RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for August 28th 2022.

GB2RS News

Sunday the 28th of August 2022

The news headlines:

• Get ready for the Transatlantic tests

• National Radio Centre contacts the ISS

• GB3HA is back on air in Northumberland

The RSGB is hosting The Transatlantic Centenary Tests on the HF bands, for the entire month of December 2022. This is to commemorate the centenary of the achievement of amateur transatlantic communication, during the tests that were held between 1921 and 1923. Unlike the tests of the 1920s, which consisted of one-way communication, the 2022 tests will encourage worldwide two-way communication with UK & Crown Dependency-based stations. For those activating special stations, there will be a series of awards available. With the assistance of Ofcom, the RSGB has reactivated five callsigns that it held in the 1920s. These historic callsigns will be activated by RSGB Members and clubs. You can read more about the original transatlantic tests and how to participate in 2022 at rsgb.org/transatlantic-tests.

RSGB National Radio Centre volunteer Steve, 2E0YBJ, was able to show the visiting public a live radio contact with the International Space Station using GB3RS. He was using the demonstration station at the NRC, running SatPC32. This is used to track Earth Low Orbit satellites and, more recently, the onboard ISS repeater. Steve put his success down to two factors; the excellent NRC station set-up and the fact that the ISS approaches the UK from the West. This enables UK stations to ‘see’ the ISS before its communications footprint passes over mainland Europe. It was an unexpected treat for the Bletchley Park visitors, a super result for Steve and a first for GB3RS.

The Northumberland 2m repeater, GB3HA, is operational again serving the northeast of England. To celebrate the switch on, a short check-in net will be held on Tuesday the 30th of August at 7.30 pm. Net control will be Roy, M0TKF, and all radio amateurs within the repeater coverage are welcome to call in for a quick hello. Please check the GB3HA page on QRZ.com for frequencies and access information.

NASA is well known for communicating with astronauts on space missions, but radio amateurs may also contact NASA centres around the world. Until the end of this year, NASA will mark several past and present-day key milestones. NASA Amateur Radio Clubs at the agency’s centres and support facilities across the United States plan to participate with ‘NASA on the air’ special event stations. Look out for events to celebrate the Artemis launch over the next few days. The 22^nd of September is National Astronomy Day and special event stations will be on the air for that too. To learn more about NASA on the Air events, go to nasaontheair.wordpress.com.

The cross-band voice repeater and the APRS node aboard the International Space Station can now be used simultaneously. The FM repeater uplink is on 145.990MHz and a 67Hz PL tone is needed to activate the downlink transmitter on 437.800MHz. APRS and packet mode uses 145.825MHz for uplink and downlink. The Columbus module radio uses the callsign NA1SS and the new service module radio uses the callsign RS0ISS. Both radios are expected to be operational at all times, except during school contacts, spacewalks and docking manoeuvres. The operational state of the ISS ham-radio station can be found on the ARISS website at ariss.org.

And now for details of rallies and events

Please send your rally and event news as soon as possible to radcom@rsgb.org.uk. We’ll publicise your event in RadCom, on GB2RS, and online.

Today, Sunday the 28^th, the Milton Keynes ARS Rally will be held at The Irish Centre, Manor Fields, Watling Street, Bletchley, MK2 2HX. There is free onsite parking, catering and disabled facilities. Entry is £3 and the doors open at 9 am. See mkars.org.uk for more information.

The Torbay Annual Communications Fair also takes place today, the 28^th, at Newton Abbot Racecourse, Devon TQ12 3AF. Doors open at 10 am with disabled visitors gaining access at 9.30 am. It is an indoor event with plenty of free parking on site. There will be a Bring & Buy as well as an RSGB bookstall. Catering will also be available on-site.

Tomorrow, Monday, the 29^th, the HARS Annual Rally will be held at Ernulf Academy, St Neots PE19 2SH. Gates open at 9 am. There is free car parking, a Bring & Buy as well as indoor and outdoor stalls. Catering is available on-site. Talk-in will be on 145.550MHz using GX0HSR. More at hunts-hams.co.uk.

A date for your diary now. Churches and Chapels On The Air will take place on Saturday the 10^th of September between 10 am and 4 pm. Stations will be operating mainly on the 20, 40 and 80m bands usually using SSB. If you would like to register your special event station, please email John, G3XYF at jhwresdell@gmail.com. The latest list of stations taking part can be found at wacral.org.

Now the Special Event news

GB1SAK will be active from the International Kite Festival at Lytham St Annes on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of September. Using SSB and CW, mostly the 40 and 20m bands, the station will use a variety of wire antennas, supported by kites. Further details are on QRZ.com

Now the DX news

IK5WWA will be operating from the island of La Maddalena, EU-041, between the 1st and the 13th of September. Using the 80 to 2m bands he will use the special callsign IM0M. This operation also qualifies for the Italian Island Award. QSL details are on qrz.com.

Keith, GU6EFB will be active as GJ6EFB from Jersey, EU-013, from the 29^th of August to the 1^st of September. He will be using SSB via the QO-100 satellite in his spare time. QSL via Logbook of The World, direct or via the bureau to GU6EFB.

Col, MM0NDX and Jonathan, MM0OKG will be active as OY/MM0NDX and OY/MM0OKG from the Faroe Islands, EU-018 between the 1^st and the 5^th of September. They will operate on various bands and modes using vertical antennas next to the sea. QSL via EB7DX.

Now the contest news

The CQ RTTY ops WW RTTY Contest has its second session of activity between 1200 and 2359UTC today, the 28^th. Using RTTY only on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and the 4-digit year of your first licence.

The Worldwide Digi DX contest ends its 24-hour run at 1200UTC today, the 28^th of August. Using FT4 and FT8 on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is your 4-character locator.

Today, Sunday the 28^th, the UK Microwave Group 5.7GHz and 10GHz contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Next weekend is a busy one for contests.

The RSGB HF SSB Field Day runs from 1300UTC on Saturday the 3^rd to 1300UTC on Sunday the 4^th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

The IARU Region 1 Field Day runs for the same 24-hour period as the RSGB HF Field Day. Using SSB only on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

The 144MHz Trophy Contest also runs for 24 hours next weekend from 1400UTC on the 3^rd of September. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

The All Asian DX contest runs for 48 hours starting at 0000UTC on the 3^rd of September. It is SSB only on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted. The exchange is signal report and your age, but ladies may opt for 00.

On Saturday the 3^rd of September, the CWops CW Open contest runs for 24 hours from 0000UTC. Using CW only on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is the serial number and your name. There are three 4-hour sessions in this contest.

Next Sunday, the 4^th of September, the 5^th 144MHz Backpackers contest runs from 1100 to 1500UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

The Worked All Britain 144MHz QRO contest takes place on Sunday the 4^th of September from 1000 to 1400UTC. The exchange is a report, serial number and WAB square if applicable. For the full rules please see the WAB website. Entries to the contest manager by the 14^th of September.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Friday the 26th of August 2022.

There was a welcome upturn in ionospheric propagation this week, with much DX being worked. While the solar flux index remained mainly in the low 100s, quieter geomagnetic conditions, with the Kp index at one or two, helped a lot. We are also heading towards September and better propagation conditions as the ionosphere cools down, resulting in more monatomic elements and fewer diatomic ones. The monoatomic elements in the ionosphere are easier to ionise so MUFs go up accordingly.

Along with daytime critical frequencies above 6MHz, we have seen 40m opening up to shorter distances too, sometimes down to 100km, but mainly in the range 100-500km.

Over longer distances, there have been reports of some choice DX being workable, including KH6KB in Hawaii on 17m CW, 9V1YC in Singapore on 12m FT8 and A35JP in Tonga on 15m FT8.

As long as the Kp index stays low we can expect a lot more like this over the coming months.

Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index may climb a little, perhaps ending the week in the range of 110-116. Geomagnetic conditions are unlikely to be as good next week, with the 27^th of August being the most disturbed with a predicted Kp index of four.

A large coronal hole is moving to be Earth-centric on Friday, although it is largely at one of the Sun’s poles. This means that any fast solar wind might be directed away from Earth, but we could get a glancing blow late on Sunday or early Monday.

Watch for a rise in the Kp index and a general lowering of the MUF if it does.

And now the VHF and up propagation news.

The end of last week finally brought some heavy rain and thunderstorms to some eastern areas and weakening weather fronts to the northwest. This may have given some rain scatter opportunities, but only temporarily.

As we head through this weekend high pressure starts to rebuild over the UK and will dominate the weather over the British Isles over the coming week. This will make Tropo a principal player for the next week. In early September it's still plenty warm enough that inland areas could see the temperature inversions breaking down during the daytime heating, so for best results make the most of the nighttime and early morning lifts.

We may have a few days left when Sporadic-E could occur before the transition away from high summer weather patterns, but it is getting much harder to find now. Focus on 10m or perhaps 6m digital modes for best results and, of course, check the usual DX clusters.

Don’t forget aurora and meteor scatter modes, however this week, these modes will be overshadowed by the Tropo characteristics as the high builds.

Moon declination goes negative again late Monday, so shortening Moon windows this week. Path losses continue to fall throughout the week and 144MHz sky noise is low until next weekend.

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