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G4TNU > NEWS 24.08.25 02:46l 253 Lines 12317 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 24 Aug 2025
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 24th of August 2025
The news headlines:
* Apply to be the RSGB Youth Activities and Engagement Champion
* The Tonight<at>8 webinar series is back with a brilliant
autumn line-up
* Hans Summers, G0UPL confirmed as the RSGB Convention
after-dinner speaker
The RSGB Youth Team is looking for a proactive, enthusiastic and
innovative person to join its team as the Society's volunteer Youth
Activities and Engagement Champion. The role will take the lead on
youth-focused activities and create resources for young Foundation
licence holders. If you would like to help inspire young people to
explore new aspects of amateur radio, then read the full role
description via rsgb.org/volunteers and then get in touch with the
Youth Board Liaison Ben Lloyd, GW4BML via gw4bml<at>rsgb.org.uk This
exciting role will be working collaboratively with Ben, as well as
the existing Youth Champions and RSGB Outreach Team. You can see some
of the amazing projects the team has been working on by visiting the
RSGB Youth web pages via rsgb.org/youth
The Tonight<at>8 autumn programme kicks off on Monday the 1st of
September with a fascinating presentation from Kristen McIntyre,
K6WX. During the 45-minute session Kristen will explain Maxwell's
Equations in a visual and relatable way that aims to leave viewers
with an understanding of a topic that can often feel impenetrable.
Maxwell's Equations are essential for radio amateurs and explain how
RF signals propagate, antennas radiate, and common-mode currents
form. By the end of this informative webinar, you'll be able to see
how Maxwell's four simultaneous differential equations combine to
bring the world of radio to life. Kristen discovered amateur radio
when she was a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in 1979 and has been active ever since. Among other roles, she is the
ARRL First Vice President and has also recently been inducted into
the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame. Learn more about Kristen and this
not to be missed webinar by going to rsgb.org/webinars
Hans Summers, G0UPL from QRP Labs has been confirmed by the RSGB as
the after-dinner speaker at its Convention in October. Following the
gala dinner, Hans will be sharing the emotions he experienced during
the nine months he spent adding SSB to the QMX transceiver. Tickets
for the gala dinner, along with those for the full Convention
programme and the three exciting workshops, can be purchased via
rsgb.org/convention This year's RSGB Convention takes place at Kents
Hill Conference Centre in Milton Keynes between Friday the 10th and
Sunday the 12th of October. Book now and join like-minded radio
amateurs for an action-packed programme.
The RSGB Examination Standards Committee is pleased to announce the
publication of an updated version of the Direct to Full syllabus. The
significant changes from the previous version are the moving of some
points between Section One on Licensing and Section Two on Operating.
These changes bring the Direct to Full syllabus into line with the
latest version of the three-part syllabus. You can find the updated
syllabus and change documentation on the RSGB website at
rsgb.org/syllabus These changes will come into effect from January
2026, so please choose the correct version of the syllabus for the
date you plan to take your exam.
Four young RSGB members have spent the last week near Paris for this
year's Youngsters on the Air summer camp. The event was a huge
success with activities that included group member Sophie, M7IJG
asking a question to Astronaut Mike Fincke, KE5AIT during the camp's
ARISS contact with the International Space Station. Hear more from
the young radio amateurs by reading their blog via rsgb.org/yota-camp
RSGB members, and the wider amateur radio community, are invited to a
‘Meet the President Day' at the RSGB's National Radio Centre on
Thursday the 28th of August. The Society's President, Bob Beebe,
GU4YOX, will be present throughout the day to welcome members, hear
their views, and discuss the work of the Society in supporting and
promoting amateur radio. RSGB members, don't forget to download your
free entry voucher to Bletchley Park via rsgb.org/bpvoucher
The Maritime Radio Historical Society in the United States, in
cooperation with the Cipher History Museum, has arranged to transmit
an Enigma message via the maritime radio coast station KPH, near San
Francisco. The transmission will take place on Saturday the 30th of
August at 2000UTC. KPH listeners, intercept operators and
codebreakers everywhere are invited to try their hand at receiving
the transmission and decrypting the message. For more information,
including details of certificates that are available for decrypting
the message, visit tinyurl.com/mrhs2025
And now for details of rallies and events
Today, the 24th, the Milton Keynes Amateur Radio Society Rally is
taking place at Heron's Lodge Guide Activity Centre, Bradwell Road,
Loughton Lodge, Milton Keynes. Free on-site parking, catering and
disabled facilities are available. The entrance fee is GBP 3. The
doors open to the public from 9am. For more information visit
mkars.org.uk/mkrally
The Torbay Amateur Radio Society Rally is also taking place at Newton
Abbot Racecourse today, the 24th. The doors open at 10am and entry
costs GBP 3. You can find out more via torbayars.org
Tomorrow, the 25th, the Huntingdonshire Amateur Radio Society Radio
Rally will take place at the Ramsey Rural Museum, Wood Lane, Ramsey,
PE26 2XD. For more information visit tinyurl.com/hunts25
Telford Hamfest is taking place on Sunday the 31st of August at
Harper Adams University Sports Hall. The doors open at 10.15am.
Admission is GBP 5 but children up to the age of 16 will be admitted
free of charge. The G-QRP Club will be present again with a Saturday
Buildathon. More details are available at tinyurl.com/tdars25
Now the Special Event news
In memory of Maximilian Kolbe, special callsign 4A2MAX is active
until the 31st of August. Kolbe is venerated by the Catholic Church
as the patron saint of amateur radio operators. Activity will be on
the 80 to 6m bands using CW, SSB and digital modes. QSL via Logbook
of the World, eQSL, QRZ.com or via EA5GL.
To celebrate the International Amateur Radio Union's 100th
anniversary, members of the Atlantic Coast DX and Contest Group are
active as CG9IARU throughout August. The station was spotted recently
on the 20m band using SSB. QSL via VE9CF. See QRZ.com for more
information.
Now the DX news
Aldir, PY1SAD is active as 8R1TM from Guyana until the 23rd of
September. He is operating CW, SSB and digital modes on all bands and
via satellite. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL, QRZ.com, or
directly to PY1SAD.
Don, KW7R is active as V73KW from the Marshall Islands until
September. He operates CW and FT8 on various bands. QSL via Logbook
of the World.
Now the contest news
Today, the 24th, the UK Microwave Group 5.7 and 10GHz Contest runs
from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on 5.7 and 10GHz frequencies,
the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Tuesday the 26th, the RSGB SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830
to 2130UTC. Using all modes on 2.3 to 10GHz frequencies, the exchange
is signal report, serial number and locator.
The World Wide Digi DX Contest starts at 1200UTC on Saturday the 30th
and ends at 1200UTC on Sunday the 31st of August. Using FT4 and FT8
on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange
is your four-character locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Thursday the 21st of August
Last week was relatively good from an HF propagation standpoint, with
only a few periods with an elevated Kp index thanks to a high-speed
solar wind stream from a coronal hole.
The Kp index hit 4.67 on the 19th of August and 4 again on the 20th
due to the solar wind hitting earth at more than 600 kilometres per
second. Luckily, the interplanetary magnetic field remained mostly
neutral, or north-facing, and the density was low, saving us from
more disruption.
Meanwhile, the solar flux index declined to 120 by Thursday the 21st.
This is still high enough to affect the ionosphere, but well down on
recent highs in the 140s and 150s.
The daytime critical frequency has mostly remained above 7.5MHz,
meaning the 40m band has managed to remain good for inter-UK
contacts. This has also meant that maximum usable frequencies, or
MUFs, over a 3,000km path hit 21MHz and even 24.9MHz at times.
Nighttime critical frequencies have been around 5MHz, giving an MUF
over 3,000km of below 14MHz and sometimes even as low as 10MHz.
It may be another month or so before we see daytime F2-layer openings
starting again on 28MHz. In the meantime, focus your efforts during
daylight on 21MHz and below.
T30TTT in Western Kiribati [KIRIB-ASS] remains one of the DX stations
to chase, mostly on 18 and 21MHz. The operators are alternating
between using CW, SSB and FT8. Other choice DX worked included Jim,
E51JD on South Cook Islands who has been active on the 17m band using
SSB. TY5AD in Benin, Africa has been worked on the 10m band using
FT8. And 3G1P, an IOTA DXpedition in Chile, was logged on the 15m
band using SSB.
Closer to home, today, the 24th, is the last chance to work OG0C on
the Aland Islands.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will remain in the
120s, until the end of the month when it could rise to 130 and even
150. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast for the 28th of
August when the Kp index could hit 4.
Otherwise, make the most of the relatively settled conditions over
the first half of next week to work some choice DX!
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
After this weekend, the weather changes from a Tropo high pressure
pattern to an unsettled story with areas of low pressure and fronts
together with wind and rain. This will remove any Tropo options and
replace them with a possibility of rain scatter on the GHz bands.
The auroral conditions have recently produced minor enhancements,
although nothing too exciting so far radio-wise. It's worth noting
that the autumn, along with spring, are times of the year when
auroras are more likely. So, it's a good time of the year to keep
abreast of the Kp index, especially if the Kp index goes above 5.
We are at the tail end of the broader period of the Perseid meteor
shower, ending today, the 24th. This leaves random meteor activity as
the only option for a while. As those of you who are active in the
mode already know, it tends to favour the early pre-dawn period for
better chances of catching meteor scatter.
Sporadic-E is hanging on for the last week or two of the 2025 season,
but opportunities become much rarer. You'll need to keep a close
watch on band reports to capture these increasingly fleeting events.
In the main Sporadic-E season, there are usually two well-defined
peaks of activity in the morning and late afternoon. However, in the
tail of the Sporadic-E season you are just as likely to find it
around the middle of the day as at any other time.
The daily Sporadic-E blogs at propquest.co.uk finish at the end of
August, but in some years the last events have extended into the
first week of September.
Moon declination is still positive, but falling, going negative on
Monday. So, Moon window lengths and peak elevation will follow suit.
Path losses are rising again as we approach apogee on Friday the
29th. 144MHz sky noise was low until lunchtime on Friday the 22nd,
when the Sun and the Moon were very close in the sky. This continued
throughout the Moon window on yesterday, the 23rd, and will revert to
moderate-to-low next week.
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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