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G4APL > NEWS 22.07.18 05:44l 260 Lines 11876 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 22 July 2018
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Sent: 180722/0231Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO #:30109 [Caterham Surrey GBR]
From: G4APL@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To : NEWS@EU
GB2RS Main News for Sunday 22nd July 2018
The news headlines:
* WRTC 2018 results
* Amateur innovation thrives
* New CubeSats reach ISS
Last weekend's World Radiosport Team Championship ended with a win
for Lithuanian amateurs Gedas Lucinskas, LY9A and Mindis Jukna, LY4L,
who scored nearly 5.7 million points from 5139 QSOs. The runners-up
were Germans Manfred Wolf, DJ5MW and Stefan von Baltz, DL1IAO, who
scored nearly 5.3 million points from just under 5000 QSOs. In all,
the 63 two-person teams made well over a quarter of a million
contacts and scored a total of over 250 million points over the
24-hour contest period. Congratulations to all who took part. A
detailed report on the Championships is at www.wrtc2018.de/en
The August RadCom includes an editorial that shows how innovation is
alive and well in the amateur radio community. There are now
unprecedented opportunities for experimentation, with, for example
software defined radio dongles available for under GBP 10, dual band
transceivers for GBP 20, and much more. The options to dabble, hack
and innovate have never been wider. The RSGB believes we may be at
the dawn of a new era of amateur research and innovation. If you
haven't seen the editorial, you can read it in the Strategy section
of the RSGB website, accessible via tinyurl.com/RC-editorials
[Note for Newsreaders: the original URL is
https://rsgb.org/main/about-us/rsgb-strategy/radcom-editorials/]
Three new CubeSats have been taken to the International Space Station
for deployment in August. The satellites, known as MAYA-1, BHUTAN-1
and UiTMSAT-1 were built in Japan by students from Malaysia, Bhutan,
and the Philippines. Collectively known as the BIRDS-2 constellation,
the CubeSats will transmit a CW beacon on 437.375MHz throughout their
six month life. Each is also equipped with an APRS digipeater on
145.825MHz and two cameras for earth observation. more details on the
project are online at http://birds2.birds-project.com/
Nigel Barker, M0HZR was recently appointed the new RSGB Examination
Standards Manager. His interest in radio was sparked when, early on
in his career, he spent two years working in an electronics workshop.
Over the years he has always held technical roles, and is currently
responsible for the server infrastructure of a major UK
qualifications awarding body. He has been an invigilator at many RSGB
examinations and is particularly interested in the part IT can play
in supporting the amateur radio community.
The 2018 RSGB Examinations Standards Committee report has been
released. It discusses the UK amateur radio exams system in detail,
including pass statistics, ongoing work on the administrative system
and comments on the question bank, among many other topics. The
report can be freely downloaded from the RSGB website via
tinyurl.com/GB2RS-0722a
[Note for Newsreaders: the original URL is
https://thersgb.org/publications/committees/esc/2018/2018-may-annual-r
eport-of-the-rsgb-examination-standards-committee.pdf]
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The Finningley Amateur Radio Society Rally takes place today at The
Hurst Communications Centre, Belton Road, Sandtoft, Doncaster
DN8 5SX. There is free parking and the doors open at 10.30am.
Admission is GBP 3. There is a large traders' area, inside and out,
with everything from microwave components to QRP. Hot food and drinks
are available all day. For ease of access it's all on one level.
Contact Kevin, G3AAF on 0783 161 4640.
Also today, the McMichael Rally is at Reading Rugby Football Club,
Holme Park Farm Lane, Sonning Lane, Sonning-on-Thames, Reading
RG4 6ST. Talk-in will be on S22 and parking is free. Doors open at
9.30am and admission is GBP 3. Tables and car boot spaces are GBP 10.
There will be trade stands and special interest groups. Catering and
a licensed bar will be available on site. Due to venue rules, no dogs
are allowed other than assistance dogs. Details from Andy on
0777 594 0016.
Next Sunday, the 29th, the Chippenham & DARC rally, electronics fair
& car boot sale takes place at Kington Langley Village Hall & fields,
Church Road, Kington Langley SN15 5NJ. Doors open at 9am, of 8.30 for
disabled visitors. Admission is GBP 2. There will be a car boot sale,
catering, flea market, special interest groups, talk-in and trade
stands. Sellers pay GBP 10 per pitch, or the same per indoor table,
and can set up from 7am. Details form Brian Tanner, G6HUI, on
0772 224 2741.
Also next Sunday, the Horncastle amateur radio rally takes place at
Horncastle Youth Centre, Willow Close, Cagthorpe, Horncastle LN9 6DZ.
It's all on one level, making it suitable for people with mobility
problems. Hot food & drinks are available and there is room for
traders outside. Entry remains GBP 2. The RSGB bookstall will be in
attendance. Details from Tony, G3ZPU, on 01507 527 835.
To get your event into RadCom and GB2RS, send details as early as
possible to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk.
And now the DX news from 425 DX News and other sources
Many DXpeditions will be on the air leading up to and during next
weekend's RSGB IOTA Contest. One list of announced operations is at
www.ng3k.com/Misc/iota2018.html. It contains details of some 80
DXpeditions around the world. A lot of infrequently activated
locations will be on the air, so even if you're not taking part in
the contest it's a great chance to log some rare ones. Here are just
a few examples of what's going on.
YV7MAY will be on the air from Margarita, IOTA reference SA-012,
running low power to Yagis on 40 to 10m.
SV9/I3MDU will be on Crete, EU-015.
MM0JTV/1 will be on Barra, EU-010, running low power.
A high power multi-op station will be on Malta, EU-023, calling
9H6YB. Operators will be G3XSV, G3TXF and G4AXX, who will start
operating from the 25th as 9H3XSV, 9H3TKF and 9H3AXX.
EJ6KP is another multi-op DXpedition, this time by G3SHF, G0SYP,
M0DCG, M1PTR and EI6KP, operating form Aranmore, EU-121.
Operating from the 21st to the 29th, WB8YJF/4 will be on the air from
Ocracoke, NA-067.
Karel, OK2ZI will be active as 3B8/OK2ZI from Pointe aux Sables,
Mauritius Island, IOTA AF-041, from the 26th July to the 4th of
August. He will operate on 160 to 10m, CW, SSB and digital modes. QSL
via home call, ClubLog OQRS or LOTW.
Christian, M0UPL will be active as D44EK from Sal Island, AF-086,
from the 23rd July to the 7th August. He will be using SSB on all the
HF bands. QSL via his home call.
Now the special event news
Fort Purbrook ARC will be operating GB1PF, celebrating the Palmerston
Forts. They will be at Fort Purbrook from the 29th to the 29th,
working most bands from 80 to 2m, voice, CW and PSK.
W0WIT will mark the Winnebago Grand National Rally in Forest City,
Idaho. Operating from the 22nd to the 26th, from 1300UTC to 0400UTC,
DX activity is planned on 7.265MHz and 14.268MHz.
The 77th Annual Convention of the National Speleological Society will
be celebrated as K7V on 7.195MHz and 14.285MHz from the 28th July to
the 4th of August. Activity on the 28th and 29th will be from 1800UTC
to 0200UTC; other days will be as time permits.
Marking the Ninth Annual Detroit Maker Fair, N8M will be operating CW
and SSB on 80, 40, 20 and 10m on the 28th and 29th. Details are at
www.k8utt.org
If you're planning a special event station, please remember to send
publicity information well in advance to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk – we
are very happy to help publicise your event, for free, on GB2RS, in
RadCom and on the RSGB website, but can't help you unless you tell us
what you're doing!
Now the contest news
The RSGB Low Power Contest takes place today from 0900UTC to 1600UTC.
Using CW only on the 3.5 to 14MHz bands, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and power. It's worth knowing that this is an
HF Championship event.
Also today, the 70MHz Trophy contest takes place from 1000UTC to
1600UTC. All modes can be used, on the 4m band only, with signal
report, serial number, locator and postcode forming the exchange.
This is a VHF Championship event.
Tuesday sees the SHF UKAC from 1830UTC to 2230UTC. Using all modes on
2.3GHz and up, the exchange is signal report, serial number and
locator.
On Thursday the 80m Club Championships data leg takes place. Running
from 1900UTC to 2030UTC, the exchange is signal report and serial
number.
There's big contest news next weekend. The IOTA Contest runs from
1200UTC on Saturday to the same time on Sunday. Using CW or SSB on
the 2.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and IOTA reference, which is EU-005 for mainland Great
Britain.
Finally, the UK Microwave Group High Band contest takes place next
Sunday from 0600UTC to 1800UTC. Using all modes on the 5.7 and 10GHz
bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday 20th July.
Last weekend's IARU contest saw a lot of action on the HF bands,
which just goes to show that it isn't all about sunspots. In fact, we
have now gone more than three weeks without sunspots, which has been
described as almost a decade-class event. The last time the sun lost
its spots for 21 consecutive days was in 2009. So, the moral is to
make the most of what we have in terms of ionospheric propagation on
HF.
Next week, NOAA predicts more of the same, with the solar flux index
starting at around 72 and declining to 68 as the week goes on. This
weekend may be unsettled geomagnetically as the result of an
equatorial coronal hole on the sun. We have just had a run of settled
conditions that have seen the critical frequency hover around the
high 4MHz area, but never reaching 5MHz. As such, NVIS contacts
around the UK during the day have been difficult.
Maximum useable frequencies over a 3,000km path this week are likely
to remain in the 14-18MHz range. This is a pattern that we may see
continue until the autumn.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
We should be getting the hang of this high pressure pattern and the
type of VHF conditions it brings by now. We have another week with
similar characteristics coming up, so it'll be no surprise to hear
that Tropo will feature quite a lot, but perhaps not so much in the
far north where low pressure will be nearby at times.
As usual, the south west of the UK down to Iberia will offer the best
chance of DX. East coast stations should be able to take advantage of
sea ducting over to the Continent.
There is a chance of one or two showers, so perhaps a glimmer of hope
for some rain scatter. Failing that, it'll be Sporadic-E that offers
some excitement, although in recent days there's been a weakness
about it. This could be down to many things, including the placement
and sparsity of weather triggers to generate the necessary turbulent
wave motion that is part of the mechanism for making Sporadic-E.
Let's hope that next week offers some improvement, although it's
looking a bit marginal.
The moon reaches minimum declination and apogee on Wednesday so Moon
elevations will be very low and losses at their highest for EME. This
is a week to try some satellite operation with a handheld antenna
from the back garden or balcony!
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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