RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for September 25th 2022.

GB2RS News

Sunday the 25^th of September 2022

The news headlines:

• RSGB Convention 2022

• New RSGB EMF Calculator App

• Remote Examination Invigilators Wanted

 

The RSGB has published the draft programme for its annual Convention. There are over 50 lectures planned for the weekend so there should be something for everyone to enjoy. This is the Society’s first hybrid event where some of the lectures will also be live-streamed. Further details of that live stream will be added to the RSGB Convention web page over the next few days. All three levels of UK amateur radio exams will be held at the RSGB Convention and the deadline for booking an exam slot has been extended to Sunday the 2^nd of October. You won’t be able to book exams on the day and you will need to take your own laptop. For links to the Convention programme and the online exam booking form, go to rsgb.org/convention. The deadline for booking Convention day or weekend tickets, accommodation or complete packages online is also the 2^nd of October.

The RSGB has issued a Trial Version 2 of its EMF Calculator App. This version removes the restriction on frequencies below 10MHz and the minimum separation of near field boundary. The app is being released as a trial version as the RSGB would welcome feedback from users. You can find the app and more information about the EMF work on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/emf. There will also be a presentation on the update at the RSGB Convention on Saturday and an EMF support clinic on Sunday morning.

The next RSGB Tonight@8 webinar is on Monday the 3^rd of October when Daimon Tilley, G4USI takes ‘HF on Holiday’. Aimed at everyone, from beginners upwards, Daimon will look at considerations and ideas for those who would like to take HF away with them. Find out more on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/webinars.

Remote invigilation and online examinations have been a huge success due to the efforts of the team of invigilators. If you have not previously invigilated an online examination using the TestReach system and would like more information on joining the team, please email eqam@rsgb.org.uk.

The closing date for applications for the RSGB’s Commonwealth Games operating awards is next month. The RSGB Awards Manager must receive your application via awards@rsgb.org.uk by the 31^st of October or your application won’t be counted. Further details and application forms for the 2022 Commonwealth Games Award and the GB22 Award are on the Society’s website at www.rsgb.org/cwg.

Andy, G6PJZ has achieved the coveted Summits On The Air Mountain Goat award for reaching 1,000 activator points. Andy started collecting SOTA points in 2015. His Mountain Goat-qualifying activation took place from a summit in the English Lake District recently.

The provisional results for the last IARU Region 1 50 and 70MHz CW and SSB contests are available. Congratulations to GM4ZUK who was placed first in the single operator 70MHz category and G0VHF/P who has been placed first in the multi-operator section. In the 50MHz contest, GM4ZUK was placed second in the single operator category and G8T was placed second in the multi-operator category. Read the full results at iaru-r1.org.

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, Sunday 25^th of September, the Weston-Super-Mare Radio Society and Electronics Rally will be held at The Campus Community Centre BS24 7DX. It opens at 10 am and entry is £3 per person.

On Sunday the 2^nd of October, the Welsh Radio Rally will be held at the new venue of Llanwern High School, NP18 2YE. Doors open at 10 am. More information at gw6gw.co.uk.

Now the Special Event News

Today, the 25^th, the South Eastern Amateur Radio Group, EI2WRC will be active from the Suir Valley Railway Station in County Waterford, Ireland for Railways On the Air.

In celebration of the life of the late Queen Elizabeth II, members of the Marconi Amateur Radio Circle will be active as 9H6QE until the 14^th of October. The main activity will be on the 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10m bands. QSL direct to 9H1MRC.

Now the DX news

Stephen, M0CYT will be active on Christmas Island between the 24^th of September and the 1^st of October. He will be operating on the 10 to 80m bands using SSB, FT8 and WSPR, most afternoons and evenings. He will be using the Christmas Island Amateur Radio Club callsign VK9XX.

This week Vincent, K6VVK will be active as FO/K6VVK from French Polynesia. He will operate CW, SSB, FT8, and FT4 on the 160 to 6m bands. QSL via Logbook of The World.

Nathan, 2E0HSV is a technician from Port Stanley's radio station and plans to be active this week as VP8AAE using SSB and various digital modes. He plans to activate some SOTA references along the east and west coast of The Falkland Islands. QSL via operator's instructions.

Now the contest news

The Practical Wireless 70MHz competition will take place today, the 25^th, running from 1200 to 1600UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal strength, serial number and locator.

Today, the 25^th, the UK Microwave Group has its 5.7 and 10GHz contest. The contest will run from 0600 to 1800 UTC using all modes. The exchange is signal strength, serial number and locator.

The worldwide RTTY Contest ends its 24-hour run at 2359 UTC today, the 25^th of September. Operating will take place on the 80 to 10m bands where contest operation is permitted. The exchange is signal report and CQ zone.

On Monday, the RSGB FT4 Contest will take place between 1900 to 2030UTC. Using the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is a signal report and four-character locator.

On Tuesday, the RSGB SHF UK Activity Contest will take place from 1830 to 2130UTC using all modes on 2.3 to 10GHz. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Wednesday, the UKEICC 80m Contest will run from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW, the exchange is a six-character locator.

On Saturday, the 1.2GHz Trophy and 2.3GHz Trophy both run from 1400 to 2200UTC. Using all modes in the respective bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Next Sunday, the 2^nd of October, the DX Contest takes place between 0600 and 1800UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 3.5 and 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

The 77^th Oceania DX Contest will start at 0600UTC on Saturday the 1^st of October and will run for 24 hours. The exchange is a signal report and serial number.

Next weekend the 432MHz to 245GHz Contest runs from 1400UTC on the 1^st to 1400UTC on the 2^nd of October. At the same time, the IARU 432MHz to 245GHz contest is also taking place. Using all modes, the exchange is the same for both contests, signal report, serial number and locator.

The Worked All Britain DX Contest takes place on Sunday the 2^nd of October from 0500 to 2300UTC. Entrants can pick any six-hour period to score points in the contest. The 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands can be used. The exchange is report, serial number and Worked All Britain square, if applicable.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4DDK on Friday 23^rd September 2022.

Last week saw the solar flux index decline very slightly to 137. The good news is that we have had reasonably-settled geomagnetic conditions. The highest Kp index has been three, but it has often been at zero or one. This is good news as it means that the ionosphere has had a chance to develop.

The MUF over a 3,000km path has often exceeded 28MHz, especially in the early afternoons. This will probably improve further as we head into late September and early October.

The result is that some good DX has been available. J20EE in Djibouti, Africa has been workable on 10m CW, as has ZD7BG on St Helena. And ZL7/K5WE on Chatham Island is reported to have been “very easy” to work on 40m. The 4X6TU IBP beacon in Givatayim, Israel on 28.200MHz has been audible down to one watt recently, which is very encouraging. Numerous North American low-power beacons have also been audible, including the five-watt K5TLL on 28.298MHz in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

As we head into next week, the Sun will be dominated by active regions 3105 and 3107. Region 3015 is actually the remains of AR 3089. A cluster of sunspots in 3105 continue to turn into view off the southeast limb and for now, they remain mostly stable, however minor solar flares will be quite possible.

NOAA predicts that the solar flux index may decline to the mid-120s next week. Geomagnetic conditions are predicted to remain calm, at least until the 29th when the Kp index is predicted to rise to five or even six. A single CME could soon disrupt the calm so don’t expect the good conditions to last.

And now the VHF and up propagation news.

The weather has a noticeable autumn flavour to it lately and the coming week is continuing that theme.

As this was being prepared on Wednesday evening, there is a hint of tropo over the southern half of the British Isles, but as soon as a cold front completes its journey south on Thursday, we enter a period of cooler north-westerly winds. This will bring rain and showers and means that for most of this weekend and next week, rain scatter is a good option for the GHz bands.

Late in the week, and probably nearer next weekend, we find another high edging closer to Ireland and western Britain, perhaps bringing some patchy Tropo down the western side of the country.

A further possibility is for meteor scatter and auroral propagation to present themselves as an option, but see the HF section earlier for the solar details and implications. The Kp index rising above five will be a useful guide for the chance of aurora.

There are no major meteor showers in the coming week, although towards the end there may be some early Orionids shower reflections. This shower will peak between the 2^nd and 7^th of October.

It is also worth watching for reflections during the daytime from the Sextantid meteor shower, which is active until the 9^th of October. The peak is expected to be around the 27^th of September. Good hunting!

The Moon will be low in the sky throughout this week and as this coincides with the Moon getting closest to the Earth, path losses will be the lowest.

With the equinox now past, the Sun will not appear above the Ecliptic again for another six months. This will make Sun-to-cold-sky noise measurements less easy. If you need to make these measurements, and there are a few EME operators who don’t, now is probably a good time to do them before those horizon trees get in the way!

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