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G4TNU > NEWS 17.04.16 02:28l 266 Lines 12633 Bytes #999 (0) @ GBR
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 17 Apr 2016
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 17th April 2016
The news headlines:
* RSGB launches new amateur radio video
* International Marconi Day activities
* Listen for Tim Peake contact
Amateur radio is a hobby with so many aspects it can be hard to
describe and difficult to know what to try first. The RSGB's new
video gives you a taster of just some of the many exciting,
challenging and fun things you can do. You can see the video on the
RSGB website via www.rsgb.org/main or via the RSGB's YouTube channel.
The Society will take a look at other parts of the hobby in the
future, so let us know if you have any particular aspect you'd like
to see covered.
Marconi was born on the 25th of April 1874 and amateur radio
operators around the world are again taking part in International
Marconi Day on Saturday, the 23rd of April. The 24-hour-long event
has drawn participation by as many as 60 stations from around the
world. GB4IMD will be operating from the Stithians Showground in
Cornwall. For a list of confirmed stations visit
http://gx4crc.com/imd-stations/
The next amateur radio contact with Tim Peake on the International
Space Station is scheduled for the 18th of April at approximately
1456 UTC, that's 1556 BST. Pupils at St Richards Catholic College,
Bexhill-on-Sea will use the callsign GB4SRC to make contact with Tim,
who should be audible over most of Western Europe. Interested parties
should listen in on 145.800MHz narrowband FM.
ANZAC Day on the 25th of April remembers those who died in 1915 in
the fighting at Gallipoli. To commemorate, amateurs in New Zealand
and Australia will be on the bands using the same older modes once
employed by radio operators in the military. The AM & CW event has
become a popular annual ANZAC Day activity with those participating
using older, crystal-locked transceivers or former military radios.
The RSGB is pleased to announce that two members of staff have
successfully passed their Foundation licence exam. Membership
Secretary Clare Davies is now licensed as M6GSV, and RSGB Sales
Secretary Louise Routh, is M6TZH. This now means that 11 of the 15
RSGB HQ staff are licensed, with a mixture of Full, Intermediate and
Foundations levels.
Voting closes this week, on the 21st, for the 89th RSGB AGM that will
be held in Glasgow on Saturday the 23rd of April, commencing at 12
noon. For details, go to www.rsgb.org/AGM2016.
World Amateur Radio Day takes place on the 18th of April. It marks
the founding of the International Amateur Radio Union in 1925. Radio
amateurs worldwide will take to the airwaves to celebrate amateur
radio's contribution to society.
The International Amateur Radio Union has announced that Hans
Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T, has been appointed to serve as IARU
Satellite Adviser. He replaces ZS6AKV, who has served as Satellite
Advisor since 1994 and to whom the IARU is grateful for his excellent
work. Hans has also been nominated as the CEPT coordinator for WRC-19
Agenda Item 1.1, which will consider a formal 50MHz amateur
allocation in Region 1.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, the 17th, the West London Radio & Electronics Show takes place
at Kempton Park Racecourse, Staines Road East, Sunbury on Thames
TW16 5AQ. The venue has free car parking and disabled facilities.
There will be a talk-in station and doors open at 10am, with disabled
visitors gaining access 10 minutes earlier. Other attractions include
trade stands, a flea market, a Bring & Buy, special interest groups
and lectures. A raffle will also be held. Catering is available on
site. Details from Paul, M0CJX on 08451 650 351.
The Andover Radio and Computer Boot Sale will be held today, the
17th, at Tangley Village Hall, Wildhern, Andover, Hants SP11 0JE.
Doors will be open from 9am to 4pm, with disabled visitors gaining
access from 8.30am. Admittance is GBP 2. There will be a Bring & Buy,
Car boot area, as well as trade stands. Catering is available on site
and there will be a raffle held on the day. More details from Paul
Phillips, G4KZY on 0777 573 8200.
The Martin Lynch Training Academy is hosting RSGB Train the Trainers
in Staines on Thames on Saturday 23 April. The course will run from
09.30 until 17.00 and is free for RSGB members. Details are online at
www.hamradio.co.uk/training.php
The Ripon & District ARS Rally takes place on the 24th of April in
the Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 2PT. Doors open at
10am, with entry costing GBP 2. Details at www.ripon.org.uk
On the 24th of April the Cambridge Repeater Group Rally will be held
at Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Car
parking is free at the venue, which also has disabled facilities. The
doors open at 9.30am. Admission is GBP 2. A talk-in station will be
on air to assist visitors. There will be trade stands, a car boot
area, a Bring & Buy and an RSGB bookstall. Catering will be available
on site and this year sees new caterers booked. Contact Lawrence,
M0LCM on 0794 197 2724.
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
Svein, LA9JKA, is operating on Jan Mayen Island, EU-022, on all HF
bands, until early October. He is using the callsign JX9JKA. Send
QSLs to his home callsign.
Tom, KC0W will be active for several months as KH8/KC0W from American
Samoa, using CW only. Send cards to his home QTH in the United States.
Members of the Palos Verdes ARC will be working as K6PV/6 from Santa
Catalina Island, NA-066, from the 28th of April to the 1st of May.
Look for them operating SSB, CW, RTTY and PSK31 on the 10 to 80m
bands. Send QSL cards via K6PV.
Doug, VK4ADC is working holiday style as VK9NU from Norfolk Island,
OC-005, from the 23rd of April until the 2nd of May. He will only be
working SSB. Look for him on the 80 to 6m bands. Send QSL cards via
his home callsign, either direct or via the bureau. You may also use
eQSL and Logbook of the World.
Alex, W1CDC is on the bands as 8R1A from Guyana until the 24th of
April, holiday style. Listen for him on the 80 to 10m bands, mainly
working CW. QSL to his home callsign.
Now the special event news
Kerry Amateur Radio Group will participate as an Award Station in
this year's International Marconi Day event on the 23rd of April. The
station will be set up the site of the former Marconi Station at
Ballybunnion. Members of the Expeditionary Radio Team will operate
from 0000 to 2359UTC on the 23rd. Two HF stations are planned, using
EI6YXQ to commemorate the original callsign, YXQ, used for the first
transatlantic voice radio transmission in March 1919.
South Essex ARS will operate GB2BOX on the 24th of April from
10am-4pm at RAF Boxted Airfield Museum, Langham Lane, Langham, Essex
CO4 5NW for Airfields on the Air. Admission to the museum is GBP 3,
accompanied children are free.
North-West ARC will take part in World Amateur Radio Day on the 18th
from 12 noon to 4pm at The Brooklyn Hotel, Green Lane, Bolton BL3 2EF.
GB1STG will be on the air for St George's Day, the 23rd, from 10am to
6pm from Galleywood Common, Galleywood, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 8TS.
Operation will be on 40m and 2m.
OE16M will be on the air from the 22nd to 24th of April as part of
the Marconi Day celebrations. This is also an official International
Marconi Day station and contacts on the 23rd count for awards. QSL
via the bureau to OE1WHC.
GB0STG will celebrate St George's Day on the 23rd of April from the
Harby Allotments in the Vale of Belvoir in Leicestershire. The
location will be supporting Sheds, Allotments and Green Houses on the
Air.
From the 18th to the 28th of April IQ4FE will be on the air to
commemorate the World War II battle that occurred near Parma. Details
are on QRZ.com.
Pontefract & District ARS will put GB1AVR on the air on the 22nd and
23rd of April for the Ackworth Vintage Rally, a gathering of Scammell
and other vintage vehicles.
Now the contest news
The Worked All Britain Datamodes Contest takes place today, the 17th
of April. Using the 3.5, 7 and 14MHz bands, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and WAB square. There are two separate
contests, one for RTTY and one for PSK, and you will need a separate
set of entry sheets for each. The PSK contest is from 1400 to 1600UTC
and again from 2000 to 2200UTC. The RTTY contest is from 1200 to
1400UTC and again from 1800 to 2000UTC. Both are split into two
periods to allow for good propagation on 40 and 20m in the afternoon
and on 80 and 40m in the evening. Entries need to be with the contest
manager by the 8th of May. Full details from the WAB website
www.worked-all-britain.org.uk
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 Thursday, the data leg of the 80m Club Championships take place
from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using RTTY and PSK the exchange is signal
report and serial number
On the 23rd and 24th, the SP DX RTTY contest runs from 1200 to
1200UTC. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands the exchange is signal report
and serial number, with SP stations sending their Province code too.
On the 24th the BARTG Sprint 75 runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using 75
baud RTTY only on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is just the
serial number.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday 15th April.
No sooner did we say that it was beginning to look like the start of
a solar minimum than an enormous sunspot appeared around the sun's
limb. Sunspot 2529 has produced a number of B and C-class solar
flares. And despite NOAA predicting a solar flux index of around 80
last week, it rocketed to 111.
Geomagnetic conditions remained unsettled all week thanks to coronal
hole activity and associated high-speed solar wind streams. The K
index hit five on Wednesday and Friday, and hovered around three and
four all week. Next week the solar flux index is predicted to remain
around 90-100. Geomagnetic conditions are predicted to be more
settled, with perhaps Tuesday the 19th and Saturday the 23rd more
unsettled.
Speaking of which, Saturday the 23rd is International Marconi Day,
when more than 60 special event stations around the world join in on
HF to celebrate the inventor's birthday. You can get a nice
certificate by working 15 of these stations and Steve G0KYA has a set
of propagation conditions for UK stations on his Blogspot page –
just Google G0KYA.
Eighty and forty metres will be best for working the UK stations,
while 20m may be optimum for the Europeans. The East Coast of the USA
is more problematic, with 20 or 17m likely to be the best bands.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
This weekend we still have the leftovers of the low pressure and
April showers in south-eastern Britain, but high pressure is building
in from the west to affect much of the country early next week. This
could bring some slightly-enhanced Tropo conditions, but only briefly
since unsettled showery weather will return after midweek. We
therefore have some chance of Tropo, mostly West-East paths into
northern Europe during the first half of the week, and either side.
April showers could give some rain scatter on the gigahertz bands.
There have been a few Sporadic-E openings on 10m. One on Wednesday
13th April, from Austria to Scotland was crossed by a jet stream over
the mountains of southern Germany. It is worth checking the RSGB
propagation forum for the daily jet stream forecast charts to see
which direction the Sporadic-E might appear from. Look for jet
streams crossing mountain ranges like the Alps or Pyrenees.
The 2016 Lyrids meteor shower peaks on the 21st and 22nd of April so
by now we should be seeing a noticeable increase in meteor rates. For
EME operators, the Moon is up in the evening and overnight this
coming week, but losses are highest as we approach apogee on Thursday.
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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