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G4TNU > NEWS 26.02.12 03:04l 190 Lines 9439 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 26 Feb 2012
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 26th February 2012
The news headlines:
* National Radio Centre opens its doors
* Improved access at 5MHz
* New RSGB VHF Manager
The National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park opened its doors for the
first time on Saturday 25 February. It is initially operating for
three days a week, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, while the displays
and exhibits are put through their paces. The formal opening is
expected to take place in late spring. The date will be announced
later.
Following proposals from the RSGB to Ofcom, aimed at harmonising NoV
access to 5MHz with that access enjoyed by radio amateurs in other
countries, the Society has received an offer from the MoD. It was
reported earlier that the MoD were unable to meet our request for
access over a continuous range, ie a band, so at our request have
offered a number of small frequency blocks, which include all of the
present 3kHz wide channels. Since the response is quite complex, the
Society is to seek views using its new Litmus Test process on how it
should respond. This Litmus Test will be open to all UK radio
amateurs and will commence on 1 March. More information can be found
on the RSGB website, following the link on the home page to
Consultations.
The Society is pleased to announce that Terry Stevens, G8DKS has been
appointed VHF Manager, with immediate effect. The role covers the
development of the hobby and spectrum management issues, both
nationally and internationally, on frequencies between 30MHz and 1GHz.
In the March edition of RadCom it was announced that the Society is
about to start a month's consultation on the draft Spectrum Strategy
that has been prepared by the RSGB Spectrum Forum. The consultation
will go live on Thursday 1 March. The draft strategy and links to the
online response form can be found by following the We Need Your Views
link on the right hand side of the RSGB home page. We hope that as
many amateurs as possible will provide us some feedback on this
important subject, and that where possible people will help others
who are not familiar with the web or have a disability that otherwise
would make it difficult to participate.
Ofcom has today published an addendum to the second consultation on
assessment of future mobile competition and proposals for the award
of 800MHz and 2.6GHz spectrum. The addendum clarifies proposals for
the spectrum portfolios that would be available to opted-in bidders
if Everything Everywhere was to divest its 1800MHz spectrum before
the planned auction at the end of 2012.
Ofcom has announced a GPS jamming exercise between 5 and 9 March near
RAF Spadeadam in Cumbria. From 8am to 6pm there will be multiple
jammers based within 5km of N55° 04.000' W002° 34.000', operating
within the 24MHz band centred around 1575.42MHz. It is stressed that,
as in previous exercises, Safety of Life operations will, at all
times, take precedence over exercise activities.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, 26 February, the Rainham Radio Rally takes place at the
Rainham School for Girls, Derwent Way, Rainham, Gillingham ME8 0BX.
The opening time is 10am. Details from Trevor, G6YLW on
07717 678 795.
The Cambridge & District Amateur Radio Club Rally will take place on
4 March at the Wood Green Animal Shelter, King's Bush Farm, on the
A1198 London Road at Godmanchester PE29 2NH. Doors open at 10am and
entry is GBP 3. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy with
talk in on S22. Contact John, G0GKP, on 01954 200 072.
Also on 4 March, the Exeter Radio & Electronics Rally takes place in
America Hall, De La Rue Way, Pinhoe Exeter EX4 8PW. Doors open at
10.30am and admission is GBP 2. There will be trade stands and a
Bring & Buy. More information from Pete, G3ZVI on 07714 198 374.
Now for the news of special events
On Saturday 3 March, the Northampton Radio Club will be activating
special event station GB5XX at Daventry Town Council Museum, from
10am to 4pm. The station is commemorating 80 years since the first
short wave broadcasts to the Empire from Daventry radio station, 5XX.
Operation will be on 20m, 17m, 2m and 70cm. More information from
John Cockrill, G4CZB on 01604 832 584, in the evenings only please.
And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
Jean-Pierre, F6ITD will operate SSB and digital modes on the HF bands
from Guadeloupe, which is IOTA reference NA-102, until 13 March. QSL
via his home callsign, either direct or via the bureau.
DJ0IF and SP7VC will be on the air from Madeira Island, which is IOTA
reference AF-104, from 29 February to 7 March as CT9/home callsign.
They will be in ARRL DX SSB Contest on 3 and 4 March as CR3L. QSL for
CR3L is via DJ6QT and for CT9/DJ0IF and CT9/SP7VC via their home
callsigns.
Phil, G3SWH and John, G3OLU/EA5ARC will be operating as 3DA0PW from
the well-equipped Hawane Resort in Swaziland. The station includes
Elecraft K3 transceivers, Icom IC-2KL amplifiers, an A4S at 24m and
an A3WS at 20m, a wire 4-square for 40m and a vertical for 80m
complete with thirty 20m long radials. The two will active until 29
February, CW only, on 80 through to 10 metres. Plans are to have two
stations active as much as possible each day. Subject to a good
internet connection, there will be an online log on Phil's website
and daily uploads to LoTW. QSL via G3SWH either direct, via OQRS or
via the bureau.
Now the contest news
Sunday 26 February sees the first 70MHz Cumulative, which runs from
1000-1200, 70MHz only, on all modes. The exchange is RST plus serial
number and locator.
The 50MHz UK Activity Contest takes place from 2000 to 2230UTC on 28
February. Using all modes on the band the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
At the same time the SHF UK Activity Contest takes place on the 2.3
to 10GHz bands. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
The 144/432MHz Contest takes place for 24 hours on 3 and 4 March.
There are Open and Single-op categories and 6-hour and 24-hour
sections, with 6-hour entrants being able to split their operating
into two sessions if they wish. Using all modes the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
The ARRL International DX contest runs for the full 48 hours of the
weekend of 3 and 4 March on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands. Work US stations
in the contiguous 48 States, plus Canadians. Send a signal report and
your transmit output power. There are sections for QRP as well as low
and high power. US stations send a signal report and 2-letter State
abbreviation, while Canadian stations send a signal report and
3-letter Province code.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 10th to
Thursday the 16th of February, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on the
17th of February.
Only a small number of sunspot groups were visible this week. Most of
these were small and quiet with only a couple of groups producing
small C class solar flares on the 19th, 20th and the 21st. The
remaining days activity was at very low levels. Solar flux levels
varied little day to day and averaged 105 units, however, on the 20th
flux levels increased to 111 units. The 90 day solar flux average on
the 23rd was 130 units, that's two units down on last week. X-ray
flux levels averaged B2 units and varied little. Geomagnetic activity
started at very quiet levels with an Ap index of only 2 units on the
17th but by the 19th and the 20th activity increased due to a small
coronal hole disturbance. The most disturbed day was the 20th with an
Ap index of 17 units. The average was Ap 8 units. Solar wind data
from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds increase from 280
kilometres per second on the 18th to 650 by the 20th. Particle
densities were low every day except for the 18th and the 19th which
increased to 32 and 19 particles per cubic centimetre respectively.
Bz varied between minus and plus 3 nanoTeslas on the quietest day and
between minus 12 and plus 10 nanoTeslas during the disturbance.
Aurora was noted late on 19th and during the afternoon on the 20th,
though mainly on 50MHz. The higher HF bands were patchy, though on a
couple of days MUFs were comfortably above predicted values.
And finally the solar forecast. Later this week the quiet side of the
Sun is expected to be rotating into view. Therefore, solar activity
is expected to be very low to low. Solar flux levels should be not
much higher than 100 units. Geomagnetic activity is expected to very
quiet for the first half of the week but towards next weekend
activity could increase slightly due to a small coronal hole. MUFs
during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 27MHz for
the south and 24MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be about
8MHz. Paths this week to South America should have a maximum usable
frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of about
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 Thursday before transmission.
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