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G4TNU > NEWS 29.01.23 04:21l 251 Lines 11531 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 29 Jan 2023
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 29th of January 2023
The news headlines:
* RSGB Construction Competition
* RSGB Elections
* Tonight<at>8 webinar
Have you been busy making something recently? Don't forget that you
have just five weeks left to enter the RSGB Construction Competition.
The four categories are: Beginners; Construction excellence;
Innovation; and Software. The judges will give special recognition to
entries submitted by radio amateurs under the age of 24 and also to
those who have just gained their Foundation licence. There are cash
prizes in every category. The RSGB Communications Manager chatted to
last year's winners and runners-up and shared their stories in the
January and February editions of RadCom, so take a look and be
inspired! Details about how to enter the competition are on the RSGB
website at: rsgb.org/construction-competition
If you're interested in helping to see amateur radio, and the RSGB,
continue to thrive over the coming years, this is a final reminder
that the closing date for RSGB President, Elected Director and
Regional Representative roles is this Tuesday, the 31st of January.
Candidate packs, forms and further details can be found at
rsgb.org/election
On Monday the 6th of February, Anthony Luscre [LUS-KREE], K8ZT will
talk about QRP operating on the RSGB's Tonight<at>8 webinar. Find out
more on the Society's website at rsgb.org/webinars and put the date
in your diary for another fascinating live presentation.
We are delighted to announce that, as part of our Coronation
celebration activities, Ofcom has approved "R" as the optional
Coronation regional secondary locator prefix for all radio amateurs.
You will be able to use this for the whole of May and June 2023. More
information will be reported closer to the date of the Coronation.
Aged 26 or under? Love all things radio? Why not join the RSGB Youth
Team? The team currently has over 30 members across the UK, who work
together to encourage young people into the hobby. You'll be involved
in planning events, attending shows and writing articles. Get
involved, gain skills and make new friends! See the new youth video
"Try it!" on the RSGB YouTube channel and find out how to get
involved in the Youth Team via the Society's website: rsgb.org/youth
Today, the 29th, from approximately 1200UTC, James, M0GQC, Fraser,
MM0EFI, David, EI5IMB and Chris, M0RSF will be activating four
separate Worldwide Flora and Fauna areas on 20 and 40m SSB. They
will post their working frequencies on the Worldwide Flora and Fauna
website. All calls are welcome.
And now for details of rallies and events
The Lincoln Shortwave Club Winter Radio Rally will be held today,
Sunday the 29th of January, at The Festival Hall, Caistor Road,
Market Rasen, LN8 3HT. Doors open at 9.30am and entry is GBP 2.
Refreshments are available on site and talk-in is available on
145.375MHz. For more information email Graham via
contact<at>m1dhv.co.uk
The Canvey Rally will be held on the 5th of February at Cornelius
Vermuyden [VER-MOW-DEN] School, Dinant Avenue, Canvey, Essex,
SS8 9QS. The Rally is expected to be the usual hive of activity with
plenty of traders and an indoor boot sale. Hot food and drinks will
be available. Contact sears.enquiries<at>gmail.com for further
information.
The Mid Cheshire Amateur Radio Society Radioactive Fair will be held
on Sunday the 12th of February. The venue will be Nantwich Civic
Hall, Market Street, Nantwich, CW5 5DG. Doors open at 10am and
admission is GBP 5. A wide variety of trader stalls, a bring-and-buy
platform and refreshments and snacks will be available. Parking is
immediately adjacent to the hall. For more information visit
radioactivefair.co.uk
West Manchester Radio Club's Red Rose Rally will take place on Sunday
the 26th of February. The event will be held at St. Joseph's Hall,
Leigh, WN7 2PJ. Free parking, café services and a raffle are among
the attractions on offer. For further information visit:
wmrc.co.uk/rally.htm [Note to Newsreaders: the .htm is required for
the page to load]
Andover Radio Amateur Club has unfortunately had to cancel its boot
sales this year. The sales were due to be held on the 23rd of April
and the 3rd of September.
Now the Special Event News
Throughout the month of January, Weston-super-Mare Radio Society has
been operating special callsign GB4WSM in celebration of the 100th
Anniversary of the Society's formation on the 3rd of January 1923.
There are still a few days left, before the end of the month, to work
the station if you don't already have it in your logbook.
Special callsign GB2WC will be active until the 31st of January. The
station is operating to promote the World Radiosport Team
Championship due to be held in July in conjunction with the IARU HF
World Championships. More details about the World Radiosport Team
Championship can found by visiting wrtc.info
7U7C is the special callsign used by members of the 7X2VFK Radio Club
to mark the 7th African Nations Championship, the biennial football
tournament organised by the Confederation of African Football. The
callsign will be active until the 4th of February.
Now the DX news
Jeff, VA3QSL will be active as P4/VA3QSL from Aruba, SA-036, until
the 8th of February. He will be operating SSB, CW and digital modes
on the 40 to 6m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, the bureau or
his home call.
Andre, ON7YK will be active from Bijilo [BE-SHAH-LO], Gambia until
the 24th of February. He will be operating as C5YK on the 20, 17, 15,
12 and 10m bands using SSB, CW and digital modes. QSL via eQSL,
Logbook of the World or directly to his home call.
Francis, F6BWJ will be active as FM/F6BWJ from Martinique, NA-107,
until the 10th of March. He will be operating CW, PSK and RTTY on the
80 to 10m bands. He will upload his log to Logbook of the World and
Club Log.
Gerard, F2JD will be active as HR5/F2JD from Copan, Honduras until
the 13th of March. He will operate CW, SSB and digital modes on the
HF bands. QSL via F6AJA directly or via the bureau.
Now the contest news
The UK Six Metre Group Winter Marathon began on Thursday the 1st of
December last year. The contest will run until the 31st of January
2023. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report
and locator.
The CQ Worldwide 160m DX Contest ends its 48-hour run today, Sunday
the 29th of January, at 2200UTC. Using CW only, the exchange is
signal report and CQ Zone. American stations also send their state
and Canadian stations send their province.
The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group RTTY Sprint ends its 24-hour
run today, Sunday the 29th of January, at 1200UTC. Using RTTY only,
the exchange is serial number.
On Wednesday the 1st of February, the UK and Ireland Contest Club 80m
Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using SSB only, the exchange is
your six character locator.
On Wednesday the 1st of February, the 144MHz FT8 Activity Contest
runs for four hours from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 only, the
exchange is report and four character locator. Also on Wednesday the
1st of February, a separate 144MHz FT8 Activity Contest runs for two
hours from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 only, the exchange is report
and four character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest
may also enter the two-hour contest.
On Sunday the 5th of February, the 432MHz Affiliated Societies
Contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Thursday the 26th of January 2023
As of Thursday, we had a strange situation whereby all the current
visible sunspots were in one hemisphere of the Sun. But this isn't
that unusual, as the two hemispheres usually peak at different times
in the cycle. In a couple of years, we may well have the reverse
situation.
Nevertheless, the solar flux index declined and stood at 172 on the
26th when this report was prepared. While there are plenty of
sunspots, they are all relatively small, unlike a week ago when
active region 3190 was on the visible face.
Last week saw the Sun being settled geomagnetically, with the Kp
index not exceeding three. We have had some M-class flares, but
nothing stronger.
NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will decline to 175 before
increasing again at the beginning of next month. We can expect quiet
geomagnetic conditions for a time, but NOAA predicts that the Kp
index will rise again around the 1st and then from the 7th to the
10th of February.
Meanwhile, the 3YOJ Bouvet Island DXpedition, located at 54.42
degrees South, 3.36 degrees East, is getting closer to its final
location. So, it's time to start looking at propagation predictions
for this sought-after entity. Bouvet lies almost exactly due south
from the UK. If you have a beam point it at 180 degrees or 0 degrees
for the long path.
The short path is likely to give you the best results, that is 80 to
100% reliability, with the 15m band open from 0800 to 2100UTC. There
are shorter 12m and 10m openings during the day, with 10m open from
1200 to 1400UTC and again from 1700 to 1800UTC. 20m should give the
best results overall from 1700 to 0200UTC, although it is likely to
be the busiest band.
30m and 40m also offer up good propagation from 1700 to 0400UTC.
There is also a weaker long-path opening predicted on 17m from
1000UTC until 1600UTC with 50% probability. These were all calculated
with VOACAP online and Proppy.
The UK appears to have good HF propagation to Bouvet overall but do
make sure you are on the right band at the right time!
And now the VHF and up propagation news
There has been some very focused tropo in the last week, especially
on 70cm and 23cm digital modes around the edge of some high pressure
from the UK into eastern Europe and the southern Baltic.
This shows the value of looking for paths along the edge of extensive
highs, rather than across the centre, where the inversion dips lower
and may duct the path into the ground.
The coming week offers further high-pressure systems, mostly over the
Atlantic to the west of Britain or to the south. So, perhaps paths
towards Spain or the Canary Islands are worth a look. The northern
half of the charts will see deep lows, much stronger winds and rain
or showers, so introducing rain scatter options and testing the
antennas.
Other modes are available, of course, but the good practice of
watching the clusters should keep everyone informed so that you don't
miss out.
It's still worth a check for aurora, and random meteor scatter is
always an option around dawn, even in the current meteor shower
minimum period that lasts until the Lyrids in mid-to-late April.
With the Moon at peak declination on Thursday, this is a good week
for EME with long Moon availability windows. That said, Moon apogee
next Saturday means that EME path losses are high. 144MHz sky noise
is moderate, reaching 500 Kelvin on Wednesday.
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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