RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for June 4th 2023

GB2RS News

Sunday the 4^th of June 2023

The news headlines:

• Volunteers’ Week
• New edition of RadCom Basics
• RSGB Emerging Technology Co-ordinating Committee

 

The RSGB is in the middle of celebrating Volunteers’ Week which runs from the 1^st to the 7^th of June. Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Society and the RSGB wants to thank everyone who gives their time and expertise to support it, and amateur radio, across such a wide range of roles. Head over to the special web page at rsgb.org/volunteers-week to hear from just some of the RSGB’s volunteers, keep an eye on the RSGB’s social media channels and look out for the special feature in the July issue of RadCom.

The new edition of RSGB’s RadCom Basics is out now. It includes articles about using FT8 and the Reverse Beacons to gauge HF propagation; repairing circuit board tracks; a compact 160m vertical; basic fault-finding; and the doublet antenna. If you’re an RSGB member go to the website at rsgb.org/radcom-basics to read this issue. If you’d like to receive an email as soon as the latest RadCom Basics is available, log in to the RSGB Membership Services portal and go to the Manage Preferences section.

The Society is looking for a volunteer to join the RSGB Emerging Technology Co-ordinating Committee, or ETCC, to act as Regional Representative for the Central England region. The function of the ETCC is to assist radio amateurs seeking an NoV to operate repeaters, gateways or beacons within the UK. The successful applicant will have broad experience of radio system engineering, analogue and digital modes, local topography and propagation theory. If you’re interested in this role, email ETCC Chair Andrew Barrett, G8DOR by the 9^th of July via etcc.chairman@rsgb.org.uk 

The RSGB National Radio Centre welcomes thousands of people through its doors each month and needs to expand its team of volunteers. If you are interested in becoming an NRC volunteer, you should enjoy meeting people and be prepared to work a minimum of one – preferably two – days per month. The team is particularly interested in recruiting new volunteers who are able to work at the weekend. The National Radio Centre has a fabulous set-up and full training on using the GB3RS radio station will be given. You will be joining a friendly and dedicated team. NRC volunteers also enjoy numerous benefits associated with volunteering at Bletchley Park. For more information about volunteering, please email NRC Coordinator Martyn Baker, G0GMB via nrc.support@rsgb.org.uk

Don’t forget to join the RSGB’s live Tonight@8 webinar this Monday, the 5^th of June, when Mike Richards, G4WNC will be giving a live presentation on Node-RED for radio amateurs. Node-RED is a visual programming language that is very powerful but surprisingly easy to use. The language has matured over recent years and has the potential to be a valuable tool for radio amateurs. Watch and ask questions live on the RSGB YouTube channel or special BATC channel. For more information see the RSGB website at rsgb.org/webinars

The Worked All Britain group will be holding its AGM on Sunday the 11^th of June at 12 pm. The venue will be the meeting room of Alfreton Leisure Centre Bowls Hall, Church Street, Alfreton, DE55 7BD. For further information contact Paul, M1AIB via: m1aib@worked-all-britain.org.uk or visit the Worked All Britain website.

 

And now for details of rallies and events

Spalding Radio Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 4^th of June. The venue is Holbeach United Youth Football Club, Pennyhill Road, Holbeach, Lincolnshire, PE12 7PR. The doors open at 10 am. Disabled access is available from 9.30 am. Admittance is £3. The event will feature a car boot area, catering, a flea market and trade stands. For more information Contact Graham, G8NWC on 07754 619 701, email rally2023@sdars.org.uk or visit: sdars.org.uk/spaldingrally

The Rochdale and District Amateur Radio Summer Rally will take place on Saturday the 10^th of June. The venue will be Saint Vincent de Paul’s Hall, Norden, Rochdale, OL12 7QR. Doors open at 10 am and entry is £3. Refreshments and plenty of free parking are available. For further information, or to book a stall, contact either Roz Worrall via rozallin@gmail.com, or Dave Carden via dave@cardens.me.uk

The Mendips Rally will take place on Sunday the 11^th of June. The venue will be Farrington Gurney Memorial Hall, Church Lane, Farrington Gurney, Somerset, BS39 6TY. The entrance fee is £2. The doors open at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. For bookings and enquiries please contact Luke on 07870 168 197 or email mendipsrally@hotmail.com

The Junction 28 Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 11^th of June. The venue will be Alfreton Leisure Centre Bowls Hall, Church Street, Alfreton, DE55 7BD. The doors open at 10.15 am and admission is £4. There is a fee of £12 to book a table in advance. A bar and refreshments will be available on-site. For more information, directions, and the booking form, visit snadarc.com Alternatively, email secretary@snadarc.com

 

Now the Special Event News

Special callsign DR100XRAY is active until the 30^th of June. The station is operating to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the death of physicist Wilhelm C Roentgen. His discovery of X-rays in 1895 earned him the inaugural Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901 and revolutionised diagnostic medicine. QSL via the bureau or directly to DJ6SI.

Ninety-five years ago, on the 25^th of May 1928, the airship 'Italia' crashed on the ice on its way back from the North Pole. A small tent dyed red for maximum visibility was the only shelter for the survivors. Commemorating the role of radio, and amateur radio, in rescuing the survivors, special callsign II1ITR will be active on the 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands using SSB and CW until the 12^th of July. QSL via IZ1ETD. See QRZ.com for more information.

 

Now the DX news

John, W5JON will be active as V47JA from Saint Kitts, NA-104, until Wednesday the 7^th of June. He will operate SSB and FT8 on the HF and 6m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, or directly to W5JON.

Lars, SM6CUK will be active from Ven Island, EU-137, until Sunday the 11^th of June 2023 as SA6G/7. He will operate on the 40 to 10m bands using CW. QSL via his home call, Logbook of the World and ClubLog’s OQRS.

T88PB will be active again from Koror Island, OC-009, until Monday the 19^th of June. He will operate on the HF Bands. QSL via JA0JHQ directly.

 

Now the contest news

The ARRL International Digital Contest ends at 2359UTC today, Sunday the 4^th. Using Digital modes on the 160 to 6m bands, the exchange is your four-character locator.

National Field Day ends at 1500UTC today, Sunday the 4^th. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

Today, the 4^th, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using all modes on 1.3, 2.3 and 3.4GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Today, the 4^th, the UK Six Metre Group Summer Contest ends at 1300UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and member number.

On Monday the 5^th of June, the 80m Club Championship Data Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using RTTY and PSK63 on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

On Tuesday the 6^th of June, the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report serial number.

On Tuesday the 6^th of June, the 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

and locator.

On Wednesday the 7^th of June, the 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also, on Wednesday the 7^th of June, the 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest.

On Thursday the 8^th of June, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Sunday the 11^th of June, the 2^nd 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

The IARU ATV Contest starts on Saturday the 10^th of June at 1200UTC and ends on Sunday the 11^th of June at 1800UTC. Using TV on 432MHz and up frequencies, the exchange is a serial number, four-digit code and locator.

On Sunday the 11^th of June, the Practical Wireless 2m QRP Contest runs from 0900 to 1600UTC. Using a phone mode and a maximum of 5W on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

 

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 1^st of June 2023

We had a relatively calm period last week with the Kp index remaining below three and plenty of sunspots. Although we started the week with the Solar Flux Index in the low 150s, it quickly picked up to reach 161 by Thursday.

As a result, there was DX to be had, although most of the attention was on 6m where some outstanding multi-hop DX contacts were being made.

But back on HF and people have been chasing T31TT on the Central Kiribati Islands. Some have made it, but it's a difficult path.

Closer to home, Nobby Styles, G0VJG and Emil, DL8JJ have been active on Rockall, which is IOTA EU-189, using the callsign MM0UKI.

Rockall is an uninhabitable granite islet situated in the North Atlantic. The nearest permanently inhabited place is North Uist, an island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, 200 nautical miles to the east.

They have been worked from the UK mainland on 30m and 20m and heard in the east of England on 15m, possibly via Sporadic-E. They may have been a little too close to northern areas for 20m as you may have been inside their skip zone.

One of their aims is to raise as much as possible for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and ABF, The Soldiers’ Charity, so please support them if you can.

This weekend we may have unsettled geomagnetic conditions partly due to an Earth-facing coronal hole with the Kp index peaking at five.

But after the weekend things may settle with a maximum Kp index of two. The solar flux index is predicted to be around 150, declining to 130 as the week goes on, so HF conditions may be down a little on last week.

 

And now the VHF and up propagation news

The weather pattern seems stuck in its typical late spring/early summer state with cold north-easterly winds in eastern areas. There are good prospects for western Britain to shine but leaving eastern areas struggling.

The root cause is a large area of high pressure that is over northern Britain, and currently trying to transfer to the east, which could improve things. Either way, it does mean that Tropo was doing a lot of the propagation work last week and will do so for much of next week too.

As the high edges east, or splits into one to the west and one to the east of the UK, it could leave room for isolated thundery showers to encroach into southern and southwestern areas and give a chance of rain scatter on the GHz bands.

The main mode of interest will probably be Sporadic-E and there have been a few examples in the last week, both single-hop within Europe and multi-hop paths to the States, the Far East and Australia.

The first week of June is typically a prime period for Sporadic-E and although the jet stream position suggests mainly paths northeast to Scandinavia and Baltic regions will be best, other multi-hop options farther afield are worth exploring too.

Monitor the clusters and band maps to see where the activity is happening. If you hear this in time, you might want to check out the 24-hour UK Six Metre Group Summer Sporadic-E contest which ends at 1300UTC today, the 4^th. There should be plenty of activity.

Other modes may also pop into view, such as aurora and meteor scatter, so we may be spoilt for choice.

Moon declination is negative all week and still falling until Tuesday. We are past apogee so path losses will fall as the week goes on. So we will also have short Moon windows with falling path losses until perigee late Tuesday. 144MHz sky noise is high, reaching a peak of 2700K on Monday and only going below 300K by Friday.

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