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G4APL > NEWS 10.06.18 09:24l 312 Lines 14143 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 10 June 2018
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From: G4APL@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 10th June 2018
The news headlines:
* South Africans get 100kHz on 60m
* UK prepares for WRC-19
* Why not chase the HuMPs Excluding Marilyns Award?
The South African regulator, ICASA, recently published their 2018
National Radio Frequency Plan. In this, amateur radio was allocated
100kHz on a shared basis in the 60 metre band. 5.350 to 5.450MHz is
now available to all licensed radio amateurs on a shared,
non-interference basis, with a power limit of 15W EIRP. The South
African Radio League Council is working on the 60m band plan and will
publish it as soon as possible so operation on 60 metres can start.
Additionally, 5.290MHz has been allocated for WSPR beacons used in
the SARL Propagation Research project.
As the next World Radio Conference approaches in 2019, Ofcom has
launched a consultation regarding its positions and priorities on a
range of Agenda Items. These include next generation 5G wireless
broadband and Wi-Fi, small satellites, amateur radio at 50MHz and
wireless power transfer. The Society's response will be coordinated
by the RSGB Spectrum Forum, where views can be fed in via its members
and affiliated groups. You can find details at tinyurl.com/GB2RS-0610A
[Note for Newsreaders: the original, full URL is
www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-1/uk-preparatio
ns-wrc-19]
A new, and some might say oddly named SOTA-like awards programme has
been launched to encourage chasing and activating a subtly different
kind of summit. HEMA, the HuMPs Excluding Marilyns Award, is for
summits or hilltops that have a prominence between 100 and 150
metres. The HEMA Activity Day is Saturday the 16th of June. Most
activity will take place between 1000UTC and 1400UTC. Chasers and
activators can get awards; it's not a contest, but rather a bit of
fun to get people operating portable. Further information is at
www.hema.org.uk
The Chelsea Pensioners Radio Club, with permanent special event
callsign GB4CP, will be on the air on the 12th, 19th and 26th of June
from 4pm to 6pm. They will mainly be setting up chats on 2m FM, but
also on 20m where possible. Visits may now be arranged, in advance
only, which will include a tour of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, and a
visit their radio shack. For more information email
m0inu.cprc<at>gmail.com
The National Media & Infocommunications Authority of Hungary has
updated its National Frequency Allocation Table. This, among other
changes, initiates the WRC-15 60m allocation of 5351.5 to 5366.5kHz,
with 15W EIRP maximum power. This replaces special 3-month permits
that were discontinued in 2017.
The RSGB has released another 2017 Convention presentation into its
online video portal. In his presentation SDR – the station of the
future, John Linford, G3WGV looks at what software defined radio
offers us as radio amateurs and what our stations might look like in
a few years' time. SDR is as much a disruptive technology as were the
advent of semiconductors or synthesisers. It is said that in five
years it will no longer be possible to buy a new radio that is not
SDR based. The presentation is available via www.rsgb.org/videos
Services from GB3MCB, GB3NC, GB3HB and GB3NQ are liable to
interruption next Saturday. Weather permitting, the Mid Cornwall
Beacon and Repeater Group will be undertaking maintenance work on the
mast.
The RSGB has now drafted in some additional effort to help produce
GB2RS Local News, which is included in this week's broadcast and is
expected to continue for the foreseeable future. We apologise for the
interruption in service, caused by the ongoing illness of a key staff
member. Please send your GB2RS and RadCom information to
radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk, not to any other email address. As of Thursday
the 7th of June we believe we were up to date with all incoming news,
so if you haven't had a reply to something sent before then, please
re-send it to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, Sunday the 10th sees the East Suffolk Wireless Revival, also
known as the Ipswich Radio Rally, at Kirton Recreation Ground, Back
Road, Kirton IP10 0PW. The site is just off the A14 and there is free
car parking. Doors open at 9.30am and entry is GBP 2. There will be
trade stands, car boot sale, Bring and Buy, special interests groups,
HF station GB4SWR on the air and an RSGB bookstall. Catering is
available on site. Contact Kevin, G8MXV, on
0771 004 6846 [www.eswr.org.uk].
Also today the Junction 28 Rally takes place at Bowls Hall, Alfreton
Leisure Centre, Alfreton, Derbyshire. For details, contact Anya
Lawrence on 01246 456 625 or email adylawri<at>btinternet.com.
Next Sunday the West of England Radio Rally takes place at the Cheese
& Grain, Market Yard, Bridge St, Frome, Somerset BA11 1BE. This
fifteenth occurrence of the event will see inside & outside traders,
free car parking, disabled access, a café, plus an RSGB bookstall.
Open from 10am to 2pm, admission is GBP 3, with accompanied under 14s
free. Details from Shaun, G8VPG, on 01225 873 098.
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 from 425 DX News and other sources
MD/ON6KX is on the air from the Isle of Man, IOTA reference EU-116,
marking the TT Races. He will also be activating Snaefell, GD-001.
See QRZ.com for more information.
Pasi, OH3WS will be active as OJ0W from Market Reef, EU-053, until
the 16th He will operate on HF bands using CW and SSB. QSL via his
home call.
Kyle Chavis, WA4PGM will be active as VP9/WA4PGM from the Bermuda
Islands, NA-005, until the 16th. He will operate on 160 to 6m, mostly
CW, including activity in ARRL VHF Contest. QSL via home call direct,
or LOTW.
Walter, HB9XBG will be active from Bora Bora Island, OC-067, as
FO/HB9XBG until the 17th. Activity will be 20m SSB. QSL via his home
call.
Grenada Island, NA-024 will play host to Nobby, G0VJG, probably
operating as J3/G0VJG, from the 13th to the 27th. He will be on HF
and 6m using SSB. QSL via G4DFI.
David, W9DR will be active from Turks and Caicos Islands, NA-003,
from the 13th to the 25th as VP5/W9DR. He will operate on 6m only, CW
and SSB, using a SDR transceiver, 1kW and a 5-element Yagi. He will
beacon on 50.115MHz. QSL via home call, direct only.
Waldi, SP7IDX will be active on 40 to 10m in SSB and digimodes from
Vannoya Island, EU-046, until the 20th as LA/SP7IDX. QSL via home
call direct, bureau, or LOTW.
Now the special event news
Next weekend sees Museums on the Air, with somewhere in the region of
fifty stations active in the UK and around the world. A list of
registered stations can be found at
www.radio-amateur-events.org/IMW/stations.htm and examples include
GB4GLM from Gloucester Life Museum, GB2MOF from the Museum of Flight,
East Fortune, GB3PIT at the Lancashire mining Museum and GB2NCM at
National Coalmining museum in Wakefield.
Marking the 200th anniversary of the founding of Miamisburg, Ohio,
Mound Amateur Radio Association will put W8M on the air at various
times from the 13th to the 27th.
VE2SPEED is on the air until the 15th. Using mainly 3.525, 7.020,
14.030 and 14.340MHz, a special QSL card is available.
Saturday the 16th is ARRL Kids Day, an event designed to promote
Amateur Radio to young people Running from 1800UTC to 2359UTC, listen
out for stations calling CQ Kids Day. The suggested initial exchange
is name, age, location and favourite colour. Frequencies in use
are around 3.84, 7.28, 14.85, 18.14 21.38, 24.97 and 28.375MHz. More
details are on the ARRL website, arrl.org
As mentioned in the last couple of week's main news, there are a
large number of special event stations on the air worldwide
celebrating FIFA World Cup 2018. Many awards are available and
details are at www.rsgb.org/fwc
If you're planning a special event station, please remember to send
advance publicity to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk – we are very happy to
help publicise your event, for free, but unless you tell us about it
we can't help.
Now the contest news
The IARU ATV contest ends its run at 1800 today, Sunday. Using all
forms of TV on all bands above 400MHz, the exchange is P-grade,
serial number, your chosen 4-digit onscreen code, and your locator.
Participation in this one can be relatively quiet so if you have any
ATV gear it's well worth digging it out; people have won sections
with as little as a single contact.
The 144MHz Backpackers #2 contest takes place today from 0900UTC to
1300UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, signal report, serial number
and locator forms the exchange.
Also starting today at 0900UTC, but finishing later at 1600UTC, is
the PW 2m QRP contest. Using all modes on the 144MHz band, with a
maximum power of 5W, the exchange is signal report, serial number and
locator.
Finally for this weekend, the UK Microwave Group millimetre-wave
contest runs from 0900UTC to 1700UTC. Using all modes on the 24 to
248GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and
locator.
On Tuesday it's the 433MHz UKAC, running from 1900UTC to 2130UTC.
Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
Wednesday sees the 80m Club Championships from 1900UTC to 2030UTC.
Using CW only, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
The 4m band gets an airing on Thursday, with the 70MHz FMAC running
from 1800UTC to 1900UTC, FM only, then the 70MHz UKAC running from
1900UTC to 2130UTC. That uses all modes on the 4m band. The exchange
for both is signal report, serial number and locator.
Next weekend the All Asian DX contest runs for 48 hours from 0000UTC
Saturday to 2359UTC Sunday. This CW-only event uses all the HF
contest bands from 1.8 to 30MHz and the exchange is serial number
plus the operator's age.
Sunday is busy on 6m, with the WAB 6m Phone contest running from
0800UTC to 1400UTC. Using phone on the 50MHz band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and WAB square.
Commencing at 0900UTC and running to 1200UTC, the 50MHz CW contest
has an exchange of signal report, serial number and locator.
Finally for next weekend, Sunday's 70MHz Cumulative #4 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 8th of June.
Despite poor geomagnetic conditions, HF propagation for last
weekend's National Field Day was actually better than we forecast.
Norfolk Amateur Radio Club even managed to contact New Zealand via
the F layer on 40 metres. NFD was no doubt helped by Sporadic-E,
which gave good propagation to Europe on most bands.
Speaking of Sporadic-E, there were some excellent openings on 10
metres earlier last week. Some of them were very short skip indeed,
with reports of UK stations working the Netherlands and even the
Orkney Islands.
If you haven't been on 10 metres this season please do. In one
morning a whole host of low power 5 watt beacons were audible from
Austria, Italy, Germany, Belgium and Poland, along with FM repeaters
from Switzerland, Poland and Germany. The rest of the band was full
of CW, SSB and FT8 signals. This rather showed that you can have
Sporadic-E openings despite a high-speed solar wind.
Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will remain around 70
again, but geomagnetic conditions will likely be more settled than
last week due to a lack of substantial Earth-facing coronal holes.
The most reliable HF band for F-layer propagation remains 20 metres,
with occasional 17 metre openings. But all the bands from 40 metres
to 10 metres are benefiting from Sporadic-E and short skip this month
so don't miss out.
There have also been some reports of multi-hop Sporadic-E, which can
take your signal even further afield, but more of that in the VHF
section.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
It has been a classic first week of June for Sporadic-E, with CW, SSB
and digital VHF QSOs to the Americas, although it has tailed off a
bit now. Sporadic-E has been good so far this month so continue
checking every day, mid-morning and late afternoon, or early evening
if your time is limited.
The weather patterns remain much the same into the first part of next
week, but with the addition of a few showers, possibly thundery in
the south particularly. This could be good for rain scatter on the
microwave bands.
There will be a change from the more settled high-pressure weather
after midweek with Atlantic lows starting to roll in once again.
These should bring some stronger jet streams into western Europe,
especially towards the Pyrenees, perhaps boosting Sporadic-E into
Spain and the central Mediterranean.
Tropo has also been a feature recently and will continue to provide
for a while as high pressure remains close by over northern Britain.
Sea paths have performed well and this will remain the case with
paths across the North Sea once again proving a good route into
Europe.
The first half of June is also one of the best periods of the year
for meteor scatter. Last week, two broad-peak showers coincided, so
look for meteor scatter in between the Sporadic-E openings.
The moon's declination is positive and rising to a maximum and with
perigee on Thursday, a good week for EME. Only on Wednesday, when the
Moon and the sun are very close will Sun noise be a problem.
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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