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G4TNU > NEWS 30.03.11 17:04l 193 Lines 9133 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 03 Apr
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 3 April 2011
The news headlines:
* Peter Kirby leaves RSGB
* Bell Labs journal released
* GB2RAF back on the air
Peter Kirby, RSGB General Manager, has left the Society's employment
after the discovery of financial irregularities on his part. For the
time being, RSGB Director Don Beattie, G3BJ, will act as General
Manager. The announcement was made by RSGB President Dave Wilson on
28 March 2011.
Bell Labs in the USA was responsible for a huge number of technical
innovations, including the transistor. Most were documented in the
Bell System Technical Journal, published from 1922 until 1983. The
entire archive, now owned by Alcatel-Lucent, has now been put online
and can be viewed at http://bstj.bell-labs.com.
It has now been confirmed that permanent special event station GB2RAF
will be back on the air again from Saturday 9 April. Operations will
be from the Air Defence Radar Museum, RAF Neatishead, Norfolk. Due to
a Health and Safety fire issue, the Museum had to close down in
September 2010 and consequently the permanent special event station
GB2RAF has been unable to go on the air since then. GB2RAF will be
back on the air every second Saturday of the month from 10am to 4pm,
primarily on 80m SSB around 3.710MHz. For further information contact
Terry, G4PSH QTHR or via GB2RAF. Details of both are correct on
qrz.com.
Colchester Radio Amateurs has announced the cancellation of their
rally. Originally planned for 31 July, the decision was prompted by
falling attendance and ongoing difficulties in organising the event.
The club regrets its passing after 42 years.
Over the weekend of 16 and 17 April, Jim, M0JHW will be holding
another of his field days at the Sports & Social Club, Harlaxton,
Grantham NG32 1HX. There will be plenty of tea and coffee and a BBQ
in the afternoon. All are invited to come and meet old friends and
make new ones. There will also be ample opportunity to play radio.
Details from Jim by email to m0jhwjim<at>aol.co.uk.
On Monday 4 April two UK Coastguard MF stations are changing
frequency. The Falmouth transmitter will move to 1880kHz and the
Humber transmitter to 1925kHz. These frequencies are in the shared
part of Top Band, where the Amateur Service is the secondary user.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, Sunday 3 April, is the South Gloucestershire Amateur Radio
Rally at Avon Scouts Activity Centre, Fernhill, Almondsbury BS32 4LX.
The site is easily accessed from the junction of the M4 & M5. Talk-in
is on S22 and there is good car parking. Entry is GBP 2. The rally
opens at 10am and there are trade stands, a car boot sale and
catering. For more information contact Stan Goodwin, G0RYM, on
07833 517370.
On Sunday 10 April it's the Cambridgeshire Repeater Group Annual
Rally at Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge
CB22 6RN. There is talk-in on S22 in advance of the 10am start, trade
stands, a Bring & Buy and catering. Entry is GBP 2. Contact Lawrence,
M0LCM, on 01223 654880for more information.
Also on Sunday 10 April is the Northern Amateur Radio Societies
Association Exhibition, also known as the Blackpool rally. Held at
Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool FY2 9AA, it opens at
10.45 for disabled visitors and 11am for everyone else. Car parking
is available, there are trade stands, an RSGB book stall, Bring &
Buy, club and special interest stands. For more information contact
Dave, M0OBW, on 01270 761 608.
Now for the news of special events
GB2LGR is operating this weekend from the former RAF airfield at
Langar, Nottinghamshire, celebrating the Battle of Britain. Operation
is on HF and 2m, and details are on QRZ.com.
GB2SOE is celebrating the role of the Special Operations Executive
from Tempsford Airfield, Bedfordshire, as part of the RAFARS
Airfields on the Air weekend. Operation will be on or close to RAFARS
net frequencies on Top Band, 80m, 40m, plus 2m. QSL direct or via
bureau.
And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
The 9N7AN DXpedition to Nepal continues until 8 April. Operation is
on all bands from 180m to 10m, CW SSB and RTTY. The team also plans
to operate 2m EME using JT65B as 9N7WL, the first time that Nepal has
been activated via this mode. More information is at
www.160m.de/9N7AN.
Ray, M1REK and Andy, M1LOL are operating from the Isle of Barra,
EU-010 from 2 to 9 April. They are using SSB, PSK and RTTY on
80m-10m. Ask for QSL instructions.
Francoise, JW/F8DVD is operating from Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen,
EU-026 from 1 to 8 April 1-8. Main activity is on 40 and 20 metres,
SSB and CW. QSL via homecall, bureau or direct.
Now the contest news
The RSGB Contest Committee is introducing an SSB version of the
popular RoPoCo contest today, Sunday 3 April. In these short 80m
contests, entrants send their own postcode for the first contact and
receive one back. In subsequent contacts they send the postcode just
received. This form of Chinese Whispers is great fun, but requires
care in receiving and logging accurately. Amateurs with 80m
capability are invited to give it a try. The rules are available
online at www.rsgbcc.org.
From 0900 to 1200 UTC today is the RSGB First 70MHz contest.
Operating on all modes on 4m, the exchange is RST, serial number and
locator.
The SP DX contest starts at 1500 UTC today and finishes the same time
tomorrow, 4 April. CW or SSB can be used on all bands from 1.8 to
28MHz, and the exchange is RST plus serial number. SP stations also
send their Province code.
Also starting today, at 1600 UTC, is the EA RTTY contest, ends the
same time tomorrow, 4 April. Contacts are in RTTY only from 3.5 to
28MHz. The exchange is RST plus serial number. EA stations also send
their Province code.
On 4 April it's the RSGB 80m Club Championships, CW. Activity is 1900
to 2030 UTC; RST & serial number form the exchange.
The RSGB 144MHz UKAC is on Tuesday 5 April from 1900 to 2130 UTC.
Operation is on 2m, all mode, with an exchange of RST, serial number
and locator.
The EU Spring Sprint is on Saturday 9 April from 1600 to 2000 UTC.
Operation is CW only from 3.5 to 14MHz. The exchange is both
callsigns plus serial number plus name; RST is not required.
The weekend of 9 and 10 April sees the Japan International DX
contest, from 0700-1300 UTC. CW only operation is from 1.8 to 28MHz.
The exchange is RST plus CQ zone. JAs also send their Prefecture
code.
And now the solar factual data for the period from the 21st to the
27th of March, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on the 28th of March.
Solar activity started and ended the period at low levels, but the
days in between activity increased to moderate levels. Three M class
solar flares took place, one each on the 23rd, 24th and the 25th.
They were small and only just made it above the M class threshold.
However, they produced sudden ionospheric disturbances and small
coronal mass ejections. Solar flux levels increased from 100 units on
the 22nd to 117 by the 27th. The average was 108 units. The 90 day
solar flux average on the 27th was 97 units. That's three units up on
last week. X-ray flux levels varied little day to day and averaged
B3.9 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet every day except for the
23rd when a recurring coronal hole disturbance arrived. The effects
from this were very limited and the Ap index on the 23rd was only 10
units. The average was Ap 4 units. Solar wind data from the ACE
spacecraft saw solar wind speeds increase from 300 kilometres per
second on the 21st to 550 by the 23rd. Particle densities were low
every day. Bz varied between minus 6 and plus 7 nanoTeslas on the
23rd and between minus 3 and plus 4 nanoTeslas on the quiet days.
And now the solar forecast. This week the quieter side of the Sun is
expected to be rotating out of view. Solar activity should be most
low but could increase to moderate especially during the first half
of the week. Solar flux levels should decline and be around the 100
mark or slightly lower by next weekend. Geomagnetic activity is
expected to be quiet till midweek but then increase as a coronal hole
disturbance arrives. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes
should be around 24MHz for the south and 21MHz for the north.
Darkness hour lows should be about 9MHz. Paths this week to India
should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success
rate of around 26MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per
cent success rate will be about 20MHz. The best time to try this path
will be between 1000 and 1400 hours UTC.
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
10:00 on the Tuesday before transmission.
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