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G4TNU > NEWS 11.08.24 06:01l 292 Lines 13875 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 11 Aug 2024
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 11th of August 2024
The news headlines:
* The RSGB 2024 Convention will have a mix of presentations,
workshops and forums to suit a broad range of interests
* The RSGB welcomes University Technical College South Durham
Radio Club to its School Zone webpage
* The RSGB's Awards Manager has issued an update about
operating awards
The RSGB Convention this year will have a mix of presentations,
workshops and forums to enable you to take part in the content that
suits you. On Saturday morning there will be an EMC and EMF Update
presentation, followed by an informal EMC and EMF Clinic in the
afternoon. Led by RSGB EMC Committee Chair John Rogers, M0JAV with
Ian White, GM3SEK and Peter Zollman, G4DSE who are two of the
committee's EMF Consultants, these sessions are not to be missed.
Head to the presentation to hear the latest updates and then take
your EMC and EMF problems to the clinic where John, Ian, Peter and
other specialists will be available to help. This is just one of the
great amateur radio topics being covered at this year's event. To
book your Convention tickets, go to the RSGB website at
rsgb.org/convention
The RSGB is thrilled to welcome the University Technical College
South Durham Radio Club to its School Zone webpage. The Club, which
is operating using callsign M1UTC, is being led by Professor Ian
Neal, M0KEO who is also the RSGB's British Science Week Coordinator.
The Club is looking forward to operating at the start of the new term
in September. If you'd like to view contact details for this, or any
of the other school and college amateur radio clubs, go to the RSGB
website at rsgb.org/school-zone The RGSB also has a list of
university amateur radio clubs, which you can find by visiting
rsgb.org/university-corner If you are part of a school, college or
university club that isn't currently listed on any of these pages,
please email the name of the club, contact details and any supporting
weblinks to comms<at>rsgb.org.uk
As part of the RSGB's commitment to keeping members updated, the
Awards Manager has issued some key messages about RSGB operating
awards so far this year. Lindsay Pennell, G8PMA is always keen to
hear from radio amateurs about the type of awards they enjoy and new
ones they would like the RSGB to develop if possible. One of the
ideas he is considering is a series of variations on the
Marathon/Challenge idea that runs over a specified time period to
achieve target criteria – would that interest you? Also, if you're
a keen award chaser and would like to share your story, Lindsay would
love to hear from you! You can contact him via awards<at>rsgb.org.uk
and you can see the key messages on his page of the RSGB website. Go
to rsgb.org.uk and search for Awards Manager.
Don't forget to listen out for all the stations that will be on the
air during International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend on Saturday
the 17th and Sunday the 18th of August. This is one of the most
popular amateur radio events in the calendar and in past years there
have been more than 500 entries from over 40 different countries.
More details about the event and a registration form can be found at
illw.net
The British Inland Waterways on the Air event will take place between
Saturday the 24th and Monday the 26th of August. The event is open to
amateurs who use canals, towpaths, rivers, lakes or reservoirs for
work or recreation. Registration for the event is now open. To sign
up, visit Nunsfield House Amateur Radio Group's website at
nharg.org.uk and follow the ‘BIWOTA 2024' link.
National Hamfest 2024 is taking place on the 27th and 28th of
September and promises to be an unforgettable celebration of all
things amateur radio. As always, the traders and manufacturers are
lining up to bring you the best in amateur radio equipment and
accessories. Many exhibitors will be offering exclusive deals, making
it the perfect time to upgrade your gear or add new items to your
shack. For those eager to secure their spot, online ticket sales are
open and early-bird discount is available until the 31st of August.
For more information and to purchase your tickets, visit
nationalhamfest.org.uk
Please send details of all your news and events to
radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk The deadline for submissions is 10am on
Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.
And now for details of rallies and events
Flight Refuelling Amateur Radio Society's Hamfest is taking place
today, the 11th of August. The venue is Cobham Sports and Social Club
Ground, Merley, near Wimborne in Dorset. The doors are open from 9am
to 4pm and admission, which includes parking, costs GBP 5. Catering
and a bar are available on site. For more information visit
frars.co.uk/hamfest
Rugby Amateur Transmitting Society's Annual Radio Rally is scheduled
to take place on Sunday the 18th of August at Princethorpe College,
Princethorpe, Rugby. The doors will be open from 10am to 4pm, but
sellers can gain access from 8am. The admission fee is GBP 4 per
person. Pre-booked pitches cost GBP 15. On the day, pitches will cost
GBP 20. For more information email rally<at>rugbyats.co.uk or visit
rugbyats.co.uk
West Manchester Radio Club's Red Rose Summer Rally is set to take
place on Sunday the 18th of August at St Joseph's Hall, Mather Lane,
Leigh, WN7 2PJ. The doors open at 10am. For further information and
bookings, email rally<at>wmrc.co.uk or phone 07796 264 569.
Now the Special Event news
Bushvalley Amateur Radio Club will be active from all three
lighthouses on Rathlin Island during International Lighthouse and
Lightship Weekend on Saturday the 17th and Sunday the 18th of August.
Operators will be working on the 80 to 10m bands using SSB, CW and
FT8. Listen out for special event callsigns, GB1RP, GB2EL and GB2WL
which will all be in use. For more information, visit the QRZ.com
page for each of the callsigns.
Danish Amateur Radio Experimenters are activating special event
stations in Denmark to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Islands on
the Air, or IOTA. There will be various activities from both fixed
island amateur radio stations and from island expeditions to some of
the 101 Danish IOTA islands. All amateur radio bands can be used with
CW, SSB, RTTY and several digital modes. A diploma for contacts, and
shortwave listener reports, with special event stations achieved
during the period from the 1st of July to the 31st of August 2024
will be available. All logs will be uploaded to Clublog and Logbook
of the World. For more information visit the OZ60IOTA page at QRZ.com
The Unicom Radio Club is operating using the special event callsign
GB1URC until the 4th of September. The activity marks the official
introduction of this international Club to the amateur radio
community. For more information visit unicomradio.com/gb1urc
Now the DX news
Emil, DL8JJ is active as OX/DL8JJ from Greenland until the 15th of
August. He is operating on the HF bands using CW from a camp at
Tasiilaq [TAZ-EE-A-LACK], NA-151, and from various locations on the
main island, NA-018.
Rafael, NN3RP is active as YN2RP from Nicaragua [NIC-A-RAG-YOU-AH]
until the 20th of August. He is operating using SSB, CW, FT8 and FT4
on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL, or
directly to NN3RP.
Now the contest news
On Tuesday the 13th, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to
1855UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
Also on Tuesday the 13th, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from
1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
The Worked All Europe DX CW Contest started at 0000UTC on Saturday
the 10th and runs until 2359UTC today, Sunday the 11th of August.
Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the
exchange is signal report and serial number.
On Wednesday the 14th, the 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs
from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is
report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 14th, the
432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using
FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is report and four-character
locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the
two-hour contest.
On Thursday the 15th, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to
2130UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Thursday the 8th of August 2024
Well, so much for the experts! NOAA predicted that the solar flux
index would fall last week, when it actually increased to a whopping
303 on Thursday the 8th.
But this high solar flux number was accompanied by a strong risk of
solar flares, so it was not all plain sailing. We have had 15 M-class
and two X-class solar flare events over the past three days and the
threat remains high.
Coronal mass ejection activity on Wednesday resulted in NOAA and the
Space Weather Prediction Centre warning of possible moderate G2
geomagnetic storming towards the later part of week ending the 11th
of August. This could see the Kp index rise and the maximum usable
frequency fall.
Hopefully, conditions will improve after the weekend.
Last week was a good one for HF propagation with a high solar flux
index and low Kp index. The 10m band was open to Brazil in the late
afternoon, and this appeared to be F2-layer propagation and not
multi-hop Sporadic-E.
Meanwhile, the 15m band has perhaps been the DX band of choice with
long openings to the Far East, at least on FT8, and North America at
the same time. HF conditions should also improve as we move into
September, but more on that closer to the time.
Attention now shifts to N5J on Jarvis Island, an uninhabited
4.5-kilometre-squared coral island in the South Pacific Ocean, about
halfway between Hawaii and the Cook Islands. The DXpedition is active
on all bands and their website at Jarvisisland2024.com can provide
you with personalised propagation forecasts – let us know if you
work them.
Using Proppy at soundbytes.asia or VOAcap at voacap.com, shows that
20, 17 and 15m short-path seem to offer the best chance of working
the DXpedition, with morning openings from around 0600 to 1000UTC.
There is also a potential long-path opening between 1800 and 2000UTC,
with a possibility of the 10m band at 1900UTC. Both are near polar
paths and may be adversely affected by a high Kp index.
CDXC members with good stations have already reported QSOs with N5J
on the 17m band using FT8.
Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will be in the range of
185 to 240. Geomagnetic conditions will depend on whether we have
more solar flares and coronal mass ejections, and the chance of those
remains high.
An Earth-facing coronal mass ejection could send the Kp index
soaring, and that will no doubt lead to reduced maximum useable
frequencies and noisy bands. So, fingers crossed for more quiet
geomagnetic conditions and low Kp indices!
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The summer tries to deliver but, overall, the pattern has a rather
unsettled flavour to it for the coming week.
On the positive side, we see a transient area of high pressure
crossing southern Britain over this weekend, ending today the 11th.
This could give some Tropo conditions but, after this, the Atlantic
westerly flow brings a succession of fronts and showers to most
areas.
In terms of propagation, this suggests that rain scatter will have
the best of it in the week ahead.
The Sporadic-E season remains a good fallback and surprised us in
East Anglia mid-morning on Tuesday the 6th of August with 144MHz
Sporadic-E propagation to YU, HA, 9A and LZ moving around towards
Italy as the opening progressed.
All were workable with 100W and a white stick antenna on FT8. For the
coming week, the jet stream activity will probably start by favouring
paths to Scandinavia and the Baltic. Later in the week a new jet
stream will drive southeast into Iberia, opening up chances for paths
to EA and CT.
The Perseids meteor shower this week will provide welcome new fuel
for Sporadic-E and, as a result, like most years, we'll see openings
into the first week of September.
The meteor scatter highlight is the Perseids meteor shower, which
peaks on Monday and Tuesday. So, there are plenty of opportunities to
try a new mode or fill in some missing grid squares if you are
already involved in meteor scatter.
Many websites explain what it's all about, but one to start you off
is g7rdx.co.uk Also, try looking for videos of meteor activity on
SDR radios to get an idea of what it all sounds like.
The solar conditions lately have been rather disturbed. It would not
be surprising if the Kp index was to suggest that aurora could be a
possibility, if it gets to 5 or higher.
Moon declination is negative and reaches minimum on Thursday the
15th, which means there will be short Moon visibility windows and low
peak elevation. Path losses will decrease throughout the week and
144MHz sky noise is low over the weekend, but climbing to reach a
high peak of over 3200 Kelvin on the 15th.
And that's all from the propagation team this week.
And that's the end of the main news for this week prepared by the
Radio Society of Great Britain. Items for inclusion in subsequent
bulletins can be emailed to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk to arrive by
10:00 on the Thursday before transmission.
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