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G4APL > NEWS 18.03.18 05:36l 271 Lines 12983 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 18 Mar 2018
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Sent: 180318/0331Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO #:12942 [Caterham Surrey GBR]
From: G4APL@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To : NEWS@EU
GB2RS Main News for Sunday 18th March 2018
The news headlines:
* First individual amateurs in Tunisia
* Nearly 100k QSOs for Z60A
* New exhibition at Bletchley Park
The first individually-licenced amateurs in Tunisia are now able to
get on the air. Of the ten people who passed the first exam, five
were able to attend a special ceremony to receive their documents
personally. President of the National Frequencies Agency, Ashraf
Chaabane and the amateur radio committee president Mehdi Hmem spoke
about the hard work of all involved. Starting from a decree, a
dossier was established and exams were developed. The RSGB's sister
organisation in Tunisia, ARAT, was instrumental to making all of this
happen and helping drive the process of getting individuals on the
air. You can learn more at http://amateurradiointunisia.org
Before shutting down on the 12th of March, Z60A in Kosovo had logged
98,450 contacts during its celebratory operations to hand out a new
one to the madding crowd. The 30-day-long initial activation of the
newest DXCC entity encountered 30,541 individual callsigns in 174
DXCC entities. Mission Goodwill Kosovo expressed appreciation to the
28 operators from various countries near and far who turned out to
handle the pileups. The Z60A logs will shortly be uploaded to Logbook
of The World (LoTW) and QSL cards will be printed soon.
Opening on 24 March, a new, permanent exhibition at Bletchley Park
will tell the story of the Bombe machines that helped break the
Enigma code in the actual location that housed the machines. Hut 11A:
The Bombe Breakthrough explains in detail the challenges posed by
Enigma and explores how Alan Turing, Gordon Welchman and others
devised a machine to help solve it. Details are at
www.bletchleypark.org.uk
John Mattocks, G4TEQ, the Chair of the RSGB Planning Advisory
Committee, has written a response on behalf of the Committee to the
Law Commission review of Planning Law in Wales. The response can be
seen on the RSGB website, via tinyurl.com/GB2RS-0318A
[Note to Newsreaders: The original, full URL is
http://rsgb.org/main/blog/pa-committee-papers/2018/03/06/rsgb-planning
-advisory-committee-response-to-law-commission-review-of-planning-law-
in-wales/]
A 3U CubeSat, HuskySat-1, is planned for launch later this year. It
will fly with the ELaNA XXIV mission to a high inclination low earth
orbit. HuskySat-1 will host a 30kHz wide 2m to 70cm linear
transponder, and also send high-rate telemetry on 24GHz. The majority
of the systems, including a pulsed plasma thruster, are being
developed in a modular form by an interdisciplinary team at the
University of Washington.
The next Train the Trainers course is in St Neots on Saturday 16
June, hosted by the Huntingdonshire Amateur Radio Society. The course
runs from 9am to 4.30pm. To book a place contact Mervyn Foster,
G4KLE, via email to g4kle<at>nordicwalkingcambridgeshire.com
A new RSGB video, Tips & Tricks for New and Existing Trainers, has
just been launched. It shows the RSGB 2017 Convention talk by Derek
Hughes, G7LFC and Alison Hughes, M6COV. They introduce the Train the
Trainers course, its contents and also some of the people who have
either been on the course or hosted one. See for yourself why this
course has excellent reviews from those who attend. You'll find it at
the RSGB online video portal, www.rsgb.org/videos, which has recently
been expanded and now hosts over 80 videos to browse in one
easy-to-find place.
At the Laugharne Radio Rally next Saturday there will be a series of
talks about getting started on 10GHz. Places are strictly limited so
advance booking is recommended. Details are on the Events page of the
UK Microwave Group at www.microwavers.org
We know that GB2RS News is widely appreciated, but we were amazed to
learn that last weekend Steve, M5BXB reported hearing M0MBD's 2m
GB2RS broadcast from in Hainault, Essex via his remote station in the
Canary Islands. Newsreader Dave De La Haye, M0MBD says it's not
unusual for the odd French station to pop up and say hello when
propagation allows, and last December Johan, ON3POJ called in when he
was taking signal reports. Dave would like to thank everyone who
gives signal reports after GB2RS broadcasts, as it really does show
that people are listening – and not always where you think they
might be!
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
We start with an apology to Dunstable Downs Radio Club, whose rally
date appears incorrectly in the April edition of RadCom. It will
actually take place on Sunday the 20th of May at Stockwood Park in
Luton.
Today, the 18th of March, the Hack Green Bunker Rally will take place
at Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, French Lane, Hack Green,
Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 8AL. This will be a sale of electronic
equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio items and vehicle
spares. Doors open 10am and there will be refreshments available
onsite. Contact 01270 623 353, for more information.
Next Saturday, the 24th, the Laugharne Radio Rally and Microwave
Symposium takes place at the Millennium Memorial Hall, Clifton
Street, Laugharne SA33 4QG. Doors open at 10am, with disabled
visitors gaining access at 9.45. Entry is GBP 3. Details from
Matthew, on 07936 152 846.
Next Sunday, the 25th, the Callington Radio Rally is at Callington
Town Hall, Callington, Cornwall PL17 7BD. There is ample adjacent
free parking. Doors open at 10am and admittance is GBP 2. There will
be a Bring & Buy and trade stands, and catering is available on site.
The rally organised jointly by the Devon & Cornwall Repeater Group
and Callington Amateur Radio Society. More information from Roger on
0785 408 8882.
Also next Sunday the Wythall Radio Club Hamfest takes place at
Wythall House, Silver Street, Wythall B47 6LZ. Free on-site parking
is available. Doors open at 10am, with access for disabled visitors
from approximately 9.30am. Admission is GBP 4.50. There will be four
separate halls of traders, including club stands and a Bring & Buy.
Information from Ian Reeve on 01386 839 655.
Finally for next weekend, on Sunday the 25th the Causeway Coast Glens
ARC Radio Rally is at Bushmills Community Centre, 14 Dunluce Road
BT57 8QG. There is on-site parking and on-site disabled parking.
Doors open from 11am to 4pm, with disabled guests gaining access at
10.45am. Admittance is GBP 3. Light refreshments will be available
including tea, coffee, sausage rolls and sandwiches. There will be a
Bring & Buy, RSGB Book Stall and trade stands. Contact Stevie Morrow,
MI0ULK, on 0754 492 3956.
To get your rally or event information into GB2RS News, RadCom and on
the RSGB website, email details as early as possible to
radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
The Tifariti Gang is on the air as TN5R from the Republic of the
Congo until Monday. Activity is from Top Band to 10 metres on SSB, CW
and RTTY. See www.dxfriends.com/tn5r for logsearch, OQRS and more.
Mike, OE6MBG plans to be active holiday style as FG/OE6MBG from
Guadeloupe, IOTA reference NA-102, until the 20th of March. He will
operate mainly SSB and CW with a focus on 80 and 40 metres, plus
possibly 10 metres for Europe. QSL via Logbook of the World.
Members of the EIDX Group will be active as 7Q7EI from Malawi from
the 21st of March to the 3rd of April. They will operate on 160 to
10m using CW, SSB and RTTY. They particularly plan to be active in
the CQ WW WPX SSB Contest next weekend. QSL via M0OXO direct, OQRS or
Logbook of the World.
Now the special event news
Special Event Station news for April did not arrive in time to be
included in the printed edition of RadCom, but the information can
now be found on the RSGB website via tinyurl.com/SES-0418
M0TRJ will be operating GB60OT until next Sunday as part of the Radio
Amateur Old Timers' Association diamond jubilee celebrations. QSL via
the bureau or e-qsl.
Marking the 203rd anniversary of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, N4H
will be on 20m and 40m SSB next Saturday, the 24th. Times are planned
to be from 1500UTC to 2300UTC.
K0SEK will be on the air next weekend from Pittsburg on the 24th and
25th from 1400UTC to 2300UTC. Using 7.242, 14.250 and 18.140MHz, this
is the first of seven special event stations celebrating the history
of mining in south east Kansas. See www.sekarc.net/p/sek-mining.html
for certificate and QSL information.
Now the contest news
The Russian DX Contest concludes at 1200UTC today. Using CW and SSB
on the 1.8 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is signal report and
serial number. Russian stations also send their Oblast code.
The BARTG HF RTTY Contest is running this weekend, ending at 0200UTC
on Monday the 19th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the
exchange is signal report, serial number and time.
On Tuesday the 1.3GHz UKAC takes place from 2000UTC to 2230UTC. Using
all modes on the 23cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
Thursday sees the 80m Club Championships from 2000UTC to 2130UTC.
Using SSB only on the 3.5MHz band, the exchange is signal report and
serial number.
Next weekend the CQWW WPX SSB contest runs from 0000UTC on Saturday
to 2359UTC on Sunday. Using SSB only on the 1.8 to 28MHz contest
bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday 16th March.
The Commonwealth Contest, held last weekend, proved an ideal
opportunity for UK stations to work some choice DX without the
massive pile-ups you might get in other contests. Despite a large,
elongated coronal hole on the Sun triggering a geomagnetic storm on
the night of the ninth, there was still HF DX to be had, including
Singapore, Mauritius, the Cayman Islands, Zambia and much more. Poor
HF conditions meant that 20 metres was mainly the highest DX band of
choice, but there was also plenty worked on 40 and 80m.
Geomagnetic disturbances continue to plague us. The equinox times are
more prone to the solar wind coupling into the Earth's magnetic
field, due to something called the Russell-McPherron effect. Stronger
magnetic storms tend to occur in March and September as the Bz
interplanetary magnetic field is more likely to point southwards and
couple with the Earth, resulting in auroral conditions. On a more
positive note, with more and more daylight every week, 80m is now
staying open longer into the evening, as is 20 metres.
Next week NOAA predicts the solar flux index will be around 70 to 72,
but poor geomagnetic conditions with a predicted K index of five are
forecast for this weekend, and perhaps again around the 21st and
22nd. When geomagnetic conditions are more settled the maximum usable
frequency over a 3,000km path often just exceeds 21MHz. But when the
K index rises this is often depressed to around 14MHz.
Don't forget that March is a good month for working North-South paths
on the higher bands, say 18 and 21MHz, while East-West paths can be
better on 14MHz and below.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
It'll be windy and unsettled at first this weekend as a taste of
winter returns, but there is some hope of a more traditional piece of
VHF weather coming along as we move into the next week. The high
pressure will begin to make its presence felt over the Highlands this
weekend and then drift southwards, giving all areas of the country a
chance to enjoy some Tropo enhancements. By the end of next week low
pressure will start to bring a return of unsettled weather. Other
propagation modes are possible, but the high pressure developing
means any snow showers may not have a great vertical extent, so might
not be particularly suitable for microwave rain scatter.
We are getting closer to the new Sporadic-E season, but this usually
makes its first appearance well to the south across the
Mediterranean, say between Cyprus and the Balkans or from Spain to
Italy, as we move into April. We are still in the annual period of no
meteor showers until the return of the Lyrids on April 22nd. The best
time for random meteor scatter QSOs is in the early mornings as the
Earth is rotating in to the flux of random meteors.
The Moon's declination goes positive today and losses will fall all
week meaning improved EME conditions 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.
Our thanks to Andy G4TNU for providing this RSGB feed.
--
g4apl@gb7cip.ampr.org g4apl@gb7cip.#32.gbr.euro
http://www.theskywaves.net http://gb7cip.ampr.org
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