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G4APL > NEWS 12.03.17 00:59l 262 Lines 12367 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 12 Mar 2017
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 12th March 2017
The news headlines:
* New video blog uploaded
* Talk to Cadets in Exercise Blue Ham
* Latest news on RSGB AGM
The RSGB has just launched its first video blog, or vlog, to share
what is happening behind the scenes in preparation for YOTA 2017, the
amateur radio youth event planned for the summer. It features the
Youth Committee Chair, Mike Jones, 2E0MLJ. Look out for more vlogs in
the coming weeks, where you will hear from other people involved in
making this international event a reality. Go to
www.youtube.com/theRSGB
The Cadet signals exercise known as Exercise Blue Ham is due to take
place on 5MHz on the 18th and 19th of March, then again on the 25th
and 26th. Not only will they be speaking to other Cadet groups, they
welcome calls from amateurs too – but only make contact on amateur
licensed frequencies. Full details are at
http://alphacharlie.org.uk/exercise-blue-ham
The 90th RSGB AGM will be held at the Angel Hotel, Castle St, Cardiff
CF10 1SZ on Saturday the 22nd of April, commencing at 12 noon.
Arrangements have been made for Members who are unable to attend the
AGM to cast their votes by proxy. Details of this are at
www.rsgb.org/AGM2017. Whilst the RSGB encourages Members to vote
electronically using the details on the website, if you require a
postal vote please call HQ on 01234 832 702. Votes must be received
before 12 noon on Thursday 20 April 2017. At the AGM, lunch will be
provided free of charge for Members who notify their attendance in
advance. Please register using the form on the website at
www/rsgb.org/attendagm
The next episode of the UK's only TV show dedicated to all things
radio, TX Factor, is released on the 17th of March. Go to
www.txfactor.co.uk for details. Factor is sponsored by the RSGB and
Martin Lynch & Sons. In amongst the item on Episode 15, Bob discovers
the fun to be had remotely controlling his Icom IC-7300 over the
internet using Icom's proprietary software interface and shows you
how to set it up. The IC-7300 was reviewed in the August 2016 RadCom.
Mike and Bob meet two youngsters who are passionate about amateur
radio and find out how they are making more people, both young and
old, aware of the delights of our hobby. TX Factor is available to
stream to your phone, tablet, computer or smart TV.
With the significant increase in numbers of 70cm digital voice
repeaters that have inputs at the low end of the band, the ETCC have
been reminded to highlight the power restrictions that apply to
430-432MHz. The maximum peak envelope power in this part of the band
is 40W effective radiated power for Full and Intermediate Licensees
and 10W ERP for Foundation licensees. Given that many modern mobiles
can run 50W or more to high gain collinear aerials it is very easy to
exceed these levels so please take care to keep your power to the
minimum required and certainly never above the limits mandated in
your licence.
The talk Being the DX, QRP by Dominic Baines, M1KTA is the latest
2016 RSGB Convention lecture available for members to view via the
new video portal at www.rsgb.org/video. It joins Contesting from
VY2ZM on Prince Edward Island by Jeff Briggs, VY2ZM; Developments in
IOTA, update on electronic QSLing and the future by Roger Ballister,
G3KMA and Advances in amateur television by Noel Matthews, G8GTZ.
Following a request from the RSGB, Ofcom has kindly agreed an
increased power level of 50 watts ERP for new 146-147MHz Notice of
Variation applications. The band is only available to holders of a
Full Licence and all other NoV terms remain unchanged, including
antenna height and geographical restrictions. New applicants or
existing NoV holders can use the online application system at
www.rsgb.org/nov to get the new NoV free of charge.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The Dover Radio Club Rally takes place today, the 12th of March, at
Whitfield Village Hall, Sandwich Road, Manley Close, Whitfield, near
Dover CT163LY, Talk in will be on GB3KS. Doors open from 10am to 2pm
and entry is GBP 2. The auction starts at 12.30pm. More details from
Aaron, 2E0FQR on 0771 465 4267.
Due to a clerical error the Grantham Radio and Electronics Rally is
incorrectly listed in RadCom as being in May. We apologise for the
confusion and confirm that the Grantham rally is, in fact, today, the
12th of March, at the Grantham West Community Centre, Trent Road,
Grantham, Lincs NG31 7XQ. There is car parking and disabled
facilities at the venue. Doors open 9am and entry is GBP 3. There
will be trade stands, special interest groups and an RSGB bookstall.
Catering is available on site. Kevin, G6SSN on 07793 142 483 has more
information.
On Saturday the 18th of March the Laugharne Radio Rally will be held
at the Millennium Memorial Hall, Clifton Street, Laugharne SA33 4QG.
Doors open from 10am to 1pm, with disabled admission 15 minutes
early. Entry is GBP 3. Details from Matthew, GW6KOA on 0199 4427 581.
On Sunday the 19th, the 32nd Wythall Radio Club Rally is at Wythall
Park, Silver Street, B47 6LZ. Parking is available on site. Doors
open at 10am, with disabled visitors gaining access at 9.30am. Entry
is GBP 4. There will be a Bring & Buy, a RSGB bookstall as well as
lectures. Catering will be available on site. Contact Mike, on
0797 674 4479.
If you have any rally or event information you'd like to appear in
future editions of GB2RS News, in RadCom and on the RSGB website,
please email full details to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
S21GM and S21KW will be on the air from Bangladesh between the 15th
and the 27th of March. Using the 160 to 10m bands, the team will
operate CW, SSB and RTTY.
The F6KOP expedition team will be in the Ivory Coast signing TU7C
until the 19th of March. They will be active on all HF bands CW, SSB
and digital. QSL via F1ULQ or the Web page OQRS.
A multinational team will travel to Niger and activate 5U5R until the
20th of March. They will be on all bands from 160 to 10m on SSB, CW
and RTTY. QSL to EA5RM.
The EI DX Group will be signing 9N7EI from Nepal until the 20th of
March.
Now the special event news
The Beacon Museum, Whitehaven will host a variety of special events
today, the 12th of March, to support the local charity of Samaritans
of West Cumbria. In addition to the scheduled beacon exhibits on
display, members of the RSGB will operate GB1SWC. As well as live
tracking of the International Space Station and interactive
demonstrations such as a Morse code game, there will be sending and
receiving of television pictures and digital information over radio
waves. More information is on QRZ.com.
Foyle & District ARC will be operating GB5SPD on the 17th of March
between 9am and 6pm from 159 Victoria Road, Bready, Strabane, Co
Tyrone BT82 0DZ. More details from Philip, MI0MSO on 07849 025 760.
Grey Point Fort ARS will operate a St Patrick's Day Award station on
the 16th to the 18th of March from 10am to 6pm. Check out the website
stpatrickaward.webs.com for details.
West Tyrone ARC will operate GB1SPD on the 17th of March between 9am
and 5pm from the Ulster American Folk Park, 2 Mellon Road, Omagh
BT78 5QU. More from Philip, MI0MSO on 078 4902 5760.
Look for special event station II0CXX to be active until the 31st of
May on Saturdays during the Collins Collectors Association of Europe
Net, at 1000UTC on 7165kHz. This activity is in remembrance of the
30th anniversary of the passing of Arthur A Collins, W0CXX, founder
of the Collins Radio Company, who became a Silent Key in 1987. QSL
via IK0IXI only direct: no bureau and no eQSL.
Now the contest news
The 80th Commonwealth Contest ends its 24 hour run at 1000UTC today,
the 12th. Using CW only on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is
signal report and serial number. HQ stations also send HQ.
Today, the 12th, the second 70MHz Cumulative contest takes place from
1000 to 1200UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
The Worked All Britain 3.5MHz Phone Contest takes place today, the
12th of March, from 1800 to 2200UTC. The exchange is signal report,
serial number and WAB square. Entries need to be with the contest
manager by the 2nd of April. Full details of the rules and log sheets
may be obtained from the WAB website www.worked-all-britain.org.uk or
from the contest manager Tony Beardsley, G3XKT, by email to
aebbooks<at>ntlworld.com.
On Tuesday from 1900 to 2000UTC the 432MHz FM Activity Contest takes
place. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Then
between 2000 and 2230UTC it's the 432MHz UK Activity Contest. Using
all modes on the band the exchange is signal report serial number and
locator.
On Wednesday the 80m Club Championships runs from 2000 to 2130UTC.
Using CW only, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
On Thursday from 1900 to 2000UTC the 70MHz FM Activity Contest takes
place. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Following that, from 2000 to 2230UTC, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest
takes place. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The BARTG HF RTTY Contest runs from 0200UTC on the 18th to 0200UTC on
the 20th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands the exchange is signal report,
serial number and time.
From 1200UTC on the 18th to 1200UTC on the 19th the Russian DX
contest uses CW and SSB only. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz bands, the
exchange is signal report and serial number, with Russian stations
sending their Oblast code.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday the 10th of March
In the last report we said the ongoing disturbed geomagnetic
conditions may have settled, with a predicted K index of two.
Unfortunately, this didn't happen as early as expected and the
beginning of the week saw a K index up as high as five. This had an
adverse effect on maximum useable frequencies, with a very unsettled
ionosphere. Daytime MUFs seldom allowed the bands much higher than 20
metres to be used. This was also not helped by an absence of sunspots.
The slightly better news is that on Thursday a look at the sun in
extreme UV light showed there were no earth-facing coronal holes on
the sun's equator, although there are some around its poles. This
means that we can hope for a few days of lower K indices this
weekend, and hopefully more settled HF conditions for the
Commonwealth Contest.
NOAA predicts the solar flux index will be in the mid 70s next week.
To put this in perspective, the solar flux index never gets below 65
at sunspot minimum, so conditions are not good. NOAA also predicts
conditions may be geomagnetically unsettled again from mid week, with
a potential maximum K index of five either Wednesday or Thursday. So
look for better DX conditions at the beginning of the week, and then
the potential for a pre-auroral opening on the upper bands just as
the K index rises, although this is harder to predict.
And now the VHF and up propagation news
It looks like the early part of this week could bring some Tropo over
the South and Central part of the UK, extending in to the North Sea
up to Norway, so keep an eye on the bands and put out some CQ calls
to generate interest. There is the possibility of VHF auroral
activity mid week if the K index rises as predicted.
The winter minimum in meteor activity continues until the April
Lyrids, so stick to the best time for random meteor scatter contacts,
around dawn, when the earth is rotating into the flux of meteoric
particles.
The Moon's declination goes negative on Monday so Moon windows are
shortening. The Moon is also heading out to apogee next Sunday so
losses will be high and increasing as the week progresses.
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 gb2rs<at>rsgb.org.uk to arrive by
10:00 on the Thursday before transmission.
--
g4apl@gb7cip.ampr.org g4apl@gb7cip.#32.gbr.euro
http://www.theskywaves.net http://gb7cip.ampr.org
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