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G4TNU > NEWS 18.09.22 08:29l 248 Lines 11709 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 18 Sep 2022
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[18th may wish to pause for the one-minute duration of the National
Moment of Reflection.]
GB2RS News for Sunday the 18th of September 2022
The news headlines:
* RSGB HQ and the National Radio Centre closed on Monday
* Special Regional Secondary Locator
* RSGB Convention latest
Our thoughts are very much with the Royal Family as they mourn the
death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The RSGB will be closing its
HQ and the RSGB National Radio Centre on Monday the 19th of
September, the day of the Queen's state funeral, as a mark of respect.
In response to requests from radio amateurs and after contact from
Ofcom, the RSGB will be making available the special Regional
Secondary Locator of Q. Any licensed radio amateur may choose to use
this after their UK callsign prefix to show their respect for the
Queen if they wish to do so. For example, GQ4LFM, MQ1ACB or 2Q0ABC.
It will be available until the end of official national mourning on
Monday the 19th of September. Radio amateurs will need to download
the Notice of Variation that is available from the RSGB website at
rsgb.org/nov. You may be interested to note that Australian amateurs
may use the AX prefix between the 19th and the 23rd of September to
commemorate the life of Queen Elizabeth II.
The RSGB Convention will take place on the 7th to the 9th of October.
The online booking system for overnight packages, dinners and day
tickets will close on the 2nd of October. The latest information can
be found at rsgb.org/convention Don't forget that all three UK
amateur radio exams may be taken online at this year's RSGB
Convention. The Foundation and Intermediate exam will take place on
Saturday and the Full exam on Sunday morning. You will need to book a
place via the online form before the 26th of September. Applications
will not be accepted on the day. If you have a question, please email
exams<at>rsgb.org.uk or you can book your place via the link on the
RSGB's Convention web page at rsgb.org/convention.
The RSGB is bringing its Jubilee activities to a close as a mark of
respect for the Queen. The Society's website is being updated and the
Innovation 70 award has been cancelled. If you have collected QSOs
between the 1st and the 30th of June for the Jubilee Award 70, you
may still submit an application to the RSGB Awards Manager before the
31st of October. Details of how to do so will remain on the awards
section of the RSGB website at rsgb.org/jubilee.
As the World Radiocommunication Conference 23 approaches, the studies
regarding 23cm and RNSS satellites are working towards conclusions.
However, the IARU is not content that all the operational aspects of
the amateur service usage of the 1240 to 1300MHz band are being
properly considered to develop an acceptable compromise for all
concerned parties. You can find some more detail on the areas of
concern in the discussion paper posted on the global IARU WRC-23 web
pages at iaru-r1.org.
On Friday the 23rd of September, a team from hi-impact, based on the
Wirral, will be working with Everton Free School on another High
Altitude Balloon launch. Launching near Welshpool, at 11am, you can
listen out on 434.250MHz USB and the RTTY transmission will be 300
baud with a 910Hz shift. The callsign will be EVERTONFS. The flight
will be SSDV enabled, so there will be pictures being beamed back to
earth.
The Radio Amateurs of Canada, the national society in Canada, is
holding its AGM today at 1600UTC. The AGM will start with A Fireside
Chat on the Future of Amateur Radio. Those involved will be Tim
Ellam, VE6SH, President of the IARU, Rick Roderick, K5UR, President
of the ARRL, Stewart Bryant, G3YSX, the RSGB President and Phil A.
McBride, VA3QR, the President of RAC. You can find out more at rac.ca.
December is Youngsters On The Air month. This brings an opportunity
for individuals, clubs, schools and groups to run an amateur radio
station with the aim of getting youngsters active on the air. The
RSGB is inviting applications to host the special callsign GB22YOTA,
pending Ofcom approval. Activations can be big or small and can be
made however you wish. To register your interest please email Jamie,
M0SDV at yota.month<at>rsgb.org.uk with details of the activity
you're planning. Please also include your name, organisation and the
callsign of the Full licensee who will host the activation.
And now for details of rallies and events
Please send your rally and event news as soon as possible to
radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk. We'll publicise your event in RadCom, on
GB2RS, and online.
Weston Super Mare Radio Society's Radio & Electronics Rally takes
place on the 25th of September. It will be held at The Campus
Community Centre BS24 7DX.
On the 2nd of October the Welsh Radio Rally will be held at Llanwern
High School, Farm Road, Newport, NP18 2YE. The doors open at 10am.
There will be a Bring & Buy as well as traders in the hall. For
latest information see gw6gw.co.uk.
And now for the Special Event news
Paisley Amateur Radio Club will be operating GB0DOD from the
Methodist Central Hall, 2 Gauze St, Paisley, PA1 1EP on Saturday the
17th of September. This is for Churches & Chapels on The Air.
Members of South Dorset Radio Society will be active as GB0IOW from
the Isle of Wight, EU-120, between the 19th and 23rd of September.
They will operate SSB and various digital modes on the HF bands. QSL
via Logbook of The World, eQSL, or direct to M0XDL.
F1IEH will be active as TM72WOW for fifteen days between the 17th of
September and the 1st of November. QSL via F1IEH. The station is to
commemorate the world airplane endurance record in September 1908 set
by Wilbur Wright.
And now the DX news
SV5/LA6OP will be active from Rhodes, EU-001, from the 18th of
September to the 9th of October. He will operate mainly FT8 and SSB
on the 4 to 40m bands. QSL only via Logbook of the World.
SP9FIH will be active as SP9FIH/VP9 from Bermuda, NA-005, from the
23rd of September to the 2nd of October. He will operate SSB, RTTY
and FT8 on the 30, 17, 15 and 12m bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS.
Members of the Dateline DX Association will be active as JW0A from
Svalbard, EU-026, between the 19th and 26th of September. They will
operate CW, SSB and digital modes with three stations as propagation
allows. QSL via the operator's instructions.
Now the contest news
Today, the 18th, is the IRTS 70cm Counties Contest that runs from
1300 to 1330UTC. Using SSB and FM, the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator. Irish stations also give their county.
Also today, Sunday the 18th, is the IRTS 2m Counties Contest that
runs from 1330 to 1500UTC. Using SSB and FM, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and locator. Irish stations also give their
county.
The BARTG Sprint PSK63 contest takes place today, the 18th, from 1700
to 2100UTC. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands where contests are
permitted, the exchange is a serial number.
Today, Sunday the 18th, the 70MHz AFS Contest takes place between
0900 and 1200UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
On Tuesday the all-mode 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest takes place
between 1900 and 2130UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
On Thursday it is the Autumn Series Data contest running from 1900 to
2030UTC. Using RTTY and PSK on the 3.5MHz band, the exchange is
signal report and serial number.
Next weekend the CQ WW DX RTTY runs for 48 hours from 0000UTC on the
24th to 2359UTC on the 25th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands where
contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and CQ Zone.
For the UK, this is 14.
Next Sunday, the 25th, the UK Microwave Group 5.7 and 10GHz contest
takes place between 0600 and 1800UTC. Using all modes, the exchange
is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also next Sunday, the Practical Wireless 70MHz contest runs from 1200
to 1600UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Friday 16th September 2022.
We had an expected boost to the solar flux index last week, thanks to
a returning sunspot group. This, when added to sunspot region 3098,
pushed the SFI to 152 on the 11th. The returning group, which has now
been updated to active region 3102, isn't quite the threat it was on
its last visit, but may still be capable of M-class solar flares.
The good news is that an SFI of up to 150+, coupled with better
Autumnal propagation, has seen the HF bands come alive at times.
Jeff, ZL7/K5WE on Chatham Island has been workable on 40m CW and FT8.
He is due to be on air until the 21st of September. Brian, 9J2BO in
Zambia, a regular in the Commonwealth Contest, has also been worked
on 10 metres CW. It is worth noting that this is a good month for
north-south paths, such as the UK to South Africa, and UK to South
America.
The beginning of last week was better than the second half, which
suffered from an elevated Kp index due to an enhanced solar wind.
Also, a high-speed stream from a high-latitude coronal hole on the
Sun was forecast to batter the Earth from the 16th onwards.
The critical frequency over the UK has fluctuated from less than 5MHz
at sunrise to more than 7MHz around lunchtime and later. If you are
looking for good inter-G conditions you are better off waiting until
the afternoon.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the SFI will decline into the 120s.
This weekend may also be unsettled on the geomagnetic front as well.
Expect the Kp index to rise to four or five, with a characteristic
drop in the MUF. Hopefully, conditions will improve after the weekend
with the Kp index forecast to drop to around two.
As always, things can change very quickly, thanks to solar flares and
CMEs, so keep an eye on solarham.com and propquest.co.uk
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
There should be some useful Tropo about in the coming week, initially
over western Britain at first, but gradually extending across most
areas as high pressure moves in across the British Isles.
The eastern side of the country will start this weekend in a more
showery northerly flow down the east coast, so Tropo is unlikely here
until we are into next week. Once established it should bring
enhanced conditions to most areas and into the near continent, but
limited options across the North Sea where the cool showery weather
retains control and limits potential for QSOs to the east.
The other modes to have in mind are meteor scatter, particularly in
the early mornings. The Sextantids meteor shower is under way, but
doesn't reach its peak until the 27th.
In the disturbed sequence of solar conditions, aurora is always a
possibility so keep an eye on the Kp index; anything above five
should be worth checking out.
The Moon is at maximum positive declination at the moment, so is
visible for long periods. Apogee is the point at which the Moon is
furthest from Earth. It takes place on Monday when path losses are at
their highest for the month. 144MHz sky noise starts the week at a
moderate 500 Kelvin but quickly falls low for the rest of the week.
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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