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G4APL > NEWS 08.01.23 04:31l 287 Lines 12983 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 8 Jan 2023
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Sent: 230108/0331Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO #:37876 [Caterham Surrey GBR]
From: G4APL@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To : NEWS@EU
This week's packet edition of the GB2RS news has been adapted
by Mike G4FVG and promulgated by Paul G4APL, to give Andy a well
deserved break.
So here is the GB2RS News for Sunday the 8th of January 2023
The news headlines:
- Marconi international amateur radio award
- 2023 Tonight@8 series
- Direct to Full exams
The news team and all the staff at RSGB HQ would like to wish our
newsreaders, listeners and online readers a very Happy New Year. We
would like to remind everyone that we always welcome your news, by
email, to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk, and the deadline is 10am sharp on
Thursday mornings. The GB2RS script is uploaded to the RSGB website
by 4.30pm each Friday afternoon.
"Marconi Was Here!" is an international amateur radio award organised
by ARI Fidenza Radio Club. The main objective of the award is to
commemorate historically some of the most important and significant
Italian cities where Marconi performed scientific experiments in
radio engineering, long distance communications, radio
direction-finding and others; experiments that, in the following
periods, revealed themselves to be crucial for technical and
scientific advancement and the progress of wireless communications.
The award period lasts the whole of the 2023 year. Each month is
dedicated to a specific Italian city connected to the story of
Guglielmo Marconi and is paired to a different special callsign.
Further details, special callsigns and award rules can be found at
www.arifidenza.it
The RSGB's Spring 2023 series of Tonight@8 webinars kicks off this
Monday the 9th of January when Ben Lloyd, GW4BML will be talking
about Portable Operating. As well as explaining briefly the
definition and benefits of portable operating, Ben will also share a
little about his amateur radio adventures. These focus mainly on
SOTA, working DX and contesting, but all by operating portable. Ben
will run through everything that is packed away in his rucksack to
enable successful activation. You can watch and ask questions live on
our YouTube channel or special BATC channel. Further information
about this and other webinars can be found on the Society's website
at rsgb.org/webinars
Following the introduction of the Direct to Full syllabus in July,
bookings for the Direct to Full exam will begin this week. You can
only take the exam online but you can book as an individual or
through your club via the RSGB website. The first exam slot will be
on Saturday the 21st of January and the exam will last for
two-and-a-half hours. The bookings page will be updated with the
Direct to Full information on Wednesday the 11th of January. Go to
rsgb.org/exampay to make a booking.
Are you keen to see amateur radio thrive? Do you have the time and
enthusiasm to support other radio amateurs and to help shape the RSGB
of the future? If so, you still have the opportunity to be nominated
in the RSGB elections. This year there are nine roles to be filled
and the results will be announced at the Society's AGM in April 2023.
An explanation of how to apply for the various roles, as well as the
candidate packs and forms for President, Elected Board Director and
Regional Representative, are all on the Society's website. The
deadline for the Nominated Board Director role has now passed but the
closing date for other roles is the 31st of January 2023. Find out
more at rsgb.org/election
The RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed for
one day on the 10th of January 2023 to allow electrical maintenance
work to be undertaken. When booking a visit on any other day,
remember that RSGB members can download a free entry voucher to
Bletchley Park from the RSGB website at rsgb.org/bpvoucher
The RSGB's RadCom team is looking for authors to contribute to the
magazine. Previously unpublished features and articles are always
welcome for consideration, and we will pay authors for any content we
use. At the moment, the team is particularly interested in hearing
from people who enjoy writing about antennas. To contact the RadCom
team please email radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk
There is still time to apply for the volunteer roles of RSGB Lecture
Chair and RSGB Social Diversity Officer. You can find out more about
both of these important roles on the Society's website at
rsgb.org/volunteers
The RSGB was sad to learn that Peter Bruce, GM0CXQ recently became a
silent key. Peter was very active as a Radio Amateur in Shetland both
as a Zetland Amateur Radio Club member, exams officer and as a
District Representative for the RSGB. Our thoughts are with his
family and many friends.
And now for details of rallies and events
The Lincoln Shortwave Club Winter Radio Rally will be held on Sunday
the 29th of January at The Festival Hall, Caistor Road, Market Rasen,
LN8 3HT. Doors open at 9.30am and entry is £2. Refreshments are
available on site and talk-in is available on 145.375MHz. For more
information email Graham via contact<at>m1dhv.co.uk
The Canvey Rally will be held on the 5th of February at Cornelius
Vermuyden School, Dinant Avenue, Canvey, Essex, SS8 9QS.
The Rally is expected to be the usual hive of activity with
plenty of traders and an indoor boot sale. Hot food and drinks will
be available. Contact sears.enquiries<at>gmail.com for further
information.
The Mid Cheshire Amateur Radio Society Radioactive Fair will be held
on Sunday the 12th of February. The venue will be Nantwich Civic
Hall, Market Street, Nantwich, CW5 5DG. Doors open at 10am and
admission is £5. A wide variety of trader stalls, a bring-and-buy
platform and refreshments and snacks will be available. Parking is
immediately adjacent to the hall. For more information visit
radioactivefair.co.uk
Now the Special Event News
Special callsign PD23HNY will be active from The Netherlands until
the 15th of January in celebration of the New Year. QSL cards will
not be issued but a certificate will be available for download.
Special callsigns SP90ENIGMA and SP90ENG will be active until the
15th of January. Both stations will be operating to mark the 90th
anniversary of Polish cryptologists' first successes in breaking the
Enigma code.
Throughout the month of January 2023, Weston super Mare Radio Society
will be operating special callsign GB4WSM in celebration of the 100th
Anniversary of the Society's formation on the 3rd of January 1923.
Vasteras Radio Klubb in Sweden is celebrating 80 years of
existence in 2023. To mark the occasion, the club will be using the
callsign 8S80AA throughout 2023 on all bands from 160 to 2m. The
special callsign includes a prefix that has never before been
assigned. Details of awards connected to the special event can be
found by viewing the 8S80AA QRZ.com page.
During 2023, the British Railways Amateur Radio Society will be
marking 55 years since the withdrawal of steam from the British
Railways service in 1968.The callsigns in use during the year will be
special event station GB0LMR and the club callsign GX4LMR. The
station will be active from Preston and mainly operated by British
Railways Amateur Radio Society member Mark, G1PIE. QSL via the Bureau
and e-QSL or direct to Pam, 2E1HQY, enclosing a stamped, addressed
envelope. More information can be found via the relevant QRZ.com
pages.
Now the DX news
Take, JI3DST will be active from Tanega Island, AS-032,
until the 10th of January. He will be operating using SSB, CW
and FT8. QSL via Club Log and Logbook of the World.
Darren, VK4MAP will be active as FW/VK4MAP from the Wallis and Futuna
Islands, in the South Pacific, until the middle of January. He will
be operating using SSB on the 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands. QSL
directly to his home call.
Earl, WA3DX will be active from Senegal until the 20th of January. He
will operate FT8 and some SSB on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via Logbook
of the World or directly to his home call.
Now the contest news
The UK Six Metre Group Winter Marathon began on Thursday the 1st of
December. The contest will run until the 31st of January 2023. Using
all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report and locator.
The ARRL RTTY Roundup ends its two-day run today, Sunday the 8th of
January, at 2359UTC. Using the 80 to 10m bands, where contesting is
permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. American
stations also send their state. Canadian stations send their province.
On Tuesday the 10th of January, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs
from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange
is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also on Tuesday the 10th of January, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest
runs from 1900 to 1955UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday the 11th of January, the 432MHz FT8 Activity Contest
runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange
is report and four-character locator.
On Thursday the 12th of January, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs
from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
On Saturday the 14th of January, the Worked All Britain 1.8MHz Phone
Contest runs from 1900 to 2300UTC. Using SSB on the 160m band, the
exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain
square.
On Sunday the 15th of January, the RSGB Affiliated Societies 80 and
40m Data modes Contest runs from 1300 to 1700UTC. Using PSK63 and
RTTY, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Friday the 6th of January 2023
Firstly, a happy New Year to all our listeners. Let's hope that the
propagation gods continue to smile on us in 2023!
The solar flux index is back near the 150 mark having seen a low of
128 on December the 23rd and a recent high of 165 on New Year's eve.
Geomagnetic conditions had been mainly settled. That was until the Kp
index hit five on the fourth thanks to a fast-moving enhanced solar
wind. This may have come from an Earth-facing coronal hole on the
Sun's equator.
Propagation-wise, conditions have been good, but not exceptional. The
main DX station on the bands has been Thierry, FT8WW on Crozet Island
off the coast of South Africa. Thierry has been very active on FT8
and CW, but the pileups have been massive.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will remain in the
range of 140-150. Geomagnetic conditions should remain quiet with no
visible coronal holes coming into view at the time of writing. Expect
the Kp index to be around two to three.
And finally, don't forget the low bands, including 160 and 80 metres,
which tend to come into their own at this time of year. Look for a
night-time path between the UK and the DX, and also consider
enhancements just before sunrise for signals from the West.
And now the VHF and up propagation news
The main weather theme for the next week is once again a continuation
of low-pressure systems crossing the country with periods of strong
winds and rain.
This suggests that tropo produced by high pressure will not feature
again this week. It does, however, make rain scatter a possibility on
the GHz bands, either from active frontal systems or from showery
weather that these systems bring.
The unsettled weather is being driven by an active jet stream
pattern, which offers good opportunity for 'out of season' Sporadic-E
triggers, particularly towards Italy and round to Scandinavia.
These are very rare events in winter, but it will be possible to pick
up signs of some Es on the Propquest.co.uk foEs plots on some days.
So, don't give up hope and monitor the clusters up to the middle of
the month, at least.
The disturbed solar conditions put aurora a bit higher up the agenda
this week.
For meteor scatter enthusiasts, last week's two-hour outburst of the
Quadrantids shower was the 'last hurrah' of showers until the late
April Lyrids.
We are entering the annual 'lull' in shower activity, with just the
minor Gamma-Ursae-Minorids active from the 10th of January to the
22nd reaching a low maximum on the 18th. Look to benefit from the
pre-dawn peak of random meteors.
The Moon is at apogee today, Sunday, and declination is positive
until late next Friday. Moon windows will slowly shorten and zenith
angles decrease, while EME path losses decrease. 144MHz sky noise is
low all week.
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 radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk to arrive by
10:00 on the Thursday before transmission.
--
g4apl@gb7cip.ampr.org g4apl@gb7cip.#32.gbr.euro
https://www.theskywaves.net http://gb7cip.ampr.org
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