24YOTA last week. There was some brilliant activity on the air, including Wick High School Radio Club which had 12 student operators involved and inspired some to take their Foundation licence. If you missed talking to the group, you’ve got another chance to make a QSO with them today, Sunday the 8^th of December. Taking over tomorrow, Monday the 9^th of December is Hilderstone Radio Society, which will be operating between 9 am and 5 pm. Cray Valley Radio Society will host the callsign after 5 pm. The RSGB’s National Radio Centre station GB3RS, will be on the air with GB24YOTA for the duration of Tuesday the 10^th of December. NRC volunteers will also host youngsters from the 6^th Bletchley Guides from 6 pm on that day, so do listen out and get on the air to make a QSO with this group. On Wednesday the 11^th of December, Hilderstone Radio Society will be back on the air with the callsign for a second day. Bromsgrove & District Amateur Radio Club will operate as GB24YOTA from 6 pm on Friday the 13^th of December. To finish the week, the RSGB’s National Radio Centre station GB3RS will once again be on the air as it hosts the callsign over the weekend of the 14th and 15^th of December. There are still operating spaces left if you’d like to get involved, but don’t delay as GB24YOTA is only operational until the end of this month. Go to rsgb.org/yota-month  to find out more.

The RSGB Contest Club recently announced that it is looking for volunteers to take part in the second World Wide Award event taking place in January 2025. To be part of the team you will need to be an RSGB member and hold a Full Licence. QSOs can be made using SSB, CW and digital modes. Foundation or Intermediate licensees can join in under supervision or take part in WWA as award chasers. To be part of the operating team email contestclub@rsgbcc.org  to register your interest. To find out more about the event search ‘RSGB Contest Club’ on the RSGB website and scroll down to the section titled World Wide Award 2025.

Poldhu Amateur Radio Club is celebrating the 123^rd anniversary of the first radio transmission across the Atlantic in 1901. Visitors are invited to join members of the Club at The Marconi Centre in Cornwall between 9 am and 4 pm on Thursday the 12^th of December to learn how the location played a crucial part in the history of wireless communication. As part of the celebrations, radio amateurs will be operating on various radio bands throughout the day. If you would like to operate as part of the event email secretary@gb2gm.org  You can find full details on the anniversary celebrations on the Club website via gb2gm.org

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 Mid-Devon Amateur Radio and Electronics Fair is taking place today, 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 there is no charge for partners and under 16s. Free parking and Wi-Fi are available, as well as hot food and refreshments. The cost for traders is £5 per 6ft frontage with tables supplied. Booking in advance is recommended. Mains electricity is also available on request. Traders are asked to pre-book as soon as possible. Please contact Phil, G6DLJ via 07990 563147 or email wrg2024@hotmail.com

The Sparkford Radio Rally is on Sunday the 29^th of December at Davis Hall, Howell Hill, West Camel, near Yeovil. Doors are open to traders from 7.30 am and from 9.30 am to the public. Admission is £2. Refreshments and free parking will be available. For more information, please contact Luke via 07870 168197 or email m3vhv@hotmail.co.uk

Looking ahead to events coming up next year, the Lincoln Shortwave Club Winter Radio Rally is taking place on the 26^th of January at The Festival Hall, Caistor Road in Market Rasen. Doors open at 10 am, and admission is £3. Hot refreshments and ample free car parking will be available. The cost for tables is £10. To book please contact Steve Burke, M5ZZZ via 07777 699069 or email m5zzz@outlook.com

Now the Special Event news

Ian Astley, M0IAA will be operating as GB1WH on Wednesday the 11^th of December. The special event station is being run to support and promote the excellent work done by Wakefield Hospice. To make a donation to the hospice or to hear more from Ian, visit QRZ.com

The Humber Fortress DX Amateur Radio Club is once again running the special callsign GB0MC until Thursday the 26^th of December. The ‘MC’ in the callsign stands for Merry Christmas. The Club would like to invite everyone to call in and give them a hearty “HoHoHo” and tell them what radio equipment you would like from Santa this year. The Club will also be live streaming on its YouTube Channel.

Special callsign HB50VC is active until the 31^st of December to celebrate the 50^th 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

Carl, 2E0HPI, is in London from Monday the 9^th of December until Thursday the 12^th of December and will be operating from several Parks on the Air locations each day. He will be active on 10m SSB. eQSL is preferred or direct to the address on QRZ.com

The T46W team is active from Cuba until Tuesday the 10^th of December. They will be active on the 160m to 6m bands. Parks on the Air activity is also expected from references CU0292 and CU0298. QSL via CO6QK or Logbook of the World.

The TO9W team is active from Saint Martin Island until the 13^th of December. The IOTA reference is NA-105. The members will operate on the 160m to 10m bands, with a focus on the 40, 80 and 160m bands. QSL via W9ILY, Logbook of the World or ClubLog OQRS.

Mike, V47NH is active from St Kitts and Nevis until the 17^th of December. The IOTA reference is NA-104. He will operate on the 40 to 10m bands and SSB. QSL via KC1NGS or Logbook of the World.

The VP2VMM team is active from Anegada Island in The British Virgin Islands. They will be QRV in the 2024 ARRL 10m Contest.  Outside of the contest, between Monday the 9^th of December and Tuesday the 17^th of December they will be QRV holiday style using VP2V/homecall. QSL via Logbook of the World, Bureau, OQRS or direct to KU9C. Full details via QRZ.com

Now the contest news

The UK Six Metre Group Winter Marathon started at 0000UTC on Sunday the 1^st of December and ends at 2359UTC on Friday the 31^st of January 2025. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report and locator.

The ARRL 160m Contest started on Friday the 6^th of December and ends at 1600UTC today, Sunday the 8^th of December. Using CW on the 160m band, the exchange is a signal report for UK stations. US and Canadian stations will also send their ARRL or RAC section number.

Also taking place today, Sunday the 8^th of December, the RSGB 144MHz AFS Contest runs from 1000 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Tuesday, the 10^th of December, the RSGB 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 1955UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Also on Tuesday, the 10^th of December, the RSGB 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Wednesday, the 11^th of December, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator.

Also on Wednesday the 11^th of December, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest.

On Thursday, the 12^th of December, the RSGB 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

The ARRL 10m Contest starts at 0000UTC on Saturday the 14^th of December and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday the 15^th of December. Using CW and phone on the 10m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. US, Canadian and Mexican stations will also send their State or Province code.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 5^th of December 2024.

We had another week of high solar activity but limited geomagnetic disturbances. This meant that the upper HF bands were playing ball all week.

The Kp index only exceeded four on one occasion, on the 30^th of November when it hit 4.67, but otherwise, it has been low.

With a solar flux index mainly in the 180s, this allowed the upper HF bands to shine. The maximum usable frequency or MUF over a 3,000km path has been consistently over 35MHz during daylight hours.

The MUF over 100km has also been more than 14MHz around midday, making 20 metres almost a local band at times thanks to near vertical incidence skywave signals! If you have worked anyone in the UK on 20 metres let us know.

An approaching active region just off the east limb of the sun was responsible for an M2.3 solar flare on the 4^th of December, so perhaps increased solar activity is on the horizon.

Next week NOAA predicts the week will start with the solar flux index starting in the 180s, perhaps then increasing to 200 as the week progresses.

An increased geomagnetic disturbance is forecast for the period of the 10^th to the 13^th of December when the Kp index could increase to four.

If this does come to fruition, we can expect MUFs to drop until the storming has passed. As always keep an eye on Propquest.co.uk for near-real-time MUF figures and solarham.com for Kp indices.

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

Meteor scatter is top of the list this coming week, with the big Geminids shower lasting throughout the month and peaking on Thursday the 14^th of December.

With a peak zenith hourly rate (ZHR) of 150 it's one of the most active and reliable of the annual showers. Other lesser meteor streams are also in play, so check the meteor scatter frequencies on 144, 50 and 70MHz where digimodes MSK144 and FSK441 will dominate activity.

We have another period of primarily unsettled weather for the lead into this weekend, with deep lows bringing heavy rain, and perhaps some snow over northern hills.

Watch out for very strong winds with potentially damaging gales in places. By the time many of you hear this on Sunday the 8^th of December, we will be mid-way through the main event but hopefully, your antennas have survived.

The better news is that the first half of the week is dominated by high pressure, so this brings a chance to repair antennas and get some Tropo time before a slow drift back to unsettled conditions in the second half of the week.

For other modes, GigaHertz band rain and snow scatter will be worth considering especially over the weekend and again later in the week.

Last Friday afternoon saw another big 50MHz F2 opening to North America, so continue to be vigilant if you’re in the shack after lunch and the Kp index is below two.

The solar conditions mean that there is still a chance of Aurora, although the Sun has been a bit quieter recently. Some days the f₀Es trace on Propquest shows that weak Sporadic-E is still occurring.

The Moon’s declination is rising again and going positive on Monday. With falling path losses as we approach perigee on Thursday, it’s a good week for EME. 144MHz sky noise is low all week.

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