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G4APL > NEWS 13.10.24 09:10l 296 Lines 14006 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 13 Oct 2024
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Sent: 241013/0701Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO #:17779 [Caterham Surrey GBR]
From: G4APL@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To : NEWS@EU
GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 13th of October
The news headlines:
* The RSGB 2024 Convention is taking place this weekend
* Two new volunteer Youth Champions have been appointed by the
RSGB
* Celebrations are underway to mark the first trans-global
two-way radio communication
The RSGB Convention has been in full swing this weekend. If you
haven't been able to attend, the RSGB has provided a packed
livestream on each day and those livestreams are available for anyone
to view. Full of presentations, interviews and videos to inspire you,
this is another way to enjoy your Convention, in your way. Either go
direct to the RSGB YouTube channel or head over to
rsgb.org/livestream to see the programme of presentations and the
links to the livestreams.
The RSGB is delighted to announce the appointment of two new
volunteer Youth Champion roles. Chris Aitken, MM0WIC will be the
RSGB's School Youth Champion and Rhys Williams, M0WGY/AJ6XD will be
the University Youth Champion. Chris is a Computing Science teacher
at Wick High School, Caithness. Since 2023, Chris has been running
the Wick High School Radio Club, GM0WHS, providing students with a
wide range of experiences in amateur radio. He has four students who
have passed their Foundation licence exam and are now taking on
leadership roles within the club and assisting the latest cohort in
their studies. He is also a member of the RSGB Outreach Team. You can
contact Chris via youthchampion.school<at>rsgb.org.uk Rhys
represented the RSGB at the Youngsters on the Air Camp in Prague this
year. He sent back daily reports on his activities which you can
still see on the website under the summer camps tab at
rsgb.org/yota He is starting a PhD in Aerospace Engineering at the
University of Oxford and is keen to help the RSGB support the growth
of amateur radio in universities across the UK. You can contact Rhys
via youthchampion.uni<at>rsgb.org.uk Ben Lloyd, GW4BML is the Board
Liaison for youth activities. He said that he welcomes Chris and Rhys
to their new youth volunteer roles and looks forward to working
closely with them in the future to attract and grow RSGB youth
membership. He explained that the three of them have already had some
positive conversations and shared some good ideas, which they will be
putting into place over the coming months.
This week marks the centenary of the world's very first trans-global
two-way radio communication. On the 18th of October 1924 Frank Bell,
4AA, from New Zealand, and Cecil Goyder, 2SZ, from North London,
changed the way in which we communicate forever by making contact on
the amateur bands. To commemorate this historic contact, special
callsigns will be active, and awards and QSL cards will be available
for those who make contact with these special stations. GB2NZ and
ZM100DX have already been active since the start of the month.
Starting tomorrow, until the 20th of October, calls reflecting
Goyder's callsign, G2SZ, and Bell's, ZL4AA, will be active. This
will include activity here in the UK from Mill Hill School in North
London which is the original location from which Goyder made his
contact. On Friday the 18th of October, radio amateurs will also be
recreating and re-enacting the first contact between Goyder and Bell.
It is hoped that the QSO will be made on a wavelength close to that
used in 1924. To find out more about this unique celebration go to
gb2nz.com
YOTA Month is just around the corner, and the RSGB is looking for
volunteers to host the GB24YOTA callsign throughout the month of
December. As in previous years, schools, clubs, guide and scout
groups and also individuals are invited to host young radio amateurs
whilst they operate with the callsign. Each day during the month has
been split into a number of operating slots that you can book. In
recent years, this system has allowed many more youngsters to get on
the radio throughout the month. You can see the operating calendar by
visiting QRZ.com and searching for GB24YOTA. Operators should be
below the age of 26. Those that do not hold a Full amateur radio
licence should be supervised by an appropriate Full licensee whilst
operating. The RSGB is pleased that previous activators have already
reached out to book their operating slots but there are still many
more up for grabs! To book an operating slot or for more information
about YOTA Month, please email Jamie, M0SDV at
yota.month<at>rsgb.org.uk
During last month's Hamfest in Newark, the ICQ Podcast team spoke
with RSGB President John McCullagh GI4BWM, RSGB Board Chair Stewart
Bryant G3YSX and RSGB General Manager Steve Thomas M1ACB. Listen to
Episode 440 of the podcast series to hear them discuss some of the
many events that the Society is currently involved with. This
includes the recent Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
contact, which Girlguiding and HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh took part
in, as well as the RSGB Convention. The second part of the interview,
which features the Chair of the RSGB's Propagation Studies Committee,
Steve Nichols, G0KYA will be aired during upcoming Episode 441. Visit
icqpodcast.com to listen to episode 440 now.
The RSGB has been delighted with the number of responses that it has
received in response to its call for Jamboree on the Air
participation, which is taking place between the 18th and 20th of
October. The Society has compiled a list of Scouting groups that are
involved with the annual event and have shared it on its website. The
list is available by going to rsgb.org/jota and choosing the ‘JOTA
Stations on the Air' link on the righthand side of the page. If you
are planning to get involved with JOTA and would like to be added to
the list, please get in touch via comms<at>rsgb.org.uk with a summary
of your station name, callsign and any other relevant information.
The RSGB would love to see your photos of Scouts getting involved
with JOTA, so tag <at>theRSGB and also use #JOTAJOTI to be involved
in the conversation on social media. If you're not involved with a
JOTA station do listen out for them on the air and encourage the
young operators.
And now for details of rallies and events
The Dartmoor Autumn Radio Rally is taking place today, the 13th. The
venue is Yelverton War Memorial Hall, Meavy Lane, Yelverton in Devon.
The usual bring-and-buy area, trader stands, refreshments and free
parking are available. The doors are open from 10am and admission
costs GBP 2.50. For more information visit dartmoorradioclub.uk or
email 2e0rph<at>gmail.com
Hornsea Amateur Radio Club Rally is also taking place today, the
13th, at Driffield Showground in East Yorkshire. The doors are open
from 10am. For more details visit hornseaarc.com or contact Les,
2E0LBJ on 01377 252 293.
The Mexborough and District Amateur Radio Society Rally is taking
place on Saturday the 19th of October at The Place, Castle Street,
Conisborough, Doncaster. The doors will be open from 10am to 4pm but
traders can gain entry from 8am. Light refreshments will be available
and the rally will feature a bring-and-buy sale. The cost for booking
a table is GBP 5. To book please email madarsrally<at>gmail.com
The date has been confirmed for the Twelfth Scottish Microwave Round
Table GMRT. It will be going ahead on Saturday the 9th of November
2024 at the Museum of Communication, Burntisland in Fife. Lunch will
be provided and an optional dinner will be held in the evening at a
local hotel. The programme is now confirmed and, at the moment, 35
people have booked to attend the event. There are 15 places left so
please book as soon as possible. Booking is available via the GMRT
website at gmroundtable.org.uk or by email to Colin, GM4HWO
at gm4hwo<at>gmail.com
Now the Special Event news
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the formation of Radio Beograd
[BUH-AW-GRAD] in 1924, members of the Belgrade Amateur Radio Club,
YU1ANO, in Serbia, are active as YT100RB and YU1924RB until the 30th
of November. For details of a certificate that is available for
contacting these stations, see yu1ano.org
Special callsign HB50VC is active until the 31st of December to
celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Swissair Amateur Radio Club,
HB9VC. QSOs will be uploaded to Logbook of the World. QSL cards will
not be provided. You can download a certificate for working this
special event station from tinyurl.com/HB50VC-24
Now the DX news
The PX0FF Dxpedition team is active from Fernando de [DEE] Noronha
[NAR-OWN-YAH], SA-003, until the 21st of October. The team is working
on the 160 to 6m bands, including the 60m Band, using CW, SSB and
FT8. QSL via DJ4MX, ClubLog, OQRS and Logbook of the World.
A team of amateurs will be active as C91BV from Mozambique
[MOSE-AM-BEAK] from the 17th to the 24th of October. Operators will
be working on the HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY and FT8. QSL via
EB7DX. For more information about the DXpedition, see QRZ.com
Now the contest news
On Tuesday the 15th, the RSGB 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from
1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 23cm band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday the 16th, the RSGB Autumn Series Data Contest runs from
1900 to 2030UTC. Using RTTY and PSK63 on the 80m band, the exchange
is signal report and serial number.
On Thursday the 17th, the RSGB 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from
1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
The Worked All Germany Contest starts at 1500UTC on Saturday the 19th
and ends at 1500UTC on Sunday the 20th of October. Using CW and SSB
on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is
signal report and serial number.
On Sunday the 20th, the RSGB 50MHz Affiliated Societies Contest runs
from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Wednesday the 9th of October 2024
What a difference a week makes when it comes to HF propagation!
This last week has been characterised by solar flares, coronal mass
ejections, or CMEs for short, and an elevated Kp index. Put together,
this has resulted in dire conditions on HF, reminiscent of a solar
minimum.
A visible aurora was seen from the UK once again after the Kp index
hit 7.33 on the 8th of October.
Numerous CMEs have hit the Earth and the solar proton flux has risen,
resulting in a moderate S2 radiation storm as particles blasted away
from the flare site.
This means poor trans-polar paths until the solar wind abates and the
storm settles.
Maximum usable frequencies have been badly affected and struggled to
get much past 14MHz over a 3,000km path on the 8th of October.
Geomagnetic storms were also forecast for Thursday the 10th and
Friday the 11th.
That's a shame as, before the CMEs hit, HF had been humming with a
lot of DX on the 28MHz band and many five-watt beacons romping in
from the USA.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index may drop back into
the 170s, but it's anyone's guess as to how geomagnetic conditions
will pan out.
We have had three X-class solar flares over the past week and on
Wednesday the 9th the probability of another X-class solar flare was
estimated at 30% and an M-class event at 75%. So, it may be a case of
‘batten down the hatches' on HF until the storm conditions pass.
This is not uncommon at this point in the solar cycle and unsettled
conditions are likely to continue as we move along the downward
portion towards the solar minimum.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The current spell of unsettled weather is probably going to flip into
high pressure mode a couple of times during the coming week. The
first of these will be today, the 13th, and through the first half of
next week.
However, by Wednesday the next change back to low pressure should be
with us, closely followed by another attempt to build high pressure
later in the week.
This offers something for everyone with prospects for rain scatter on
the GHz bands and the possibility of Tropo.
The prospects for meteor scatter are also good with October offering
a number of useful meteor showers.
While 50 and 70MHz are the best for the mode, look at 144.360MHz in
MSK144 digimode. Or, if it's a shower peak, 144.200MHz, the SSB
meteor scatter calling channel, to see what's around.
The solar conditions continue to behave like a solar maximum and,
with several recent powerful flares and CMEs to stir things up, we
should continue to check the bands for signs of aurora.
The recent RSGB CW 80m Autumn Series Contest on Monday the 7th of
October was about as auroral as it gets with strong flutter on
signals and a challenging hour and a half for participants – so not
just an effect for VHF.
The RSGB 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest coming up next week on Tuesday
the 15th may be on the changeover from high pressure to low. Tropo
might be limited to eastern areas for paths across the North Sea to
northern Europe.
For EME operators, Moon declination is still negative but rising to
positive by Tuesday night. Path losses are falling towards minimum at
perigee on Thursday the 17th.
So, we have increasing peak Moon elevations and longer Moon windows
with the lowest loss for the coming week. 144MHz sky noise is low for
the rest of the 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.
Our thanks to Andy G4TNU for providing this RSGB feed.
--
g4apl@gb7cip.ampr.org g4apl@gb7cip.#32.gbr.euro
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