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G4TNU > NEWS 21.10.12 17:09l 233 Lines 11740 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 21 Oct 2012
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 21 October 2012
The news headlines:
* RSGB Extraordinary General Meeting, 17 November 2012
* Is it time to validate your licence?
* G6 QSL Manager details incorrect in RadCom
RSGB Members are now receiving their copy of the November 2012
RadCom. Contained with in it are details of the EGM to be held on 17
November 2012, at which Members will be invited to vote on new
governance arrangements for the Society. RSGB Members can vote
electronically via the RSGB website, by post or in person at the EGM.
The Board is very keen to ensure that the outcome of the EGM
accurately reflects the view of the whole membership, and all Members
are encouraged to cast their vote.
If you received your Licence for Life between November 2006 and
August 2007 and have not validated it with Ofcom since, then it's
time to do so. Ofcom extended the validation period of licences
issued during that time for an extra year, to avoid having a large
number of validations to process around the time of the London
Olympic and Paralympic Games. Amateurs are recommended to use the
online licensing system at www.ofcom.org.uk/licensing/olc. If you
experience difficulties or need assistance in processing your licence
online, please call Ofcom on 0300 123 1000 or 020 7981 3131.
The QSL bureau wishes to apologise to Tony, G6GLP, for any
inconvenience caused by wrongly attributing his name and call to the
G6 sub-series in the November issue of RadCom. The new collection
sub-manager for the G6 series of call signs is Steve Wellon, G6DMG.
His details can be found on the RSGB website by following the links
to QSL managers, via the Operating section. If any Member is
concerned that they may have recently sent collection envelopes to
the wrong address, please contact the QSL bureau. The phone number is
01422 359 362, or email QSL<at>RSGB.org.uk.
At 6pm last Sunday the Emergency Planning Officer from Maldon
District Council requested Essex RAYNET to be placed on standby, in
response to flood alerts issued by the Environment Agency. At 8pm,
members were mobilised. They were deployed to the riverbanks at
Heybridge Basin, Fulbridge and the Hythe in Maldon. This was in
preparation for the high tide and tidal surge due at quarter to one
in the morning. High tide was reached without any significant
incident, and the stand down was issued at 1am. Further information
on Essex RAYNET can be found online at www.essexraynet.co.uk.
An amateur radio balloon project launched in May finally ended this
month with the recovery of the payload. Argentinean amateurs, members
of AMSAT-LU, launched a high altitude balloon on 19 May from La
Pampa, Argentina. The payload included a 70cm to 2m 4W FM repeater,
live SSTV, an HF beacon and two video cameras. During the 4 hour
flight, over 200 stations made contacts through the repeater. The
balloon came down in an isolated and flooded area. It was finally
recovered from the mud by a 4x4 adventure group on 6 October. The
flight data was retrieved, including over 6 hours of video from the
two cameras. Details can be found at www.uk.amsat.org/?p=11094.
The famous Alexanderson SAQ CW transmitter will be on the air on 24
October, celebrating United Nations Day. The electromechanical
17.2kHz transmitter will be started at 1010UTC and a message will be
sent at 1030UTC. More details are on the Alexanderson website,
www.alexander.n.se.
Ofcom has announced that it intends to legalise AM and SSB CB
apparatus, subject to the MOD agreeing to the use of spectrum
allocated to it. According to the statement on the Ofcom website, the
relevant ECC Decision about harmonising CB across Europe should
probably be implemented in the UK by the end of 2013. The statement
indicates that there are several legislative and other steps that
must first be carried out. It also points out that, until these
changes are implemented, it will remain an offence to install or use
AM, SSB or any other CB apparatus other than in accordance with the
current exemption regulations and Interface Requirement. The full
Ofcom statement is at http://tinyurl.com/Ofcom-SSB-CB.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today sees the Galashiels and District ARS radio rally at The
Volunteer Hall, St Johns Street, Galashiels, Scottish Borders
TD1 3JX. Entry is GBP 2.50 and the opening time is 11.30, or 11.15
for those with special needs. Details from Jim, GM7LUN, on
01896 850 245.
Also today, the Ripon and District Amateur Radio Society rally and
surplus equipment sale takes place from 10.30 at The Hugh Ripley
Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 2TP. Admission is GBP 2. Details are
available online at www.ripon.org.uk/content/radars-rally-2012.
On Saturday 27 October the Radio Astronomy Group of the British
Astronomical Association will be holding a one-day meeting at the
National Space Centre in Leicester. The main speakers will be Prof
Andrew Lyne from Jodrell Bank and Dr Chris North from Cardiff
University, who is also a co-presenter for the BBC's Sky at Night.
Other papers will be presented by Peter Blair, G3LTF and Brian
Coleman, G4NNS. Tickets are GBP 15 and include a buffet lunch,
entrance to the National Space Centre and free parking. Further
details from Paul, G4CSD 01256 470135, or online at
www.britastro.org/radio.
Next Sunday sees the North Wales Rally at John Bright School,
Llandudno LL30 1LF. Opening from 10am to 4pm, admission is GBP 4.50
and there are disabled facilities. There will be trade stands, a
Bring and Buy, special interest groups and catering. Details from
Gordon, MW0GBR 0773 3531 766, or online at www.nwrs.org.uk.
Now for the news of special events
Members of the Worked All Britain Awards Group and the British
Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society will be operating GB0RME from Great
Ormes Head on 27 October. Activity will be mostly on 40m and 80m. The
WAB square is SH78 and the Lighthouse reference is A5134X. The summit
will not be valid for SOTA as this activation does not fulfil their
criteria. Full details of GB0RME are on QRZ.com.
The 30m Multi Mode Weekend starts next Saturday. Its stated objective
is to promote experimenting and using different digital modes on the
30m band. The organisers are at pains to point out that this is not a
contest, although there is an awards programme. More details are
online at www.30mdg.net/news.html.
Ham Radio Celebrates Hollywood will be active on 28 October from 1600
to 2000UTC. The station is located on Stage 9 of the CBS Studio
Center facility in Studio City, California. Modes in use will include
HF, VHF, UHF, D-Star, Echolink and IRLP. A schedule of operating
times and frequencies is on www.papasys.com. Operators will blog in
real time at www.facebook.com/KA0XTT, and on Twitter as <at>NN6JA. A
special QSL card will be issued to all confirmed contacts.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
The Radio 7 team operation on Rodrigues Island, AF-017, finishes on
Tuesday. 3B9SP is active on 160-6m on CW, SSB and datamodes. QSL via
HB9ACA or the OQRS on ClubLog. Full details are at
http://hb9fr.ch/3b9sp.
The Canadian authorities have approved revised dates of October 22-31
for the DXpedition to Sable Island, NA-063. The two-man team of
WA4DAN/CY0 and AA4VK/CY0 will focus on 15, 12 and 10m. More
information is on the web at www.CY0dxpedition.com.
F1NGP will be working stroke FG from Saint Francois Island in
Guadeloupe, NA-102, until 26 October. He will be active on 40 through
10m on CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via his home callsign.
N3IQ will be on the air as C6AQQ from Nassau's Providence Island,
NA-001, from 25 – 31 October. Activity will be mostly on the lower
bands. QSL via N3IQ, direct, via the bureau, Logbook of the WQorld or
eQSL.
Now the contest news
All contest times are UTC.
Today, from 0900 until 1200, it's the 50MHz AFS, which is a Super
League event. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and locator.
On Tuesday the 50MHz UKAC takes place from 1900 to 2130. Using all
modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number
and locator.
Also on Tuesday, the SHF UKAC is from 1900 to 2130 on the 2.3 to
10GHz bands, all modes. Signal report, serial number and locator form
the exchange.
The 80m Club Sprint is on Thursday from 1900 to 2000. Using SSB only,
the exchange is serial number and name.
Next weekend sees the CQWW DX SSB Contest, from 0000 on Saturday
until 2359 on Sunday. Using SSB on all contest bands from 3.5 –
28MHz, the exchange is signal report and Zone, which is 14 for the
UK.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 12th to
Thursday the 18th of October, compiled by Neil Clarke G0CAS on Friday
the 19th of October
Seven new sunspot groups appeared during the period, however, solar
activity was low on most days with a number of C class solar flares
taking place, except for the 13th when none took place and, as a
result, solar activity was very low. Solar flux levels increased from
122 units on the 12th to 138 by the 18th. The average was 132 units.
The 90 day solar flux average on the 18th was 119, that's one unit up
on last week. X-ray flux levels showed little variation day to day
and averaged B4.7 units. Geomagnetic activity increased to ‘minor
storm' levels at mid latitudes and ‘severe storm' levels at high
latitudes on the 13th with an Ap index of 52 units. Activity
gradually declined and was at quiet levels from the 15th. The average
was Ap 15 units. The solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw wind
solar wind speeds increase from 400 kilometres per second on the 12th
to 600 during the evening of the 13th. Particle densities were low
every day. Bz, which is the magnetic component of the solar wind, was
minus 5 and plus 3 nanoTeslas on the quietest day and between minus
12 and plus 9 nanoTeslas during the disturbance. Except for the 13th,
MUFs reached predicted values and some trans-Atlantic working was
reported at 28MHz. VHF aurora was reported, particularly on the
morning of the 13th but, since this was only a mild disturbance, few
contacts – if any – were reported from the UK.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming week. The active side
of the Sun is still expected to be looking our way. Saying that,
solar activity is expected to be at low to moderate levels, with
occasional M class solar flares taking place on the odd day. Solar
flux levels should increase and be around the 150's later in the
week. Geomagnetic activity is expected to be mostly quiet, however,
if a coronal mass ejection heads our way then activity would
increase. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be
around 30MHz or even slightly higher. Just a reminder that daytime
highs normally take place around local noon during the winter months.
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 around 35MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90
per cent success rate will be about 27MHz. The best time to try this
path will be between 1100 to 1600 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 Thursday before transmission.
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