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G4APL > NEWS 08.09.17 08:04l 253 Lines 12256 Bytes #999 (0) @ GBR
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 20 Aug 2017
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From: G4APL@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To : NEWS@GBR
GB2RS Main News for Sunday 20th of August 2017
The news headlines:
* Anomalous callsigns issued
* Listen to ICQ Podcast YOTA Special
* Solar Eclipse QSO Party on Monday
Ofcom has informed the RSGB that a small number of two-letter suffix
call signs have been issued in error recently. These short-form call
signs are anomalous and stem from an IT problem, which Ofcom is
addressing. We understand that although these call signs are not
invalid, per se, licensees who have been issued with one should
contact Spectrum Licensing at Ofcom on 0300 123 1000 or
spectrum.licensing<at>ofcom.org.uk to discuss changing it for a
normal format callsign.
There is a special ICQ Podcast about YOTA 2017. It can be downloaded
from tinyurl.com/GB2RS-0818a and is well worth a listen. Among other
things you'll hear interviews with some of the young people who took
part, sharing their infectious enthusiasm for amateur radio. If you
worked the special event station GB17YOTA then you may be eligible
for an Award. Check out tinyurl.com/GB2RS-0818b for details. Finally,
for a quick summary of what happened, go to www.rsgb.org/yota-dd for
the YOTA 2017 Daily Diary videos.
On Monday a solar total eclipse will sweep across the USA and many
radio experiments will be conducted, taking advantage of the expected
anomalous propagation conditions. The August RadCom described the
Solar Eclipse QSO Party that will take place from 1400 to 2200UTC on
Monday the 21st. Activity will be on several bands from 160m to 6m.
Stations outside the USA are warmly encouraged to participate, and
full details are at www.hamsci.org
The Malta Communications Agency has authorised a Secondary allocation
covering 5.3515 to 5.3665MHz with 15W EIRP, adding to the growing
number of countries with a 60m allocation.
The National Hamfest is coming ever closer. This year's event takes
place on the 29th and 30th of September and is the UK's largest
exhibition and gathering of amateur radio enthusiasts. Among all the
usual rally attractions like a big RSGB bookstall, traders, flea
market and Bring and Buy, the winners of the Club of the Year,
sponsored by Waters and Stanton, will be announced. You can get full
details of the event and Fast Track advance entry tickets at
www.nationalhamfest.org.uk
The RSGB Convention is at Kents Hill Park Training & Conference
Centre, MK7 6BZ from the 13th to the 15th of October. There will be a
vast array of talks and demos, and the chance to rub shoulders with
the giants of amateur radio. Early Bird discounts for the RSGB
Convention have just been extended to the 31st of August. So you
still have a few days left to get your ticket for this flagship event
at a lower price. Details, including a provisional Programme, are at
www.rsgb.org/convention – and don't forget, under 21's get free
admission.
No 6m GB2RS reading took place on Sunday the 6th of August because
both current Newsreaders were unavailable. They have asked if any
other volunteers might consider acting as standby Newsreaders for
future occasions. The reading takes place at 9am via GB3WY, near
Wakefield, so you'll need to be within its range. If you can help,
please email gb2rs.manager<at>rsgb.org.uk with your details. GB3WY
has recently undergone significant upgrades to increase its range.
Reception requests are sought, which should be emailed to
michael.g1xcc<at>outlook.com.
The RSGB annual Construction Competition is open for entries and
judging will take place at the RSGB Convention in October. The aim of
the competition is to encourage home construction, experimentation,
design and innovation. The competition can be entered by individual
Members or groups of Members. The closing date is the end of
September and any project that you have built may be entered, other
than one that was a previous winner in this completion. Details are
at online at www.rsgb.org/construction-competition
[Note to Newsreaders: the full URLs are
https://www.icqpodcast.com/download-the-show/icq-podcast-episode-245-y
outh-on-the-air-yota
http://rsgb.org/main/about-us/rsgb-convention/convention-construction-
competition/ and
http://rsgb.org/main/about-us/yota-2017/yota-2017-award/]
On Wednesday the 23rd, Kenwood will present a Webinar on their TH-D74
D-Star, FM and APRS dual band handheld transceiver. Participants will
get the opportunity to ask questions by email, Facebook and Twitter,
for instance on the radio's GPS, or Bluetooth and USB connectivity.
The webinar starts at 7pm UK time, that's 1800UTC, and you can find
full details on the Kenwood website via tinyurl.com/GB2RS-0818c
[Note to Newsreaders: the full, original URL is
www.kenwoodcommunications.co.uk/comm/webinar]
Finally, advance notice that on Saturday the 2nd of September, a team
from Hi-Impact will be launching a high altitude balloon from a site
in Welshpool. The launch will be at noon, UK time, and it will
transmit telemetry on 434.650MHz USB, 50 baud, 425Hz shift, 7N2
format. Its callsign will be HIIMPACT.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The Rugby ATS Radio Rally takes place today, the 20th, at
Princethorpe College, Princethorpe, Rugby, CV23 9PY. Doors open from
10am to 4pm and admission is GBP 3. Sellers can gain access from 8am.
There will be a car boot area. Catering is available on site. Details
from Tony, G0OLS on 0775 968 4411.
Next weekend, the Milton Keynes ARS Rally takes place on Sunday 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
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
The great Solar Eclipse QSO Party mentioned earlier is sure to bring
some interesting DX, if only because of the sheer number of stations
expected to be experimenting with the anomalous propagation
conditions. Listen out for them on 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10 and 6m.
Other bands are not being used.
If you're quick, you may catch the activation of Robben Island, IOTA
reference AF-064, which will be on the air as ZS9V until 21 August at
0000UTC. Bands in use will be from 80 to 10m and the operators are
ZS1V, ZS1VDV, ZS1AN and ZS1REX. QSL manager is M0OXO, direct or OQRS.
Sao Miguel, EU-003, is being activated this weekend until 1900 today
as CR1FF. Operators are CU2GC and CS8ABY. QSL direct via CS5NRA or
via the bureau.
Kasado, AS-117 will be on the air next Saturday as JA4GXS/4. Bands in
use will be 40, 20 and 17m, CW and SSB. QSL direct or bureau to
JA4GXS.
Now the special event news
The 19th and 20th is International Lightships and Lighthouses
weekend, with numerous special event stations active around the
world. We gave details of a number of stations in last week's
bulletin, which we won't repeat today. The official list of all 436
entrants, including around 25 UK Special Event Stations, is at
www.illw.net
A wide range of special event stations are also expected to be on the
air to mark, or experiment with, the solar eclipse that will cross
the USA on Monday.
A special event station will be active from The Montrose Air Station
Heritage Centre Open Day from 10am-4pm on 26 and 27 August. Contact
Ewan Cameron, MM0BIX, on 01674 676 740 for more details.
Rugby Amateur Radio Transmitting Society will operate GB0RRS from
10am on Saturday 26th August until 12:00 on Friday 22nd October,
celebrating Rugby Radio Station.
Now the contest news
The SHF UKAC takes place on Tuesday from 1900 to 2130UTC. Activity is
on all modes on all bands from 2.3 to 10GHz. RST, serial number and
locator form the exchange.
Next Sunday, the 27th, sees the UKuG contest from 0600 to 1800UTC.
Using all modes on the 5.7 and 10GHz bands, the exchange is RST,
serial number and locator.
Finally, the ITTS Counties contest takes place on 2m SSB and FM next
Sunday from 1300 to 1500UTC. The exchange is RST and serial number,
with all stations on the island of Ireland also giving their County.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday 18th August.
Last week saw the solar flux index in the low to mid 70s. Geomagnetic
conditions were generally quiet earlier in the week, with some choice
DX to be had. Andy, M0NKR reported working the Marshall Islands in
the Pacific on 20m CW at 0700UTC on Wednesday, while Del, W8KJP in
Florida, USA, was heard by G0KYA on 40m CW at 2221UTC using a simple
wire antenna. But the good conditions didn't last and the ionosphere
became disturbed on Thursday 17th due to the effects of a high-speed
solar wind stream from a large high-latitude coronal hole on the sun.
This had a very strong south-facing magnetic field component that
meant it more easily coupled with the Earth's magnetic field. The K
index surged to five and remained like that for at least nine hours,
driving maximum usable frequencies down to around 14MHz and causing
very noisy bands. Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will
be in the high 60s and, after an unsettled start, geomagnetic
conditions may settle for the rest of the week.
Monday the 21st brings a total solar eclipse, which will be visible
across the USA. A QSO Party is planned so many US stations may be
active. The partial eclipse starts at 1546UTC and ends at 2104 UTC.
Totality will move east across the US, starting at 1648UTC and ending
in the Atlantic at 2001UTC. A feature on the eclipse appeared in the
August edition of RadCom, but there is a lot more information on the
web. It is not known whether any propagation effects will be
observable from the UK, but it is a rare opportunity to check.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
The unsettled weather crossing the country this weekend will contain
some remnants of Hurricane Gert. This means some very warm and moist
tropical air could produce some heavy rain. Gigahertz band rain
scatter may be an option, but as the next high pressure builds in
from the west towards mid-week, Tropo should become available. This
should be to the south and south-west across southern UK and Biscay.
The rest of the week will probably see high pressure remaining just
to the west of the UK, so any Tropo will be biased to that side of
the country, with showery activity over the east, closest to the low
pressure over Denmark.
Sporadic-E is still looking viable, with a strong jet stream over the
UK and near continent, although this may weaken after mid-week,
meaning better Sporadic-E prospects before then. The end of the main
Sporadic-E season is not far off now, so every event is worth
chasing. Check beacons on 10m or look for short skip on 20m, then
probe that direction on 6m for any Sporadic-E. If you don't call, the
DX may not know the band is open.
Even though the Perseids shower is well behind us, random meteor
rates are still at their highest of the year so don't give up on
meteor scatter just yet. Moon declination goes negative on Thursday
and losses are increasing so get your EME QSOs in early this week
before the Moon gets too low in the sky.
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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