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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 19th December 2010
The news headlines
* Authors sought for Radio Communication Handbook
* RSGB Survey to close in under two weeks
* New Worked All Britain award for 2011
Mike Dennison, G3XDV, is coordinating the editing and production of a
new edition of the Society's flagship publication, the Radio
Communication Handbook. He is looking for one or more people who are
able to revise and update the chapters on HF Receivers and HF
Transmitters/Transceivers. A royalty fee is paid based on the size of
the contribution and the number of books sold. If you are interested
or need further information, contact Mike by e-mail to
mike.dennison<at>ntlworld.com.
On the 1 October, the RSGB launched a major survey of the UK amateur
radio and listening community. We want to know how you pursue your
hobby, your interests from QRP to moon bounce, what bands you work
on, are you a contester? All the information that is necessary to see
which way the hobby is moving in the 21st Century. The survey is
web-based and takes about 15 minutes to complete. You have until 31
December to go online at www.rsgb.org/survey to complete the survey.
If you know of a fellow amateur or listener who doesn't have computer
access, please think about lending them a hand to complete the online
survey.
Worked All Britain is introducing a new award for the year 2011 only.
For the new Coastal and Tidal award you need to work as many WAB
squares containing tidal water as you can. Valid squares are those
shown as containing tidal water on an Ordnance Survey map. The basic
award is for 50 squares on HF or 10 on VHF, rising in increments to
400 squares for the Diamond award. More details and a spreadsheet of
valid squares are available on the WAB website at
www.worked-all-britain.co.uk. All contacts must be made in the 2011
calendar year.
The United Kingdom Six Metre Group has launched an initiative to UK
radio clubs and societies, to keep them informed regarding operating
on 50MHz. A bi-monthly newsletter will be e-mailed to club
secretaries, who have registered to receive it, containing a wide
variety of information including practical operating tips
specifically targeted at the large number of operators who have not
previously experienced the enhanced F2 propagation expected during
the sun spot cycle peak in 2012. Any club secretaries who have not
already registered to receive the newsletter can do so at
www.uksmg.org/phplist.
There is good news for amateurs in Spain for 2011. Traditionally the
country has very restrictive allocations in the microwave bands. The
Spanish Government has granted a broad one-year permit for operation
in the 2.3, 5.7GHz and 10GHz bands, with only 2.3GHz needing specific
prior notice of use. The permits are all aligned with the DX sections
of the IARU Region 1 bandplan.
Mold and District Amateur Radio Club in Flintshire, North Wales will
start an Advanced exam course on 19 January. The exam will be on
6 April. If you are an Intermediate licensee and are interested please
contact Steve Studdart, GW7AAV or Keith Williams, GW4OKT. E-mail
addresses are correct on QRZ.com. Further Foundation and Intermediate
exam courses will be run during the year.
The RNLI fundraising event, SOS Radio Week, starts on 22 January and
many amateur radio clubs and individuals have already signed up.
Another big name on the UK amateur radio scene has offered a prize
for those who take part. Everyone who operates during event will put
in to a draw to win a new Wouxun KG-679E 2m hand-held transceiver.
Simply visit the website at www.sosradioweek.org.uk and view the
register page. All monies raised are donated to the Royal National
Lifeboat Institution.
This is the last GB2RS broadcast of 2010. There will be no news
readings on 26 December or 2 January. But we will be back in the New
Year, bringing you the all the latest amateur radio news.
Transmissions re-start on Sunday 9 January. We would like to take
this opportunity to send warm season's greetings to all our listeners
and wish everyone a prosperous New Year.
Now for the news of special events
On Monday 27 December, a radio beach party is planned at Titchfield
Haven. A group plan to operate from 40m to 2m on various modes from
this excellent radio transmitting site on the English Channel near
Southampton. Significant DX can be worked from there. The locator
square is IO90JT and the address is Cliff Road, HillHead, Fareham
PO14 3JT. Once on Cliff Road, look for the large antennas that will
be used! A marquee will be provided for shelter and some BBQ food
will be available. However due to the outdoor nature of the event, if
there is severe weather on the 27th, it may be delayed until the
28th. Confirmation of the event will be e-mailed to anyone interested
on 26 December. To register interest, e-mail Richard, M0UOO, whose
address is m0uoo<at>rjbprojects.co.uk. Alternatively call Rob, M0RZF
on 145.500MHz in the South Hampshire area during Boxing Day.
Coventry Amateur Radio Society will be operating GB4BLC from the QTH
of G8GMU during January. The home of G8GMU is open to the public,
promoting amateur radio & Lions Clubs International. The official
opening by the Mayor of Nuneaton & Bedworth, Councillor Don Navarro,
will take place on 2 January. Greetings messages will be exchanged on
80m SSB, using 3.650MHz as there is no GB2RS news on this day.
Further information from G8GMU on 0247 636 4235 or by e-mail to
brlean<at>freenetname.co.uk.
And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
Andy, AB7FS is active as E51AND from Rarotonga, which is IOTA
reference OC-013, in the South Cook Islands until 1 January. He runs
100 watts into a vertical and/or long wire. QSL via his home call.
Five operators will be active as S21FGC from Dhaka, Bangladesh until
21 December. They plan to be QRV on 160 through to 10m CW and SSB,
with emphasis on the 160, 80 and 40 metres bands using CW. QSL via
JH1AJT.
John, K8LJG will be active as K8LJG/4 from Amelia Island, which is
IOTA reference NA-138) until 4 January. He will operate SSB and CW on
or around the IOTA frequencies. QSL via his home call.
Now the contest news
The UKF UK Activity Contest takes place on 21 December from 2000 to
2230UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3 and 2.3GHz bands, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
Over the festive period between 26th and 29th December, the Christmas
Cumulatives take place for a couple of hours each day. Activity is on
50, 70, 144 and 432MHz each day, so lots of band hopping is called
for to make a good overall score. If you can get on the air between
1400 and 1600UTC, the exchange is signal report, serial number and
locator.
28 December sees the 50MHz UK Activity Contest taking place between
2000 and 2230UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
Into 2011 now. Monday 3 January sees the first 80m Club Championship
CW round between 2000 and 2130UTC. The exchange is signal report and
serial number.
The following day, the 4th, the UK Activity Contest and Club
Championship takes place between 2000 and 2230UTC. Using all modes
the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The ARRL RTTY Roundup takes place for 30 hours over the following
weekend, 8-9th. There are single- and multi-op categories. Oddly
enough you can use a variety of datamodes in this event, not just
RTTY. Work everyone and send a signal report and serial number. USA
stations will send a signal report and their 2-letter State code,
while Canadian stations will send a signal report and their 3-letter
Province code.
Now the solar factual data for the period from the 6th to the 12th of
December, compiled on 13th of December by Neil Clarke, G0CAS
First this week, an update on the latest smoothed monthly sunspot
numbers for March, April and May. These are 12.3, 14 and 15.5
respectively.
This week is a review of this year's solar activity and propagation.
Sunspot minimum took place in November 2008, when the smoothed
sunspot number was 1.7. By January this year, this had increased to
9.3. The rise continued month after month and by May, which is the
latest available, had increased to 15.5. There is a suggestion, even
a rule of thumb, that the quicker the rise from sunspot minimum to
maximum the higher the peak of the cycle will be. Well so far, after
19 months from minimum, the rate of climb is slower than average.
Going on this evidence alone, it looks like the maximum will be below
average. In fact, the latest forecast is for a maximum to take place
in spring 2013 with a maximum smoothed sunspot number of around 90.
The average for all the cycles is around 115. This equates to a
smoothed solar flux figure of about 140 units at maximum. This year
there were only 12 per cent of days that were spotless, compared with
72 per cent for 2009.
On occasions solar activity increased to moderate levels. The largest
solar flare of the year was a M8 on the 12 February. Solar flux
levels varied between 69 units and a high of 96 units, which occurred
back in February. The 90 day solar flux average increased from 75
units right at the beginning of the year to 83 by 12 December.
Geomagnetic activity was mostly quiet but, on occasions, activity
increased. The majority of the disturbances were caused by coronal
holes, which are a more common during the declining phase of the
solar cycle and around sunspot minimum. Normally, the daily Ap index
would vary between 12 and 25 units for the most disturbed day during
the disturbances. However, the most disturbed period was on the 5th
and the 6th of April when the Ap reached 49 and 46 units. This was in
response to a long duration B7 solar flare and a full halo coronal
mass ejection that took place on the 3rd of April.
Propagation was mostly as expected but there were some days when
forecasted levels were exceeded. This usually happened when solar
flux levels were in the high 80s and during a quiet spell for
geomagnetic activity. Openings on 28MHz have taken place during the
last few months to all continents. The LF bands saw their seasonal
peaks during January and again in recent weeks, which once again
brought some very good morning openings to the Far East and the
Pacific. Sporadic-E was very good for the first half of the summer
season with some really good DX worked on all bands, even up to
144MHz. The second half of the season was not as productive. Several
auroral opening made it down to the south of England but, as
expected, stations much further north faired better. Some long spells
of weather influenced by high pressure saw some tropospheric opening
to the continent.
On the 2nd of December it was the fifteenth anniversary on the launch
of the SOHO spacecraft. Recently it was announced that SOHO will
continue working till at least to the year 2014. This year saw the
launch of the Solar Dynamic Observer, which is taking images of the
Sun in detail that has never been seen before.
Well that's it for this year. I would like to on behalf of all the
members of the propagation studies committee like to wish all GB2RS
news readers and listeners a peaceful and happy Christmas and good DX
for 2011. Also, seasons greetings go to all the staff from where
information is received to produce this weekly report, without which,
it would be impossible to compile. For those that would like to keep
up to date on a near daily basis over the two week break can do so by
visiting http://spotsandflares.lefora.com/ which is updated by Neil,
G0CAS. See you all on the 9th of January for a forecast for 2011.
And that's all for this week from the propagation team.
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 gb2rs<at>rsgb.org.uk to arrive by
09:00 on the Tuesday before transmission.
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