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G4TNU > NEWS 08.01.24 00:01l 261 Lines 12763 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 07 Jan 2024
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 7th of January 2024
The news headlines:
* RSGB Regional Team vacancies
* RSGB volunteer interviewed by the BBC
* RSGB National Radio Centre seeks to expand its team of
volunteers
The news team and all the staff at RSGB HQ would like to wish our
newsreaders, listeners and online readers a very happy New Year. We
would like to remind everyone that we always welcome your news, by
email, to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk and the deadline is 10am sharp on
Thursday mornings. The GB2RS script is usually uploaded to the RSGB
website by 4.30pm each Friday afternoon.
Are you interested in supporting your local radio amateurs and
promoting amateur radio where you live? The RSGB Regional Team has
eight Regional Representative vacancies across the UK where you could
make a difference. Last year, Regional Reps got involved in a variety
of activities including British Science Week and YOTA Month to help
spread the word about amateur radio in their regions. If you have the
passion to do this, go to the RSGB website at rsgb.org/election to
find out how to apply. The deadline for applications is the 31st of
January.
It was great to hear RSGB volunteer Peter Marcham, G3YXZ on BBC
Radio Oxford on New Year's Day. Peter volunteers at the RSGB National
Radio Centre, as well as being a tour guide at Bletchley Park. He
spoke to radio presenter Sophie Law about his volunteering after
sending the words "Bletchley Park Guide" to a three-word, text-in
feature on why listeners were up early on New Year's Day. Search for
Sophie Law on BBC Sounds, choose the New Year's Day programme and
listen from 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 25 seconds.
There is so much happening at the RSGB National Radio Centre that
it needs to expand its team of volunteers! If you can volunteer on a
Friday or Saturday, you will be particularly welcome. The NRC has a
fabulous set-up, and full training on using the GB3RS radio station
will be given. You should enjoy meeting people and be able to
volunteer for one or two days per month as part of a friendly and
dedicated team. NRC volunteers also enjoy numerous benefits
associated with volunteering at Bletchley Park. For more
information, please email NRC Coordinator Martyn Baker, G0GMB
via nrc.support<at>rsgb.org.uk
We have received the sad news that both Mick Senior, G4EFO and Martyn
Vincent, G3UKV have become Silent Keys recently. Mick was a former
Regional Representative for Region 10, and the keeper of a number of
local repeaters. Martyn was the District Representative for
Shropshire, North Worcestershire and West Birmingham. Previously, he
volunteered for the RSGB as the Regional Representative for Region 5
and as a member of the Nominations Committee. He was also a very
well-respected member of the microwave and contesting communities.
Our thoughts are with their families at this difficult time.
This year marks 150 years since the birth of Guglielmo Marconi in
1874. The Cornish Radio Amateur Club will be organising
International Marconi Day this year on the 27th of April. For more
information and updates, visit the GB4IMD Facebook page.
The RSGB's RadCom team is looking for authors to contribute to the
magazine. Previously unpublished features and articles are always
welcome for consideration, and authors are paid for any content that
is used. To contact the RadCom team please email radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk
And now for details of rallies and events
The Lincoln Short Wave Club Winter Radio Rally will take place on
Sunday the 28th of January at The Festival Hall, Caistor Road, Market
Rasen, LN8 3HT. The doors will be open from 9am and admission is
GBP 2. Ample free car parking and hot refreshments will be available.
Tables cost GBP 10 each. At 2pm, after the Rally, there will be a
used equipment auction. Items for the auction will be booked in from
1pm. Contact Steve, M5ZZZ for tables and details via
m5zzz<at>outlook.com or 07777 699 069.
The Canvey Rally will be held on Sunday the 4th of February at
Cornelius Vermuyden [VER-MOW-DEN] School, Dinant Avenue, Canvey,
Essex, SS8 9QS. The Rally is expected to be the usual hive of
activity with plenty of traders on site. For more information contact
Richard Stanley on 07725 551 263 or email g7oed<at>icloud.com
The MIDCARS Radioactive Rally will be held on Sunday the 11th of
February at Nantwich Civic Hall, Market Street, Nantwich, CW5 5DG.
The doors open at 10am and admission is GBP 5. There will be a wide
variety of trader stalls covering every aspect of amateur radio.
Raffles will be held throughout the Rally. Refreshments and snacks
will be available in the hall and parking is immediately adjacent to
the venue.
Now the Special Event News
Today, the 7th is the last chance to work special callsign EH5XMAS.
The station is operated by members of Radio Club Lliria [YEAR-EE-AH],
EA5RCL in celebration of Christmas and the New Year. QSL via the
bureau to EA5RCL, Logbook of the World and eQSL.
On the 14th of January 2024, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe the Second
will abdicate and leave the throne to her son who will become His
Majesty King Frederik the Tenth, when he is sworn in as the new King
of Denmark. For this reason, amateur radio associations FRA and EDR
will activate Special Event Stations within The Kingdom of Denmark
including Greenland and Faroe Islands. OZ24QUEEN will be active from
0000UTC on the 12th of January until 2359UTC on the 14th of January.
OZ24KING will be active from 0000UTC on the 14th of January until
2359UTC on the 16th of January. These callsigns, and others, will be
active on many amateur radio bands using CW, SSB, RTTY and several
digital modes. All amateur bands and all modes may be used. For more
information see QRZ.com
The Radio Club of Haïti [HAY-TEA] is on the air until the 31st of
January with special callsign HH220Y. The station is active to
celebrate Haïti's [HAY-TEASE] 220th anniversary of independence.
Operators are active on the 160 to 10m bands using CW, FT8 and SSB.
QSL via N2OO [NOVEMBER-TWO-OSCAR-OSCAR].
Now the DX news
Eric, F5LCX will be active as V5/F5LCX from Namibia until the 11th of
January. He plans to operate with both mobile and fixed stations for
a few hours on a daily basis – probably during the evening hours.
QSL via Logbook of the World.
Brad, VK2BY will be active again as HS0ZNR from the Nam Yuen
[NAM-YOON] district in northeastern Thailand until the 14th of
January. He will be QRV on the 160 to 10m bands. QSL directly to
VK2BY and Logbook of the World.
Now the contest news
The UK Six Metre Group Winter Marathon began on Friday the 1st of
December 2023. The contest will run until the 31st of January 2024.
Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report and
locator.
The ARRL RTTY Roundup ends its two-day run today, Sunday the 7th of
January, at 2359UTC. Using the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are
permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. American
stations also send their state. Canadian stations send their province.
On Tuesday the 9th, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to
1955UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
Also on Tuesday the 9th, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from
2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday the 10th, 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 10th, 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 11th, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to
2230UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and locator.
On Sunday the 14th, the RSGB Affiliated Societies 80 and 40m
Datamodes Contest runs from 1300 to 1700UTC. Using PSK63 and RTTY,
the exchange is signal report and serial number.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Thursday the 4th of January 2024
Welcome to the first HF propagation report of 2024 – it looks like
it will be business as usual!
A massive X5-class solar flare occurred on the 31st of December.
Luckily, this happened at 2155UTC so didn't affect the ionosphere
over the UK. But it did launch a large coronal mass ejection, which
was forecast to possibly hit the Earth on the 2nd of January. It
looks like it largely missed us, although low-energy proton levels
streaming past Earth continued to rise and were at the minor S1
radiation storm threshold on Wednesday the 3rd.
Had active region 3536 been directly facing Earth when the flare was
observed, a stronger proton event and geomagnetic storm would have
been very likely. Only minor HF signal degradation through the polar
zones should be expected because of the minor S1 storm. So, it looks
like we dodged the bullet again, but this is a warning that there
could be more to come.
Otherwise, the solar flux index declined to the 140s over the
Christmas period, although it looks like it may increase over the
coming week.
NOAA predicts it could be in the range of 150 to 160 next week, with
a maximum Kp index of 3 on Monday the 8th, or Tuesday the 9th.
However, this could soon change if we have another solar flare and
subsequent coronal mass ejection, which could see the Kp index rise
two days later. So, make the most of HF when the Kp index is low!
Otherwise, the winter period is when the low bands, from 160 to 40m,
come into their own. While solar maximum is not the best time for
low-band propagation, there will still be plenty of DX to be worked.
Generally speaking, winter is a good time for east-west paths on HF
too.
Taking a closer look at 40 metres, the band should open for DX in an
easterly direction during the late afternoon and towards the south at
sunset. Paths during the afternoon may also include west coast USA in
mid-winter. Relatively local contacts should be possible during the
day, as the critical frequency remains above 7MHz during daylight.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
A new year brings a change of weather type and, after some residual
rainfall events at the tail end of the previous week, we should be
seeing a marked improvement in the weather as high-pressure returns
fairly generally across the country by this first weekend of January,
ending today, the 7th.
This will remain near, or very close by, for much of the coming week
and into the following weekend. It is good news for Tropo, initially
over the North Sea towards southern Scandinavia and the Baltic
region, but will probably change to favour the western side of
Britain in the second half of the week. This is nice timing to
coincide with the 70cm band RSGB contests during the week on Tuesday
the 9th and Wednesday the 10th of January.
Up until the middle of the month, we should be alert to rare
mid-winter sporadic-E propagation. With a very contorted jet stream
pattern during the whole period, the chances are better than average.
This is another piece of good timing for the 50MHz UK Activity
Contest on Thursday the 11th.
We were going through the Quadrantids meteor shower as this report
was being written, so this may provide a little boost to meteor
scatter into some of the coming week. Rain scatter will be a rapidly
diminishing option during the period as high pressure builds next
week. The solar conditions continue to produce elevated Kp index
events. So, again, check for auroral openings although, generally,
aurora is usually better towards the Spring.
For EME, this week we see negative Moon declination, falling to a
minimum by Wednesday. So, Moon windows will be short and peak Moon
elevation will be low. Path losses are also low, but we are still
over a week away from perigee, the closest approach of the Moon to
the Earth. 144MHz sky noise increases all week culminating in the Sun
and Moon being close in the sky on the 11th.
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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