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G4TNU > NEWS 13.08.23 02:31l 256 Lines 12136 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 13 Aug 2023
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 13th of August 2023
The news headlines:
* RSGB Intruder Watch Service volunteer needed
* New RSGB NRC promotional video
* International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend
The RSGB Intruder Watch Service is looking for a volunteer to act
as Coordinator when Richard Lamont, G4DYA retires from the role in
September. The function of the Intruder Watch Service is to monitor
and receive reports of intrusions of non-amateur transmissions into
amateur radio bands and to collate reports and alert Ofcom to
persistent and regular intruders. The responsibilities of the
volunteer include: submitting details of intruders to the IARU
Monitoring Service on behalf of the UK; membership of the RSGB
Spectrum Forum; and providing reports for the Spectrum Forum, RadCom
and the RSGB Yearbook. The successful applicant for the position will
have a station capable of reliable monitoring of amateur bands,
up-to-date knowledge of transmission modes and modulation methods in
order to be able to identify transmissions, and the ability to
receive reports of intruders from other amateur stations by email. If
you're interested in finding out more about this role, please email
the RSGB Spectrum Forum Chair, Murray Niman, G6JYB at
spectrum.chairman<at>rsgb.org.uk
Have you been to the RSGB National Radio Centre? Would you like to
encourage your family and friends to visit and find out more about
amateur radio? We've just released a promotional video that gives a
whistle-stop tour of all the fantastic things at the NRC in just one
minute. Find it on the RSGB's YouTube channel or on the National
Radio Centre web page on our website at rsgb.org/nrc
International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend is coming up soon. The
event is usually held on the third weekend of August which this year
is the 19th and 20th. It is one of the most popular amateur radio
events in the calendar and in past years there have been over 500
entries from more than 40 different countries. More details about the
event and a registration form can be found at illw.net
A reminder now that the popular British Inland Waterways on the Air
event will take place between the 26th and 28th of August. The event
is open to amateurs who use canals, towpaths, rivers, lakes or
reservoirs for work or recreation. Registration for the event is
still open. To sign up, visit Nunsfield House Amateur Radio Group's
website nharg.org.uk and follow the ‘BIWOTA 2023' link.
The RSGB is reminding all radio amateurs that they are required to
revalidate their licence with Ofcom at least every five years. If it
has been a while since you did that, go to
ofcom.org.uk/manage-your-licence or email
spectrum.licensing<at>ofcom.org.uk
The date has been confirmed for the 2023 Scottish Microwave Round
Table, or GMRT. It will be held between 10.30am and 5pm on Saturday
the 11th of November at the Museum of Communication,
Burntisland, Fife in Scotland. An interesting programme of speakers
has been arranged. Microwave test facilities will be provided, and
the event will be an opportunity to purchase components and
microwave-related items. The cost is GBP 12 and this includes a
buffet lunch. A dinner will be held in the evening at a local hotel.
Full information and online registration are available
at gmroundtable.org.uk/about Please email Colin, GM4HWO via
gm4hwo<at>gmail.com for more information.
Don't forget that booking is open for the RSGB Convention which is
being held between the 13th and 15th of October. For more information
visit rsgb.org/convention
And now for details of rallies and events
The Flight Refuelling Amateur Radio Society Hamfest is being held
today, Sunday the 13th of August from 9am to 4pm. The venue is Cobham
Sports and Social Club Ground, Merley, near Wimborne, Dorset,
BH21 3DA. Admission is GBP 5 and this includes parking. Talk-in will
be on 145.550MHz. On-site catering, bar facilities and an RSGB
Bookstall will be available. Indoor and field pitches are available
and car-boot traders are welcome from 7am. For more information,
email tbaker<at>tiscali.co.uk, visit frars.co.uk or phone
07743 475 018.
The Rugby Amateur Transmitting Society Rally will take place on
Sunday the 20th of August. The venue will be Princethorpe College,
Princethorpe, Rugby, Warkwickshire, CV23 9PY. The event will begin at
10am. For more details contact Steve, G8LYB on 07956 855 816, email
rally<at>rugbyats.co.uk or visit rugbyats.co.uk
Lincoln Short Wave Club Summer Rally will take place on Sunday the
20th of August. The venue will be The Festival Hall, Caistor Road,
Market Rasen, LN8 3HT. The doors will be open from 9.30am and
admission will be GBP 2. Free car parking and refreshments will be
available. Tables cost GBP 10. To book, contact Steve via
m5zzz<at>outlook.com or phone 07777 699 069.
The Red Rose Summer Rally will take place on Sunday the 20th of
August. The venue will be St Joseph's Hall, Leigh WN7 2PJ. The event
will feature free parking, a café, traders, individual stands, club
stands, low-cost bring and buy and a raffle for a new digital radio.
For more information visit wmrc.co.uk
Now the Special Event News
Special event station PA14JAMBO will be active until Thursday the
17th of August from Spaarnwoude [SPARN-WOWED] for the 14th Haarlem
Jamborette, a large international scout camp that takes place in the
Netherlands every four years. Look for activity on SSB, CW, and
digital modes. QSL via PA9LUC and eQSL.
Special event station CX90RCU will be operating until Thursday the
31st of August to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Radio Club
Uruguayo [YOUR-RUH-GWAI-OH], CX1AA, founded on the 23rd of August
1933. QSL via the bureau, direct, or via Logbook of the World.
Now the DX news
Josiah, KI5UBT and John, N5VOF will be active as VP5/KI5UBT and
VP5/N5VOF from Providenciales, NA-002, on the Turks and Caicos
Islands, until tomorrow, the 14th of August. They are operating SSB
and FT8 on the 40 to 2m bands. QSL direct to home calls.
Bo, OZ1DJJ will be active again, from Greenland, as OX3LX from
Tasiilaq [TAZ-EE-A-LACK] on Ammassalik [AMMAS-A-LEAK] Island, NA-151,
until the 15th of August. He will focus on the QO-100 satellite and
the 6 and 4m bands, but he will also be QRV on the HF bands. He will
then go to Ittoqqortoormiit [EET-A-CAR-A-MEET], on the main island of
Greenland. QSL via Logbook of the World, Club Log's OQRS, or direct
to OZ0J.
Also active from Tasiilaq [TAZ-EE-A-LACK] will be Emil, DL8JJ,
operating as OX/DL8JJ until tomorrow, the 14th of August. In his
spare time he will operate CW with 10W.
Frans, DJ0TP will be active as TK/DJ0TP from the main island of
Corsica, EU-014, until the 3rd of September. QSL via DJ0TP's home
call and Logbook of the World.
Now the contest news
Today, the 13th of August, the Worked All Europe DX CW Contest ends
its 24-hour run at 2359UTC. Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where
contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial
number.
On Tuesday the 15th of August, 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 17th of August, 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 10th of August 2023
Sunspot activity continues as we head towards solar maximum. Or have
we already gone past that point? Identifying solar maximum can only
really be done in retrospect. That is, after we have already had it!
Solar maximum is now forecast for early to mid-2025 so we still have
some way to go.
Last week the Solar Flux Index declined from 176 on the 5th, to 153
on the 10th.
Geomagnetic conditions were mainly settled, other than a Kp index of
6.67 on the 5th. This was due to an incoming plasma cloud from a
coronal mass ejection, or CME, that left the Sun on the 2nd of
August.
We had not one, but two X-class flare events recently. These occurred
on the 5th and the 7th. The event on the 5th was long in duration
with a peak flux at 2221UTC. Luckily it was from active region 3386,
which was right on the edge of the visible solar disk, so any
associated CME was directed away from Earth.
The second event at 2046UTC on the 7th was also from AR3386, which by
now had rotated just out of view of the Earth, so again its
associated CME was not Earth-directed.
So, we were lucky on both counts. If this sunspot region is still
active on its return, we could be in for a rough ride. Keep an eye
out from around the 20th of this month when it should reappear.
HF conditions have been variable, with occasional F2-layer openings
on the 10m band. The 15m band has produced some good DX including
5W1SA in Samoa on FT8. The 17m band produced Roland, TR8CR in Gabon
on CW for Laurie, G3UML. S79KW in the Seychelles was worked by Hugh,
EI2HI on 10m SSB, but it has otherwise been quite quiet. Expect more
HF DX activity later next month.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the Solar Flux Index will be in the low
160s, with a maximum Kp index of two. If that does pan out, we can
expect fairly good HF conditions.
But as always, watch out for solar flares and CMEs that can't be
predicted terribly well. A solar flare could result in a sudden
ionospheric disturbance but that would be relatively short-lived. A
CME, which might follow a flare in about two days, could see the MUF
drop for a day or more.
And now the VHF and up propagation news
The brief period of high pressure around the middle of last week will
be long gone by the weekend and new Atlantic lows will again dominate
the UK weather. At first, this will be mainly over the northern half
of Britain before moving to the western side of the country later in
the week.
This means that any Tropo at the end of the previous week is not here
to stay. The low-pressure input will bring rain scatter propagation
modes and, since we are supposedly in the summertime, the rainfall
events may be quite heavy or even thundery in places, so there may be
good scattering for the GHz bands.
The Sporadic-E season is still simmering with a few brief moments of
single hop within Europe, but also some longer multi-hop paths
including to the Far East and VK on 10m.
The upper air pattern of jet streams may still be able to trigger a
few openings during the coming week, although it is looking much
weaker than last week and possibly mainly biased towards northern
areas like the Baltic and Scandinavia.
Meteor scatter is one mode that should do well, especially at first
with the peak of the Perseids this weekend. It can be quite
interesting to monitor the 2m meteor scatter calling channel and
stand outside watching for meteors, especially if it's a bit warmer!
The shower has a broad peak so should still provide activity during
the coming week.
Lastly, the Sun continues to offer occasional disturbed conditions
with a chance of high Kp indices and possible aurora. The easiest
solution is to monitor the Kp index and perhaps your favourite
Scottish beacon for signs of auroral flutter.
With the Moon at maximum declination this weekend, with long Moon
visibility windows, it's the Microwave EME contest. Moon apogee is
next Wednesday so path losses are at their highest until then. 144MHz
sky noise is moderate until late Tuesday when the Sun and the Moon
are close in the sky until Thursday when levels drop back 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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