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G4TNU > NEWS 10.01.16 01:32l 215 Lines 10239 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 10 Jan 2016
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 10th January 2016
The news headlines:
* Students to speak to Tim Peake in space
* RSGB General Manager to retire
* Beware third party traffic
The news team and all the staff at RSGB HQ would like to wish our
newsreaders, listeners and online readers a very Happy New Year. We
would like to remind listeners that the deadline for news items is
10am on Thursday mornings and we welcome your news every week. Please
send any contributions to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk – it helps us if
you only send information to that ONE address. The GB2RS script is
uploaded to the RSGB website on Friday afternoons by 4.30pm.
Students at Sandringham School, St Albans spoke to Tim Peake aboard
the International Space Station on Friday the 8th of January, using
the special event callsign GB1SAN. The contact was made by a year 10
pupil, Jessica Leigh, M6LPJ who passed her Foundation exam just
before Christmas after training with Verulam ARC. She operated the
radio under the supervision of Ciaran Morgan, M0XTD. This is the
first of several planned schools contacts in the coming weeks.
RSGB General Manager, Graham Coomber, G0NBI, has announced his
retirement and the RSGB is seeking someone to take over the mantle of
providing leadership for the HQ staff and support for the Board and
the Membership. For further information about the role and how to
apply, please email Graham Murchie G4FSG, Chairman of the Board at
g4fsg<at>rsgb.org.uk Or if you would like an informal discussion
about the job, Graham Coomber will be pleased to hear from you on
01234 832701 during office hours. The deadline for submitting formal
applications is Friday 26 February 2016.
The Amateur Radio Observation Service, in conjunction with the
Emerging Technology Co-ordination Committee, has noted a number of
examples of UK amateurs operating internet linked nodes that are
carrying third party traffic. They would like to draw attention to
the requirement for an NoV to the amateur's licence under these
circumstances. Guidance for the use of personal hotspots, cross band
repeaters or other similar installations can be found in Section 10
of the UK Amateur Licence.
The annual CWops award is to recognise individuals, groups, or
organisations that have made the greatest contribution toward
advancing the art or practice of radio communications by Morse code.
It is presented at the Dayton Hamvention. For full details on the
criteria and nomination process, go to www.cwops.org/awards.html
Nominations should be emailed to awards<at>cwops.org with a copy to
secretary<at>cwops.org and the deadline is the 15th of April.
The Clacton on Sea DMR repeater, GB7CL, went on air on 28 December.
The frequencies are 430.6375 and 439.6375MHz, colour code 3. The
repeater group would welcome any signal reports via the website,
www.martellotowergroup.com
The RSGB Propagation Studies Committee has begun work on a new web HF
Propagation Prediction Service. It will feature both area coverage
predictions as well as point-to-point on-demand predictions.
Presently, only area coverage has been completed and this can be seen
at www.predtest.uk This will soon be followed by the P2P predictions.
It is planned that following these trials the RSGB web site will host
the predictions. Comments and suggestions are invited by Gwyn
Williams, G4FKH via email to g4fkh<at>sky.com
The RSGB Board has agreed to split the Contest Committee into three
Committees with effect from the first of January 2016. The three
committees will be known as the VHF Contest Committee (VHFCC), the HF
Contest Committee (HFCC) and the Contest Support Committee (CSC).
Vacancy notices for the three chairs, and other positions, will be
posted in the next edition of RadCom. Please see the Notices section
of the RSGB website for more information.
The latest edition of The 5MHz Newsletter, a WRC15 Special, is now
available for free pdf download from http://tinyurl.com/owttc4x or
from the RSGB 5MHz page.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The first rally of the New Year will be the Red Rose Winter Rally on
Sunday the 17th of January. Organised by West Manchester Radio Club,
it takes place at The George H Carnall Leisure Centre, Kingsway Park,
M41 7FJ. The venue is easily accessible from junction 9 of the M60
and has disabled facilities with good access as it is all on one
level. There is a large free car park and a café on site. Doors open
at 11am. There will be trade stands, a Bring & Buy, special interest
groups and an RSGB bookstall. Details from John on 07840 389 427, or
see www.wmrc.org.uk
If you have any rally or event information you'd like to appear in
future editions of GB2RS News, in RadCom and on the RSGB website,
please email details to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk.
Now the special event news
As part of the Scotsman in Steam event, Bury ARS will be operating
GB0ELR from Rawtenstall Station on the 10th, 16th and 17th of
January. The two weekends will be the first opportunity for the
general public to preview the Flying Scotsman engine in its wartime
black livery following its restoration.
The Radio Club D'Haïti will put 4V1TL on the air until the 30th of
April in memory of General Toussaint Louverture, who was arrested and
sent to France and jailed at Fort de Joux where he died on the 7th of
April 1803.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
JA3ARJ, JA3AVO, JA3IVU, JA3UJR, JF3HPN, JH3LSS and JH3PBL will be
active as E51J from Rarotonga, South Cook Islands, IOTA reference
OC-013, between 12 and 21 January. They will operate CW, SSB and
digital modes on 80-6 metres, and might also give 160 metres a try.
QSL via JA3AVO, direct or bureau, and LoTW.
Jean-Pierre, F6ITD will be active again as FG/F6ITD and TO6D from
Guadeloupe, NA-102, from 19 January to 9 March. Usually he is QRV on
SSB and digital modes on the HF bands and 6 metres. QSL via LoTW,
preferred, or home call; logsearch on Club Log.
Bernhard, DL2GAC will once again be active as H44MS from Honiara,
Guadalcanal, OC-047 in the Solomon Islands, from 18 January to 14
April. He will operate SSB only on 80-10 metres, and might also be
active on 160m during the CQ WW 160 Meter DX SSB Contest in February.
QSL via home call, direct or bureau.
Peter, PA8A will be active again as PJ4B from Bonaire, SA-006, on 7
to 23 January. He will operate holiday style on 40-10 metres. QSL via
PA8A, direct only.
Gerd, DJ4KW will be active again as V31YN from Consejo Shores, Belize
from 9 January to 21 February. Usually he operates CW and RTTY on
160-10 metres, with participation in the CQ WW 160 Meter CQ WPX RTTY
and ARRL DX CW contests. QSL via DJ4KW, direct or bureau, and LoTW
(preferred).
Now the contest news
Today, on Sunday the 10th, the CW AFS takes place from 1400 to
1800UTC. Using the 3.5 and 7MHz bands the exchange is signal report
and serial number.
On Tuesday the 432MHz UK Activity Contest takes place from 2000 to
2230UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
Next weekend, on the 16th, the SSB Affiliated Societies Contest runs
from 1400 to 1800UTC. Using the 3.5 and 7MHz bands, SSB only, the
exchange is signal report and serial number.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G4BAO and G3YLA
on Friday 8th January.
As we've entered 2016 it would be nice to have some better HF
propagation conditions. Unfortunately, life is never that simple or
accommodating! This week we have suffered from the effects of a
high-speed solar wind stream that flowed from a geo-effective coronal
hole on the sun. The effect was a K index of five in the early hours
of Wednesday morning, with continued problems into Thursday. The sun
has been otherwise quite quiet with only two visible sunspot groups,
one of which is really tiny, and a solar flux index of 95.
This week one model has a high-speed solar wind stream predicted to
hit the Earth on the 11th or 12th. But both the NOAA and USAF
predictions have conditions more settled with a K index of two. The
solar flux index should remain around 100-110. This should mean
maximum useable frequencies of up to around 21MHz on DX paths during
daylight, with occasional openings on the higher HF bands.
The critical frequency has been approaching 7MHz around noon, which
means 40m may be open to NVIS signals around the UK. If not, then
drop down to 5MHz for better reliability. At night, even 80m may
struggle to remain open for inter-G contacts, but should be optimum
for DX.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
A Winter 50 and 70MHz Sporadic E opening occurred for UK stations
last Sunday, and there have been more QSOs spotted throughout the
week. Keep a watch for others this week as they are not uncommon
around the New Year.
A large area of low pressure will move across the country and into
Europe during this weekend leaving us under a northerly weather
pattern for much of the week. This is a generally less favourable
pattern for tropospheric enhancements, but it could produce large
(possibly wintry) showers around our coasts, which may be a useful
boost for Gigahertz bands rain scatter propagation.
Some weather models predict the arrival of a substantial high next
weekend, but it may stay to the west of Ireland and maintain the cold
northerly instead, so Tropo is not guaranteed. If this potential high
forms in cold, dry northerly air with no obvious moisture layer near
the surface, there are only weak Tropo prospects.
Moon declination is at a minimum today so we have short moon windows,
increasing as the week goes on, with losses falling as it comes in
towards perigee, its closest point to Earth.
That's all for this week from the propagation team.
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.
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