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G4TNU > NEWS 02.09.12 01:05l 244 Lines 12058 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 02 Sep 2012
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 2nd September 2012
The news headlines:
* Amateur radio helps tracks Hurricane Isaac
* Broadcaster vacates 40m amateur band
* G5RP Trophy nominations sought
Amateur radio first responders along the United States Gulf shore
were ready when Hurricane Isaac slammed ashore on 28 and 29 August.
Members of the Hurricane Watch Net took to the air to track its
approach and, although band conditions on 20 and 40m were not the
greatest, the net continued and began passing storm conditions to the
National Hurricane Center in Miami. The Net ceased its operation on
the afternoon of Wednesday 29 August once Hurricane Isaac was
downgraded to a tropical storm.
Radio Bangladesh has left 7105kHz in the amateur 40m band. They
finished the experimental transmissions and are now using 7250kHz.
The move is thanks to the many amateur radio users who reported the
infringement on the band. Particular thanks go to the German
regulator BNetzA, who made official complaints to Radio Bangladesh.
The G5RP Trophy is an annual award for the greatest progress in the
DX field made by an RSGB member resident in the UK during the
previous 12 months. The award is intended to encourage newcomers to
the world of HF DXing. Nominations are being sought for up and coming
DXers who have made rapid progress within the last year in the field
of DXing. Nominees for the award do not necessarily have to be
recently licensed. The HF DX bug can bite at any time! If you are an
active DXer and would like to recommend someone to be awarded the
G5RP Trophy for 2012, please send your nomination, with a brief
outline of why you think they deserve the award, to Ian Greenshields,
G4FSU, RSGB HF Manager, by email to ian.greenshields<at>gmail.com or
by post, QTHR, to arrive no later than Friday 21 September. This
prestigious award will be presented at the RSGB Convention on 13
October.
Dr Chris Bridges recently appeared on Sky News discussing why space
is cool. On 15 and 16 September he will be giving two presentations
to the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium at the Holiday Inn,
Guildford, GU2 7XZ. The event is open to all. Chris will cover the
Nexus Android Smartphone amateur radio satellite STRaND-1 that will
carry both a Resistojet and a Pulsed Plasma Thruster module. He will
also cover STRaND-2, which will use Microsoft Xbox Kinect controller
technology. These satellites are being built by volunteers from the
Surrey Space Centre and SSTL. Further details are online at
www.uk.amsat.org/9946.
The International Amateur Radio Union says that it will back the
European Broadcasting Union proposal that the top level internet
domain dot radio be used to help to create a global radio community.
IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, says that the IARU believes that the
proposal could provide a unique opportunity to standardise radio
domain names on the internet. The complete story on the new dot radio
domain and how it will impact all spectrum users is online at
www.tinyurl.com/iaru-dot-radio.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Telford & District ARS are holding their Amateur Radio Hamfest at
Enginuity, Coalbrookdale, Telford, today, Sunday 2 September. Doors
open at 10.30am and admission is GBP 3, with accompanied children
free. There will be new and second hand radio equipment, antennas and
parts as well as a Bring and Buy. Refreshments will be available on
site and there are two pubs nearby. Rally goers can obtain reduced
admission to the Enginuity Museum for a real hands-on experience.
There will be a special illustrated talk at 11.30am on Light
Communications; be seated early as space is limited. For more
information, speak to Martyn on 01952 255 416.
Dorking & District Radio Society will take part in the National
Trust's Open Day at Polesden Lacy on 8 and 9 September. They will
operate special event station GB0NT. Further details from Garth,
G3NPC on 01737 359 472.
The North Norfolk Amateur Radio Club Car Boot Sale will take place on
9 September at Muckleburgh Military Collection, Weybourne NR25 7EG.
Radio and non radio pitches are available from 7am, doors open 10am.
The Radio Museum will be open and admission is free. For further
information see www.gb2mc.com.
The Friskney & East Lincolnshire Communications Club Rally will take
place in the Friskney Village Hall, Church Road, Friskney on 9
September. Details from Bren, 2E0BDS on 01754 820 060.
Now for the news of special events
Kent Weald Radio Club is operating GB1HA today, Sunday 2 September.
The event is part of sponsored activities being held at the Headcorn
Aerodrome, Kent, in aid of the air ambulance and other local
charities, and to demonstrate amateur radio to any visitors.
Operations will be on HF and VHF and is open to visits from the
public.
Hinckley Amateur Radio Electronics Society will be running a special
event station at the Shackerstone Family Festival today, 2 September.
Directions for this event are at www.shackerstonefestival.co.uk, with
the nearest postcode being CV13 6NB.
Preston Amateur Radio Society will be activating GB0PGY during the
month of September to celebrate the Preston Guild, an event which
takes place every 20 years. The first transmissions will take place
today, Sunday 2 September, and then at various times through the
month.
It is hoped that GB2OWM will be on the air Orkney Wireless Museum at
Kiln Corner, Kirkwall. Operation is planned between Thursday 6
September and Wednesday 12 September during the 22nd Orkney
International Science Festival. Listen out for the station on
weekdays and Sunday afternoons between 2 and 4.30pm and Saturday
morning between 10am and 12.30pm. Operation will be primarily on HF
SSB.
GB1SKC will be on the air for Churches and chapels On the Air,
organised by WACRAL, on Saturday 8 September.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
OE4JHW will be operational as 8Q7OE from the Maldives between 3 and
14 September. Activity will be holiday style on 10 through to 40m
using SSB and BPSK. QSL via his home callsign, direct or by the
bureau, alternatively use either Logbook of the World or eQSL.
Moise, F4EZG, who also operates from Madagascar as 5R8VE, will be
active from Nosy Alanana off the coast of Madagascar until 3
September. This small island counts as separate from Madagascar and
is IOTA AF-090. He will be active mainly on 15 and 20m.
Michael DF8AN will be on the air as FR/DF8AN from Reunion Island in
the Indian Ocean until 10 September. Look for him on SSB on 10, 15,
20 and 40m.
Yuki, JH1NBN will be on the air as C21BN from Nauru from 3 to 10
September. Activity will be on 10 to 40m. QSL to his home callsign.
Erik, LA2US is on the air as JW2US from Bear Island, IOTA EU-027,
until November 30. He is there on work assignment at a meteorological
station located about 50 meters from Tromso University. He is
generally active on 20, 30 and 40 meters. QSL to his home callsign.
A large group of operators will be on the air as NH8S from 5 to 19
September from Swains Island. Activity will be on 160 to 6m,
including 60m, using CW, SSB and RTTY, with seven stations active
around the clock. QSL direct to AA4NN.
Now the contest news
Today, 2 September, sees the RSGB SSB Field Day finish at 1300UTC.
Expect the 3.5 to 28MHz bands to be busy, the exchange being signal
report and serial number.
The 144MHz Trophy Contest also finished today, 2 September, but at
1400UTC. It is hotly contested in the Open category, but there are
four other categories and three of them are for single ops, so there
are opportunities for all to strive to do well. The exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
The IARU 144MHz Contest takes place at exactly the same time as the
RSGB 144MHz Trophy and so also finishes at 1400UTC today, 2
September. The exchange in these two contests are the same and all
those who submit a log for the RSGB event will be automatically
entered for the IARU event, unless they specify otherwise.
Overlapping the last three hours of the 144MHz Trophy Contest, and
then continuing for one hour on its own, the fifth and final 144MHz
Backpacker contest also takes place today. In the Backpackers there
are two permitted power levels, 3W and 10W. The exchange is signal
report, serial number and locator.
The All Asian DX SSB finishes at 2359 today, 2 September. Using the
1.8 to 28MHz bands the exchange is signal report and age, although
ladies are allowed to give 00.
The 144MHz UK Activity Contest takes place from 1900 to 2130UTC on 4
September. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
Next weekend, on 9 September, the second 70MHz contest takes place
from 0900 to 1200UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
Also next weekend, from 0000UTC on the 8th to 2359 on the 9th, the
WAE DX SSB contest takes place. European stations can only work non
European stations for this contest. Using all contest bands from 3.5
to 28MHz, the exchange is signal report and serial number.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 24th to
Thursday the 30th of August, compiled by Neil Clarke on Friday the
31st August.
All the visible groups were small and magnetically simple and with it
solar activity was at very low levels. On the 30th though, a sunspot
group started to rotate into view over the south-east limb and solar
activity increased to moderate levels, when the only M class solar
flare of the period took place. Solar flux levels increased from 104
units on the 24th to 128 by the 30th. The average was 113 units. The
90 day solar flux average on the 30th was 124 units, the same level
as last week. X-ray flux levels increased from B1.6 units on the 24th
to B6.7 by the 30th, the average was B3 units. Geomagnetic activity
was unsettled from the 24th to the 26th due to a small coronal hole.
Activity then decreased and the Ap index on the 30th was 3 units. The
average was Ap 7 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw
solar wind speeds increase from 350 kilometres per second to 700 by
the morning of the 27th. Speeds then gradually declined to 400
kilometres per second by the end of the period. Particle densities
were low, except for a brief increase to 14 particles per cubic
centimetre on the 25th. Bz varied between minus 9 and plus 11
nanoTeslas during the disturbance and between minus 2 and plus 4
nanoTeslas on the 29th and the 30th.
And finally the solar forecast from Sunday the 2nd of September. A
new sunspot group has just rotated into view in the last few days and
this could be the source of any large solar flare activity taking
place this week. Solar activity could be at moderate levels on some
days. Solar flux levels should increase and be around the 140's.
Geomagnetic activity is expected to be at quiet levels most days.
MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 23MHz
for the south and 20MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be
about 11MHz. Paths this week to South America should have a maximum
usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 30MHz. The
optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be
about 24MHz. The best time to try this path will between 1200 and
1800 hours. With the summer Sporadic-E season just about over now, no
more forecasts will be made in this report. However, occasional
openings will take place for the next few weeks.
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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