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G4TNU > NEWS 11.06.23 03:00l 281 Lines 13501 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 11 Jun 2023
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 11th of June 2023
The news headlines:
* RSGB President's IRTS speech
* Contest group map
* Distance learning for Full licence exam
RSGB President, John McCullagh, GI4BWM received a warm welcome when
he attended the IRTS AGM Gala Dinner recently. He talked about the
challenges faced by national societies, as well as the success of the
RSGB's Tonight<at>8 live webinars and online exams, which were
introduced during the pandemic. John also stressed the importance of
engaging young people in amateur radio, through the Society's work
with schools and universities. He is featured on page 10 of the June
issue of Ham Radio Ireland Magazine.
As part of the RSGB's new Club Finder facilities, the Society has
launched an online map that shows affiliated contest-only clubs and
groups. If you'd like to get involved in a group, you can use the map
to search locally and more widely. Depending on the club entry you
will be able to see which contests they participate in as well as
their contact and website information. If you are part of an RSGB
affiliated contest group or club, please check your details and, if
they need updating, log into the RSGB members' portal. New
information will be uploaded to the map every Friday afternoon. You
can find the map on the RSGB's contest web page at rsgb.org/radiosport
Since 2011, the Bath Based Distance Learning team has helped nearly
one thousand students to obtain their Full licence. Student feedback
is always very positive and the pass rate continues to be well over
80%, compared with a national average of around 66%. The BBDL team is
now planning another Full licence level course. The course will run
from the end of August to December, with exams in January. Students
receive weekly work packages via an online classroom and have access
to weekly online tutorials. Each student is allocated to one of the
remote tutors who provide feedback and additional guidance. There are
weekly quizzes to check on progress and at the end of the course
there are a number of mock exams. There is no charge for the
training, but applicants must work through some pre-course material
and complete a quiz to be eligible for a place. This focuses on the
‘new' Intermediate topics that were introduced to the syllabus in
2019. The aims of the pre-course classroom are to make sure
applicants can use the BBDL systems, and to ensure that they are
ready for the current Full training syllabus. Each student will need
to provide their own RSGB Full licence textbook and arrange their own
exam at the end of the course. Advice will be provided as part of the
course. The deadline for course applications is Tuesday the 25th of
July. To request full details and an application form, please email
BBDL Team Leader, Steve, G0FUW, via g0fuw<at>bbdl.org.uk
International Museums on the Air will take place on the weekends of
the 17th and 18th, and the 24th and 25th of June. A participation
award will be issued to all stations that register. The registration
process is simply to assist the organisers with the administration of
the event and provides those taking part with an indication of how
many stations will be active and exactly where the museums involved
are located. To read more details about the event, and to register,
please visit: tinyurl.com/MOTAW
And now for details of rallies and events
The Mendips Rally is taking place today, the 11th of June. The venue
is Farrington Gurney Memorial Hall, Church Lane, Farrington Gurney,
Somerset, BS39 6TY. Entrance is GBP 2. The doors open at 7.30am for
traders and 9.30am for visitors. For bookings and enquiries please
contact Luke on 07870 168 197 or email mendipsrally<at>hotmail.com
The Junction 28 Radio Rally is also taking place today, the 11th of
June. The venue is Alfreton Leisure Centre Bowls Hall, Church Street,
Alfreton, DE55 7BD. The doors open at 10.15am and admission is
GBP 4. There is a fee of GBP 12 to book a table in advance. A bar
and refreshments are available on site. For more information,
directions, and the booking form, visit snadarc.com Alternatively,
email secretary<at>snadarc.com
The East Suffolk Wireless Revival, also known as the Ipswich Radio
Rally, will take place on Sunday the 18th of June. The venue will be
Kirton Recreation Ground, Back Road, Kirton IP10 0PW, just off the
A14. The doors open at 9.30am and the entry fee for visitors is
GBP 3. The venue has free car parking. There will be trade stands, a
car boot sale, a bring-and-buy area, special interest groups, an RSGB
bookstall and much more. Catering is available on site. For more
information contact Kevin, G8MXV on 07710 046 846 and visit
eswr.org.uk
The Newbury Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 25th of June.
The venue will be Newbury Showground, next to junction 13 of the M4
motorway in Berkshire, RG18 9QZ. There will be a display area with an
amateur radio station, exhibits, special interest groups, clubs and
societies. The doors will open to sellers at 8am and visitors at 9am.
Ample free parking will be available. Entry is GBP 3 for visitors. A
seller's pitch costs GBP 15. On-site catering and disabled facilities
will be available. For more information, email
NewburyRally<at>nadars.org.uk and visit nadars.org.uk
Now the Special Event News
Autistic Pride Day is held on the 18th of June each year. In support
of the occasion, special callsign PD2023APD will be active from the
16th to the 18th of June on the 10, 20 and 40m bands. See QRZ.com for
more information.
Special event callsign DB23SOWG will be active until the 25th of
June. The suffix stands for ‘Special Olympics World Games', the
world's largest sporting event for athletes with intellectual
disabilities. This year the event is being held in Berlin. QSL via
the bureau, or direct to DL2VFR.
The Royal Air Force Amateur Radio Society will be using the callsign
GB0BAL at HQ RAF Cosford from the 17th of June to the 14th of July.
The ‘BAL' suffix stands for Berlin Airlift. This was a huge
humanitarian operation that took place between June 1948 and
September 1949. Access to the city of Berlin was blocked in June
1948. The Western Allies responded with the Berlin Airlift, an
operation to supply the city with necessary resources by air.
The Humber Fortress DX Amateur Radio Club is supporting International
Men's Health Week 2023 by using special callsign GB0MMH from the 16th
to the 18th of June. The group will be operating from its clubhouse
at Haven Mill, Patrington Haven, 15 miles east of Hull in Yorkshire.
Activity will be across various modes and HF bands. For more
information, please visit hfdxarc.com
Now the DX news
Today is the last chance to work Lars, SM6CUK. He is active from Ven
Island, EU-137, as SA6G/7. He is operating on the 40 to 10m bands
using CW. QSL via his home call, Logbook of the World and Club Log's
OQRS.
Bob, N7XR is active as V7/N7XR from Kwajalein [KWA-GEL-IN], OC-028,
in the Marshall Islands until late June or early July. He operates
CW, RTTY and FT8 on the 160 to 10m bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS.
T88PB will be active from Koror Island, OC-009, until Monday the 19th
of June. He will operate on the HF Bands. QSL via JA0JHQ directly.
Now the contest news
The IARU ATV Contest starts on Saturday the 10th of June at 1200UTC
and ends on Sunday the 11th of June at 1800UTC. Using TV on 432MHz
and up frequencies, the exchange is serial number, four-digit code
and locator.
On Sunday the 11th of June, the 2nd 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs
from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
On Sunday the 11th of June, the Practical Wireless 2m QRP Contest
runs from 0900 to 1600UTC. Using phone and a maximum of 5W on the 2m
band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Tuesday the 13th of June, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from
1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and locator.
This is followed by the 432MHz UK Activity Contest which runs from
1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday the 14th of June, the 80m Club Championship CW Contest
runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is
signal report and serial number.
On Wednesday the 14th of June, the 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour
Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the
exchange is report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the
14th of June, the 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900
to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is report and
four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may
also enter the two-hour contest.
On Thursday the 15th of June, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from
1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
The 50MHz Trophy Contest starts at 1400UTC on Saturday the 17th of
June and ends at 1400UTC on Sunday the 18th of June. Using all modes
on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and
locator.
The All Asian DX Contest starts at 0000UTC on Saturday the 17th of
June and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday the 18th of June. Using CW on the
160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is
signal report and age.
On Sunday the 18th of June, the Worked All Britain 6m Phone Contest
runs from 0800 to 1400UTC. Using phone on the 6m band, the exchange
is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Thursday the 8th of June 2023
Solar activity has remained at low levels over the past few days with
only minor C-class and one M-class flare detected. The majority of
these small flares were produced by active region 3327 in the
southeast quadrant.
But a large number of sunspots means we are at a high risk of M-class
or even higher flares over the next week.
HF conditions for last weekend's Field Day were good and most teams
put in good scores. Sporadic-E wasn't too evident on HF, but there
was plenty of F-layer DX to be had and luckily an anticipated
geomagnetic storm never materialised.
The Kp index remained low for the whole weekend, apart from a brief
excursion to Kp4 late on Sunday evening, which only lasted until the
next three-hourly update.
Next week the Space Weather Prediction Centre thinks the solar flux
index will be in the range of 140 to 155, with 155 coming much later
in the week. We may expect some geomagnetic disturbance over this
weekend, with the Kp index perhaps reaching four on Sunday the 12th.
Looking further ahead, the 18th to the 21st is predicted to be
unsettled with a maximum Kp index of five.
We really are into a period of summer HF propagation now, which is
characterised by lower maximum useable frequencies during daylight
hours, but higher MUFs during night-time.
According to Propquest, night-time MUFs over a 3,000km path are
staying well above 14MHz and even 18MHz all night. You may even find
DX on 21MHz up until midnight. So don't write off the HF bands after
dark as you may get some surprises.
And now the VHF and up propagation news
Sporadic-E produced some remarkable conditions early last week with
50MHz FT8 QSOs made with Australia during the day and afternoon, and
evening openings to the Caribbean, Central, North and South America
on FT8 and CW.
Caribbean signals were still being copied at 2200UTC on some days.
The 5th produced QSOs for many on 70MHz including S01WS [SIERRA
ZERO…] in Western Sahara. We are still in the peak Sporadic-E
season, so it is well worth keeping a check on band activity via the
various clusters or simply listening, particularly in the late
afternoon.
The current weather setup is quite typical for this time of year and
can be remarkably persistent. Although there have been suggestions of
unsettled thundery weather arriving, it may be a brief visit and
rather limited in extent. Some eastern areas stay close to the high
pressure which becomes more dominant again throughout next week.
This means that Tropo will still be a component of the coming week's
propagation, especially along North Sea coasts, although this will
tend to favour northern Britain as the week progresses.
The thundery weather could introduce rain scatter, especially to
southern and western areas, and these storms should be easy to track
in view of the light upper winds.
Recent solar conditions, as detailed in the previous section,
continue to provide propagation variety with chances of aurora plus
the usual mention of random meteor scatter.
Moon declination is still negative until Monday, and, as we are past
perigee, we will have lengthening Moon windows and rising path
losses. 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.
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