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G4TNU > NEWS 28.11.23 01:27l 220 Lines 10522 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 19 Nov 2023
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 19th of November 2023
The news headlines:
* World Radio Conference WRC-23
* VHF Contest Committee survey
* "Taking amateur radio into schools" RSGB presentation released
World Radio Conference WRC-23 opens on Monday the 20th of
November. Over the coming four weeks a wide variety of agenda items
will be considered, of which the 23cm band is a high priority item
for amateur radio. IARU volunteers have worked hard over the past
four years in preparation for this. The RSGB will be attending as
part of the Ofcom UK delegation. The RSGB's social media and special
focus page at rsgb.org/wrc-23 will feature regular postings whilst
the conference is underway.
Following a really productive contest forum at the RSGB Convention,
and a number of suggestions generated by the committee or raised in
discussions with contesters, the VHF Contest Committee would like
feedback to help finalise the VHF Contest rules for next year. The
survey doesn't have many questions so it shouldn't take more than a
couple of minutes of your time to fill it out, but the committee
would really appreciate your views. Of course, there is also an
opportunity for you to give feedback outside of those specific
questions. You'll find the survey at tinyurl.com/VHFCC and it will
remain open until the end of the month.
As part of its commitment to outreach and the growth of amateur
radio, the RSGB has released a presentation from its 2023 Convention,
called "Taking amateur radio into schools". Lyall Smith GM4XID, Chris
Leviston M0KPW, and Simon Harris G4WQG, share their experiences of
inspiring school pupils to explore and have fun with amateur radio.
Lyall set up an amateur radio club in his school whilst Chris started
an afterschool club at his daughter's primary school. Simon, with the
help of friends at his amateur radio club, created links with his
son's technical college that have snowballed to other schools in the
area. The presentation shows how individual radio amateurs and clubs
can make positive and productive links with schools and will give you
tips and encouragement for getting involved with your local schools.
The Bath Based Distance Learning team has helped over a thousand
students to pass UK amateur radio exams with pass rates consistently
above the national average. The next Intermediate course will run
from January to May 2024. Students will receive weekly work packages
via a virtual classroom. There will be no charge for the training,
but students will need to provide their own textbook, scientific
calculator, electronic parts and tool kit. Students will also have to
arrange their own exam at the end of the course, but advice will be
provided at the appropriate time. As part of the application process,
there will be some pre-course work to ensure students are able to use
the online learning systems and to be sure they are ready to study in
January. To receive course application details, please email Bath
Based Distance Learning Team Leader Steve, G0FUW, via
g0fuw<at>bbdl.org.uk
The RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed on
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. There
will be reduced hours on New Year's Eve when the Centre will be
closing at 2pm. Following the seasonal closures, the RSGB National
Radio Centre will also be closed for essential maintenance works
between the 2nd and 5th of January 2024. Outside of these times,
volunteers look forward to welcoming visitors as usual. Remember that
RSGB Members can download a free entry voucher for Bletchley Park
from the RSGB website rsgb.org/bpvoucher
Please send details of your news and events to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk
The deadline for submissions is 10am on Thursday before the Sunday
broadcast.
And now for details of rallies and events
The Coulsdon Amateur Transmitting Society Bazaar is taking place
today, Sunday the 19th of November. The venue is Oasis Academy,
Homefield Road, Old Coulsdon, CR5 1ES. Doors are open to the public
from 10am to 2pm and the entrance fee is GBP 3. Traders, bring and
buy, club tables and car parking are available. Please forward
general enquiries to bazaar<at>catsradio.org.uk
The Wiltshire Winter Radio Rally will take place on Saturday the
25th of November from 9am to 1pm. The venue is Kington Langley
Village Hall and Playing Field, Kington Langley, Wiltshire, SN15 5NJ.
Entry costs GBP 3. There is no charge for under 16s. For further
information please contact chairman<at>chippenhamradio.club
Bishop Auckland Radio Amateur Club Rally will take place on Sunday
the 3rd of December. The event will be held at Spennymoor Leisure
Centre, High Street, Spennymoor, County Durham, DL16 6DB. The doors
open at 10.30am for visitors, with disabled access from 10am. For
more information, contact bdingle<at>hotmail.co.uk
Now the Special Event News
Radio Club de Nice [NEESE] is active as TM8AB to commemorate the
anniversary of the first transatlantic amateur two-way contact
between Leon Deloy, 8AB and Fred Schnell, 1MO in November 1923.
Listen for activity on the 80 to 10m bands using SSB, CW, FT8 and
SSTV until the 10th of December. QSL via F4KJQ.
Special callsign LX90RTL is in use to celebrate the 90th anniversary
of Radio Luxembourg's first long-wave broadcast. It will be used by
various LX operators until the end of the year. Look for activity on
the HF bands using SSB, CW, digital modes, and satellite. All QSOs
will be confirmed automatically via the DARC bureau. The logs will be
uploaded to Club Log, Logbook of the World and eQSL on a regular
basis. See QRZ.com for more information.
Now the DX news
Pierre, VK3KTB and Alexey, VE1RUS are active as VY0ERC from the
Eureka Amateur Radio Club station on Ellesmere Island, NA-008, until
the 22nd of November. QSL via OQRS.
Maurizio, IK2GZU is active again from Tanzania as 5H3MB until the 8th
of December. He is operating using SSB, CW and digital modes on the
80 to 10m bands. QSL via OQRS, Logbook of the World, eQSL or via
IK2GZU.
Now the contest news
On Tuesday the 21st of November, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs
from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 23cm band, the exchange
is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Thursday the 23rd of November, the Autumn Series CW Contest runs
from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is
signal report and serial number.
The CQ World Wide DX CW Contest runs from 0000UTC on Saturday the
25th of November to 2359UTC on Sunday the 26th of November. Using CW
on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange
is signal report and CQ zone. The UK is in zone 14.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Thursday the 16th of November 2023
We had another roller-coaster week with periods of reasonably settled
geomagnetic conditions followed by more unsettled times. Luckily, it
didn't get too bad, as it did when the Kp index hit seven the week
before.
This, coupled with a lower solar flux index of 119 on Thursday, has
meant HF conditions have not been outstanding. However, we are still
buoyed by the seasonal HF conditions, which are generally good in
Autumn.
Propquest shows that the F2-layer critical frequency is still maxing
out at more than 12MHz around noon. The F2-layer critical frequency
is the highest at which radio waves are returned back to Earth when
sent directly up into the ionosphere.
This gives us a maximum usable frequency, or MUF, over a 3,000km path
of more than 40MHz. Interestingly, it also gives us an MUF over a
500km path of more than 14.7MHz. So, look out for long-distance
inter-G signals around noon, or thereabouts, on the 20m band. The 30m
band remains a pretty solid inter-G band from late morning to
mid-afternoon.
Getting back to the geomagnetic conditions, the Bz component of the
interplanetary magnetic field or IMF has been pointing south for long
periods which is why the Kp index has been higher than normal. This
means the IMF more easily couples to the Earth's magnetic field, just
like two bar magnets aligned north against south.
Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will rise again,
perhaps reaching 140 by the end of the week. However, it also
forecasts unsettled geomagnetic conditions from the 22nd to the
25th, with a forecast Kp index of up to 5. So, get your HF DXing in
early next week!
And now the VHF and up propagation news
The seemingly never-ending period of unsettled weather is likely to
continue into the coming week.
This means another week with only a limited chance of Tropo for most
parts of the country. As something of a longshot, it's worth noting
that southern parts of England, especially along the Channel coast,
may have access to higher pressure over Biscay after the middle of
next week for chance Tropo paths south into western France or
northern Spain.
For the rest of us, the weather pattern is rather changeable with a
tendency for north-westerly winds. At this time of year, this can
often mean that showers form over the surrounding seas. Rain scatter
options could be worth checking for stations around the Irish and
North Sea coasts.
Meteor scatter is also worth considering, in view of the peak of the
Leonids, on Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th, at the beginning
of this first weekend. It's quite a broad period of activity and,
with the minor Moncerotids [MONO-SER-OH-TIDS] shower peaking on the
22nd, conditions could still be good throughout the new week.
Lastly, a thought about the chances of aurora and the busy solar
activity: it's worth keeping a check on the planetary Kp index for
signs of aurora – look for a Kp above six.
For EME operators, Moon declination starts at a minimum but rises all
week, going positive again late on Wednesday. Losses are at their
lowest with Moon perigee on Tuesday the 21st. 144MHz sky noise is low
all week. Perigee is when the Moon is at its closest point to Earth.
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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