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G4TNU > NEWS 23.04.23 02:35l 276 Lines 13106 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 23 Apr 2023
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 23rd of April 2023
The news headlines:
* RSGB Coronation activities
* RSGB AGM announcements and videos
* RSGB Board Chair
The RSGB is delighted that Ofcom has confirmed that the callsign
GB23C can be used for the RSGB's Coronation Special Special Event
Station. Cray Valley Radio Society members led by Bob, M0MCV and
Dave, G4BUO are organising the flagship amateur radio station that
will use this callsign from the 3rd to the 8th of May. The Special
Special Event Station will be in the grounds of the Old Royal Naval
College, along the riverside in Greenwich. From the 10th of May
onwards the callsign will be available for individuals and clubs to
use until the end of June 2023, and further details about this will
be announced shortly. Ofcom has also kindly agreed to a block of 676
Special Special Event Station callsigns for the RSGB's Beaconnect
activity for the Coronation. These are GB23BAA to BZZ, which will be
available throughout May and June. More details on how to obtain one
of these will be given next week, but meanwhile you may wish to find
a beacon site you could activate one or more times for this event.
Finally, if you are planning outreach activities with local clubs and
groups, take a look at the paper circuit template the RSGB has just
shared on its website – go to rsgb.org/coronation and choose the
coronation activity ideas tab in the right-hand menu.
The RSGB's AGM was held online last Saturday, the 15th of April. If
you missed the live event, you can see the results of the elections
and follow links to the trophy awards and the construction
competition winners on the RSGB website via rsgb.org/agm. You can
also catch up on the full livestream or watch individual sections on
the Society's YouTube channel. The RSGB has released separate videos
of the outgoing President's review of 2022, its new short Convention
promo, and the interesting presentation about preparing the GB2RS
propagation reports by the RSGB Propagation Studies Committee Chair,
Steve Nichols, G0KYA. You can see them all in the RSGB 2023 AGM
playlist on YouTube via youtube.com/theRSGB
Following the RSGB AGM on Saturday the 15th of April, a brief Board
meeting was held to consider necessary appointments. The Board was
aware that Stewart Bryant, G3YSX, who had been in a dual role since
the recent resignation of Richard Horton, G4AOJ, had expressed a
willingness to continue as Chair if required. It was agreed that
Stewart should be co-opted to the Board under the terms of Article 37
and was asked to join the meeting. Stewart was then elected
unanimously to serve as RSGB Board Chair until the 2024 AGM.
A reminder now that SOS Radio Week 2023 starts at midnight on the 1st
of May and concludes at midnight on the 31st of May. It is an
opportunity to support the many voluntary organisations in the
British Isles whose members volunteer to save the lives of others at
risk around the many miles of its coastline, and out at sea. These
organisations include the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the
National Coastwatch Association and the numerous independent lifeboat
and coastal rescue groups. Individual amateur radio operators and
clubs are invited to register to become an official SOS Radio Week
station and operate under their own callsign, their club's or a
special event callsign to raise awareness of the great work these
volunteers perform. Awards are available for registered stations that
make the most contacts on each of the 160m to 70cm bands and using
various modes. Registration is now open and further details can be
found at sosradioweek.org.uk
And now for details of rallies and events
The Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Rally, also known as
both the ‘NARSA Rally' and the ‘Blackpool Rally', is taking place
today, Sunday the 23rd. The venue is Norbreck Castle Exhibition
Centre, Blackpool FY2 9AA. For more details contact Dave, M0OBW on
01270 761 608, email dwilson<at>btinternet.com or visit narsa.org.uk
Ripon Radio Rally will take place next Sunday, the 30th of April.
The venue will be Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 2PT.
Traders can gain access from 7am and tables are GBP 12 each. Doors
open to the public from 10am and entrance is GBP 3 per person. For
more information and directions visit: g4sjm.co.uk
Thorpe Camp Hamfest will take place on Sunday the 7th of May. The
venue will be Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre and the entrance fee will be
GBP 4 per person. Traders should arrive from 7am. The rally will take
place from 9am to 1pm. Hot food and drinks will be available on site.
For more information phone Sylvia or Anthony on 07956 654 481.
Dartmoor Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 7th of May at
Yelverton War Memorial Hall, Meavy Lane, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6AL.
There will be the usual bring and buy, trader stands, refreshments
and free parking available. Doors open at 10am and admission is
GBP 2.50. For more information contact Roger by phone
on 07854 088 882 or email via 2e0rph<at>gmail.com
Now the Special Event News
Special callsign 5P0WARD will be active from Denmark until Tuesday
the 25th of April in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day. QSL via
Club Log's OQRS, Logbook of the World, eQSL, or via OZ1ACB.
Also celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, special event station
OT23WARD will be active from various locations in Belgium until the
30th of April. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, Logbook of the World and
eQSL. A certificate will be available. For more information visit
QRZ.com
Polydoros, SV1AHH is using special callsign SX50AHH to mark 50 years
of being involved with amateur radio. Operating from Greece, the
callsign will be active until Friday the 28th of April. He will be
active on the 160 to 10m bands using CW, SSB, FT8, FT4 and RTTY. His
logs will be uploaded to eQSL, Logbook of the World and Club Log.
Paper cards will not be available.
Special callsign 3A8AB is operating from Monaco until Sunday the 30th
of April. The station is active to commemorate the 100th anniversary
of the first transatlantic amateur two-way contact between Leon
Deloy, F8AB and Fred Schnell, 1MO in 1923. QSL via Logbook of the
World.
Now the DX news
Look out for Paul, VP9KF who is active from Baileys Bay, Bermuda,
NA-005, until Wednesday the 26th of April. He operates CW only. QSL
direct to Paul's address which you can view via his QRZ.com page.
Sands, VK4WXW has been on Willis Island, OC-007, since October, and
will remain there until the end of April 2023. He works at the
Australian Bureau of Meteorology's weather monitoring station on the
island, and in his spare time he is QRV as VK9WX.
The T30UN operation from West Kiribati [KI-REE-BAS], OC-017, is
expected to be active until the second week of May. Operators plan to
be available on the 160 to 6m bands with one CW station, one SSB
station and seven FT8 stations. It will be possible to see two FT8
stations on the same band, at the same time, on different
frequencies. QSL via Club Log's OQRS.
Now the contest news
The SP DX RTTY Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1200UTC today, Sunday
the 23rd of April. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests
are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
Polish stations send their province code.
Today, Sunday the 23rd of April, The British Amateur Radio Teledata
Group Sprint 75 Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using 75 Baud RTTY
on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is
serial number.
On Monday the 24th of April, the FT4 Series Contest runs from 1900 to
2030UTC. Using FT4 on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is your
report.
On Tuesday the 25th of April, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from
1830 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3GHz band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday the 26th of April, the UK and Ireland Contest Club 80m
Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the
exchange is your six-character locator.
On Thursday the 27th of April, the 80m Club Championship runs from
1900 to 2030UTC. Using PSK63 and RTTY on the 80m band, the exchange
is signal report and serial number.
Next Saturday, the 29th, the UK and Ireland Contest Club DX CW
Contest begins at 1200UTC and runs for 24 hours. Using CW on the 80
to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal
report and serial number. UK and Ireland stations also send their
District Code.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Thursday the 20th of April 2023
We had a surge in sunspot activity over the last week, pushing the
solar flux index up to a maximum of 178, although it subsequently
declined to 147.
Solar flare activity was quite subdued after a frantic period from
the 13th to the 15th that saw 40 C-class flares and two M-class
flares erupt.
This activity was mostly centred around active region 3282 in the
northwest quadrant.
Geomagnetic conditions were unsettled for a time around the 18th and
19th with the Kp index hitting a maximum of 4.3. This appears to have
been due to enhanced activity from a coronal mass ejection and
continuing coronal hole activity that saw the solar wind speed hit
more than 600km/s and the Bz swing south.
The critical frequency was down below 7MHz on the morning of
Wednesday the 19th, which impacted near-vertical incidence skywave
signals around the UK.
This impacted maximum useable frequencies, which struggled to exceed
21MHz over a 3,000km path on Wednesday, although by Thursday they
were back over 28MHz again. A critical frequency of more than 10MHz
meant the 40m band was once again suitable for close-in contacts
around the UK.
There were many reports of DX being worked later on during the week,
with Australia and New Zealand topping the bill on 18MHz and 28MHz.
Next week NOAA has put a more positive spin on sunspot activity. The
Solar Flux Index is predicted to be in the range of 168 to 172 for
the first half of the week, falling to around 160 in the second half.
But we could be in for a bumpy ride geomagnetically, with the Kp
index predicted to hit five on Wednesday the 26th of April through to
Monday the 1st of May. This may be due to the return of solar
phenomena that occurred 27 days ago and saw the Kp index get up to
4.67.
Meanwhile, a very large solar coronal hole, albeit positioned very
south on the Sun's surface, and a much smaller one on its equator,
threaten HF conditions this weekend.
Keep an eye on the real-time solar wind from the ACE spacecraft for
signs of a rise in speed and a southward-pointing Bz interplanetary
magnetic field on solarham.net This could push to Kp index higher,
perhaps to four.
And now the VHF and up propagation news
The Sporadic-E season is nearly upon us. Remember it will usually
activate on 28MHz and then higher bands will follow if the event
intensifies. There have been some 50MHz FT8 paths flagged up on
DXmaps.com, although some may have been tropo.
The recent large high pressure centred over Scandinavia has been a
bit subdued as regards Tropo. Much of the time, the air nearer the
surface has been fairly dry with little sign of banks of sea fog over
the North Sea, which would suggest better ducting potential.
We are now entering a phase with low pressure on the charts,
initially over the south of Britain, but edging north for a time
before drifting out across the North Sea. This could produce some
rain scatter on the GHz bands, especially should any heavy April
showers develop.
Early next week a ridge will edge south across the UK in a colder
northerly weather pattern, so although high pressure returns, it may
not be especially good for tropo.
The third changeover comes after midweek when a milder south-westerly
returns with active fronts bringing rain and unsettled weather,
especially to the north and west. This could mean further
opportunities for rain scatter on the GHz bands and perhaps a hint of
tropo in the Southeast towards the continent.
Aurora and meteor scatter are well worth considering, and the Lyrids
shower peaks on Sunday the 23rd. The message is to monitor meteor
scatter frequencies and the clusters for signs of activity and, of
course, try putting out a CQ call!
Moon declination is positive and rising, meaning increasing Moon time
and increasing peak elevation until peak declination on Tuesday. Moon
apogee is next Friday so path losses increase all week.
144MHz sky noise is moderate to low.
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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