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G4APL > NEWS 25.02.18 00:06l 270 Lines 13080 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 25 Feb 2018
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Sent: 180224/2211Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO #:10514 [Caterham Surrey GBR]
From: G4APL@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To : NEWS@EU
GB2RS Main News for Sunday 25th February 2018
The news headlines:
* New RSGB ETCC Chair appointed
* Bodleian talk on What is Wireless
* NRC to open 6 days a week
The RSGB is delighted to announce that Andrew Barrett, G8DOR has been
appointed as the new Chair of the Emerging Technology Coordination
Committee, or ETCC, for an initial period of three years. Andrew is
the current Vice-Chair. The ETCC functions to develop and enhance the
UK amateur radio repeater and data communications networks and to
promote the introduction and rollout of appropriate new technologies.
They receive, vet and advise on all proposals in respect of analogue
or digital voice repeaters, TV repeaters and data communications
systems, passing the finalised documents to Ofcom for issue. The RSGB
would like to thank John McCullagh, GI4BWM for the enormous level of
work that he has put into the role of ETCC Chair for over 12 years,
particularly in his work with Ofcom.
A forthcoming lecture at the Weston Library, Broad Street, Oxford may
be interesting to radio amateurs. Jacob Ward, a Bodleian Libraries
Byrne-Bussey Marconi Fellow will be speaking on What is Wireless and
will explores what happened to ‘wireless', from after World War II
to the birth of the ‘new' wireless in the 1980s and 1990s, by
exploring the imagination and imagery associated with wireless
communications by its biggest proponents: the Marconi Companies. The
talk takes place on the 6th of March from 5.30 to 6.30pm and is a
free public event. All are welcome. Tickets can be reserved via
tinyurl.com/GB2RS-0225-A
[Note to Newsreaders: The original, full URL is
www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/whatson/whats-on/upcoming-events/2018/mar/what-h
appened-to-wireless]
The RSGB is pleased to announce that the National Radio Centre,
located at Bletchley Park, will now also be open on Mondays. Starting
from Easter Monday, the 2nd of April, the NRC will now be open six
days a week, closing only on Tuesdays. NRC opening times run in
accordance to the Bletchley Park museum, 9.30am to 4pm in winter and
to 5pm in summer. Bletchley Park admission details are at
www.bletchleypark.org.uk. RSGB Members can gain free access to
Bletchley Park, including the National Radio Centre, by downloading a
voucher from the Membership Services area of the RSGB website,
www.rsgb.org/bletchley-park-voucher
An international amateur radio team that postponed a December 2017
DXpedition to the disputed Spratly Islands now plans to be on the air
in early March from Layang Layang Island, also known as Swallow Reef,
under Malaysian call sign 9M0W. The IOTA reference is AS-051. The
operation will be on the air on 160 to 6m using CW, SSB and digital
modes. While the Royal Malaysian Navy maintains a presence on the
reef, ownership of the Spratlys has also been asserted by the
People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines in
addition to Malaysia. The Spratlys are Number 56 on Club Log's DXCC
Most-Wanted List.
Another RSGB 2017 Convention presentation has been added to the video
portal for RSGB Members to view. The talk is by Ian White, GM3SEK,
and called VHF-UHF DX – the Game of Decibels. In a talk aimed at
all technical levels, Ian explains that decibels are the ‘currency'
in which we measure our station's performance. We can count our gains
and losses, save our decibels or throw them away, and eventually find
our own answers to the age-old question, "what is one decibel really
worth?" Ian explains why we use decibels; why 1dB can be worth more
to VHF-UHF DXers than almost anyone else; and how ‘counting the
decibels' can point us to the next station improvement. Take a look
at www.rsgb.org/videos for this and many other talks.
Richard Lamont, G4DYA has been appointed to the joint role of Amateur
Radio Observation Service and Intruder Watch Coordinator. Richard has
been a broadcast engineer with the BBC, an editor of radio magazines
and a company director. He also knows his way around the ITU
Regulations. The RSGB welcome him to his new role. Richard succeeds
Mark Jones, G0MGX who we thank for putting a great deal of time and
energy into these activities over the last five years.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, the 25th, the BRATS Medway Radio Rally takes place at The
Victory Academy, Magpie Hall Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 5JB. Doors open
at 10am, with disabled visitors gaining access at 9.30. Admittance is
GBP 2.50. There is free parking and talk in on 145.550MHz using the
callsign GB4RRR. There will be trade stands and an RSGB bookstall.
Catering is available on site. Details from Hugh, G0BRC, on
0782 583 8877.
Also on the 25th, the Pencoed ARC Table Top Sale will be held at
Pencoed Rugby Football Club, The Verlands, Felindre Road, Pencoed
CF35 5PB. Doors open at 8am for sellers and 10am for buyers. Entry is
GBP 2. Tables are GBP 10 each on a first come first served basis.
Refreshments are available on site. To book, contact Madeline Roberts
on 0773 837 5775.
Next Saturday, the 3rd of March, the Lagan Valley ARS Rally will be
held in the Hillsborough Village Centre, 7 Ballynahinch Road,
Hillsborough BT26 6AR. Doors open from 11am to 3pm, with admittance
GBP 3. Everyone is most welcome to attend. There will be lots of
radio equipment, both new and second hand. Tea, coffees and
sandwiches will be available. There will be a Bring & Buy, RSGB Book
Stall and Special Interest Groups. More details from Andrew
Mulholland, MI0BPB on 07802 824 615.
Next Sunday, the 4th, the Grantham ARC Radio and Electronics Rally
will be at the Grantham West Community Centre, Trent Road, Grantham
NG31 7XQ. There is car parking on site and talk-in will be available.
Admission is GBP 3. There will be trade stands, special interest
groups and an RSGB book stall. Contact Kevin, G6SSN on 07793 142 483
for more information.
Also next Sunday, the 4th, the Exeter Radio & Electronics Rally takes
place at America Hall, De La Rue Way, Pinhoe, Exeter EX4 8PW. There
will be traders, a Bring & Buy, and catering is available on site.
Doors open at 10.30am, with disabled guests and those booking in to
the Bring & Buy having access from 10.15am. Admission is GBP 2.
Details from Pete, G3ZVI on 0771 419 8374.
To get your rally or event information into GB2RS News, RadCom and on
the RSGB website, email details as early as possible to
radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
A group will be operating from Rotuma Island, IOTA reference OC-060,
from around the 23rd of February until the 16th of March. The
callsign will be 3D2EU. Activity will be on all bands from 160 to 10m
using CW, SSB and digital. Rotuma is located about 650km north of
Fiji and counts as a separate entity for DXCC purposes.
Gerhard, OE3GEA is making progress on his trip around islands in the
Pacific. He will be operating as FO/OE3GEA from French Polynesia from
the 25th of February to the 10th of March, using the 30 to 10m bands.
QSL via OE3GEA, direct or via the bureau.
Two South Korean amateurs will be operating from Ho Chi Minh City in
Vietnam as XV9HL. They will be on the air from the 26th of February
until the 6th of March. Look for them using CW, SSB and digital
modes. QSLs go via HL1AHS.
Bernhard, DK7TF and Jurgen, DH6ICE will be active as XV9DLH from Phu
Quoc Island in Vietnam, AS-128, starting on the 24th of February. QSL
via DK8ZZ.
Jim, WB2REM and Mark, WY1G will be in Nicaragua from the 26th of
February until the 6th of March. They will use the callsign H7DX on
CW, SSB and FT8. QSL via Club Log OQRS.
Now the special event news
March 2018 sees the 80th anniversary of the launch of HMS Belfast
and, to mark the event, the RNARS (Affiliated) London (HMS Belfast)
Group have been granted the unusual callsign of GB80GGCN. Golf Golf
Charlie November was the marine callsign of HMS Belfast. The special
event call will last from March through to May. Visitors to HMS
Belfast are able to see the operators using the call in the Bridge
Wireless Office. Listen for them across the bands. A special QSL
card will be available, and full details are on QRZ.com.
Special callsign II2RR is active until the 31st of December to mark
the 70th anniversary of the first issue of RadioRivista, the Italian
Society's monthly journal. QSL via IK2VU.
Now the contest news
The CQ WorldWide 160m DX contest ends its 48 hour run at 2200UTC
today, the 25th. It's SSB only; the exchange is signal report and CQ
Zone, with US stations also sending their State and Canadians their
Province.
The French REF Contest ends its 36 hour run at 1800UTC today, the
25th. Using SSB on the 3.5 to 28MHz band, the exchange is signal
report and serial number, with French stations sending their
département number or overseas prefix.
Today, the 25th, the first 70MHz Cumulative Contest takes place from
1000 to 1200UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
On Tuesday the SHF UK Activity Contest takes place from 1930 to
2230UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3 to 10GHz bands, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday the UK EI Counties 80m Contest runs from 2000 to
2100UTC. Using CW only, the exchange is your 4 character locator.
Next weekend the 144/432MHz contest runs from 1400UTC on the 3rd to
1400UTC on the 4th. Using all modes on 2m and 70cm, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
The ARRL International DX Contest runs for 48 hours next weekend from
0000UTC on the 3rd to 2359UTC on the 4th. Using SSB only on the 1.8
to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and transmit power. US
stations also send their state and Canadians their Province,
On Sunday the 4th the UK Microwave Group First Low Band Contest runs
from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3 to 2.4GHz bands, the
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday the 23rd of February.
Despite warnings in the popular press that a massive solar flare was
likely to cause chaos on Earth, we managed to survive! In the event,
a coronal mass ejection, which was linked to the solar flare, caused
the K index to rise to five on Monday 19th, but conditions became
more settled from Tuesday onwards. There was DX to be had if you
looked for it. For example, ET3AA in Ethiopia has been very audible
on 18MHz around lunchtime. Otherwise, the Sun has been more settled,
with no visible sunspots and a solar flux index of 68 on Thursday –
that's just two points above what we can expect at absolute solar
minimum.
As this report was being prepared a large coronal hole was visible,
stretching from one solar pole to the equator. This might suggest we
could have unsettled geomagnetic conditions on Earth from around
Sunday 25th, although the NOAA figures don't support this. Next week,
NOAA predicts the solar flux index will remain around 70, so we can
expect maximum usable frequencies to remain similar, with daytime
band openings up to 17m and occasionally 15m. With night-time
critical frequencies remaining around 3MHz, bands much above 40m
remain mostly closed to DX.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
It's a cold, high-pressure story this week, and although technically
this is a very strong high, the air underneath the temperature
inversion that these highs produce is cold and dry. This is not
particularly good at changing the refractive index of the air across
the inversion and implies that this is not really the best option for
Tropo. It is better than flat conditions, and could possibly help out
early in the mornings. A night of surface cooling gives a very
low-level temperature inversion near the ground that could lead to a
temporary improvement in Tropo.
In the second half of the week it is likely that low pressure
tracking westwards across southern Britain will bring the prospect of
snowfall and perhaps icing on antenna wires and beam elements. It is
always worth checking the tensions are good and shake off any ice
build-up in this sort of weather.
We are still a month or so away from the return of Northern
hemisphere Sporadic-E, so the best opportunity for DX on the lower
bands still lies in early morning random meteor scatter contacts.
The Moon is at maximum declination today so, combined with low path
losses with perigee this Tuesday, it is a good week for EME.
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.
Our thanks to Andy G4TNU for providing this RSGB feed.
--
g4apl@gb7cip.ampr.org g4apl@gb7cip.#32.gbr.euro
http://www.theskywaves.net http://gb7cip.ampr.org
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