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G4FVG > NEWS 23.03.25 10:50l 232 Lines 11229 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News 23 Mar [backup]
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It appears as though the forwarding has been interrupted today,
so here is a backup copy of the [same] RSGB news. This might be
duplicated later via the normal route, but at least two copies are
better than none!
So here is the GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 23rd of March 2025
The news headlines:
* The RSGB launches its new web app
* RSGB Elected Board Director unopposed candidates are announced
* Full details of the RSGB 2025 AGM have been released
The RSGB is excited to give you a first look at its new app! The web
version has just been launched and is a one-stop shop for all RadCom
publications and club newsletters. You can find the web version at
rsgb.org/radcom It gives RSGB members easy access to over ten years
of back issues of RadCom, as well as RadCom Basics and Plus. The
Society will be adding more back issues of RadCom from the archive in
the coming months, making it even more valuable. All you need is your
RSGB membership portal details to access the editions. If you're not
an RSGB member, you can still view a sample edition of RadCom through
the web version of the app. If you like what you see, you can become
an RSGB member via rsgb.org/join which will give you access to the
back issues of RadCom and its sister publications. Watch this space
for news of the release of the RSGB mobile app later this year.
For some roles in the RSGB elections, a single nomination was
received. These include the two vacancies for Elected Board
Directors. Peter Bowyer, G4MJS and Mark Savage, M0XIC will each take
up the role of Board Director at the end of the RSGB AGM on the 12th
of April 2025. Both were interviewed separately to enable RSGB
members to hear their views on the current issues facing amateur
radio and the Society. Their answers were combined into two videos:
the first ‘short' video is just two quick questions, and the second
video is the more in-depth interview. You can watch them both on the
RSGB website and its YouTube channel. For more information about each
of these unopposed candidates, see the April 2025 issue of RadCom or
go to rsgb.org/candidates
The RSGB 2025 AGM will take place at 10am on Saturday the 12th of
April. The event will be held online to ensure that as many members
as possible can watch and take part. The formal business of the
meeting will include the results of members' votes on the resolutions
and details about the election. The RSGB President John McCullagh,
GI4BWM will give a video review of 2024, and the Society will
announce the recipients of its annual awards and trophies, as well as
the winners of its construction competition. You can ask the Board
questions on the day via Zoom or the YouTube live chat, or by
submitting a written question in advance. After the main AGM meeting,
the RSGB is delighted to have a presentation about the Society's
strategy. Led by Board Director Mark Jones, G0MGX, there will also be
contributions from Board Director Ben Lloyd, GW4BML; Spectrum Forum
Chair Murray Niman, G6JYB; and Bob Beebe, GU4YOX who will at that
point be the new RSGB President. Find out more by going to
rsgb.org/agm
Maritime Radio Day 2025 starts at 1200UTC on the 14th of April and
finishes at 2300UTC on the 15th of April. The annual event takes
place to commemorate the almost 100 years of wireless telegraphy
service for seafarers, which ended in the UK with the closure of
Portishead Radio on the 30th of April 2000. This event is a great
opportunity to have a QSO with former Marine Radio Officers and Coast
Station professionals who will be exchanging details of their
previous ships and coast stations. The mode of operation is CW with
all HF bands being used, including WARC. A certificate of
participation will be issued to everyone who submits results. Amateur
licence holders are invited to register to take part as Friends of
Maritime Radio Day. Shortwave listeners may also submit logs. For
more information and to register, go to radioofficers.com/mrd-2025
Amateur Radio Clubs On The Air has launched a new activity for radio
amateurs to promote their club, have some fun and collect points for
an award. All bands and modes may be used including SSB, CW, FM,
RTTY, FT8, FT4 and other digital modes. This is an ongoing award, and
contacts may be claimed from the 23rd of March onwards. You can find
full details on the Leicester Radio Society website at g3lrs.org.uk,
via the G3LRS page at QRZ.com or by emailing arcota<at>g3lrs.org.uk
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 Pencoed [PEN-KOYD] and District Amateur Radio Club Rally is on
Sunday the 30th of March at Sarn and Bryncwils [BRYN-CA-WILS] Social
Club, Bryncoch [BRYN-CORCH] Road, Sarn near Bridgend, CF32 9NY.
Entrance is GBP 2.50. Tables are available at GBP 10 each.
Refreshments will be available. Public access to the event is from
10am, with trader access from 8am. Please contact Ieuan [I-WAN] Jones
via 07791 709 691 for further information.
The Dunstable Downs Radio Club will be holding its Annual National
Amateur Radio Car Boot Sale at the usual venue, Stockwood Park in
Luton, on Sunday the 18th of May. Excluding a break for Covid-19,
this is the 40th consecutive year that the event has been run.
Now the Special Event news
There is still time to work special callsign GB1KBR. Radio amateurs
in Scotland are on the air until the end of March to celebrate the
start of the official handover of the Commonwealth Games Kings Baton
by His Majesty King Charles at Buckingham Palace for the Glasgow 2026
Commonwealth Games. Activity is on HF, SSB, CW and digital modes. QSL
via Logbook of The World, eQSL and QRZ.com An award programme is
available via the HamAward platform. For further information on the
Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games please visit glasgow2026.com
The Polish Amateur Radio Union is celebrating 95 years since its
founding, as well as the centenary of the International Amateur Radio
Union. To mark the occasion, ten special event stations will be
active between the 11th and 25th of April. Full details of the event,
as well as details of available awards, can be found via
Hamaward.cloud
Now the DX news
Heath, VK3TWO is active from Fiji as 3D2TWO until the 27th of March.
The station will be active on the 40 to 10m bands using SSB and FT8.
More information can be found at QRZ.com
Bud, AA3B will again be active from Antigua as V26K between the
25th of March and the 2nd of April. He'll be participating in the
CQWPX SSB contest. Outside of this, Bud will be focusing on mainly
using CW. QSL via home call, Logbook of The World and OQRS.
Aldir, PY1SAD is active again from Georgetown in Guyana [GAI-AA-NUH]
as 8R1TM until the 26th of April. Aldir will be operating on all
bands using CW, SSB, digital and satellite. QSL via eQSL and Logbook
of The World.
Now the contest news
On Tuesday, the 25th of March, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from
1930 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on 2.3 to 10GHz frequencies, the
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday, the 26th of March, the UK and Ireland Contest Club
Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the
exchange is your six-character locator.
On Thursday, the 27th of March, the 80m Club Championship Contest
runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is
signal report and serial number.
The CQ World Wide WPX SSB Contest starts at 0000UTC on Saturday the
29th of March and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday the 30th 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 the 20th of March 2025
Last week was pretty unremarkable from an HF perspective. After the
disturbed geomagnetic conditions on the 12th to the 14th when the Kp
index rose to five, conditions were a little more settled.
The solar flux index hit 204 on the 17th of March but then declined
back to the 180s.
Having said that things were settled, the Kp index did exceed four
for three periods on the 19th, peaking at 4.67. This had the effect
of reducing the MUF over a 3,000km path to 21-24MHz.
We also had two M-class solar flares on the 17th and the 19th, with
the latter causing a coronal mass ejection that may give Earth a
glancing blow around the 22nd of March.
As spring progresses, we may find the F2-layer MUF dropping as we
move to summer ionospheric conditions, perhaps to be replaced by
enhanced sporadic-E conditions on 10 metres instead.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index may drop further,
perhaps hitting 150 on the 28th. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are
forecast for the 25th to the 28th, with a maximum Kp index of five.
As we said last week, this is now a peak period for auroral activity,
given the angle that the Earth makes with the Sun. The
'Russell-McPherron' effect is down to the alignment of the Sun and
Earth around the spring and autumn equinox and means that you are
twice as likely to experience the aurora in spring and autumn than in
winter and summer.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The recent fine weather has provided some useful Tropo. This has been
mainly towards the east and into the near continent, which seemed
like nice timing for the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest last Tuesday
evening.
Despite this, many participants reported conditions as poor. The high
is now moving away and by the time you hear this, it will be a
predominantly low-pressure weather sequence from now on. This means
limited Tropo in the coming week, and rain scatter comes to the fore
as a mode of choice if you have a GHz band set up.
The solar conditions continue to provide a trickle charge of auroral
alerts, but not enough for any significant operating advantage. As
usual the message is to keep on top of things by monitoring the Kp
index for values in excess of 5.
Meteor scatter remains largely in the gift of random meteors, so it's
an early start to catch the pre-dawn peak of random meteors if you
are so persuaded.
Lastly, a mention of Sporadic-E which is still in its close season.
We have a while to wait until later next month when we could expect
the occasional stirrings on 10m.
EME path losses continue to improve until the Moon's perigee (its
closest point to Earth) on the morning of the 30th of March. Moon
declination has been falling, reaching a minimum yesterday, the 22nd.
So again, we have short Moon windows and reducing peak Moon
elevation. 144MHz sky noise started high on Friday the 21st of March
but will drop back to low by the middle of next 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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