RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for November 20th 2022

GB2RS News

Sunday the 20^th of November 2022

The news headlines:

• December is YOTA Month

• Transatlantic Centenary Tests 2022

• RSGB Construction Competition

 

December is Youngsters On The Air month. This is an opportunity for individuals, clubs, groups and schools to run an amateur radio station with the aim of getting youngsters active on the air. The RSGB is inviting applications to host the special callsign GB22YOTA. To register your interest email Jamie, M0SDV at yota.month@rsgb.org.uk with details of the activity you are planning. Please include your name, organisation and the callsign of the Full licensee who will host the activation. To see the GB22YOTA activation schedule, visit the GB22YOTA page at qrz.com.

The RSGB is hosting the Transatlantic Centenary Tests 2022 on the HF bands for the month of December. Unlike those of the 1920s, which consisted of one-way communication, this event will encourage worldwide two-way communication with UK and Crown Dependency stations. There will be a series of awards available for making QSOs with those who are activating historic RSGB callsigns. The Club Log team has kindly agreed to provide the supporting infrastructure for this. The Society is looking for RSGB members to take part and make this historic event a success. You can read more on page 54 of the December RadCom and be inspired by the RSGB Convention Transatlantic Test presentation on the RSGB YouTube channel. To find out how to take part, go to rsgb.org/tct

Do you enjoy amateur radio construction? Would you like to try making something for the first time? The RSGB’s Construction Competition welcomes entries in four categories – Beginners, Construction Excellence, Innovation, and Software. Special recognition will be given to entries submitted by radio amateurs under the age of 24, and to those who have just gained their Foundation licence. A cash prize will be awarded for the winner of each section, with a bonus for the overall winner who will also be declared the winner of the Pat Hawker G3VA Trophy. The deadline for entries is 1 March 2023 so you have plenty of time to construct something during the long winter evenings. To find out more, including how to enter, see the full details on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/construction-competition

Most of you will have experienced RF interference problems of one sort or another over the years. In this world of advanced digital technology and increasing wireless connectivity, the probability of interference is high and increasing rapidly. This is giving rise to an ever-increasing pollution of the radio spectrum which is threatening all wireless communication. To counter these problems, the RSGB EMC Committee makes the relevant authorities aware of issues by taking measurements and surveying any available documents and reports. The committee needs volunteers to help with that task. Deep technical knowledge or experience in EMC work is not necessary, but ideally, candidates should have a good understanding of radio. If you are an RSGB member and would like to help, please contact emc.chairman@rsgb.org.uk

The RSGB’s National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed from Tuesday the 22^nd of November until Friday the 25^th of November for the upgrading of essential equipment and the installation of a new fire alarm system. The Society apologises for any inconvenience this causes.

The RSGB’s Examination Standards Committee has published its annual report, covering the operation of amateur radio exams during the calendar year of 2021. Search for Examination Standards Committee on the RSGB website at rsgb.org and you can read the report in the minutes, papers and reports sub-page.

The RSGB was saddened to learn that John Bazley, G3HCT passed away on the 11^th of November in a nursing home in Queensland, Australia. John was President of the RSGB in 1979 and was a Life Member. In 1995 he was made a Life Vice President. He was also the IARU Region 1 representative to the CEPT Working Group on Frequency Management. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

And now for details of rallies and events

The 43^rd Coulsdon Amateur Transmitting Society Radio and Electronics Bazaar will be held today the 20^th of November. The venue will be Oasis Academy, Homefield Road, Coulsdon, Surrey CR5 1ES. For more information contact bazaar@catsradio.org.uk

Bishop Auckland Radio Amateur Club Rally will be held next Sunday, the 27^th, at Spennymoor Leisure Centre, High Street, Spennymoor, County Durham, DL16 6DB. Doors open at 10.30 am for everyone and 10 am for disabled visitors. Admission is £2 and free to under-14s who are accompanied by an adult. Talk-in will be on S22. Contact Bob Dingle, G0OCB on 07710023916.

Now the Special Event News

Leyland and District Amateur Radio Club will be active as GB9LD for Lancashire Day on Sunday the 27^th of November 2022. Activity will take place on the 40m to 70cm bands. At 1500UTC the club will read the Lancashire Day Proclamation on HF and toast His Majesty King Charles III, Duke of Lancaster. All are welcome to join in. Enquiries to ladar@mail.com

On Thursday the 1^st of December, GB1WH will begin operating. The Special Event Station has been established to promote the work done by Wakefield Hospice. For more information, visit the GB1WH QRZ.com page.

GB1LJF begins its on-air activities on Thursday the 1^st of December. The Special Event Station is operating to celebrate the manufacturing of the English Electric Lightning aircraft in Lancashire. More information is available via the GB1LJF QRZ.com page.

Now the DX news

Christopher, HB9FIY will be active as ZD7CA from Saint Helena Island, AF-022, until the 26^th of November. He will be operating SSB, PSK, RTTY, VarAC and CW on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via EA5GL.

Don, K6ZO will be active as 7Q6M from Malawi until the 29^th of November. He will be available on the 160 to 6m bands using SSB and CW. QSL via Logbook of the World or direct to K6Z0.

Ed, N2HX will be active as PJ7PL from Sint Maarten, NA-105, until the 10^th of December. He will be operating SSB, CW, RTTY and FT8. QSL via his home call.

Now the contest news

On Thursday the 24^th of November, the Autumn Series CW Contest runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using CW only on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

On Tuesday the 22^nd of November, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1930 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Next weekend the CQ Worldwide DX CW Contest runs for 24 hours from 0000UTC on Saturday. Using CW only on the 160 to 10m bands, where contesting is permitted, the exchange is signal report and CQ Zone.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Friday the 18^th of November 2022.

The good HF conditions continued last week with a low Kp index and a reasonable solar flux. But is that all about to change?

The problem is a large coronal hole in the Sun’s southern hemisphere, which became geoeffective on Thursday. The hole is at mid-latitude, so is not completely in line with Earth. But its large size means that we could see a strong solar wind, which may hit the Earth this weekend, potentially pushing the Kp index up for a couple of days at least.

Sunspots have been adequate rather than outstanding. The main active groups have now rotated out of view, but there are some new ones just appearing over the Sun’s limb.

The HF bands have been excellent and many newer amateurs have had their first taste of 10m in full flow.

Next week NOAA predicts that the solar flux index could decline to the range 105-115. The Kp index is predicted to rise to four at least until the 22^nd. We may then get respite for a day or two before it rises again to three or four.

In other words, we have probably seen the best of the settled HF conditions for a while. Just what effect the enhanced solar wind and increased Kp index this weekend will have on maximum usable frequencies is hard to predict.

Typically, an increased Kp index can result in reduced MUFs, but whether we will see it impact 10 metres, especially with the predicted lower SFI, we will just have to wait and see.

And now the VHF and up propagation news

After last weekend’s excellent tropo, with 24GHz propagation from the South East of England to the near continent, we now have a seemingly never-ending period of unsettled weather continuing through the coming week.

This is driven by a strong jet stream flow across the Atlantic. Since it’s a low pressure and rain scatter period once again, it’s worth a reminder that, although we are way out of season with regards to Sporadic-E, it can still be seen on the foEs graphs on the Propquest.co.uk website and can be particularly useful for the LF bands.

Focusing back on VHF and above, the prevalence of low pressure during the week suggests Tropo is unlikely to entertain us. The only modes remaining to discuss are meteor scatter as we slowly fade from the peak of the Leonids, and finally the prospect of a random aurora if we have further disturbed solar conditions.

This week’s active meteor showers are the Alpha Monocerotids which are active until November the 25^th and reach a low ZHR maximum on Monday the 21^st of November. Also, the November Orionids, are active until December the 6^th but don’t peak until the 28^th.

Moon declination went negative on Saturday so Moon windows will shorten and zenith angles decrease. Path losses are still low but with perigee on Friday, path losses will fall all week. 144MHz sky noise slowly increases, reaching a maximum of over 2,500 Kelvin on Friday.

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