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G4TNU > NEWS 28.01.24 02:32l 256 Lines 12772 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 28 Jan 2024
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The news headlines:
* The RSGB election deadline is coming up
* RSGB Build a Radio workshops planned at Bletchley Park
* Registration for SOS Radio Week is open
The deadline for nominations in the RSGB elections is next Wednesday,
the 31st of January. If you would like to stand for the one elected
Director role, or for any of the eight Regional Representative
vacancies, you will need to complete the nomination process by
2359UTC on Wednesday. Full details of the process are on the RSGB
website at rsgb.org/election The Society would encourage anyone
with a passion for amateur radio, and a desire to support the amateur
radio community, to look at the candidate information and considering
stepping forward for one of these roles. You'll find full information
about the skills and experience needed in the candidate packs, and
there is still time for an informal chat about the roles and
responsibilities if you'd like one. But don't delay as late
applications won't be accepted!
As part of its British Science Week activities, the RSGB is
organising two build-a-radio workshops at Bletchley Park on Sunday
the 17th of March. Funded by the Radio Communications Foundation,
these fun workshops are a great way for young people to try a
practical amateur radio activity. The sessions are for youngsters
aged 11 to 18 who will build their own VHF FM broadcast receiver
using simple tools. The workshops cost GBP 11 for the participant,
and if you are an adult accompanying a participant who is aged 16 or
under, you will receive free admission to Bletchley Park. These
workshops are always very popular so book now if you know a youngster
who would like to take part. Go to the Bletchley Park website at
bletchleypark.org.uk then choose the What's On option from the top
right-hand menu.
SOS Radio Week is an annual event that takes place throughout the
month of May to celebrate the work of the volunteers from the Royal
National Lifeboat Institution, Independent Lifeboats and National
Coastwatch Stations around the British Isles. Members of these
organisations save many people who are in danger along, and around,
the thousands of miles of coastline and further out to sea. This year
is the 200th anniversary of the founding of the RNLI, so SOS Radio
Week is being branded ‘SOS Radio Week 200' for those operators who
are supporting the RNLI during the event. Participants can operate
from home, a public location, or a lifeboat or Coastwatch station,
with the appropriate authorisation from the station manager. A
commemorative certificate will be available to all official stations
that record their contacts on the website, together with awards for
the top individual and club, or group, stations on each band from
160m to 70cm. Registration for individual and group operators is now
open via sosradioweek.org.uk
The RSGB has released a further three presentations from its 2023
Convention. In the first, Professor Simon Watts, G3XXH gives a
fascinating presentation about VHF airborne radar and the design and
performance of these early systems in World War II. The other two
presentations focus on the World Radiosport Team Championship which
the UK will be hosting in 2026. The WRTC is held every four years and
is considered to be the Olympic Games of radio contesting. At the
RSGB Convention, WRTC Chair Mark Haynes, M0DXR gave an overview of
what is being planned and how people can get involved either as a
spectator, volunteer, competitor or referee. John Warburton, G4IRN
gave his perspective on what it is like to be a WRTC referee. The
full WRTC planning team also gave an update recently on an RSGB
Tonight<at>8 live webinar. You can see all of these presentations on
the RSGB YouTube channel at youtube.com/theRSGB
RadCom Basics aims to help newcomers to amateur radio develop their
knowledge and experience. Others enjoy reading it as it helps remind
them of things they have forgotten or practise a skill they have not
used for a while. The January 2024 issue of RadCom Basics is now
available. It contains articles that provide advice on getting
started with Bunkers on the Air, working on the 160 and 80m bands,
constructing a multi-band vertical antenna, and more. You can find
RadCom Basics at rsgb.org/radcom-basics
The latest issue of RadCom Plus, the online magazine for the more
technically minded radio amateur, was published this week. The first
article, by Tom Alldread, VA7TA, is about how to make a protection
filter for an SDR or VNA. Following this is a contribution from
Sheldon Hutchison, N6JJA who discusses how to make a really effective
antenna noise canceller. You may recall the article by Andy, G0FVI in
October's RadCom which discussed the principles of antenna noise
cancellation. Sheldon investigates exactly how the canceller should
work, and his investigations have resulted in his superior design
which you can construct for yourself. The third article, by Michael
Toia, K3MT, is all about understanding the relationship between a
train of square pulses and the harmonic content of its frequency
spectrum, not with complicated mathematics, but by using an entirely
diagrammatic approach. Those less familiar with mathematics might
especially find this article helpful. This issue of RadCom Plus ends
with Andy Nehan, G4HUE discussing the design of analogue power
supplies. Members of the RSGB can access RadCom Plus via
rsgb.org/radcom-plus
And now for details of rallies and events
The Lincoln Short Wave Club Winter Radio Rally is taking place today,
the 28th, at The Festival Hall, Caistor Road, Market Rasen, LN8 3HT.
The doors are open from 9am and admission is GBP 2. Ample free car
parking and hot refreshments are 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 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].
Listen out for special event station TM21AAW which will be on the air
from the 4th to the 18th of February 2024. The station is active to
celebrate the 21st Antarctic Activity Week. Activity will be on the
40 to 10m bands. QSL via F8DVD, directly or via the Bureau. For more
information about Antarctic Activity Week, visit waponline.it
Now the DX news
Mathias, DL4MM will be active as P4/DL4MM and P40AA from Aruba,
SA-036, until Wednesday the 31st of January. He will operate CW, SSB
and digital modes on the 160 to 10m bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS,
Logbook of the World, or via DL4MM.
Elvira, IV3FSG [INDIA-VICTOR…] is active as ZD7Z from St. Helena,
AF-022, until the 4th of February. She is operating SSB, CW, RTTY,
FT8 and FT4 on the 160 to 6m bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS. Paper
cards can be sent directly to IK2DUW [INDIA-KILO…].
Now the contest news
The CQ 160m DX Contest started at 2200UTC on Friday the 26th and ends
at 2200UTC today, the 28th. Using CW on the 160m band, the exchange
is signal report and CQ zone. American stations send their state and
Canadian stations send their province.
The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group RTTY Sprint started at
1200UTC on Saturday the 27th and ends at 1200UTC today, the 28th.
Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the
exchange is serial number.
On Wednesday the 31st, the UK and Ireland Contest Club 80m Contest
runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is
your six-character locator.
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.
On Sunday the 4th of February, the 432MHz Affiliated Societies
Contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band,
the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Thursday the 25th of January 2024
We dodged a bullet last week when a coronal mass ejection, or CME,
was predicted to be heading our way. In the end, it came to nothing.
The CME observed on the 20th of January was expected to pass Earth
and deliver possible G2 storm conditions. But a solar wind
enhancement, possibly associated with the plasma cloud passing near
Earth, saw the Kp index rise to only 3.67 on Wednesday the 24th.
The many solar flares, and associated coronal mass ejections, over
the past few days makes it difficult to give a reliable geomagnetic
forecast. Over the past seven days, there have been more than 60
C-class and 18 M-class flares, which is typical for this point in the
solar cycle. Sunspot-wise, the solar flux index has remained high,
being more than 170 all week.
Critical frequencies have often been exceeding 11MHz during daylight
hours, which means the 30m band, as well as the 40m band, should be
open around the UK. However, nighttime critical frequencies have
fallen below 4MHz, meaning that even the 80m band struggles at times.
We mentioned last week that the NCDXF beacon VK6RBP in Australia had
been heard on 28.200MHz. If you've copied VK6RBP you might be
interested in trying for some other lower-power Australian beacons on
the 10m band. Try listening for the 8W VK4LA/B on 28.206MHz in
Brisbane, or perhaps the 10W VK4RST, which is 550km north-west of
Brisbane, on 28.266MHz.
Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will be in the range of
155 to 175. Geomagnetic conditions are forecast to be quiet, other
than on the 29th of January when the Kp index is predicted to rise to
three. But, as always, keep an eye on solarham.net for a near
real-time report.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
Today, the 28th, sees the UK recovering from the two named storms and
just getting settled into moving high pressure across northern
France, with a second centre crossing central Britain early next
week. This offers a chance of Tropo, especially in the south, while
fronts continue to affect Scotland.
After the middle of the coming week, a more unsettled pattern returns
with fronts crossing the country, which might bring some rain scatter
for the GHz bands. But, in general, the picture remains unsettled
into the end of the week and doesn't look too exciting for the 432MHz
Affiliated Societies Contest on Sunday the 4th of February.
Other propagation modes that are worth considering are all relatively
low-key in the transition into February. This means that meteor
scatter is best looked for in the early pre-dawn period when random
meteor activity peaks.
The other chance might be aurora, and this is simply about checking
the behaviour of the Kp index, which measures the disturbance of the
earth's magnetic field by solar activity. Kp indices higher than six
are a good sign for aurora.
It continues to look like we are in a quiet period for Sporadic-E
propagation.
For EME operators, Moon declination is positive and falling, going
negative again on the 30th. Path losses reach their maximum at apogee
on Monday the 29th, then start to fall again. 144MHz sky noise is low
all 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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