RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for May 22nd 2022.

GB2RS News
Sunday the 22nd of May 2022

The news headlines:
Platinum Jubilee activities
High altitude balloon launch
IARU Region 1 interim meeting

It isn’t long now until the RSGB’s Platinum Jubilee activities kick-off. There is a wide range of things to be part of, from using the /70 suffix to creating something for the Innovation 70 competition or having a go at the WSPR 70 fun challenge. There is also still time to activate one of the seven special GB70 call signs. Details of how to take part are on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/jubilee.
A team from hi-impact on the Wirral will be working alongside the Oaktree Multi-Academy Trust, a Wirral based group of schools, on a High Altitude Balloon launch. This is planned for Thursday the 26th at 11 am from a location near Welshpool. The frequency in use will be 434.250MHz USB. There will be RTTY signals and the flight will be SSDV enabled, so there will be pictures too. You can see activity on the day on Facebook at facebook.com/hiimpactconsultancy.
IARU Region-1 is holding its Interim Meeting on the 23rd of June. As outlined in the recent June RadCom, feedback is welcomed on proposals for global HF band changes to accommodate growth in digital modes and related matters. The meeting will also consider a series of EMC and Spectrum topics. RSGB have a consultation page with the background and document links at thersgb.org/gb2rs/017. Feedback should be posted to the RSGB-Workshop forum groups.io/g/RSGB-Workshop.
The Commonwealth Games will be held in Birmingham later this summer. It will see around 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories, compete in 19 sports across 14 competition venues. The RSGB has just published news of the various activities it is planning to link with the Games. You can get involved in one of the seven special event stations or gain one of two special operating awards. Find out more on the Society’s website at rsgb.org/cwg.
The New Zealand Amateur Radio Transmitters Society reports that their regulator has continued their 60m Sub-Licence for 5351.5 to 5366.5kHz.
At the RSGB Regional Forum meeting on the 16th of May, the Regional Representatives elected David De La Haye, M0MBD as Chair and Neil Yorke, M0NKE as its Secretary. The RSGB Board would like to thank Mark Burrows, 2E0SBM and Tony Miles, MM0TMZ for their service in previous years as Chair and Secretary respectively.
After two years of lockdown, the ITU building in Geneva is back in operation. 4U1ITU is on the air until the 3rd of June. A Stepp-IR is used for the 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands. A second transceiver is now also being set up for the 6m band, including FT8.

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, the 22nd of May, the National Amateur Radio Car Boot Sale organised by Dunstable Downs Radio Club will take place at Stockwood Park in Luton. Entry and car parking is £4 per vehicle and the gates open at 9am for buyers.
Next Sunday, the Durham District ARS Radio Rally takes place at Bowburn Community Centre, Durham Road, Bowburn DH6 5AT. Doors will be open from 10.10 am to 2.30 pm, with disabled visitors gaining access 10 minutes earlier. Admittance is £2. There will be a Bring & Buy, RSGB bookstall and trade stands. For more information, contact Michael, G7TWX, 0782 692 4192.

Now the DX news
Fabian, DF3XY is operating from Mauritius as 3B8/DF3XY until the 2nd of June. Activity is holiday style on the 40, 30, and 20m bands using SSB and FT8. QSL to his home callsign.
OG5O and OH2HOD will be active as OH0/OG5O and OH0/OH2HOD respectively from Lemland Island, EU-002, until the 27th of May. Activity will be on the 6 to 160m bands, using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8 and FT4. QSL via Logbook of The World.
Ryan, K0EFW is operational as S9EFW from Sao Tome and Principe until the end of May. Activity is on the 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands using SSB. QSL to his home callsign.

Now the Special Event news
GB6VER will be on the air today, the 22nd. Operated by Verulam ARC from the Durham District RC Rally. They plan to operate on the 40m, 20m and 2m bands depending on the noise levels on the day. More on qrz.com.
GB1SCW to celebrate the work of coastal communities will be on the air from the 28th to the 31st of May. This event is also registered with SOS Radio Week. More information can be found on qrz.com.
Northwest Group Amateur Radio Club are activating GB0AEL as part of the 90th Anniversary of Amelia Earhart landing in Londonderry until the 30th of May. See qrz.com.

Now the contest news
The 144MHz May contest runs for 24 hours until 1400UTC today, the 22nd. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Note that UK stations also send their postcode.
Today, the 22nd, the First 144MHz Backpackers contest runs from 1100 to 1500UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Note that UK stations also send their postcode.
On Tuesday the SHF UK Activity Contest takes place from 1830 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3GHz and up bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Thursday the CW leg of the 80m Club Championships runs between 1900 and 2300UTC. The exchange is a signal report and serial number.
Next weekend is the CQ World Wide WPX CW contest. It runs for 48 hours from 0000UTC on the 28th. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz bands where contests are allowed, the exchange s signal report and serial number.
Next Sunday, the 29th, the 70MHz Cumulative contest runs from 1400 to 1600UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also next Sunday, the UK Microwave Group High Band contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using the 5.7 and 10GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Friday the 20th of May 2022.
Solar activity reached a new peak for this cycle this week, with the solar flux index hitting 180 on Thursday the 19th. This was partly down to the very large active region 3014, which is almost big enough to be seen with the naked eye if suitable precautions are taken. To put this into perspective, the sunspot number is 147, which is higher than the estimated smoothed maximum prediction of 115 for Cycle 25.
Meanwhile, geomagnetic conditions have been favourable with the Kp index moving between one and three since Monday. This is all good news and is being reflected in the band conditions at the moment, with round-the-world echoes being heard on some DX signals.
Make the most of them as there is the ever-present threat of X-class solar flares to contend with. Two active regions, which have already been emitting X-class flares, are about to rotate into view. 
The USAF predicts that the SFI may stay above 175 until at least Wednesday, before declining into the sub-150 range. This is at odds with the NOAA prediction, which never really thought that the SFI would get to 180 last week. In other words, it is anyone’s guess what we will get!
Don’t forget that Sporadic-E is also livening up the upper HF bands and providing strong short-skip signals. These can often link into multi-hop Es or join with F2-layer hops to give surprise long-distance DX that is hard to predict.
We have never had it so good for some time and let’s hope it continues into the Autumn when HF can really come into its own.

And now the VHF and up propagation news.
It seems we are in a typical summer unsettled pattern with areas of thundery rain and heavy showers drifting north from France. This will obviously keep rain scatter as an option.
Summer can also be a time of strong Tropo, especially around coasts and over the adjacent seas. This is because a strong temperature inversion can develop over cool seas with areas of mist and fog at sea level overlain by warm dry air blowing off the continent. These paths are likely to persist over long periods, particularly across the North Sea, English Channel and Irish sea with extended options south across Biscay.
To finish off we have the early stirrings of the 2022 Sporadic-E season, which is starting to show some promising signs, and not just on digital modes. A major controlling influence is often associated with the presence of jet streams nearby and the upper air forecast charts suggest that there should be some reasonable opportunities during the coming week. Don’t forget that jet stream upper air charts are available daily with commentary on the Propquest.co.uk website.
There is no major meteor shower this week, but we are at the tail end of the Eta Aquarids shower, which began in late April and is generally regarded as petering out next weekend. Eta Aquarids are associated with Halley’s Comet. But don’t expect to see the comet until 2061!
The Moon will be waning throughout this week with decreasing declination and increasing distance as it moves towards apogee and that, therefore, leads to increasing path loss. Moon libration will be low. 
This week’s TK/HB9CRQ Corsican EME microwave DXpedition should enjoy favourable lunar path conditions if the weather cooperates.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.