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G4TNU > NEWS 15.09.11 07:08l 271 Lines 14435 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 18 Sep
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 18th September 2011
The news headlines:
* National Hamfest coming soon
* New CASHOTA award scheme
* RSGB Convention programme updated
The National Hamfest takes place on Friday 30 September and Saturday
1 October at the Newark and Notts Showground. It is organised by the
RSGB in conjunction with the Lincoln Short Wave Club. Headphone and
microphone specialist Bob Heil will be visiting the National Hamfest
with Waters and Stanton and will also be running a workshop each day.
He's been talking to Chris Jones, G0PIO from the Lincoln Short Wave
Club, about his life and times. The interview can be heard on the
National Hamfest website, www.nationalhamfest.org.uk. There will be a
wide selection of other lectures over the two days. These include
Klaus Lohmann from FlexRadio, the Group of Earth Observation and
Essex CW ARC. All the details about the event, including discount
tickets, can be found on the website www.nationalhamfest.org.uk.
A new amateur radio award scheme is being launched by Castles and
Stately Homes on the Air. The new award covers Royal Observation Corp
Bunkers and facilities and is open to any interested persons. All
details of UK Bunkers, as well as details of the award and how to
complete it, can be found at www.rocbunkers.co.uk. The first event
ROC Bunkers will be holding will be ROC Month in October 2011, so why
not visit the website and become part of this secret heritage?
The latest programme and lecture information on the RSGB Convention
is available on the website www.rsgb.org/rsgbconvention. Single day
or weekend tickets are selling fast, as are the overnight
accommodation packages, because this year's programme is proving
popular. There's a wide variety of talks for all interests, whether
you are new to amateur radio or more experienced. The Contest
University stream has been expanded over two days, with an
opportunity for budding contesters to get together with the owners of
some of the best contest stations who are willing to open their
contest station to newcomers. There's also plenty to interest the VHF
visitors too with talks on EME, microwave and satellite
communications. For all the latest information, visit the Convention
website at www.rsgb.org/rsgbconvention.
The IARU Region 1 HF Committee meeting minutes caused some alarm over
the future of 7030kHz as the QRP centre of activity. This relates to
the discussion about moving the frequency, and possible further
discussion at the Region 1 Interim Meeting in 2013. It is important
to note that these discussion points did not feature in the minutes
of the final General Conference Plenary. The HF Committee decided
that this change couldn't be done without first seeking the views of
the Region 1 QRP community. Whilst there is no formal Recommendation
to discuss this matter at the 2013 meeting, the RSGB considers it
sensible to be prepared, should this issue be raised, by seeking
views from its members, as well as working closely with the G-QRP
Club. As announced in last week's GB2RS, this discussion will be
coordinated within the Spectrum Forum, which next meets on Saturday 5
November. The RSGB will always consult with its members and the G-QRP
club before proposing or implementing QRP-related plans.
The latest edition of the Six and Ten report is now available at
http://g7kse.co.uk/6and10. The Six and Ten Reporting Club is an
informal group of radio amateurs, mostly from the UK, who are
interested in propagation studies at frequencies around the HF to VHF
boundary, mainly the 6 and 10 metre amateur bands. The club produces
a monthly newsletter that includes analysis of 28MHz propagation
based on beacon monitoring, analysis of 50MHz activity reports broken
down by propagation mode, reports and discussions on unusual
propagation events, compilations of solar and geomagnetic data, lists
of activity world-wide, beacon news, and results of ongoing
experiments.
In under a year, the AMSAT-UK FUNcube Yahoo Group has achieved over
2000 members. The group was created by Rob, M0TFO to provide support
for the AMSAT-UK FUNcube satellite and the FUNcube Dongle software
defined radio. The FUNcube satellite project is an educational
CubeSat project with the goal of enthusing and educating young people
about radio, space, physics and electronics. It will support the
educational Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths initiatives
and provide an additional resource for the RSGB GB4FUN Radio
Communications Demonstration Module. The target audience are school
pupils in the 8 to 18 age range. As well as providing a strong 145MHz
telemetry beacon for the pupils to receive FUNcube will also have a
435/145MHz linear transponder for amateur radio SSB/CW use. Graham
Shirville, G3VZV and Howard Long, G6LVB will be at the RSGB
Convention in October talking about the FUNcube project and FUNcube
Dongle.
The 18th Region 1 ARDF Championships was held in the Romanian resort
of Baile Felix in early September. It was the RSGB M40 team who were
the stars this time as they obtained 4th place in the 80m team event.
This followed on from a 5th place in the 2m event two days earlier.
The team comprised Andrew Soltysik, G4KWQ, David Williams, M3WDD and
SWL Steve Chalk.
Do you fancy being on TV? The ITV1 dating show Take Me Out is looking
for an amateur radio enthusiast to appear on the show. For further
information contact Lewis Evans on 02076 916 239, or e-mail
lewis.evans<at>talkbackthames.tv.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The 21st Great Northern Hamfest takes place in the Metrodome Leisure
Complex, Barnsley S71 1AN today, 18 September. Doors open at 11am and
there will be trade stands and special interest groups. More
information from Ernie, G4LUE on 01226 716 339.
Today, 18 September, the Belgium Amateur Radio & Computer Rally takes
place at Hall Lotto Mons Expo, Mons, which is 50km south of Brussels.
Doors open at 9am and talk in is available via repeaters on
145.600MHz & 430.325MHz. Plenty of international traders will be
present. Details at www.on6ll.be.
The Midland Amateur Radio Society will be holding an open day, at the
club QTH, from 10am to 4pm on 24 September. Plans are under way for
refreshments, opportunities to meet the training staff and there will
be displays of photographs, QSL cards. A prize exhibit is the
original 1931 minute books and their cups and awards. They will also
be on the air using GB8OTH. More information is on the club website,
www.midamradio.net.
Now for the news of special events
Throughout September, special event station GB2JB will be on the air.
It commemorate the life and birth place of Jack Binns, radio operator
of the Passenger Ship Republic in 1909. Operation will be from Coney
Court, Brigg, and is run by Brigg & District Amateur Radio Club.
Northumbria Amateur Radio Club and the Border Amateur Radio Society
will be at Barmoor Castle near Lowick in Northumberland on Sunday 18
September. They will be operating GB2BCL to commemorate the battle of
Flodden Hill. GB2BCL will be operational on most HF frequencies. The
event manger Roy, G0AXJ welcomes visitors to the station that will be
active from 10am through to 7pm. GB2BCL will be situated at Barmoor
Castle West entrance gate. Talk-in will be available on 145.500MHz.
For more information please visit www.g4aax.org.uk or telephone Roy
on 07421 659 150.
Crewe Heritage Centre ARC will be taking part in the Railways on the
Air weekend on 24 and 25 September. They will be operating two
stations using SSB and Digimodes from the First Class carriage of the
Advanced Passenger Train prototype that is on permanent display at
the centre. Using GB4CHC, the club hopes to work as many stations as
possible during the two days on all HF bands.
And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
4W6A will be on the air from Timor-Leste until 26 September.
Operation is on all bands from 160 to 10m, using CW, SSB and RTTY,
with up to four stations active simultaneously. The QSL manager is
M0URX, either direct with an SAE plus 1 IRC or $2, via the bureau, or
LoTW.
Arnold, WB6OJB and Frosty, K5LBU will be active as 7P8JK and 7P8CF
from Lesotho until 22 September. QSL via their home callsigns.
A Belgian team attempt at landing on Rockall in May 2009 was
unsuccessful due to the weather conditions at the time. They are now
planning to try again, with the projected date being around 27 and 28
September. Rockall is the rarest of the European IOTA islands. It has
only been activated once, a few years ago, when just over 200 QSOs
were made. The IOTA reference is EU-189. The website to check is
www.rockall.be.
A group of operators from the Czech Republic will be in Greenland
from until 26 September. They will sign OX4OK and also OX/homecalls.
Look for them on 80 to 10m and also on 2m EME.
Ely, IN3VZE will be active as 7Q7CE from Malawi until 3 October. He
will operate holiday style on 10 to 80 metres SSB and RTTY. QSL via
home call, direct or bureau.
Guenter, DL3NBI will be active as IA5/DL3NBI from Isola del Giglio,
which is EU-028, until 22 September. He plans to operate PSK, RTTY
and SSB, mainly on 20 metres. QSL via home callsign either direct or
via the bureau.
Now the contest news
The Worked All Britain 144MHz Low Power Phone Contest takes place
today, 18 September, from 1000 to 1400UTC. Low power means a maximum
power of 10 watts. The exchange is signal report, serial number and
WAB square. Full details of the rules and logsheets may be obtained
from the WAB website www.worked-all-britain.co.uk or from the Contest
Manager, G3XKT, by e-mail to aebbooks<at>ntlworld.com.
Also today, 18 September, the BARTG Sprint 75 takes place from 1700
to 2100UTC. All activity is on 75 bauds. Exchange a serial number
only. Entries are single-op only and all-bands only, with sections
for experts, defined as anyone who has had a top 10 placing in any
BARTG contest from 2008 onwards.
Tuesday 20 September sees the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest taking place
from 1900 to 2130UTC using all modes. The exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
The CQWW RTTY DX Contest lasts for the full 48 hours next weekend, 24
and 25 September. Starting at 0000 and finishing at 2359UTC, exchange
a signal report and CQ Zone – Britain is 14. Some rare countries
ought to be active in this one. There are too many entry categories
to list here though.
The Practical Wireless 70MHz Contest takes place for four hours on
Sunday 25 September from 1200 to 1600UTC. It has sections for Low
Power, meaning 10W or less, and Full Legal. The exchange is signal
report, serial number and locator.
And now the solar factual data for the period from the 5th to the
11th of September, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS, on the 12th of
September.
This week solar activity was high on the 6th, 7th and 8th. The
largest solar flare of the period was on the 6th and was rated as an
X2/2B. Activity was moderate on the other days except for the 11th,
which was low. The largest solar flares took place during the hours
of darkness and Europe missed the strongest of the sudden ionospheric
disturbances, but was affected by some weaker ones on some days. A
number of coronal mass ejections took place that headed our way and
there were even more that did not. Solar flux levels declined
slightly from 119 units on the 5th to 110 by the 8th but then
recovered back to 121 by the 11th. The average was 115 units. The 90
day solar flux average on the 11th was 100 units, that's two units up
on last week. X-ray flux levels declined from a high of C1.6 units on
the 5th to B4.2 units on the 9th. The average was B5.4. Geomagnetic
activity started at quiet levels with the Ap index in single figures
but around midday on the 9th the first of the coronal mass ejections
arrived and activity increased briefly to major storm levels. The Ap
index on the 9th was 36 and 33 units on the 10th as the storm rumbled
on. The average was Ap 14 units. Solar wind data from the ACE
spacecraft saw solar wind speeds increase from 330 kilometres per
second on the 5th to around 600 kilometres per second from the 9th
through to the 11th. Particle densities were low but increased to 33
particles per cubic centimetre on the 9th and 16 on the 10th. Bz on
the quiet days varied between minus and plus 3 nanoTeslas and between
minus 23 and plus 16 nanoTeslas at the height of the storm on the
9th. Anybody who wants to keep up to date on a daily basis or in near
real time can do so easily by typing spotsandflares as one word into
their favourite search engine. A radio aurora at 50 and 144MHz
started on the 9th and lasted until early on the 10th. High-latitude
stations, as usual, had the best of the event, although some contacts
were reported as far south as 52 degrees north.
And now the solar forecast. This week solar activity is expected to
vary between low and moderate levels. In general, over recent weeks,
solar activity as increased with solar flare-producing sunspot groups
appearing regularly. This pattern looks set to continue. Solar flux
levels should around 100 units or maybe slightly higher than that.
Geomagnetic activity should be at quiet levels every day, with no
coronal hole disturbances expected. However, activity could increase
if a large flare and a subsequent coronal mass ejection heads our
way. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around
24MHz for the south and 21MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows are
expected to be about 10MHz. Paths this week to the east coast of
North America should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per
cent success rate of around 22MHz. The optimum working frequency with
a 90 per cent success rate of about 18MHz. the best time to try this
path will be between 1500 and 200 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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