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G4TNU > NEWS 24.10.90 22:30l 232 Lines 10979 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 25 Oct 2026
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 25 October 2026
* RSGB opens nominations process for three AGM trophies
* Tonight<at>8 in November
* RSGB VHF and HF contest trophy presentation photos now online
Each year at the RSGB AGM, the Society gives three important trophies
to groups or individuals who have made a significant national or
international contribution to amateur radio. These trophies are: the
Calcutta Key for work associated with international friendship
through amateur radio; the Founders' Cup for outstanding service to
the Society; and the Kenwood Trophy for making a significant
contribution to training and development in amateur radio within the
United Kingdom. This year, the RSGB Board would like to consider an
even wider group of potential recipients when making its decision, so
it is inviting you to suggest who should be considered for the RSGB
2027 AGM trophies. To find out how to make your nomination, simply
complete the form that you will find at the top of the RSGB trophies'
web page at rsgb.org/trophies The deadline for nominations is Monday
the 4th of January 2027.
Are you new to portable operating and unsure how to build a versatile
QRP field radio kit? Or perhaps you are looking for some hints and
tips on efficiency and packing for different conditions. Thomas,
K4SWL will cover this and more on Monday the 2nd of November in the
next RSGB Tonight<at>8 webinar. Thomas will include how to pack for
specific Parks on the Air, Summits on the Air, and Worldwide Flora
and Fauna activations, with a particular emphasis on why summit and
park operations might require different gear considerations despite
similarities. Thomas is a lifelong field operator and will share his
experience, as well as the mishaps and mistakes that taught him the
most. Join the webinar live via the RSGB YouTube channel and special
BATC channel. Find out more at rsgb.org/webinars
The main VHF and HF contest trophy presentations were held at the
RSGB 2026 Convention on Sunday the 11th of October. You can see a
list of the winners and photos on the RSGB website if you go to
rsgb.org/trophies and select ‘Awards photos galleries' from the menu
on the righthand side. During the presentation the prestigious ROTAB
Trophy was awarded to Ian Fugler, G4IIY for outstanding and
consistent DX work. Tracy Land, M7KVC received the G5RP Trophy, which
is given to those who have recently discovered and made significant
progress in HF DXing. The RSGB would like to congratulate Ian, Tracy
and all the winners who received a trophy.
You have less than a week to submit your feedback on the RSGB 2026
Convention. If you attended in person, let the RSGB know what you
enjoyed most about the event by going to rsgb.org/feedback If you
watched the livestream programme, please use the form at
rsgb.org/livestream-feedback Your feedback helps to shape next
year's Convention, and the Society encourages you to take a few
minutes to let them know your highlights. The forms close at the end
of October.
The RSGB was deeply saddened to hear of the death of Trevor Hughes,
G4WKJ. Trevor was a former volunteer at the RSGB National Radio
Centre who was known for his warmth and friendliness. He designed the
hugely popular Snail Morse key, which has been used to introduce
amateur radio to thousands of children. In 2023, Trevor was given the
‘NRC Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award'. A full tribute to
Trevor will follow via rsgb.org/sk
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 British Vintage Wireless Society's Golborne Swapmeet is on
Sunday, the 1st of November at Golborne Parkside Sports and Community
Club, Rivington Avenue, Golborne, Warrington, Cheshire WA3 3HG.
Stallholder entry is from 9.30am. Doors open to the public at 10am.
The event is for BVWS members only. For more information, contact
Mark Ryding at markryding100<at>hotmail.co.uk
The Rochdale and District Amateur Radio Winter Rally is on Saturday,
the 21st of November at St Vincent de Paul's Hall, Norden, Rochdale,
OL12 7QR. Doors open at 10am and admission is GBP 3. Contact Martin
Shore, Treasurer and Rally Organiser, on 07587 709 006 or
email rally.radars<at>hotmail.com
The Bishop Auckland Amateur Radio Club Rally takes place on Sunday,
Spennymoor Co Durham DL16 6DB. For more details, email Bob Dingle at
bdingle<at>hotmail.co.uk
Now the Special Events news
David, G3SKA and team will be operating as GB50PUNK until the 31st of
December to celebrate 50 years of punk rock music. QSOs will be
uploaded to Club Log and eQSL. QSL via the bureau or direct.
The DARC Referat DX Team is operating five special callsigns during
2026. DA100LH, DL100LH and DK100LH celebrate the 100th anniversary of
Lufthansa Airlines while DA100TV and DL100TV mark the centenary of
television in Germany.
DB70DLRS is a special callsign marking the 70th anniversary of DARC's
weekly news broadcast Deutschland-Rundspruch [HRUND-SPRUCK] for
Germany's radio amateurs. Activity is on all bands and modes until
the 31st of December. QSL via DK5ON, Logbook of the World and the
DARC Community Logbook DCL.
Now the DX news
Team 7P8GE will be active from Lesotho until Thursday, the 29th of
October. They are operating CW, SSB and digital modes on the 80 to 10
metre bands with up to five stations. QSL is via DL7UFR, direct or
bureau.
Team S9R will be active from Tamarindos, Sao Tome until Saturday, the
31st of October. They are operating CW, SSB, RTTY and FT8 on the 160
to 6 metre bands with three stations. The team is also active via the
QO-100 satellite.
Jan, DL4XT will be active as 9N7XT from Kathmandu in Nepal until
Saturday, the 31st of October. He is operating CW, SSB and FT8 on
various bands. QSL is via Logbook of the World, Club Log's OQRS and
QRZ.
The Italian DXpedition team is active from Senegal from Wednesday,
the 28th of October until the 9th of November. They will operate CW,
SSB and RTTY as 6W/I2YSB and FT8 as 6W/IK2HKT with five stations on
the 160 to 6 metre bands. Send QSLs direct to I2YSB.
Now the Contest news
The UK Microwave Group EHF Band Contest runs from 0800UTC to 2000UTC
today, the 25th of October. Using all modes on the 76 to 241GHz
bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The RSGB HF FT4 Contest number 10 runs from 2000UTC to 2200UTC
tomorrow, the 26th of October. Using FT4 on the 80m to 10m bands, the
exchange is signal report.
The UKEICC 80m contest takes place on Wednesday, the 28th of October,
between 2000UTC and 2100UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange
is your six-character locator.
The UKEICC DX SSB Contest starts at 1200UTC on Saturday, the 31st of
October and runs until 1200UTC on Sunday, the 1st of November. Using
SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, the exchange is signal report and serial
number. UK/EI entrants add their 2-character UK/EI District Code.
Now the Propagation News, compiled by G0KYA, G4BAO and G3YLA on
Thursday the 22nd of October 2026
Autumnal HF conditions continue to improve with the odd surprise on
the upper HF bands.
With a solar flux around 120, there have been some good HF contacts
to be made via FT8 on 10 metres, including in Australia, China and
Japan, which were all spotted during the afternoon. These openings
have been fleeting but can easily add to your DXCC score.
Conditions have been variable, with a decreasing solar flux index and
periods of geomagnetic disturbance, thanks to emissions from a
coronal hole on the Sun. A Kp index of five or more usually means
lower MUFs and noisier bands.
But the time of year has helped with Autumnal HF conditions being
some of the best. Maximum Usable Frequencies have usually been above
21MHz during daylight hours, with some openings on 24 and 28MHz at
times. If you venture up to 12 or 10 metres, give it some time as
openings may be short and fleeting.
This week, DX to be worked includes YJ0CA in Vanuatu, TZ4AM in Mali,
XX9TXN in Macao, 3DAOGY in Eswatini, S9R in Sao Tome, C5R in The
Gambia and 5W0ZP in Samoa. Many other entities may remain on the air
following the weekend's CQWW SSB Contest.
Also keep an eye on 40 and 80 metres, which should be improving as we
enter late Autumn. Thirty metres, an overlooked band, may be
currently open all night, so it is worth a look.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the SFI will remain around the 95 to
105 mark. Geomagnetic conditions are predicted to be good all week
with a Kp index of two. This may increase to five at the end of the
month, so do your DXing early in the week. As always, keep an eye on
solarham.com as it only takes one solar flare and associated CME to
push the Kp index up.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO.
The middle of last week saw some good daytime rainscatter on 24GHz
for those of us fortunate enough to catch it. More active weather
fronts are likely to bring spells of heavy rain or showers, which
might cause a repeat, so keep an eye on the rain maps if you have
equipment for the 5.7, 10 and 24GHz bands.
The current spell of unsettled weather is likely to run through much
of the coming week and, in typical autumn fashion, some of these
storms will be major lows with strong or potentially damaging winds
for unsecured aerials.
The recent slight enhancements of the Kp index suggest that we should
still keep an eye out for some probably weak auroral activity if the
Kp index goes above five.
On to meteor scatter now and it seems that we have recently seen a
top-up of meteor input due to the peak of the Orionid meteor shower,
which peaked last Wednesday night. That may have helped the 50MHz
Sporadic Es QSOs on the 17th of October for some. QSOs were made on
FT8 into Iberia, Scandinavia and North Africa where 7T5E was active.
Cloudy weather probably made it difficult to see evidence of the
meteors but meteor scatter on the VHF bands may well reveal the extra
activity and hopefully leave some residual meteors for the coming
week.
EME now, and Moon declination is now positive and rising to a maximum
on Thursday the 29th of October. Moon windows lengthen and peak Moon
elevation is rising. Perigee is on Wednesday the 28th when path
losses are at their lowest. 144 MHz sky noise is low, rising to
moderate on the 30th.
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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