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G4APL > NEWS 20.05.18 04:42l 265 Lines 12177 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 20 May 2018
Path: IW8PGT<IR2UBX<F1OYP<ON0AR<GB7CIP
Sent: 180520/0231Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO #:20318 [Caterham Surrey GBR]
From: G4APL@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To : NEWS@EU
GB2RS Main News for Sunday 20th May 2018
[Note to Newsreaders: Please amend your ‘tops and tails' to ask
people to send information to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk, as noted before.
Due to the ongoing illness of a key staff member it has not been
possible to produce Local News this week, for which we apologise.]
The news headlines:
* Grab your R series callsign NOW
* YOTA 2018 team announced
* Guide to Ofcom online licensing portal
There is still just time to get yourself the unique "R" Notice of
Variation that is being used to celebrate this weekend's royal
wedding. All grades of licence can apply; it is valid only from the
19th to the 21st of May. Full details of how to apply for the free
NoV, and how to use it, are online at rsgb.org/rwrsl and you MUST
sort out the NoV BEFORE using the "R".
Congratulations to the young radio amateurs who have been chosen to
represent the UK at YOTA 2018 in South Africa this summer. Peter
Barnes, M0SWN will be the UK team leader, whilst Benjamin Chalmers,
M0NBA, Nathan Prentice, 2I0NTP and Mike Jones, 2E0MLJ will form the
UK team. On their return they will be helping to arrange events to
encourage more young people to get involved in amateur radio.
The February edition of RadCom included a helpful article by Ofcom
about their Licensing Portal, Registration and Revalidation, which
are all on the Ofcom website. The RSGB has now made the article
available on its website as an easy reference for everyone, whether
or not they are an RSGB Member. You can download it directly from
tinyurl.com/GB2RS-0520A
[Note to Newsreaders: the original, full URL is
http://rsgb.org/main/files/2018/04/Ofcom-online-licensingrevalidation.pdf]
As mentioned last week, the RSGB QSL Bureau is attending Dayton
Hamvention® this weekend, meaning the office is unstaffed. This,
plus an expected influx of cards from Dayton will make them very busy
for a while afterwards. All Members, clubs and special event stations
are asked to delay sending any other cards to the Bureau until after
the 3rd of June, to give them a chance to catch up.
We apologise but due to the ongoing serious illness of a key staff
member, plus the scheduled absence of several others, it has not been
possible to prepare Local News this week.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, Sunday, the Sarcom Braehead Radio Electronics Rally is at
Kings Inch Road, Glasgow G51 4BN. Doors open from 10am to 4pm and
entry is GBP 4. Talk-in is available. There will be trade stands, a
Bring & Buy, flea market, special interest groups, an RSGB bookstall
and family attractions. There will be lectures on the day. Catering
and a licensed bar are on site. There will be a raffle. More
information from Andrew Hood, GM7GDE, on 0782 593 2488, or email
radiorally<at>scotlandmail.com.
Also today the 35th Dunstable Downs Radio Club amateur radio car boot
sale takes place at Stockwood Park, London Rd. Farley Hill, Luton
LU1 5PP. All the usual facilities will be there, and further details
are online at www.ddrcbootsale.org
Next Saturday, the 26th, the RADARS Flea Market Indoor Sale takes
place at St Vincent de Paul's, Caldershaw Road, off Edenfield Road,
Norden, Rochdale, OL12 7QR. Doors open to the public at 10.30am, with
disabled visitors gaining access 15 minutes earlier. Admission is
GBP 2.50, with those under 12 years free. For traders it's GBP 5 per
pitch if you have your own tables, otherwise GBP 10. There will be a
Bring & Buy as well as commercial traders and amateur radio sellers.
Refreshments available including bacon and sausage butties. Details
from Robert, M0NVQ, on 0777 811 3333 or email rally<at>radars.me.uk.
Next Sunday the Durham District ARS Radio Rally is at Bowburn
Community Centre, Durham Road, Bowburn, Co. Durham DH6 5AT. Doors
open from 10.10am, with disabled visitors gaining access at 10am.
Admittance is GBP 2. There will be a Bring & Buy sale, trade stands,
special interest groups and an RSGB bookstall, plus catering and a
licensed bar on site. Contact Michael Wright, G7TWX, on
0782 692 4192, or email dadars<at>gmx.com.
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
SV2CLJ will be on the air holiday style in Malta, IOTA reference
EU-023, at the shack of Savas, 9H1AE. Activity will be from the 24th
to the 31st of May on all modes from 80m to 2m. QSL to home call.
II1ITR will be celebrating the 90th anniversary of the so-called Red
Tent, an Italian airship that set out to explore the North Pole.
Beginning on the 25th of May and continuing to the 25th of June, the
plan is to work on all bands and all modes. QSL and other information
is available at QRZ.com.
Thomas, F4HPX will be active as FR/F4HPX from Reunion Island, AF-016,
from the 25th of May to the 15th of June. He will operate on 40, 20
and 15m, mainly SSB and possibly FT8. QSL via home call, Logbook of
the World, eQSL, ClubLog OQRS or QRZ LogBook.
The Canary Islands, AF-004 will be the temporary home of Juan, EA8RM
for the CQ WW WPX CW contest on the 26th and 27th. QSL via EB7DX or
Logbook of the World.
HR9/W1UE, HR9/N2WQ, HR9/K1XM and HR9/KQ1F are presently active from
Roatan Island, Honduras, NA-057. They will operate as HQ9X in the CQ
WW WPX CW Contest on the 26th and 27th, then go back to their
individual calls until the 29th. QSL via home calls, or QSL HQ9X via
KQ1F or Logbook of the World.
The Cayman Islands, NA-016 play host to Frank, K3TRM, who will be
active on HF as ZF2RM throughout the summer months. QSL via home
call.
Members of Far Eastern Group of the Russian Robinson Club, RW0LZ,
R0LZ and UA0LCZ will be active as R0LS/P from Skrebtsov Island,
AS-066, from the 24th to the 28th. They are planning to use 3.507,
7.007, 10.107, 14.017, 18.077, 21.017, 24.897 and 28.017MHz. QSL via
R0LS.
Randy, WW6RG will be active as VQ9RA from Chagos Islands, Diego
Garcia, AF-006, from 23rd to the 24th. He will operate QRP on 14.190
and 21.280MHz SSB. QSL via his home call.
Now the special event news
As noted last week, Cray Valley Radio Society is using the unique
callsign GR9RW until the 23rd to mark the Royal Wedding between HRH
Prince Harry and Ms Megan Markle. Activities will be from HF to UHF
and full details are at www.cvrs.org.
Celebrating the 50th birthday of His Royal Highness Crown Prince
Frederiks of Denmark, the Experimental Danish Radio amateurs
association, or EDR, will operate OZ50HRH/xx and 5P0HRH/xx, plus
OX50HRH and OX5HRH from Greenland. Running from 0000UTC 20 2359UTC on
the 26th of May, they plan to use all bands and modes, including FT
and JT digital. All two-way contacts and SWL reports are valid for
awards; details are on QRZ.com.
On the 26th of May GB4COM will be on the air to mark the open day of
the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection. Details are on QRZ.com.
Now the contest news
The RSGB 144MHz May Contest finishes its 24-hour run at 1200UTC
today, Sunday. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal
report, serial number, locator and postcode.
Also today is the 144MHz Backpackers #1 contest, which runs from
1100UTC to 1500UTC. All modes can be used on the 2m band and the
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The UKuG mm-Wave contest takes place today on all bands from 24-76GHz
from 0900UTC to 1700UTC. All modes can be used, and the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
Tuesday sees the SHF UKAC from 1830UTC to 2230UTC. Using all modes on
the 2.3 to 10GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number
and locator. Note that different bands are in use at different times.
On Thursday the 80m Club Championships takes place on the 3.5MHz band
from 1900UTC to 2030UTC. Using CW only, the exchange is signal report
and serial number.
Next weekend's big event is the CQ WW WPX CW contest. Running from
0000UTC on Saturday the 26th to 2359UTC on Sunday the 27th, this
CW-only event uses all the HF contest bands from 1.8-28MHz. Exchange
a signal report and serial number.
Moving to the other end of the spectrum, the UK Microwave Group High
Band contest takes place next Sunday from 0600UTC to 1800UTC. Using
all modes on the 5.7 to 10GHz bands, signal repost, serial number and
locator forms the exchange.
Finally for next weekend, the 70MHz Cumulative #3 runs from 1400UTC
to 1600UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday 18th of May.
Last week continued with zero sunspots after the 13th and a solar
flux index of around 70. NOAA had forecast poorer geomagnetic
conditions from Thursday the 17th. The solar wind speed, as measured
at the ACE spacecraft, did increase on Thursday morning but the K
index hadn't got above three by Thursday afternoon.
Overall, HF conditions were average with daytime critical frequencies
tending to be in the range 4 to 5MHz. This translates to an F-layer
maximum usable frequency over a 3,000km path of about 15-17MHz. This
means that the most reliable daytime DX band remains 20 metres, 14MHz.
As we move towards more summer-like ionospheric conditions the higher
HF bands are remaining open later. The 30 and sometimes even 20 metre
bands are staying open longer after sunset, although 20m is still
closing by late evening.
Sporadic-E is still bringing some interest to the upper HF bands,
particularly 10 metres, but you can see the short-skip effects down
to 20 meters as well.
The FT8 frequency of 28.074 MHz is now a good first check point for
band openings. The 10m beacons are also worth checking because
SR5TDM, a three watt low-power Polish beacon on 28.215MHz, was
audible during the week. You can find a 10 and 6m beacon list by
searching on the web for G3USF beacons.
Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will remain around 70.
A lack of coronal hole activity means the K index may only reach a
maximum of two.
In summary then, it's more of the same for HF!
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
The charts show a lot of high pressure over the next week and this
means a good chance of some Tropo. The best paths will be over the
surrounding seas, especially the North Sea at first. There may be a
trend for drier air to remove some of the low-level moisture after
this weekend, so paths won't necessarily be good all of the time. The
overnight conditions under high pressure can also produce temporary
nocturnal lifts over land, but these paths tend to decay quickly
after sunrise, when the heating breaks down any surface inversion.
Since it looks like a largely dry spell of weather, there may be a
shortage of rain scatter clouds about for the microwave bands. All is
not lost and there is some hope that Sporadic-E will continue to put
in an appearance now and again. However, one of the main ingredients,
a strong jet stream over Europe, may be hard to find in this fine,
settled weather. This means the fall-back option of upper ridge
patterns may be the trigger to watch. Check the daily Sporadic-Eblogs
on Propquest.co.uk to see the current location of jet streams and
ridges.
The moon is past perigee, but losses are still low and will fall as
the week progresses. Similarly, declination is falling but still in
double figures until Wednesday, so another good week for EME with
moon visibility from late morning through to after midnight most days.
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.
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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