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G4APL > NEWS 25.12.16 01:49l 327 Lines 15628 Bytes #999 (0) @ GBR
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 25 Dec 2016
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From: G4APL@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To : NEWS@GBR
GB2RS Main News for Sunday 25th December 2016
The news headlines:
* Season's Greetings from the GB2RS team
* New GB2RS broadcast in FreeDV
* Final set of GB16YOTA activations
This is the final GB2RS news reading for 2016 and we start with
seasonal greetings to all Newsreaders and listeners, both over the
air and via the internet recordings, and not forgetting viewers of
the ATV broadcast, which is available via several repeaters and
kindly streamed via the BATC.TV website. We would like to take this
opportunity to once again thank all those who read the news, in
whatever format, for their tireless dedication to their fellow
amateurs. RSGB HQ is closed from noon on Friday the 23rd until 8.30am
on Tuesday the 3rd of January. There will be no news reading on the
1st of January and normal GB2RS broadcasts resume on Sunday the 8th
of January. Online readers should note that the GB2RS broadcast
script contains a subset of this week's news items in order to keep
the broadcast to a manageable duration.
RSGB GB2RS news is now also broadcast in FreeDV. The transmission
starts at 8.50am on 3.640MHz ± QRM followed at 9am by the news. The
post-news net is from 9.30 to 10am. The initial launch is by Matthew
Phillips, G6WPJ in Suffolk JO01jx. FreeDV is a new mode for sending
voice over HF and VHF frequencies using digital modulation of the
voice. Currently to operate FreeDV stations will need to use a PC
with suitable software or an SM1000 accessory with a transceiver
capable of SSB operation. Full details of the software needed and
station setup can be found here http://freedv.org/tiki-index.php
The special callsign GB16YOTA is on the air to introduce and promote
amateur radio to young people. It will be operated from a variety of
clubs and organisations throughout December. On the 28th and 29th
Leicester Radio Club will be operating the callsign and on the 30th
it will go on the air from the National Radio Centre at Bletchley
Park. If you hear GB16YOTA on the air please give them a call, as you
might well be giving a young person their first-ever taste of amateur
radio.
The German telecoms regulator, BNetzA, has enabled access to the new
WRC-15 60m amateur allocation to all German Class A licensees as of
the 20th of December. The allocation is from 5351.5 to 5366.5kHz on a
Secondary basis with a maximum power of 15W EIRP and a maximum
bandwidth of 2.7kHz. All modes are permitted and the German national
amateur radio society, DARC, recommends the use of USB and the IARU
Region 1 provisional band plan for 60m.
Separately, ComReg announced on 22 December that amateurs in the
Irish Republic have access to the 5MHz WRC-15 band, with immediate
effect. The allocation is 5351.5 to 5366.5kHz, on a secondary basis,
all modes and 15W pep. IRTS recommend usage in line with the
provisional IARU band plan.
Ofcom has launched the next stage of their review of UHF spectrum in
the 410-470MHz range. The UK 70cm amateur band is not affected. The
consultation document includes measured data on East Coast UHF
propagation from the Ofcom monitoring network and a 12dB change for
VHF Band 1 planning due to the increasing noise floor. Details are at
tinyurl.com/GB2RS-2512
The annual KW Days activity weekend takes place the 7th and 8th of
January. It is a great opportunity for collectors, enthusiasts and
all those with fond KW memories to get on the air. SSB activity
centres are on 7.177, 3.777 and 14.277MHz but operators are
encouraged to use KW gear on other bands. Vintage KW, AM and CW-only
gear will be on the VMARS net channels.
A few weeks ago Leicestershire Repeater Group took their 10GHz
beacon, GB3LEX, off the air. The beacon keeper, G3TQF, found that the
PA stage has failed. A search is now on to find a replacement PA.
Further info will be published at
www.leicestershirerepeatergroup.org.uk as it becomes available.
To assist with the creation of new and appealing products for radio
amateurs and those with related interests, the RSGB is creating a
Product Development Group. The purpose will be to identify new
product opportunities and take an innovative approach to their
creation from concept through to being offered for sale. The group
will comprise a cross-section of amateurs with diverse interests
across a range of ages and experience. If you think you can
contribute to the work of the group please contact RSGB General
Manager Steve Thomas, M1ACB via email to gm.dept<at>rsgb.org.uk
telling us how you can add value to the product creation and delivery
process.
The long-awaited Galileo satellite navigation system went live last
week. First conceived in 1999, seventeen years ago, it will offer
most users a 3D positioning accuracy of about one metre as receivers
and additional satellites become available. In the past the system
has caused concern as one of the new frequencies it uses is within
the 23cm amateur band.
It has long been an aim of both the Radio Communications Foundation
and now the RSGB's Examination Standards Committee to be able to
provide online amateur radio examinations. The current exam system
EMAS has proved to be an extremely reliable system since it was first
introduced in July 2013. However, a decision was made last year to
investigate the potential benefits of online examination systems that
could offer additional capabilities, such as online registration and
statistical reports to analyse candidates' results and the
performance of individual questions. The RSGB is now pleased to
announce that the next phase of the project will be to carry out a
pilot exercise for online Advanced examinations based at radio
examination venues. The pilot phase will start mid-January 2017 with
exams running from mid-February 2017. Further details will be
announced early in 2017 regarding registering for the pilot phase and
the equipment requirements for exam venues. The RSGB appreciates that
this option will not be for everyone as many radio examination venues
don't have internet access. In those cases the exam will still be
available on paper. For more details see the RSGB's website. If you
have any questions about this pilot, please email
online.exams<at>rsgb.org.uk
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has made
new EMC Regulations to bring the revised EU EMC Directive no 2014/30
into UK law. Statutory Instrument 2016/1091 came into force on 8
December. The revised EMC Directive reflects the requirement for
greater market surveillance and places new obligations on importers
and distributors for ensuring compliance as well as manufacturers.
The technical requirements concerning emissions and immunity of
electrical equipment at the point of first placing on the market or
taking into service are essentially unchanged. The aims of the
Directive still include the protection of the amateur service. Ofcom
remain an enforcement authority. The Society is still awaiting news
of the transposition into UK law of the new Radio Equipment
Directive.
Finally, a note for your diary. The International DX Convention 2017
in Visalia, California happened from the 21st to the 23rd of April
2017. DXers from around the world will gather to meet their fellow
DXers, attend interesting and informative programs and see the latest
in new products from the top vendors. Full details are at
www.dxconvention.com/
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
If you have any rally or event information for 2017 that you'd like
to appear in future editions of GB2RS News, in RadCom and on the RSGB
website, please email full details to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk as soon
as possible. The first rally of the New Year in the diary is the Red
Rose Winter Rally on the 15th of January, organised by West
Manchester Radio Club.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
Sila, AK0SK is on the air as 5Z4/AK0SK from Taveta in Kenya until the
6th of January. Activity is on 80 to 10 metres using SSB. QSL to his
home callsign.
Chris, ZS1CDG is operating as 7P8GOZ from Teyateyaneng in Lesotho
until the 31st of December. Activity is holiday style on 20 metres
using PSK31, and possibly 15 metres. QSL to his home callsign.
Milan, OK1DWC is on the air as E51DWC from Rarotonga Island, IOTA
reference OC-013, until early next year. Activity is on 160 to 10
metres using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL to his home callsign.
JH0IXE will be operating as T8CW from Koror Island, OC-009, from the
26th of December to the 6th of January. Activity will be on 80 to 6
metres using CW, SSB, RTTY, PSK31 and JT65. QSL to his home callsign.
Several operators will be active as ZV2CV from Couves Island over the
weekend of the 7th and 8th of January. Activity will be on 80, 40,
20, 15 and 10 metres using CW, SSB and digital modes. QSL via PY2XIZ,
direct, by the Bureau or Logbook of The World.
Now the special event news
GB2KW will be on the air from the 1st to the 28th of January using
vintage KW Electronics Ltd equipment. See the GB2KW listing on
QRZ.com for full information.
Humber Fortress DX ARC in Hull have organised a year's multi club
activation to celebrate Hull as the UK City of Culture 2017. Ofcom
have kindly granted the callsign GB0HCC for the whole year using the
standard NoV format of 28 days; each club will apply for the relevant
28 day portion of the year, to follow on from the previous club.
Humber Fortress will be starting the year off, at 0001UTC until
0830UTC from the Cottingham Road Baptist Church. After the Church
services have finished in the afternoon, about 1600, they hope to
activate for a few more hours. Look for them on the 40 and 80m bands.
OZ90EDR will be on the air in 2017 to celebrate the foundation of the
Danish national society, EDR, on 15 August 1927. The QSL Manager is
OZ1ACB.
OZ100DVI will be put on the air from 1st of January until the 31st of
December by members of EDR HAM Radio Club of Skanderborg. It is to
commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Treaty of the Danish West
Indies. Look on QRZ.com for further information.
Santa Radio, OF9X, will be active until the 31st of December to
promote the Christmas spirit on the radio spectrum. There are twelve
‘elves' operating OF9X and they will identify themselves with a
3-letter identity. Work OF9X on as many bands and modes as possible
to earn QSO points and work as many elves as possible to get
multipliers. Your efforts will be rewarded by Santa Awards, see
www.QRZ.com for details. QSL via OH2BH and Club Log OQRS.
Canadian radio amateurs can use special callsign prefixes to
celebrate the 150th anniversary of Canada's Confederation in 2017.
Those whose regular callsigns start with VA will be able to use the
CF prefix, VE will be able to use the CG prefix, VO will be able to
use the CH prefix and those with VY will be able to use the CI prefix.
Now the contest news
The UK Six Metre Group Winter Marathon continues on 6m until the end
of January. Details are on the UKSMG.org website.
Christmas Cumulatives runs for 2 hours each day between the 26th and
29th of December. Between 1400 and 1600UTC on all bands from 50 to
432MHz the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The Worked All Britain Christmas Party runs from the 26th to the 31st
of December. Using all bands and modes the exchange is your WAB book
number, with the aim to collect as many as possible.
The DARC Christmas Contest takes place on the 26th of December
between 0830 and 1100UTC. Using the 3.5 and 7MHz bands with CW and
SSB, the exchange is signal report and serial number. German station
will also send either DOK or NM.
On the 1st of January, the IRTS 80m Counties Contest runs from 1500
to 1700UTC. Using SSB and CW on the 3.5MHz band the exchange is
signal report and serial number, with EI and GI stations also sending
their County.
The 3rd of January sees two contests. The Low Power 144MHz FM contest
runs from 1900 to 2000UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator. The 144MHz UJ Activity Contest is from 2000 to
2230UTC, using all modes and with signal report, serial number and
locator as the exchange.
The 4th sees the UK EI CC take place on 80m from 2000 to 2100UTC.
Using SSB only, the exchange is your 4-character locator.
The EUCW 160m CW Party takes place in two sessions on the 7th and 8th
of January. On the 7th it's between 2000 and 2300UTC and on the 8th
it's between 0400 and 0700. For details of the exchange it's best to
check out the website, www.eucw.org/eu160.html
The ARRL RTTY Roundup runs from 1800UTC on the 7th to 2359 on the
8th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands the exchange is signal report and
serial number, with US stations sending their State and Canadians
their Province.
Finally, on the 8th the CW AFS takes place from 1400 to 1800UTC.
Using the 3.5 and 7MHz bands the exchange is signal report and serial
number.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday the 23rd of December.
This week we have an extended propagation bulletin that takes you
through to January 8th.
HF propagation will continue to be relatively lacklustre, with the
solar flux index staying in the mid to high 70s.
Geomagnetic conditions have been unsettled at times, thanks to
recurrent coronal hole activity. We will have a fairly quiet week
from Christmas to the New Year, with the K index predicted to be
mostly two. Unsettled auroral conditions are then predicted to return
from the 2nd to the 8th, when the K index could reach five.
We expect the low bands of 160, 80, 60 and 40 metres to be the ones
to concentrate on, especially early in the morning, late afternoon
and at night. During the day, 20 and 30 metres should bring some DX,
with 17 metres opening at times. There is also a chance of some
winter Sporadic-E on the higher bands.
After sunset the ionosphere can settle and the MUF may rise again
after about 2030, bringing some DX on 40 metres. The MUF can then
fall again around 0330 until after sunrise.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
It looks like a white Christmas for some northern hills, but that's
about it, since the rest of the country will have mild, wet and windy
weather. This means no Tropo to get excited about in the short term,
but by about Tuesday there will be a build of pressure over the
continent. This may bring some good Tropo prospects for the southern
half of the UK as we head towards the New Year.
Paths across the southern North Sea and Biscay look best, with some
options into the continent at times. This high may strengthen towards
New Year's Eve, so northern Britain may share some of the spoils late
in the week.
Since we have a very strong jet stream in the vicinity over Christmas
there could be some Winter Sporadic-E, so check the 10, 6 and 4 metre
beacons. Two metre Sporadic-E may be a big ask for Santa!
The Quadrantids meteor shower peaks in the week after New Year, so
until then, continue to look for the early morning peak of random
activity to make meteor scatter contacts.
Christmas day sees the Moon at apogee and by Thursday we are at
maximum negative declination, so there are high losses and short moon
windows all this week.
And that's all, so the propagation team. Hope you have a great
Christmas and good DX in 2017.
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.
--
g4apl@gb7cip.ampr.org g4apl@gb7cip.#32.gbr.euro
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