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G4TNU > NEWS 05.08.23 11:32l 217 Lines 9804 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 16 Jul 2023
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 16th of July 2023
The news headlines:
* Ofcom consultation video guidance
* World Radio Team Championships
* RSGB coding activities
The RSGB has just released a video in which RSGB Spectrum and
licensing expert Murray Niman, G6JYB, explains more about Ofcom's
Consultation on "Updating the amateur radio licensing framework".
This is the biggest revamp of amateur radio licensing and callsign
policy in a generation. The video forms part of the RSGB's wider
guidance for radio amateurs on this Consultation. You can watch it on
the RSGB's YouTube channel or on the Society's consultation web page
at rsgb.org/licencereview
The UK has been awarded the hosting rights for the 10th World
Radiosport Team Championships, which will take place in July 2026.
Sometimes referred to as the ‘Olympic Games of amateur radio', the
WRTC is hosted by a different nation every four years. To find out
more about this radio contest event, which will take place in East
Anglia, see wrtc2026.org
As part of the RSGB's commitment to encourage youngsters into amateur
radio and to support lifelong learning, the Society is providing
resources and creating coding activities for people to try throughout
the month of September. From the BBC Micro:bit to Node-RED and GNU
Radio, there will be detailed activity sheets available on the RSGB's
website. The RSGB hopes this will give you ideas to try yourself,
with your club or to use as a workshop at your local school or
community group. Some clubs are already planning workshops and there
will be details of those on the website to inspire you too. Find out
more at rsgb.org/coding
Each RSGB Board Director has a liaison role between the Board and
specific aspects of the Society's work. The General Manager also has
operational responsibilities. The RSGB's Board web page now has a
list of the different responsibilities for the current Board. The
Society hopes that RSGB Members will be able to use this as a guide
to help them know who to contact if they have questions, concerns or
ideas about any areas of the Society's activities. You can contact
each Board Director, and the General Manager, via the email address
shown by their name. Go to rsgb.org/board to find out more.
A reminder now that every Thursday, a global net called
‘APRSThursday' takes place using the Automatic Packet Reporting
System, also known as APRS, for 24 hours. For amateurs who have APRS
equipment, it is an opportunity to explore the mode and make contacts
with other stations joining the net. The APRS frequency is 144.800MHz
in Europe, and each week between 300 and 500 operators take part in
the net. Further information can be found via aprsph.net
And now for details of rallies and events
The McMichael Radio and Electronics Rally and Car Boot Sale is taking
place today, Sunday the 16th of July. The venue is Reading Rugby Club
which offers a bar and catering facilities and has ample free
parking. Admission is GBP 3 per person and GBP 10 per table for
traders. Visit mcmichaelrally.org.uk for more information and contact
details.
The Finningley Amateur Radio Society Rally will take place on Sunday
the 23rd of July at Belton Road, Sandtoft, Doncaster, DN8 5SX. The
doors will be open from 10am and a food bar will be available. For
more information visit g0ghk.com
Wiltshire Radio and Car Boot Sale will take place on Sunday the 30th
of July at Kington Langley Village Hall and Playing Field, Kington
Langley, Wiltshire SN15 5NJ. The event will start at 9am and finish
at 1pm. There is a GBP 2 entry fee for traders. Indoor tables cost
GBP 10. Admittance for car booters is GBP 10, and for vans it is
GBP 15. For further information please contact
Chairman<at>Chippenhamradio.club
Now the Special Event News
Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade Watch House will be on the air on
Friday the 21st of July using the callsign GB4VLB. The station will
be active on the 60 to 10m HF bands, and the 6m VHF band, using SSB
and CW modes. QSL via Logbook of the World. For more information
visit QRZ.com
Special callsign TM110TDF is active until the 23rd of July to mark
the 110th Tour de France. The station will be operating on the HF
bands using SSB, CW and digital modes as well as 2m EME. QSL via
F8GGZ.
Now the DX news
A team of amateurs is active as KH8RRC from Tutuila [TOO-TOO-EE-LUH],
OC-045, in American Samoa until the 18th of July. They are operating
using CW, SSB, FT8 and FT4 on the 80 to 6m bands from a mountain-top
location within the American Samoa National Park. This will be the
first ever Parks on the Air activity on the island. QSL via Club
Log's OQRS, or direct to KB2FMH.
An Italian DXpedition team is active from the Democratic Republic of
the Congo until the 18th of July. 9Q1AA and 9Q1ZZ are operating using
SSB, CW, RTTY and FT8. See i2ysb.com/idt for more information
including a band plan. QSL direct to I2YSB.
Look for Peter, PJ5/PA4O and Ad, PJ5/PE6Q who are active from Sint
Eustatius [SINT-YOU-STAY-SHUSH], NA-145, until the 18th of July. They
are operating using CW, SSB and FT8 on the 80 to 6m bands. QSL via
Club Log's OQRS.
Now the contest news
Today, Sunday the 16th, the International Low Power Contest runs from
0900 to 1600UTC. Using CW on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange
is signal report, serial number and TX power.
On Monday the 17th of July, the RSGB FT4 Contest runs from 1900 to
2030UTC. Using FT4 on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is your
report.
On Tuesday the 18th of July, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from
1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on 1.3GHz frequencies, the exchange
is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Thursday the 20th of July, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from
1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Thursday the 13th of July 2023
Last week saw the arrival of one of the biggest sunspots of this
cycle. Active region 3363 could swallow the Earth four times over. It
is a source of M-class flares, but at the time of writing hasn't
produced any X-class events.
A new sunspot region 3372 has just rotated into view and has also
been the source of eight M-class flares, one of which may have caused
a coronal mass ejection that could give a glancing blow to the Earth
this weekend – watch this one for more activity as it rotates into
an Earth-facing position.
Meanwhile, the Solar Flux Index has been hovering around the 200
mark, meaning daytime MUFs over a 3,000km path are around 21MHz,
sometimes slightly lower. At night this falls to around 14 to 18MHz
so don't write off HF once the sun sets.
Next week, NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Centre has the Solar Flux
Index around 175. While we have been lucky that Earth has not been
subjected to too much geomagnetic disruption, after any disturbance
across the weekend, the Space Weather Prediction Centre has forecast
that the Kp index will be around two again all week.
So it may be ideal for DX, like Silvano 9Q1AA/9Q1ZZ in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, who has been active on the 10 and 15m bands
recently. Or the KH8RRC DXpedition to American Samoa which is active
until the 18th.
Remember, there is DX to be worked – you've just got to pick the
right band and time.
And now the VHF and up propagation news
The predominant theme this week is driven by low pressure systems,
meaning further days of heavy rain or thundery showers and a distinct
lack of Tropo from areas of high pressure.
However, there is a split in the different models' view for southern
Britain later in the coming week in which some try to build a ridge
across southern UK and France from the Azores high. Check the
forecast charts from Wednesday onwards to see which version ‘wins'.
In the meantime, the heavy rain will continue the recent good run of
rainscatter on the GHz bands.
Sporadic-E will probably continue to be a feature on most days
somewhere in Europe. Last Wednesday night saw another good opening to
Newfoundland.
Remember that there are plenty of online clusters and map plots
showing where the focus of activity is located. Each day a blog is
published on propquest.co.uk detailing the locations of likely
Sporadic-E activity, based upon the positions of various weather
features suspected of being responsible for the location of
Sporadic-E patches.
The recent behaviour of the Sun has regularly affected the prospects
for VHF propagation by interaction with the Earth's magnetic field
giving a high Kp index, above five, which can be a sign of auroral
conditions.
A high Kp index is potentially a bad thing for Sporadic-E prospects,
some operators suggesting that it is possible that solar flare
activity may also be a negative influence on Sporadic-E. Meteor
scatter prospects continue to improve due to two broad-peaked showers
coming up later in the month.
This weekend sees maximum Moon declination but losses are high as we
approach apogee next Thursday. 144MHz sky noise is moderate until
Monday when the Sun is close to the Moon for the whole day's pass,
lasting until 9am on Tuesday. After this, sky noise is 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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