RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for January 22nd 2023

GB2RS News

Sunday the 22^nd of January 2023

The news headlines:

• RSGB Elections
• RSGB Band Plans
• RSGB Convention Videos

 

Could you help to shape the future of amateur radio? The RSGB is looking for volunteers who are willing and able to give their time and enthusiasm to ensure that amateur radio and the Society continue to develop and thrive. There is still time to stand for the eight elected roles. Would one of these roles suit your skills, experience and enthusiasm? You can stand for RSGB President, elected Board Director or for one of the five Regional Representative roles. The closing date is the 31^st of January and the results of the elections will be announced at the AGM on the 15^th of April. Candidate packs and information about the nomination process can be found on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/election

The 2023 RSGB Band Plans are now available online and in the February edition of RadCom. Whilst there are no formal changes compared to 2022, an accompanying background article explains what may be in prospect in the year ahead which has both major IARU and World Radio Conference events. The Band Plans can be viewed by visiting: rsgb.org/bandplans 

As a benefit for its members, the RSGB has released two Convention videos just for members to view. Peter Duffett-Smith, GM3XJE talks about the input impedance of feeders, whilst ‘Sprinkles or Mirrors’, the presentation by Chris Deacon, G4IFX, discovers the true nature of six-metre sporadic-E. Both videos are available in the RSGB online members’ portal. Over the next few weeks, the Society will release more videos into this portal so RSGB members have the benefit of watching these presentations first. Log into the RSGB website, go to www.rsgb.org/videos and then choose the Convention lectures section.

RSGB District Representative Martyn Vincent, G3UKV was interviewed on BBC Radio Shropshire recently for “Learn your name in Morse Code Day”. Martyn spoke to Michaela Wylde about amateur radio, CW and his club, Telford and District Amateur Radio Society. He gave a demonstration of how to send his name in Morse code and played an example of what Morse sounds like in a contest on the 40m band. You can hear the interview on BBC Sounds where Michaela was sitting in for the Mark Elliott show on the 11^th of January. The interview starts at 12 minutes and five seconds into the programme.

The Cray Valley Radio Society will be running a two-day face-to-face Foundation licence course on Saturday the 4^th and Saturday the 11^th of February, with a paper exam on the second Saturday. A few places remain available on a first-come first served basis. Located in Eltham London SE9, the course will also provide practical advice and instruction to assist candidates in setting up a station. For the online application form, please go to CVRS.org and open the training tab.

The Newbury and District Amateur Radio Society is running an Intermediate license training course on the weekend of the 18^th and 19^th of March 2023. This classroom-based course runs from 9 am to 5.30 pm on both days and is held in a quiet village hall near Newbury in Berkshire. Each course is limited to eight students, enabling the trainers to provide the highest standard of training to each student. The team of six instructors, each specialising in a topic, will help you gain all the knowledge you need to pass the Intermediate exam. If you are interested or know someone who might be, then please contact the course secretary Lloyd, M5LDF via m5ldf.uk@gmail.com or complete the online enquiry form via nadars.org.uk/courses.asp

 And now for details of rallies and events

The Lincoln Shortwave Club Winter Radio Rally will be held on Sunday the 29^th of January at The Festival Hall, Caistor Road, Market Rasen, LN8 3HT. Doors open at 9.30 am and entry is £2. Refreshments are available on-site and talk-in is available on 145.375MHz. For more information email Graham via contact@m1dhv.co.uk

The Canvey Rally will be held on the 5^th of February at Cornelius Vermuyden School, Dinant Avenue, Canvey, Essex, SS8 9QS. The Rally is expected to be the usual hive of activity with plenty of traders and an indoor boot sale. Hot food and drinks will be available. Contact sears.enquiries@gmail.com for further information.

The Mid Cheshire Amateur Radio Society Radioactive Fair will be held on Sunday the 12^th of February. The venue will be Nantwich Civic Hall, Market Street, Nantwich, CW5 5DG. Doors open at 10 am and admission is £5. A wide variety of trader stalls, a bring-and-buy platform and refreshments and snacks will be available. Parking is immediately adjacent to the hall. For more information visit radioactivefair.co.uk

West Manchester Radio Club’s Red Rose Rally will take place on Sunday the 26^th of February. The event will be held at St. Joseph’s Hall, Leigh, WN7 2PJ. Free parking, café services and a raffle are among the attractions on offer. For further information visit: wmrc.co.uk/rally.htm

Now the Special Event News

Throughout the month of January 2023, Weston-super-Mare Radio Society will be operating a special callsign GB4WSM in celebration of the 100^th Anniversary of the Society’s formation on the 3^rd of January 1923.

Special event station GB2KW will be active until the 28^th of January. The station, located near Inverness in Scotland, will be using vintage equipment manufactured by KW Electronics Limited during the 1960s and 70s. QSL via Logbook of the World.

Special callsign GB2WC will be active until the 31^st of January. The station is operating to promote the World Radiosport Team Championship due to be held in July in conjunction with the IARU HF World Championships. More details about the World Radiosport Team Championship can be found by visiting wrtc.info

 Now the DX news

Andres, SM0HPL will be active as 5X7W from Uganda until the 23^rd of January. He operates a QRP station using a vertical antenna four stories up in his accommodation block. He will be using CW, FT8 and FT4 on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via M0OXO’s OQRS page, Logbook of the World and eQSL.

Chris, WA7RAR will be active as 8P9CB from Barbados, NA-021, until the 25^th of January. He will be operating using SSB and some CW on the 20 to 10m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World or directly to his home call.

If you are interested in logging Jersey, EU-013, on 160m, then the next CQ Worldwide 160m CW contest could be your opportunity. Bob, GU4YOX will be operating from Jersey as MJ5E in the contest next weekend. QSL via Logbook of the World, directly to Bob’s home call, or via the Bureau. More details can be found on the MJ5E QRZ.com page.

Now the contest news

The UK Six Metre Group Winter Marathon began on Thursday the 1^st of December last year. The contest will run until the 31^st of January 2023. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report and locator.

On Tuesday the 24^th of January, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1930 to 2230UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Wednesday the 25^th of January, the UK and Ireland Contest Club 80m Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW only, the exchange is your six-character locator.

The CQ Worldwide 160m DX Contest runs from 2200UTC on Friday the 27^th of January to 2200UTC on Sunday the 29^th of January. Using CW only, the exchange is signal report and CQ Zone. American stations also send their state and Canadian stations send their province.

The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group RTTY Sprint runs from 1200UTC on Saturday the 28^th of January to 1200UTC on Sunday the 29^th of January. Using RTTY only, the exchange is a serial number.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Friday the 20^th of January 2023

The solar flux index has continued to remain above 200, which is good news for the upper HF bands.

10m continues to surprise people with 10m FM around 29.600MHz bringing transatlantic contacts to many. AM around 29.000MHz is also bringing some exciting contacts.

The Sun is currently peppered with spots, with the recent solar flux index of 234 being the highest since 2014. But solar flares and coronal mass ejections remain a threat. We have had numerous M-class flares over the week, but nothing stronger.

The Kp index hit four on Wednesday the 18^th due to a glancing blow from a coronal mass ejection and we can expect it to rise again on Friday or Saturday due to an Earth-facing coronal hole.

The Chilton and Fairford ionosondes remain offline so please select Dourbes if using Propquest.co.uk. The critical frequency, as measured at Dourbes, remains above 7MHz from around sunrise onwards, giving a MUF over 3,000km of more than 30MHz for much of the day. So do make the most of 10m, which is probably at its best right now. Make hay, or DX contacts, while the Sun shines, as they say!

The good news is that the Space Weather Prediction Centre expects the solar flux index to remain above 200 for the next week. It says the Kp index might rise again to perhaps five on the 26^th and 27^th, but may otherwise be two to three in the early part of next week.

And now the VHF and up propagation news

The overall weather pattern remains rather changeable at first, but with a tendency to form high pressure, initially in the south, more generally after mid-week. 

In terms of propagation, a welcome return of Tropo conditions is likely, although it may take a while to develop more widespread lift conditions. Sometimes it takes a high-pressure region to become a ‘cloudy high’ to give the best chances of widespread Tropo. Ideally, the high needs to be located such that cloudy Atlantic air can move in across the country underneath the temperature inversion.

It’s still worth a check for aurora, as the Sun is very active at the moment but it's probably a good time to put away Sporadic-E thoughts until the spring.

Random meteor scatter is always an option around dawn, but we are now into the meteor shower minimum period that lasts until the Lyrids in mid-to-late April.

Yesterday’s Moon perigee means that EME path losses are at their lowest but will slowly rise throughout the week. Declination is rising and goes positive on Thursday so Moon availability windows will lengthen. 144MHz sky noise is low all week, only going much above 300 Kelvin next Saturday.

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