RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for September 4th 2021.

   GB2RS News

Sunday the 4th of September 2022

The news headlines:

• Syllabus 1.5 checks finished

• Tonight @8 restarts for a new season

• Regional hub for makers to meet

The Examinations and Syllabus Review Group has just completed an editing and checking exercise for all the v1.5 syllabus content on the RSGB website. The single-tier and three-tier versions should have exactly the same content and, by majority request, Oxford commas have been removed. The old syllabuses can still be found on the RSGB website, while the new syllabuses can be found at rsgb.org/syllabus2019. The Group has also been working on the sample examination papers and sample questions on the RSGB website in order to bring them into line with version 1.5. As the majority of candidates will now be taking examinations online, as opposed to paper-based exams, the front sheets of the sample papers have been adapted to reflect this transition. The sample questions are now shown using an Excel spreadsheet rather than a pdf. The updated sample examination papers can be found at rsgb.org/mock-exams.

The first Tonight@8 talk of the new season will be on Monday the 5^th of September. Mike Richards, G4WNC will talk about going Back to the keyboard! He says that now we have filled our logbooks with FT-8 contacts, maybe it’s time to move on and start communicating again. In an illustrated talk, he will introduce you to the best data modes for keyboard QSOs with a special focus on VarAC. In addition to explaining their operation, Mike will run through some operating techniques to take the strain out of keyboard QSOs. It will be streamed live on the RSGB’s YouTube channel and via the BATC allowing you to watch the presentation and ask questions online. To watch the Tonight @8 talk, go to youtu.be/SC0UxNG2itE.

A regional hub for makers and home brewers of radio-related projects is proposed by Eric, M0REQ and Graham, G4NMD. The idea is for a club that co-operates with knowledge, experience and test gear to support those who are already building or wishing to build radio-related projects. The inaugural meeting is set for Wednesday the 7^th of September at 7.30 pm at Grafham Rooms, Grafham, Surrey GU5 0LJ. More details by e-mail to HamRadioBuilders@gmail.com.

The CQ Contest policy has been updated. It will be effective with the upcoming CQ WW RTTY DX contest on the 24^th and 25^th of September, and all CQ contests going forward. CQ will resume accepting Russian or Belorussian log entries as regular logs and publish their scores. However, plaques will not be awarded to otherwise-eligible Russian or Belorussian stations but to the top-scoring non-Russian or non-Belorussian entry in that category. Online certificates will not be awarded to any Russian or Belorussian entry, either as a participant award or based on ranking. You can read more about the policy at cq-amateur-radio.com.

Churches and Chapels On The Air will take place next Saturday the 10^th of September between 10 am and 4 pm. Stations will be operating mainly on the 20, 40 and 80m bands usually using SSB. If you would like to register your special event station, please email John, G3XYF at jhwresdell@gmail.com. The latest list of stations taking part can be found at wacral.org.

SN0ZG will be on the air until 2359UTC on the 15^th of September using the 3.5MHz, 7MHz and 144MHz bands with a variety of modes. An award certificate will be issued in electronic PDF form for making at least two QSOs on any band and in any mode on different days. All QSOs will be uploaded to the qrz.com log once a week.

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 4^th of September, the Telford HamFest takes place at the Harper Adams University, TF10 8NB. Three excellent speakers will give presentations in a reserved room. For other details see the website telfordhamfest.org.uk.

Also today, the 4^th, the Andover Radio Club Spring Boot Sale will be held at Wildhern Village Hall, SP11 0JE. It will open for sellers at 9 am and buyers at 10 am. More at arac.org.uk.

Next Sunday, the 11^th, Caister Lifeboat Radio Rally will take place at Caister Lifeboat station, Caister on Sea, NR30 5DJ. The entrance is via the car park on Beach Road and is free for the public. Doors are open from 9 am to 2 pm.

Also next Sunday, the 11^th, the Ripon Radio Rally will be held at Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon, HG4 2PT. Doors open for traders from 7 am and to the public at 10 am. Admission is £3 per person. The Bring & Buy is upstairs, please take note. The cost for Bring & Buy is £1 per item to a local charity, sold or not.

Please note the Angel of the North Rally due to be held on the 17^th of September is cancelled.

Now the Special Event news

The final day of the 3-day GB1SAK operation takes place today, the 4^th, from the International Kite Festival at Lytham St Annes. Using SSB and CW, mostly on the 40 and 20m bands, the station will use a variety of wire antennas, supported by kites. Further details are on QRZ.com

A special event station to draw attention to Dementia Awareness Week, GB2DAM, will be on the air next weekend, the 10^th and 11^th of September. It will be operated by Windmill Amateur Radio DX Group, from Nr Ramsbury, Wiltshire. Talk-in will be available on GB3TD.

Now the DX news

Jeff, K5WE will be active as ZL7/K5WE from Chatham Island, OC-038, between the 9^th and the 21^st of September. He will operate CW, SSB and digital modes on the 10 to 160m bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, Logbook of The World or via his home call.

Tina, HB0/DL5YL and Fred, HB0/DL5YM will be active from Liechtenstein between the 7^th and the 27^th of September. They will operate CW, some RTTY and some SSB on the 6 to 160m bands. QSL via their home calls, direct or via the bureau. They do not use Logbook of The World.

Rene, DL2JRM will be active as Z68XX from Kosovo between the 9^th and the 12^th of September, including an entry in the WAE DX SSB Contest. QSL via DL2JRM, direct or via the bureau.

Now the contest news

The RSGB HF SSB Field Day ends its 24-hour run at 1300UTC today, the 4^th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

The IARU Region 1 Field Day runs for the same 24-hour period as the RSGB HF Field Day. Using SSB only on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

The 144MHz Trophy Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1400UTC today, the 4^th. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

The All Asian DX contest ends its 48-hour run at 2359UTC today, the 4^th of September. It is SSB only on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted. The exchange is signal report and your age, but ladies may opt for 00.

Today, the 4^th of September, the 5^th 144MHz Backpackers contest runs from 1100 to 1500UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

The Worked All Britain 144MHz QRO contest takes place today, the 4^th of September, from 1000 to 1400UTC. The exchange is a report, serial number and WAB square if applicable. For the full rules please see the WAB website. Entries to the contest manager by the 14^th of September.

On Monday the Autumn Series SSB Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using the 3.5MHz band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

Tuesday sees the 144MHz FM Activity Contest run from 1800 to 1855UTC. It is followed by the all-mode 144MHz UK Activity Contest from 1900 to 2130UTC. The exchange is the same, signal report, serial number and locator.

On Wednesday it is the 144MHz FT8 Activity Contest. It runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. The exchange is your report and 4-character locator.

The UK EI Contest Club 80m contest takes place on Wednesday from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using SSB only the exchange is your 6-character locator.

The all-mode 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC on Thursday. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Next weekend the WAE DX SSB Contest runs for 48 hours from 0000UTC on the 10^th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, EU stations should only work non-EU stations. The exchange is a signal report and serial number.

On Sunday the 11^th of September, the UK Microwave Group 24 to 76GHz Contest runs from 0900 to 1700UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Friday the 2^nd of September 2022.

Many amateurs thought Christmas had arrived early when a solar flux index of 252 was posted on the 28th of August. This would have been representative of a very good solar maximum. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be as the previous day’s SFI had been 128 and the following day it was 131.

Solarham.com reported that the figure had been ‘contaminated’ by solar flaring just before the measurement was taken and the lack of excellent DX reports on the higher bands seems to support this. Sorry if you got your hopes up, but meanwhile it is back to sunspot normality, at least for a few years yet!

If we exclude the anomaly, the solar flux varied from a low of 113 on the 31st to a high of 131 on the 29th. Region 3089 has probably contributed most to this but will be rotating out of view this weekend. It does look as though there are some active regions lurking just over the Sun’s eastern limb, which could push the SFI up over the next week.

There were multiple R1/R2 radio blackouts on Monday the 29th due to M-class solar flares. Unfortunately, a large coronal hole on the Sun’s equator will become Earth-facing on Friday, which could result in the Kp index rising as the plasma hits the Earth, perhaps late on Sunday. This could bring a short-lived ionospheric enhancement, followed by a decline in the MUF as any geomagnetic storm progresses.

Next week NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will be in the range 108-124, so expect similar conditions to last. This may be better later in the week once the geomagnetic conditions settle.

As we head into Autumn, we can expect a general improvement in HF conditions and hopefully the return of trans-Atlantic DX on the higher bands.

And now the VHF and up propagation news.

The weather this week could become very unsettled. Most models agree on the overall trend towards wetter weather, but the details are going to prove difficult except on a day-by-day basis.

The reason is that the mechanism of change brings a large slow-moving low over the country at the weekend where it remains for much of next week. For many areas, particularly the east, the rain will be in the form of showers, some heavy, thundery and localised rather than widespread.

For propagation, this means that rain scatter is a good mode to look at for the GHz bands and the various online radars will tell you where the big storms are, and their movement.

It does suggest that VHF/UHF Tropo will not be a big player, which presents challenges for those on the 144MHz contests this weekend and the UKAC next week. It is possible that we may find a return of high pressure and perhaps some Tropo from the northwest during the following weekend.

The Sporadic-E season has all but faded away, but keep a watch on 50MHz especially as we approach the UK Activity Contest on Thursday evening since Es have been known to crop up in the first week of September.

Despite there being no big meteor showers in September, random meteor rates are at their maximum, providing relatively good propagation, especially around dawn. That said, the Aurigids shower reached its peak last week, and the Epsilon-Perseids peaks this coming Friday night. This shower has a history of surprising outbursts.

The Moon is at minimum declination today and at perigee on Wednesday, so expect the lowest path losses, but short Moon windows. 144 MHz sky noise is high until Tuesday but low after that.

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