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G4TNU > NEWS 09.04.23 02:35l 257 Lines 11978 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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GB2RS News for Sunday the 9th of April 2023
The news headlines:
* The RSGB's Annual General Meeting
* RSGB Convention Presentations
* Ofcom Plan of Work for the 2023-24 year
The RSGB's Annual General Meeting will be held online on Saturday the
15th of April. As well as the formal business of the meeting, there
will be an announcement of the results of the Board Director
elections. The President will give a video review of 2022 and the
Society will announce the recipients of its annual awards and
trophies, as well as the winners of its construction competition. At
the end of the meeting there will be a live presentation by RSGB
Propagation Studies Committee Chair Steve Nichols, G0KYA who will
look at the methods used to create the propagation report for GB2RS,
including HF, VHF and Moonbounce. This year you will be able to ask
questions at the AGM via the live chat on YouTube but if you have a
question about the formal business, you must submit this in advance.
If you are an RSGB member, don't forget to vote for the two
candidates that you would like to see as Board Directors for the next
two years. You can find out more about each of them on the RSGB
website at rsgb.org/candidates and then there is a link at the top
and the bottom of the page to cast your vote. Read their personal
statements, watch the videos and see if their background, skills and
aspirations match your view of what the Society needs. The decision
concerning who to vote for is entirely yours, but please do vote –
it only takes a few minutes and will help to ensure that the RSGB
Board reflects your views. You can find full details about the AGM
on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/agm
Over the Easter weekend, the RSGB will release two more presentations
from its 2022 Convention. David Stansfield, G0EVV talks about the
challenge and thrill of operating portable from mountain summits,
whilst Olof Lundberg, G0CKV shares experiences from his DXpeditions
to 3B8. Subscribe to the RSGB YouTube channel so you will be alerted
when each presentation is available – go to youtube.com/theRSGB and
subscribe!
Ofcom has published a Statement on its proposed Plan of Work for the
2023 to 2024 year. The Statement describes plans for a review of
amateur licensing arrangements. According to the document,
consultation on the work is planned for the first quarter of the
year. A subsequent statement is scheduled for the fourth quarter of
the year. Once more details are available, the RSGB will review the
consultation and provide guidance to UK amateurs on how to respond to
Ofcom. To read the Statement in full visit www.ofcom.org.uk and
choose the ‘Latest news' option from the ‘News centre' tab at the
top of the page.
The RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed on
Monday the 17th of April for an essential upgrade to the radio
equipment. We apologise for any inconvenience or disappointment this
may cause.
And now for details of rallies and events
Yeovil Amateur Radio Club's 37th QRP Convention will take place on
Saturday the 15th of April at The Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset
DT9 3AA. Doors open from 9.30am to 1.30pm and admission is GBP 3. The
Convention will feature talks, traders, bring and buy, club stalls
and a café. For more information visit yeovil-arc.com or contact
qrp<at>yeovil-arc.com
The Cambridgeshire Repeater Group Rally will take place on Sunday the
16th of April. The venue will be Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road,
Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Doors open at 7.30am for traders and
9.30am for visitors. Admission is GBP 3. The rally will feature
talk-in, trade stands, bring and buy, an RSGB Bookstall and free car
parking. For more information contact Lawrence, M0LCM on
07941 972 724, email rally2023<at>cambridgerepeaters.net and see the
cambridgerepeaters.net website.
The Holsworthy Spring Rally and Boot Sale will also take place on
Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Holsworthy Livestock
Market, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. There will be plenty of parking,
wheelchair access and full catering available. The doors open to the
public from 10am. For more details contact the club secretary Ken,
G7VJA via email on m0omc<at>m0omc.co.uk and visit the m0omc.co.uk
website.
The Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Rally, also known as
both the ‘NARSA Rally' and the ‘Blackpool Rally', will take place
on Sunday the 23rd of April. The venue will be Norbreck Castle
Exhibition Centre, Blackpool FY2 9AA. For more details contact Dave,
M0OBW on 01270 761 608, email dwilson<at>btinternet.com or visit
www.narsa.org.uk
Now the Special Event News
Celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, DARC special event callsign
DA23WARD will be active until the 18th of April. All QSOs will be
confirmed automatically via the bureau. Direct cards will be managed
via DL2VFR.
Celebrating 100 years of broadcasting in Germany, special callsign
DB100RDF will be in use until the 31st of December. QSL via the
bureau, or direct to DO2PZ.
LA100K is the special callsign for the Akademisk [ACA-DEM-ISK] Radio
Club, LA1K to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its foundation.
Based in Trondheim, it is the oldest amateur radio club in Norway.
The special callsign will be in use until the 31st of December. QSL
via the bureau, or direct.
VI10VKFF is the special callsign celebrating the 10th anniversary of
the World Wide Flora and Fauna programme in Australia. It will be
used from Australian parks until the end of 2023. QSL via Logbook of
the World, eQSL or via VK5PAS.
Now the DX news
James, KI7MGY will be in Djibouti until June and plans to operate as
J28HJ on the 80, 40, 20, 17, 15 and 10m bands using SSB and FT8. QSL
via Logbook of the World.
Sunny, VU2CUW is a member of the 42nd Indian Scientific Expedition to
Antarctica. He will be based at Maitri [MY-A-TREE] Station,
Antarctica, AN-016, until November. In his spare time, he will be
active as AT42I [APLHA-TANGO-FOUR-TWO-INDIA]. QSL via VU2CRS.
Diya, YI1DZ has been in Juba, South Sudan since the 13th of March and
expects to remain there until the 22nd of April. He operates SSB and
FT8 as Z81D in his spare time. QSL via Club Log's OQRS and Logbook of
the World, or via OM3JW.
Now the contest news
Today, the 9th of April, the Worked All Britain Data Contest runs
from 1000 to 1400UTC and from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using data modes on
the 80 to 20m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square.
On Monday the 10th of April, the Irish Radio Transmitters Society
70cm Counties Contest runs from 1300 to 1330UTC. Using FM and SSB on
the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. EI
and GI stations also send their County code.
Also on Monday the 10th of April, the Irish Radio Transmitters
Society 2m Counties Contest runs from 1330 to 1500UTC. Using FM and
SSB on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
EI and GI stations also send their County code.
On Tuesday the 11th of April, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs
from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
Also on Tuesday the 11th of April, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest
runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday the 12th of April, the 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour
Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the
exchange is report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the
12th of April, the 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from
1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is report
and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest
may also enter the two-hour contest.
On Thursday the 13th of April, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs
from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Thursday the 6th of April 2023
Solar activity declined this past week with the Sun looking
distinctly spotless, other than active region 3270.
In fact, this has even prompted some amateurs to question whether we
are now past solar maximum for this cycle. Rest assured, we shouldn't
be, as it is pretty common for cycles to ebb and flow as they develop.
Having said that, half of the Sun's face is currently spotless, and
NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will be in the range of 110
to 130 next week.
Geomagnetically, things have been reasonably settled with the Kp
index reaching a maximum of 4.67 over the past seven days. NOAA
predicts that it could rise to four on the 10th and 11th of April but
will otherwise stay pretty much as it is in the range of two to
three. This may be due to a coronal hole that is currently making its
way across the Sun's face in a near-equatorial position.
However, we may not have seen the last of the activity from active
region 3270, which has increased in both size and magnetic complexity
during the past 48 hours and could soon produce a moderate M-Flare.
But, if you are reading or hearing this on Sunday, the region will be
moving out of sight and is therefore no longer a threat.
Daytime F2 critical frequencies at midday remain around 9 to 10MHz
giving a maximum useable frequency, over a 3,000km path, of just over
28MHz.
If 10m isn't doing it for you we suggest moving down to 12 or 15m.
Night-time F-layer critical frequencies are around 3 to 5MHz meaning
MUFs over 3,000km are below 14MHz, leaving 3.5, 7 and 10MHz as the
best bets for nocturnal DX.
And now the VHF and up propagation news
The current spell of high-pressure weather with enhanced Tropo, which
turned up in time for the 2m UK Activity Contest on the 4th of April,
is looking a bit vulnerable as active weather fronts come in from the
Atlantic.
We are likely to have a brief change to unsettled conditions
weather-wise before the start of the Easter weekend and again see
some rain scatter opportunities on the GHz bands.
Scandinavian highs are often long-lasting at this time of the year
and this high will regain control by Good Friday and should dominate
over the UK during the Easter weekend to give some useful tropo
possibilities again.
However, quite early next week a new powerful Atlantic jet stream
pushes into northern France and will bring a return of unsettled
weather and perhaps more rain scatter.
The Sporadic-E season is approaching and the higher HF bands like 10m
can show good examples of Es, even during the second half of April,
so a good chance to get into the habit of checking your ‘go to'
list of 10m beacons as recently updated by Steve, G0KYA, on the
propagation section of the RSGB website.
The other defaults of auroral propagation have had a good run
recently and random meteor scatter could also prove fruitful as we
are soon ending the early year ‘drought' of meteor showers with the
arrival of the Lyrids later this month.
For EME operators, Moon declination is negative and falling, reaching
its minimum next Wednesday. Moon time will be limited to
low-elevation passes, but with low path losses as we approach perigee
on the 16th.
144MHz sky noise is increasing to a high of more than 2,000 Kelvin
next Wednesday before falling back to the mid-200s the following
Sunday.
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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