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G4TNU > NEWS 13.09.20 04:32l 207 Lines 9797 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 13 Sep 2020
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 13th of September 2020
The news headlines:
* RSGB Online Convention announces two more great talks
* AMSAT-UK Colloquium news
* Six Metre Group AGM goes online
During the online RSGB Convention for 2020, you will be able to enjoy
some excellent lectures. On Saturday the 10th of October, the RSGB
will be putting on two streams online for everyone to enjoy. In An
introduction to… we will have a pictorial introduction to data
modes by Mike Richards, G4WNC. He will guide viewers through the
basics of data modes operation, explaining the commonly used terms
and the development of the modes in general use today. In the Learn
more about… stream, Alwyn Seeds, G8DOH will look at VHF/UHF radios
for contesting and DXing. The talk will discuss the important
specifications for high performance VHF and UHF radios and how these
can most easily be achieved. For transmitters, the importance of
achieving low radiated noise will be explained. The talk will be
illustrated with measurements for a variety of radios based on both
conventional and software defined radio design approaches. You can
find out more at www.rsgb.org.uk/convention.
The AMSAT-UK Colloquium 2020 will also be online this year. Taking
place on Sunday 11th of October, there will be one lecture stream
from 11am to 4pm. You can find out more at
www.amsat-uk.org/colloquium. The registration URL is
https://tinyurl.com/amsatukreg2020.
The UK Six Metre Group will hold its Annual General Meeting by
videoconference on Sunday the 27th of September at 1700UTC, that's
6pm UK time. The brief formal part of the meeting will be followed by
a talk from Peter Lund, JW7QIA on his recent 50 and 70MHz operations
from Svalbard, which is the northernmost year-round settlement on
Earth and only 1000km from the North Pole. Non-members of the Group
will be welcome to join the call, but will not be able to vote.
Connection instructions will be issued the week before the meeting
via the group website, www.uksmg.org.
The RSGB administers a number of award programmes for HF and VHF,
including the enhanced special awards for Foundation and Intermediate
licence holders. A vacancy has arisen for a volunteer to promote and
manage these programmes. For further information about the role,
including how to apply, visit the Society's volunteer web page at
www.rsgb.org/volunteers.
The IARU R1 has just published a further news release following the
online CEPT-PTC and CEPT-PTA meetings for WRC-23 prep. The RSGB
Spectrum Forum Chair and the RSGB Microwave Manager have been closely
engaged at these meetings. Details at www.iaru-r1.org.
Details of the Portable Operations Challenge given in last week's
news should have read the 3rd and 4th October. Find out all you need
to know at foxmikehotel.com/challenge.
The RSGB 2020 Construction Competition is open for entries. There are
four categories, including one specifically for people who are new to
amateur radio. The deadline for entries is the 25th of September. For
more details, including how to enter, see
www.rsgb.org/construction-competition.
Mark, G0KZZ, has started a new internet forum for CW enthusiasts. It
is wide ranging, covering amateur CW operating to radiotelegraphy
history and key collecting to internet based CW contacts.
In the UK, the 5MHz, or 60m band, has been available to Full UK
licensees since August 2002. This we owe to the initiative of the
late Gordon Adams, G3LEQ, who at the time was Spectrum Director of
the Radio Society of Great Britain. He was central to negotiations
with the Regulator and the UK Ministry of Defence, the Primary User
of the band. One of the elements of Gordon's proposals was a
country-wide news reading of the GB2RS. This has taken place
regularly on a Sunday since the band's inception by a team of
newsreaders. Gordon became a Silent Key in February 2018 and the
GB2RS 5MHz newsreading team, as The 5MHz Pioneers Group, applied for
and received the call G5MHZ. The call will be on the air in
recognition and remembrance of the work done by Gordon at 5MHz for UK
radio amateurs.
Now the special event news
Since the change of regulations applying to special event stations in
the UK, many activations are now able to go ahead. UK amateurs would
like to thank Ofcom for their help in making this happen.
Members of the Royal Air Force ARS will be operating GB80BOB from the
1st to the 28th of September to commemorate the 80th anniversary of
the Battle of Britain. Due to Covid-19, Ofcom are allowing this call
to be operated from homes. A list of operators and postcode locations
will be displayed on the RAFARS website. A special QSL card is
available. Details are at www.rafars.org/GB80BOB/ and QRZ.com.
Now the contest news
Please remember to check before the contest for new rules due to
lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world.
The RSGB strongly advises obeying your own national and local
government's advice first and foremost, especially in the instance of
local lockdowns.
The WAE DX SSB contest runs for 48 hours ending 2359UTC today, the
13th. Using SSB on the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is
signal report and serial number. Note the EU stations only work
non-EU stations.
The UK Microwave Group contest runs from 0900 to 1700UTC today, the
13th. Using all modes on the 24 to 248GHz bands, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
Also today, the 13th, the IRTS 70cm Counties contest runs from 1300
to 1330UTC. This is followed by the IRTS 2m Counties contest from
1330 to 1500UTC. Both use SSB and FM only and the exchange is signal
report and serial number, with EI and GI stations also giving their
county.
On Tuesday the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC.
Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and
locator.
On Wednesday the CW leg of the 80m Autumn Series runs from 1900 to
2130UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number.
On Thursday it's the turn of the 70MHz UK Activity Contest, running
from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
Next Sunday, the 20th, the 70MHz AFS Contest runs from 0900 to
1200UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and locator.
The BARTG Sprint 75 contest takes place next Sunday, the 20th, from
1700 to 2100UTC. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange
is serial number.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday the 11th of September.
It was another week with zero sunspots, but the upside was that we
had settled geomagnetic conditions. The maximum Kp index of two, but
more often than not just one, was brought about by an absence of
coronal holes last week. This meant that the ionosphere was pretty
stable, with Maximum Useable Frequencies over a 3,000km path heading
towards 18MHz at times.
Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index to be 70 and the
largest Kp index to be two, so expect similar conditions. NOAA also
predicts the Kp index could rise to a maximum of three on the 18th
and 19th, due to a high-speed stream from a returning coronal hole.
Due to seasonal changes we do expect ionospheric conditions to
improve slightly as we head towards the end of the month. We also
expect to see transatlantic paths and openings to South Africa and
South America improving around the time of the Autumnal equinox.
There will also be a gradual improvement in daytime maximum useable
frequencies as we head towards Autumn, but night-time MUFs will
decline. Expect October to probably be the best month all round for
HF propagation.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
It seems like the main Sporadic-E season is over for the summer. With
even FT8 paths hard to spot on the DX clusters. So, unless something
exceptional turns up you'll have to wait at least until the small
secondary December Sporadic-E peak for that DX mode again.
The basic weather pattern to end the current week and take us into
early next week has high pressure over southern areas of the UK and
cloudy unsettled weather over the north-western areas with wind and
rain. This means that there is likely to be Tropo on offer over the
next few days, with paths to the south across Biscay initially and
later biased more towards northern Europe.
There could be an unsettled showery period of weather in the south as
the high weakens by midweek and, typically after a few hot days,
there may be thundery showers, which is great news for the GHz rain
scatter operators.
A temporary return of high pressure later will probably put Tropo
back into play again, but with a further return of unsettled weather
after a day or two.
Expect a good week for EME, with the Moon at maximum declination this
weekend followed by shortening Moon windows as the week progresses.
Declination goes negative on Friday and this coincides with perigee
where losses are at their lowest. 144MHz sky temperatures are low
apart from next Thursday morning when the Sun and Moon are very close
in the sky.
No meteor showers this week, so look for the best random meteors
around local dawn while the Earth is rotating towards the orbital
random meteor flux.
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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