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G4TNU > NEWS 04.10.20 00:30l 222 Lines 10309 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 04 Oct 2020
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 4th of October 2020
The news headlines:
* RSGB releases video series
* Latest Online Convention & Colloquium news
* Exercise Blue Ham cancelled
The RSGB has just launched a series of videos to help the thousands
of people who have taken their Foundation exam via remote
invigilation whilst being unable to take the practical assessments.
The full 30-minute video highlights six practical skills and each
segment stands alone rather than being part of a single ‘story'
through the video. As well as this whole video, the Society has
published the different segments as separate short videos to make it
easier to go back to just one or two parts again. The RSGB is
grateful to the clubs and individual radio amateurs who have created
other available online training resources. With the launch of these
videos, the Society is now pleased to add to the resources that new
licensees have available to them. The RSGB would also like to thank
Bob and Nick from TX Factor who worked with the Society on these
videos. You can watch the videos on the Society's website at
www.rsgb.org/foundation-practicals.
During the online RSGB Convention for 2020, you will be able to enjoy
some excellent lectures. On Saturday the 10th of October, the RSGB
will be presenting two online streams for everyone to enjoy. Whether
you are new to the hobby, just returning or experienced there will be
something to interest you. We start the day with a message from the
RSGB President, Dave Wilson, M0OBW, followed by a talk from Eric
Swartz, WA6HHQ from Elecraft before splitting into two streams, An
introduction to… and Learn more about…. There's the opportunity
to ask questions and details of how to do this is on the website. You
can find out more about the whole day of lectures at
www.rsgb.org.uk/convention. We look forward to seeing you next
Saturday, the 10th, whether you can join us for the whole day or just
parts of it.
Like the RSGB Convention, the AMSAT-UK Colloquium 2020 will also be
online this year. Taking place on Sunday 11th of October, there will
be a lecture stream from 11am to 4pm. You can find out more at
www.amsat-uk.org/colloquium. The registration URL is
https://tinyurl.com/amsatukreg2020.
In line with the latest government guidelines and to protect the
health of the Cadets and adult volunteers, all Cadet face-to-face
activity is still currently suspended, therefore the organisers have
had to make the decision to cancel Exercise Blue Ham-3 that was
programmed for mid-October. They appreciate the effort and support
that all the amateurs give the exercise and say that as soon as they
can return to some form of face to face activity, they will organise
another Blue Ham.
The Bath Based Distance Learning team are restarting their courses.
The first new BBDL course will be for the Intermediate level, running
from November 2020 to March 2021. To register your interest, contact
the Team Leader, Steve, G0FUW, via email to g0fuw<at>tiscali.co.uk.
The new BBDL Full level course will follow on from the Intermediate
course running from March to July. A further announcement will be
made in the New Year when that course is ready for enrolment.
Chippenham & District ARC is now running an online Foundation course.
Since the Covid-19 outbreak, they have switched to online training
via live hosted training sessions. If you are interested in future
courses, you can contact the club via their website at
www.chippenhamradio.club.
The W4CHA/B beacon in locator square EL88 is active again and on
50.0796MHz. The beacon outputs 2W to a dipole 53 metres above sea
level.
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.
PJ4TEN will be active during October to commemorate the 10th
anniversary of Bonaire becoming a special municipality of the
Netherlands and a new DXCC entity. The rules for the award can be
found on the PJ4TEN QRZ.com page.
Hannes, OE1SGU will be active as OE1990SGU between the 1st and the
31st of October to celebrate his 30th anniversary in amateur radio.
QSL via LoTW, eQSL, or via OE1SGU either direct or via the bureau.
Now the DX news
A team will be active as JW4O from the JW5E club station in Svalbard,
EU-026, from the 8th to the 12th of October. The main goal of the
operators is to participate in the SSB leg of the Scandinavian
Activity Contest on the 10th and 11th of October.
Now the contest news
Please remember to check before the contest for new rules due to
lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world.
The RSGB strongly advises obeying your own national and local
government's advice first and foremost, especially in the instance of
local lockdowns.
This weekend the IARU 432-245GHz contest ends its 24-hour run at
1400UTC today, the 4th of October. Using all modes, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
The Oceania DX SSB contest ends its 24-hour run at 0800UTC today, the
4th of October. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is
signal report and serial number.
The Worked All Britain DX Contest takes place today, the 4th of
October, from 0500 to 2300UTC. Using SSB only on the 3.5 to 28MHz
contest bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and WAB
area.
The DX Contest takes place today, the 4th, from 0500 to 2300UTC.
Using CW and SSB on the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is
signal report and serial number.
The Portable Operations Challenge ends at 2359UTC today, the 4th of
October. Participants choose their own 8-hour window within the
48-hour weekend. Details can be found at foxmikehotel.com/challenge.
On Monday, the 80m Autumn Series runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. It's CW
only and the exchange is signal report and serial number.
On Tuesday the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC,
followed by the all mode 144MHz UK Activity Contest from 1900 to
2130UTC. The exchange for both is signal report, serial number and
locator.
On Wednesday, the UK EI Contest Club 80m contest runs from 2000 to
2100UTC. It's SSB only and the exchange is your 6-character locator.
Thursday sees the 50MHz UK Activity Contest run from 1900 to 2130UTC.
Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and
locator.
The Oceania DX CW contest runs for 24 hours next weekend from 0800UTC
on the 10th to 0800UTC on the 11th. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz bands, the
exchange is signal report and serial number.
Next Sunday, the 11th, the IRTS 40m Counties contest runs from 1200
to 1400UTC. Using CW and SSB the exchange is signal report and serial
number, with GI and EI stations also sending their County.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday the 2nd of October.
We had yet another week with zero sunspots and poor conditions.
Matter from a solar coronal hole pushed the Kp index to six late on
Sunday the 27th with corresponding detrimental effects on the
ionosphere. The solar wind stream climbed to above 600km/s with the
Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field periodically
pointing south. This meant that the solar wind could more easily
couple with the Earth's magnetic field, allowing matter to enter the
ionosphere.
Maximum useable frequencies struggled to get past 14MHz on Monday
while the geomagnetic storm continued. In fact, it took until
Thursday for conditions to subside and even then the Kp index
fluctuated between two and three.
But there was DX to be had, especially for paths that didn't pass
through the poles. Laurie, G3UML reported working Kamil, S79KW and
Ravi, S79VU in the Seychelles on 20m SSB on Tuesday afternoon. And
Carl, HS0ZOA in Thailand was also heard on 20m around the same time.
This bodes well for HF over the coming month, which should see HF
conditions improve thanks to a change in the ionospheric chemistry as
we move from summer to autumn.
Next week NOAA predicts a solar flux index of 70, representing zero
sunspots. There is always a chance that something could appear over
the next seven days, but activity still remains quiet.
Geomagnetic conditions are predicted to be quiet, with very little
coronal hole activity. A maximum Kp index of two is indicated, at
least until Sunday the 11th when it could climb to three.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
We have another week of predominantly unsettled and, at times, wet
and windy weather coming up, so Tropo will be hard to find. The
weekend offers a slow-moving area of low pressure over the country
and although it eventually edges away to the east by midweek, it
could give some very windy weather and certainly periods of heavy
rain. So rain scatter on the GHz bands is the mode of choice once
again.
A brief ridge of high pressure may transit the country on Wednesday
and Thursday for a touch of Tropo, but will soon be replaced by
another slow-moving low over the country by the end of the week and a
return of rain scatter conditions.
Time to fire up the EME kit again as we have positive Moon
declination peaking on Friday giving long Moon visibility windows.
Path losses are high and we are more than a week from perigee, but
144MHz sky temperatures are low to moderate all week.
October is a busy month for meteor scatter enthusiasts, with three
meteor showers this week alone. The largest, the Draconids with a
zenithal hourly rate of 10 on Thursday, the Southern Taurids with a
ZHR of five on Saturday and the Delta Aurigids with a ZHR of two next
Sunday. For more details of these showers, and other VHF related
information look at the excellent Make more miles on VHF website,
www.mmmonvhf.de.
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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