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M1CUK > NEWS 15.04.10 20:07l 302 Lines 15168 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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GB2RS NEWS for Sunday 18th April 2010
The news headlines
* KP4AO works EME with the Arecibo radio telescope
* Youth Net on GB3LC
* Problems on the Central Scotland Repeaters being dealt with
The Arecibo Observatory Amateur Radio Club will put the 1000-foot radio
telescope on the air for three days for 432MHz EME. The scheduled times
of operation for the final day today, 18 April, are 1840 - 2125UTC.
Using the callsign KP4AO and 400W the transmit frequency is 432.045MHz
and receive frequency is 432.050 to 432.060MHz. KP4AO can be heard with
a small hand-held Yagi pointed at the moon and a good receiver. A 15dBi
antenna and 100 watts will be enough to work them on CW. Operators at
KP4AO will do their best to work as many stations as possible. Each
session will start with a brief announcement and CQ in SSB. SSB QSOs may
continue for 30 minutes to an hour if the QSO rate remains high. The
mode will be shifted to CW as soon as it is judged that higher QSO rates
would result. They will listen for calls at frequencies 5-15kHz higher
than the transmit frequency and even higher if QRM warrants. The
operators ask that if you've already worked them in any mode, please do
not call again to give others a chance. On 18 April, if they reach a
condition where most calling stations have been worked and they judge
that operating in the digital mode JT65B would produce a higher QSO
rate, they will
switch to JT65B.
Friskney & East Lincolnshire Communications Club Youth Net for Under 16s
will take place on 12 May, 9 June and 14 July, starting at 1930BST on
433.225MHz, the GB3LC repeater. All young people in the area are welcome
to join in.
Following the ongoing jamming and abuse problems on a number of Central
Scotland FM Group repeaters, a meeting has taken place between Ofcom,
the
repeater group and the RSGB to discuss options to address the problem.
Ofcom has indicated that the problem is under active investigation and
as a result enforcement action has been taken against one individual
resulting in the forfeiture of equipment and a number of others being
warned of their conduct.
The investigations are still ongoing and Ofcom has asked that any
evidence of abuse is in the first instance forwarded to GM8HBY to
co-ordinate information rather than create duplicate reports. This
should be done by e-mail at info<at>csfmg.com or by post to GM8HBY who
is QTHR. Ofcom have also reminded repeater users not to respond to any
abuse of jamming heard on the repeaters.
The Amateur Radio Section of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation and
the Documentary Archives Radio Communications and QSL Collection will
operate OE10M during the weekend 23 to 25 April. OE10M is an official
International Marconi Day station and contacts made on Saturday, 24
April are valid for the IMD Award. QSL via OE-Bureau or direct to
OE1WHC. Cards without an SAE & new IRC or 1 US dollar to cover postage
will be processed via Bureau.
The Easter Harlaxton amateur radio get-together and field day had to be
postponed due to bad weather. Organiser Jim, M0JHW has now re-arranged
the event for 22 and 23 May. It's at the same venue, the Sports and
Social Club, Harlaxton, near Grantham, which is postcode NG32 1HX. There
will be amateur radio operations that visitors can join as well as
plenty of tea and coffee. A barbecue is planned for the Saturday
afternoon. More details nearer the time.
Over the weekend 24 and 25 April, The Radio Society of Harrow are
demonstrating radio communications using the club call GX3EFX and
displaying 1940s radio equipment at the Family Forties Experience
Weekend event, 1940s House Bushey, Hertfordshire. The site was the
former wartime HQ of 8th USAAF Fighter Command. Further information from
the Society's website at www.g3efx.org.uk.
Every year, amateur radio operators all over the world celebrate 18
April as World Amateur Radio Day. This marks the anniversary of the
formation of the International Amateur Radio Union formation in 1925.
The WARD Award is available from the Polish Radio Amateurs' Journal QTC.
Details available on the QTC website, www.pga.pzk.pl.
The 23rd International Marconi Day will take place on 24 April. Although
not a contest, awards can be obtained and full details will be found at
www.gb4imd.org.uk. For a station to be counted towards an award by
applicants, that station must be registered by contacting the webmaster
by e-mail to webmaster<at>gb4imd.org.uk prior to the event with full
details of the station. In order to qualify as an Award Station,
operations should take place from a site which either used Marconi
equipment prior to his death in 1937 or from which Marconi carried out
experiments during the same period.
The IEEE have organised a lecture by Dr Eli Brooker on Amazing
Breakthroughs in Radar and Phased Arrays in the Sir David Davies Lecture
Theatre, Roberts Building, Torrington Place, University College London
at 1800 on Wednesday 21 April. Dr. Brookner is a distinguished lecturer
of the IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society and has been
involved in many aspects of radar technology. He was awarded the IEEE
Dennis J. Picard medal in 2006 for outstanding accomplishments in
advancing the fields of radar technologies and has received many other
awards.
The Great Lumley Amateur Radio and Electronics Society has changed its
name to the Durham and District Amateur Radio Society. The club meets at
the Finchale Training College, Durham DH1 5RX every Wednesday from 7 -
9pm. Contact David, M0BPM on 0191 3888113 or Malcolm, M1CKU on 0191
4401792 for more details.
The Verulam Amateur Radio Club still has a few places left on their
evening class Foundation course that starts on Thursday 22 April. As a
direct result of a generous Grassroots Grant, the total cost (including
the exam fee) is just £25. Please contact Brian, G3YKB on 01923 228121
for more details or to book a place.
The G-QRP club's first Valve Day of the year takes place today, Sunday
18
April, from 2pm until 10pm on all phone or CW QRP frequencies. Just use
a low power valve or tube transmitter, AT5, KW, homebrew or commercial,
crystal or VFO and maybe a valve receiver, if you have one. It's not a
contest, just an activity period and a chance to celebrate the
contribution of valves to the world of radio. It's a good time to find
World War 2 B2s, Spy and Parasets on the air. All comments and
photographs should be sent by e-mail to g3vtt<at>aol.com by 30 April.
Bury Radio Society have places on the Intermediate Course starting
Tuesday 18 May at 7.30pm. If you would like to book a place or require
further details, please contact Norman, G1HHU on 07525 932729 or by
e-mail to g1hhu.norman<at>googlemail.com.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, Sunday 18 April, the West London Radio & Electronics Show will
take place at Kempton Park Racecourse, Staines Road East, Sunbury on
Thames, Middlesex TW16 5AQ. Talk in is available and there's free car
parking. The doors open at 9.50am for disabled guests and 10am for other
visitors. There will be the usual trade stands, Bring & Buy, special
interest groups as well as lectures. Details from Paul, M0CJX, on 0845
165 0351.
The Andover Radio Amateur Club Boot Sale takes place on 25 April at
Wildhern Village Hall and Playing Field, SP11 0JE, north of Andover just
off the A343. Talk in will be on S22. There is plenty of car parking and
the entry fee is £1.50. For sellers it is £6 per boot/table, £8 inside
the hall. Details from Martin, M0MWS, 01980 612070.
On 25 April, the 26th Yeovil QRP Convention takes place at Digby Hall,
Hound St, Sherborne, Dorset. Digby Hall adjoins the central shopping car
parking. Talk in will be on S22. There is ample car parking and the
doors open at 9.30am. There will be lectures as well as trade stands and
a Bring & Buy. Details from Robert on 01935 706715.
Now for the news of special events
GB0GAF will be on the air from the Great Alne Festival in Warwickshire
on 20 April.
GB4MBP and GB0MD will be on the air on 22 April as part of the
International Marconi Day activities. The first will be on the air from
the Lizard in Cornwall and the second station from Kent.
Three stations will be on the air on 23 April. GB4MIW will be on the air
from the Isle of Wight for Marconi Day. The GB0VVV will be on the air
from Newark for Vulcan, Victor, Valient. Finally on 23 April, GB8MD will
be on the air from Towyn in North Wales for Marconi Day.
Aberdare and District ARS will be running special event station GBOGMD
for Marconi Day on 24 April. The station hopes to be active between 23
and 25 April on most HF bands at various times depending on conditions.
SSB and PSK/RTTY will be used.
The Mid Ulster Amateur Radio Club will be transmitting from the Navan
Centre, Armagh as part of the International Marconi Weekend on 24 and 25
April. This will also be the club's first annual social field day of the
year with a barbecue on 24th and over night camp on the site. Visitors
welcome.
From 24 to 27 April there will be an IOTA activation from The Isle of
Eigg on the west coast of Scotland. This is a joint activation by
members of Kilmarnock and Loudoun ARC and South Cheshire ARS. The call
will be GM6TW/P, the club call of SCARS info at QRZ.com. QSL via Paul,
G0UZP.
On 24 April, GB5FHC will be on the air from the Fraserburgh Heritage
Centre.
GB8IMD is on the air for international Marconi Day from Netheravon Camp
in Wiltshire. On the same day, GB0MGT is on the air from old Harlow in
Essex, MGY was the callsign of the Titanic. Finally on 24 April, GB5LT
will be on the air from Luttrells Tower in Southampton.
And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources.
Helmut, DL7VOX will be active as DL7VOX/P from Usedom Island and
lighthouse, which is IOTA reference EU-129, between 22 April and 11 May.
He will operate mainly CW on the HF bands, using 100 watts and wire
antennas. QSL via DL7VOX, direct or bureau.
Three members of the Yamato Amateur Club, Mat, JA1JQY, Sasi, JA1KJW and
Kuni, JA8VE will be QRV from New Britain Island, which is IOTA reference
OC-008, until 23 April. They will set up two stations and operate all
bands from 160 to 10m using CW and SSB. P29VJY, QSL via JA1JQY, P29VKJ,
QSL via JA1KJW and P29VEK QSL via JA8VE.
Now the contest news
The UHF UK Activity Contest & Club Championship takes place between 1900
and 2130UTC on 20 April. Using all modes on the 1.3 and 2.3GHz bands,
the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The data leg of the 80m Club Championships takes place on 22 April
between 1900 and 2030UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial
number.
The OK1WC Memorial Contest will take place on 24 April from 0400 to 0700
on the 160, 80 and 40m bands. No logs are required and the results are
sent via the internet. For more information go to www.hamradio.cz/ok1wc/
where the rules are available.
The SP DX RTTY contest takes place over 24 and 25 April between 1200 and
1200UTC. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and
serial number. SP stations send their Province code too.
On 27 April, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest & Club Championship takes
place between 1900 and 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal
report, serial report and locator.
Now the solar factual data for the period from the 5th to the 11th of
April, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on the 13th of April.
At the start of the period there were three spotted regions on the solar
disc, by the end there was none. All the groups were small and produced
no solar flares. Solar flux levels declined from 79 units on the 5th to
75 by the 10th.
The average was 75. The 90 day solar flux average on the 11th was 83,
the same level as last week. X-ray flux levels varied little day to day
and averaged A3.6 units. Normally geomagnetic activity around sunspot
minimum is relatively straight forward to forecast but on occasions a
coronal mass ejection can take place and head directly towards Earth.
Mention was made in last weeks report about a coronal mass ejection that
was heading in our direction which had originated from the B7 solar
flare on the 3rd. The size of the magnetic storm that followed surprised
most forecasters. The Ap index on the 5th and the 6th was 49 and 46
units respectively. This was the result of the Bz remaining negative for
long periods, particularly on the 5th. On the 7th a coronal hole
disturbance arrived to keep the magnetic disturbance continuing.
Eventually by the 10th the magnetic field had returned to quiet levels
with an Ap index of 3
units. The average was Ap 21 units, making it the most disturbed week
since December 2006. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar
wind speeds increase dramatically 500 kilometres per second to around
760 in less than 30 minutes. Speeds peaked at 817 kilometres per second
later in the day. Speeds then gradually declined to around 360
kilometres per second by the 10th.
Particle densities remained low throughout. Bz on the 5th fluctuated
between minus 16 and plus 20 nanoTeslas, and between minus 2 and plus 3
nanoTeslas on the quietest day.
Auroral propagation at 50, 70 and 144MHz occurred on the 5th, 6th and
7th. As usual, high latitude stations were most favoured, but contacts
were reported at least as far south as central England. Meanwhile, HF
MUFs were depressed by several MHz. East-west paths were the most
affected, with normal values not fully restored until the 10th. However,
during the early phase of the disturbance, conditions to the south
benefited from some pre auroral enhancement towards Africa and South
America. Just a quick note on the Solar Dynamics Observatory, everything
is still progressing well.
And finally the solar forecast. This week solar activity is expected to
be very low to low. Solar flux levels should be around the 80 mark for
most of the week. Geomagnetic activity is expected to be quiet all week.
MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes are expected to be about
22MHz for the south and 19MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should
be around 10MHz. Paths this week to the Middle East should have a
maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around
21MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate
will be about 16MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 1000
and 1700 hours. Following a good winter Sporadic-E season and openings
over the last week, further openings could take place over the coming we
as we approach the start of the summer season.
And that's all for this week from the propagation team.
.... and for this Main news bulletin.....
---------------------------------------------------------
73
Trev,
SysOp gb7fcr.#16.gbr.eu
E-Mail trev@gb7fcr.co.uk
Packet Radio <-> InterNet Gateway
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