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G4TNU > NEWS 27.10.24 01:30l 296 Lines 15028 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 27 Oct 2024
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 27th of October
The news headlines:
* The RSGB releases a snapshot video of the exciting
Girlguiding ISS contact
* You can listen to the Chair of the RSGB's Propagation Studies
Committee on the latest episode of the ICQ podcast
* The RSGB has begun releasing presentations from its 2024
Convention
On the 5th of October, in her first official engagement as
Girlguiding Patron, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh
joined 100 excited Brownies, Guides and Rangers in making a live
amateur radio contact with the International Space Station. The event
was organised by The Radio Society of Great Britain and Amateur Radio
on the International Space Station, or ARISS as it is usually known,
in collaboration with the UK Space Agency, Girlguiding Surrey West
and Brooklands Museum's Innovation Academy programme. The aim was to
promote the engagement and involvement of girls and young women in
science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Everyone had a
fantastic day and after the contact the girls enjoyed a variety of
STEM activities including making Snail Morse keys, playing Morse
battleships, learning about the CubeSat Simulator and making stomp
rockets. The RSGB has created a short video snapshot of the day which
you can see on its YouTube channel at youtube.com/theRSGB – take a
look!
The latest episode of ICQ Podcast is available to listen to online
and features RSGB Propagation Studies Committee Chair, Steve Nichols,
G0KYA. During episode 441 Martin Butler, M1MRB talks to Steve about
propagation and how the sunspot cycle has taken off to impact
conditions positively. They also discuss Ham Radio Science Citizen
Investigation, which is also known as HamSCI, a collective that
enables university researchers to collaborate with radio amateurs in
scientific investigations. To access the interview, select episode
441 at icqpodcast.com and listen from 1 hour and 35 minutes.
The RSGB 2024 Convention weekend brought together hundreds in person
and thousands via the livestreams. As well as the ‘Convention in a
nutshell' video released last week, the Society has now published two
of the main presentations. The first is the keynote speech about the
future of amateur radio licensing and education by Rafal Lukawiecki
[LU-KAH-VIEH-TSKEE], EI6LA. The second looks at inspiring the next
generation by the RSGB's two new Youth Champions Chris Aitken, MM0WIC
and Rhys Williams, M0WGY. You will find both presentations, as well
as the full two days of livestream content, in the RSGB 2024
Convention playlist on the Society's YouTube channel. Remember to
subscribe to the channel so you don't miss additional presentations
when they're published. There is also still time to share your
feedback about the in-person event or the livestream, but the
feedback forms will close at the end of this month. Head over to
rsgb.org/feedback if you attended the event, or
rsgb.org/livestream-feedback if you watched via the livestream. Let
the team know what you enjoyed!
If you are thinking of taking an amateur radio exam before Christmas,
there are two important dates you need to be aware of. The last date
you can take an exam at a club, whether online or on paper, is Friday
the 13th of December. If you want to take an exam online at home, the
last date you can do that is Friday the 20th of December. The RSGB
Exams Team will, where possible, post out exam results before HQ
shuts over Christmas and New Year. Exams will resume on Monday the
6th of January 2025 and the booking system will be available over the
festive season so you can book exams for January onwards. You can
book online on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/exampay
On Friday the 18th of October the RSGB, Mill Hill School and a team
of radio amateurs in New Zealand took part in a special celebration
to mark the centenary of the first successful two-way trans-global
communication between radio amateurs in the UK and New Zealand. The
original contact between Frank Bell, 4AA in New Zealand and Cecil
Goyder, 2SZ in Mill Hill School in North London was re-enacted at the
school on a wavelength as close as possible to the original. Members
of Goyder's family watched the re-enactment and chatted to pupils. As
part of wider celebrations for the day, the school put on activities
including a build-a-radio workshop. Students at the school showed
significant interest in amateur radio, with a number of students
signing up to be part of a new radio club that will be set up by the
school's physics teacher. The overall event was led by RSGB Life
Vice-President Don Beattie, G3BJ who said that he was delighted by
the success of the event and that it had given pupils the opportunity
to learn how ground-breaking that first radio contact was with New
Zealand. Call sign G2SZ was operational for four days surrounding the
centenary, during which operators achieved approximately 1,250
contacts. To find out more about this unique celebration go to
www.gb2nz.com and search for ‘GB2NZ re-enactment' on the RSGB
website.
The Memorial Day QSO Party is an activity providing participants with
an opportunity to honour amateur radio operators who are now Silent
Key. The event is being sponsored and managed by the First Class CW
Operators' Club and is open to all licensed amateurs. The event
begins at 0900UTC on the 1st of November 2024 and ends at 0859UTC on
the 2nd of November. More information is available at g4foc.org or by
emailing mdqp<at>g4foc.org or michelecarlone<at>yahoo.it
Ofcom has notified stakeholders that the next release of its
licensing service will be delayed due to issues that have arisen
during software development. According to the Ofcom website, the
delays have impacted Phases 2 and 3 of the planned changes to the
amateur radio licensing framework. Phase 2 includes changes to new
Intermediate callsigns, special event station rules and restrictions
on the number of callsigns an individual may hold. Revised plans are
expected to be published soon. You can read the update on the Ofcom
website via tinyurl.com/OFCOMOCT24
Please send details of all your news and events to
radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk The deadline for submissions is 10am on
Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.
And now for details of rallies and events
The Galashiels Rally is taking place today, the 27th of October at
the Volunteer Hall, St Johns Street, Galashiels, TD1 3JX. The doors
will be open from 11am. The admission fee is GBP 3 and there will be
refreshments, traders and a bring-and-buy area to enjoy. For more
information contact rallyqueries<at>galaradioclub.co.uk or visit
galaradioclub.co.uk
The Holsworthy Radio Rally will be taking place on Sunday the 3rd of
November at Holsworthy Leisure Centre, Well Park, Western Road,
Holsworthy in Devon. There will be traders, a bring-and-buy area and
catering. The venue has disabled access, free parking and entry will
be GBP 3 per person. The doors will be open to traders from 8am and
to the public from 10am. For more information email Chris, M0KNF at
boltonbicycles<at>gmail.com
The Twelfth Scottish Microwave Round Table GMRT will be going ahead
on Saturday the 9th of November 2024 at the Museum of Communication,
Burntisland in Fife. Lunch will be provided, and an optional dinner
will be held in the evening at a local hotel. Online booking is
available via the GMRT website at gmroundtable.org.uk or by email to
Colin, GM4HWO at gm4hwo<at>gmail.com
Now the Special Event news
George, MM0JNL is active as GB0GTS until the 18th of November to
raise awareness of homeless military veterans in association with The
Great Tommy Sleepout organised by The Royal British Legion
Industries. The station will be operating on the 80 to 10m bands
using SSB. There may also be some activity on the 2m band. George
will operate at least one full night ‘roughing it' outside as part
of the Great Tommy Sleepout. More details are available at QRZ.com
Special callsign SX80FF will be used from various locations,
including Crete as SV9/SX80FF until the 31st of October. The purpose
of the activity is to honour the 80 fallen Greek firefighters and
aerial firefighting crews who lost their lives in the line of duty.
The station was spotted recently on the 60m band using FT8. QSL via
Logbook of the World, eQSL and QRZ.com logbook. Paper QSL cards will
not be available.
Now the DX news
A team of operators is active as YJ0VV from Efate [EH-FAH-TAY],
OC-035, Vanuatu [VAN-YOU-AH-TWO] until the 29th of October. The team
is operating SSB, CW and digital modes on the 160 to 6m bands with
two high-power stations and a selection of seven antennas. QSL via
K4NHW directly or via the Bureau. QSOs will be uploaded to Club Log
and Logbook of the World.
Maurizio, IK2GZU is active as 5H3MB from Tanzania until the 11th of
November while doing volunteer work at a local school. In his spare
time, he will operate SSB, CW and digital modes on the 80 to 10m
bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, Logbook of the World, eQSL, or via
IK2GZU.
Now the contest news
The CQ World Wide DX SSB Contest started at 0000UTC on Saturday the
26th and ends at 2359UTC today, Sunday the 27th of October. Using SSB
on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange
is signal report and CQ Zone. The UK is in Zone 14.
Tomorrow, the 28th, the RSGB FT4 Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC.
Using FT4 on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the
exchange is your report.
On Wednesday the 30th, the UK and Ireland Contest Club 80m Contest
runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is
your six-character locator.
The RSGB 144MHz CW Marconi Contest starts at 1400UTC on Saturday the
2nd and ends at 1400UTC on Sunday the 3rd Of November. Using CW on
the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The International Police Association Radio Club invites all radio
amateurs around the world to take part in its contest which takes
place every year on the first complete weekend in November. This
year, the CW section will take place on Saturday the 2nd of November
from 0600 to 1800UTC. The SSB section will take place on Sunday the
3rd of November from 0600 to 1800UTC. More information about the
contest and the award programme are available at iparc.de
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO
on Thursday the 24th of October 2024
Last week's solar conditions couldn't have been much better. We had a
week of high solar flux indices, relatively calm geomagnetic
conditions and, other than an X-class solar flare, not much else to
report.
The solar flare originated from active region 3869 and reached a
strong X3.3 in the early hours of October the 24th. This event was
associated with a coronal mass ejection, or CME, based on solar
dimming following the event, but because the flare location was
located off the east limb, it was directed mostly away from Earth.
Once again, all the sunspots are in the southern hemisphere, but
activity appears to be growing. This could spell trouble over the
next week.
This weekend, the 26th and 27th, the CQ Worldwide SSB contest is
taking place and conditions should be excellent, with a combination
of high solar flux and autumnal HF conditions.
Maximum usable frequencies, or MUFs, are generally higher than 28MHz
from dawn until dusk. Nighttime MUFs over 3,000km are still just
above 14MHz, although you might get better results by dropping down
to 10MHz if the 20m band doesn't work for you.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index may rise again,
perhaps hitting 185 as we enter November. However, this current bunch
of sunspots, which are rotating to be Earth-directed next week,
appear more active and we could see more solar flares and CMEs, which
could throw a spanner in the works.
A solar flare could impact the ionosphere by increasing D-layer
absorption, for up to an hour or so, and possibly launch a coronal
mass ejection. If a CME hits the Earth, expect the MUF to plummet, at
least for a day or two until the ionosphere recovers.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The Autumn Equinox period brought some amazing ionospheric
propagation to 50MHz on Thursday last week with stations in the UK
working morning paths to VK, JA, DS and XV among others.
Typically for 50MHz DX, the skip zones were sharp and moved rapidly.
Stations even a few kilometres apart experienced very different
signals and paths. Those with a low noise floor had a huge advantage
as signals were generally weak in the UK and only good for FT8.
However, some reports of a VK station at +5 bucked this trend.
Next week will offer some reasonable Tropo conditions, although not
without some occasional interruptions from weak frontal systems,
especially in the far southwest and the far northwest of Britain.
It's not clear if these represent good rain scatter options, but they
are more likely to temporarily curtail any Tropo for a while.
The solar conditions continue to feed the occasional aurora alert our
way, so it's always good to monitor the Kp index for signs of it
increasing above 4. It won't always go on to produce a radio aurora,
but it's worth keeping an eye on things.
The meteor scatter prospects continue to be elevated by the decline
of the Orionids, which peaked on Tuesday the 22nd, and the Taurids,
which are a very low-rate shower, but technically cover a broad
period into December. The Leonids is the next major shower, but that
doesn't peak until mid-November.
Lastly, looking at the out-of-season Sporadic-E prospects, there are
always days with minor enhancements of the critical frequency of the
Sporadic-E layer, as shown on the propquest.co.uk graphs. Certainly,
there are stronger jet streams available in the autumn and winter,
but other elements of Sporadic-E are not so favourable. It's usually
a very marginal outcome at best, but nonetheless good enough for the
10 or 6m bands and mostly for digital modes such as FT8.
It could well be that trans-equatorial propagation, or TEP, is a more
fruitful venture.
For EME operators, Moon declination is positive, but falling, going
negative on Tuesday the 29th. Path losses are rising, reaching a
maximum at apogee on the morning of Wednesday the 30th. 144MHz sky
noise is low until Friday the 1st of November when the Sun and Moon
are close in the sky.
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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