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G4TNU > NEWS 01.11.20 02:32l 220 Lines 10231 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 01 Nov 2020
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 1st of November 2020
The news headlines:
* GNU Radio on Tonight<at>8
* Introduction To presentations go online
* Yahoo Groups closes soon
The next Tonight<at>8 is this Monday, the 2nd of November. Heather
Lomond, M0HMO will give a beginners' introduction to using GNU Radio
to create simple amateur radio projects. Starting from the beginning,
Heather will introduce the GNU Radio programming environment, develop
a little of the theory needed to understand SDRs, and then go on to
use some simple GNU Radio blocks to build a receiver based on one of
the super-cheap SDRs. Finally, she will show how to build more
complex radio systems and where to go to take things to the next
level. Do encourage people to listen to this webinar, particularly if
they are a new or returning licensee. More information is on our
website at www.rsgb.org/webinars.
The individual presentations from the "Introduction to…" stream at
the RSGB Convention Online that took place on the 10th of October are
now available to watch. You can catch up on ones you missed or take
the opportunity to see again the ones you enjoyed most. Find them at
www.youtube.com/theRSGB.
Just a reminder for listeners who use or who have subscribed to a
Yahoo group. On the 15th of December, groups.yahoo.com, or Yahoo
Groups, and its list service will shut down. Many amateurs are still
using Yahoo groups and not groups.io. If you want more information,
go to https://help.yahoo.com/kb/groups/SLN35505.html.
The RSGB sometimes receives complaints regarding incidences of
deliberate jamming and foul or inappropriate language on the air, and
is trying to quantify the size of the problem. A Freedom of
Information request to Ofcom showed only three identifiable reports
submitted between the 1st of January 2015 and the 31st of December
2019. The RSGB would like to hear from radio amateurs who have
reported similar problems directly to Ofcom, not the RSGB, during
this period, and after following the Operating Advisory Service's
advice. For further information, including how to submit your reports
to the Society, please see the RSGB website via
tinyurl.com/rsgb-oas-reports.
Results of the IRTS 80 metres Counties Contest held on 6th October
have now been published. Band conditions were good for this contest,
which kept local and overseas stations busy for the hour. 35 logs
were submitted, showing participation from 22 EI and GI counties, as
well as 12 overseas DXCC entities. See www.irts.ie/results for full
details.
The RSGB will once again be participating in the annual YOTA Month
activities in December. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we will not be
encouraging large group events and all participants should remain
within national and local guidelines. GB20YOTA is available for Full
licence holders to book an appointment slot within a set calendar
shown on the GB20YOTA QRZ.com page. All operations should be focused
with the intention to get young people on the air. To register your
interest, or to reserve an operating slot, contact Jamie, M0SDV, via
email to yota.month<at>rsgb.org.uk.
The proceedings from the 19th of September RSGB Board meeting are now
online. Of particular note is that media and public interest in
amateur radio continues, RSGB Membership numbers are still rising and
examination numbers are still buoyant with an increasing number of
candidates progressing to the next licence level. See
https://tinyurl.com/gb2rs-board.
Now the special event news
Members of the HCDX Group will be active as HD1X from a remaining
tropical rainforest in Ecuador, grid reference FI09IV. Active until
the 3rd of November at 1700UTC they will use various HF bands
including 30, 17 and 12m, using SSB, SSTV and FT4/FT8.
Larry, G4HLN will be active as GB4CKS between the 1st and the 14th of
November. He will operate CW and some SSB on 40 to 10m, marking the
85th anniversary of the death of Australian record-setting aviator
Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, who disappeared on the 8th of November
1935 off the coast of Myanmar, then known as Burma, whilst trying to
break the England-Australia speed record. QSL via G4HLN, direct or
via the bureau.
Pittsburgh radio station KDKA will celebrate 100 years of radio
broadcasting in November, and Pennsylvania radio amateurs will run a
multi-station special event. Special event stations K3K, K3D, K3A and
W8XK will set up and operate at several locations in Pennsylvania
during November. Stations will determine their own modes and
schedules. Visit the W8XK profile on QRZ.com for information on
certificates and QSLs.
Now the DX news
Remo, HB9SHD plans to be active as 8Q7RM from Kandolhu Island, IOTA
reference AS-013, from the 2nd to the 29th of November. Activity will
be holiday style on various HF bands using CW, SSB and digital modes.
QSL via HB9SHD.
Bob, W0YBS will be active as V31CO from Cay Caulker in Belize until
the 13th of November. Activity will be on the 80 to 10m bands
including 30, 17 and 12m, using CW, SSB, FT8 and RTTY. QSL via W0YBS
and Logbook of The World.
Robert, S53R plans to remain in the Afghan capital city working in
his spare time as T6AA until mid-December.
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.
The UK EI Contest Club DX Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1200UTC
today, the 1st of November. This is SSB only and also has a 12-hour
option. UK and EI area codes are multipliers for DX stations and all
QSOs made by UK or EI stations between the hours of 0100 and 0500UTC
are worth double points. For the rules and other information, follow
the links from www.ukeicc.com.
On Monday the Autumn Series contest runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. It's
data only on the 3.5MHz band, with the exchange being signal report
and serial number.
On Tuesday the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 1955UTC.
It is followed by the all-mode 144MHz UK Activity Contest from 2000
to 2230UTC. The exchange is the same for both, signal report, serial
number and locator.
On Wednesday the UK EI Contest Club contest runs from 2000 to
2100UTC. Using the 3.5MHz band only, the exchange is your 6-character
locator square.
Next weekend, the Marconi CW contest runs from 1400UTC on the 7th to
1400UTC on the 8th. Using the 144MHz band, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday the 30th of October.
Last week saw more evidence that Solar Cycle 25 is definitely under
way. Large sunspot group 2778 caused the solar flux index to rise to
82. And it then got even better when it was joined by active region
2779, which pushed the SFI up further to 88 on Thursday. This is the
first time we've seen the SFI in the 80s for some time and a clear
indication that things are changing for the better.
Both regions were responsible for B and C-class solar flares, but
nothing that impacted the ionosphere too much. In addition to the
sunspots we did have the lingering effects of a high-speed solar wind
stream from a coronal hole, which saw the Kp index rise to four
across the weekend. This corresponded with the SSB leg of the CQWW
contest and did have an adverse impact on propagation.
The elevated Kp index continued until late in the week and was still
at three on Thursday, preventing the ionosphere from completely
recovering. Nevertheless, Propquest.co.uk shows that over a 3,000km
path maximum usable frequencies often exceeded 24 and even 28MHz at
times. Ten metre FT8 proved popular with the eastern states of the
USA, Mexico, South America, Cuba, Malawi, Kenya, South Africa, as
well as India, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea all being logged on
Thursday.
As for next week, the STEREO ahead spacecraft shows a couple of
sunspots returning to the Earth-facing solar disk. Regions 2775 and
2777 are coming back, but it is difficult to know how active they
will be.
So as we enter November, NOAA predicts the SFI will be roughly 74-75
with quite calm geomagnetic conditions. The Kp index is predicted to
be two by Monday, which bodes well for HF.
With the seasonal improvement in ionospheric conditions, a quiet
geomagnetic field and possible sunspot activity, the next seven days
could be quite good for HF propagation.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
We ended the previous week with very unsettled conditions bringing
rain and strong winds at times. This pattern will continue into the
first half of next week, so once again we expect GHz bands rain
scatter to be on the propagation guest list.
There is a suggestion that a ridge of high pressure will move into
Scotland midweek, gradually extending its influence southwards to
make Tropo a consideration. That said, the ridge may get overwhelmed
by returning low pressure next weekend.
Recent unsettled weather, which is usually driven by strong jet
streams, would be perfect for summer Sporadic-E, and it's worth
saying that even out of the traditional Sporadic-E season, FT8 may
bring the occasional surprise. Definitely worth a periodic check on
10m and up.
The Moon's declination is still rising, reaching maximum late on
Thursday, so Moon visibility windows continue to be long. The Moon is
just past apogee so path losses are still high. 144MHz sky noise
peaks at 500K on Wednesday.
Continue to keep an eye out for low-VHF auroral propagation and
remember, we are just over two weeks from the peak of the big Leonids
meteor shower.
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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