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G4TNU > NEWS 20.11.22 03:29l 221 Lines 10380 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 20 Nov 2022
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 20th of November 2022
The news headlines:
* December is YOTA Month
* Transatlantic Centenary Tests 2022
* RSGB Construction Competition
December is Youngsters On The Air month. This is an opportunity for
individuals, clubs, groups and schools 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.
To register your interest email Jamie, M0SDV at
yota.month<at>rsgb.org.uk with details of the activity you are
planning. Please include your name, organisation and the callsign of
the Full licensee who will host the activation. To see the GB22YOTA
activation schedule, visit the GB22YOTA page at qrz.com.
The RSGB is hosting the Transatlantic Centenary Tests 2022 on the HF
bands for the month of December. Unlike those of the 1920s, which
consisted of one-way communication, this event will encourage
worldwide two-way communication with UK and Crown Dependency
stations. There will be a series of awards available for making QSOs
with those who are activating historic RSGB callsigns. The Club Log
team has kindly agreed to provide the supporting infrastructure for
this. The Society is looking for RSGB members to take part and make
this historic event a success. You can read more on page 54 of the
December RadCom and be inspired by the RSGB Convention Transatlantic
Test presentation on the RSGB YouTube channel. To find out how to
take part, go to rsgb.org/tct
Do you enjoy amateur radio construction? Would you like to try making
something for the first time? The RSGB's Construction Competition
welcomes entries in four categories – Beginners, Construction
Excellence, Innovation, and Software. Special recognition will be
given to entries submitted by radio amateurs under the age of 24, and
to those who have just gained their Foundation licence. A cash prize
will be awarded for the winner of each section, with a bonus for the
overall winner who will also be declared the winner of the Pat Hawker
G3VA Trophy. The deadline for entries is 1 March 2023 so you have
plenty of time to construct something during the long winter
evenings. To find out more, including how to enter, see the full
details on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/construction-competition
Most of you will have experienced RF interference problems of one
sort or another over the years. In this world of advanced digital
technology and increasing wireless connectivity, the probability of
interference is high and increasing rapidly. This is giving rise to
an ever-increasing pollution of the radio spectrum which is
threatening all wireless communication. To counter these problems,
the RSGB EMC Committee makes the relevant authorities aware of issues
by taking measurements and surveying any available documents and
reports. The committee needs volunteers to help with that task. Deep
technical knowledge or experience of EMC work is not necessary, but
ideally candidates should have a good understanding of radio. If you
are an RSGB member and would like to help, please
contact emc.chairman<at>rsgb.org.uk
The RSGB's National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed
from Tuesday the 22nd of November until Friday the 25th of November
for the upgrading of essential equipment and the installation of a
new fire alarm system. The Society apologises for any inconvenience
this causes.
The RSGB's Examination Standards Committee has published its annual
report, covering the operation of amateur radio exams during the
calendar year of 2021. Search for Examination Standards Committee on
the RSGB website at rsgb.org and you can read the report in the
minutes, papers and reports sub-page.
The RSGB was saddened to learn that John Bazley, G3HCT passed away on
the 11th of November in a nursing home in Queensland,
Australia. John was President of the RSGB in 1979 and was a Life
Member. In 1995 he was made a Life Vice President. He was also the
IARU Region 1 representative to the CEPT Working Group on Frequency
Management. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
And now for details of rallies and events
The 43rd Coulsdon Amateur Transmitting Society Radio and Electronics
Bazaar will be held today the 20th of November. The venue will be
Oasis Academy, Homefield Road, Coulsdon, Surrey CR5 1ES. For more
information contact bazaar<at>catsradio.org.uk
[BRAVO-ALPHA-ZULU-ALPHA-ALPHA-ROMEO-AT-CHARLIE-ALPHA-TANGO-SIERRA-ROME
O-ALPHA-DELTA-INDIA-OSCAR-DOT-ORG-DOT-UK]
Bishop Auckland Radio Amateur Club Rally will be held next Sunday,
the 27th, at Spennymoor Leisure Centre, High Street, Spennymoor,
County Durham, DL16 6DB. Doors open at 10.30am for everyone and 10am
for disabled visitors. Admission is GBP 2 and free to under-14s who
are accompanied by an adult. Talk-in will be on S22. Contact Bob
Dingle, G0OCB on 07710023916.
Now the Special Event News
Leyland and District Amateur Radio Club will be active as GB9LD for
Lancashire Day on Sunday the 27th of November 2022. Activity will
take place on the 40m to 70cm bands. At 1500UTC the club will read
the Lancashire Day Proclamation on HF and toast His Majesty King
Charles III, Duke of Lancaster. All are welcome to join in. Enquiries
to ladar<at>mail.com
On Thursday the 1st of December, GB1WH will begin operating. The
Special Event Station has been established to promote the work done
by Wakefield Hospice. For more information, visit the GB1WH QRZ.com
page.
GB1LJF begins its on-air activities on Thursday the 1st of December.
The Special Event Station is operating to celebrate the manufacturing
of the English Electric Lightning aircraft in Lancashire. More
information is available via the GB1LJF QRZ.com page.
Now the DX news
Christopher, HB9FIY will be active as ZD7CA from Saint Helena Island,
AF-022, until the 26th of November. He will be operating SSB, PSK,
RTTY, VarAC and CW on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via EA5GL.
Don, K6ZO will be active as 7Q6M from Malawi until the 29th of
November. He will be available on the 160 to 6m bands using SSB and
CW. QSL via Logbook of the World or direct to K6Z0.
Ed, N2HX will be active as PJ7PL from Sint Maarten, NA-105, until the
10th of December. He will be operating SSB, CW, RTTY and FT8. QSL via
his home call.
Now the contest news
On Thursday the 24th of November, the Autumn Series CW Contest runs
from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using CW only on the 80m band, the exchange is
signal report and serial number.
On Tuesday the 22nd of November, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs
from 1930 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3GHz band, the
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Next weekend the CQ Worldwide DX CW Contest runs for 24 hours from
0000UTC on Saturday. Using CW only on the 160 to 10m bands, where
contesting is permitted, the exchange is signal report and CQ Zone.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Friday the 18th of November 2022.
The good HF conditions continued last week with a low Kp index and a
reasonable solar flux. But is that all about to change?
The problem is a large coronal hole in the Sun's southern hemisphere,
which became geoeffective on Thursday. The hole is at mid-latitude,
so is not completely in line with Earth. But its large size means
that we could see a strong solar wind, which may hit the Earth this
weekend, potentially pushing the Kp index up for a couple of days at
least.
Sunspots have been adequate rather than outstanding. The main active
groups have now rotated out of view, but there are some new ones just
appearing over the Sun's limb.
The HF bands have been excellent and many newer amateurs have had
their first taste of 10m in full flow.
Next week NOAA predicts that the solar flux index could decline to
the range 105-115. The Kp index is predicted to rise to four at least
until the 22nd. We may then get respite for a day or two before it
rises again to three or four.
In other words, we have probably seen the best of the settled HF
conditions for a while. Just what effect the enhanced solar wind and
increased Kp index this weekend will have on maximum usable
frequencies is hard to predict.
Typically, an increased Kp index can result in reduced MUFs, but
whether we will see it impact 10 metres, especially with the
predicted lower SFI, we will just have to wait and see.
And now the VHF and up propagation news
After last weekend's excellent tropo, with 24GHz propagation from the
South East of England to the near continent, we now have a seemingly
never-ending period of unsettled weather continuing through the
coming week.
This is driven by a strong jet stream flow across the Atlantic. Since
it's a low pressure and rain scatter period once again, it's worth a
reminder that, although we are way out of season with regards to
Sporadic-E, it can still be seen on the foEs graphs on the
Propquest.co.uk website and can be particularly useful for the LF
bands.
Focusing back on VHF and above, the prevalence of low pressure during
the week suggests Tropo is unlikely to entertain us. The only modes
remaining to discuss are meteor scatter as we slowly fade from the
peak of the Leonids, and finally the prospect of a random aurora if
we have further disturbed solar conditions.
This week's active meteor showers are the Alpha Monocerotids which
are active until November the 25th and reach a low ZHR maximum on
Monday the 21st of November. Also, the November Orionids, which are
active until December the 6th but don't peak until the 28th.
Moon declination went negative on Saturday so Moon windows will
shorten and zenith angles decrease. Path losses are still low but
with perigee on Friday, path losses will fall all week. 144MHz sky
noise slowly increases, reaching a maximum of over 2,500 Kelvin on
Friday.
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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