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G4APL > NEWS 17.09.17 08:03l 292 Lines 13285 Bytes #999 (0) @ GBR
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 17 Sep 2017
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Sent: 170916/2135Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO #:57604 [Caterham Surrey GBR]
From: G4APL@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To : NEWS@GBR
GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 17th of September 2017
The news headlines:
* Latest RadCom Plus now available
* Please keep clear of hurricane nets
* Tunisia legalises individual amateur licences
The latest issue of RadCom Plus is now available. It contains
features on vertical phased arrays, an APRS tracker and looks at how
to get a professional finish to your home-made printed circuit
boards. A tailored PDF version is available, as a trial for this
issue, in addition to the ePUB version. Both of these options enable
you to download RadCom Plus to read offline if you wish. For those
who prefer to read it online you can still use the Flipbook version
that is also available. RadCom Plus is a members' benefit so just log
into the RSGB membership portal and then you can access both versions
from the RadCom Plus page of the RSGB website.
In view of the arrival of Hurricane Max on the coast of Guerrero,
Mexico, the FMRE National Emergency Net has activated. The net is
operating on 7.060 MHz and 14.120MHz so please avoid causing
interference on or around those frequencies.
The Ministry of Telecommunications of Tunisia has approved and issued
a decree organising amateur radio activity in Tunisia. It is now
possible for Tunisian amateurs to apply, pass an exam and get their
own amateur radio licences. Those who already have a foreign licence
can be granted licences without passing an exam. Resident foreigners
can also apply. See iaru-r1.org for full details.
Today, the 17th of September, sees the start of the IARU Region 1
Conference. Delegates will consider around 140 papers covering many
aspects of the future of amateur radio. Amongst the latest inputs are
RSGB papers on noise floor measurements and YOTA 2017. Watch out for
media updates during the week.
The latest RSGB Convention promotional video is the About the RSGB
section of the video portal on the RSGB website. You'll hear a range
of people explaining why they go to the Convention and see highlights
of what you can expect during a Convention weekend. Tickets and
weekend packages are still available; go to www.rsgb.org/convention
to find out more.
Enigma Reloaded takes place from the 22nd to the 30th of September.
The main goal is to promote as much amateur radio activity as
possible all over the world, celebrating the history of the Enigma
cipher machine and its crucial role in the outcome of World War II.
From the 22th to the 29th, Italians and others registered as
Activator Stations will ensure the activation of their radio stations
in order to allow to the participants getting their scores for the
Enigma Award Contest. Full details are online at
www.enigma-reloaded.it/index_eng.html
ML&S has launched a video of the new Kenwood TS-590sg 70th
anniversary edition. It's on their YouTube channel at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfUcts3Fdl4
IARU Region 1, DARC and RSGB volunteers attended the latest CEPT
meeting that is preparing for WRC-19. Key items of interest to
amateur radio included 50-54MHz, high power wireless charging of
electric vehicles and increased use of the 5GHz bands for Wi-Fi and
transport.
RADIO DARC is the weekly magazine of the German Amateur Radio Club
for radio amateurs and short wave listeners, with three broadcasts on
6070kHz for Europe. DARC will broadcast during the 24th IARU Region 1
Conference being held in Landshut, Germany. Until the 22nd of
September 2017, RADIO DARC will report current news on the conference
in six daily special short wave transmissions.
Icom Inc will be holding a D-STAR QSO party between 0000UTC on the
22nd and 2359UTC on the 24th of September. For more information visit
the D-Star QSO Party website at www.icom.co.jp/world/dqp
SOS Radio Week is moving from January to May so that it, once again,
falls in line with the RNLI's own fund-raising event. Like the RNLI's
event, SOS Radio Week will actually last a month so stations can
choose to operate on any of four or five weekends. You can register
your station now for SOS Radio Week 2018, via the website
www.sosradioweek.org.uk.
Thames Amateur Radio Group is hosting an RSGB Train the Trainers
event on Saturday the 9th of December from 9am to 5pm. Training open
to candidates from any club and is delivered free to RSGB Members,
but the organisers are requesting a GBP 5 donation per candidate
towards hall hire, buffet lunch and other refreshments. To book
contact nigel.m0ich<at>gmail.com
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The Weston-Super-Mare Rally takes place today, the 17th of September,
at The Campus, Highlands Lane, Weston-Super-Mare BS24 7DX. The venue
has a large car park. Doors open from 10am and admission is GBP 3 for
adults. There will be trade stands, a Bring & Buy, lectures, and an
auction at the end of the day. There will also be amusements and
activities for all the family including competitions, fun activities
and interactive displays. Catering will be available on site.
Enquiries to 01278 786 684.
The WACRAL Conference and Fellowship Weekend takes place from the
22nd to the 24th of September at the Elim International Conference
Centre, West Malvern, Worcestershire WR14 4DF. Nick Henwood, G3RWF,
the RSGB President, will be speaking on Where is amateur radio going?
The Pencoed ARC Table Top Sale is on Sunday the 24th at Pencoed Rugby
Football Club, The Verlands, Felindre Road. Pencoed CF35 5PB. Doors
open at 10am for the public and entry is GBP 2. Refreshments
including hot food will be available. Details from Madeline Roberts
on 01639 767056.
The Belgium Amateur Radio & Computer Rally is on the 24th at Hall
Louvexpo, rue Michel Debauque/Arthur Delaby, La Louvière, Belgium.
It has direct access from the motorway, just 50km south of Brussels.
Open from 9am to 4pm, there will be talk-in on local FM repeaters on
145.600MHz. There will be trade stands from the UK, Holland, Germany,
France and a flea market. For details, see www.on6ll.be
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
David, G4NRT will be on the air as Z21NRT in Zimbabwe until the 29th
of September. He will be on the 80 to 6m bands using SSB, CW and
digital. QSL to his home callsign.
E6AG will be operating until the 25th of September on the island of
Niue, IOTA reference OC-040. It will be holiday-style and QSLs go via
Club Log OQRS to M0OXO.
JW/OM6TC will be on from Longyearbyen, Svalbard, EU-026, until the
20th of September. QSL to his home callsign.
A group of Russian amateurs will operate as A25BI, A25SP and A25BE
from Kasane in north-eastern Botswana until the 25th of September and
they hope to be on all bands from 160 to 6m using CW and SSB.
A number of Czech operators will operate at 5T5OK in Mauritania until
the 29th of September. They will run 100W on SSB, CW and RTTY. QSL
manager is OK6DJ and logs will be uploaded to Logbook of The World.
Al, K7AR will be operating as 5W0RA from Apia, Samoa, IOTA OC-097,
from the 19th to the 29th of September. Activity will be on the HF
bands using CW, SSB, RTTY and possibly FT8. QSL to his home callsign.
Now the special event news
Rugby ARTS will operate GB0RRS until the 22nd of September to
celebrate the historic Rugby Radio Station, which operated from 1926
to 2007 at a site near Hillmorton, Rugby.
Today, the 17th of September Chatham Historic Dockyard will again be
hosting their 1940s weekend. During the event Brian, G0TAR and some
Medway ARTS members will be operating GB2CAV from the ship's radio
room.
Coventry Amateur Radio Society will be active from the Coventry Model
railway club for railways on the air at Unit 3, Coventry Canal Basin
Warehouse, Leicester Row, Coventry, CV1 4LH on the 23rd and 24th of
September. The callsign likely to be GB6CMR but they are awaiting the
NOV.
On the 23rd and the 24th of September, Loughton and Epping Forest ARS
will be activating GB2RGM at the Royal Gunpowder Mills at Waltham
Abbey for Railways on the Air. It has a narrow gauge railway that was
used to transport explosives around the site. There is no public
access during the activation.
Riviera ARC will operate GB4BCR as part of Railways on the Air on the
23rd of September. Babbacombe Cliff Railway is a funicular railway
that takes people up and down the cliffs to Oddicombe at the bottom
of the Babbacome Downs. e-QSLs will be available for this event.
Now the contest news
The 2nd 70MHz contest takes place today, the 17th, from 0900 to
1200UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
The UK Microwave Group contest runs from 0900 to 1700UTC today. Using
the 24 to 26GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number
and locator.
The BARTG Sprint 75 contest is on today, from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using
75 baud RTTY on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands the exchange is just the
serial number.
On Tuesday the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest takes place from 1900 to
2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
On Wednesday the 80m Autumn Series runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using
CW only, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
On Thursday the 70MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1900UTC.
It is immediately followed by the UK Activity Contest from 1900 to
2130UTC. The exchange is the same for both events, signal report,
serial number and locator.
Next weekend is the CQ World Wide RTTY DX Contest. It runs for 48
hours over the 23rd and 24th on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands. The exchange
is signal report and Zone, which for the UK is 14.
On Sunday the 24th the UK Microwave Group contest runs from 0600 to
1800UTC. Using all modes on the 5.7 and 10GHz bands, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
The Practical Wireless 70MHz Contest runs from 1200 to 1600UTC on the
24th. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday the 15th of September.
After the solar chaos of last weekend, things looked a little more
settled at first. However, following last Sunday's X8.2 solar flare,
material from a coronal mass ejection impacted the Earth on
Wednesday. The Solar Flux Index declined to 75 by Thursday, but we
were seeing the geomagnetic effects of yet another coronal hole as
this report was being written.
All this activity makes it hard to be precise about conditions next
week, but NOAA predicts the solar flux index will be in the mid 80s,
with unsettled geomagnetic conditions at times. Look for a low K
index over a couple of days for the best results on HF.
It is worth pointing out that a better indicator of real-time HF
conditions can be the smoothed or averaged smoothed sunspot number,
which is currently 17 or 22 according to which method is used.
Smoothed numbers are used by VOACAP and G4FKH's own predtest.uk
prediction tool.
Propagation Studies Committee member Marcus, G0IJZ reminds us that
sunspot numbers and solar flux levels can be chaotic in the short
term, but over the long term (that is, months), there is good
correlation between the smoothed indices and ionospheric
characteristics.
As we move into autumn, this can also be a good time to look for
openings on the lower bands. Quite a lot of DX has been reported on
40m, especially around greyline times. The band is definitely worth
checking.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
Early last week we saw more of the predicted auroral propagation in
the UK, so keep a check on the lower VHF bands in case the sun flares
up again.
After a windswept and showery last week, there are signs that we
start this weekend with the legacy of a cool northwesterly winds and
scattered showers, possibly thundery. This means continuing good rain
scatter on the GHz bands from any of the heavier showers.
Last week, the weather models were hinting at high pressure building
by this weekend, but it has been knocked back to early in the coming
week. It's still on the agenda for the southern half of the country
and possibly the north at times.
By the end of the week, there should be a large high near south-west
Britain. This could bring Tropo into play for many areas by the time
we get past mid-week and it looks good into the following weekend.
There are no meteor showers this week, so continue to look before
dawn for the best random meteor scatter contacts.
Moon declination goes negative on Thursday and losses are climbing as
the Moon moves away from us, so get your EME contacts in early this
week for the best results.
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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