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M1CUK > NEWS 07.05.10 22:14l 202 Lines 9923 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: rsgb news sunday 9th may
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To : NEWS@EU
GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 9th May 2010
The news headlines
• European Parliament amateur exhibition on YouTube
• New 80m news reading for GB2RS
• Lands End to John O’Groats with amateur radio
Jan, ON7UX has placed on YouTube his video report on the ARISS School
Contact in the European Parliament and the visit of three astronauts to
the Exhibition Amateur Radio Benefiting Society. This Exhibition,
centred on Emergency, Education and Space, was a joint venture of IARU
Region 1 and European Space Agency.
Effective today, Sunday 9 May, the RSGB is pleased to announce that an
80 metres news reading is being re-introduced for listeners in Northern
Ireland and the Isle of Man. David, GI4FUM, who has been a newsreader in
the past, will make the first reading today at 1000 hours local time on
3640kHz LSB. The readings will continue each Sunday at this time and
Bobby, MI0RYL has also agreed to be a reader. She is located in
Craigavon, whilst David is in Muckamore. Club Secretaries and event
organisers are asked to submit their news items regularly to RSGB HQ
using the e-mail address gb2rs@rsgb.org.uk.
Chris, G8RBW is travelling between Lands End to John o’Groats three
times this year with an ICOM 2820, ICOM 706MKIIG and ICOM 92D in his
van. He’s a tour leader for the Cyclist's Touring Club, escorting about
22 cyclists each time. About half of the cyclists are doing it for
various charities. The first trip is 15 May to 2 June. Chris hopes to
work through FM and D-Star repeaters along the way.
Anyone fancy a visit to Mozambique in October? David, GI4FUM is running
a DXpedition to Bilene, which is a costal resort on the Indian Ocean
150km north of Maputu. They fly out from Heathrow on 13 October to
Johannesburg and drive up to Mozambique and plan to run a station for
Jamboree on the Air with local scouts on the weekend of 16 and 17
October. The DXpedition will enter a station for CQWW SSB over the
weekend of 30 and 31 October. There will be plenty of opportunity for
individuals to operate under their own C91 callsigns and if you fancy
sun bathing on an Indian Ocean beach in late African spring there will
be plenty of opportunity for that too. There are a few places on the
team still available. If you want further details check out the CQ-DX
African Safaris website at http:/www.3da0ss.net.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, 9 May, the Magnum Radio Rally takes place at Magnum Leisure
Centre, Harbourside, Irvine, Ayrshire, KA12 8PP. Doors open at 10.30am
and entry is £4. There will be trade stands, a Bring & Buy, free car
parking, special interest groups and catering. Details from Helen,
MM0HLN, on 0787 332 7597.
The Dayton Hamvention takes place at the Hara Arena, Dayton, Ohio, in
the USA between 14 and 16 May. Many UK companies and special interest
groups will be represented at the 3-day event. More details at
www.hamvention.org.
Slightly closer to home, the Neuhofen Rally in Lower Austria takes place
on 15 and 16 May. It offers the usual attractions like trade stands and
flea market. More details at www.oaft.com.
Now for the news of special events
To mark the 10th anniversary of the closure of the world's largest
maritime radio station, Portishead Radio, GB10GKA is being activated
until 27 May. Hours of operation will be dependent on individual
operator's free time and operation will be primarily on CW. Tony, G3ZRJ
will operate from 7 to 13 May from this QTH near Hereford. Special
Anniversary QSL cards will be produced to mark this historic event, eQSL
will also be used. Certificates for contacting GB10GKA on more than four
HF bands will be available. Contact Tony Roskilly, G3ZRJ by e-mail at
g3zrj.morsekey@btinternet.com.
GB6CW will be on the air from Cromer Windmill near Stevenage in
Hertfordshire today, 9 May as part of the Mills on the Air weekend.
Today, 9 May, Cray Valley RS will be taking part in the National Mills
weekend celebrations with Mills on the Air special event station GB6MW
from Meopham windmill in Kent (JO01EI).
Today, 9 May, PD6MILL will be on air from the WindMill De Eendracht in
The Netherlands. QSL via PD7BZ.
Sands Amateur Radio Contest Group will put GB4HCM on the air from Heron
Corn Mill in Beetham, Cumbria. More information on qrz.com.
And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources.
Ronny, ON4ARV will be active until 22 May as HI7/OT4R from Punta Cana,
Dominican Republic, which is IOTA reference NA-096. He plans to operate
daily on 10, 15 and 20 metres.
Until 15 May, fourteen operators will be active as IS0R from Isola
Rossa, on the main island of Sardinia, which is IOTA reference EU-024.
They will operate CW, SSB and RTTY on 160 through to 6 metres, with
three stations on the HF bands and one station on 6m. QSL via F5CWU,
direct or via the bureau.
Vladimir, RA9LR will be active as S79LR from the Seychelles. He will be
QRV from Mahe, which is IOTA reference AF-024 until 10 May. Plans are to
operate PSK63, RTTY, CW and some SSB with 100 watts and vertical
antennas. QSL information on qrz.com under S79LR.
Phil, F4EGS is on a two-month work assignment in Chad, which started on
10 April. He plans to operate SSB, CW and some RTTY on 40 through 10m in
his spare time. His callsign is likely to be TT8PK, which he used
repeatedly in the past. QSL via F4EGS, direct or bureau.
Now the contest news
On 11 May the 432MHz UK Activity Contest takes place between 1900 and
2130UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number
and locator.
12 May sees the data leg of the 80m Club Championships take place
between 1900 and 2030UTC. Exchange is signal report and serial number.
On 15 and 16 May, the 144MHz May Contest takes place between 1400 and
1400UTC. Its last three hours coincide with the first three hours of the
First 144MHz Backpackers, which continues for one hour after the first
contest ends, 1100 to 1500UTC. The exchange for the 144MHz May contest
is signal report, serial number, locator and postcode. For the
Backpackers contest the exchange is signal report, serial number and
locator.
On Sunday 16th the event of note is the WAB LF Phone between 1000 and
1400UTC. Exchange a signal report, serial number and your WAB square.
For the uninitiated, WAB squares are the first, second, third and sixth
digits of your National Grid reference. For example, NN456789 becomes
NN47.
Now the solar factual data for the period from the 26th of April to the
2nd of May, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on the 3rd of May.
At first the solar disc was spotless but on the 28th a very small group
appeared but had disappeared by the following day. However, on the 30th
a slightly larger group appeared and was still visible on the 2nd. Also
on the 2nd a further three small groups emerged. Solar activity was very
low but on the 30th and the 1st a C class solar flare took place, taking
solar activity to low levels. Solar flux levels increased from 75 units
on the 27th to 80 by the 2nd. The average was 77 units. The 90 day solar
flux average on the 2nd remained at the same level as last week at 81
units. X-ray flux levels increased slightly and averaged A4.3 units.
Geomagnetic activity was quiet every day except for the 2nd when a
coronal hole disturbance arrived. This disturbance was more vigorous
than most and the Ap index on the 2nd was 39 units. The average was Ap 9
units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds
vary between 300 and 400 kilometres per second until the 2nd when they
increased rapidly to 700 kilometres per second. Particle densities
remained low until the morning of the 2nd which saw an increase to 45
particles per cubic centimetre. Bz varied between minus and plus 8
nanoTeslas or lower on the quiet days and between minus 20 and plus 17
nanoTeslas during the height of the coronal hole disturbance.
While geomagnetic activity was low this meant that HF propagation
reached predicted values. Sporadic-E reached 50MHz and was reported on
several days, mainly from southern and south-east Europe. However, parts
of the UK had a 50MHz opening on the afternoon of the 1st. On the 2nd
all of the following took place, sporadic-E and a F2 opening on 28MHz,
aurora and sporadic-E on 50MHz and aurora on 144MHz.
And now the solar forecast.
This week solar activity is expected to be very low to low. Sunspots
should be visible on some days. Solar flux levels should be around the
80 mark but could increase if any medium or large sunspot groups appear.
Geomagnetic activity is expected to be quiet everyday. MUFs during
daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 20MHz for the south
and 17MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows are expected to be about
10MHz. Paths this India should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50
per cent success rate of around 21MHz. The optimum working frequency
with a 90 per cent success rate will be about 16MHz. The best time to
try this path will be between 1000 and 1500 hours UTC. Finally, as noted
earlier, we are now moving into the summer sporadic-E season. This is an
uncertain and unpredictable mode – which is what can make it so
interesting. Strong openings from the UK could occur any time now, up to
50 or even 70MHz. Most will be within Europe, including countries that
did not have access to 4 metres last summer, but multi-hop
intercontinental contacts can also be expected at any time now.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
------------------------------------------
73
Trev,
SysOp gb7fcr.#16.gbr.eu
E-Mail trev@gb7fcr.co.uk
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