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G4APL > NEWS 13.05.17 23:37l 261 Lines 11929 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 14 May 2017
Path: IW8PGT<IZ3LSV<F1OYP<ON0AR<GB7CIP
Sent: 170513/2225Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO #:43480 [Caterham Surrey GBR]
From: G4APL@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To : NEWS@EU
GB2RS Main News for Sunday 14th May 2017
The news headlines:
* RSGB Strategy now online
* KH4 and KH7K back on DXCC list
* Latest 5MHz Newsletter available
The RSGB's new strategy for the next five years was launched at the
2017 AGM, following a detailed consultation with the Board, Regional
Council, Committee Chairs, Honorary Officers and HQ staff, as well as
the wider RSGB Membership and amateur radio community. You can read
the synopsis and the strategy narrative on the RSGB website via
tinyurl.com/GB2RS-0514A Each committee will be working to set goals
for 2018 based on this new strategy and the Board will report back to
Members over the next few months.
[Note to Newsreaders: the full URL is
http://rsgb.org/main/about-us/board-of-directors/rsgb-strategy/]
On 31 March this year, the DXCC desk announced the deletion of Midway
Island and Kure Island from the DXCC entities list. After further
review, the two entities, KH4 and KH7K, will return to the DXCC list
as separate entities. See www.arrl.org/news for full details
The latest edition of The 5MHz Newsletter is now available for free
pdf download from the RSGB 5MHz page, accessible via
tinyurl.com/GB2RS-0514B This bumper edition includes 14 new
allocations, European 60m availability, 5MHz from a ‘postage-stamp'
garden, a report on the Blue Ham 2 exercise and beacon news.
[Note to Newsreaders: the full URL of the RSGB 5MHz page is
http://rsgb.org/main/operating/band-plans/hf/5mhz/]
The International Amateur Radio Union has approved a proposal to
admit a new representative of the radio amateurs of Belize to IARU
membership. As of the 9th of May, the deadline for voting, 77
member-societies had voted in favour of admitting the Belize Amateur
Radio Club, with none opposed. There were no abstentions. An
affirmative votes of 55 member-societies were required for approval.
Beacon EI0SIX is now on the air from Enniskerry in County Wicklow.
Its operating frequency is 50.005MHz. You should set your dial on USB
to 50.004.2MHz and listen for tones using PI4 software, available
free from the OZ2M website. The beacon transmit period is the first
60 seconds of every 5 minute time slot. CW is towards the end of the
period.
On the evening of the 19th and 20th of May, Bletchley Park is joining
Museums at Night, a UK-wide festival of late night openings in
museums and galleries. Running from 5 to 9pm you can explore the
grounds, codebreaking huts and Mansion house as the daylight fades,
just as workers would have done during World War Two. There will be
the option to join one of the special guided tours that will give you
a deeper insight into the history of the Park and add to the
atmosphere of the evening. See the website at
www.bletchleypark.org.uk for more information.
If you are lucky enough to be going to the Dayton Hamvention next
weekend, take a QSL card with you. The Hamvention is borrowing a
tradition from Friedrichshafen, Germany's Ham Radio event, and there
will be a QSL wall in Building 1 where visitors can tack up their QSL
cards for all to see.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The 36th Lough Erne ARC rally takes place today, the 14th of May, at
the Share Centre, Smiths Strand, Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh BT92 0JZ.
Doors open at 11.30am. There will be trade stands, a Bring & Buy and
an RSGB bookstand. Catering is available on site. Details from Mark
Mullaney, EI4HDB, by email to ei4hdb<at>gmail.com.
Next weekend the Dayton Hamvention takes place on the 19th to 21st at
a new venue, the Greene County Fair & Exposition Center, Xenia,
Dayton, USA. Doors open at 8am. There will be trade stands and a huge
flea market as well as special interest groups and an RSGB bookstall.
See www.hamvention.org for information.
On Saturday the 20th the Rochdale & District ARS Flea Market and
Indoor Sale takes place at St Vincent de Paul's, Caldershaw Road,
Norden, Rochdale OL12 7QR. Doors open at 10.30am, with disabled
visitors gaining access 15 minutes earlier. Admission is GBP 2.50,
with those under 12 years free. There will be a Bring & Buy as well
as commercial traders, a junk stall and amateur radio sellers.
Traders can set up from 8am. There will be refreshments available
including bacon and sausage butties. Details from Dave, G3RIK by
email to rally<at>radars.me.uk
The Moray Firth ARS Surplus Equipment Sale takes place on Saturday
the 20th at the Forces Reserve Centre, Edgar Road, Elgin IV30 6YQ.
Doors open 12 noon and entry is GBP 2 for buyers. Tables cost GBP 3
and access is available at 10am for set up. Refreshments are
available on site. A raffle will be held. Details from Victor, 2M0JVR
on 01343 820 489.
The 34th Dunstable Downs RC Annual National Amateur Radio Car Boot
Sale takes place at Stockwood Park, London Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
LU1 4LX in Luton on Sunday the 21st of May. Entry is GBP 3, including
car park fee. All the usual facilities will be there. See
www.ddrcbootsale.org for details.
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
Krish, W4VKU and Pai are planning another VU7 activity holiday style
from the 15th to the 19th of May. Operating as VU2VKU and VU2PAI
respectively, they will have two complete stations with KPA500
amplifiers and verticals by the beach.
Tom, KC0W will be active as 8R1/KC0W from Guyana until the 8th of
June. He will operate CW only on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via KC0W
direct only and logsearch on Club Log. He does not use Logbook of The
World.
Walter, DL3LBP will be on the air as DL3LBP/p from Helgoland Island,
IOTA reference EU-127, until the 21st of May. QSL via DL3LBP either
direct or via the bureau, Logbook of The World and eQSL.
Three operators will be active as HD2RRC/4 from Salango Island,
SA-033, and as HD2RRC/p from Puna Island, SA-034 between the 21st and
the 30th of May. They will mainly be on 40, 30 and 20 metres. QSL via
Club Log OQRS, or via RZ3FW.
JI5RPT/1 and JI5USJ/1 will be on the air from Shikine Island, AS-008,
on the 20th and 21st of May. They will operate CW, RTTY and PSK31 on
the HF bands and 6 metres. QSL via their home callsigns.
Now the special event news
Burton Amateur Radio Club will be taking part in Mills on the Air
today, the 14th, from Claymills Pumping Station, operating as GB3NFC
on 40m, 20m and 2m FM and SSB.
South Essex Amateur Radio Society will operate from Rayleigh
Windmill, Bellingham Lane, Rayleigh, Essex SS6 7ED today, the 14th,
from 10am to 4pm.
GB2SMP will be on the air today from Solihull Mill Pool, Solihull,
for Mills on the Air.
Worthing and District Amateur Radio Club and High Salvington Mill
Trust will be activating High Salvington Windmill for Mills on the
Air 2017 under the callsign GB0HSM. The station will be operating
today, when the Mill and grounds will also be opening to the visiting
public.
GB5RAF will be active on Saturday the 20th of May at the Carew
Cheriton Control Tower, on the site of a former RAF airfield. Members
of the Pembrokeshire Radio Society will be operating HF and VHF at
the Carew Cheriton Mil-Fest a festival of ex-military equipment and
nostalgia, open to the public from 10.30am.
Now the contest news
Today, the 14th the 70MHz CW contest runs from 0900 to 1200UTC. The
exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and postcode.
The Worked All Britain 40m phone contest takes place today, the 14th
of May, from 1000 to 1400UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial
number and WAB square. Entries need to be with the contest manager by
the 4th of June. Full details are at www.worked-all-britain.org.uk
On Tuesday the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC.
Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and
locator.
On Thursday there are three contests. The 70MHz FM Activity Contest
runs from 1800 to 1900UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator. This is followed by the 70MHz UK Activity Contest
from 1900 to 2130UTC. Again the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator. Also starting at 1900 but only running to 2030UTC
is the 80m Club Championships. This leg is CW only and the exchange
is signal report and serial number.
Next weekend the 144MHz May Contest runs from 1400 on the 20th to
1400UTC on the 21st. Using all modes the exchange is signal report,
serial number, locator and postcode.
On Sunday the 21st, the 144MHz Backpackers contest runs from 100 to
1500UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number
and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday the 12th of May
Last week the solar surface was pretty much bare, other than a tiny
speck of a sunspot at mid latitude. This sent the solar flux index
down below 70 – the first time it has been there for some time.
Given that it never drops much below about 66, even at sunspot
minimum, this gives you an idea of how little sunspot activity there
is. Luckily, the low solar flux index was coupled with better
geomagnetic conditions, with the K index never worse than three and
often zero.
The more settled conditions meant the ionosphere had time to recover
and there was DX to be had. Dick, GU4CHY reported he worked all
continents, including many strong Japanese stations, on 20m around
2030UTC on the 10th. Don't forget that 20 metres will be staying open
longer as we head into summer, and the band may even remain open late
into the night by June and July.
Next week NOAA predicts the solar flux index will increase, perhaps
up 80. Unfortunately, this will be accompanied by poor geomagnetic
conditions at times due to the return of a recurrent coronal hole.
The K index could rise to four or five midweek.
Sporadic-E may offer some respite. Don't forget that it can affect
all HF bands, not just 28MHz. Martin, MW0CND in Swansea was very loud
in East Anglia last week on 40m CW during daytime on an otherwise
flat band as a Sporadic-E cloud formed over the UK.
And now the VHF and up propagation news
It looks like a week of unsettled weather is coming up as we had some
locally heavy rainfall at the end of last week, extending into this
weekend. But as we progress through the week high pressure begins to
appear, initially in the south of Britain.
As next week draws to a close, the trend in several models is for a
larger high to develop west of Ireland and slowly move east to be
over the country by the weekend. Therefore, there is an increasing
chance of Tropo developing later in the week.
Sporadic-E deserves a mention too, since there have been some
openings already and now through to August represents good hunting
for those elusive QSOs on 10m, 6m, 4m and 2m. Check the beacons and
clusters as usual, with late morning and late afternoon being the
best times.
This is a good VHF/UHF set of options for most regions this next
week, although typically the far north of Scotland does seem to be on
the northern fringe of any Tropo.
Moon declination is negative all this week, so there are short moon
windows for EME. Last Friday the moon was at apogee – its furthest
point away from Earth – so losses are still high, but falling 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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