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G4APL > NEWS 16.04.17 00:09l 293 Lines 13745 Bytes #999 (0) @ GBR
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 16 Apr 2017
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From: G4APL@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To : NEWS@GBR
GB2RS Main News for Sunday 16th April 2017
The news headlines:
* Two new GB2RS readings
* International Marconi Day stations
* Voting for the RSGB AGM
Two new GB2RS services start later today. At 6.30pm, Mike, GD6ICR
will lead with a news reading via GB3IM on the Isle of Man. In
Northern Ireland at 7.30pm, the news will be read on DMR via GB3OM,
GB7LY, GB7UL and GB7HB. To be able to receive the news on DMR via
these repeaters, users will have to programme a new Talk Group into
their radios. This new service, the first of its kind in the UK, will
be receivable via these repeaters on Slot2 TG8. We are grateful to
Paul, MI1AIB for agreeing to begin this service and if anyone can
assist Paul, please contact Philip Hosey, the Region 8 RSGB Manager,
at rm8<at>rsgb.org.uk for further information.
Dozens of official award stations have registered to take part in the
2017 International Marconi Day event, this year being held on the
22nd of April. The event is not a contest, but an opportunity for
amateurs around the world to make point-to-point contact with
historic Marconi sites. Go to www.QRZ.com/db/GB4IMD for details of
the event.
The RSGB President, Nick Henwood, G3RWF would like to remind RSGB
Members that if you are not planning to come to the RSGB AGM in
Cardiff on the 22nd of April and have not already voted, please do so
now. Online is easiest, just click the red box at
http://rsgb.org/main/about-us/agm-2017. Postal votes are also
available, ask for one by calling HQ on 01234 832 702. The elections
are independently managed by the Electoral Reform Society and the
deadline for vote receipt by the ERS is noon on the 20th of April.
Don't delay, vote today! If you are attending the AGM, the
opportunity to pre-register on the RSGB website has now passed but we
still look forward to seeing you on the day.
Every year on the 18th of April, radio amateurs worldwide take to the
airwaves in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day. It was on that
day in 1925 that the International Amateur Radio Union was formed in
Paris. World Amateur Radio Day is the day when IARU Member-Societies
can show our capabilities to the public and enjoy global friendship
with over three million amateurs worldwide.
Following a resolution that appeared in the Panama Official Gazette
of the 27th of December 2016, the National Authority for Public
Services of the Republic of Panama published their 2016 National
Frequency Plan that contained the WRC-15 amateur secondary allocation
of 5351.5 to 5366.5kHz.
The RSGB's third YOTA 2017 vlog has been released, featuring John
Gascoigne, 2E0XLX. He is part of the Radio Scouting team at Gilwell
Park, where the RSGB will be hosting the IARU YOTA 2017 event in
August. Watch it via the RSGB website www.rsgb.org/yota and, while
you're there, why not take a look at all the other YOTA 2017
information and updates you'll find in those web pages.
A new Fusion mode Node MB6IOX, number 31368, Room 4136 has been made
operational by David, G0TKV near Reading. The Node is attended and
not on 24/7, but will be on most evenings and weekends. The locator
is IO91LM at 600ft ASL. The system has superior audio quality. It has
a good bandwidth capable of carrying Text and Images.
Chertsey Radio club will be running its second virtual buildathon at
the end of May or the beginning of June. They will be building a
home-brew dual band Yagi antenna and diplexer to use on satellites.
For full details see the club blog post at
https://tinyurl.com/ms3mtv8
The RSGB response to the Ofcom consultation on regulations and
proposed technical parameters in the 5 GHz band can be found on the
RSGB website at https://tinyurl.com/mongfhq
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
There are no rallies in the diary for the Easter weekend, the 14th to
the 17th of April.
On the 23rd, the Ripon Radio Rally takes place at Hugh Ripley Hall,
Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 2PT. Doors open to stallholders at 7.30am
and to the general public at 10am. Entry is GBP 2 on the door, under
16s are free. Enquiries can be made via email to
rally<at>ripon.org.uk
Also on the 23rd, the 33rd Yeovil QRP Convention will be held in
Digby Hall, Hound Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3AA. There are
disabled facilities at this venue. The doors will be open between
9.30am and 3pm. There will be trade stands, a Bring & Buy, RSGB
bookstall and stands for RSARS and RAFARS. A programme of talks will
take place on the day. Refreshments are available on site. Details
from Bob Harris by email to wjh069<at>gmail.com
The Andover Radio Amateur Club Spring Boot Sale takes place on the
23rd of April at Wildhern Village Hall, Tangley, Andover SP11 0JE.
Doors open from 10am to 4pm, with disabled visitors gaining access
earlier. Admittance is GBP 2. There are tables in the hall and
outside pitches. Hot food and drinks will be available. Contact Paul,
G4KZY on 07775 738 200.
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 full details to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
Tynemouth Amateur Radio Club is away on another IOTA trip, this time
to the Isle Of Mull, EU-008, between the 21st and the 28th of April.
They will be operating as GS0NWM on the 10 to 80m bands using most
modes with four HF stations. In addition they will have a VHF/UHF
station. Full details of the trip are already on QRZ.COM
Alexander, RX0QM is now stationed at the Russian Base on King George
Island in the South Shetland Islands. He is using the callsign RI1ANB
and will be on the air when time permits. The South Shetlands count
as AN-010 for the Islands on the Air Award. QSLs go via EW4DX.
Helmut DJ7CF is on the air as 6Y5/DJ7CF from Greenwood, Jamaica until
the 28th of April. Look for him on SSB, CW and PSK31. QSLs go via his
home call.
Tony, CT1FFU will be active from Sal Island, part of the Windward
Islands group, between the 18th and 25th of April with the call D4T
on HF using CW, SSB and digital modes. This is IOTA reference AF-086.
QSL via CT1FFU and Logbook of The World.
Dave, GM0LVI plans to operate holiday-style from Barra Island,
EU-010, between the 16th and 22nd of April. QSL via his home callsign
either direct or via the Bureau.
Now the special event news
Mid Ulster ARC is taking part in International Marconi Day on the
22nd from Navan Fort, 81 Kilrea Road, Armagh BT60 4LD between 8am and
5pm.
The Kerry Amateur Radio Group will participate as an Award Station in
International Marconi Day on the 22nd from the site of the former
Marconi Station at Ballybunnion, Co. Kerry. Operation from 0000UTC to
2359UTC is planned. Two HF SSB stations are planned for this year on
the site as well as a HF data station using the callsign EI6YXQ, see
qrz.com for more information.
OE17ATOM will be on the air for International Marconi Day on the 22nd
from a nuclear power plant in Austria that was never put in
operation. See qrz.com for full details.
The Amateur Radio Section of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation
and the Documentary Archives Radio Communication QSL Collection will
operate O17M for 72 hours only, starting at 0000UTC on the 21st. This
is an official International Marconi Day station and contacts on the
22nd only are valid for the IMD award. See qrz.com
GB2RAF, the permanent special event station at RAF Neatishead Air
Defence Radar Museum in Norfolk will be on the air every second
Saturday of the month and some Tuesdays and Thursdays until November.
This station is affiliated to the Royal Air Force Amateur Radio
Society and can also give out contact points for Airfields on the
Air. QSL cards are available via the RSGB Bureau, RAFARS Bureau,
eQSL, or SAE to Terry, G4PSH QTHR.
Now the contest news
The Worked All Britain Data Contests takes place today, the 16th of
April, on the 3.5, 7.0 and 14MHz bands. There are two separate
contests one for RTTY and one for PSK. Each contest is split into two
parts to get optimum conditions on all three bands. The RTTY contest
is from 1200 to 1400 and 1800 to 2000UTC. The PSK contest is from
1400 to 1600 and 2000 to 2200UTC. Note that club and multi-operator
stations can only score points in the first of the two sessions. The
exchange is signal report, serial number and WAB square. Full details
are at www.worked-all-britain.org.uk
On Monday the IRTS 70cm Counties contest runs from 1200 to 1300UTC.
Using FM and SSB, the exchange is signal report and serial number
with EI and GI stations also giving their county. Immediately
following, the IRTS 2m Counties contest runs from 1300 to 1500UTC.
Using FM and SSB the exchange is signal report and serial number with
EI and GI stations also giving their county
On Tuesday between 1900 and 2130UTC the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest
takes place. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
On Thursday the 70MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1900UTC.
Using FM only the exchange is signal report, serial number and
locator. Immediately following, from 1900 to 2130UTC is the 70MHz UK
Activity Contest. Using all modes the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
Next weekend from 1200UTC on the 22nd to 1200UTC on the 23rd SP DX
RTTY contest takes place. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands the exchange
is signal report and serial number with SP stations sending their
Province code too.
The UK/EI DX CW contest takes place next weekend from 1200UTC on the
22nd to 1200UTC on the 23rd. Using all HF contest bands except 160m,
there are 24 hour and 12 hour sections. UK and Irish stations send a
2 letter district code as part of their exchange. These are
multipliers for the rest of the world so all UK and EI contesters,
including those with modest stations and antennas, will experience
the fun of being a 'multiplier' for the DX in a worldwide contest.
Full details at www.ukeicc.com
On Sunday the 23rd the UK Microwave Group 2nd Low Band contest runs
from 1000 to 1600UTC on the 1.3 to 3.4GHz bands. Using all modes the
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also on Sunday the BARTG Sprint 75 will take place from 1700 to
2100UTC. Using RTTY on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands the exchange is just
your serial number.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Thursday the 13th of April.
Last week was a mixed bag again in terms of HF propagation. While the
solar flux index was stuck in the mid 70s, geomagnetic disturbances
due to coronal hole effects made their mark. The K index hit four on
Tuesday and brought a pre-auroral enhancement. With the critical
frequency over the UK almost reaching 7MHz, this meant the maximum
useable frequency over 3,000km just exceeded 21MHz for a brief spell.
But by Wednesday conditions were much worse and even 14MHz was
struggling to open.
Due to the Easter holiday, this report is being prepared a day early,
but we'll try to give you a feel for how propagation may pan out next
week.
Firstly, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will rise over the next
week into the 80s and even low 90s. But as usual HF conditions will
be mainly governed by geomagnetic effects.
The first half of the week may be unsettled due to a high speed solar
wind stream. This may see the K index rise to five with associated
auroral conditions. We may then have a little respite for the rest of
the week.
Looking forward to International Marconi Day on Saturday the 22nd of
April, HF conditions may be settled. But they then get much worse
with NOAA predicting a K index of up to six from Sunday the 23rd
onwards due to another recurrent coronal hole.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
On the face of it, the next week looks very promising with high
pressure dominating the charts in several models for the next week or
so. This is quite a common feature at this time of the year and the
only problem, so far as Tropo goes, is that these Spring highs can
often have cold dry air near the surface under the inversions, which
is generally seen as a poor contributor to an ideal Tropo event.
Mid April is when we can often expect super refraction propagation
across the North Sea to start making itself felt by an increasing
number of continental beacons becoming audible on the VHF, UHF and
microwave bands. Warmer air blowing out across the cold sea can lead
to the formation of some very strong ducts.
With EME, the early part of the week sees an early morning, waning,
moon with high moon-path degradation. As the week progresses the moon
will also climb higher in the sky to be visible until around
lunchtime. As the moon declination improves (in the northern
hemisphere) the degradation will also reduce.
Meteor shower activity will start to build towards the end of April
and the Lyrid meteor shower will peak on the morning of the 22nd of
April. This coincides with a weak crescent moon so it may also result
in a good visual display. The Lyrids can sometimes show in higher
than normal reflections, so it may be worth trying for that elusive
locator.
And that's all from the propagation team this week.
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
http://www.theskywaves.net http://gb7cip.ampr.org
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