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G4TNU > NEWS 01.12.24 02:30l 275 Lines 13344 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 01 Dec 2024
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 1st of December
The news headlines:
* Join the final 2024 RSGB Tonight<at>8 live webinar
* Update on the RSGB strategic priority of spectrum and
licensing
* RSGB HF Contest Committee announces changes to contests in
2025
The final RSGB Tonight<at>8 webinar of 2024 is being broadcast
tomorrow, Monday the 2nd of December. Join Tim Hier [Higher], G5TM
for a talk on the various HF antennas available for portable
operating. He'll also discuss how to use very basic modelling
software to ascertain the choices you have at your disposal. Tim will
look at topics ranging from balancing the convenience of multi-band
systems with some trade-off in performance, to looking at using 40
metres portable. He'll also look at how to power your station and the
advantages of operating HF portable. Tim is the RSGB RadCom Basics
Editor so he will also highlight content in that publication that
viewers will find helpful. Watch the webinar live on the RSGB YouTube
channel or special BATC channel and ask questions via the live chat.
To find out more go to the RSGB website at rsgb.org/webinars
The RSGB has taken the next steps to support its strategic focus on
spectrum and licensing. The Society is now formally engaged on work
for the 2027 and 2031 ITU World Radiocommunication Conferences. The
RSGB has introduced a new special focus page on WRC-27 and WRC-31
which you can find via rsgb.org/wrc-27 This page includes topics
such as 6G telecoms and satellites, wireless power, space weather,
and lunar communications. Supporting a new WRC-31 opportunity, the
RSGB is also grateful to Chris Whitmarsh, G0FDZ and Roger Ray, G8CUB
for a great overview of amateur innovation above 275GHz. You can read
this on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/terahertz
The RSGB HF Contest Committee has announced some changes to its HF
contests for 2025. These cover the FT4 Series, the 1.8MHz Contests,
the Commonwealth Contest, Field Day registration and also
self-spotting. For full details go to rsgbcc.org/hf
Youngsters on the Air Month begins today and Marlborough Scout Group
will be the first team of youngsters to operate. They are on the air
up until midday today, and then again after 6pm. Also operating today
is the Cambridge University Wireless Society, which is hosting the
callsign GB24YOTA between 12pm and 6pm. Listen out for the group
again on Friday the 6th and Saturday the 7th of December. Other
operators this week include Wick High School Radio Club on Monday,
the RSGB National Radio Centre's GB3RS station on Tuesday,
Sandringham School on Wednesday and Thurso Scouts on Friday. Go to
QRZ.com and search for GB24YOTA to view the full schedule and
operating times. If you'd like to host the callsign, you've still got
time. Visit rsgb.org/yota-month to find out more and then email
Jamie, M0SDV at yota.month<at>rsgb.org.uk to register your
interest.
Don't forget that if you want to take an exam online at home, the
last date you can do that this year is Friday the 20th of December.
Exams will resume on Monday the 6th of January 2025 and the booking
system will be available over the festive season so you can book
exams for January onwards. Book online on the RSGB website at
rsgb.org/exampay
The next in the series of 145 Alive events is taking place on Sunday
the 26th of January 2025. The organisers are looking for volunteer
Net Controllers to help cover as many Maidenhead squares in the UK as
possible. Whether you've been a Net Controller before or not, the
team would love to hear from you. Find out more about the events by
visiting the 145 Alive Facebook Group. To volunteer, send your
intended individual, group or club callsign and your intended
location and Maidenhead square to masenville<at>gmail.com
The weekly shortwave broadcast from the Deutsche [Doit-sher] Amateur
Radio Club, or D.A.R.C [D-A-R-C] as it is also known, will be aired
from Woofferton in England for the first time from January 2025. The
broadcast will be made from an existing BBC broadcasting complex that
is operated by the subsidiary company Encompass Media, where there is
a total of ten transmitters and just as many antennas. The station in
Austria that is currently used by the Club is ceasing its shortwave
operations at the end of December this year. Thanks to successful
negotiations, the first programme will be broadcast from Woofferton
on Sunday the 5th of January 2025 on the previously used frequency of
9670kHz. Full details of how to access Radio D.A.R.C [D-A-R-C] are on
the Club's website via darc.de
Please send details of all your news and events to
radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk The deadline for submissions is 10am on
Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.
And now for details of rallies and events
The Wiltshire Radio Winter Rally is taking place today, Sunday the
1st of December, at Kington Langley Village Hall in Kington Langley,
located just off Junction 17 of the M4. Doors open at 9am and close
at 1pm. Admission is GBP 3. Indoor tables are GBP 10. Car boot
pitches are GBP 10 for a car-size pitch and GBP 15 for a van-size
pitch. Hot and cold refreshments will be available on site. For more
information email Chairman<at>Chippenhamradio.club
The Mid-Devon Amateur Radio and Electronics Fair is on Sunday the 8th
of December at Winkleigh Sports and Recreation Centre. Doors are open
from 9am to 1pm. Entry is GBP 3 per person and there is no charge for
partners and under 16s. Free parking and Wi-Fi is available, as well
as hot food and refreshments. The cost for traders is GBP 5 per 6ft
frontage with tables supplied. Booking in advance is recommended.
Mains electricity is also available on request. Traders are asked to
pre-book as soon as possible. Please contact Phil, G6DLJ via
07990 563147 or email wrg2024<at>hotmail.com
The Sparkford Radio Rally is on Sunday the 29th of December at Davis
Hall, Howell Hill, West Camel, near Yeovil. Doors are open to traders
from 7.30am and from 9.30am to the general public. Admission is
GBP 2. Refreshments and free parking will be available. For more
information, please contact Luke via 07870 168197 or email
m3vhv<at>hotmail.co.uk
Now the Special Event news
Ian Astley, M0IAA will be operating as GB1WH on Wednesday the 11th of
December. The special event station is being run to support and
promote the excellent work done by Wakefield Hospice. To make a
donation to the hospice or to hear more from Ian, visit QRZ.com
The Humber Fortress DX Amateur Radio Club will once again be running
the special callsign GB0MC between the 1st and 26th of December. The
‘MC' in the callsign stands for Merry Christmas. The Club would
like to invite everyone to call in and give them a hearty "HoHoHo"
and tell them what radio equipment you would like from Santa this
year. The Club will also be livestreaming on its YouTube Channel.
OR100LGE is the special callsign in use by members of the Liege Radio
Club, ON5VL to celebrate its 100th anniversary. The station is
active until the end of the year on the 160 to 6m bands using CW,
SSB, FT8 and FT4. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL or via ON6YH.
QSOs will also be uploaded to Club Log.
Now the DX news
The 9L5A team, part of the F6KOP Club, is active from Sierra Leone
until the 8th of December. The members will operate on the 160 to 6m
bands and QO-100. QSL via F5GSJ, Logbook of the World or ClubLog OQRS.
The A35GC Team is currently active from Tonga until Friday the 6th of
December. The IOTA reference is OC-049. The members will operate on
the 160 to 6m bands, using CW, SSB, FT4, FT8 and RTTY. QSL via LZ1GC,
Logbook of the World or ClubLog OQRS.
The TO9W Team is active again from Saint Martin Island until the 13th
of December. The IOTA reference is NA-105. The members will operate
on the 160 to 10m bands, with a focus on the 40, 80 and 160m bands.
QSL via W9ILY, Logbook of the World or ClubLog OQRS.
Now the contest news
The UK Six Metre Group Winter Marathon started at 0000UTC today and
ends at 2359UTC on Friday the 31st of January 2025. Using all modes
on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report and locator.
On Tuesday, the 3rd of December, the RSGB 144MHz FM Activity Contest
runs from 1900 to 1955UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
Also on Tuesday, the 3rd of December, the RSGB 144MHz UK Activity
Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band,
the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday, the 4th of December, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity
four-hour contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m
band, the exchange is report and four-character locator.
Also on Wednesday, the 4th of December, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity
two-hour contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band,
the exchange is report and four-character locator. Stations entering
the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest.
The ARRL 160m Contest starts at 2200UTC on Friday the 6th of December
and ends at 1600UTC on Sunday the 7th of December. Using CW on the
160m band, the exchange is signal report for UK stations. US and
Canadian stations will also send their ARRL or RAC section number.
On Sunday the 8th of December, the RSGB 144MHz AFS Contest runs from
1000 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Thursday the 28th of November 2024.
Last weekend's CQWW CW contest was a reminder of just how good HF
propagation can be near sunspot maximum.
The whole world was workable on the contest bands up to 10 metres,
including the Far East, Australasia, the Caribbean and South America.
It was a great opportunity to increase your DXCC total and have fun
at the same time.
This week's solar flux index crept back above 200 again, peaking at
225 as this report was being prepared. Geomagnetic conditions have
been surprisingly good over the past seven days with a peak Kp index
of 3.67 on the 24th of November.
There have been no X-class solar flares, but there has been a total
of 13 M-class and 54 minor C-class flares over the past seven days.
There have been coronal mass ejections, notably on the 25th of
November, but they have not been Earth-directed as of the 28th.
So, to summarise, HF conditions have been pretty good.
We are now entering the Winter period for HF propagation, which tends
to favour the low bands. So 160m, 80m and 40m come into their own and
night-time DXing becomes the norm. Look for greyline openings to the
west at sunrise on 80m and 160m, and also short, but good, openings
on 40m in the late afternoon.
Nighttime may bring good DX on 80m and 40m, including the Caribbean
and South America.
NOAA predicts that the SFI will remain in the low 200s next week, and
while geomagnetic conditions are forecast to be good at first, the Kp
index may rise to four on the 4th to 6th of December. This could
result in reduced MUFs until the Kp index recovers.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The unsettled theme continues through most of the next week or two.
The only signs of slightly enhanced prospects for Tropo are as we
close this week, and even that is restricted to some eastern areas
for paths across the North Sea.
A second option may temporarily appear around the middle of the
coming week as a weak high crosses southern areas, but this one looks
to be a cold high and probably not so good as a vehicle for Tropo.
The meteor scatter prospects are aided by the last throes of the
Leonids which fade away by this weekend, and the Orionids which
peaked on Thursday the 28th of November, but last through the coming
week.
The unsettled weather should offer some useful GHz bands rain or snow
scatter, since there will be several active weather systems around.
This early in the winter is a great time for strong shower activity
around the still relatively warmer seas.
The auroral prospects are worth checking after recent activity. Look
for watery-sounding signals on the LF bands as a good clue along with
Kp index values greater than four.
Last week saw some fleeting signs of Sporadic E on the Dourbes
ionosonde graphs on propquest.co.uk, especially on Monday the 25th of
November. This occurred typically around the middle of the day and
was probably driven by the very strong jet stream and the current
meteor activity.
The Moon's declination is negative, reaching minus 28 degrees on
Monday and we are close to eclipse on Sunday. That's followed by two
days of high 144MHz sky noise, so with path losses still high, EME
operators should probably take the opportunity to check their
antennas after last week's gale.
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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