RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for October 23rd 2022.

GB2RS News

Sunday the 23^rd of October 2022

The news headlines:

• RSGB Tonight at 8 Webinar

• EMF Assessments

• Ofcom Preparations for WRC-23

The next RSGB Tonight at 8 Webinar will be live-streamed on Monday the 7^th of November at 8pm UK local time. Terry, G4POP will present ‘Log4OM: The first decade’ – a look at the popular free logging software Log4OM. Suitable for all levels of expertise, Terry’s talk will consider the software’s history, its developers and its in-built features. There will be a live demonstration and a chance to ask questions. Tonight @ 8 webinars are live-streamed on youtube.com/theRSGB

As of the 18^th of November 2022, all UK amateurs are required to have conducted EMF assessments for all the bands they use. The RSGB provides an assessment app which can be found at rsgb.org/emf. This app includes many current antennas. However, if you have one you feel should be added, please email details of the antenna, with a web link if possible, to George, MM0JNL at: dr16@rsgb.org.uk

Over the period June to September 2022, Ofcom consulted on UK provisional views and positions as part of the preparations for WRC-23, the next ITU World Radio Conference. The RSGB has made a comprehensive reply and its volunteers continue to engage actively in national and international preparations. Topics of relevance to amateurs include 50MHz, 1.3GHz and many other amateur allocations from LF to Millimetre Waves. To find out more, visit rsgb.org/wrc-23

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

And now for details of rallies and events

Scotland’s biggest Rally for this year is being held in Galashiels on Sunday the 30^th of October. The Rally takes place at the Volunteer Hall, St John Street, Galashiels. Admission will be £2.50 per person, with free entry for those under 16. Doors open for general admission at 11 am with disabled and accessible entry and early book-in of bring-and-buy items at 10.45 am. There will be an RSGB bookstall and catering is available on the site.

The British Vintage Wireless Society’s Golborne Swapmeet will take place on Sunday the 30^th of October. The venue will be Golborne Parkside Sports and Community Club, Rivington Avenue, Golborne, Warrington, Cheshire WA3 3HG. Doors open at 10 am with stallholder entry from 9:30 am. Contact Mark Ryding via markryding100@hotmail.co.uk for additional information.

Bishop Auckland Radio Amateurs' Club is pleased to announce that its annual radio rally has returned after a break. This premiere north-eastern rally will take place at Spennymoor Leisure Centre on Sunday the 27^th of November. The usual selection of traders and other stalls will be at the rally. Parking for visitors can be found at the leisure centre or nearby. The postcode for Satnavs is DL16 6DB. Traders who have reserved tables should have received their information already. If you are a trader or wish to book a table then please see the website www.barac.org.uk/rally/traders for more information or contact G0OCB at bdingle@hotmail.co.uk. There are spaces left for the rally but they are selling out fast.

Now the Special Event News

The Norfolk Tank Museum Radio Group near Long Stratton has been granted the permanent special callsign of GB2NTM and will be on the air for the last day of the Museum’s 2022 season from 11 am until 5 pm on the 30^th of October. Operation is planned on 80, 40 and 20m plus 70.450MHz FM using radios from the museum collection. More details via the QRZ.com page for GB2NTM.

Now the DX news

Peter, PD1EDS will be active as PD146EU from Schouwe Duiveland, EU-146, until the 30^th of October. He will operate SSB and FT8 on 40, 20 and 10m. QSL via QRZ.com.

Berkin, TA3J plans to be active as TA3J/0 from Yassica Island, AS-099, on Saturdays and Sundays until the 31^st of October. He will operate SSB, CW, RTTY and FT8 on the 80 to 10m bands. QSL via Club Log and Logbook of the World.

HB175RAIL will be active until the 31^st of October to celebrate the 175^th anniversary of the Swiss Railways. Multiple bands and modes will be in operation and a number of certificates will be available. QSL via Logbook of the World.

OR1050HERZ will be active until the 31^st of October to mark the 1,050^th anniversary of the foundation of the town of Herzele in the Belgian province of Flanders. Activity will be on all bands and modes. QSL via the bureau.

Now the contest news

On Tuesday the 25^th of October, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830 to 2130UTC. Using the 2.3 to 10GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

The UKEICC DX Contest ends its 24-hour run today at 1200UTC. It is an SSB-only contest on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands, where contests are permitted. The exchange is a signal report and serial number. UK and Irish stations also send their District Code.

On Wednesday the 26^th of October, the UKEICC 80m Contest takes place between 2000 and 2100UTC. Using CW only, the exchange is a six-character locator.

Next weekend, the CQ Worldwide DX Contest runs from 0000 on Saturday to 2359UTC on Sunday. Using SSB only on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and CQ Zone.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Friday the 21^st of October 2022

We had another great week of HF propagation, helped no doubt by a very low geomagnetic Kp index meaning the ionosphere remained settled.

Despite the solar flux index declining to 113 by Thursday, 10m has been highly active with openings every day. We have had good daily 10m openings, even out as far as the west coast of the USA for well-equipped stations.

Next week NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will continue to remain in the 110-120 range. This is not extreme but would be enough for good propagation on all of the upper HF bands if we don’t have any geomagnetic disturbances.

A rather large coronal hole is rotating into view and should become Earth-facing on the 21^st. This is fairly low on the Sun’s face so might not impact us as badly as a coronal hole on the solar equator would. But, nevertheless, its size suggests that any disturbance might be long-lived. If so, expect its plasma to hit Earth late Saturday or Sunday.

NOAA also predicts that the Kp index will rise on Wednesday the 26^th of October with the index rising to five. Quite what will cause this is unclear, although it could be the return of an active region that took the Kp index to six 27 days ago.

Once that clears, we may expect good conditions on 10m to hopefully continue, so make the most of them.

And now the VHF and up propagation news

The current transition to changeable autumnal conditions is fully complete and proving very difficult to shift. This means that the breezy unsettled weather with low-pressure systems pushing fronts across the country will continue during the period.

This may produce some rain scatter options, although it's not a big 'shout-out' compared to the intense thunderstorms of high summer.

There will be some high pressure nearby over the continent, but it’s not likely to be a big Tropo player and remains largely out of reach from the UK.

One minor meteor shower, the Leonis Minorids peaks on Tuesday the 24^th of October, but the ZHR is low.

Aurora could crop up on occasion during the coming week and, after recent activity levels on 6m, there is still a chance of Sporadic-E. This recent activity just shows that we should probably learn to regard it as an option, especially on FT8, even in the nominal ‘close season’ for Es.

Moon declination goes negative today, Sunday, so Moon windows continue to shorten as the week progresses. With perigee next Saturday, path losses will fall throughout the week. 144MHz sky noise starts low, but there is a partial solar eclipse on Tuesday the 25^th so that day will be an EME washout. After the eclipse, the noise rises slowly from 380K to around 3000K next Saturday, making it a noisy week for EME.

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