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G4TNU > NEWS 17.06.12 01:03l 265 Lines 13538 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 17 Jun 2012
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 17th June 2012
The news headlines:
* Ofcom announces that a small block of 2m is required for the
London 2012 Summer Olympic Games
* New Interference Regulations announced to protect London 2012
* German amateurs get 472-479kHz band
In the July RadCom it was announced that Ofcom had approached the
RSGB to discuss temporary usage of a few channels on 2m to support
the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Following negotiations with the
RSGB to minimise the impact on amateurs, Ofcom has now announced that
it will temporarily authorise a small block of 12.5kHz channels on
that band. The frequencies are from 144.0125MHz to 144.1375MHz, but
only for the period 27 July to 28 August 2012. The frequencies
specifically exclude the CW calling frequency, 144.050MHz, and the
Meteor Scatter calling frequency, 144.100MHz. Ofcom are also aware of
the various contests on 4 and 7 August and will work with Game users
to keep operations to a minimum on these dates. Usage of this
spectrum by Games users will be in the vicinity of London Olympic
venues, and will be limited to handhelds with a maximum output of 5
watts. Ofcom emphasises that use of Primary Amateur spectrum is only
for the specified time period and does not constitute a change of
usage. The full Ofcom statement can be found at www.rsgb.org/Olympics.
Ofcom has announced its decision to make the Wireless Telegraphy
(Control of Interference from Apparatus) (the London Olympic Games
and Paralympic Games) Regulations 2012. These Regulations will
regulate the intensity of the electromagnetic energy at which
electrical and electronic apparatus operates, such that it does not
cause undue interference with wireless telegraphy apparatus used for
public safety purposes, within a specified protection area, for the
duration of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. They will come
into force in July 2012, prior to the commencement of the Games.
Copies of the Regulations will be available via
www.legislation.gov.uk.
German amateurs with a Class A licence are now allowed to operate in
the new 472-479kHz band. The power limit is 1W erp, with a maximum
signal bandwidth of 800Hz.
Cyprus is going to hold the EU presidency, for the first time, for
the six months from 1 July. To commemorate the occasion, a number of
Cyprus Amateur Radio Society members have been granted the use of
P3EU, which will only be valid for the six months until 31 December.
There will be a 24 hour special event on 1 July. A special QSL card
will be available. Operators will be active on the HF bands using SSB
and CW for the 24 hour event and using all modes on the HF and VHF
bands during the six months of P3EU.
The Worked All Britain group would like to thank all the clubs and
individuals who have taken part in the Torch Relay so far. It runs
until 27 July, so there's still plenty of time to work stations
around the UK as the torch makes its way to London. Check out the WAB
website for full details, www.worked-all-britain.co.uk. Today the
Durham and District Amateur Radio Society will be operating GX4WAB to
commemorate the Olympic Torch being in Durham in the NZ24 Square.
Operation will be on all HF bands and 2 metres.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The 25th Newbury Radio Rally and Boot Sale will be held at the
Newbury Showground, next to junction 13 of the M4 today, 17 June.
Doors open at 9am and admission is GBP 2. There will be trade stands,
special interest groups and a demonstration marquee with display of
amateur radio on air.
Hull & District Amateur Radio Society will be holding an open event
on Sunday 24 June at the HADARS Club House, Walton Street Leisure
Centre, Goathland Close, Walton Street, Hull. There will be a Bring
and Buy followed by an auction at 1pm. Doors open for viewing at
10.30am. There will be a BBQ and refreshments available. Further
details from Julian on 07901 230 012.
On Sunday 24 June the West Of England Radio Rally takes place at the
Cheese & Grain, Bridge Street, Frome, Somerset BA11 1BE. There will
be car parking, catering, disabled facilities, trade stands and an
RSGB book stall. Contact Shaun, G8VPG, on 01225 873 098
Now for the news of special events
Welland Valley Amateur Radio Society will be putting GB0BON on air
today, 17 June at Rupert's Viewpoint. It will be the 367th
anniversary of the Battle of Naseby and the third anniversary of
GB0BON.
Eddie, G0VVT will be operating from the Belleek Pottery Museum under
the call of GB0BPM today, 17 June for Museums on the Air.
Reading and District Amateur Radio Club will be taking part in
Museums on the Air today, 17 June from the Museum of Berkshire
Aviation, Woodley using the callsign GB2MBA. Visitors are welcome.
Today, 17 June, sees the second and final day of IQ1SV, commemorating
the torpedoing of SS Transylvania in 1917 near the isle of Bergeggi,
Italy, with the loss of 407 lives. Operation is on 160, 80, 40, 20,
15 and 10m, with SSB, CW and PSK31. A commemorative QSL card is
available. Full details are on QRZ.com.
Also today, the Radio club of Binche will activate the Special Event
Station ON44WAR from the historical place of Brûly-de-Pesches in
Belgium in order to commemorate the Belgian Resistance. Activity will
be from 9am to 5pm local time. Full details are on their website,
www.on7ry.be.
The Kent Weald Radio Club will be holding a field event at Headcorn
Airfield, Kent, TN17 9HX, until 24 June. This activity will encompass
the two Museums on the Air weekends. Using the callsign of GB1HA, the
station will use HF, VHF & UHF bands. Visitors are welcome to call in
to see the operation.
GB4H will be on the air from Coventry on 23 and 24 June. Run by the
Coventry Amateur Radio Society, they plan to have HF and VHF stations.
On 23 and 24 June, Milton Keynes ARS will be running GB2AMT within
Bletchley Park to recognise both the Centenary of the birth and the
memory of Alan Turing, whose wartime work at the Bletchley Park is
well known. The station will be working all HF bands.
North Wakefield Radio Club will be operating a Special Event Station
at Holt Cross Station, Middleton, Leeds, to commemorate the 200th
anniversary of steam festival at Middleton Light Railway. The station
will be on the air from approximately 9am to 5pm over the weekend of
23 and 24 June. The expected callsign for the event is GB2MLR.
Huntingdonshire Amateur Radio Society will be operating GB2RRM for
International Museums Weekend on 23 and 24 June from the Ramsey Rural
Museum, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
Guernsey may not be not a particularly rare DX entity, but an unusual
prefix will soon be visiting, in the form of GP3ZME/P. Telford &
District ARS are visiting the island from 22-27 June, operating on
all HF, VHF and microwave bands up to 24GHz. They will be active on
most modes including data, PSK etc. More details are on QRZ.com.
Taka, JA8COE, will be active as homecall/8 from Yagishiri Island,
AS-147, between June 16 and 19. Activity will be on 40, 20, 17 and 15
metres, using SSB, PSK and RTTY. QSL via his home callsign, direct or
via the Bureau.
Operators Waldi/SP7IDX and Mek/SP7VC will be active as LA/SP7IDX and
LA/SP7VC from Mageroya Island, EU-044, WW Locator KQ21VC, between
June 20 and 29. They plan to have 2 stations on the air – one on
the HF bands and the second on 6m. Operations will be on 80-6m will
use SSB and RTTY. They will also be in the RSGB IOTA Contest on July
28 and 29. They will be using Win-Test to send QSOs to Clublog in
real time. During their travel to Mageroya Island, there is a
possibility to activate Seskaro Island, EU-139, WW Locator KP15VR, in
the evening or night of June 19 and the morning of the 20th.
Callsigns there will be SM/SP7VC and SM/SP7IDX. QSL via their home
callsigns. The log will be uploaded in LoTW.
Dandy, K6ZRH/DU1IMA, will be active as K6ZRH/DU1 from Palawan Island,
OC-128, WLOTA 1612, between June 10th-30th. Activity will be on 40,
20 and 15 metres, SSB. QSL via his home callsign, direct only.
Now the contest news
The 50MHz Trophy finishes today, 17 June, at 1400UTC. Using all modes
the exchanges is signal report, serial number and locator.
The IRTS 80 Counties Contest takes place today, 17 June, from 1400 to
1700UTC. Using SSB and CW, the exchange is signal report and serial
number. EI and GI stations also give their county.
The Worked All Britain 50MHz phone contest takes place today, Sunday
17 June, from 0900 to 1500UTC. 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 email to aebbooks<at>ntlworld.com.
On 19 June the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest takes place from 1900 to
2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report serial number
and locator.
The SSB leg of the 80m club championships takes place on 21 June from
1900 to 2030UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number.
The 50MHz CW Contest is a new event to the calendar. It runs from
0900 to 1200UTC on the morning of Sunday 24 June and the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
In the afternoon of the 24th the 4th 70MHz Cumulative takes place
from 1400 to 1600UTC. The exchange is also signal report, serial
number and locator.
The Marconi Memorial Contest runs for 24 hours on the 23rd-24th, from
1400 to 1400UTC. There are single-op and multi-op categories in this
CW event, in which the maximum permitted power is 100 watts. There is
also a 5 watt QRP category. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz contest bands. the
exchange is signal report and serial number.
Finally, the UKµG Cumulative Contest takes place on Sunday 24th.
Activity will be on 5.7, 10 and 24GHz from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using all
modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 8th to
the 14th of June, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday 15th of
June.
Thanks to the STEREO Behind spacecraft, which allows us to see
sunspot groups for more than a week before they rotate into Earth
view, we had advance warning of a solar flare producing region. This
group rotated into view on the 9th and produced two M class flares
that day. Since then further M class flares have taken place on the
10th, 13th and the 14th. The remaining days' solar activity was low,
with only C class solar flares occurring. Solar flux levels increased
from 124 units on the 8th to 149 by the 14th. The average was 135
units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 14th was 118 units,
that's one unit up on last week. X-ray flux levels averaged B6.4
units and increased from B4.7 units on the 8th to B9.7 by the 14th.
Geomagnetic activity started at quiet levels but, on the 11th, a
glancing blow from a coronal mass ejection increased activity. An Ap
index of 16 and 14 units were recorded on the 11th and the 12th
respectively. The average was Ap 9 units. Solar wind data from the
ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds decline from 630 kilometres per
second on the 8th to 350 by the 14th. Particle densities were low,
except for a brief increase to 14 particles per cubic centimetre on
the 13th and 12 on the 14th. Bz varied between minus 10 and plus 5
nanoTeslas on the 11th and the 12th and between minus and plus 3
nanoTeslas on the quiet days. Sporadic-E occurred daily on 28, 50 and
70MHz but openings on 144MHz were few and brief and only enjoyed by
parts of the UK.
And finally the solar forecast. This week we still have the active
side of the Sun looking our way. The large active region looks set to
continue producing large solar flares on some days. Solar flux levels
may peak today or tomorrow at around 145 units, levels are then
expected to decline gradually. For the next couple of days,
geomagnetic activity is expected to be at unsettled levels due to a
recurring coronal hole. However, even though activity should be quiet
for the remainder of the period, there is the possibility that a
coronal mass ejection could take place as a result of a large solar
flare from the large active region. MUFs during daylight hours at
equal latitudes should be around 25MHz for the south and 22MHz for
the south. Darkness hour lows could be around 15MHz later in the
week, but could be several MHz lower at first due to the coronal hole
disturbance. Paths this week to Japan should have a maximum usable
frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 20MHz. The
optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be
about 15MHz. Mid morning will be the best time to try this path.
However, MUFs via the long path will be slightly higher and the best
time to try this will be around midday. Sporadic-E is expected to
take place most days with opening up to 144MHz possible in any
stronger openings that take place.
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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