RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for January 29th 2023

GB2RS News

Sunday the 29^th of January 2023

The news headlines:

• RSGB Construction Competition
• RSGB Elections
• Tonight@8 webinar

 

Have you been busy making something recently? Don’t forget that you have just five weeks left to enter the RSGB Construction Competition. The four categories are Beginners; Construction excellence; Innovation; and Software. The judges will give special recognition to entries submitted by radio amateurs under the age of 24 and also to those who have just gained their Foundation licence. There are cash prizes in every category. The RSGB Communications Manager chatted to last year’s winners and runners-up and shared their stories in the January and February editions of RadCom, so take a look and be inspired! Details about how to enter the competition are on the RSGB website at: rsgb.org/construction-competition

If you’re interested in helping to see amateur radio, and the RSGB, continue to thrive over the coming years, this is a final reminder that the closing date for RSGB President, Elected Director and Regional Representative roles is this Tuesday, the 31^st of January. Candidate packs, forms and further details can be found at rsgb.org/election

On Monday the 6^th of February, Anthony Luscre, K8ZT will talk about QRP operating on the RSGB’s Tonight@8 webinar. Find out more on the Society’s website at rsgb.org/webinars and put the date in your diary for another fascinating live presentation.

We are delighted to announce that, as part of our Coronation celebration activities, Ofcom has approved "R" as the optional Coronation regional secondary locator prefix for all radio amateurs. You will be able to use this for the whole of May and June 2023. More information will be reported closer to the date of the Coronation.

Aged 26 or under? Love all things radio? Why not join the RSGB Youth Team? The team currently has over 30 members across the UK, who work together to encourage young people into the hobby. You'll be involved in planning events, attending shows and writing articles. Get involved, gain skills and make new friends! See the new youth video “Try it!” on the RSGB YouTube channel and find out how to get involved in the Youth Team via the Society’s website: rsgb.org/youth

Today, the 29^th, from approximately 1200UTC, James, M0GQC, Fraser, MM0EFI, David, EI5IMB and Chris, M0RSF will be activating four separate Worldwide Flora and Fauna areas on 20 and 40m SSB. They will post their working frequencies on the Worldwide Flora and Fauna website. All calls are welcome.

 

And now for details of rallies and events

The Lincoln Shortwave Club Winter Radio Rally will be held today, 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

Andover Radio Amateur Club has unfortunately had to cancel its boot sales this year. The sales were due to be held on the 23^rd of April and the 3^rd of September.

 

Now the Special Event News

Throughout the month of January, Weston-super-Mare Radio Society has been operating special callsign GB4WSM in celebration of the 100^th Anniversary of the Society’s formation on the 3^rd of January 1923. There are still a few days left, before the end of the month, to work the station if you don’t already have it in your logbook.

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

7U7C is the special callsign used by members of the 7X2VFK Radio Club to mark the 7^th African Nations Championship, the biennial football tournament organised by the Confederation of African Football. The callsign will be active until the 4^th of February.

 

Now the DX news

Jeff, VA3QSL will be active as P4/VA3QSL from Aruba, SA-036, until the 8^th of February. He will be operating SSB, CW and digital modes on the 40 to 6m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, the bureau or his home call.

Andre, ON7YK will be active from Bijilo, Gambia until the 24^th of February. He will be operating as C5YK on the 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10m bands using SSB, CW and digital modes. QSL via eQSL, Logbook of the World or directly to his home call.

Francis, F6BWJ will be active as FM/F6BWJ from Martinique, NA-107, until the 10^th of March. He will be operating CW, PSK and RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands. He will upload his log to the Logbook of the World and Club Log.

Gerard, F2JD will be active as HR5/F2JD from Copan, Honduras until the 13^th of March. He will operate CW, SSB and digital modes on the HF bands. QSL via F6AJA directly or via the bureau.

 

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.

The CQ Worldwide 160m DX Contest ends its 48-hour run today, Sunday the 29^th of January, at 2200UTC. 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 ends its 24-hour run today, Sunday the 29^th of January, at 1200UTC. Using RTTY only, the exchange is a serial number.

On Wednesday the 1^st of February, the UK and Ireland Contest Club 80m Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using SSB only, the exchange is your six-character locator.

On Wednesday the 1^st of February, the 144MHz FT8 Activity Contest runs for four hours from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 only, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 1^st of February, a separate 144MHz FT8 Activity Contest runs for two hours from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 only, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest.

On Sunday the 5^th of February, the 432MHz Affiliated Societies Contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

 

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 26^th of January 2023

As of Thursday, we had a strange situation whereby all the current visible sunspots were in one hemisphere of the Sun. But this isn’t that unusual, as the two hemispheres usually peak at different times in the cycle.

In a couple of years, we may well have the reverse situation.

Nevertheless, the solar flux index declined and stood at 172 on the 26^th when this report was prepared. While there are plenty of sunspots, they are all relatively small, unlike a week ago when active region 3190 was on the visible face.

Last week saw the Sun being settled geomagnetically, with the Kp index not exceeding three. We have had some M-class flares, but nothing stronger.

NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will decline to 175 before increasing again at the beginning of next month. We can expect quiet geomagnetic conditions for a time, but NOAA predicts that the Kp index will rise again around the 1^st and then from the 7^th to the 10^th of February.

Meanwhile, the 3YOJ Bouvet Island DXpedition, located at 54.42 degrees South, 3.36 degrees East, is getting closer to its final location. So, it's time to start looking at propagation predictions for this sought-after entity. Bouvet lies almost exactly due south from the UK. If you have a beam point it at 180 degrees or 0 degrees for the long path.

The short path is likely to give you the best results, that is 80 to 100% reliability, with the 15m band open from 0800 to 2100UTC. There are shorter 12m and 10m openings during the day, with 10m open from 1200 to 1400UTC and again from 1700 to 1800UTC. 20m should give the best results overall from 1700 to 0200UTC, although it is likely to be the busiest band.

30m and 40m also offer up good propagation from 1700 to 0400UTC.

There is also a weaker long-path opening predicted on 17m from 1000UTC until 1600UTC with 50% probability. These were all calculated with VOACAP online and Proppy.

The UK appears to have good HF propagation to Bouvet overall but make sure you are on the right band at the right time!

 

And now the VHF and up propagation news

There has been some very focused tropo in the last week, especially on 70cm and 23cm digital modes around the edge of some high pressure from the UK into eastern Europe and the southern Baltic.

This shows the value of looking for paths along the edge of extensive highs, rather than across the centre, where the inversion dips lower and may duct the path into the ground.

The coming week offers further high-pressure systems, mostly over the Atlantic to the west of Britain or to the south. So, perhaps paths towards Spain or the Canary Islands are worth a look. The northern half of the charts will see deep lows, much stronger winds and rain or showers, so introducing rain scatter options and testing the antennas.

Other modes are available, of course, but the good practice of watching the clusters should keep everyone informed so that you don’t miss out.

It’s still worth a check for aurora, and random meteor scatter is always an option around dawn, even in the current meteor shower minimum period that lasts until the Lyrids in mid-to-late April.

With the Moon at peak declination on Thursday, this is a good week for EME with long Moon availability windows. That said, Moon apogee next Saturday means that EME path losses are high. 144MHz sky noise is moderate, reaching 500 Kelvin on Wednesday.

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