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G4TNU > NEWS 20.07.11 17:05l 252 Lines 12964 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 24 Jul
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 24th July 2011
The news headlines:
* Restrictive legislation for Belgian amateurs
* SSB coming to European CB
* AMSAT Colloquium to be webcast live
The administration in Flanders has included radio amateurs in the
restrictive Specific Absorption Rate, or SAR, Ministerial Decree of
26 January, aimed at telecom operators. It appears that radio
amateurs in Flanders will now have the same standards and
obligations, fees and even the same fines or imprisonment for
breaches as the telecom operators. Radio amateurs have to apply for a
certificate of conformity for their station and, presumably, re-apply
whenever the station configuration changes. This costs about 75 Euros
and the amateur has to supply detailed information on the site and
the antenna concerned. More information online at
http://tinyurl.com/BelgiumUBA.
A decision by the European Union has paved the way for the use of
single sideband on 27MHz CB across Europe. The revised regulation
will permit European CB operators the use of SSB equipment running 12
watts PEP output in the frequency band 26.960 to 27.410MHz. The
European Union decision to permit SSB on 11 meters came into force on
24 June and carries a preferred implementation by national
telecommunications administrations of 1 October.
The AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium takes place in Guildford
next weekend, July 30-31. BATC and AMSAT volunteers will be streaming
video of the event live, enabling it to be seen around the world.
Clearly a webcast cannot match actually being there, with the
opportunity to chat to satellite builders and inspect space hardware,
but if you can't get to Guilford then the webcast provides the next
best thing. The webcast will be at www.batc.tv.
AMSAT satellite ARISSAT-1, currently aboard the International Space
Station, has had a chequered history. As previously reported, it was
not deployed in February as originally planned. A further date in
July also came and went. The RSGB understands that it will now be
tested within the ISS on 30 to 31 July, the weekend of the AMSAT-UK
Colloquium. It is planned to monitor the tests from the Colloquium
using the facilities of GB4FUN. The satellite will probably transmit
its standard 2m bandplan, centred on 145.938MHz. All being well it
will be hand-launched from the ISS on Wednesday 3 August.
Also on a space theme, AMSAT-UK's FunCube satellite is undergoing
thermal testing at RAL Space at Harwell, near Didcot, as part of its
launch qualification programme. Reporting to GB2RS live from the
laboratory via a video link on Wednesday, Graham Shirville, G3VZV
said that the schedule includes a power-off survival test from -35°C
to +75°C.
Mexborough & District Amateur Radio Society has been lucky enough to
secure passage on the Yorkshire Belle on 30 July for a full day of
maritime mobile operating. Sailing from the coastal resort of
Bridlington, they intend to operate both HF and 2m stations from on
board the Yorkshire Belle with a support station nearby on land.
Anyone wishing to contact Full licence holders working maritime
mobile should listen out from 9am onwards on 30 July. Anyone wishing
to take part in the event should contact Sharon Saiger on
07795 225447.
The National Hamfest will take place at the George Stephenson
Pavilion, Newark & Notts Showground, Lincoln Road, Winthorpe, Newark
NG24 2NY on 30 September and 1 October. Around 3000 visitors came
through the doors last year and this year's show is due to be bigger
than ever. The main hall is already well on the way to being full
with all the major brands represented, as well as the biggest dealers
in the UK and several overseas traders. Tickets can be purchased
online with several discounts available for those booking early,
www.nationalhamfest.org.uk.
The Radio Club of Provins would like to thank the amateur radio
community for all the help and support during the recent theft of
20,000 Euros worth of DXpedition equipment. A radio amateur is
helping police with their enquiries following the theft. It was
thanks to the network of radio amateurs that this sad event was
resolved quickly. The equipment was recovered and will soon be on its
way to PJ4C with the F6KOP team and some will be travelling with the
MDXC team to 9N.
The Republic of South Sudan is the newest addition to the CQ DX Award
Countries List, number 342. Verifications confirming contacts after
14 July 2011, which was the date of its admission to the United
Nations, are acceptable for credit. No award credit is available for
southern Sudan contacts made during the 1980s and 90s. In addition,
South Sudan will count as a country, or entity, multiplier for the CQ
DX Marathon, the CQ World Wide DX Contest and any other CQ contests
that use country multipliers.
Today, 24 July, at 0900UTC, a balloon called Aisekom will be launched
from Bilbao in northern Spain with APRS equipment attached. This will
transmit an APRS beacon on 144.800MHz FM at 1200 bps. It should be
possible to hear it in the UK because it will rise up to 30,000
metres and then come down on a parachute. The callsign will be
EG2EE-11. There is more information at www.aisekom.com but it is only
available in Spanish.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Next weekend, 30 and 31 July, the AMSAT-UK Space Colloquium takes
place in the Holiday Inn, Guildford, GU2 7XZ. There is a lecture
programme available, including a Beginners' Workshop run by Dave,
G4DPZ and Carlos, G0AKI, the RSGB Amateur Radio Department manager.
GB4FUN will also be onsite. Details at www.uk.amsat.org.
Horncastle Summer Rally will take place on Sunday 31 July in the
Horncastle Youth Centre, Willow Road, Horncastle, Lincolnshire
LN9 6DZ. Doors open at 10.30am and admission is GBP 1.50. Information
can be obtained from Tony, G3ZPU on 01507 527835.
MW0MAH is setting up a demonstration station at charity fund raising
event at RAF Valley on 30 July. The RAOB annual charity event starts
at 2pm and visitors have the opportunity to pass greetings messages
at the demonstration station as well as join in the other activities.
Now for the news of special events
Hull & District Amateur Radio Society will have a station active at
The Hull Sea Shanty this weekend at Hull Marina. Their communications
trailer will be demonstrating HF, VHF and D-Star communications.
British Inland Waterways on the Air is set to be launched at The
Waterways Festival, Shobnall Fields, Burton on Trent on 29 to 31
July. A special event station, GB2TWF, is being set up by local radio
clubs and this is just one of over forty stations being set up for
the weekend, which include GB0NWM at the National Waterways museum at
Ellesmere Port, the Waterways museum at Goole, GB2FIP at the Foxton
Inclined Plane museum and GB4HSC at the Hinckley Sea Cadets. Other
stations will be set up from the Caledonian canal down to the River
Way. A full list can be found on the participants tab at website
www.biwota.org.
Hull & District Amateur Radio Society and the RAFARS are setting up a
special event station at a veterans weekend on 30 and 31 July held at
East Park, Holderness Road, Hull. GB2VET will be on the air using HF,
VHF & UHF and D-Star. The club will also display vintage WW2 radio
equipment.
Pontefract & District Amateur Radio Society is operating a GB0YD for
Yorkshire Day on 1 August. Operated from the Club's shack with the
Yorkshire flag flying from the mast, they intend to talk at all
amateurs –whichever side of the Pennines they are.
And now the HF DX news, compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
A group of German operators will be on the air from Ascension Island
as ZD8D from 24 July to 9 August. They will be operating from a
guesthouse in Georgetown. Updates are online at www.zd8d.de.
IK5ASN will be active as 9A8ASN from the island of Cres until 30
July. He will be on 40 and 20 meters using SSB, CW, RTTY and PSK31.
QSL via IK5SAN, direct or preferably via the bureau.
KF8UN will be in Peru until 16 August. He plans to be active stroke
OA4 and says that he plans to work 20m, particularly on 8 August. At
other time he will be operating holiday style. QSL via his home
callsign.
EF8M operating from the Canary Islands during the RSGB Islands on the
Air Contest on 30 and 31 July as a Multi-Operator, All-Band,
High-Power entry. Operators mentioned are RD3A, EA8CAC and UA5C. QSL
via UA3DX.
Now the contest news
Today, 24 July, is the WAB QRO 2m phone contest, which runs from 1000
until 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and WAB square.
26 July sees both the 50MHz UK Activity Contest and the SHF Activity
Contest take place from 1900 to 2130UTC. The former uses all modes on
the 50MHz band and the exchange is signal report, serial number and
locator. The latter is on all bands from 2.3GHz upwards and using all
modes the exchange is also signal report, serial number and locator.
This leaves the biggest HF event to the end. Over the years IOTA
Contest has become the RSGB's flagship contest. These days it
attracts over 2000 entries worldwide. Casual participants are likely
to pick up some new countries and serious entrants will make
thousands of QSOs in the 24 hours, although there are also 12-hour
sections for single-op stations. The IOTA Reference is part of the
exchange; the one for mainland Britain is EU005. All the IOTA
references can be found on the internet at
www.logiciel.co.uk/iota/shtlist/europe.html. Operations start at 1200
on the 30th, although some of the island DXpeditions will be using
their own callsigns during testing in the days leading up to the
contest. Using the bands 3.5 to 28MHz on CW or SSB, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and IOTA reference.
And now the solar factual data for the period from the 11th to the
17th of July, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on the 18th of July.
First this week the smoothed monthly sunspot numbers for October,
November and December 2010, they are 23.2, 26.5 and 28.8
respectively. The rise continues towards a maximum, which is due
probably in 2013.
Numerous sunspot groups were visible every day, in fact, seven groups
were visible on the 13th and the 15th. However, most were small and
quiet. One C class solar flare took place on the 11th and the 12th
when solar activity was low. The remaining days' activity was very
low. Solar flux levels increased from 90 units on the 11th to 104 by
the 17th. The average was 95 units. The 90 day solar flux average on
the 17th was 97 units, that's two units down on last week. X-ray flux
levels increased slightly to B2.1 by the 17th. The average was B1.7
units. Geomagnetic activity was unsettled on the 11th with an Ap
index of 13 units. This was due to a coronal hole. The remainder of
the period activity was just at quiet levels with an Ap of 6 or 8
units on most of the other days, except for the 17 which was 5 units.
The average was Ap 8 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft
saw solar winds at 750 kilometres per second on the 11th and the 12th
but then gradually decline to 345 kilometres per second by the 17th.
Particle densities were low every day. On the 11th Bz varied between
minus and plus 8 nanoTeslas and between minus 3 and plus 4 nanoTeslas
on the 16th.
And now the solar forecast. This week the quiet side of the Sun is
expected to be looking our way. Solar activity should be at very low
levels on most days. Even though sunspot groups will be visible, all
are expected to be small and inactive. Solar flux levels should be in
the high 80's for most of the week. Geomagnetic activity is expected
to be at quiet levels till after midweek, when a small recurring
coronal hole disturbance arrives. The effects from the hole should be
minimal, with the daily Ap index into the teens. MUFs during daylight
hours at equal latitudes should be around 20MHz for the south and
17MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be about 13MHz. Paths
this week to Japan should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50
per cent success rate of around 18MHz. The optimum working frequency
with a 90 per cent success rate will be about 13MHz. The best time to
try this path will be between 1000 and 1500 hours. Sporadic-E should
take place on most days on the lower VHF bands and up to 144MHz
occasionally during any intense openings.
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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