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G4TNU > NEWS 14.01.24 08:49l 246 Lines 12174 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 14 Jan 2024
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 14th of January 2024
The news headlines:
* RSGB releases new video about changes to amateur radio
licensing
* WRTC 2026 team to appear in an RSGB Tonight<at>8 webinar
* Paul Athersmith, M0PLA achieves Mountain Goat award
Following Ofcom's consultation on the amateur radio licence last
year, it released a statement in December 2023. The statement
outlined its decision to update the amateur radio licensing framework
to ensure the policies and licences meet the needs of today's and
tomorrow's radio amateurs, while streamlining the licensing process.
It also published a General Notice, giving notice of its proposal to
vary all amateur radio licences. The RSGB has just released a video
in which RSGB General Manager Steve Thomas, M1ACB chats to RSGB
Spectrum Forum Chair Murray Niman, G6JYB. Murray recaps some of the
headline results of the Ofcom consultation, including where changes
have occurred to Ofcom's proposals. They also talk about what this
could mean for radio amateurs in the future. This is a great example
of how the RSGB is working not only to defend the spectrum, but also
to support all radio amateurs to understand and make use of the
privileges they enjoy through their amateur radio licence. You can
watch this video on the RSGB's YouTube channel or via the Society's
licence review updates page at rsgb.org/licencereview
On Monday the 15th of January, join the RSGB's first Tonight<at>8
live webinar of 2024. Led by Chairman and Project Manager Mark
Haynes, M0DXR, the WRTC 2026 team will be presenting and answering
questions live on the RSGB YouTube channel and BATC channel. The
presentation will explain what WRTC is about and provide an overview
of what the UK's Organising Committee is planning for the 2026 event.
Find out how you can be part of this once-in-a-lifetime event, either
as a spectator, volunteer, competitor or referee. Following Mark's
presentation at the RSGB 2023 Convention, this Tonight<at>8 webinar
will bring you up to date with everything that has been happening
since. To find out more go to the RSGB website at rsgb.org/webinars
Paul Athersmith, M0PLA of Telford, Shropshire, has achieved the
coveted Mountain Goat award for gaining 1,000 activator points in the
Summits on the Air scheme. Paul completed his mission on the summit
of Pole Bank, on the Long Mynd [LONG-MIND] in Shropshire. The feat
took Paul just over seven years, following his debut activation in
December 2016. For more information about SOTA, visit sota.org.uk
The deadline for nominations in the RSGB elections is Wednesday the
31st of January. You still have time to stand for the one Elected
Board Director vacancy or for one of the eight Regional
Representative vacancies. Do you want to support your local radio
amateurs? Are you passionate about seeing the amateur radio community
grow and attract new people of all ages? Do you understand the RSGB's
importance in helping to protect the spectrum and the licence
privileges all radio amateurs enjoy? If so, this is the time to step
forward! If you don't feel you can volunteer at this time, do you
know someone who would be great in one of these roles? Go to the
RSGB website at rsgb.org/election to find out how to get involved
before the nomination period closes.
RSGB National Radio Centre Coordinator Martyn Baker, G0GMB is a name
many will know from visits to the National Radio Centre at Bletchley
Park. Others will know him from contacts they may have made with him
on the radio over the many years that Martyn has been an amateur
radio licensee. You can learn more about Martyn, and his love for the
hobby, in "The Face behind the Call" in January's Practical Wireless
magazine. Journalist Roger Dowling, G3NKH discovers how Martyn came
into the hobby, and takes a look at his extensive shack. They also
talk about volunteering at the RSGB National Radio Centre and the
impressive equipment that makes up the GB3RS station. Read more at
rsgb.org/nrc
The deadline for submissions to the RSGB Construction Competition is
the 1st of March 2024. To enable members across the country, and even
the world, to take part, entries will again be judged over the
internet rather than in person. This year two new categories have
been introduced so there are six categories you can enter: Antennas;
Beginners; Most creative and/or elegant PCB Design; Construction
Excellence; Innovation; and Software and Systems. Special recognition
will be given to entries submitted by radio amateurs under the age of
24, and to those who have just gained their Foundation licence. A
cash prize will be awarded for the winner of each section, with a
bonus for the overall winner, who will also be given the Pat Hawker
G3VA Award. You can watch an RSGB Tonight<at>8 presentation featuring
winners from previous years, and find out how to enter this year, on
the RSGB website at rsgb.org/construction-competition
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
The World Wide Award 2024 has been running since the 1st of January
and will finish on the 31st of January. The event is being held in
celebration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Guglielmo
Marconi. The World Wide Award combines CW, SSB and digital mode
activity from special event stations around the world. Real-time
award tracking for chasers is available at hamaward.cloud/wwa
VI100MB is the special callsign for the Manly-Warringah
[MAN-LEE-WIRE-ING-GAH] Radio Society, VK2MB to celebrate the 100th
anniversary of its formation. The station will be active until the
25th of February 2024. QSL via Logbook of the World and eQSL.
Now the DX news
Pierre-Jean [PEA-AIR-ZHAWN], F4GPK will be active as TO2FY from
French Guiana [GEE-ANNE-AH] until the 16th of January. He will
operate SSB only from the facilities at the local radio club, FY5KE.
QSL via eQSL, or direct to his home call. He does not use Logbook of
the World or Club Log.
Yannick, F6FYD will be active as CN2YD from Marrakech [MAR-AH-KESH],
Morocco until the 15th of March 2024. He plans to operate as CN2YD/P
from IOTA group AF-065 sometime during his stay. QSL via F6FYD.
Now the contest news
Today, 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.
On Tuesday the 16th, 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 18th, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to
2230UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and locator.
On Saturday the 20th, the Affiliated Societies 80 and 40m SSB Contest
runs from 1300 to 1700UTC. Using SSB only on the 80 and 40m bands,
the exchange is signal report and serial number.
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.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Thursday the 11th of January 2024
We couldn't have asked for better solar conditions last week. We had
a low Kp index that never got any higher than 2.67, and a solar flux
index that started the week at 167 and then rose to 186 by Wednesday.
So, at first glance, this looks like ideal conditions for HF.
However, we are in the middle of winter and therefore the ionosphere
is not at its best. The low bands are also being affected by the
higher solar flux and, on the whole, the 14MHz band and above are
closing as the night draws in.
Daytime critical frequencies remain around 9 to 10MHz, so the 40m
band should remain useful for inter-UK work. Nighttime critical
frequencies are currently falling to 3.5 to 4.5MHz, which means the
40m band is only open to long skip, if at all.
The critical frequency is the highest that still returns a signal
from the ionosphere if sent straight up, and is a good guide as to
which bands are open to near vertical incidence skywave or NVIS
signals around the UK.
On the brighter side, 14MHz has been showing signs of DX. The VK6RBP
beacon has been heard on 14.100MHz in the afternoon via the short
path and 28.200MHz in the morning via the long path.
The 12m band has shown international beacons RR90 in Siberia, OH2B in
Finland, LU4AA in Argentina and YV5B in Venezuela, on 24.930MHz in
the morning. While the 10m band also highlighted YV5B in Venezuela
during mid-morning.
Not a massive catch, but better than we were getting two years ago!
For the coming week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index may fall
into the range 150 to 165. Geomagnetic conditions are predicted to
remain settled with a maximum Kp index of 2.
As always, this could easily change if we have a coronal mass
ejection, so keep an eye on solarham.net for near real-time solar
conditions.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The area of high pressure has been working well for some parts of the
country, with Tropo conditions lasting into the start of this
weekend, but as a cold front moves South on Saturday the 13th, all
will change as the high becomes displaced to the Atlantic.
Therefore, there is no significant Tropo for the coming week, but
there may be some rain scatter from showers, especially around the
coasts.
We seem to have passed the period of unusual winter Sporadic-E
propagation without much evidence of activity, so that just leaves
meteor scatter. After the Quadrantids last week, we entered a period
of low meteor shower activity, leaving just random meteors until the
next major shower, the Lyrids in April.
For random meteor scatter, the pre-dawn period works best. The solar
conditions can still be instrumental in producing extra propagation
treats with chance aurora. Probably the best operating policy is to
monitor the geomagnetic Kp-index with high values greater than 6
being a good sign for VHF.
For EME operators, this week starts with very low Moon declination,
low peak Moon elevation and short Moon windows, but declination is
rising and goes positive again on Tuesday. Path losses are still low,
and reached minimum at perigee on Saturday the 13th. 144MHz sky noise
is low for all of the coming week.
And that's all from the propagation team this week.
And that's the end of the #@# 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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