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G4TNU > NEWS 18.05.14 01:32l 213 Lines 10359 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 18 May 2014
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 18th May 2014
The news headlines:
* Happy 100th Birthday, ARRL
* KickSat burns up without deploying Sprites
* Sign up for the Advanced distance learning course
The American Amateur Radio Relay League was formed on 18 May 1914,
exactly 100 years ago today, and the RSGB sends its fraternal
congratulations. By coincidence, today is the final day of the Dayton
Hamvention, where ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, and Chief
Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, will host a party, complete
with a cake, to wish the ARRL a happy 100th birthday.
KickSat, the KickStarter-funded amateur satellite project, has
re-entered and burned up in the Earth's atmosphere without releasing
its payload of Sprite micro-satellites. The satellite suffered an
unexpected computer glitch on 30 April that caused the deployment
countdown timer to reset. It proved impossible to correct the
problem, meaning the timer did not trigger in time to release the
hundred-plus Sprites before re-entry.
Enrolment is about to start for the next Advanced distance learning
course run by the Bath-based team. The course will run from July and
work towards the December exam. Weekly work packages will be
delivered using the Edmodo virtual learning environment. Remote tutor
support will be available throughout the course and lots of revision
questions will be provided. These courses have been running for three
and a half years and the Team are expecting to pass the milestone of
250 passes very soon. For more details contact Steve Hartley, G0FUW,
by email to G0FUW<at>tiscali.co.uk
The International Radio Union has announced that Timothy S Ellam,
VE6SH/G4HUA and Ole Garpestad, LA2RR have been re-elected as as IARU
President and Vice President, respectively, for the five-year term
beginning 9 May 2014. Rod Stafford, W6ROD, continues to serve as IARU
Secretary; he is appointed by the American Radio Relay League in its
capacity as the IARU International Secretariat.
The third episode of the only UK TV show dedicated to amateur radio
is now available to view at www.txfactor.co.uk. This edition covers
kite aerials, a visit to the Military Wireless Museum in
Kidderminster and a report from the Exeter Radio and Electronics
Rally to find out what people expect from a rally in the 21st
century. The show is free to view, compatible with a wide variety of
platforms and is available for clubs to download and show at their
meetings.
Power Japan Plus has announced a new kind of rechargeable battery,
the Ryden cell, based on what it calls dual carbon technology.
Remarkable claims are being made for the 4 volt device, including a
significant increase in capacity over lithium-ion, a recharge speed
20 times faster and a lifetime of 3,000 charge cycles. The patented
technology is also said to be 100% recyclable. Although the main
thrust of development seems to be towards batteries for electric
vehicles, some of the cells in the company's promotional videos
appear ideally sized for amateur radio and other consumer
applications.
Chris Stubbs, M6EDF plans to launch one of his Cheapo II 434MHz
trackers on a 100g Pawan balloon from a school in Chelmsford at about
1.20pm on Tuesday. Listen out for it on 434.300MHz USB during its
flight. It could have a radio range of up to about 300 miles. Full
details of his high-altitude ballooning hardware and experiments are
online at http://chris-stubbs.co.uk/
The free amateur radio software DXLab Suite has recently been
upgraded with submission generators for several major awards
programmes. It now provides comprehensive real-time award tracking
and management for the DXCC, IOTA, Marathon, VUCC, WAS, WAZ, and WPX
award families. The suite of software has many more features, details
of which can be found at www.dxlabsuite.com
Lithuanian amateur radio satellite LituanicaSAT-1 is currently in
Safe Mode, its control team reports, after suffering some power
supply anomalies on the channel that supplies the FM beacon and
onboard camera. More details on this and other amateur satellite news
can be found at http://amsat-uk.org/
Next Sunday, 25 May sees the annual Open Day at Waters and Stanton at
Hockley from 10am, in aid of British Wireless for the Blind Fund.
There will be a number of trade exhibitors and a lecture stream that
includes talk by Robert Snary, Murray Niman and Graham Somerville.
The company suggests making it a family day out as there is nearby
access to Hockley Woods and a number of local pubs and cafes.
The latest edition of the 5MHz Newsletter has had some problems with
its online host and as a result has been obliged to change its
download address. It can now be found at http://tinyurl.com/owbbggk
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The 31st Dunstable Downs Radio Club National Amateur Radio Car Boot
Sale takes place today at Stockwood Park, Luton. All usual facilities
will be available to visitors. Details are online at
www.ddrcbootsale.org
We have no details of any rallies over the Bank Holiday weekend. If
you have any rally or event information you'd like to appear in
future editions of GB2RS News, in RadCom and on the RSGB website,
please e-mail details to GB2RS<at>rsgb.org.uk.
Now for the news of special events
Andy, M1LOL and Ray, M1REK will be active from the Isle of Muck, IOTA
reference EU-008, from 24-31 May. They will be on the air on 80m to
10m using SSB and data modes using the callsign MM1REK/p. QSL direct
or via the bureau, and more details can be found at www.m1rek.co.uk
King's Lynn Amateur Radio Club will be operating GB0CRC from Castle
Rising Castle in West Norfolk today. Operation is expected from Top
Band to 70cm and QSL is via the bureau.
GB1ST will be active at Saltram near Plympton from today until
2000UTC on Friday 23rd to commemorate Saltram Telegraph, which was
active around the time of the Napoleonic wars. Activity is expected
from 80 to 10m plus 2m.
4X266POPE and 4Z266POPE will be active from 20 to 27 May to celebrate
Pope Francis' visit to Israel. QSL both callsigns via 4Z1TL.
Next weekend sees GB1LSF on the air from Lydford Saxon Fort as part
of Castles on the Air weekend. Operated by Devon and Cornwall
Repeater Group, activity is planned from Top Band to 70cm.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
Imam Raharjo will be on the air as YB4IR/5 from today until the 25th
from MIDAI ISLAND, OC-109, using the 40 to 10m bands on CW, RTTY and
SSB. QSL via LoTW or OQRS.
Sergey, UT5UDX will be active as 6Y/UT5UDX from Jamaica, NA-097,
from 20 until 30 May. He will participate in the CQ WPX CW Contest
as 6Y3W. QSL via RA4LW.
DG5LAC will be active stroke EA8 from Fuerteventura Island,
AF-004, until 23 May, operating on 80 to 10m on SSB. QSL direct or
via the bureau.
5P1KZX is on the air using digimodes from North Jutland, EU-171,
until 1 June. He says you can QSL "Any way you like".
Now the contest news
Today is the second and final day of the 144MHz May Contest, which
runs until 1200UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report,
serial number, locator and postcode.
The first 144MHz Backpackers contest runs today, the 18th, from 1100
to 1500UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
The Worked All Britain 7MHz Phone contest also takes place today,
from 1000 to 1400UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial number
and WAB square. Entries need to be with the contest manager by 8 June
2014. Full details of the rules and log sheets may be obtained from
the WAB website at www.worked-all-britain.co.uk or from the contest
manager Tony Beardsley, G3XKT, by email to aebbooks<at>ntlworld.com
Now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 9th to
Thursday the 15th of May, compiled by Neil Clarke on Friday the 16th
of May.
Several large and complex sunspot regions appeared during the period
but none produced any sizeable solar flares. Solar activity was at
low levels, with numerous C class solar flares taking place every
day. The largest events were C8 class flares on the 10th and 14th.
Solar flux levels increased from 152 units to 164 by the 11th before
declining back to 152 by the end of the period. The average was 158
units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 15th was 150 units,
that's the same level as last week. X-ray flux levels showed little
variation day to day and averaged B6.8 units. Geomagnetic activity
was quiet every day, except for a very week disturbance from a
recurring coronal hole on the 11th, when the Ap index was 12 units.
The average was Ap 7 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft
saw solar wind speeds vary between 320 and 420 kilometres per second.
On most days particle densities were moderate, with 35 particles per
cubic centimetre recorded on the 10th for example. Bz, both positive
and negative values, remained in single figures every day.
Finally, the solar forecast for the coming week. This week the quiet
side of the Sun is expected to be rotating to view. Solar activity is
expected to be low with C class solar flares taking place with only a
small chance of any stronger flares occurring. Solar flux levels
should decline to around the 130s later in the week. Geomagnetic
activity is expected to be quiet except for a small disturbance that
will take place just after midweek. MUFs during daylight hours at
equal latitudes are expected to be around 24MHz. Darkness hour lows
should be about 14MHz. Paths this week to India should have a maximum
usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 23MHz. The
optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be
about 18MHz. The best times to try this path are 1000 and 1700 hours.
Sporadic-E should take place on some days, with openings up to 70MHz
possible.
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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