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G4APL > NEWS 28.08.17 18:56l 281 Lines 13196 Bytes #999 (0) @ GBR
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 27 Aug 2017
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Sent: 170826/2251Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO #:54730 [Caterham Surrey GBR]
From: G4APL@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To : NEWS@GBR
GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 27th of August 2017
The news headlines:
* Abuse causes repeater shutdowns
* UKAC Scoring vote result announced
* Train the Trainers in West Dumbartonshire
The RSGB have been made aware that due to continuing and sustained
repeater abuse, GB3DY at Wirksworth and GB3EE at Chesterfield have
been required by Ofcom to close down for 14 days. The RSGB's Amateur
Radio Observation Service and the Emerging Technology Coordination
Committee are working to formalise an agreed process for dealing with
unfortunate situations like this and will be contacting all Repeater
Keepers once this is finalised. The RSGB would emphasise that if a
repeater is suffering abuse it is essential that users do no react or
attempt to communicate with the abusers as doing so inevitably makes
the situation worse. Guidance on combating abuse can be found on the
ETCC website at www.ukrepeater.net/abuse.htm
The results of the vote on changes to UKAC scoring arrangements have
been announced. 77% were in favour of the Nordic method, where the
first contact with every new square attracts a bonus of 500 points.
The B3 method, a variant of the current scheme with reduced overall
bonus scores and some additional high bonus squares, received just
23% of the votes. The decision affects all UKAC events from 6m to
23cm and will be implemented in 2018. Full details of the results,
including a frequently asked questions page, are on the RSGB website
at tinyurl.com/GB2RS-2708a
[Note to Newsreaders: the full URL is
http://rsgb.org/main/blog/news/rsgb-notices/2017/08/25/vhfuhf-ukac-sco
ring-system/]
Lomond Radio Club is hosting a Train the Trainers day on the 2nd of
September at their radio shack in Renton, West Dunbartonshire. The
RSGB will be providing instructors to inform volunteer trainers on
the latest methods of presentation and updates on the many changes
that are occurring in the hobby. The course is designed to suit all
levels of training and presentation, ranging from those who are just
thinking about starting training and those who have been giving
courses for many years. Places are limited, so for further
information please contact Barrie, GM0KZX on 01389 764 401 or Bill,
MM0ELF on 01389 755 758.
The major papers and speeches from the HamRadio 2017 show in
Friedrichshafen have been made available by DokuFunk. You can find
the information on the website www.dokufunk.org along with material
from 2016 and previous years.
At the National Hamfest on 29 and 30 September, the UK Six Metre
Group has agreed to host Fred, G4BWP so he can facilitate DXCC
checking. The National Hamfest takes place at the Newark & Nottingham
Showground, Lincoln Road, Winthorpe, Newark NG24 2NY.
Mainstream media this week has told the story of an M6 amateur in the
Bristol area taking an emergency contact, which helped rescue a young
girl having a seizure in a remote part of Exmoor. A fuller report is
on the BBC website at tinyurl.com/GB2RS-2708b or you can see the
original Bristol Evening Post article at tinyurl.com/GB2RS-2708c
[Note to Newsreaders: the full URLs are
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-41041433 and
http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/how-bristol-amateur-rad
io-enthusiast-364577]
The RSGB Convention is at Kents Hill Park Training & Conference
Centre, MK7 6BZ from the 13th to the 15th of October. Extended Early
Bird discounts for the RSGB Convention expire on the 31st of August
so book now to take advantage of the lower rates. The Convention
website www.rsgb.org/convention contains full details, including a
provisional Programme. Under 21's get free admission.
This year's International Air Ambulance event will take place from
the 9th to the 17th of September. The event covers two weekends,
giving amateurs a great chance to get involved and support the event.
Registration is mandatory and all stations taking part will be issued
a registration number that will be listed on the website. Awards will
be available for those who support the event. Claims for the awards
will need to be made to the Award Manager by email to
de3ear<at>darc.de including an excerpt from the log as proof of a
valid claim. To register your special event station, go to
www.radio-amateur-events.org/IAW/Registration.htm
The Radio Amateur Old Timers' Association is holding its AGM on
Wednesday the 6th of September at the Brunswick Inn, 1 Railway
Terrace, Derby, DE1 2RU. The meeting will commence with an informal
get-together at noon and the AGM will commence at 1.30pm. For more
information contact Ian, G4EAN by email to GenSec<at>RAOTA.org or
0115 926 2360. Membership of RAOTA is open to anyone with an active
interest in amateur radio, see www.RAOTA.org for details.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The Milton Keynes ARS Rally takes place on today, the 27th, at The
Irish Centre, Fenny Stratford, Bletchley MK2 2HX, just opposite
Dobbies Garden Centre. Doors open at 10am. Contact Tim Cowell, G6GEI
on 07976 262 497 or email renegade62<at>hotmail.co.uk for more
information.
On Bank Holiday Monday, the 28th, the Huntingdonshire ARS Rally takes
place at Ernulf Academy, Barford Road, St Neots PE19 2SH. Doors open
at 7am for traders and 9am for the public. Admission is GBP 3, with
free parking. Catering including hot meals and drinks are available
on site. There will be an RSGB bookstall. More from Malcolm, M0OLG on
01480 214 282 or by email to events<at>hunts-hams.co.uk
The Telford Hamfest takes place at the Enginuity Technology Centre,
Coalbrookdale, Telford, Shropshire on Sunday the 3rd of September.
There will be trade stands, a flea market and special interest
groups. Lectures will be from Dave, G3YXM on 21 years of LF, Dom,
M1KTA on QRP and making antennas when in DX and Paul, M0XPD on The
Little Rigs That Could. The evening before, at the Holiday Inn,
Telford, the G QRP Buildathon will take place. Details at
www.telfordhamfest.org.uk
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
Prefix hunters may be interested in the special event station
ZY158CAT that is active from Brazil until the 30th of August. The
station commemorates 158 years of the city of Catalao in the state of
Goias. The QSL manager is PP2BO.
Peter, GW4UWD will be on the air as 9A/GW4UWD/P from Zlarin Island,
IOTA reference EU-170, until the 2nd of September. Activity will be
on the HF bands using only SSB. QSL to his home callsign.
Doug, W6HB will be operating holiday-style as E51DLD from the South
Cook Islands, OC-013, until the 8th of September. Activity will be on
the 10 to 160m bands using SSB only. QSL to his home callsign, but
see notes on QRZ.com for more information.
Members of the Russian Lighthouse Society are on the air as ES/RX3AMI
until the 31st of August from EU-034, EU-149, and EU-178. QSL via
RX3AMI.
Bert, CX3AN will be operating as YJ0CX from Efate Island, OC-035,
until the 3rd of September. Activity will be on the HF bands using CW
and SSB. QSL to his home callsign. In addition, Tony, KQ2I will be on
the air as YJ0AT from Efate Island until the 13th of September.
Activity will be on 40 to 10 metres using only CW. QSL via NR6M.
Han, DS2GOO will be operating as DS2GOO/4 from Pogil Island, AS-085,
until the 28th of August. Activity will be on 40 to 6 metres using
CW, SSB and various digital modes. QSL to his home call.
Now the special event news
GB4GHF will be on the air on the 2nd of September from 9.30am from
Gloucester Life Museum, formerly the Gloucester Folk Museum, on Lower
Westgate Street, Gloucester. Operating on the 80, 40, 20 and 15m
bands as well as 2m, visitors are welcomed. The station will be run
by Alan, G4MGW.
Now the contest news
Today, the 27th, sees the UKuG contest from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using
all modes on the 5.7 and 10GHz bands, the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
The ITTS Counties contest takes place on 2m SSB and FM today, the
27th, from 1300 to 1500UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial
number, with all stations on the island of Ireland also giving their
County.
Next weekend, the 2nd and 3rd of September, is a really busy one for
contests with six different events taking place.
The RSGB SSB Field Day runs from 1300UTC on the 2nd to 1300UTC on the
3rd. Using SSB only on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal
report and serial number.
The 144MHz Trophy contest runs from 1400UTC on the 2nd to 1400UTC on
the 3rd. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
Starting at 0000UTC on the 2nd and finishing at 2359UTC on the 3rd,
the All Asian DX contest uses SSB only on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands, The
exchange is signal report and age, though ladies can send 00.
The IARU 144MHz contest starts at 1400UTC on the 2nd and ends at
1400UTC on the 3rd. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
The 5th 144MHz Backpackers contest runs from 1100UTC to 1500UTC on
the 3rd. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
The World All Britain 2m QRO phone contest is on the 3rd from 100 to
1400UTC. Using SSB and FM, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and WAB square.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday 25th August.
Last week saw the solar flux index touch 90 as large sunspot group
2671 rotated into the centre of the solar surface. But,
unfortunately, the predicted unsettled geomagnetic conditions, caused
by a high-speed coronal hole solar wind stream, pushed the K index up
to six early in the week. This hampered DX by pushing maximum useable
frequencies downward. The unsettled conditions continued until at
least Wednesday the 23rd.
Sporadic-E did put in an appearance for last weekend's International
Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend, bringing short skip to the 40m
band. This meant that many UK amateurs were able to contact special
event stations on 7MHz that would have otherwise been unworkable,
other than by ground wave. This was a good example of how Sporadic-E
clouds over the UK can often bring advantages on the lower HF bands,
such as 40, 30 and 20MHz, while we normally associate Sporadic-E with
28MHz and above.
This weekend there is a chance that a small coronal hole may threaten
us with more unsettled geomagnetic conditions. Conditions may also be
unsettled mid week due to the effects of another coronal hole, but
could improve for next weekend's HF SSB Field Day.
Next week sunspot 2672 will be fully facing Earth. This has already
produced an M-class solar flare and a number of lesser C-class
flares, so we may be in for a bumpy ride. However, NOAA predicts the
Solar Flux Index will decline to the high 70s.
Maximum useable frequencies over a 3,000km path are still peaking
around 17MHz during the day, with occasional DX openings on the 17m
band.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
For this week there is still a chance of limited Tropo options as a
ridge of high pressure develops over southern Britain. As usual for
Tropo conditions it is the higher VHF, UHF and GHz bands that fare
best and, unlike with Sporadic-E, the openings can be long lasting,
especially over sea paths. Night-time is often best over the land,
since there will sometimes be a shallow surface temperature inversion
to add to the one brought by the high pressure, giving longer paths.
The second half of the week may see the return of low pressure in the
north particularly, but it will increase the chances of some rain
scatter on the GHz bands.
Sporadic-E is now nearing the end of its main season and at the
moment the jet streams look to be fairly weak, meaning Sporadic-E
will struggle to make many appearances.
As we head into the week, a new Atlantic jet stream will appear over
Scotland and Scandinavia, giving a chance of northern Sporadic-E
paths into Scandinavia and across to the States. About this time
there will also be a broad upper ridge over France and Germany, which
may also help with Sporadic-E.
There are only minor meteor showers this week, so continue to look
around dawn for the best random meteor scatter contacts. We have
negative Moon declination this week and apogee on Wednesday. The moon
doesn't get above 20 degrees elevation after Monday and path losses
will be high. For VHF operation, the low moon elevation means high
ground noise in the beam of the antenna.
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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