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G4FVG > NEWS 21.10.10 21:24l 198 Lines 11960 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB MAIN news 24th Oct
Path: IZ3LSV<IW8PGT<CX2SA<CT1EJC<ON0BEL<GB7CIP<GB7COW
Sent: 101021/1901Z @:GB7COW.#44.GBR.EU #:29788 [226399] FBB7.01.35 alpha
From: G4FVG@GB7COW.#44.GBR.EU
To : NEWS@EU
Hello all,
Further to my note included with last week's bulletin, a couple of volunteers
have offered to continue the RSGB packet news bulletins during my absence.
Therefore, the bulletins should continue after I depart on my next maritime
adventure in early November....
Thanks and 73,
Mike G4FVG.
= = = = =
Now here is the GB2RS NEWS for Sunday 24th October 2010
The news headlines
* Ofcom updates Spectrum Plan for the London Olympics
* Impending changes to the 5MHz beacon chain
* Changes to the CQ DX awards and contests
Ofcom published an update to the Spectrum Plan for the 2012 Olympics on 18
October. They intend to issue a more detailed plan in early 2012. From the
plan, 6 and 2m are unlikely to be used and efforts are being made by Ofcom not
to use 70cm, as it is accepted that this could be heavily used by amateurs.
Likewise, Ofcom is trying to avoid use of the amateur satellite bands. There
is also extensive use planned for the lower microwave bands in the greater
London area for wireless cameras. The Society meets regularly with Ofcom and
was able to discuss this update when they met earlier this week.
During the summer, the 5MHz Working Group reviewed certain aspects of the 5MHz
Experiment and agreed a number of changes and improvements. These will be
implemented over the next few months. The largest change is that it has been
decided to remove the 0.5ms pulse sequence at the end of each beacon
transmission. It has also been decided to build a new beacon for GB3RAL. The
new design will incorporate a PSK31 transmission in the place of the pulse
sequence. The design of the other two 5MHz beacons does not allow this
addition. A date for these changes has not been set, but it is hoped to
complete the changes before the end of the year.
With several groups operating from the new DX entities created by the breakup
of the Netherlands Antilles, questions have arisen regarding their status for
CQ DX awards. Each of the five islands involved in the change of status
retains its previous PJ callsign prefix. According to CQ DX Awards Manager the
previous entities of the Leeward Islands, PJ2 & 4 and Windward Islands, PJ5, 6
& 7, were deleted as of 9 October. Four new entities of Curacao PJ2, St.
Maarten PJ7, Bonaire PJ4 and Saba/St. Eustatius PJ5/6 became active on 10
October 10. This is a net gain of two DX entities. Confirmations for contacts
made with the new entities will be accepted for CQ award credit with immediate
effect.
Earlier this year Ofcom announced an exemption for Railway Level Crossings
systems to use a part of the 24GHz band where we have secondary status. More
recently, on 6 October, the European Union's Radio Spectrum Committee
published a review of automotive ultra-wideband short-range radars that
currently operate across the entire 24GHz band and which have caused
considerable concern. The Society actively participates in consultations on
these matters and, along with IARU Region 1, is working to protect and enhance
our 24-24.05GHz Primary allocation where innovative DX and Beacon activity is
concentrated.
The Six and Ten Reporting Club is an informal group of radio amateurs, mostly
from the UK, interested in propagation studies at frequencies around the HF to
VHF boundary, mainly the 6 and 10m amateur bands. The club produces a monthly
newsletter called the Six and Ten Report that includes analysis of 28MHz
propagation based on beacon monitoring, analysis of 50MHz activity reports
broken down by propagation mode as well as reports and discussions on unusual
propagation events. The Report is usually published online at
http://g7kse.co.uk/6and10, about 5-6 weeks after the end of the month. The Six
and Ten Report is edited and produced by Steve Reed, G0AEV and Martin
Harrison, G3USF and is an activity of the RSGB's Propagation Studies
Committee.
In last week's GB2RS News we announced that GB3CM Keeper Andy, GW6JSO was
standing down and a new Keeper was needed. Mark, GW8KCY has kindly stepped
forward to take over as Keeper and all paperwork has now been submitted to
Ofcom.
On 2 November the Institute of Physics is holding an Open Lecture between 7
and 9pm at the Rutherford Lecture Theatre, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2
7NZ. The lecture will be given by Dr Ken Smith and is entitled Dafty and
Electromagnetism: What a Revolution. James Clark Maxwell was nicknamed Dafty
by his school and college contemporaries yet he not only established the
electromagnetic theory of light but triggered off Einstein to establish
Special Relativity.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week.
Over the weekend 30 and 31 October the North Wales Rally will take place at
John Bright School, Llandudno. There will be trade stands as well as an RSGB
Bookstall. Details from Liz Cabban, GW0ETU on 01690 710 257.
The following weekend, 7 November, the Kempton Rally will take place at
Kempton Park racecourse, Staines Road East, Sunbury on Thames, Middlesex TW16
5AQ. Doors open at 10am and there will be trade stands, lectures and an RSGB
bookstand. Details from Paul, M0CJX, on 0845 165 0351.
Also on 7 November, the Foyle & District ARC Annual Rally will be held at the
Best Western White Horse Hotel, 68 Clooney Road, Derry BT47 3PA. Doors open at
12 noon and there will be trade stands, special interest groups and an RSGB
bookstand.
Now for the news of special events
Radio amateurs, mainly from the Cray Valley, Darenth Valley and Clifton
amateur radio clubs in South East London, will be operating a special event
station located at the Royal Artillery Museum, Woolwich during the school half
term holidays. Dates are from Saturday 23 October through to Sunday 31st. The
callsign will be GB2RA. Operation will be mainly on the 40m and 2m bands
during Museum opening hours of 10am to 5pm. The venue has a cafe and free car
parking is available in Carriage Street adjacent to the Museum. More info can
be obtained from Lawrie, G4FAA on 0789 98 55 166.
Llanelli Amateur Radio Society will be running a 24 hour Special Event Station
with the callsign GB1HTW from midday on Saturday 23 October until midday on
Sunday 24 October. GB1HTW will be active on most of the bands from 80 to 2m,
either on SSB; BPSK31 or CW. The event is being run to support the Golden
Grove Mansion Appeal. Full details of this special event can be found on
www.QRZ.com.
The Canadian Coast Guard Radio Station, Thunder Bay MCTS Centre, is
celebrating 100 years of radio service. Built by the Canadian Marconi Company
in 1910, the new wireless station, MUG Port Arthur, was the first and only
Canadian Great Lakes Marconi station ever built. During the November 2010, the
Centre's amateurs will be operating special event station CG3MUG, to celebrate
the 100th birthday.
And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
VK4AN will be active as 3D2A from Viti Levu Island between 27 October and 14
November. Operation will be on 160 through to 10m including 30, 17 and 12m
using CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK31. QSL via VK4AN.
5R8X will be active from Madagascar, which is IOTA reference AF-013, from 26
October to 10 November, including the CQWW DX SSB Contest. The operation is
primarily targeted to satisfy global demand on the low bands. Two team members
will dedicate their efforts to 160 and 80m. Activity on 30, 17 and 12 metres
will also be provided.
Now the contest news
On 26 October, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest will take place from 1900 to
2130UTC. Using all modes on the band, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
After that it's the third month of 80m Club Sprints. The SSB leg takes place
on the 27th. Don't forget, the sprint events do not require exchanging signal
reports, just serial numbers and your name. Activity will be between 1900 and
2030UTC.
The second of this year's CQWW DX Contests, the SSB leg, takes place over the
entire 48 hours of 30 and 31 October. The exchange is signal report and your
CQ Zone. Britain is Zone 14. Expect the SSB sections of the contesting bands
from 3.5 to 28MHz to be packed and for some rare countries to be activated.
With several groups operating from the new DX entities created by the breakup
of the Netherlands Antilles, questions have arisen regarding their status for
CQ DX contests. The country multiplier list for the CQ World Wide DX Contest
is based on a combination of the ARRL's DXCC list and the DARC's Worked All
Europe list. Since the ARRL has also made the same changes, deleting the old
Windward and Leeward Islands entities and adding Curacao, Bonaire, St.
Eustatius & Saba and St. Maarten as four new entities, these new ones will
each count as separate country multipliers in the CQWW. There is no need to
worry if your own contest logging software is not updated, according to CQWW
Contest Director the log checking software calculates final tallies anyway.
The International Police Association Radio Club invites all radio-amateurs of
the world to take part in the IPARC-Contest which takes place every year on
the first weekend in November. For full details, check out
www.mydarc.de/dk3eu.
Friskney & East Lincolnshire Communications Club is running the British
Islands Competition starting on 30 October. The rules of the competition are
at www.felcc.com.
And now the solar factual data for the period from the 11th to the 17th of
October, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on the 18th of October.
The solar disc had spots visible every day and by the 15th four groups was
present. One of the groups remained quiet until the evening of the 16th when
without warning produced an M2 impulsive solar flare. Until then solar
activity had been very low but increased to moderate with this flare. The 17th
was low when two C class solar flares took place. Solar flux levels increased
from 75 units on the 11th and the 12th to 87 by the 16th. The average was 80
units. The 90 day solar flux average remained unchanged at 81 units. X-ray
flux levels increased from A6.4 units to B1 by the 17th. The average was A8
units. Geomagnetic activity started at unsettled levels with an Ap index of 20
units on the 11th. This was in response to a glancing blow from a coronal mass
ejection that left the Sun on the 6th. The remainder of the period was quiet
to just unsettled. The average was Ap 8 units. Solar wind data from the ACE
spacecraft saw solar wind speeds increase gradually from 280 kilometres per
second to 440 by the 17th. Particle densities increased to 48 particles per
cubic centimetre on the 11th but then remained below 10 particles per cubic
centimetre for the remainder of the period. Bz varied between minus and plus
13 nanoTeslas on the 11th. With a quieter geomagnetic field for the rest of
the period the Bz varied no more than minus and plus 7 nanoTeslas.
And now the solar forecast. This week solar activity is expected to be at very
low to low levels. A lot will depend on the emergence of new sunspot groups.
Within the next few weeks there is the possibility for a surge in solar
activity. Solar flux levels are expected to be around the 90 mark for most of
the week. Geomagnetic activity is expected to be quiet every day. MUFs during
daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 25MHz for the south and
22MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows are expected to be about 9MHz. During
the next weekend, that's the 30th and the 31st the CQ SSB worldwide contest
takes place. With solar flux levels around the 90's and a quiet geomagnetic
field, things are looking good for the contest weekend. Propagation on 28MHz
is expected to take place on both days. From shortly after sunrise expect
openings to Asia and possibly the Pacific area. The African continent for most
of the daylight hours and South and North America appearing from midday. Have
fun and good luck to the UK stations.
And that's all for this week from the propagation team.
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