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G4TNU > NEWS 19.03.23 02:31l 238 Lines 11299 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 19 Mar 2023
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 19th of March 2023
The news headlines:
* RSGB AGM and Elections
* RSGB Board vacancy for a Nominated Director
* Tonight<at>8 Webinar
Voting for candidates in the RSGB elections is now open. On the
Society's website you can see details about the Calling Notice,
Resolutions, elected Board Director candidate statements and video
interviews, as well as the voting process and a link to vote. Voting
ends at 9am on Thursday the 13th of April. The RSGB will be holding
its AGM online this year on Saturday the 15th of April and will
livestream the event. This year, RSGB Members have the opportunity
to submit written questions in advance or to ask questions via the
live chat on YouTube during the AGM. You can read further information
in the April RadCom and on the Society's website at www.rsgb.org/agm
The resignation of Richard Horton, G4AOJ has left an RSGB Board
vacancy for a Nominated Director. The Society needs to embrace new
methods of working to help meet the changing needs of the amateur
community. Candidates with experience of change management, for
example, would be welcomed. The RSGB needs a strong and effective
Board; this could be your opportunity to be part of that. To find
out more go to the volunteer vacancies section of the RSGB website at
rsgb.org/volunteers or for an informal discussion please email
Nominations Committee Chair Stephen Purser, GW4SHF at
nominations.chair<at>rsgb.org.uk
The RSGB's Tonight<at>8 live webinar series continues on Monday the
3rd of April with a presentation called "Sheep Worrier: A High
Altitude Balloon Flight and Recovery System" by Heather Nickalls,
M0HMO. Heather will cover an introduction to flying High Altitude
Balloons, the radio systems involved, some science experiments she
did on her flights, the recovery system developed to help find the
payload when it lands and, of course, lots of pictures from
‘almost' the edge of space. You can ask questions live during the
presentation via the RSGB YouTube channel or special BATC
channel. Find out more about this and other webinars on the RSGB
website at rsgb.org/webinars
Barry Lewis, G4SJH, the RSGB's Microwave Manager, is the IARU Lead on
WRC23 AI9.1b. He reports that the IARU has carried out the only
statistical study regarding the WRC-related 23cm Galileo issue. You
can read more information about it on the IARU Region 1 website at
iaru-r1.org The post includes links to the background and updates on
the developments.
The RSGB has received a statement from National Hamfest (Lincoln) Ltd
confirming that, due to several factors, there will not be a National
Hamfest event in 2023. The organisers of the event say that there
will be a bigger and better event next year at Newark Showground on
the 27th and 28th of September 2024. To read the full statement from
National Hamfest (Lincoln) Ltd visit nationalhamfest.org.uk
And now for details of rallies and events
The Hack Green Military Surplus and Military Radio Hanger Sale will
take place on Sunday the 2nd of April. The venue will be Hack Green
Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 8AL. The sale will
include electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military
radio items and vehicle spares. For more information email
coldwar<at>hackgreen.co.uk or visit www.hackgreen.co.uk
Yeovil Amateur Radio Club's 37th QRP Convention will take place on
Saturday the 15th of April at The Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset
DT9 3AA. Doors open from 9.30am to 1.30pm and admission is GBP 3. The
Convention will feature talks, traders, bring and buy, club stalls
and a café. For more information visit yeovil-arc.com or contact
qrp<at>yeovil-arc.com
The Cambridgeshire Repeater Group Rally will take place on Sunday the
16th of April. The venue will be Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road,
Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Doors open at 7.30am for traders and
9.30am for visitors. Admission is GBP 3. The rally will feature
talk-in, trade stands, bring and buy, an RSGB Bookstall and free car
parking. For more information contact Lawrence, M0LCM on
07941 972 724, email rally2023<at>cambridgerepeaters.net and see
cambridgerepeaters.net
The Holsworthy Spring Rally and Boot Sale will also take place on
Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Holsworthy Livestock
Market, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. There will be plenty of parking,
wheelchair access and full catering available. The doors open to the
public from 10am. For more details contact the club secretary Ken,
G7VJA via email on m0omc<at>m0omc.co.uk and visit m0omc.co.uk
Now the Special Event News
GB1PAT and GB2PAT are the special callsigns for members of the
Bushvalley Amateur Radio Club to use between the 1st and 28th of
March to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day. Three certificates are
available for making contact with both callsigns on different bands.
QSL via Logbook of the World only.
HH75RCH is the special callsign for the Haiti [HAY-TEE] Radio Club,
established on the 29th of March 1948, to celebrate its 75th
anniversary. The station will be active until the 1st of May. QSL via
Club Log's OQRS, or via N2OO.
Special event callsign A60AP will be active until the 31st of
August. The callsign is active in recognition of the United Arab
Emirates' Astronaut Programme which was launched in 2017. The
Programme prepares crews of United Arab Emirates astronauts for
missions to the International Space Station and other destinations in
space. QSL via EA7FTR.
Now the DX news
Andy, DK5ON will be active as PJ2/DK5ON from Curacao [CURE-A-SOUW],
SA-099, until Wednesday the 22nd of March. He will operate SSB, CW
and digital modes on the 160 to 6m bands. QSL via Logbook of the
World, Club Log's OQRS or via DK5ON directly or via the bureau.
John, N9EAJ will be active as VP5/N9EAJ from Grand Turk Island,
NA-003, until Wednesday the 22nd of March. Activity will be mainly on
SSB and some CW. He also plans to be active from the Columbus
Landfall National Park for Parks on the Air. QSL via his home call.
He will upload his contacts to Club Log and possibly to Logbook of
the World.
Stephane, F5UOW will be active as FR/F5UOW from Reunion Island,
AF-016, until Monday the 27th of March. He operates using CW. QSL via
Logbook of the World.
Sands, VK4WXW has been on Willis Island, OC-007, since October, and
will remain there until the end of April 2023. He works at the
Australian Bureau of Meteorology's weather monitoring station on the
island, and in his spare time he is QRV as VK9WX.
Now the contest news
The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group HF RTTY Contest started at
0200UTC on Saturday the 18th of March. It will run until 0200UTC on
Monday the 20th of March. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where
contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number
and time.
On Tuesday the 21st of March, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs
from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3GHz band, the
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also on Tuesday the 21st of March, the IRTS 80m Evening Counties
Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 80m band,
the exchange is signal report, serial number and county code.
On Thursday the 23rd of March, the 80m Club Championship runs from
2000 to 2130UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal
report and serial number.
The CQ Worldwide WPX SSB Contest starts at 0000UTC on Saturday the
25th of March and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday the 26th of March. Using
SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the
exchange is signal report and serial number.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Thursday 16th of March 2023
Last week was split in two, in terms of HF propagation. The first
half of the week was characterised by excellent high-band conditions,
with many people commenting on how good things were. The Kp index was
low, there was a lack of solar flares and the solar flux index was
high – perfect for HF.
There were reports of openings to Hawaii and Alaska on 10m and Bob,
MD0CCE said 10m had been open to the Pacific every night for the last
five or six days. But it didn't last and by Wednesday it all went
pear-shaped.
The Earth was hit by a fast solar wind with a southward-pointing Bz
on Wednesday the 15th, which increased the Kp index to 5.67. Its
impact on the ionosphere was quick and very damaging, to such an
extent that the two ‘local' Digisondes at Fairford and Chilton
couldn't detect the F2 layer, leaving their traces blank.
It happened again on Wednesday evening, with the Kp index hitting
5.67 once again. Luckily, it didn't last long and the Kp index was
back down to less than two by the morning and the MUF over 3,000km
was back over 28MHz by mid-morning on Thursday.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will remain in the
range of 135 to 145. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast
for the 20th but, as we know, anything can happen at this point in
the solar cycle. Look for a low Kp index but, above all, get on the
bands and see what you can work!
And now the VHF and up propagation news
The unsettled weather pattern seems likely to continue through the
coming week driven by an undulating jet stream over the British
Isles. This will mean, for yet another week, there is unlikely to be
much good Tropo. It's not all bad news though, since the unsettled
part of the weather story may introduce some rain scatter on the GHz
bands.
The mention of jet streams should, in a month or so, raise the
promise of some Sporadic-E activity, which is often geographically
related to the position of jet streams. It's probably a bit early for
that, although it could be worth considering a look at 10 and 6m as
we move towards the end of the month.
10m, and 6m if you're in the far South West, can also give some good
Trans Equatorial propagation, this time of year. This is typical of
the changeover period from southern hemisphere to northern hemisphere
Sporadic-E activity.
As usual, the chance of aurora is still around, so keep a watch out
on the clusters or spaceweather.com for all the latest news.
Early-morning random meteors should stay on the checklist too.
For EME operators, moon declination is low but rising, going positive
again on Wednesday meaning Moon availability windows will lengthen.
The Moon is at perigee today, so path losses are at a minimum. 144MHz
sky noise is low this week, apart from the whole of Tuesday when the
Sun and Moon are close to eclipse.
It is perhaps worth reminding new licensees that preparing a good
list of HF and VHF beacons to monitor can be worthwhile, especially
in quieter times before the summer Sporadic-E season gets under way.
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.
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