RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for April 16th 2023

GB2RS News

Sunday the 16^th of April 2023

The news headlines:

• Nominated Board Director Vacancy
• Regional Forum Facebook pages
• SOS Radio Week

 

If you are an RSGB Member you still have time to apply for the RSGB Nominated Board Director vacancy. The RSGB needs a strong and effective Board and this could be your opportunity to be part of that. The deadline for applications is Monday the 17^th of April. 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 Regional Forum has created Facebook pages for each of the 13 regions. These pages focus on regional amateur radio communities and are moderated by members of the RSGB Regional Team. Whilst the pages share a similar style, they are very different in content. Selected posts are created by the RSGB moderators to maintain some news content from the RSGB, but the main content comes from clubs, individual licensees and also event organisers in those regions. The pages also provide a forum where anyone can ask for help with any part of the hobby. Clubs are positively encouraged to post news and events on the pages. You can find them on Facebook by searching for ‘RSGB Region’ and the number of your local region, for example, ‘RSGB Region 1’.

SOS Radio Week 2023 starts at midnight on the 1^st of May and concludes at midnight on the 31^st of May. It is an opportunity to support the many voluntary organisations in the British Isles whose members volunteer to save the lives of others at risk around the many miles of its coastline, and out at sea. These organisations include the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the National Coastwatch Association and numerous independent lifeboat and coastal rescue groups. Individual amateur radio operators and clubs are invited to register to become an official SOS Radio Week station and operate under their own callsign, their club’s or a special event callsign to raise awareness of the great work these volunteers perform. Awards are available for registered stations that make the most contacts on each of the 160m to 70cm bands and using various modes. Registration is now open and further details can be found at sosradioweek.org.uk

The outgoing RSGB President Stewart Bryant, G3YSX and the incoming RGSB President John McCullagh, GI4BWM will be at the NARSA rally in Blackpool on Sunday the 23^rd of April. This is a great opportunity to meet John, have a chat and welcome him to his role. There will also be an official handover of the presidential chain on the stage area at the Norbreck Hotel. Find out more about the rally via the event website at narsa.org.uk

Tuesday the 18^th of April is World Amateur Radio Day. The IARU is excited to mark the occasion, and the 98^th anniversary of its founding, with an event to promote the United Nations Human Security for All initiative, also known as ‘HS4A’. Special event stations have been operating since the 11^th of April and will be available to work until the last week of April. For more information visit iaru.org and choose ‘On the Air’ from the menu options.

 

And now for details of rallies and events

The Cambridgeshire Repeater Group Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 16^th of April. The venue is Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Doors opened at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. Admission is £3. The rally features 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 is taking place today, Sunday the 16^th of April. The venue is Holsworthy Livestock Market, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. There is plenty of parking, wheelchair access and full catering available. The doors opened to the public at 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.

The Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Rally, also known as both the ‘NARSA Rally’ and the ‘Blackpool Rally’, will take place on Sunday the 23^rd of April. The venue will be Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool FY2 9AA. For more details contact Dave, M0OBW on 01270 761 608, email dwilson@btinternet.com or visit narsa.org.uk

Ripon Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 30^th of April. The venue will be Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 2PT. Traders can gain access from 7 am and tables are £12 each. Doors open to the public from 10 am and entrance is £3 per person. For more information and directions visit: g4sjm.co.uk

Now the Special Event News

With the kind permission of the National Trust, Weston-super-Mare Radio Society will be operating special callsign GB0IMD from the Old Fort on Brean Down on Saturday the 22^nd of April, as part of the International Marconi Day celebrations.

Special callsign DR0LIMES will be active until the 30^th of June for this year's German World Heritage Day. The 'limes' was the borderline of the Roman Empire to its greatest extent. In 2005, the remnants of the Upper German-Raetian Limes were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list as 'Frontiers of the Roman Empire'.

Celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, DARC special event callsign DA23WARD will be active until Tuesday the 18^th of April. All QSOs will be confirmed automatically via the bureau. Direct cards will be managed via DL2VFR.

Also celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, special event station OT23WARD will be active from various locations in Belgium until the 30^th of April. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, Logbook of the World and eQSL. A certificate will be available. For information visit QRZ.com

Now the DX news

Bernhard, DL2GAC will be active in the Solomon Islands until the end of May. He plans to be QRV as H44MS from Malaita OC-047, daily until the end of April, with activity on the 80 to 6m bands using SSB and some FT8. QSL via his home call, direct or via the bureau. He will upload his log to Club Log and Logbook of the World when he returns home.

James, KI7MGY will be in Djibouti until June and plans to operate as J28HJ on the 80, 40, 20, 17, 15 and 10m bands using SSB and FT8. QSL via Logbook of the World.

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.

 

Now the contest news

On Tuesday the 18^th of April, the 1.3GHz UK Activity contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Wednesday the 19^th of April, the 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

On Thursday the 20^th of April, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

The Machine Generated Mode Contest starts its 24-hour run at 1400UTC next Saturday, the 22^nd of April. Using machine-generated modes on the 6m and 2m bands, the exchange is a report and your four-character locator.

The SP DX RTTY Contest starts its 24-hour run at 1200UTC on Saturday the 22^nd of April. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Polish stations send their province code.

The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group Sprint 75 Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC on Sunday the 23^rd of April. Using 75 Baud RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is a serial number.

 

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 13^th of April 2023

A news item this week suggested that the peak of solar cycle 25 could be coming earlier than expected. According to a paper in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, by solar scientist Dr Scott Macintosh, the solar maximum may now be coming between late 2023 and mid-2024. So, make the most of the higher Solar Flux Index now!

Solar activity picked up nicely over the past week. The solar flux index rose to 154 and there were eight active regions on the Sun’s visible face by Thursday the 13^th. Nevertheless, daytime maximum usable frequencies, or MUFs, remain down a little, which has probably more to do with seasonal ionospheric changes than reduced sunspot activity.

As we head towards Summer we will see the daytime F2-layer MUF decline further before it picks up again in the Autumn.

We also saw some M- and C-class solar flare action this week, but this was not really enough to cause serious problems to the ionosphere.

Next week NOAA predicts the Solar Flux Index will continue to increase, perhaps peaking at 160 around the 16^th to 18^th of April. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast for the 18^th, perhaps with the Kp index rising to four.

The forecast for International Marconi Day on the 22^nd of April is for a Solar Flux Index of 155 and a declining Kp index of three, which bodes quite well for the event.

In all, the Solar Flux Index is expected to be in the range of 140 to 160 for the rest of the month.

 

And now the VHF and up propagation news

A big contrast is coming next week, so it’s time to dust off the VHF gear again!

The unsettled weather of this last week will make a complete swap over to more settled high-pressure systems next week. 

Initially, on Sunday this will appear as a ridge over the North Sea from a large high over Scandinavia. This will then gradually extend across the country and will eventually be joined by a second high west of Britain. 

The end result will be enhanced Tropo prospects in the coming week and potentially good conditions for the 23cm UK Activity Contest on Tuesday the 18^th and the 4m UK Activity on Thursday the 20^th.

Those who enjoy rain scatter propagation in this current showery weather will have to look for other modes by Sunday, once the high pressure builds.

As we are coming out of the Winter lull in meteor shower activity, with the medium-rate Lyrids peaking on the 23^rd of April at 0100UTC with a Zenithal Hourly Rate, or ZHR, in the 20s, it's well worth a look for meteor scatter contacts.

The end of April normally prompts a return of isolated Sporadic-E reports on the 10m band and perhaps even with data modes on 6m. The upper troposphere jet stream charts suggest it’s got some potential, especially between Mediterranean countries although not quite so positive for paths nearer to home.

The solar conditions may continue to offer a random chance of some aurora, so remember to keep an eye on the Kp index if it goes above five.  

For EME operators, the Moon perigee is on Sunday so path losses are at their lowest. Moon declination is rising, going positive on Tuesday meaning increasing Moon time and increasing peak elevation passes.

144MHz sky noise is low, but the Moon is close to the Sun on Wednesday and Thursday meaning high Sun noise for those days.

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