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G4TNU > NEWS 19.04.15 10:23l 285 Lines 13560 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 19 Apr 2015
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 19th April 2015
The news headlines:
* FUNcube-1 fails but gets restarted
* Saturday 25th April is International Marconi Day
* Amateurs to mark ANZAC day next weekend
On the evening of 15th April, amateur satellite FUNcube-1 stopped
transmitting. During a later pass over Europe, PA3WEG commanded it
back to nominal mode with full automatic mode switching. A restart
has now taken place so the satellite, also known as AO-73, is
transmitting telemetry once again.
Saturday 25th April is International Marconi Day, when special event
stations connected to the inventor get on the air all over the world.
The Cornish Radio Amateur Club offers two special Award
Certificates for working authorised International Marconi Day Award
Stations. One is for Transmitting Stations and the other for Short
Wave Listeners. The Award Classes and required standards to be
achieved are summarised on the internet at www.gb4imd.com
ANZAC day is commemorated on 25 April each year, with 2015 being the
100th anniversary of the battle of Gallipoli. Listen out for the
VK100WIA broadcast from Canberra. In Australia eight different ANZAC
callsigns are to be on air. Additionally, radio amateurs are able to
substitute their normal VK prefixed with AX on both 25th and 26th
April. The New Zealand ANZAC callsigns will be on the air for a
month. In Turkey, look out for TC100 stations on the air.
The RSGB AGM is taking place on 25th April at 12 noon in the Royal
National Hotel, 38-51 Bedford Way, Russell Square, London WC1H 0DG.
Doors will be open from 11am until 11.45am for registration and
refreshments will be available. Lunch will be available from 1pm at a
small charge. All business will be concluded by 4pm. The proceedings
will be recorded and made available on the RSGB website. Please
pre-register your attendance online at www.rsgb.org/attendagm to help
with calculating numbers.
Beacon and repeater insurance arranged via the RSGB is due for
renewal on the 29th April. The RSGB is in discussions with the
insurers on the renewal terms for the forthcoming year and will
advise all current policy holders via email when they are available.
The emails will include a link to the RSGB shop to renew. If you do
not have any insurance at the moment and wish to purchase it than you
may do so via the RSGB website.
Following the report in last week's GB2RS on the HB9AW 60m
propagation beacon success, news has now come in that the HB9AW club
are looking for participation from amateurs across Europe to set up a
network of unified receiving stations. Each of these stations
consists of a loop antenna, an SDR receiver and a data collection
computer that sends back the received signal strength information to
a central server in Switzerland via the internet. By using
standardised stations, the data becomes comparable and will give a
more accurate picture of 60 metre propagation across Europe. The
complete receiving station costs 220 Swiss Francs, that's around
GBP 160. Those willing to help can find all details on the club
website at www.HB9AW.ch
A film production company is looking for help from radio amateurs,
particularly those who had a career in the maritime industry. A large
portion of the films props are themed around radios, transmitters,
receivers and all the equipment that is subsequently related to
maritime radio. Portishead Radio Station is one of the sets that is
being re-created. There are a series of photos on the RSGB website at
www.rsgb.org/deepwater they are looking to identify the equipment in
use. Separately, we have received another request for any information
on the Marconi Kestrel transmitter/receiver and the Shannon Mark 3.
If you can help with any of these requests, please send an email to
radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk
The amateur radio section of ORF, the Austrian Broadcasting
Corporation, and the Documentary Archive Radio Communications QSL
Collection will operate OE15M for International Marconi Day. The
operation will be from 0000UTC on 24th April to 2359UTC on the 26th.
As this is an official International Marconi Day station, contacts
made on 25th April are valid for the IMD Award. QSL via OE1WHC via
the bureau.
[Note to Newsreaders: one or both of the following stories can be
omitted if you are running short of time.]
The 432MHz beacon GB3ANG, located just north of Dundee, changed
frequency on 13th April to 432.453MHz to comply with the new IARU
Region 1 432MHz band plan. The opportunity was taken to replace the
old beacon transmitter built by GM8BJF that had been in continuous
service for 33 years. The other beacons located at GB3ANG on 70, 144
and 1296MHz remain the same. The installation was done by the beacon
keeper, GM4ZUK, with the kind assistance of GM4FEI.
Finally, some news of nets for current and ex Services personnel and
their supporters. The Tri-Service Net takes place on Sunday mornings
at 9am on 5.403MHz and on Tuesday evenings at 7pm on 5.3985 or
5.395MHz. The Northern Net is at 10am on Sundays on 7.065MHz. RN Nets
takes place on Sunday mornings at 8am on 3.667MHz and on Mondays at
7pm on 3.743MHz or 7.065MHz. The DX Net is on Thursdays, Saturdays
and Sundays at 14:30UTC on 21.410MHz, followed by a CW session. The
Stand Easy net is on Wednesdays at 2pm on 7.088MHz. The G0DLH
Memorial Net is at 8am on Saturdays on 3.743MHz AM or 7.088MHz.
Finally, the Bubblies Net runs every Monday to Saturday morning at
10.30am on 7.065MHz.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, the 19th, the Andover Radio and Computer Boot Sale will be
held at Wildhern Village Hall, near Andover, Hampshire SP11 0JE.
Doors open at 9am for sellers and 10am for buyers. Email
arac<at>arac.org.uk for more details.
Also today, the 19th, the West London Radio & Electronics Show will
take place at Kempton Park Racecourse, Staines Road East, Sunbury on
Thames TW16 5AQ. There is free car parking and the doors open at 10am
with disabled visitors gaining access 10 minutes earlier. As well as
trade stands there will be a Bring & Buy and special interest groups
plus a RSGB bookstall. Details from Paul, M0CJX on 08451 650 351.
Next weekend, on the 26th, the Cambridge Repeater Group Rally will
take place in Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, CB22 6RN.
Doors open at 10am, with traders gaining access from 7am. Admission
is GBP 2 and there will be a Bring & Buy and RSGB bookstall. More
information from Lawrence, M0LCM on 07941 972 724.
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.
Now the special event news
Members of Barry Amateur Radio Society will be operating from
Flatholm Island, EU-124, from the 24th to 27th April. GB4MBC
operations on 25th April will be part of the International Marconi
Day operations. Operation will be mainly HF but they also anticipate
satellite operations using limited portable equipment during the
stay. QSL via MW0DHF.
One of the war graves and memorials for fallen Australians is Polygon
Wood in Belgium. To honour those at Polygon Wood, a commemorative
callsign OP0PPY will be activated on 25th April, ANZAC Day. See
QRZ.com for more details.
Chelmsford ARS will operate GB1STG on St George's Day, 23rd April,
from Galleywood Common, CM2 8TR from 10am to 4pm. operation will be
on 40 and 20m.
G8ALB intends to operate GB0PAW from the Wirral in support of
Parkinson's Awareness Week on the 20th to 26th April. The station
will operate from approximately 10am to 4pm each day on 80, 40, 30
and 10m as well as 2m and 70cm.
Vince, VK7VH will be operating the Anzac commemorative callsign
VI7ANZAC for 7 days, commencing 25th April.
VI4AE2 will operate from the 25th to 30th April to honour of the only
Australian naval vessel to serve in the Dardanelles and to breach the
Sea of Marmara, the submarine HMAS AE2. More details on QRZ.com.
To celebrate the 90th anniversary of the IARU, the Kuwait Amateur
Radio Society will be active with 9K90IARU until the end of April.
On 25 April, Chelmsford ARS will operate GX0MWT from the historic 2MT
Marconi broadcasting hut at Sandford Mill, CM26NY. The museum is open
from 10am to 5pm.
If you have news of any future special event stations, please email
details to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
9M2RDX and others will be active as 9M4TI from Redang Island, IOTA
reference AS-073, in West Malaysia from the 23rd to 26th April. They
will operate CW, SSB and BPSK on the 10 to 80m bands. QSL via 9M2RDX,
direct only.
Dave, WJ2O will be active as YN/WJ2O from Nicaragua on the 22nd to
30th April. He will operate CW only with a focus on 6m, 160m and the
WARC bands. QSL via N2ZN.
Aaron, VA1AXC is will operate as CY0/VA1AXC until the first week of
June while on work assignment on Sable Island, IOTA reference NA-063.
He is generally active using SSB mainly on 20, 17 and 15 meters, and
possibly 60 meters, in his spare time. QSL via JE1LET.
Alexander, HB9FDT is on the air as D44TDK from Sal Island, IOTA
referenceAF-086, until 24th April. Activity is on 20, 15 and 10
meters using SSB. QSL to his home callsign.
Now the contest news
Today, the 19th, the UK Microwave Group 2nd Low Band Contest runs
from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3 to 3.4GHz bands the
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The 2015 YU DX Contest takes place this weekend in two sections. The
first session ended at 0459 today, the 19th, and the second session
is from 0900UTC to 1659UTC. The object is to work as many YT and YU
stations as possible using CW only on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands. The
exchange is signal report and serial number. Full rules are online at
www.yudx.yu1srs.org.rs/2015/
On Tuesday the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC.
Using all modes on the band the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
Thursday sees the data leg of the 80m Club Championships running from
1900 to 2030UTC. The exchange is the usual signal report and serial
number.
For 24 hours over the weekend of 25th and 26th, the SP DX RTTY
Contest takes place. Non-SP stations can work anyone and there are
multiples for DXCC entities and continents worked. The exchange is
signal report and serial number with SP stations sending their
Province code.
The BARTG Sprint 75 runs for four hours on the evening of Sunday 26th
from 1700 to 2100UTC. All activity is on 75 baud RTTY. The contest
exchange is a serial number only.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA and G4DDK on
Friday the 17th of April
The last week saw some very unsettled conditions in terms of
geomagnetic disturbances, just as we predicted. The 14th, 15th and
16th were particularly bad, with the planetary K index hitting five
and the solar wind speed exceeding 600 kilometres per second,
sparking reports of visible aurora.
The solar flux index leapt up to 155 on the 16th, thanks to a number
of sunspot groups appearing on the western limb of the sun. NOAA has
the solar flux index forecast for next week in the range 115-135, but
it could go higher than this. Continue to expect unsettled
geomagnetic conditions with a strong risk of solar flares and
associated coronal mass ejections.
On International Marconi Day, the 25th, your best bet to work the
UK-based stations is probably 40 metres, 7MHz. If 7MHz doesn't work
for you, after dark, revert to 80m or 3.5MHz. There will be lots of
Italian stations to work and 20 metres, 14MHz, will be the best band
during the day. Look at 7MHz after sunset. To work the stations on
the east coast of the USA and Newfoundland, again, 20m or 17m, which
is 18MHz, are optimum.
And now the VHF and up propagation news
The long run of high-pressure dominated weather is set to continue,
although there are indications of a more unsettled theme at the end
of the week.
The main area of high pressure will be focused near northern Scotland
and this will mean the feed of air across the country, especially in
the south, may be dry and less likely to produce good lifts despite
the high pressure. However, there are indications that some moister
air will flow around the top of the high at times, so it is
definitely worth checking the VHF/UHF bands for enhanced conditions.
The Sporadic-E season is under way now and may provide openings on
10m and 6m on occasions during the week. Late morning and late
afternoon are the best times to look.
For EME, throughout the coming week the sky temperature is relatively
low, but with degradation rising as the moon moves away from the
earth towards its apogee. The Moon will be highest in the sky on the
afternoons of the 22nd and 23rd.
For meteor scatter enthusiasts the Lyrids meteor shower will peak on
the night of the 22nd of April, through to the morning of the 23rd.
This is the first significant shower of the spring season.
And that's all 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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