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G4FVG > NEWS 20.02.10 11:17l 205 Lines 10977 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main news 14th Feb 2010
Path: IZ3LSV<IW0QNL<ON4HU<SR1BSZ<F4BWT<GB7COW
Sent: 100220/0830Z @:GB7COW.#44.GBR.EU #:63549 [194625] FBB7.01.35 alpha
From: G4FVG@GB7COW.#44.GBR.EU
To : NEWS@EU
Hello to all readers,
With Trev/M1CUK's agreement, I have volunteered to copy/paste the RSGB news
scripts each week and send as a packet bulletin to EU, until his return or I
depart on my next voyage in the Merchant Navy.
For a test, this is the GB2RS NEWS for Sunday 14th February 2010.
I appreciate that some of the news in the 'next week' is now out of date and,
for the same reason, there is no Local area news in this bulletin.
73 to all
Mike G4FVG at GB7FCR (although using GB7COW as there are forwarding problems
out of FCR at present).
= = = = = = = =
GB2RS NEWS for Sunday 14th February 2010.
The news headlines
.. RSGB Convention moves to a new venue
.. Antarctic Activity Week
.. George Dobbs to appear at Lough Erne Rally
The RSGB Convention is moving to a bigger venue for 2010. Taking place between
8 and 10 October, the Convention will be at Horwood House, near Milton Keynes.
This new venue provides the RSGB Convention with new purpose-built meeting
rooms, comfortable lounges and bars, delightful country surroundings and 182
en-suite bedrooms. All bedrooms are within the complex and have easy access to
the lecture rooms that we will be using. It is just a short distance from
Bletchley and Milton Keynes stations and easily accessible from the M1
motorway. The Convention programme will be announced soon and it planned to
further expand the popular lectures and increase the activities for the
visitors. Details will appear on the RSGB website and in RadCom in due course.
The 7th annual Antarctic Activity Week to celebrate Antarctica takes place
from 22 and 28 February. The organisers say that this year's event could be
better than previous years with many more stations participating. More
information on this event is online at www.waponline.it.
QRP author George Dobbs, G3RJV will be attending a QRP display at the Lough
Erne Amateur Radio Club Rally on Sunday 11 April. Graham Firth, G3MFJ, who is
another listed in the International QRP Hall of Fame, is bringing the entire
G-QRP Club stall, with lots of interest for low-power radio amateurs, and
those intrigued by building their own rigs. On a second QRP table, Dom Baines,
M1KTA will display home-built kits, receivers, transmitters and accessories,
similar to his very popular exhibition at the recent GQRP Convention. A third
display will be set up by Brendan Minish, EI6IZ, from the Mayo Radio
Experimenters Network. His will feature top quality Elecraft QRP kits from the
USA. Further details may be obtained from Michael Clarke, MI5MTC, on 028 6862
1436 or by e-mail to mi5mtc@learc.eu.
MM0DFV has a photo and video report on his trip to Loch Lomond National Nature
Reserve at www.srars.org/wff-reports/gmff-046.htm. The QSL-card for this
activity has been already designed and printed. All who made a QSO will
receive this card via the QSL bureau. Jurij would like to thank everyone who
supported him during this World Flora and Fauna activation.
On 4 February the Arfon Repeater Group's amateur TV repeater GB3TM, located on
the north coast of Anglesey in North Wales, had modifications made to its
transmission mode. A digital transmitter was installed and is now operational
on 1316MHz. It is planed that GB3TM will transmit on both analogue and digital
modes, but not both at the same time. The analogue mode will be the normal
mode, with the digital system being called up by DTMF tones by the user.
Further information can be seen on the Arfon Repeater Group's website at
www.arfon.info. Reports would be welcomed on the new mode by the repeater
keeper, David GW8PBX. A link is available on the website
Mid Ulster Amateur Radio Club will be running an Intermediate course with the
registration night held on Friday 19 February at Place Initiative, 1b Ardress
Park, Portadown BT62 3TP, from 7pm till 9pm. The course has limited places so
attendance at the registration is essential for interested persons. Any more
information can be found at www.muarc.com, or by contacting the exam secretary
on 02838 348 451.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Northern Cross Rally due to be held
today, Sunday 14 February, at Ossett School hosted by Wakefield and District
Radio Society, has had to be postponed. It is hoped that a new date can be
agreed with the venue for later on this year.
Today, 14 February, the Harwell Radio and Computing Rally will take place in
the Didcot Leisure Centre, Mereland Road, Didcot OX11 8AY. There will be free
car parking and admission is £2 with accompanied under 12 visitors admitted
free. Doors open at 10.30am with disabled visitors gaining access at 10.15am.
More details are available on 01235 816379.
The Radio Active Rally will take place on 21 February at Civic Hall, Nantwich,
Cheshire CW5 5DG. Doors open at 10.30am and there will be trade stands, a
Bring & Buy and catering on site. Details from Simon Chettle, G8ATB, on 01270
841506.
Also on 21 February, the Swansea ARS Rally will be at a new venue. Following
the major fire at the Afan Lido the show has now re-located to the Court
Herbert Sports Centre, Neath Abbey SA10 7BE, 2 miles from M4 J43 via A465.
Doors open at 10.30am and admission is £2.50. There is a free car park and
plenty of tradestands, a Bring & Buy as well as special interest groups.
Details from Roger, GW4HSH, on 01792 404422.
Now for the news of special events
There will be a special event station GG100WD for Wilton Division Guides
operating in Batley on the weekend of 20 and 21 February. The station will be
operational on HF, 2m and 70cm from 11am on Saturday to 2pm on Sunday. The
organisers would appreciate any offers of help to operate the station.
Please contact Tony, G4LMS on 01924 467612 for details.
GG100RE will operate from Eltham in south-east London on Saturday 20 February
for Thinking Day on the Air, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Girl
Guide movement. Two stations will be active throughout the day, with Guides of
all ages passing greetings messages on 80, 40 and 20m. The station will be
operated by Cray Valley Radio Society. Full details are on qrz.com.
On Saturday 20 February the Caterham Radio Group are again running a Thinking
Day On The Air Station using the callsign GX0SCR for the 25th time from
Caterham Surrey on behalf of the Caterham Guide Groups. This is the 14th year
the Caterham Radio Group has worked with the 9th Caterham Guide Leader running
their Radio Communication Day Event. It is expected licensed Guides with M3
call will be assisting with the operating on 2 metres and LF/HF bands. The
Caterham Radio Group team would very much appreciate your calls on 2 metres
and the LF and HF bands to assist in the passing of greeting messages to and
from the young ladies and making it another successful event.
Coulsdon ATS will have a Thinking Day on the Air station on the air on 21
February. Starting at 8.30am, GB4SUN will be on the air with the South and
Upper Norwood Guides.
And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources.
Phil, G3SWH and Jim, G3RTE will be active from Christmas Island, IOTA
reference OC-002, between 20 and 27 February. Both Phil & Jim will use the
callsign VK9X/G6AY with activity on CW only using all bands between 80 and 10
meters. No 160m activity is planned. Propagation permitting, they plan to have
two stations on air for as many hours every day as possible. QSL via G3SWH.
N7MSU will be on the air as V31SU from Belize between 4 and 23 February in his
spare time on 40 and 20m using CW and SSB. QSL vía N7MSU. See QRZ.com for more
details.
G3TBK will be reactivating J88DR in St. Vincent from 18 February to 15 March.
Activity will be on all HF bands using CW, SSB and RTTY. This will include an
entry in the Commonwealth Contest. QSL via G3TBK, either via the RSGB Bureau
or direct.
Now the contest news
16 February sees the UHF UK Activity Contest between 2000 and 2230UTC using
all modes on the 1.3 and 2.3GHz bands. The exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
The 80m Club Championships CW leg take place on 18 February between 2000 and
2130UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number.
The CW leg of the ARRL International Contest takes place over the entire
48-hours of the weekend 20 and 21 February. There are sections for various
power levels from QRP to QRO, single- and multi-op stations and single- and
multi-band entries. Those outside of North America should work American and
Canadian stations only. Send a signal report and your transmitter output
power, but expect to receive a 2-letter State or 3-letter Province code.
Now the solar factual data for the period from the 1st to the 7th of February,
compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on the 8th of February.
The solar disc had spots visible every day, however, from the 2nd to the 4th
it was only a single spot. On the 6th a sunspot group emerged and grew rapidly
and within a day had produced 3 M class solar flares. The largest was a M6/1N
during the early morning of the 7th which increased solar activity to high.
Solar flux levels increased from 74 units to 90 by the 7th. The average was 79
units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 7th was 78, that's one unit up on
last week. X-ray flux levels increased from A2.8 units to B2.2. The average
was A5.4 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet everyday, though only just, the
2nd and the 3rd saw the Ap index at 9 units. The average was Ap 5 units. Solar
wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw wind speeds increased to 590 kilometres
per second on the 3rd but then decline to 330 by the 6th. Particle densities
were low except for a brief increase to 14 particles per cubic centimetre on
the 6th. Bz varied no more than minus 8 and plus 7 nanoTeslas during the
period.
And finally the solar forecast. As happened in recent weeks, active sunspot
regions can appear with no notice at all, if this happens then solar activity
could increase to moderate levels. However, more likely is that activity will
be very low to low. Solar flux levels with a spotless Sun should be in the
high 70's, but if spots do appear then could be into the 80's. Geomagnetic
activity is expected start at quiet levels but by Tuesday activity could
increase due to a recurring coronal hole. Activity should then decline to
quiet levels again before next weekend. MUFs during daylight hours at equal
latitudes should be around 22MHz for the south and 19MHz for the north.
Darkness hour lows are expected to be about 8MHz. Paths this week to the east
coast of North America should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per
cent success rate of around 20MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per
cent success rate will be about 15MHz. The best time to try this path will be
between 1400 and 1800 UTC.
And that's all for this week from the propagation team.
= = = = = = =
and for this 'test' bulletin.
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