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G4TNU > NEWS 10.05.20 02:07l 296 Lines 14859 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 10 May 2020
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 10th of May 2020
The news headlines:
* BBC features RSGB Get on the air to care campaign
* VDSL call to action in new online RadCom
* RCF Arkwright Scholar 3D prints PPE
The RSGB's national campaign 'Get on the air to care' in
partnership with the NHS has received widespread media coverage this
week, including a prominent feature on BBC online news, an interview
on the British Forces Broadcasting Service and mentions on radio
stations, newspapers and blogs across the UK and, indeed, the world.
Thank you to everyone who is showing their support by getting on the
air, caring for other radio amateurs and trying new aspects of
amateur radio. More details about the campaign, media coverage and
stories from clubs and radio amateurs can be seen on the RSGB website
at www.rsgb.org/gota2c
The May RadCom carried a call to action from the RSGB President,
asking everyone who is suffering from HF interference due to
broadband VDSL to submit a complaint to Ofcom. This edition of RadCom
is now on the RSGB website as a sample issue for all radio amateurs.
Find it at www.rsgb.org/sampleradcom. We urge all who are suffering
from VDSL interference to submit complaints to Ofcom. Details of how
to report interference can be found in the May edition of RadCom and
on the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/vdsl-reporting. Many amateurs
have already submitted complaints to Ofcom and we would like to thank
those for doing so. But we would like yet more people to submit
complaints. We have to persuade Ofcom to take action against this
threat to our hobby.
Jake Howarth, M0JKE, is doing his bit to help out the NHS in
lockdown. The RCF Trustees were delighted to hear that the 3D printer
he purchased using his Arkwright Engineering Scholarship funds has
been put to great use. Not only has it helped him in pursuing his own
projects, but it is also enabling him to contribute to society by
producing personal protective equipment as part of the 3D-Crowd
initiative. The RCF sponsors two or three Arkwright Scholars each
year and many have taken up amateur radio as a result. Jake was
already licensed when he was selected and he was a UK representative
at the 2019 IARU YOTA event.
The RSGB Contest Committee is running a second Hope QSO Party event,
starting on Monday the 18th of May. The format will be the same as
the first, with ten phone, ten CW, five RTTY and five FT4 events. All
of these are 90-minute contests, and they start at different times
each weekday. The rules are at tinyurl.com/Hope-QSO - please note
that there are are two rule changes for this second event. The
calendar is at www.rsgbcc.org/hf, where new series is shown in orange
and the first series in yellow. Over 400 UK and non-UK stations have
entered the first series so far.
Following the success of WRC-19, the German regulator has expanded
the frequency band and power available to their amateurs. The full 50
to 52MHz band is now available to all German amateurs on a secondary
basis. Up to 750W is permitted in the 50.0 to 50.4MHz narrowband DX
segment. Contest operation is now also permitted.
As part of its Get on the air to care initiative, the RSGB would like
to remind clubs that their nets form a valuable part of ensuring that
radio amateurs don't feel so isolated at this time. Ideas such as
creating and distributing, via email, a calendar invitation to local
amateurs provides a helpful reminder that these nets are taking
place. Local nets are also a great way to check on the health or
other needs of local amateurs.
In the USA, the ARRL has a Stay Safe and Stay On The Air initiative
running during the Covid-19 pandemic. Beginning with a message shared
with its members in March, the ARRL has encouraged radio amateurs who
are healthy and safe at home to get, or stay, on the air. The message
is that as online fatigue and a feeling of isolation will inevitably
creep into our 'new normal', being on-air will introduce variety
into our communication practices. Read more at
www.arrl.org/read-a-message-for-member-volunteers
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day and VJ Day, the RSGB
has organised the VE/VJ Day amateur radio marathon on the HF bands
and 6m using SSB, CW and digital modes. Three special UK callsigns,
GB75PEACE, GB1945PE and GB1945PJ, will be on the air throughout May
and again between the 1st and the 31st of August. If you wish to
operate one of these stations, please email csc.chair<at>rsgb.org.uk.
Full details are at www.rsgb.org/ve-vj-marathon.
The Dayton Hamvention for 2020 has been cancelled. The Hamvention QSO
Party a 12 hour fun event on Saturday the 16th of May to celebrate
the Dayton Hamvention. Work as many amateur stations as possible
between 1200 to 2359UTC on the 16th on the 160 to 10m bands using CW
and SSB. You can work the same station once per band mode, that's 12
QSOs possible with same station. Exchange signal report and first
year you attended Hamvention, or 2020 if you have never attended.
Only single operator entries are allowed. There are three power
categories. QRP is for no more than 5 watts. Low Power is up to 100
watts, and the High Power section allows up to 1500 watts, or your
licence maximum if that's lower than 1500W. Special bonus points are
available for working W8BI, the club call of the Dayton Amateur Radio
Association. Scoring is simply the number of QSOs plus bonus points.
There are no multipliers. Go to wwrof.org for full rules and details
of the awards available.
Now the special event news
Since the change of regulations applying to special event stations in
the UK, many activations are now able to go ahead. UK amateurs would
like to thank Ofcom for their help in making this happen.
GB2SHS for STAY HOME SAFE will be on air until the 24th of May in
support of the NHS and care workers. It will operate from the QTH of
G4ISN, a member of Welland Valley ARS, on the HF bands. QSL via e-QSL.
Thurrock Acorns Amateur Radio Club will be operating GB6VED for the
75th anniversary of VE Day until the 11th of May. The members will
operate on various HF and VHF bands from their homes around Essex.
For further information, email acorns<at>taarc.co.uk
Three members of Macclesfield ARS are doing their bit in supporting
key workers in the UK. Greg, M0TXX will be transmitting until mid May
using GB5KW, as will Adie as GB9KW and Chris as GB4KW. They will be
transmitting on all modes HF, 2m and FT8. All details can be found on
QRZ.com.
Fort Purbrook Amateur Radio Club is activating GB1VE over this
weekend, ending today, the 10th of May. Activity is from six
different members' homes. Two are on HF voice, always on different
bands, another on HF CW, one on HF data modes, one on 6m or 2m or
70cm and, finally, one on 4m and Oscar-100. Full details are on
QRZ.com.
GB75BVE is being hosted from homes in and around Bournemouth until
today, the 10th of May. Operators will be G3YUZ, G3XBZ, G4XEE and
G3WZP, using all modes and the 160 through to 2m bands. They hope to
share the VE Day commemorations on the air.
The RAF Amateur Radio Society will be activating the special event
GB75VED until the 28th May. Operations will be from members' homes.
Details are at www.rafars.org/GB75VED and on QRZ.com.
Dragon Amateur Radio Club and North Wales Radio Society are operating
GB0GIG throughout May, named after the National Health Service in the
Welsh language. The station will be active on HF, VHF and UHF using
as many modes as possible. An award certificate is available and full
details can be found on QRZ.com.
Although the Mills On The Air event has been cancelled, Chesham and
District Amateur Radio Society will be operating GB0BWM for Brill
Windmill from members' homes over the weekend, ending today, the 10th
of May. Operation will be on 3.5, 7, 14, 50 and 144MHz, mainly SSB,
but with some CW and FM.
GU75LIB will operate at varying time until the 13th of May, to
commemorate Liberation Day on the 9th of May. They will be operating
from home, each taking turns on band and mode.
Braintree & District ARS is operating GB5VED from several members
home stations, ending today, the 10th of May, commemorating the 75th
Anniversary of VE Day. Operators will include some of the senior club
members who were present at the original celebrations. Contacts will
be sought on HF, VHF, UHF.
Listen out on HF for GB4 V V V, the distinctive dit-dit-dit-DAH of
wartime broadcasting, sent by the special event station managed by
Andy, G0SFJ, until the 11th of May. He prefers eQSL; SWL reports are
welcome.
Now the contest news
This weekend is busy for contests, but please remember to check
before the events for new rules due to lockdown and social
distancing, which may differ around the world. RSGB strongly advises
obeying your own government's advice first and foremost.
Today, the 10th, sees the 70MHz CW contest run from 0900 to 1200UTC.
The exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and postcode.
Also today, the 10th, is the IRTS 40m Counties Contest from 1200 to
1400UTC. Using SSB and CW, the exchange is signal report and serial
number, with EI, GI, 2I and MI stations also sending their County.
The Worked All Britain 70MHz contest takes place today, the 10th,
from 1000 to 1400UTC. Entries need to be with the contest manager by
the 20th of May. The exchange is signal report, serial number and WAB
square. Full details of the rules and entry methods are at
www.worked-all-britain.org.uk. Please note that no club or multiple
operator entries will be accepted from mobile or portable stations.
On Tuesday the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC,
using FM only. It is immediately followed by the all-mode 432MHz UK
Activity Contest from 1900 to 2130UTC. The exchange for both contests
is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday the 80m Club Championships takes place from 1900 to
2030UTC, using data only. The exchange is signal report and serial
number.
On Thursday, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC.
Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
Next weekend, the 144MHz May Contest will run from 1400UTC on the
16th to 1400UTC on the 17th. Using all modes, the exchange is signal
report, serial number, locator and postcode.
Next Sunday, the 17th, is the UK Microwave Group millimetre-wave
contest, running from 0900 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on the 24 to
76GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The UK Six Metre Group's Summer Marathon runs until the 2nd of
August. Using all modes on the 50MHz band, the exchange is you
4-character locator.
And finally, don't forget the next round of RSGB Hope QSO Party on
weekdays, see www.rsgbcc.org/hf for further details. Hundreds of
participants have taken part, and for some it has been their first
attempt at an HF contest. One participant told us that it was their
first ever attempt at CW in 36 years! Come and join in the fun.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Thursday the 7th of May.
It was a case of more of the same HF-wise last week. Zero sunspots
and no geomagnetic disturbances meant that conditions were average
for this point in late spring. The good news is that the Sporadic-E
season has now officially started, and it is living up to its name.
That is, it is sporadic! Either there is either good propagation or
nothing! Openings on 10 metres have included multi-hop to the
Caribbean, with Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago being workable on
FT8. Other more general Sporadic-E openings have favoured Spain and
Portugal one day, and Bulgaria, Romania and Algeria on another.
Some amateurs have been heard to comment that the openings must mean
that the new sunspot cycle has started. But this is not so.
Sporadic-E is a seasonal phenomenon not related to sunspots and, when
this season finishes in late August or early September, we can
probably expect the 10 metre band to go back to sleep. So the message
is to get on 10 metres right now and work whatever you can while the
Sporadic-E lasts!
Other than 10 metres, 40 metres continues to be a very workable band,
with openings occurring during the day and into the evening. As we
head towards Summer, we can also expect 20m to stay open later, and
even after sunset, due to the changing chemical make-up of the
ionosphere.
Next week, NOAA is predicting more of the same, with a solar flux
index of around 70 all week and settled geomagnetic conditions, with
an average Kp index of two. But, as we know, conditions can change
quite quickly and there is always the chance of a disturbed
ionosphere due to an enhanced solar wind from coronal holes.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
We have a high pressure week coming up, but getting there involves
some low pressure and unsettled weather for some areas. The present
high that is over, and just to the east, of the country will decline
and drift away, so any Tropo will not last long. In addition to the
showery weather over the south, a very marked cold front will move
south across the country over this weekend, giving further
opportunities for rain scatter.
Any following showers will not last long as a new high builds in cold
air to the northwest of the country. This drifts southeast to be over
the UK by Tuesday and edges east during the second half of the week.
All this means that Tropo should be the dominant mode, although it
will take a while to develop a decent inversion, so it may be rather
patchy in quality.
The Sporadic-E season is having the odd flicker of enthusiasm, but is
obviously much better for digital modes than CW or SSB. Their time
will come as the season builds. At the moment we seem to be
transitioning from a broader period around the middle of the day to
the more familiar two peaked distribution of late morning and late
afternoon/early evening; it's well worth keeping a check on the 10m
and 6m beacons.
There are no significant meteor showers this week, so stick to the
early mornings for the best random meteor scatter.
The Moon is at minimum declination tomorrow so will be low in the
sky. With increasing path losses and high 144MHz sky noise until
Friday it's a poor week for EME.
And that's all from the propagation team this week.
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 radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk to arrive by
10:00 on the Thursday before transmission.
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