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G4TNU > NEWS 15.05.16 02:31l 225 Lines 10112 Bytes #999 (0) @ GBR
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 15 May 2016
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 15th May 2016
The news headlines:
* Celebrate the ITU's founding
* Monday sees new satellite
* RSGB thanks for Peake contacts
The International Telecommunication Union will mark the anniversary
of its founding on the 17th of May. The ITU was established on that
day in 1865. The theme of the 2016 World Telecommunication and
Information Society Day will be Information and Communication
Technology entrepreneurship for social impact. In conjunction with
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, radio amateurs
in Australia will be permitted to use the prefix AX on the 17th.
The Slow Scan Television CubeSat STMSat-1 is planned to deploy from
the International Space station on the 16th of May between 1400 and
1500UTC. It is thought to be the first amateur satellite to be built
by Elementary school students, who are aged between 5 and 10 years
old. It is expected to transmit using the Robot36 SSTV mode on
437.800MHz. Further information is at http://amsat-uk.org/
The final ARISS school contact of the Principia Mission took place on
the 9th of May. It was between King's School, GB1OSM, in Ottery St
Mary, Devon and Tim Peake, GB1SS, on the ISS. The RSGB would like to
thank everyone who has worked so hard to plan and support all of the
ten contacts that have taken place since January.
An initial meeting for all those interested in Broadband-Hamnet, a
system of digital communications on the amateur microwave bands, will
be held on the 22nd of May at 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.
The latest edition of The 5MHz Newsletter is now available for free
pdf download from tinyurl.com/zh65rb9 This edition features news on
the latest 5MHz allocations, a provisional band plan from IARU Region
1 and a cartoon that might bring back a few memories.
The booklet Ethics and Operating Procedures for the Radio Amateur by
John, ON4UN and Mark, ON4WW describes the best standards of operating
on the amateur bands. Over the last eight years it has been
translated into most major languages. The booklet can be found
www.hamradio-operating-ethics.org/ and also on the RSGB website. The
IARU has now become the custodian of the booklet and will adapt and
update it to ensure it remains relevant and current.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, the 15th, LAMFEST takes place at Elescar Heritage Centre, Wath
Road, Elsecar, Barnsley S74 8HJ. Doors open for traders at 7am.
Public access is at 10am and admission is GBP 2. All monies raised
will be donated to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Further details from
Ian, M0IOD on 0191 604 0255.
The Dayton Hamvention takes place between the 20th and 22nd of May at
the Hara Arena, Dayton, Ohio, USA. See www.hamvention.org for more
information.
On the 21st of May the Rochdale and District ARS Summer Flea Market
Indoor Sale will take place at St Vincent de Paul's, Caldershaw Rd,
Norden, Rochdale OL12 7QR. Doors open at 11am, with disabled visitors
gaining access at 10.45. The rally finishes around 3pm. Entry is
GBP 2.50, with those under 12 free. Further details from Dave, G3RIK
on 01706 633 400.
On the 22nd the Black Country Radio Rally Mark 2 will be held in the
Portway Lifestyle Centre, Newbury Lane, Oldbury, West Midlands
B69 1HE. Doors open at 10am and the admission is GBP 2. A raffle will
be drawn at 2pm.
Also on the 22nd, the 33rd Dunstable Downs Radio Club Annual Amateur
Radio Car Boot Sale will take place at Stockwood Park, Luton. Details
at www.ddrcbootsale.org.
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
A group of Australian operators will operate from Norfolk Island,
OC-005, using the callsign VK9NT, from the 20th to the 31st of May.
They plan to be active on all bands from 10 to 160m using CW, SSB and
RTTY. QSL manager is VK2CA.
Aaron, VA1AXC will remain on the air from Sable Island, NA-063, as
CY0/VA1AXC. Find him on 20m SSB. His QSL info is direct to JE1LET.
Janio, PY4NY is operating from to Fernando de Noronha, SA-003, until
the 23rd of May using his PY0NY callsign on the 10 to 80m bands using
CW, SSB and PSK. Logs will be uploaded to Logbook of The World.
Roly, ZL1BQD is on the air as H44RR from Honiara, IOTA OC-047, and
then Munda, IOTA OC-149, until the 25th of May. Activity is on the HF
bands using JT65, and possibly including 160 metres using CW as well.
QSL direct to home call.
Gerd, DL7VOG is on the air as J68GU from St Lucia, NA-108, until the
22nd of May. Activity is on the 80 to 6m bands using CW, RTTY and
PSK. QSL to his home callsign.
The European Collins Collector Association put the station TM5CR on
air every Thursdays on 14.263MHz at 3pm and on 7.165MHz on Saturdays
at 11am, both local time in Paris. Visitors are welcome to join in
the nets.
Now the special event news
Today, the 15th, Coventry ARS will operate GB8OMB from The Old Mill
at Baginton near Coventry for Mills on the Air.
Cambridge & District ARC will operate GB0CMW from 10.30am to 4pm
today, the 15th, from Cattell's Windmill, Mill Road, Willingham
CB24 5UU.
Cray Valley Radio Society will put GB6MW on the air from Meopham
Windmill, Wrotham Road, Meopham, Kent DA13 0QA from 10am to 4.30pm
today.
Leicester Radio Society will operate GB2WWM from 10am to 6pm today,
the 15th, from Wymondham Windmill, Butt Lane, Wymondham LE14 2BU.
To celebrate the World Telecommunication Day on the 17th of May, the
special event station 8J1ITU will be on the air from Honshu Island,
Japan. Activity continues until the 31st.
Now the contest news
The first of this year's VHF CW Championship events takes place
today, the 15th. The 70MHz CW contest runs from 0900 to 1200UTC. The
exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and postcode.
The Worked All Britain 7MHz Phone Contest takes place today, the 15th
of May, from 1000 to 1400UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial
number and WAB square. Entries need to be with the contest manager by
the 5th of June. Full details from the WAB website,
www.worked-all-britain.org.uk
On Tuesday the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest takes place between 1900
and 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
On Thursday, the CW leg of the 80m Club Championships runs from 1900
to 2030UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number.
Next weekend on the 21st and 22nd the 144MHz May Contest runs for 24
hours from 1400 to 1400UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal
report, serial number, locator and postcode.
On 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.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday 13th May.
The solar flux index hovered teasingly just below 90 this week,
trying to make us believe that we are not heading towards the next
sunspot minimum.
There were no significant solar flares, but we did have geomagnetic
disturbances, particularly at the beginning of the week. This was due
to an ongoing high-speed solar wind stream moving past our planet.
The solar wind speed was elevated above 600 kilometres per second
with a south-pointing Bz component – meaning it more easily coupled
with the Earth's magnetic field. The Kp index hit five on occasions,
sparking visible aurora in Northern latitudes.
These are not generally good conditions for long-distance HF
contacts, although auroral contacts on the higher HF bands may be
possible.
Next week, the solar flux index is predicted to be in the 90-95
region. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions may continue with this
Sunday, the 15th, and next weekend looking the worst.
But enough of the doom and gloom, mid-May should be a good
opportunity for Sporadic-E on the upper HF bands, from 20m up.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
There was some useful Sporadic-E and Auroral propagation around last
week with some Southern and Western British Isles stations working
Benin (TY2) via 50MHz multi-hop Sporadic-E, and quite a few Auroral
contacts noted on bands up to 144MHz. Next week looks quieter at
first with just weak jet streams, but perhaps a stronger and
potentially more useful northwesterly jet stream propagating across
Scotland into central Europe from midweek to lift hopes later.
With high pressure showing on the charts after the weekend, we could
be distracted by Tropo for a while. By the start of this weekend,
high pressure will be building across western Britain from Iceland,
but being a ‘cold' high means that any Tropo will be marginal since
the low level air below the inversions will be dry and not provide
much of a contrast to the dry air above.
The main change during the week is that a ‘warm' high near the
Azores will push a ridge towards southern Britain and this time may
have moister air associated with it, so offers a chance of better
Tropo, especially to the south across Biscay to Spain.
For EME operators, the Moon's declination is declining and losses are
increasing, so early next week will be the last chance to work the
D44TVD GHz Bands EME DXpedition.
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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