GB2RS

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for June 12th 2022.

GB2RS News
Sunday the 12th of June 2022
The news headlines:
Feedback on HF band changes welcome
Gateways on the Air
GI-QRP Convention
Amateurs are reminded that 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 Spectrum and EMC matters. The RSGB has a consultation page with the background and document links available at thersgb.org/gb2rs/017. Feedback should be posted to the RSGB-Workshop forum groups.io/g/RSGB-Workshop by end of Sunday the 19th of June.
Gateways On The Air event will be on the air between the 11th and 19th of June and is hosted on the FreeSTAR Multimode Network. The aim of the event is to promote increased RF voice communications via analogue and digital Simplex Gateways. Licensed amateurs are encouraged to go outside into the fresh air, either when portable or mobile, to work a Simplex Gateway from a location of public interest. GOTA is a “just for fun” event with two categories for both Activators and Chasers. To connect your Simplex Gateway to the event please email Oscar@freestar.network. For more information visit GOTA.org.uk.
Tickets are now on sale for some of the things going on at the GI-QRP Convention; the first to take place in Northern Ireland for many years. This is being organised by members of the RSGB Region 8 team, in conjunction with the G-QRP Club. The event takes place at the Tandragee Golf Club on the 25th of June. There are talks, trade stalls and a number of Buildathon workshops. There is no need to book if you just wish to attend in person. You do need to book if you want to have a buffet lunch or join in the Buildathon at the event or join the live streaming of the talks and have access to the recordings after the event, from home. Details gqrp.com/GI_Convention.htm.
A new Kenwood TM-D710GA transceiver has been installed on the International Space Station. The old amateur radio equipment was dismantled, and the new kit will be used for transmitting Slow Scan TV images on 145.800MHz FM, probably using the SSTV mode PD-120. The signal should be receivable on a handheld with a quarter-wave whip. You can get predictions for the ISS pass times at amsat.org/track.
The Oscar 100 Award is an international award aimed at promoting experimental activities and radio contacts via the geosynchronous satellite QO-100. Participants should contact as many stations and DXCC Countries as possible via the satellite. The award lasts six months, ending at 23:59UTC on 31 December. Details are at arifidenza.it.
The first 6m QSO in Poland was made on the 5th of June 1992 at 12:53UTC between 3Z4PAR and IK1EGC. Celebrating the 30th anniversary, 3Z30PAR will be active until the end of the year. QSL via Logbook of The World and SP4KM either direct or via the bureau.
The Irish Radio Transmitters Society was founded in 1932 and this year the society celebrates its 90th birthday. To mark the occasion the society will operate EI90IRTS. The call will be activated by Irish Radio Amateurs throughout 2022. See qrz.com for QSL details.
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 12th, two rallies are on the calendar. The Mendips Radio Rally is at Farrington Gurney Memorial Hall and Playing Fields, Church Lane, Farrington Gurney, Somerset BS39 6TY. There is free parking available, and doors will be open between 9.30 am and 1 pm. Admission is £3. There will be inside tables and a large field for car boot traders. Hot and cold refreshments will be available. For all enquiries call Luke on 07870 168 197.
The Junction 28 Radio Rally is taking place in Alfreton Leisure Centre, Church Street, DE55 7BD. Traders and club stands will be in the indoor hall alongside a bar and café. Admission is £3. More from Alan, M0OLT, secretary@snadarc.com.
Next Saturday, the 18th of June, the 53rd Bangor & District ARS Rally will take place in Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church, 376 Belfast Road, Ballyrobert, Bangor BT19 1UH. Doors open at 11.30 am. More from Andrew, MI0OBR on 07980 846 272.
Next Sunday, the 19th of June, the East Suffolk Wireless Revival will take place at Kirton Recreation Ground, Back Road, Kirton IP10 0PW. The venue is just off the A14. There is free car parking, and the doors open at 9.30 am. Admission is £2. There will be trade stands, a car boot sale, Bring & Buy, special interest groups, GB4SWR HF station and an RSGB bookstall. More from Kevin, G8MXV on 0771 004 6846.
Now the DX news
Ryan, K0EFW will be active holiday style as S9EFW from Sao Tome, AF-023, between the 14th and 19th of June. He will operate mainly SSB on the 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands. QSL via his OQRS account and Logbook of The World. During this trip, he will set up a contest/remote station.
Len, K1NU will be active holiday style as K1JV/4 from Key Colony Beach on Shelter Key, NA-062, between the 11th and the 18th of June. He will focus on 6 metres FT8 when the band is open, and on 20 to 10m CW and FT8 when it is closed. QSL via Logbook of The World, Club Log, or direct to K1NU.
Dave, G4WXJ will be active as ZC4RH from the UK Sovereign Base Areas Cyprus, AS-004, until the 15th of June. He will operate CW, SSB and possibly FT8 on the 40 to 10m bands, and hopefully also via the QO-100 satellite. QSL via Logbook of The World, or via his home call.
Now the Special Event news
The camp for young amateur radio operators in North, Central, and South America will operate a special event station W8Y throughout the camp taking place from the 12th to the 17th of June.
The G-QRP Club Callsign will be active as GI5LOW for the first time in the lead-up to, and during, the Convention. It will go live for the first time at 0001UTC on the 17th of June, World QRP Day.
Now the contest news
The IARU ATV Contest ends its 30-hour run at 1800UTC today, the 12th. Using the 432MHz band and up, the exchange is the P number, serial number and locator.
Today, Sunday the 12th of June, the second 144MHz Backpackers contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also today, the 12th, the Practical Wireless 2m QRP contest runs from 0900 to 1600UTC. It is phone only and the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The maximum power allowed for this contest is 5W.
On Tuesday the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. It is followed by the all-mode 432MHz UK Activity Contest from 1900 to 2130UTC. The exchange for both is a signal report, serial number and locator.
Wednesday sees the CW leg of the 80m Club Championship running from 1900 to 2030UTC. The exchange is a signal report and serial number.
The 70MHz UK Activity Contest takes place between 1900 and 2130UTC on Thursday. Using all modes, the exchange is the signal report, a serial number and locator.
Next weekend the 50MHz Trophy Contest runs between 1400UTC on the 18th to 1400UTC on the 19th. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The All-Asian DX contest runs for 48 hours from 0000UTC on the 18th to 2359UTC on the 19th. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and age.
The Worked All Britain 50MHz contest takes place on Sunday the 19th of June from 0800 to 1400UTC. Using AM, FM and SSB, the exchange is signal report, serial number and WAB square if applicable. For the full rules please see the WAB website. Entries should be with the contest manager by the 29th of June.
The UK Six Metre Group’s Summer Marathon runs until the 2nd of August, with contacts on the 50MHz band exchanging your 4-character locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Wednesday the 10th of June 2022.
The sunspot number on Wednesday was zero with a solar flux index of 100. Given the high flux numbers, we have been seeing this as a little disappointing. The last time the visible disk was officially spotless was December 2021. The upside is that there has been little risk of coronal mass ejections and the Kp index has remained below three for more than a week.
Anecdotal reports showed that the upper HF bands have been quite quiet.
A couple of potential regions are currently behind the Sun’s east limb and will begin to turn into view during the next few days. NOAA predicts that the SFI will increase slightly to perhaps 110 at first and then up to 125 by the 19th of June.
While F2-layer openings may be peaking at around 15 metres this month, Sporadic E should bring lots of strong short-skip openings from 14MHz to 28MHz. June is a good month for Es openings. Check out 10 metres at peak Es times of mid-to-late morning and mid-to-late afternoon. Early evening can also bring surprises as well. For novelty’s sake alone, listen out for the HB9HD 10m repeater on 29.650MHz in Switzerland, complete with its musical box ident!
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
We start the week with high pressure over mainland Europe. The Hepburn tropo charts predict that we may see lift conditions over southern England this weekend. Paths from locations south of London may be possible into northern France and the low countries, with a slight possibility of extended tropo towards southern France. These opportunities may tend to dissipate as we head into next week.
For stations in the north of England, there may be fewer opportunities for tropo DX as low pressure is predicted to pass to the northwest of the country. Microwave rain scatter opportunities may be available though. From mid-week onwards, the most likely scenario is for low pressure to the north of the UK to clear as high pressure builds from the west, which may bring tropo opportunities to northern areas.
There are always Sporadic-E opportunities available in June, with many good openings reported over the last seven days.
The first half of June is one of the best periods of the year for daylight meteor scatter-DXing but is often masked by Sporadic-E propagation. We have already seen the peak of two daytime meteor showers, namely the Arietids and zeta-Perseids last week, but as they are both characterised by a broad maximum and high ZHR value, they continue to be useful. The best time for them is early morning for North to North-East and South to South-West directions, and early afternoon for North to North-West and South to South-East directions.
With the Moon approaching perigee, its closest point to Earth, on Tuesday, path losses for EME will be at their lowest. This sadly coincides with minimum declination on Wednesday, with short moon visibility windows and low peak moon elevation. 144MHz sky noise will peak on Tuesday and Wednesday at a little over 3100K.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for June 5th 2022.

GB2RS NewsSunday the 5th of June 2022
The news headlines:Amateur radio to be shown on televisionThank you to all the Society’s volunteersPlatinum Jubilee activities underway
The hobby of amateur radio, and portable operating in particular, will receive some television coverage today, Sunday the 5th of June. The long-running BBC Countryfile programme airs at 6 pm on the main BBC 1 channel. It will be based from Flat Holm Island in the Bristol Channel, the site of Marconi's first radio transmissions over the sea. Presenters Ellie Harrison and Matt Baker will be with leading Summits on the Air operator Ben Lloyd, GW4BML as he sets up a portable station on the island in order to contact SOTA activators on hill and mountain summits around the UK.Volunteers Week takes place between the 1st and the 7th of June every year. It's a chance for the RSGB to recognise the fantastic contribution volunteers make to the work of the Society. From news readers to the National Radio Centre, the regional teams to committees and everything in between, the RSGB would like to thank the hundreds of people who make a difference in amateur radio every week, not just during Volunteers Week. If you would like to join them, go to rsgb.org/volunteers to see what vacancies are available.The RSGB’s Platinum Jubilee activities have started with the GB70 Special Event Stations up and running. The call signs to look for are GB70E in England, GB70M in Scotland, GB70W in Wales, GB70I in Northern Ireland, GB70J on Jersey, GB70U on Guernsey and GB70D on the Isle of Man. You can find out more about these special events at gb70.co.uk.Many amateurs are already using the Regional Secondary Locator, the letter Q. If you would like to join them, the free-of-charge Notice of Variation to your licence that is needed is available via the RSGB website, see rsgb.org/jubilee. If you would rather, you may use the suffix /70 to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. An NoV is not necessary for the /70 addition to your callsign.The RSGB’s Tonight@8 will be live on Monday the 6th of June. Professor Ian Morison, G0DMU will give a review of the history of Jodrell Bank, one of the world’s premier radio astronomy observatories. From its founding in 1945 through the completion of the Mk I radio telescope in 1957 to the building of the Merlin array in the 1980s and 1990s, Ian will discuss some of its most exciting discoveries.Due to recent poor propagation on the original 3727kHz frequency and increasing local background noise levels on the 80m band generally, the National Radio Centre net has moved to 7130kHz. The net is on air every weekday morning starting at 10.30 am on 7130kHz. The net is open to all licensed radio operators, whether to join in with the chat or just for a signal report. Belgium's communications regulator has said 50.200MHz and 51.075MHz will be used until the 18th of June during a military exercise in Elzenborn. In Belgium, the amateur radio service has a secondary status in this band with the military services having primary status. Radio amateurs are asked to avoid the use of these frequencies if possible and to listen carefully to whether the frequency is in use if they still wish to use the frequencies concerned.
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 the 5th of June, the Spalding Radio Rally will be held at Holbeach United Youth FC, Pennyhill Road, Holbeach, Lincolnshire PE12 7PR. Doors open at 10 am, with disabled guests gaining access at 9.30 am. Entry is £3. There will be a car boot area, flea market and trade stands. Catering is available on site. A prize draw/raffle will take place. More from Graham, G8NWC on 0775 461 9701.Next Saturday, the 11th of June, the Rochdale & District ARS Summer Rally will be held at St Vincent de Paul’s, Caldershaw Road, off Edenfield Road (A680), Norden, Rochdale OL12 7QR. Doors open at 10.15 am with disabled visitors gaining access at 10 am. Details from Robert, M0NVQ, m0nvq@outlook.com.Next Sunday, the 12th, two rallies are on the calendar. The Mendips Radio Rally is at Farrington Gurney Memorial Hall and Playing Fields, Church Lane, Farrington Gurney, Somerset BS39 6TY. There is free parking available, and doors will be open between 9.30 am and 1 pm. Admission is £3. There will be inside tables and a large field for car boot traders. Hot and cold refreshments will be available. For all enquiries call Luke on 07870 168 197.The Junction 28 Radio Rally will be in Alfreton Leisure Centre, Church St. DE55 7BD. Traders and clubs will be in the indoor hall alongside a bar and café. Admission is £3. More from Alan, M0OLT, secretary@snadarc.com.
Now the DX newsHarald, DF2WO will be active again as 9X2AW from Rwanda until the 22nd of June. He plans to operate on all bands and satellite QO-100, he will operate FT8, CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via M0OXO's OQRS.Reiner, DL2AAZ will be active holiday style as TO2AZ from Guadeloupe, NA-102, until the 10th of June. He will operate CW and SSB on the 10 to 40m bands. QSL via home call, direct or bureau.Due to the postponement of the expedition to Rockall until June next year, five team members will conduct pre-expedition training from Goose Rock, EU-005, an uninhabited rocky islet off the coast of Newquay, between Monday the 6th and Thursday the 9th of June. Nobby, G0VJG will be testing his radio equipment and be on the air as G0VJG/P.
Now the Special Event newsIY4ELE will be on the air today, Sunday the 5th of June. The aim of this event is to highlight the historical value and meaning of the yacht Elettra, the floating laboratory of Marconi. The station will be set up close to the yacht. More information on the amateur activity can be found at arifidenza.it. GB0LIZ will be on the air today, Sunday the 5th of June, to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. It will be operated by members of Guisborough & District ARC from the Lion Inn, Blakey Ridge, Kirkbymoorside YO627LQ. They will be using as many bands as possible and visitors are welcome.Wales Digital Radio group will be active using GB0JBL until Monday the 6th of June celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee from the Refreshment Rooms in Cymmer, South Wales.GB2JCM will be operated by the James Clerk Maxwell Radio Society to commemorate the anniversary of the mathematician and scientist’s birth on the 13th of June. They will operate from the Church at Parton in Dumfries & Galloway where Clerk Maxwell both worshipped and is buried. Should you be interested in joining with the society and taking part in the special event, please come along on the day between 9 am and 5 pm. They can be contacted via QRZ.com.
Now the contest newsThis weekend is a busy one for contests.The ARRL International Digital Contest ends its 48-hour run at 2359UTC today, Sunday the 5th of June. Using digital modes, but no RTTY, on the 1.8 to 50MHz bands where contests are allowed, the exchange is your 4-character locator.The UK Six Metre Group’s Summer Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1300UTC today, Sunday the 5th. Using all modes on the 50MHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and membership number.Ending its 48-hour run at 2359UTC today, Sunday the 5th is the International Pride Contest. You can enter as a single operator, multi-operator or a single QRP operator. Check out the rules at prideradio.group/contestThe RSGB National Field Day ends its 24-hour run at 1500UTC today, Sunday the 5th. Using CW only on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.Today, Sunday the 5th of June, the UK Microwave Group’s Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3, 2.3 and 3.4GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.On Monday, the 6th, the 80m Club Championships contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using RTTY and PSK63 only, the exchange is signal report and serial number.Tuesday the 7th sees the 144MHz FM Activity Contest run from 1800 to 1855UTC. It is followed by the all-mode 144MHz UK Activity Contest running from 1900 to 2130UTC. The exchange is the same for both contests, signal report, serial number and locator.The 432MHz FT8 Activity Contest takes place between 1900 and 2100UTC on Wednesday the 8th of June. The exchange is your report and 4-character locator.Thursday the 9th of June sees the 50MHz UK Activity Contest take place between 1900 and 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.The weekend of the 11th and 12th of June is another busy one for contests. Saturday the 11th is the day of the RSGB’s Jubilee Tournaments. The first is the CW Jubilee Tournament which runs from 0900 to 1010UTC. Using the 3.5, 7 and 14MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. This is followed by the Jubilee Tournament which runs between 1400 and 1510UTC on the 144MHz band. Using phone and CW, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Finally, the SSB Jubilee Tournament runs between 1900 and 2010UTC. Using the 3.5, 7 and 14MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Note that the three Jubilee Tournaments are 70 minutes in length in keeping with the Platinum Jubilee theme.The IARU ATV Contest runs from 1200UTC on Saturday the 11th of June to 1800UTC on the 12th. Using the 432MHz band and up, the exchange is the P number, serial number and locator. On Sunday the 12th of June, the second 144MHz Backpackers contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.Also next Sunday, the 12th, the Practical Wireless 2m QRP contest runs from 0900 to 1600UTC. It is phone only and the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The maximum power allowed for this contest is 5\W.The UK Six Metre Group’s Summer Marathon runs until the 2nd of August, with contacts on the 50MHz band exchanging your 4-character locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Wednesday the 1st of June 2022.What a difference a week makes! Last week we were looking at a solar flux index of 137 and a mass of sunspots. This week the SFI is standing at 101 with only three active regions visible, and one of those is about to rotate out of view.Geomagnetic conditions have been relatively stable, but a little unsettled with a maximum Kp index of three over the past few days as this report was being prepared. The solar wind stream remained elevated above 500km/s due to a coronal hole stream combined with possible weak Coronal Mass Ejections, or CME, effects. As a result, HF conditions have been a little lacklustre with the Chilton Ionosonde showing a critical frequency of between four and five Megahertz. This equates to a maximum usable frequency of around 18-21MHz over a 3,000km path. As we said, nothing to write home about.But all is not lost as the experts feel this will be a short-lived decline in solar activity and normal service will soon resume! NOAA thinks the SFI will decline a little more by the end of this week, before coming back with a roar from around Tuesday the 7th of June.It predicts the SFI could be 110 on Tuesday the 7th and then rise to 150 by the 14th. So next week could see the bands opening up again, at least for a while.Geomagnetic conditions are predicted to remain quiet with a maximum Kp index of two, at least until the 10th when it could rise to perhaps four or five. It looks like the Jubilee weekend may offer fairly flat HF conditions, but this may improve as we head into next week.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.There are no signs at the moment of really strong long-lasting areas of high pressure so any Tropo is likely to be temporary. On today's forecast charts, the only one that shows up develops over Scotland during the holiday weekend but declines as the weekend finishes.The rest of the weather story is focused upon showery activity and with the prospect of some being heavy and thundery, it bodes well for rain scatter, but could also play havoc with HF CW NFD static levels.The early days of June are regarded as prime time for Sporadic-E, and with this season getting off to a slow start, it's high time we saw some activity. There are a few jet stream segments over Europe during the week to come, but nothing looks too strong. This may be compensated for by the increase in the background meteor input in this period and, hopefully, there will be plenty to celebrate.After the excitement of last week’s “will they, won’t they” Eta Aquarids meteor shower, this week is going to be something of a back to normal situation. June is usually a slow month for meteors with no major showers. However, the daytime Arietids, which is a minor meteor shower, may provide some useful radio reflections on Tuesday and Wednesday, the 7th and 8th.Sky noise will be quite low this week with the Moon full next Tuesday, the 14th of June. Declination reduces throughout the week as the moon moves towards perigee. Path loss for Moonbounce will reduce as the week progresses. Once again, low declination will favour stations with little or no antenna elevation, potentially increasing operation time beyond that around moonrise and moonset.And that’s all from the propagation team this week.
 

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for May 29th 2022.

GB2RS NewsSunday the 29th of May 2022
The news headlines:Jubilee call signs go live from the 1stGB70 special event stationsATV columnist interviewed
It isn’t long now until the RSGB’s Platinum Jubilee activities kick-off. You can start using the Regional Secondary Locator, the letter Q, on the 1st of June. The free-of-charge Notice of Variation to your licence that is needed is available via the RSGB website, see rsgb.org/jubilee. If you want to retain your usual Regional Secondary Locator you may use the suffix /70 to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. An NoV is not necessary for the /70 addition to your callsign.The GB70 Special Event Stations will be operating next weekend, including the bank holidays, and you can get a special QSL card for contact with any of the GB70 stations. The Guernsey club's use of the QO-100 satellite is causing a lot of interest. The call signs to look for are GB70E in England, GB70M in Scotland, GB70W in Wales, GB70I in Northern Ireland, GB70J on Jersey, GB70U on Guernsey and GB70D on the Isle of Man. You can find out more about these special events at gb70.co.uk.The June edition of the Raspberry Pi magazine, MagPi, features an article about amateur digital television and an interview with RadCom ATV author Dave Crump, G8GKQ. You can find out more at magpi.raspberrypi.com, issue 118.Please note that due to the long bank holiday weekend, the GB2RS script for the 5th of June will be prepared early. The deadline for news is 10 am on Tuesday the 31st of May for inclusion in that script. Thank you for your understanding.An exhibition about Marconi’s famous Chelmsford wireless factory will take place at Anglia Ruskin University. Chelmsford is known as the birthplace of radio thanks to the world’s first purpose-built radio factory, established in 1912 by Marconi. The year 2022 marks 100 years since the world's first regular wireless broadcasts for entertainment began from the Marconi laboratories at nearby Writtle. The exhibition will open on Wednesday the 22nd of June and will run on specific days until Friday the 15th of July. Attendees need to book their place and more information and full details of times can be found at eventbrite.co.uk. Type in Marconi into the search bar and you can select a date to visit. Following the introduction of the RSGB’s upgraded Membership Services system, the Board proceedings and reports have moved to a new location. They can now be found inside your new Membership Services portal under the ‘About’ tab.
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 29th, the Durham & District ARS Radio Rally takes place at Bowburn Community Centre, Durham Road, Bowburn DH6 5AT. The organisers wish all those attending a warm welcome. 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. Next Sunday, the 5th of June, the Spalding Radio Rally will be held at Holbeach United Youth FC, Pennyhill Road, Holbeach, Lincolnshire PE12 7PR. Doors open at 10 am, with disabled guests gaining access at 9.30 am. Entry is £3. There will be a car boot area, flea market and trade stands. Catering is available on site. A prize draw/raffle will take place. More from Graham, G8NWC on 0775 461 9701.
Now the DX newsTake, JI3DST will be active from Shodo Island, AS-200, until the 4th of July. He will operate SSB and CW as JI3DST/5, JJ5RBH and JS6RRR/5, as well as JS6RRR/P on FT8. The QSOs will be made available for both Club Log and Logbook of The World matching on the IOTA website.Erwin, DK5EW will be operating as SV8/DK5EW from Crete, EU-015, between the 30th of May and the 10th of June. This will be a 144MHz operation with EME, meteor scatter and Sporadic-E operations. QSL direct to his home callsign.  Logs will be uploaded to Logbook of the World later.3D2RRR will be active from Rotuma, a Fijian island, for a couple of weeks. Plans are to run two stations on CW, one on SSB, and five on FT8 using Fox & Hound mode. QSL via Club Log's OQRS. 
Now the Special Event newsGB0LIZ will operate on the 4th and 5th of June to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. It will be operated by members of Guisborough & District ARC from the Lion Inn, Blakey Ridge, Kirkbymoorside YO627LQ. They will be using as many bands as possible and visitors are welcome.GB1SCW, to celebrate the work of coastal communities, will be on the air until the 31st of May. 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's landing in Londonderry until the 30th of May. See qrz.com.
Now the contest newsThis weekend is the CQ World Wide WPX CW contest. It runs for 48 hours ending at 2359UTC today, the 29th. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz bands where contests are allowed, the exchange is signal report and serial number.Today, the 29th, the 70MHz Cumulative contest runs from 1400 to 1600UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.Also today, 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.On Monday, the FT4 Series contest runs from 1900 to 2030 UTC. Using the 3.5MHz band only, the exchange is your 4-character locator.On Wednesday, the 144MHz FT8 Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2100 UTC. The exchange is a report and your 4-character locator.Next weekend is a busy one for contests and the UK Six Metre group’s Summer Marathon starts.The ARRL International Digital Contest runs from 1800UTC on the 4th to 2359 UTC on the 5th. Using digital modes, but no RTTY, on the 1.8 to 50MHz bands where contests are allowed, the exchange is your 4-character locator.The UK Six Metre group’s Summer Contest runs from 1300 UTC on the 4th to 1300 UTC on the 5th. Using all modes on the 50MHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and membership number.The group’s Summer Marathon runs until the 2nd of August, again exchanging your 4-character locator.Running for 48 hours next weekend from 0000 UTC on the 4th is the International Pride Contest. You can enter as a single operator, multi-operator or a single QRP operator. Check out the rules at prideradio.group/contestThe RSGB National Field Day runs from 1500UTC on the 4th to 1500 UTC on the 5th of June. Using CW only on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.Next Sunday, the 5th of June, the UK Microwave group’s Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1600 UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3, 2.3 and 3.4GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Friday the 27th of May 2022.The solar flux index remained above 130 last week, being at 137 on Thursday as this report was prepared. It peaked at 165 on Sunday and reached a massive 180 on Wednesday the 18th. All this means that DX is workable on the upper HF bands with the 3D2RRR DXpedition on Rotuma Island near Fiji being chased from the UK. A little closer to home, V51WW in Namibia has also been putting in an appearance.Sporadic-E has also seen some short-skip signals from Europe on 10 metres, but we haven’t seen many rock-crushingly strong signals as yet. The Sun remains very active with a CME associated with an M1.3 flare detected around region 3016 at 1824UTC on Wednesday, the 25th of May. The bulk of the plasma released was off the Sun-Earth line, although closer examination revealed a fainter Earth-directed component was evident and could sweep past Earth within 48-72 hours. If correct, this means the Kp index may rise this weekend.Coronal mass ejections remain a risk to HF propagation with a massive one on the far side of the Sun being observed on the 24th of May. We have been lucky last week with the Kp index generally in the ones and twos, that is, indicating settled geomagnetic conditions. But we think it is only a matter of time before we get hit with a “big one”, which could cause disruption and a general reduction in maximum usable frequencies.Next week, NOAA predicts that the SFI may decline into the 130s or even 120s. In fact, by the 5th of June, it thinks it will be at a low of 114 before rising again. Luckily, NOAA also predicts that the Kp index will remain low. This will help the ionosphere develop and should bring good conditions. However, we issue a caution that a single Earth-directed CME could put paid to low Kp indices and bring disruption. As always, keep an eye on solarham.com for updates.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.The next period of weather is dominated by high pressure, although not in exactly the right place for good Tropo conditions everywhere. The main position of the high will tend to drift away to the northwest, which leaves room for a cool northerly pattern over most areas. This will probably confine the best Tropo conditions to the southwestern half of the UK.Elsewhere, the main weather type will include summer showers, possibly heavy, and likely to be of interest for rain scatter activity. Showers in a cold northerly airmass are usually strictly diurnal, so rain scatter prospects are for the afternoon and early evenings.Sporadic-E is showing good signs of coming to life and we are starting to hear limited openings for traditional CW/SSB QSOs and more widespread activity for digital modes. Some promising multi-hop paths have been seen to Asia in the mornings and the States and the Caribbean in the evenings.This week contains potentially the most exciting meteor shower of the year. The Tau Herculids shower, associated with Comet 73P and discovered in 1930, appears early during Monday night into Tuesday morning. In 1995 the comet was seen to suddenly brighten. This was discovered as being due to its nucleus starting to break up, creating a debris cloud. Comet 73P orbits the Sun at 5.4-year intervals. The Earth next crosses its orbit on the night of the 30th of May, into the morning of the 31st. It is due to peak in the UK at about 0500UTC on the 31st.Depending on how the nucleus started to eject debris, we may have a spectacular shower or something that is, at best, disappointing. As it will be light in Europe during the peak the visual display may not be very impressive, but the possibility for a radio reflection shower must be strong. This is one to look for, as a meteor scatter enthusiast. The new Moon occurs on the 31st of May and illumination will be low all the following week.A maximum declination of +28.1 degrees occurs on the 2nd, and this also coincides with the greatest distance from Earth to Moon, which in turn means the highest path loss.From experience, this should still be a good week for EME on the microwave bands despite the path loss. The VHF EME bands will suffer noise from the proximity of the Moon to the Sun for the first few days of the week.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for May 22nd 2022.

GB2RS NewsSunday the 22nd of May 2022
The news headlines:Platinum Jubilee activitiesHigh altitude balloon launchIARU 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 newsFabian, 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 newsGB6VER 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 newsThe 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.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for May 15th 2022.

 
 GB2RS NewsSunday the 15th of May 2022
The news headlines:Innovation 70 project for Platinum JubileeYoungsters On The Air contestIARU Monitoring Service newsletter
The RSGB has launched the Innovation 70 competition as part of its Platinum Jubilee activities. The challenge is to design and build a useful piece of equipment with no more than 70 connections, or a useful piece of software with no more than 70 lines of code. A selection of the most innovative entries will be published in RadCom and on the RSGB website. The RSGB Technical Forum will judge the entries and the results will be announced at the end of the year. The closing date is the 30th of September. Go to rsgb.org/jubilee and click on the Innovation 70 section to find out more. The next Youngsters On The Air Contest takes place on the 21st of May between 0800 and 1959UTC. Everyone can take part and show their support for young amateurs across the world. There are eight different categories, including special ones for those under 25 years of age. Using the 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands, the contest is CW and SSB only. The exchange includes the age of the participating operators, which acts as multipliers. Find out more at ham-yota.com.The IARU Monitoring Service for Region 1 has published its April newsletter. It talks about emissions that are often received on the 40 and 20m bands with a bandwidth of about 8kHz. Thoughts are that it could be a jammer where the signal is intentionally transmitted over other transmissions in order to disrupt or nullify their reception. The newsletter includes a report by Richard, G4DYA, the RSGB Intruder Watch Coordinator, that includes many radar sightings. You can read more at iaru-r1.org.All RSGB Members who have an email address linked to their membership should have received an email in the last few days. This email explains how to set up a new password to access the updated membership portal. The email will have been sent to the email address linked to your membership account. If you are an RSGB Member and don’t think you have received an email, please do check your junk folder. If you still can’t see an email, please contact membership@rsgb.org.uk or call the RSGB during office hours on 01234 832 700 and choose option two. While the Society has been sending out the emails, access to the online members’ resources such as RadCom have been turned off, but it plans to make them accessible again early this week. Sad news now. Nancy Bone, G7UUR, the co-founder and long-time secretary of the Angel of the North ARC became a Silent Key last week. She was an RSGB Deputy Regional Manager for a number of years, a repeater licence holder, exam tutor and GB2RS newsreader. In everything that she did, she approached it with enthusiasm and commitment that challenged and inspired others. We are thinking of her husband Warren, G7MWB, their family and many friends at this difficult time.Since the AGM, the RSGB Board has made two appointments. Richard Horton, G4AOJ will be the new Board Chair and Stan Lee, G4XXI has taken on the role of Company Secretary. The Board would like to record its thanks to General Manager Steve Thomas, M1ACB for carrying out the additional role of Company Secretary since June 2020.Brickworks is a scheme run by local amateur radio clubs that have committed to helping all licensed amateur radio operators discover more about what the hobby has to offer. It was originally launched in early 2020 by the RSGB under the name of the Beyond Exams Club Scheme. When Covid struck, clubs were no longer able to meet in person and it was harder to help radio amateurs to work through the Club Scheme activities. Now life is opening up again, the RSGB is delighted that Brickworks, as it will now be called, is being relaunched. Whether you are a new licensee, returning to amateur radio or want to try something new, Brickworks has something to offer you. For more information see rsgb.org/brickworks.
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. Next week the Dayton Hamvention takes place between the 20th and 22nd of May at the Greene County Fairground in Ohio, USA. Now in its 70th year, this is one of the largest amateur radio shows in the world, famous for its massive flea market. There will also be lectures, traders and a strong ARRL and RSGB presence, including a bookstall.  Next Sunday, 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 are £4 per vehicle and the gates open at 9 am for buyers.
Now the DX newsIrek, SP3SUX will be operating as DV8/KH7EA from Mindanao Island, OC-130, in the Philippines until the 27th of May. Activity will be during his daytime hours on the 6 to 80m bands using CW and SSB. QSL to his home callsign.Members of the Radio Club of Haiti will be active as HH18MAI between the 18th and 23rd of May. The special callsign is for Flag Day, which commemorates the creation of the flag of Haiti in 1803. QSL via W3HNK.Dick, K2KA will be active holiday style as V4/K2KA from St. Kitts, NA-104, until the 18th of May. QSL via his preferred method of the logbook of The World, Club Log, or direct to K2KA.Andrey, R9YU and Gennady, R5QA are on the air as JV0YU from Mongolia until the 10th of June. Activity is on the HF and VHF/UHF bands using CW, SSB and FT8 in DXpedition mode. QSL via RW6HS.
Now the Special Event newsNorthwest Group Amateur Radio Club in Londonderry are activating GB0AEL as part of the 90th Anniversary of Amelia Earhart landing in Londonderry. She was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. They will activate GB0AEL until the 30th of May. More information on qrz.com under the callsign GB0AEL.
Now the contest newsToday, the 15th, the 70MHz CW contest runs from 0900 to 1200UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.The UK Microwave Group’s millimetre-wave contest runs from 0900 to 1700UTC today, the 15th. Using all modes on the 24, 47 and 76GHz bands the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.On Tuesday the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.The data leg of the 80m Club Championships runs on Wednesday from 1900 to 2030UTC. The exchange is a signal report and serial number.On Thursday the all-mode 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs between 1900 and 2130UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.Next weekend is the 144MHz May contest. It runs for 24 hours from 1400UTC on the 21st. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Note that UK stations also send their postcode.Next Sunday, 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.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Friday the 13th of May 2022.Well, it looks like the US Air Force was more accurate than NOAA with their solar flux index forecast last week. While the week started with an SFI at 117, by Thursday it had grown to 133. It has been mostly quiet from a geomagnetic point of view with a maximum Kp index of three, with mostly ones and twos. The only downside has been a number of solar flares, which includes an X-class flare on Tuesday the 10th. The X1.5 event was observed from sunspot region 3006 at 1355UTC and resulted in a radio blackout over the Atlantic, Africa and South America. The critical frequency, as measured by the Chilton Ionosonde, dropped below 7MHz for a time, before recovering.Despite this short-lived phenomenon, there has been plenty of DX to be worked on the higher bands. The 15m band has seen Asia and the Far East romping in on FT8 and there have been 10m band openings to Australia and the Middle East. Next week NOAA predicts that the SFI will be in the range 118-122 with generally quiet geomagnetic conditions. But we give the same warning as we did last week. NASA gives a 45% chance of an M-class flare and a 15% chance of an X-class flare occurring at the moment. Any solar flare could trigger a coronal mass ejection and, if Earth-facing, we can expect a degradation in HF paths, perhaps 36 to 48 hours after the CME event as the solar plasma hits and the Kp index rises.The better news is that the Sporadic-E season is now in full swing and plenty of low-power 10m beacons are becoming audible between 28.160 and 28.325MHz. These are often a good indicator of openings. A list of 10m beacons can be found on the RSGB website under On the Air. Just click on Beacons and Repeaters.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.There is a typical flavour to the current weather pattern with high pressure, initially to the south, being displaced east as an Atlantic low tries to push its associated weather fronts into western Britain. This will eventually lead to unstable, thundery bands of rain spreading into the country from the southwest. It makes detail complicated, but some rules still apply. There will be some Tropo, especially at first and perhaps occasionally next week along the east coast and across the North Sea. However, the changing element is going to be how effectively the thundery rain areas move across the country, and they will reduce the Tropo chances and introduce some rain scatter.There are some small meteor showers this week, the Eta Lyrids peaked on the 10th of May but the o-Cetids, peaking on the 20th of May, are the most significant. With this addition to the seasonal increase in random meteor flux, expect good conditions for meteor scatter DXing. Apart from the random meteor scatter options, the growing interest is in Sporadic-E and most days you can find something on the clusters to confirm that the new season is starting to simmer nicely.The position of jet streams and the type of upper-air weather pattern this week suggests that the main features will slow down and leave marked meanderings north and south. Preferred directions would be to Scandinavia and the Baltic plus secondly looking south towards Spain and Portugal.The Moon gets to minimum declination on Thursday, and today, Sunday is the perigee. The week’s trend will therefore be for shorter Moon windows until Thursday and rising path losses. 144MHz sky noise is high all week, reaching 2200K on Wednesday. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for May 8th 2022.

GB2RS News
Sunday the 8th of May 2022
The news headlines:
Could you join the RadCom Editorial team?
IARU Region 1 wants your bright ideas for the hobby
RSGB Convention bookings open
If you are interested in becoming part of the RSGB RadCom Editorial team, the Society is recruiting for a Managing Editor and a Technical Editor. There is further information about both roles on the Society's website at www.rsgb.org/careers.
The IARU Region 1 is looking for ideas that could lead to more licensed radio amateurs. Draft proposals are welcome by the 31st of May. The best ideas will be shared with the proposing teams so they can work on a more detailed project on 10th June. Details are at iaru-r1.org.
The RSGB is holding an in-person Convention again between the 7th and 9th of October at Kents Hill Park Training and Conference Centre, Milton Keynes. Booking is now open and, if you book by the 31st of August, you can take advantage of the early-bird discounts. For further information see rsgb.org/convention.
Canada's amateur radio regulator has granted amateurs in Canada the right to use special callsigns in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee for the period of the 14th of May to the 14th of July. For example, VE3 calls become VX3, VA7 becomes VG7 and so on. The special callsigns may also be used during the IARU World HF Championship Contest.
Today, Sunday the 8th of May is the deadline for young radio amateurs to apply to represent their country and national society at this year’s Youngsters on the Air, or YOTA, summer camp. The camp will be held in Croatia from the 6th to the 13th of August. To apply, you need to be a Member of the RSGB, aged between 15 and 25. For further information see rsgb.org/yota.
The digital TV repeater, GB3JV, has undergone some major upgrades. A new 70cm reduced bandwidth TV input and a new repeater controller have been added. Justin, G8YTZ, the repeater keeper, hopes the upgrades will encourage more users. Listeners may be interested to know there is an article in the CQ-TV magazine, number 275, about the repeater controller. More at gb3jv.co.uk.
A reminder that the RSGB’s summer programme for Tonight@8 begins tomorrow, Monday the 9th of May. Mark Haynes, M0DXR will talk about contesting. He will explain how this aspect of amateur radio can not only be a good test for your station but also a great way to make lots of QSOs with many countries in a short period of time. You can watch and ask questions live on the RSGB YouTube channel or find out more on the Society’s website at rsgb.org/webinars.
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 8th, the Lough Erne ARC Annual Rally will be held at the Arena @ Share Discovery Village, 221 Lisnaskea Road, Lisnaskea BT92 0JZ. Doors open at 11.30 am for the public. Facilities are available on-site for breakfast, lunches and tea & coffee.
Next Saturday, the 14th, the Barry ARS Rally will take place at Sully Sports & Social Club, South Road, Sully near Barry CF64 5SP. Open to the traders from 7.30 am and to the public from 9.30 am, admission is £2.50. There is free parking on site.
Now the DX news
Mike, W6QT plans to be active as DU3/W6QT from Subic Bay in the Philippines until the 15th of September. He will operate SSB and FT8 on the 6 to 80m bands. QSL via W6QT. The log will be uploaded to Logbook of The World and Club Log.
Ilya, R5AF and Igor, R4FCN will be active as EX/R5AF and EX/R4FCN from Kyrgyzstan until the 14th of May. They will operate CW, FT8 and some SSB on the 10 to 40m bands. QSL cards will be sent to everyone via the bureau. They also plan to upload to Logbook of The World, eQSL, HamLog and Club Log.
Three operators will be active as 5P1EG from Romo Island, EU-125, until the 14th of May. They will operate CW, SSB and digital modes on various bands. QSL via SP1EG.
Yuris, YL2GM will be active as VU4W from the Andaman Islands, AS- 001, until the 16th of May. Look for activity on the 10 to 160m bands CW, SSB, RTTY and FT8 Fox and Hounds mode. QSL via Club Log's OQRS or direct to YL2GN.
Now the Special Event news
Northwest Group Amateur Radio Club in Londonderry are activating GB0AEL as part of the 90th Anniversary of Amelia Earhart's landing in Londonderry. She was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. They will activate GB0AEL from the 13th to the 30th of May. More information on qrz.com under the callsign GB0AEL.
GB0SCW will be on the air from Stone Cross Windmill, East Sussex between 10 am and 5 pm on the 7th and 8th of May. They plan to use SSB on the 3.5, 7 and 14MHz bands, as well as 2m and 70cm FM. There may also be HF operations from a car parked on the windmill grounds during the evenings. See qrz.com for more details.
Other special event stations to look for during the next week are GB2WTM from Woodbridge Tide Mill and GB1TLB from Torbay. GB2PHC will be operating from Macclesfield and GB5CBH from Broad Hinton. Finally, from the Ofcom data, GB2IPA will be on the air from Southwold.
Now the contest news
Running for 24 hours next weekend, the 432MHz to 245GHz contest ends at 1400UTC today, the 8th. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also running for 24 hours is the ARI International DX Contest. This finishes at 1200UTC today, the 8th. Using CW, RTTY and SSB on the 3.5MHz to 28MHz bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Note that Italian stations will also give their Province code.
Three contests are due to take place today, the 8th of May. The UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 0800 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3 to 3.4GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also running between 0800 and 1400UTC is the 10GHz Trophy contest. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Finally, for today, the 8th, the Worked All Britain 7MHz Phone Contest runs from 1000 to 1400UTC. Phone modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and your Worked All Britain location.
On Monday the SSB leg of the 80m Club Championships runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. The exchange is a signal report and serial number.
The 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC on Tuesday. It is followed by the all-mode 432MHz UK Activity Contest from 1900 to 2130UTC. The exchange is the same for both, the signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday it is the 432MHz FT8 Activity Contest running from 1900 to 2100UTC. The exchange is your report and 4-character locator.
Thursday sees the 50MHz UK Activity Contest taking place between 1900 and 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Next Sunday, the 15th, the 70MHz CW contest runs from 0900 to 1200UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The UK Microwave Groups millimetre-wave contest runs from 0900 to 1700UTC next Sunday, the 15th. Using all modes on the 24, 47 and 76GHz bands the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Friday the 6th of May 2022.
Last week was characterised by solar flares. At the time of writing, we have seen more than 50 since the 1st of May, including one high-energy X-class flare. This occurred on the 3rd of May at 1325 hours and caused a radio blackout over much of the Atlantic. Luckily, the Kp index has remained low, which has enabled the ionosphere to develop. And solar flux indices have been steadily climbing and reached 130 by Thursday.
There have been many reports of good propagation. It has been a simple case of being in the right place at the right time. Ten metres has been open well into the evening at times, as well as providing paths to Australasia in the morning. At other times people have reported the band as being dead.
We have also seen the beginnings of the Sporadic-E season with reports that 10 metres has been wide open to Europe at times. Hopefully, this will develop as the month goes on.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the SFI may dip before climbing back into the 120s. However, the US Air Force says that it will just continue to rise, perhaps hitting 140. This seems more plausible going on past performance.
Geomagnetic conditions are predicted to be quiet with a Kp index of two. However, it would only take one Earth-facing coronal mass ejection to spoil this entirely.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
Starting with Tropo news, this weekend sees the new week starting with high pressure right over the British Isles. This high will drift slowly southeast into the continent by midweek, centred over the Balkans. There should be some reasonable Tropo paths, especially to the south into France and northern Spain. This will be fairly short-lived because, starting midweek, a weakening cold front brings rain to northwest Britain and breaks up into showers as it moves south.
This brings the prospect of some rain scatter for a while and as per last week, this is likely to peak in the afternoon. After these showery days, another high appears by Friday to end the week, gradually transferring to the North Sea with a further chance of Tropo. Bear in mind that these weather forecasts are 10 days out so there are bound to be differences in the models. From midweek, some models retain the showery risk for longer.
Summer Sporadic-E, or Es, propagation is well underway with some early reports up to 2m by Chris, G0DWV who heard an IV3 briefly on 2m before dropping back into the noise. We have had many hints of the new season, mostly on 10m and 6m.
Just to remind you that Es activity tends to come in two periods, mid-morning and again late afternoon/early evening. Remember the daily blog on Propquest.co.uk, which gives the current day’s prospects as well as an EPI (Es Probability Index) map to allow you to plan your shack activity.
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is tailing off now but the Make More Miles on the VHF website suggests that meteoroids released from the minor planet 2006GY2 may cause activity on the 15th of May around 1020UTC. Apparently, the stream should be dense, so worth a look.
The Moon has passed peak declination and we are a week away from next Sunday’s perigee. The week’s trend will therefore be for shorter Moon windows and peak elevation and falling path losses. 144MHz sky noise is low this week, slowly rising and reaching 400K next Sunday.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for May 1st 2022.

GB2RS News
Sunday the 1st of May 2022
The news headlines:
Access to RSGB systems
Open Zoom meeting on the ADIF Processor
Apply for the Youngsters on the Air Summer Camp
The RSGB President spoke about the new Customer Relationship Management system at the AGM last Saturday. The Society would like to pre-warn Members that they will not be able to update their membership details from Thursday the 5th of May to Tuesday the 10th of May. This applies both to the online membership portal and to any telephone or email requests made to the Membership Team at HQ. This time will be a transition period as the new system is brought online. Once it is active, RSGB members will be asked to create a new password to enable them to access the membership portal and further details about this will be shared next week. This is the first part of a series of upgrades being planned for Membership Services.
On Thursday evening, the 5th of May, Wigtownshire Amateur Radio Club is hosting an open Zoom meeting. It will be a talk by Mark Wickens, M0NOM on The ADIF Processor. This is an online tool, developed by Mark, for enriching your log files and visualising contacts on Google Earth. Originally developed to help him record additional, useful information in his log files, it became a way of viewing QSOs and propagation paths on Google Earth. You can read more and see some of the graphics of propagation paths on the club’s website at gm4riv.org. To receive the Zoom link, please email in advance to events@gm4riv.org. The link will be emailed to you on Thursday the 5th, shortly before the 'virtual doors' open at 7:40 pm.
The 2022 Youngsters on the Air, or YOTA, IOTA region 1 summer camp will be held in Croatia not far from the capital city of Zagreb. The Croatian Amateur Radio Association will be hosting the event, which will take place from the 6th to the 13th of August. This is a chance in a lifetime for young RSGB members to represent their country and national society. Participants will join workshops where they will gain the skills to start similar amateur radio youth events when they return home. There will also be time to enjoy operating the latest amateur radio equipment, both locally and remotely, kit-building and visiting the seaside and the capital city. To apply, you need to be a Member of the RSGB, aged between 15 and 25. The deadline for applications is Sunday the 8th of May. For further information see the RSGB website at rsgb.org/yota or for an application form please email youth.champion@rsgb.org.uk.
The results of the RSGB election, annual trophies and the 2022 Construction Competition were announced at the Society’s AGM on the 23rd of April. You can read the results on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/agm under the AGM 2022 proceedings tab.
The summer programme for Tonight@8 begins on Monday the 9th of May. It will be a presentation by Mark Haynes, M0DXR on contesting, which is also sometimes known as radiosport. He will explain how this aspect of amateur radio can not only be a good test for your station but also a great way to make lots of QSOs with many countries in a short period of time. The presentation will cover the basics of contesting but will also give a flavour of the more advanced techniques adopted by experienced and extreme contesters. It will also include an explanation of what it takes to achieve a world win in the largest events of the year.
The RSGB is looking to recruit a Technical Editor for RadCom. Reporting to the Managing Editor, the successful candidate will need a wide range of radio and electronic knowledge, including amateur radio. The RSGB is looking for someone who is positive, enthusiastic about technology, has an excellent command of English and has a good eye for detail. For more detailed information about the role and how to apply, see the Careers page on the RSGB website rsgb.org/careers.
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 1st of May, Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre Radio Amateur Rally will be at Thorpe Camp, Tattershall, Thorpe, Lincolnshire. It is open to the public from 9 am till 1 pm and entry is £4 with under 12s free. There will be hot and cold food on-site and car parking inside the grounds. Contact Anthony on 07956 654481.
On bank holiday Monday, the 2nd of May, the Dartmoor Radio Rally will take place in the Yelverton War Memorial Hall, Meavy Lane, Yelverton PL20 6AL. There is free parking and the doors open at 10 am, with admission being £2.50. There will be a Bring & Buy as well as trader stands. Refreshments will also be available. Contact Roger on 0785 408 8882.
Next Sunday, the 8th, the Lough Erne ARC Annual Rally will be held at the Arena @ Share Discovery Village, 221 Lisnaskea Road, Lisnaskea BT92 0JZ. Doors open at 11.30 am for the public. Facilities are available on-site for breakfast, lunches and tea & coffee.
Now the DX news
Renato, PY8WW will be active as HK0/PY8WW from San Andres Island, NA-033, between the 7th and 12th of May. He plans to operate on the 6 to 40m bands. QSL via his home call.
Hitoshi, JR0UIU will be active as JR0UIU/0 from Awashima Island, AS-206, until the 3rd of May. He plans to operate CW, SSB, RTTY and FT8 on various bands and also via satellite. QSL via his home call, direct or via the bureau.
Janusz, SP9FIH and Leszek, SP6CIK are operating from Nepal as 9N7WE and 9N7CI, respectively, until the 19th of May. Activity is on the 6 to 40m bands. QSL to their home calls.
Michael, W6QT is operating as DU3/W6QT from Subic Bay in the Philippines during the month of May. Activity is on the 6 to 80m bands using SSB and FT8. QSL to his home call.
Now the Special Event news
GB0SCW will be on the air from Stone Cross Windmill, East Sussex from 10 am to 5 pm next Saturday and Sunday. Using SSB on the 3.5, 7 and 14MHz bands, they also plan activities on 2m and 70cm. There may also be some HF operations in the evenings from a car parked on the windmill grounds. See qrz.com for more details.
Dom, F5SJB will operate CW only as TM5RDL between the 1st and 15th of May. The special callsign commemorates the composer, Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle, who wrote the song that eventually became the French national anthem. QSL via F5SJB.
Now the contest news
The UK EI Contest Club DX contest runs for 24 hours until 1200UTC today, the 1st of May. Using CW only on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Note that EI and GI stations also send their District code.
Today, the 1st of May, the UK Six Metre Group Summer marathon starts. It runs until the 2nd of August. Using all modes on the 50MHz bands, the exchange is your 4-character locator.
On Tuesday the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs 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.
The 144MHz FT8 Activity Contest takes place on Wednesday from 1900 to 2100UTC. The exchange is your report and 4-character locator.
On Saturday, the 432MHz trophy takes place between 1400 and 2200UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Running for 24 hours next weekend, the 432MHz to 245GHz contest ends at 1400UTC on Sunday the 8th. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also running for 24 hours is the ARI International DX contest. This finishes at 1200UTC on the 8th. Using CW, RTTY and SSB on the 3.5MHz to 28MHz bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Note that Italian stations will also give their Province code.
Three contests are due to take place next Sunday, the 8th of May. The UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 0800 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3 to 3.4GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also running between 0800 and 1400UTC is the 10GHz Trophy contest. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Finally for the 8th, the Worked All Britain 7MHz Phone Contest runs from 1000 to 1400UTC. Using AM, FM and SSB, the exchange is signal report, serial number and your Worked All Britain locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Friday the 29th of April 2022.
A week of high solar flux indices brought good openings on the higher bands. With the SFI consistently above 140 all week (at the time of writing) there have been reports of 10-metre openings well into the evening.
As Ian Goodier on the 10m UK Net Facebook group reported: “Tonight on 10m you could mistake the band for 20m - East Malaysia in one direction, Mexico in the other.”
There were also reports of Australian and New Zealand stations being worked on 10 metres, making this possibly one of the best weeks for 28MHz so far this solar cycle.
But there were some spanners in the works too. There were a lot of C-class solar flares and two M-class events this week. Geomagnetic conditions have also been disturbed at times with Wednesday being the worst day with the Kp index hitting five twice on one day. Solarham.net said this was an unexpected geomagnetic storm as the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) tipped south. Another solar storm is forecast for the 29th of April, thanks to a large coronal hole on the Sun’s equator.
NOAA predicts more of the same next week with the SFI probably above 130.
Geomagnetic conditions are predicted to be quiet next week, with an average Kp index of two. That is, at least until the 7th of May when it could rise to four. However, this presupposes that we don’t have any coronal mass ejections to contend with. At this point in the solar cycle, solar flares and associated CMEs are commonplace and could push the Kp index higher roughly 48 hours after any Earth-directed CME. As always, keep an eye on Solarham.net for daily updates.
And finally, we can now expect a big upturn in Sporadic-E openings on the higher HF bands. Keep an eye on the European 10m beacons for openings and find out more in our VHF news.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
As we move into May, the chances of Sporadic-E begin to increase and it's worth keeping a close eye on the usual bands from 10m up to 6m, later in the month, the 2m band might surprise us. The Propquest.co.uk website contains a useful EPI map plot of regions where Sporadic-E may be more likely based upon weather triggers of atmospheric gravity waves that are part of the formation process. It also contains a daily blog with commentary to highlight significant jet streams and other regions of interest.
The main focus on the weather charts starts with high pressure bringing fairly good Tropo conditions at the end of last week. Over this weekend a small low will drift into western areas and generally disrupt the Tropo propagation, producing a weaker pattern for next week with a hint of isolated showers. Later in the week, some models bring another low southeast from Iceland to Denmark introducing a cooler north-westerly flow with a few showers until a new high builds next weekend. The result of this will be possible Tropo windows later towards next weekend. There is a possibility of a little rain scatter in between, but generally limited.
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower will peak between midnight and dawn on Friday the 6th of May 2022. Its ZHR is a very respectable 50. The shower favours the Southern Hemisphere and the radiant is low in the sky for the UK in the early pre-dawn hours.
The predictable cycle of Moon-bounce propagation continues this week with positive Moon declination peaking on Thursday, now almost coinciding with apogee and therefore highest path losses. After mid-July, the trend of rising declination and rising path loss reverses, until, in mid-2026 maximum declination coincides with perigee and minimum path loss again. 144MHz sky noise is generally low this week, reaching 500K on Wednesday.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for April 24th 2022.

GB2RS News
Sunday the 24th of April 2022
The news headlines:
Two new GB2RS broadcasts
Take part in SOS Radio Week
VMARS nets
The RSGB GB2RS News Service is delighted to announce two new broadcasts on Sundays. With a nod to how it all started back in 1955, we have introduced a transmission using amplitude modulation. This takes place in the 80m band on 3650kHz at 8 am UK time from the station of G4JBD in Bedfordshire. The intended coverage is the Midlands and the South East of England but it may be heard more widely when propagation is favourable. For those in the South West Glasgow area who are busy on Sunday mornings, we are now offering an evening broadcast on 2m. Delivered by 2M0GUI on 145.525MHz FM, the transmission is at 6.30 pm UK time.
Every year thousands of people get into difficulty around our coast. Thousands of unpaid volunteers swing into action to save and rescue them. SOS Radio Week celebrates the work of these selfless volunteers. Amateur radio stations get on the air to raise awareness of the invaluable work of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, National Coastwatch Institution and the many independent lifeboat and rescue organisations around our coasts. The activity starts at 0000UTC on the 1st of May and concludes at 2359UTC on the 31st. Participants are encouraged to become an official Registered Station and make as many contacts as possible, mentioning the reason for the event during their contact. For further details visit sosradioweek.org.uk
The Vintage Military Amateur Radio Society will be displaying at the Blackpool Rally today. They have regular nets on 3.615MHz at 8.30 am on Saturdays using AM and at 8 pm on Wednesdays using USB to facilitate the use of ex-military equipment. On Fridays, the frequency remains as 3.615MHz at 7.30 pm using LSB. More at www.vmars.org.
As part of the forthcoming Jubilee celebrations, the RSGB has announced further details of its GB70 special event station activities. The seven SES callsigns will be active across the Jubilee weekend, from the 2nd to the 5th of June, on multiple bands and modes by various clubs. After that weekend, these special callsigns will be available for activation by RSGB affiliated clubs or individual RSGB members until the 28th of June. Each callsign has a volunteer coordinator responsible for allocating operating slots in a published schedule. They will also collect the log files from those who have been activating the calls. For further information see the GB70 page in the RSGB Jubilee web section at rsgb.org/jubilee.
Provisional results for the 2021 IARU Region 1 Marconi Memorial VHF Contest are available. A total of 762 logs from 27 different countries in Region 1 were received. You can read the provisional results at iaru-r1.org.
This year’s CDXC Convention will take place on Saturday the 7th of May at The Link Hotel, Loughborough. The AGM will take place on the same day but, for those who cannot attend, online voting will be available a few days before and instructions will be sent out nearer the time. An interesting list of speakers has been arranged and can be found at www.cdxc.org.uk.
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.
The Cambridge Repeater Group Rally takes place today, the 24th. The venue is Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Doors open at 9.30 am and admission is £3. There will be a talk in station, trade stands, car boot area and a Bring & Buy. Catering is available on site. More at cambridgerepeaters.net.
Also today, the 24th is the Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Exhibition, also known as the Blackpool Rally. It will be held at the Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool FY2 9AA. More details at narsa.org.uk.
The Andover Radio Club Spring Boot Sale is due to take place today, the 24th, at Wildhern Village Hall, SP11 0JE. It is open at 10 am and is organised by the Andover Radio Amateur Club. Details at arac.org.uk.
Next Sunday, the Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre Radio Amateur Rally will be at Thorpe Camp, Tattershall, Thorpe, Lincolnshire. It is open to the public from 9 am till 1 pm and entry is £4 with under 12s free. There will be hot and cold food on-site and car parking inside the grounds. Contact Anthony on 07956 654481.
Now the DX news
Thierry, F6CUK will be active as TM8C from Brehat Island, EU-074, until the 30th of April. He will operate SSB, CW and FT8 mainly on 40, 30 and 20m bands. QSL via F6CUK either direct or bureau and Logbook of The World.
Lubo, OM5ZW will be active holiday style as 3B8/OM5ZW from Mauritius, AF-049, from the 29th of April to the 6th of May. He will operate CW, SSB, RTTY and FT8 on the 10 to 80m bands. QSL via Logbook of The World and Club Log's OQRS.
John, W5JON will be active as V47JA from St. Kitts, NA-104, until the 28th of April. He will operate SSB and FT8 on the 6 to 160m bands. QSL via Logbook of The World or direct only to W5JON.
Now the Special Event news
Flight Refuelling ARS will be operating from the club station using GB2FRA to celebrate the club’s 40th anniversary. It is intended that the callsign will be used on all the bands and modes that are available from the club shack including 10GHz EME. Operations will run throughout April.
Medway Amateur Receiving and Transmitting Society will operate GB5MW between the 3rd and 30th of April to celebrate the society's centenary year. QSL via eQSL.
Now the contest news
The SP DX RTTY contest runs for 24 hours ending at 1200UTC today, the 24th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number with Polish stations also sending their Region code.
Running until 2130UTC on the 24th, the First MGM contest uses the 50 and 144MHz bands. The exchange is your report and 4-character locator.
Today, the 24th, the BARTG Sprint 75 Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using 75 baud RTTY on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is the serial number.
On Tuesday the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3GHz and up bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Wednesday sees the UK EI Contest Club 80m CW contest running from 1900 to 2000UTC. Using CW only, the exchange is your 6-character locator.
On Thursday it’s the RTTY and PSK63 leg of the 80m Club Championships. Running between 1900 and 2030UTC, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
Next weekend, the UK EI Contest Club DX contest runs from 1200UTC on the 30th of April to 1200UTC on Sunday the 1st of May. Using CW only on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Note that EI and GI stations also send their District code.
Next Sunday, the 1st of May, the UK Six Metre Group Summer marathon starts. It runs until the 2nd of August. Using all modes on the 50MHz bands, the exchange is your 4-character locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Friday the 22nd of April 2022.
Last week was characterised by solar flares – lots of them! There were numerous strong flares, although the majority occurred in the early hours and so didn’t affect the ionosphere over Europe. Solar flare events can cause short-lived radio blackouts as the energetic photons penetrate deep into the D-layer. Solar activity during the past 30 days has increased drastically with five of the top 10 strongest flares of Cycle 25 detected during this period alone.
We have also had very strong sunspot activity with the solar flux index peaking at 160 on Thursday the 21st. The current crop of four sunspot groups probably means we can expect the SFI to stay high until at least early next week.
NOAA predicts the SFI will stay above 130, but we may get even higher figures for a time. It also predicts a maximum Kp index of two next week, although that could easily rise if we get hit by matter from any incoming CMEs, which are getting more prevalent as the cycle continues. The good news is that, at the time of writing, it didn’t look like we will get any coronal hole activity.
There have been numerous reports of good conditions on the higher bands - 21, 24 and 28MHz – including openings to TX5N on the Austral Islands. Braco, 8Q7DX, who is on holiday in the Maldives, has also been worked.
There have also been some signs of early Sporadic-E with very loud openings to Spain on 10 metres.
So if the SFI stays this high and we don’t get many geomagnetic disturbances it could be a good week for HF.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
We have a classic spring start to things with low pressure over the near continent, aided by the increasing warmth of the spring sunshine, while colder regions to the north become home to high pressure near Iceland.
Between the two, we will have a strong and cold-feeling east to northeasterly wind over the UK; not really the setup required for Tropo, since the strong winds and turbulence destroy any temperature inversion.
The changes come along after this weekend as the low weakens and a ridge of high pressure extends south across the country with much lighter winds and a chance of Tropo, especially overnight.
It is possible that isolated showers may offer a little rain scatter, but not a high probability.
It would be better to consider possible aurora and meteor scatter as your exotic modes. In this closing part of April, the best is within reach, since Sporadic-E is a serious possibility on 10m and perhaps 6m. Use the beacons and clusters to guide you, but if you start to adjust to your summer operating rule of checking for Es mid-morning and late afternoon or early evening, then Es QSOs will soon come.
The Winter minimum of meteor show activity is at an end with Sporadic meteor rates increasing towards their usual maximum in late summer.
The Lyrids shower has passed the peak but continues to be active until the 30th.
Moon declination starts the week negative with low peak moon elevations and short visibility windows but turns positive again on Thursday. Path losses are on the increase again as we are past perigee. 144 MHz sky noise is low all week except Saturday afternoon when the Sun and Moon are close in the sky for the five hours leading up to Moonset at approximately 1900hrs.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for April 17th 2022.

GB2RS News
Sunday the 17th of April 2022
The news headlines:
RSGB AGM to be live-streamed
Pop Up YOTA net today
New EMF video
The RSGB AGM is being live-streamed on Saturday at 12 noon. You can still submit a question for the RSGB Board to answer during the event, but you will need to do so before 9 am on Wednesday the 20th of April. Voting in the elections closes at 9 am on Thursday the 21st of April. The Society encourages all RSGB Members to use their vote. Full details of the event can be found on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/agm.
A special Pop Up Youngsters On The Air net will be on the air today, Easter Sunday, at 1400UTC. This Pop-Up net is aimed exclusively at youngsters under the age of 25 and encourages them to call in and have a QSO with fellow youngsters on the air. The net controller for the first hour will be Declan, 2W0KYH who is aged 13. The 2nd hour is with Liam, M7LCB. The net is hosted by the FreeSTAR Amateur Radio network, which is a multi-node system where various digital radio modes are accessible including DMR, D-Star, Fusion C4FM and so on. For full connection details please visit freestar.network or email Oscar@freestar.network.
The RSGB has just released a short video outlining the new EMF regulations and the help and tools the Society provides for radio amateurs. There is a wealth of information and guidance on the RSGB website and the Society hopes that this video will signpost that in a new way. The video is in the ‘Did you know?’ playlist on the RSGB YouTube channel at youtube.com/theRSGB.
The IARU Region Political Relations Committee, in conjunction with the Region’s EMC Committee, has submitted a paper to a recent European Commission Call for Evidence with respect to Solar Energy Strategy. Solar energy systems, which include Solar PV, are a progressive technology whose use is to be encouraged. However, there are certain caveats to be noted in deployment and ongoing use. The IARU concerns are not with solar technology, but with the potential noise pollution from so-called optimisers. The paper that was submitted detailed elements of the ongoing research and monitoring by the EMC Committee in this area. The paper is available on the IARU Region 1 website at iaru-r1.org.
As part of the Commonwealth Games activities, RSGB Special Event Stations will be activated from the four UK Home Nations and three Crown Dependencies. The callsigns will take the format of GB22G followed by the Regional Locator, for example, GB22GE, GB22GI or GB22GD. RSGB affiliated clubs and individual RSGB Members who are Full licensees will be able to book slots to activate a callsign themselves or to supervise operation by others. Further details will be coming soon.
Radio Amateurs of Canada is supporting World Amateur Radio Day on the 18th of April by encouraging amateurs to get on the air and contact as many Canadian stations as possible. RAC official stations will operate across Canada from 0000Z to 2359UTC on the 18th. Look out for these special event stations with callsigns ending in RAC. Those contacting one or more of these stations will be eligible for a special commemorative certificate. Full details are on their website at rac.ca.
The RSGB will be running a special event station at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, starting on the 28th of July. The callsign will be GB22HQ. If you’d like to help operate the station during the Games and talk to visitors about amateur radio, please contact RSGB Region 5 Representative Neil Yorke, M0NKE at rr5@rsgb.org.uk. Due to the location of the station, operators will only be able to access the Games by train.
The RSGB and ARRL have been celebrating the centenary of the Transatlantic Tests. The Society has just released a video that highlights the fantastic exhibition put on by the National Heritage Centre in Saltcoats, the 1921 message re-enactment by the Kilmarnock and Loudoun Amateur Radio Club and also the 160m Transatlantic QSO Party. You’ll find the video on the RSGB YouTube channel at youtube.com/theRSGB
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.
The Cambridge Repeater Group Rally takes place on the 24th of April. The venue is Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Doors open at 9.30 am and admission is £3. There will be a talk in station, trade stands, car boot area and a Bring & Buy. Catering is available on site. More at cambridgerepeaters.net.
Also on the 24th is the Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Exhibition, also known as the Blackpool Rally. It will be held at the Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool FY2 9AA. More details at narsa.org.uk.
The Andover Radio Club Spring Boot Sale is due to take place on the 24th at Wildhern Village Hall, SP11 0JE. It is open at 10 am and is organised by the Andover Radio Amateur Club. Details at arac.org.uk.
Now the DX news
Braco, E77DX will be active holiday style as 8Q7DX from the Maldives, AS-013, until the 27th of April. He plans to operate on the 10 to 80m bands. QSL via Logbook of The World and E73Y.
Michael, DF8AN will be touring the Caribbean until early May. He will be active from Martinique as FM/DF8AN until the 19th of April and again on the 1st and 2nd of May. He will operate as J79MN from Dominica between the 19th and 24th of April. Between the 24th of April and the 1st of May, he will operate from St. Lucia. He will operate mainly CW and digital modes on all bands, including the 6m band. QSLs via DF8AN, direct or via the bureau.
Now the Special Event news
Look out for GB1BB today from about 5 pm to 7 pm local time around 7.170MHz or 3.770MHz as well as 2m FM simplex and via GB3IW. Operators from the Isle of Wight Radio Society will be on the Bramble Bank in mid-Solent for the few minutes that it is exposed by this weekend’s extreme Spring tide. After the event, the club will QSL direct. QSL certificates will show Gold, Silver, or Bronze Awards. Gold for confirmed contacts with GB1BB on HF, VHF, and UHF; Silver for confirmed contacts on any two of those; and Bronze for a confirmed contact on any one band. Details on iowrs.org.
On the 23rd of April Harlow & District Amateur Radio Society will be operating GB0MGY for International Marconi Day.
With the kind permission of the National Trust, Weston super Mare Radio Society will be operating GB0IMD from the Old Fort on Brean Down on the 23rd of April, as part of the International Marconi Day celebrations.
Flight Refuelling ARS will be operating from the club station using GB2FRA to celebrate the club’s 40th anniversary. It is intended that the callsign will be used on all the bands and modes that are available from the club shack including 10GHz EME. Operations will run throughout April.
Medway Amateur Receiving and Transmitting Society will operate GB5MW between the 3rd and 30th of April to celebrate the society's centenary year. QSL via eQSL.
Now the contest news
On Monday the IRTS 70cm Counties Contest runs between 1300 and 1330UTC. It is followed by the IRTS 2m Counties Contest from 1330 to 1500UTC. Both use FM and SSB and the exchange is signal report and serial number. Please note that Irish stations will also send their county.
On Tuesday the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday, the SSB leg of the 80m Club Championship runs between 1900 and 2030UTC. The exchange is a signal report and serial number.
Thursday sees the 70MHz UK Activity Contest run from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The SP DX RTTY contest runs from 1200UTC on the 23rd to 1200UTC on the 24th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number with polish stations also sending their Region code.
Running from 1900UTC on the 23rd to 2130UTC on the 24th, the First MGM contest uses the 50 and 144MHz bands. The exchange is your report and 4-character locator.
Next Sunday, the 24th, the BARTG Sprint 75 Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using 75 baud RTTY on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is the serial number.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 14th of April 2022.
We had a week with declining solar flux index numbers, but with the ever-present threat of coronal mass ejections. The SFI declined from 101 on Sunday to 96 on Wednesday with the possibility of further falls as the week goes on. A solar filament located near the centre disk of the Sun erupted early Monday morning generating a faint, halo coronal mass ejection (CME) that appeared to be squarely Earth-directed.
A moderate (G2) geomagnetic storm watch was added for the 14th and skywatchers at middle to high latitudes were also put on alert for aurora.
Meanwhile, the quieter geomagnetic conditions earlier in the week saw 10 metres open up to some good DX. Laurie, G3UML reports a long path opening to Australia on 20m CW from 0730 to 0800UTC. He worked two VK2s and a VK3 and listened to VK5QD who was very loud.
Next week NOAA predicts that the SFI may climb again, perhaps into the range of 100 to 110.
Geomagnetic conditions are predicted to be generally quiet, but with the ever-present risk of CMEs pushing the Kp index up to perhaps four or five at times. A pair of coronal holes became Earth facing on Thursday as well, which may bring unsettled conditions again this weekend. If the Kp index stays low we can expect MUFs to be near seasonal norms, perhaps with openings up to 21 and even 28MHz at times.
Look out for occasional early-season Sporadic-E openings as well, which could bring short-skip openings into Europe on 10 metres.
And now the VHF and up propagation news
The high pressure over the North Sea and Scandinavia will decline slowly allowing a new area of low pressure over the nearby Atlantic to drift east into southern Britain during the Easter weekend. This will mean that any Tropo benefits, particularly over the Irish Sea and the North Sea will decline during the weekend.
The new low will bring areas of showery rain across the country with a chance of rain scatter propagation. This is likely to be a pattern for much of the following week with low pressure over southern areas and occasionally expanding bands of rain farther north.
The solar activity has continued to provide aurora options, so again worthwhile checking the clusters and Kp index for early signs of auroral activity. It is also a given that random meteor scatter is always available, especially for those who like to be up early in the morning!
The main mode to keep a watch out for during the coming week is Sporadic-E, which is just beginning to make an appearance on 10m and even higher bands using digital modes.
Jet streams are important as potential sources of the atmospheric gravity waves that can contribute to Es. You should look to the jet stream 300hectopascal or hPa upper air charts to see where they are located. Try paths that cross them, especially where they cross mountain ranges like the Alps or Pyrenees. Note a hectopascal equals a millibar.
The Propquest.co.uk website has a set of four 300hPa charts for the current day and from the beginning of May will also contain a daily blog highlighting that day’s prospects.
The Winter minimum of meteor show activity is coming to an end. This week the small daytime April Piscids shower starts on the 20th, and peaks two days later at 2200UTC. This also coincides with the peak of the larger, and currently active Lyrids shower also on the 22nd but earlier at 1300 UTC. With a ZHR of around 18, it should produce some good reflections.
Moon perigee is on Tuesday so path losses are at their lowest. Moon declination is negative again and reaches minimum on Thursday so Moon windows will be short and peak Moon elevation low. 144MHz sky noise is high, peaking at over 3000K on Thursday so combined with the low elevations a poor week for especially VHF EME.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for April 10th 2022.

 GB2RS News
Sunday the 10th of April 2022
The news headlines:
Youngsters on the Air contest results
Celebrate World Amateur Radio Day
Use your vote in the RSGB elections
The final results of the third round of the Youngsters On The Air Contest in 2021 are now available. They can now be found on ham-yota.com/contest. Throughout the three legs of the contest, the organisers received nearly 700 logs from all over the world, including many from those under the age of 26. In 2022 the three sessions will be taking place on the 21st of May between 0800 and 1959UTC, then on the 23rd of July between 1000 and 2159UTC. The final round takes place in YOTA month, on the 30th of December between 1200 and 2359UTC.
On the 18th of April, radio amateurs worldwide take to the airwaves in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day. It was on this day in 1925 that the International Amateur Radio Union was formed in Paris. You can read more about the event and download posters and other publicity material for any special event station you may be planning, from iaru.org.
Just a reminder that voting is still open in the RSGB AGM. There are three resolutions to vote for including the endorsement of two Nominated Board Directors. They have been put forward by the RSGB Nominations Committee but it is RSGB Members who choose whether or not to endorse them. The Society encourages all members to read the CVs and personal statements of the Nominated Directors and then follow the voting links to cast a vote. On the RSGB AGM web pages, you can also see the RSGB Report and Accounts and submit a question for the RSGB Board to answer at the online AGM. Go to rsgb.org/agm to find all the information and links you need. Please use your vote.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games start on the 28th of July. Over 5,000 athletes will converge on Birmingham and the surrounding area from an estimated 72 hosts to compete over 12 days as part of the Games. The RSGB is organising a number of activities to support the event, including a special event station on the grounds of the National Exhibition Centre. The Society wants to showcase amateur radio to the athletes and public for as much of the Games as possible and will need a large number of volunteers to operate the station and chat with visitors. Due to the location of the station, operators will only be able to access the Games by train and participants will be security checked as part of the accreditation process. If you’d like to help operate the station during the Games, contact RSGB Region 5 Representative Neil Yorke, M0NKE: rr5@rsgb.org.uk.
We have received news via Charles, M0OXO from Gennady, UX5UO, the Ukrainian QSL Printer used by many. Gennady says that he is OK and still trading. You can see more at ux5uoqsl.com.
The 2nd of April 2022 marked the 40th anniversary of the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands. On that day in 1982, Bob, VP8LP, living at Goose Green, was hearing on a local VHF net that invading troops could be seen in the streets of Port Stanley. He was surprised to find that there was no mention of this by the BBC. Bob spoke to Laurie, G3UML in the BBC Ariel Radio Group radio room in the building next to Broadcasting House. This was probably the first confirmation of the invasion. Bob and Laurie have remained in touch ever since. On the 2nd of April this year, the two friends met up again on the air to relive their contact of 40 years previous, this time using the BBC centenary callsign GB100BBC. A feature about the original contact was broadcast on the 3rd of April during Radio 4’s ‘Broadcasting House’ programme. You can listen back to this via BBC Sounds. Laurie was also the guest presenter on last Tuesday’s RSGB webinar Tonight@8 in which he talked about his historic contact with VP8LP as well the recent reconstruction. You can watch the Tonight@8 presentation at rsgb.org/webinars.
Belgium's national society, the UBA, has joined other national Amateur Radio societies in banning amateurs from Russia and Belarus from their contests. See uba.be for full details.
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 10th of April, the Lincoln Short Wave Club Spring Rally will be at Festival Hall, Caistor Road, Market Rasen LN8 3HT. Entry is £2 per person. The doors open at 10 am or 30 minutes earlier for disabled visitors. There is ample free car parking and refreshments will be available. Free Wi-Fi is available on site.
On the 24th of April, the Cambridge Repeater Group Rally will be held in Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN.
Now the DX news
Max, ON5UR and Erik, ON4ANN are part of a 15-strong team operating from Svalbard, EU026, between the 19th and 26th of April. There will be five stations on all HF bands in different modes, CW, SSB, RTTY and FT8-FT4. They hope to be the first to activate EU026 on QO-100. More at dx-adventure.com.
Jean-Louis, F5NHJ will be visiting Noumea, New Caledonia, OC-032, until the 11th of June. He plans to be active holiday style as FK/F5NHJ and operate CW, SSB and digital modes. The log will be uploaded to Logbook of The World and eQSL.
Rick, HC1MD and Maria, HC1MM will be active as HD8MD and HD8MM respectively from Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands, SA-004, on the 14th of April. They will operate CW, SSB, FT4 and FT8 on the 6 to 40m bands. QSL via Logbook of The World and K8LJG.
Bodo, DF8DX will be active as IS0/DF8DX from the main island of Sardinia, EU-024, until the 16th of April. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, via the bureau or direct.
A team of three will be active as VK9NT from Norfolk Island, OC-005, between the 14th of and 25th of April. They will operate CW, SSB and FT8 on the 10 to 160m bands. QSL via M0OXO's OQRS. Updates will be posted to VK9NT's page on qrz.com.
Now the Special Event news
Final preparations for GB1BB are now underway at the Isle of Wight Radio Society. A crew of three young operators will, weather permitting, operate on 70cm through GB3IW; on 2m FM simplex; and on the 80m or 40m band using SSB. This Special Event Station is highly unusual in that it will be established on the Bramble Bank, a sand bar 3km north of Cowes, which is usually underwater. Twice a year, around the times of the Spring and Autumn equinoxes, extreme spring tides uncover the bank and a small island appears for about an hour. Look out for GB1BB around 6 am or 6 pm, on Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, or Tuesday the 19th of April. Activation will occur in only one of those time slots. G4ZUP/MM and G6RTE/MM may well be heard before and after the event. For the latest information and expected operating times, check iowrs.org.
Flight Refuelling ARS will be operating from the club station using GB2FRA to celebrate the club’s 40th anniversary. It is intended that the callsign will be used on all the bands and modes that are available from the club shack including 10GHz EME. Operations will run throughout April.
Medway Amateur Receiving and Transmitting Society will operate GB5MW between the 3rd and 30th of April to celebrate the society's centenary year. QSL via eQSL.
Now the contest news
Four contests are scheduled to take place today, the 10th of April.
The Spring 50MHz contest takes place between 0900 and 1200UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Next is the UK Microwave group Low Band contest running between 1000 and 1600UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3 to 3.4GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The Worked All Britain data contest runs from 1000 to 1400UTC and from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using the 3.5 to 14MHz bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and your WAB reference.
Finally, the RoLo SSB contest runs between 1900 and 2030UTC. Using SSB on the 3.5MHz band, the exchange is the signal report and the locator you received.
On Monday, the FT4 Series of contests runs from 1900 to 2030UTC on the 3.5MHz band. The exchange is your 4-character locator.
On Tuesday the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. It is followed by the all-mode 432MHz UK Activity Contest between 1900 and 2130UTC. The exchange for both is a signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday it is the 432MHz FT8 Activity Contest running from 1900 to 2100UTC. The exchange is your report and your 4-character locator.
On Thursday the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The YUDX Contest runs from 0700UTC on the 16th of April to 0659UTC on the 17th. Full details can be found by searching for YUDX Contest.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Friday the 8th of April 2022.
We had another week of high-ish solar flux numbers, but this time we had relatively settled geomagnetic conditions that really allowed the ionosphere to play ball for radio amateurs.
The week started well with the SFI above 140, which then declined as the week went on and was at 117 on Thursday. The maximum Kp index was four on Sunday and Monday, which then declined to one and two as the week went on, before going back to four on Thursday. It looks like the faint CME generated by a filament eruption on the 3rd of April did not reach Earth, which was a bonus.
A new report from NASA has confirmed that Solar Cycle 25 is racing ahead of the official forecast and the gap is growing. Sunspot counts have now exceeded predictions for 18 straight months. The monthly value at the end of March was more than twice the forecast and the highest in nearly seven years. The Solar Cycle Prediction Panel predicted that Solar Cycle 25 would peak in July 2025 as a relatively weak cycle, but instead, the cycle is shaping up to be stronger.
Conditions have been quite good with many reports coming in of DX on the HF bands. John, G4BAO reports that 10m has been rocking this week. There have been daily morning openings to Asia and Australia, plus South America and the Caribbean later in the day.
And Chris, G1WSA reports 20m QSOs with N3SJL and then VK7RG. The interesting part is that Chris was only using a short Diamond HF20FX 1.2m whip on a mag mount on his car.
Next week, NOAA’s prediction has the solar flux at 115 for most of the time, perhaps rising to 120 as the week progresses. A small Earth-facing coronal hole might spell unsettled geomagnetic conditions this weekend, and NOAA forecasts unsettled geomagnetic conditions for the 11th and 12th with a predicted Kp index of four.
So possibly more of the same next week - try to make the most of the good HF conditions.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
Last week ended with a cold northerly wind, but with developing high pressure for the weekend a chance of some Tropo, although in cold and often dry air like this, it is rarely very effective.
As we move into the new week a slow-moving front drifts across the country from the Atlantic with some rain and perhaps a hint of rain scatter where the front breaks up into showery bursts of rain in southern Britain. The rest of the week will be largely controlled by slack ridges of high pressure, despite a temporary weak front reaching northwest Scotland for a time.
The weak ridging probably develops further into the Easter weekend with a region of high pressure over the country. Some models hold the new high farther south over France and may allow further fronts to edge into Scotland.
The usual bonuses of random meteor scatter and aurora are still in play given the right circumstances, as is the arrival of some early Sporadic-E as we move into the second half of April.
This could be aided by a very busy upper air pattern offering plenty of jet streams, which can be associated with Es formation regions. Check out 10m first and then 6m, especially for data modes.
Moon declination is at maximum this weekend and declining as the week goes on, so again, Moon windows are long and peak Moon elevation will be high. Apogee was last Thursday so path losses will decrease throughout the week. 144MHz sky noise is low all week, reaching a minimum of 174K on Monday.
And that’s all from the propagation team this week.