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G4TNU > NEWS 27.03.16 04:55l 252 Lines 12037 Bytes #999 (0) @ GBR
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 27 Mar 2016
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 27th March 2016
The news headlines:
* Welcome to BST
* 10MHz for Internet of Things
* K1JT is Amateur of the Year
Don't forget that the clocks changed at 1am today, the 27th of March,
for the start of British Summer Time. This means that all times given
as UTC in this bulletin are one hour earlier than local time.
Ofcom has announced measures to help ensure adequate spectrum is
available for the so-called Internet of Things, and to encourage
investment and innovation in this developing technology. The Internet
of Things is set to enable large numbers of previously-unconnected
devices to communicate and share data with one another, a process
known as machine-to-machine communications. Ofcom is allocating a
total of 10MHz of VHF spectrum including 70.5-71.5MHz that, in 2015,
Ofcom agreed could be used by radio amateurs for digital
experimentation using a Special Research Permit. Section 4.30 of
Ofcom's statement says "Radio Amateurs will continue to be permitted
temporary access to the 70.5–71.5MHz band".
Joe Taylor, K1JT has been named as the 2016 Dayton Hamvention Amateur
of the Year. He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1993 for the
discovery of the first orbiting pulsar, leading to observations that
established the existence of gravitational waves. Joe was first
licensed in 1954 as KN2ITP. Since his retirement, he has been
developing and enhancing digital protocols for weak-signal amateur
radio communication, including JT65 and WSPR.
In the April issue of RadCom, reference was made to GB2RS news
reading in Northern Ireland within the GB2RS report. It suggested
that there were no news readers there or in the Isle of Man. The
GB2RS Manager, G3VBA, would like to apologise for the error as there
are a number of excellent news readers in Northern Ireland, some of
whom have been reading the news for many years. There are, however,
no news readers yet on the Isle of Man. Apologies to all those news
readers in Northern Ireland, and our grateful thanks for their
service to the amateur radio community.
A new video has been released by the European Space Agency showing a
summary of astronaut Tim Peake's Principia mission so far. It can be
viewed at https://youtu.be/5PHpF4xnvKQ
On the 21st of March the UBSEDS14 balloon, launched by University of
Bristol students, completed its circumnavigation of the Northern
Hemisphere. During the flight, at an altitude of about 11.5km, the
balloon transmitted telemetry data at 4 minute intervals using
Contestia 16/1000 on 434.600MHz USB, with an output power of just
3mW. Each telemetry packet was preceded by 10 seconds of 1Hz pips for
manual alignment and a RSID tone for automatic alignment with
suitable software. Additionally the payload had the capability for
144MHz APRS.
An initial meeting for all those interested in Broad Band HamNet, a
system of digital communications on the amateur microwave bands, will
be held on the 22nd of May at the HQ of Crawley Amateur Radio Club.
The organisers hope to attract attendees from across the country.
There will be presentations, demonstrations and open discussions.
Please contact Ted, G4ELM, via email to BBHN.Event.2016<at>gmail.com
to receive a copy of the agenda and to let him know if you plan to
attend.
Two important consultations close at the end of March. These concern
the future of the three UK 5MHz beacons, GB3RAL, GB3WES and GB3ORK,
and input to the papers for the April IARU Region 1 interim meeting.
Comments from all UK amateurs are invited via the RSGB consultations
forum, which includes guidance and links to the papers. Please go to
the section entitled Forums on the main RSGB website page.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
There are no rallies in the diary for this Easter weekend. The next
is the Hack Green Bunker Rally on the 3rd of April at the Hack Green
Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich in Cheshire CW5 8AL. On sale will be
electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio sets
and vehicle spares. Doors open at 10am and catering is available on
site. Further details from Lucy on 01270 623 353.
If you have any rally or event information you'd like to appear in
future editions of GB2RS News, in RadCom and on the RSGB website,
please email details to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
The big DXpedition event this week will be VK0EK operating from Heard
Island. They plan to be on the air until the 10th of April. This is a
multi-national effort is led by the experienced DXer Bob, KK6EK. Up
to date info is available on http://vk0ek.org/
Mike, VK8MA is involved with a climate project that will be operating
on Ascension Island, AF-003, over the next 20 months or so. He has
obtained the callsign ZD8MA and will take an FT-897 with 100W and a
Buddipole. He will operate on the 10 to 40m bands as work allows.
Paul, G8AFC will continue to be operational as 3B8/G8AFC from
Mauritius on 10m, usually around 28.480MHz ±QRM until early April.
50MHz operation is available if conditions allow. He is running 100W
to a Moxon Rectangle and is located right on the north coast. The
island has the IOTA reference of AF-049.
Richard, G3RWL is working as 8P6DR from Barbados, NA-021, from the
29th of March until the 22nd of April. He will be on the air holiday
style on the 10 to 80m bands using CW and RTTY. QSL via his home
callsign, direct or via the bureau using ClubLog OQRS.
Eric, KV1J will be on the air as FP/KV1J from Miquelon Island,
NA-032, until the 29th of March. Miquelon Island is part of the DXCC
entity of the St Pierre & Miquelon Islands, located off the coast of
Canada. Activity is on the 10 to 160m bands using CW, SSB and RTTY.
QSL via his home callsign and Logbook of The World.
Joerg, DL3LUM is going to travel to Curacao, SA-099, from the 26th to
31st of March. Using the callsign PJ2/DL3LUM on HF, mostly CW, he
will be using a KX3 and a vertical antenna. QSL via his home callsign
either direct or via the bureau, OQRS, Logbook of the World or eQSL.
Now the special event news
Next weekend, on the 2nd and 3rd, GB1HPT will be on the air
celebrating RAF Hooton Park, Cheshire. See the entry on QRZ.com for
more information.
Mid Ulster Amateur Radio Club will be running a special event
callsign to coincide with the club's 50 year birthday during April.
For further information contact the secretary, Dave, by email, to
muarc.secretary<at>yahoo.co.uk
Between the 26th of March and the 22nd of April, Harlow and District
Amateur Radio Society will be activating GB0HAF from Hunsdon Airfield
for RAFARS Airfields on the Air. Operation will be on HF and 2m
throughout the period. More details available on QRZ.com
Pontefract & District ARS will be operating GB4SL until early April
to mark the visit of Apollo 17 commander Gene Cernan.
Now the contest news
The CQ WorldWide Worked All Prefix SSB Contest is on this weekend
from 0000UTC on the 26th to 2359 on the 27th. In addition to all the
common prefixes, expect to hear plenty of interesting and obscure
ones too. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report
and serial number.
On Tuesday the 70MHz UK Activity Contest will run from 1900 to
2130UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number
and locator.
On Wednesday the UK EI contest takes place from 2000 to 2100UTC.
Using CW only on the 80m band, the exchange is your 4 character
locator.
The CW/SSB leg of the SPDX Contest runs for 24 hours from 1500 on the
2nd. Work Polish stations only, giving them a signal report and
serial number. Expect a signal report and one of sixteen
single-letter Province codes in return. For single-op stations there
are High, Low and QRP categories for single- and multi-band,
CW/SSB/mixed, but there's also an uncommon mixed mode category called
Single-Op Three Bands. Certificates are on offer for the category
winners in each DXCC entity,
The SSB leg of new contest, RoLo 1, which replaces RoPoCo, runs for
90 minutes on the evening of the 3rd, starting at 1900UTC. The power
limit for all entrants is 100W. Send a signal report plus, for your
first QSO, your own full Locator. In subsequent QSOs you send the
Locator you received in each of your previous QSOs. Even if you
receive a Locator that is obviously corrupted, pass it on exactly as
received. This contest is a qualifying event for the HF Championship.
It is all about logging accuracy, and as long as you aren't the
person who introduces an error, you won't lose points.
Also on the 3rd, the First 70MHz contest runs from 0900 to 1200UTC.
Using all modes in the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
The Royal Omani Amateur Radio Society has had to cancel the Oman High
Speed Telegraphy Championship that had been planned for the 21st to
25th of September. The IARU Region 1 High Speed Telegraphy Working
Group is reviewing the available alternatives.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G4BAO and G3YLA
on Thursday 24th March.
This week has seen more settled geomagnetic conditions with the K
index hovering around two, although Wednesday saw it spike up to four
due to a high-speed solar wind stream from a coronal hole. Sunspot
wise, the solar surface was a little lacklustre, with just one
sunspot group visible. This pushed the solar flux index to the high
eighties.
The current image from the Solar Dynamics Observatory spacecraft
shows extensive coronal holes on both hemispheres. These don't bode
well for settled geomagnetic conditions over the next week.
The solar flux index is predicted to remain around 90. And although
both NOAA and the US Air Force are predicting settled geomagnetic
conditions, the SDO extreme ultraviolet image suggests otherwise.
With a geo-effective coronal hole rotating into position on the sun
we could get a geomagnetic storm before the end of the Easter
weekend, with subsequent negative effects on the HF bands.
The goods news is that the VK0EK Heard Island DXpedition is under
way. The best band and times to work them from the UK appear to be
15m from 0600 to 1400UTC, with potential 17 and 12m openings around
the same time. There will be shorter openings on most of the bands at
various times of day and night, so see the VK0EK website for more
details.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
Last week was poor for tropo despite some forecasts saying otherwise.
And it looks like another poor week with low-pressure dominating,
especially over the north and east of the country. This means April
showers-type weather is the most likely. Since these can often bring
large towering cumulonimbus clouds with heavy rain, this provides
some prospect of rain scatter on the GHz bands.
On the lower VHF bands, it's not too long to wait now for the
Sporadic-E season. There was one report last week on four metres,
with the focus centred over the Apennine Mountains of central Italy.
This was probably due to a jet stream being disturbed over the
mountains.
Keep a lookout on 10 metres for the characteristic ‘short skip'
conditions as your early season indicators. The RSGB propagation
forum will have a map of the jet stream locations each day to guide
you where to look.
A week for EME system repairs is coming up as Moon declination is at
its lowest on Wednesday, meaning only short, low-elevation windows.
The moon is coming back towards us next week, but path losses are
still high.
And that's all for this week from the propagation team.
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 gb2rs<at>rsgb.org.uk to arrive by
10:00 on the Thursday before transmission.
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