RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for January 8th 2023

GB2RS News

Sunday the 8^th of January 2023

The news headlines:

• Marconi international amateur radio award
• 2023 Tonight@8 series
• Direct to Full exams

The news team and all the staff at RSGB HQ would like to wish our newsreaders, listeners and online readers a very Happy New Year. We would like to remind everyone that we always welcome your news, by email, to radcom@rsgb.org.uk, and the deadline is 10am sharp on Thursday mornings. The GB2RS script is uploaded to the RSGB website by 4.30pm each Friday afternoon.

“Marconi Was Here!” is an international amateur radio award organised by ARI Fidenza Radio Club. The main objective of the award is to commemorate historically some of the most important and significant Italian cities where Marconi performed scientific experiments in radio engineering, long distance communications, radio direction-finding and others; experiments that, in the following periods, revealed themselves to be crucial for technical and scientific advancement and the progress of wireless communications. The award period lasts the whole of the 2023 year. Each month is dedicated to a specific Italian city connected to the story of Guglielmo Marconi and is paired to a different special callsign. Further details, special callsigns and award rules can be found at  www.arifidenza.it

The RSGB’s Spring 2023 series of Tonight@8 webinars kicks off this Monday the 9^th of January when Ben Lloyd, GW4BML will be talking about Portable Operating. As well as explaining briefly the definition and benefits of portable operating, Ben will also share a little about his amateur radio adventures. These focus mainly on SOTA, working DX and contesting, but all by operating portable. Ben will run through everything that is packed away in his rucksack to enable successful activation. You can watch and ask questions live on our YouTube channel or special BATC channel. Further information about this and other webinars can be found on the Society’s website at rsgb.org/webinars

Following the introduction of the Direct to Full syllabus in July, bookings for the Direct to Full exam will begin this week. You can only take the exam online but you can book as an individual or through your club via the RSGB website. The first exam slot will be on Saturday the 21^st of January and the exam will last for two-and-a-half hours. The bookings page will be updated with the Direct to Full information on Wednesday the 11^th of January. Go to rsgb.org/exampay to make a booking.

Are you keen to see amateur radio thrive? Do you have the time and enthusiasm to support other radio amateurs and to help shape the RSGB of the future? If so, you still have the opportunity to be nominated in the RSGB elections. This year there are nine roles to be filled and the results will be announced at the Society’s AGM in April 2023. An explanation of how to apply for the various roles, as well as the candidate packs and forms for President, Elected Board Director and Regional Representative, are all on the Society’s website. The deadline for the Nominated Board Director role has now passed but the closing date for other roles is the 31^st of January 2023. Find out more at rsgb.org/election

The RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed for one day on the 10^th of January 2023 to allow electrical maintenance work to be undertaken. When booking a visit on any other day, remember that RSGB members can download a free entry voucher to Bletchley Park from the RSGB website at rsgb.org/bpvoucher

The RSGB’s RadCom team is looking for authors to contribute to the magazine. Previously unpublished features and articles are always welcome for consideration, and we will pay authors for any content we use. At the moment, the team is particularly interested in hearing from people who enjoy writing about antennas. To contact the RadCom team please email radcom@rsgb.org.uk

There is still time to apply for the volunteer roles of RSGB Lecture Chair and RSGB Social Diversity Officer. You can find out more about both of these important roles on the Society’s website at rsgb.org/volunteers

The RSGB was sad to learn that Peter Bruce, GM0CXQ recently became a silent key. Peter was very active as a Radio Amateur in Shetland both as a Zetland Amateur Radio Club member, exams officer and as a District Representative for the RSGB. Our thoughts are with his family and many friends.

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 9.30am 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 10am 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

Now the Special Event News

Special callsign PD23HNY will be active from The Netherlands until the 15^th of January in celebration of the New Year. QSL cards will not be issued but a certificate will be available for download.

Special callsigns SP90ENIGMA and SP90ENG will be active until the 15^th of January. Both stations will be operating to mark the 90^th anniversary of Polish cryptologists’ first successes in breaking the Enigma code. 

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

Vasteras Radio Klubb in Sweden is celebrating 80 years of existence in 2023. To mark the occasion, the club will be using the callsign 8S80AA throughout 2023 on all bands from 160 to 2m. The special callsign includes a prefix that has never before been assigned. Details of awards connected to the special event can be found by viewing the 8S80AA QRZ.com page.

During 2023, the British Railways Amateur Radio Society will be marking 55 years since the withdrawal of steam from the British Railways service in 1968.The callsigns in use during the year will be special event station GB0LMR and the club callsign GX4LMR. The station will be active from Preston and mainly operated by British Railways Amateur Radio Society member Mark, G1PIE. QSL via the Bureau and e-QSL or direct to Pam, 2E1HQY, enclosing a stamped, addressed envelope. More information can be found via the relevant QRZ.com pages.

Now the DX news

Take, JI3DST will be active from Tanega Island, AS-032, until the 10^th of January. He will be operating using SSB, CW and FT8. QSL via Club Log and Logbook of the World.

Darren, VK4MAP will be active as FW/VK4MAP from the Wallis and Futuna Islands, in the South Pacific, until the middle of January. He will be operating using SSB on the 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands. QSL directly to his home call.

Earl, WA3DX will be active from Senegal until the 20^th of January. He will operate FT8 and some SSB on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World or directly to his home call.

Now the contest news

The UK Six Metre Group Winter Marathon began on Thursday the 1^st of December. 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 ARRL RTTY Roundup ends its two-day run today, Sunday the 8^th of January, at 2359UTC. Using the 80 to 10m bands, where contesting is permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. American stations also send their state. Canadian stations send their province.

On Tuesday the 10^th of January, the 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.

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

On Wednesday the 11^th of January, the 432MHz FT8 Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is report and four-character locator.

On Thursday the 12^th of January, the 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.

On Saturday the 14^th of January, the Worked All Britain 1.8MHz Phone Contest runs from 1900 to 2300UTC. Using SSB on the 160m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square.

On Sunday the 15^th of January, the RSGB Affiliated Societies 80 and 40m Data modes Contest runs from 1300 to 1700UTC. Using PSK63 and RTTY, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Friday the 6th of January 2023

Firstly, a happy New Year to all our listeners. Let’s hope that the propagation gods continue to smile on us in 2023!

The solar flux index is back near the 150 mark having seen a low of 128 on December the 23^rd and a recent high of 165 on New Year’s eve.

Geomagnetic conditions had been mainly settled. That was until the Kp index hit five on the fourth thanks to a fast-moving enhanced solar wind. This may have come from an Earth-facing coronal hole on the Sun’s equator.

Propagation-wise, conditions have been good, but not exceptional. The main DX station on the bands has been Thierry, FT8WW on Crozet Island off the coast of South Africa. Thierry has been very active on FT8 and CW, but the pileups have been massive.

Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will remain in the range of 140-150. Geomagnetic conditions should remain quiet with no visible coronal holes coming into view at the time of writing. Expect the Kp index to be around two to three.

And finally, don’t forget the low bands, including 160 and 80 metres, which tend to come into their own at this time of year. Look for a night-time path between the UK and the DX, and also consider enhancements just before sunrise for signals from the West.

And now the VHF and up propagation news

The main weather theme for the next week is once again a continuation of low-pressure systems crossing the country with periods of strong winds and rain.

This suggests that tropo produced by high pressure will not feature again this week. It does, however, make rain scatter a possibility on the GHz bands, either from active frontal systems or from showery weather that these systems bring.

The unsettled weather is being driven by an active jet stream pattern, which offers good opportunity for ‘out of season’ Sporadic-E triggers, particularly towards Italy and round to Scandinavia.

These are very rare events in winter, but it will be possible to pick up signs of some Es on the Propquest.co.uk foEs plots on some days. So, don’t give up hope and monitor the clusters up to the middle of the month, at least.

The disturbed solar conditions put aurora a bit higher up the agenda this week.

For meteor scatter enthusiasts, last week’s two-hour outburst of the Quadrantids shower was the ‘last hurrah’ of showers until the late April Lyrids.

We are entering the annual ‘lull’ in shower activity, with just the minor Gamma-Ursae-Minorids active from the 10^th of January to the 22^nd reaching a low maximum on the 18^th. Look to benefit from the pre-dawn peak of random meteors.

The Moon is at apogee today, Sunday, and declination is positive until late next Friday. Moon windows will slowly shorten and zenith angles decrease, while EME path losses decrease. 144MHz sky noise is low all week.

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