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G4TNU > NEWS 30.11.11 20:06l 187 Lines 9412 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 04 Dec
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 4th December 2011
The news headlines:
* RSGB Club of the Year competition reminder
* Experimental D-Star repeater
* 5MHz operation from Niue Island
The RSGB Club of the Year Competition, sponsored by Waters and
Stanton, is an RSGB Regional Team initiative designed to encourage
local radio clubs to do more in their communities to promote amateur
radio. Locally based, the idea is get recognition of your club's
efforts by the amateur radio community. Independently judged, the
competition concentrates on your club's contribution to promoting
amateur radio, its contribution to training and education, charitable
activities and general club activities. Each region presents its own
trophy and all the trophy winners from around the UK are entered into
a national competition where we select a National Club of the Year
and two runner ups. There are trophies for the national winners and
cash prizes too, so it is well worth entering. Details are available
on the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/cluboftheyear.
The Mid Cornwall Beacon and Repeater Group has obtained an NoV from
Ofcom to operate an experimental D-Star repeater on the existing
GB3HB repeater frequencies on 70cm. It will have the callsign GB7MC
and operation will commence today, 4 December. The output frequency
will be 433.375MHz and the input frequency will be 434.975MHz. The
existing GB3HB voice repeater has now been closed down and removed
for refurbishment and updating. The experimental D-Star repeater,
GB7MC, will continue to operate during 2012 until the new GB3HB voice
repeater is ready. For more information, or to send a report, go to
the group's website at www.mcbarg.co.uk.
For 60m band enthusiasts there is news from Chris, GM3WOJ. He is now
active as ZK2V on Niue Island in the Pacific and has obtained
permission to operate on 5403.5kHz. This special permit is only valid
from 1 to 7 December local time.
James Miller, G3RUH remotely reconfigured the tracking and receiving
system at the AMSAT-DL amateur radio facility in Bochum, Germany to
receive the NASA Mars Science Laboratory X-Band telemetry. The signal
was received automatically, no-one had to be physically on-site. Read
the full story at www.uk.amsat.org.
A very interesting TV programme from 1979 can now be watched on the
web. Called Wartime Radio: The Secret Listeners, the programme is
illustrated with archival film and photographs as well as interviews
with those involved. The documentary traces the evolution of civilian
involvement in radio-based intelligence during both world wars. Take
a look at www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/5108.
Congratulations to G4DEZ, who was the highest placed UK station in
the IARU Region 1 September 145MHz Contest single operator entry. He
was placed 35th out of 1178 entries, with his best DX being OL3Y. The
Parallel Lines Contest Group, G8P, was the highest placed UK
multi-operator entry. They were placed 6th from 388 entries, with the
best DX being OE1W. Congratulations to both entries.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The final rally of the year is due to take place today, 4 December.
The Bishop Auckland Radio Amateurs Club Rally will be held in
Spennymoor Leisure Centre, Co Durham DL16 6DB. Doors open at 10.30am
and admission is GBP 1.50, with accompanied under 14s free. There
will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy. More details from Mark, G0GFG
on 01388 747 497.
Saturday 17 December sees the 10th Waters and Stanton annual
Christmas open day, which is sponsored by Yaesu UK Ltd. Chelmsford
Amateur Radio Society, Essex CW Club, RSGB rep Mark Sanderson and
staff from Yaesu will be in attendance.
Friskney & East Lincolnshire Communications Club Mid-Winter Tabletop
Sale and Auction will take place on 3 January at the Friskney Village
Hall, Church Road, Friskney, Lincolnshire PE22 8RR. The event
includes the Special Event Station GB2YR. Doors open 7pm and entry is
GBP 1.50. Tables are 2 for 1 at GBP 4 and there will be free tea &
coffee. Details from Ian Donnelly, 2E0XOD, 07554 362 020.
Now for the news of special events
We have no details of special events for the forthcoming week.
And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
Buddies in the Caribbean is a group of amateur radio operators who
specialise in DXpeditions with low power and a Buddipole. They are
visiting St Lucia again from 4 to 12 December. They plan to run three
stations in CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK on 10 to 160m. They will use the
callsign J68UN in the ARRL 10m Contest on 10 and 11 December. QSLs
via home callsign direct, Logbook of the World and eQSL.
Martin, G3ZAY, Michael, G7VJR, Harumi, JF1PJK, Joe, JA1LZR, and
Yutaka, JQ2GYU, will be active as GJ6UW on SSB, CW and RTTY on all
bands from Jersey, which is IOTA EU-013, from 2 to 7 December. If the
conditions on 160m and 80m are good they want to listen especially
for Asia and Japan. QSL via M0BLF either via the bureau, direct or
via Logbook of the World.
Volker, DL8WEM will be active as J79WE from Dominica, which is
NA-101, until 8 December. He operates mainly CW on 10 to 40 metres.
QSL via his home callsign.
Now the contest news
The ARRL 160m CW Contest runs until 1600UTC on Sunday afternoon, 4
December. For UK stations, the action takes place during the hours
when North America and the UK are both in darkness, around 2200 to
0800UTC. Work American stations including KL7 and KH6 plus US
overseas territories and Canadian stations only. For single-ops there
are QRP, low power and high power categories. It's similar for
multi-op stations, except that there's no QRP category. A vertical
antenna or an inverted-L with a high vertical section and an
efficient radial or earthing system are very much to be desired for
this one. The exchange is signal report and American and Canadian
stations also send their ARRL or RAC section number.
Today, Sunday, 4 December, the 144MHz AFS takes place. This will be
the third in this season's Super League competition. From 0900 to
1700UTC, using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
On Tuesday 6 December the 144MHz UK Activity Contest takes place from
2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
The next Amateur Television Repeater Contest takes place from 1200UTC
on Saturday 10 December until 1200UTC on Sunday 11 December using all
amateur TV repeaters. Stations are encouraged to participate, or just
look for increased amateur TV activity on their local TV repeater.
Talkback is most likely to be found on 144.75MHz FM. Details of how
to enter the contest can be found on the BATC website,
www.batc.org.uk; entrants do not need to be BATC members.
And now the solar factual data for the period from the 21st to the
27th of November, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on the 28th of
November.
The solar disc had numerous sunspot groups visible every day. Most
were small and quiet but several were large enough to produce small C
class solar flares, 39 in total for the period. The occasional solar
flare produced small coronal mass ejections. On the 26th a long
duration C1 solar flare and an associated eruptive filament produced
a large coronal mass ejection. Solar flux levels declined from 142
units on the 22nd to 133 by the 26th, the average was 138. The 90 day
solar flux average on the 27th was 141, that's three units up on last
week. X-ray flux units declined from B5.1 units on the 21st to B3.9
by the 26th. The average was B4.4 units. Geomagnetic activity was
quiet every day with the highest daily figure of Ap 6 units on the
22nd and the 27th. The average was Ap 5 units. Solar wind data from
the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds vary between a slow 240
kilometres per second to a normal 470 kilometres per second. Particle
densities were low throughout. Bz never varied more than minus and
plus 9 nanoTeslas for the period.
And finally the solar forecast. This week the active side of the Sun
is expected to be rotating out of view. Solar activity should be low
every day with the chance of increasing on the occasional day. Solar
flux levels should decline and be around the 150's by next weekend.
Providing no coronal mass ejections head our way geomagnetic activity
should be at quiet levels all week. MUFs during daylight hours at
equal latitudes are expected to be well over 30MHz for the whole of
the UK. Darkness hour lows should be around 10MHz every day just
before local sunrise. Paths this week to Australia should have a
maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around
32MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate
will be about 25MHz. The best time to try this path will be between
0800 and 1300 hours. Overall, the long path will be several megahertz
down and a couple of hours later than the short path.
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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