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G4TNU > NEWS 24.12.23 03:01l 259 Lines 13025 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 24 Dec 2023
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 24th of December 2023
The news headlines:
* Examinations and Syllabus Review Group to update syllabus
* The RSGB election process is underway
* Volunteer Youth Country Representatives sought
Season's greetings to all our listeners! Today's GB2RS news script
will be the final one of 2023. Today's news reading is optional, as
the RSGB appreciates that not all newsreaders will be available, but
the script will be on the RGSB website so all can see it. We'd like
to take this opportunity to thank all the newsreaders, who read the
news on a variety of platforms, for their service to their fellow
amateurs throughout the year. We'd also like to remind amateurs that
there has been a long-standing convention to listen for news
broadcasts on Sundays before transmitting, to allow news reading to
go ahead without interference. Thank you to all those who listen on
Sunday mornings, and the other times that the news is read, to those
who call in afterwards to speak to the newsreaders, and to everyone
who listens via various platforms. Please note, there will be no
script prepared for broadcast on Sunday the 31st of December 2023 due
to RSGB HQ being closed from 4.30pm on Friday the 22nd of December
until 8.30am on Tuesday the 2nd of January 2024. Newsreaders may, of
course, choose to run a net at their normal transmission time, but
under their own callsign only.
Following its consultation on proposed changes to the amateur radio
licence, Ofcom has recently published the "General notice of proposal
to vary amateur radio licences". The timescale for putting the
licence changes into effect means that the Examinations and Syllabus
Review Group has been working on the revised syllabus, version 1.6,
in parallel with the Ofcom consultation. To read the full
explanation, and see the draft sections, go to the RSGB website at
rsgb.org/training and choose the ‘Trainer Information' link in the
righthand menu.
The RSGB election process is underway and the closing date for RSGB
Nominated Directors is Wednesday the 3rd of January. In being a
Director, you are responsible for taking strategic decisions that
steer the direction of the Society and provide leadership and
motivation to implement its strategy. If you have the right skills
and attributes that you think can help the Society develop for the
future, then please get in touch. Contact the Nominations Committee
Chair, Bob Beebe, GU4YOX via nomimations.chair<at>rsgb.org.uk On
the RSGB website there is information about the Elected Director and
Regional Representative roles available and the process for standing
for those roles. You can also read an important statement from Don
Beattie G3BJ, former RSGB President and IARU Region 1 Past-President,
in which he outlines what he thinks are the necessary skills for
Board Directors and encourages people to play their part in the
future of the Society. Go to the RSGB website at rsgb.org/election to
find out more.
A reminder now that the RSGB is looking for four licensed radio
amateurs to help raise the profile of wireless communication amongst
young people. Initially, we're looking for RSGB members based in
England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to engage young people
in the hobby. These volunteer Youth Country Representatives will
represent the RSGB at externally organised events and will plan and
deliver outreach activities. If you have plenty of ideas, a passion
for getting young people involved in amateur radio and experience of
running small-scale events, we would be very keen to hear from you.
For full details of these roles, see rsgb.org/volunteers and for an
informal discussion, please email RSGB Board Director, Ben Lloyd,
GW4BML at: gw4bml<at>rsgb.org.uk
If you live in Region 11 you could support your local amateur radio
community by becoming an RSGB District Representative. DR111 covers
Cornwall and the Scillies, whilst DR114 focuses on Dorset. If you
would like to find out more, please contact the Region 11 Regional
Representative, Andrew Jenner, G7KNA. There are also District
Representative vacancies in Region 3 and Region 10 – find out more
on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/volunteers
Two more RSGB Convention presentations will be published on YouTube
over the Christmas holidays. In the first, Nobby Styles, G0VJG
describes the challenging and hazardous DXpedition to Europe's rarest
IOTA location, Rockall Island. The second presentation, by David
Lauder, G0SNO, outlines the RSGB EMC Committee investigations into
sources of RF electrical interference from recent developments in
electronic equipment, including electric vehicle charging. Subscribe
to the RSGB YouTube channel to be notified when these presentations
are available and get ready for some great Christmas viewing! Go to
youtube.com/theRSGB to subscribe.
Youngsters on the Air month is nearly at a close. The month has been
filled with some brilliant activity from young people using special
callsign GB23YOTA. Thank you to everyone who has been involved, from
those who have been supervising young amateurs, to those making
contact on the air. There is more GB23YOTA activity planned before
the end of the year, so please continue to listen out and get
involved. On Friday the 29th of December, M0YTE will be supervising
2E0YOG between 12pm and 6pm. Following this, on Saturday the 30th of
December, Hilderstone Radio Society will be back operating the
special callsign between 12pm and 6pm. If you have been involved with
Youngsters on the Air month and have photos and a short report that
you'd like to share, there will be a special feature in the March
issue of RadCom. Email radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk by the 21st of January.
And now for details of rallies and events
The Sparkford Wireless Group Tabletop Rally, in aid of the RAIBC,
will take place on Thursday the 28th of December from 9.30am to 1pm.
The event will be held at Davis Hall, Howell Hill, West Camel near
Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 7QX. Entry is GBP 3 and free parking and
refreshments will be available. For more information, email Bob via
wjh069<at>gmail.com
The Lincoln Short Wave Club Winter Radio Rally will take place on
Sunday the 28th of January at The Festival Hall, Caistor Road, Market
Rasen, LN8 3HT. The doors will be open from 9am and admission is
GBP 2. Ample free car parking and hot refreshments will be available.
Tables cost GBP 10 each. At 2pm, after the Rally, there will be a
used equipment auction. Items for the auction will be booked in from
1pm. Contact Steve, M5ZZZ for tables and details via
m5zzz<at>outlook.com or 07777 699 069.
Now the Special Event News
Once again, Santa Radio, OF9X will be active until the 31st of
December on all amateur radio bands using CW, SSB and FT8. QSL via
Club Log's OQRS, or via OH2BH. The activity is organised by the Radio
Club of Pusula [POOH-SUH-LA], OH9W and Radio Arcala, OH8X.
Listen out for members of Denby Dale Amateur Radio Society who are
celebrating the festive period with a series of special callsigns
including GB0HNY. For more information visit QRZ.com
Look for special callsign PC100II
[PAPA-CHARLIE-ONE-ZERO-ZERO-INDIA-INDIA] which is active throughout
December to celebrate the centenary of the third two-way contact
between Europe and America conducted by Henk Jesse, PCII
[PAPA-CHARLIE-INDIA-INDIA] in the Netherlands, and 2AGB in the USA
during the night of the 26th and 27th of December 1923. QSL via Club
Log's OQRS, Logbook of the World, or via PA1AW.
Now the DX news
Moise, F4EZG is active as 5R8VE from the main island of Madagascar,
AF-013, until the 3rd of January 2024. He is operating using SSB and
FT8 on the 20 to 10m bands. QSL via F4EZG, Logbook of the World and
eQSL.
Now the contest news
On Tuesday the 26th, the 50MHz Christmas Contest will take place
between 1400 and 1600UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also on Tuesday the 26th, the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club Christmas
Contest runs from 0830 to 1100UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 80 and 40m
bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number. German
stations also send their district or non-member code.
It's not a contest but the Worked All Britain Christmas Party runs
from Tuesday the 26th of December to Saturday the 6th of January.
Using all bands and modes, the exchange is your Worked All Britain
book number.
On Wednesday the 27th, the 70MHz Christmas Contest will take place
between 1400 and 1600UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Thursday the 28th, the 144MHz Christmas Contest will take place
between 1400 and 1600UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Friday the 29th, the 432MHz Christmas Contest will take place
between 1400 and 1600UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Thursday the 21st of December 2023
We filed last week's GB2RS propagation report and, shortly after, we
had the biggest X-ray solar flare event this cycle!
This just shows how hard it is to predict solar activity and why
long-term HF predictions are problematic. Anyway, back to the solar
flare which occurred at 1702UTC on the 14th of December. This was an
X2.8 event that was also responsible for a coronal mass ejection.
Luckily, the Sun had already set in the UK but if, you were working
the USA, Caribbean or South America on HF, you may have found the
path suddenly disrupted. If that did happen to you, please let us
know.
The full halo coronal mass ejection, or CME, that followed headed
mostly to the west, although a glancing blow was predicted to hit us
on the 15th or 16th of December. It eventually hit late on the 17th
of December, pushing the Kp index to six on the morning of the 18th
of December. HF conditions remained fairly unsettled after that.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will be in the 140
to 150 range again and that the Kp index will be no more than two.
However, that geomagnetic prediction may be wishful thinking. There
are a lot of sunspots at the moment and active region 3529 may be a
strong candidate for flare and CME action over the coming week.
So, our message is: work the DX when you can and don't ignore the
lower bands, such as 40, 80 and 160 metres, which may offer some good
DX at night in the middle of winter.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The weather pattern over the Christmas period is set up as a teaser
between very mild, and cold enough for some wintry weather. However,
it probably won't be cold enough – except in the north – to get
too excited before the 25th.
To set the scene and give you a chance to ‘roll your own forecasts'
in view of the long lead time for this forecast, the atmosphere is
part way through its normal transition from summer-time Atlantic jet
streams over Iceland to winter jet streams over the Mediterranean.
We are currently in the middle, and this puts the main jet stream
path across the British Isles. It will produce alternating periods of
mild and cold weather – very difficult to pin down even a few days
ahead, let alone into the New Year!
What we can get from this, in terms of propagation, is a good chance
of the meandering jet stream being able to invoke a mid-winter
Sporadic-E event for some of us. However, the times are less
predictable than in the summer, so just keep a listen out on the 10m
and 6m bands for activity, it would be a shame to miss any.
Tropo has done well over the last weekend, so a large high to the
south of the UK, over the continent, is worth looking out for and
especially paths south to Iberia or east to the Baltic.
Lastly, look out for the lesser modes of scatter from rain or
meteors, which will continue to be a random option, as well as the
potential for aurora.
For EME operators, Moon declination is positive and rising, reaching
a maximum on Boxing Day. Path losses are rising to a maximum on New
Year's Day. 144MHz sky noise is moderate all week.
Finally, a big thank you from the propagation team for the 'fine
business' effort you all put into getting on the bands to explore and
report these exciting propagation modes… Merry Christmas!
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. There will be no broadcast for
next Sunday (31st December). 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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