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G4TNU > NEWS 14.04.19 23:30l 261 Lines 12633 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 14 Apr 2019
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T:From: G4TNU@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO <g4tnu@gb7ipf.ampr.org>
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Manager Ken Hatton, G3VBA, passed away last week. He was appointed on
1 January 2014, taking over from Gordon Adams, G3LEQ. Ken will be
sadly missed by all who knew him. We are aware that Ken had some
administrative issues in progress and RSGB HQ and volunteers will be
doing their best to bring everything up to date and appoint a new
GB2RS Manager. If you, or anyone you know, had something in hand
please send details to gb2rs.manager<at>rsgb.org.uk – the mailbox
is presently being monitored by a locum – to help us make the
transfer as smooth as possible.]
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 14th April 2019
The news headlines:
* Artistic SSTV from Iceland
* ML&S sponsors Radio Caroline
* GB2RS Manager Ken Hatton, G3VBA, SK
Until the 29th of April, as part of an art installation in Iceland by
Lucy Helton, KD2MFV, SSTV images will be transmitted by TF3JA. The
images, appropriated from the Reykjavik Museum of Photography's
collection, are of Icelandic glaciers photographed many years ago.
Amateur radio operators who receive these transmissions are being
asked to print out the images received and post them back to Lucy,
using instructions on the website www.lucyhelton.com. In exchange,
when she has assembled the printed pieces to reconstruct the whole
image transmitted, QSLs of the completed images will be sent back to
the participating amateurs. Each single transmission consists of 12
SSTV images and five different glacier images will be transmitted
over 15 days. Look for USB signals on 14.230MHz at 1300, 1800 and
2300UTC.
Over the Easter Weekend of the 18th to 21st of April, Martin Lynch of
ML&S is sponsoring broadcasts transmitted from Radio Caroline in
memory of his old employee Graeme Platts, G4XOF, who passed away last
November due to cancer. One of Graeme's last ‘bucket list' visits
was to the ship itself arranged by Martin. The history of Radio
Caroline is an interesting one being one of the most famous Pirate
Radio Stations in the 1960s. There are several radio amateurs on the
ship and the full history can be seen on their website. Listen on
648kHz AM or via their website, www.RadioCaroline.co.uk
Sad news next. Ken Hatton, G3VBA, the GB2RS Manager, became silent
key at the end of last week. He was appointed as GB2RS Manager on the
1st of January 2014, taking over from Gordon Adams, G3LEQ. Ken will
be sadly missed by all who knew him.
The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park will be holding
its first-ever ElectroJumble on Sunday the 21st of April. Over the
years they have accumulated many pieces of electronic apparatus and
components that are surplus to requirements. Items for sale will
include test equipment, military items, domestic radios,
telecommunication equipment and vintage components. Details can be
found via www.tnmoc.org
The IARUMS Region 1 Newsletter for March 2019 is now available at
www.iaru-r1.org. The Monitoring System report includes details of
intruders on the amateur bands from Richard, G4DYA, the Intruder
Watch Coordinator who runs the RSGB Monitoring System.
GB2DAY is on the air for its final day today, the 14th, to promote
the opening of the Teleprinter Building at Bletchley Park, which
houses a fantastic D-DAY exhibition entitled Interception /
Intelligence / Invasion. The new exhibition is open as part of the
general admission to Bletchley Park museum, located near Milton
Keynes. RSGB members can gain free access to Bletchley Park and the
National Radio Centre by downloading and printing a voucher from the
RSGB website. See www.rsgb.org/bletchleyvoucher for instructions.
The RSGB has released a vintage silent black and white video of an
Amateur Radio Direction Finding field day. The video, called D/F
Field Day North of the Thames, May 18th 1947, was filmed at Chipping
Barnet. It has been added to the many amateur radio videos that can
be viewed on the Society's YouTube channel,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_LHb3wPAfE
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
We have been asked to clarify definitively that the Andover rally is
on the 28th of April and NOT on the 18th, as has been reported
incorrectly by some non-RSGB sources.
Today, the 14th, the West London Radio & Electronics Show will take
place at Kempton Park Racecourse, Staines Road East, Sunbury on
Thames TW16 5AQ. A talk-in station will be on air. Car parking is
free and doors open at 10am, with disabled visitors gaining access 10
minutes earlier. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy as well
as special interest groups and lectures. Catering is available on
site. More details from Paul, M0CJX on 08451 650 351.
Also today, the 14th, the Hack Green Bunker Rally will be held at the
Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, French Lane, Hack Green, near
Nantwich, Baddington, Cheshire CW5 8AL. It is 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.
The Ripon Radio Rally, on the 14th, will take place in Hugh Ripley
Hall, Ripon, HG4 2PT. Doors open at 10am. Refreshments will be
available on site. Information and a table booking form are at
www.ripon.org.uk
There are no rallies in the diary for Easter weekend. The next ones
are on the 28th at Blackpool and Andover.
To get your event into RadCom, onto GB2RS and on the RSGB website,
please send details as early as possible to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk –
we need to know about four months in advance for RadCom.
And now the DX news from 425 DX News and other sources
Mart, DL6UAA will be on the air as OH0UA from the Aland Islands, IOTA
reference EU-002, until the 19th of April. He will operate on CW and
digital and QSLs go via his home callsign.
Chris, VK3FY and Dindo, DU1UD will be active as 4E8T from Tawi Tawi
Island, OC-174, from the 19th to the 23rd of April. They will operate
CW, SSB and FT8 on the 40 to 20m bands. QSL via M0OXO's OQRS.
Evert, PA2KW will be active as 5T2KW from Nouadhibou, Mauritania
until the 19th of April. Operating as a guest at the QTH of 5T5PA, he
will use CW and maybe some SSB. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, preferred,
and Logbook of The World.
There will be some IOTA activity from Djibouti in the coming weeks.
Christian, EA3NT with MM0NDX and MM0OKG and will travel to Sept
Freres Island, IOTA AF-059. They hope to be on the island from the
16th to the 18th of April using the callsign J20DX. This will be
followed by activity from Moucha Island, IOTA AF-053, on the 18th and
19th of April signing J20DX/P. Dates may vary due to local conditions.
Now the special event news
A special event station to commemorate the Battle of Culloden will be
on the air on the 16th and 17th of April from the Highland
Astronomical Society, Culloden Battlefield, Culloden Moor, Inverness
IV2 5EU. Using the callsign GB0BOC, the station will be on the air
from 9am to 8pm.
GB0GKA, operated by Tony, G3ZRJ, and GB0GKB, operated by Larry,
G4HLN, will be representing Portishead Radio during this year's
Maritime Radio Day. The event will run from 1200UTC on the 14th of
April until 2200UTC on the 15th.
Special callsigns 4Z64EURO, 4X64S, 4X64O, 4X64N and 4X64G will be
active from the 18th of April to the 18th of May for the 64th
Eurovision Song Contest, which will take place in Tel Aviv, Israel
between the 14th and 18th of May. QSLs via Logbook of The World and
eQSL. Certificates will be available for download, see 4Z64EURO on
QRZ.com for the rules.
Please send special event details to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk, as early
as possible, for free publicity on GB2RS, in RadCom and online.
Remember that UK special event callsign stations must be open to the
public, so our free publicity can help make your efforts more widely
known.
Now the contest news
Today, the 14th, the First 50MHz contest takes place from 0900 and
1200UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial
number locator and Postcode.
Also today, the 14th, the Worked All Britain Data Contest runs from
1000 to 2200UTC. Using the 3.5 to 14MHz contest bands the exchange is
signal report, serial number and WAB number.
On Tuesday the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC.
Using all modes on the 23cm band the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
On Thursday the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC.
Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and
locator.
Next weekend the First Machine Generated Mode Contest runs from
1400UTC on the 20th to 1400UTC on the 21st. Using MGM on the 50 and
144MHz bands the exchange is signal report and four-character locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA & G4DDK on
Friday the 12th of April.
This has been a difficult time for HF. The solar wind has remained
active and the Bz component exhibited several periods of prolonged
southward deflection, meaning it more easily coupled with the Earth's
magnetic field. Solar wind speed ranged mostly from 425-475km per
second and this was enough to keep the Kp index elevated, often to
four. The net result was that conditions were pretty rotten, with
even 14MHz struggling to open at times. However, the solar flux did
increase to 78 thanks to the return of sunspot number 2738. This is
large, but appears to be only producing very minor B-Class flares. An
isolated C-Flare may also be possible.
Next week should be more settled, geomagnetically, with a maximum Kp
index of two and solar flux of 74. If the solar wind drops we may
expect fair HF conditions next week.
This current solar cycle had a peak average of 82 sunspots. The Solar
Cycle 25 Prediction Panel experts have just said the next may have a
slow start, but is anticipated to peak with solar maximum occurring
between 2023 and 2026, and a sunspot range of 95 to 130. This is well
below the average number of sunspots, which typically ranges from 140
to 220 sunspots per solar cycle.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
It seems that high pressure remains firmly in control to the north of
Britain and over Scandinavia for much of the coming week. This would
normally mean that Tropo should get a mention, certainly for eastern
areas, but the air mass is fairly dry and therefore not ideal for
producing the required change in refractive index needed for Tropo.
In the south and west there will be some spells of rain and a
possibility of some rain scatter, but it will also be rather windy at
times. There should be a trend later next week for a more moist and
warmer flow to cross the North Sea and this could introduce extensive
misty low cloud along the east coast. This is exactly what's needed
for better Tropo prospects in eastern areas.
We are rapidly approaching the Sporadic-E season and should start to
see some paths on 10m and possibly 6m opening up within Europe. It is
worth checking the clusters and beacons for band activity. Digital
modes like FT8 will benefit first, but it is possible that SSB and CW
will start to show in the second half of the month. The typical early
paths are often out to the eastern Mediterranean and over the
Pyrenees, usually just out of reach from the UK, but a good sign
should they occur.
Although the Lyrids meteor shower does not peak until next week, the
first indications of the shower will begin to be noticed around the
16th of April, probably with a gradual increase in the number of
meteors encountered growing during the forthcoming week. Don't expect
great things this week, but do keep an eye on the ON4KST chat for
reports of meteor bursts. Better still, keep listening on one of the
more distant 6m, 4m or 2m beacons for the occasional ping.
As the moon declination decreases during the week, 144MHz moon
background sky noise gradually increases. However, path degradation
is low due to the moon's closest approach, or perigee, on the 17th.
Libration is also low on the 17th and this will help 1296MHz EME, as
CW characters will be less ‘chopped'. The 17th would be good day to
try EME.
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.
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