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G4FVG > NEWS 29.09.10 22:03l 164 Lines 10179 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB MAIN news 03 Oct
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Sent: 100929/1954Z @:GB7COW.#44.GBR.EU #:27362 [223974] FBB7.01.35 alpha
From: G4FVG@GB7COW.#44.GBR.EU
To : NEWS@EU
GB2RS NEWS for Sunday 3rd October 2010
The news headlines
* Major amateur radio survey launched by RSGB
* USA to support MF allocation at WARC 2012
* Join in Ham Week UK
At the National Hamfest in Newark over the weekend 1 and 2 October, the Radio
Society of Great Britain will launch a major survey of all UK radio amateurs.
The objective of the survey is to gather as much information as possible on
21st century amateur radio operation in the UK. The survey, which is internet
based, will run for three months and the data collected will be used to
determine the direction that amateur radio takes over the next 10 to 20 years.
Full details of the survey will shortly appear in all elements of the amateur
radio press, notices of invitation will be placed on all amateur radio
reflectors and the RSGB website. If you want your opinions to be noted, please
take part.
The ARRL reports that the United States is supporting new secondary amateur
radio allocation at 461 to 469kHz and 471 to 478kHz. This after both the FCC
and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration spectrum
regulators have agreed to support this secondary medium frequency allocation
at the 2012 World Radiocommunication Conference to be held in Geneva,
Switzerland.
As part of the Ham Week UK activity, South Lancashire Amateur Radio Club will
hold an open night on Wednesday 6 October at the shack in Bickershaw Labour
Club, Bickershaw Lane, Bickershaw, Lancashire. They are organising a potato
hash & peas supper on a first come, first served basis. The club station,
M0SLR, will be on the air from 8 to 10pm. Check out the October issue of
RadCom for details of the other events for Ham Week UK.
Visitors to the RSGB Convention on 10th October can sit any of the American
amateur radio exams during their visit. First exams will start at 10am and you
can drop in at anytime during the day, with the last candidate being accepted
at 2pm. Walk-in candidates are very welcome but prior notice of interest is
appreciated by email to paul.steed<at>ntlworld.com.
Andy, GW6JSO has decided to step down as Keeper of GB3CM after six years. In
that time he has arranged funding and sourced a new repeater. Echolink was set
up in 2004 and has run every day since. Andy has asked the Carmarthen Amateur
Radio Club to take over the repeater but so far nobody has stepped forward. If
a local amateur does not take over by 17 December, Andy will have to close the
repeater down. If you are interested, please contact Andy by email to
andy<at>gw6jso.info.
We've received the sad news that Dave Dewar, G8NTE, founder and operator of
QSLFACTORY.COM is now silent key. As yet there are no details regarding any
outstanding QSL cards but we will publish any information in RadCom.
To deal with the anticipated changes to the administration in Netherlands
Antilles on 10 October, the ARRL Awards Committee has determined that at 0400Z
(12am local time in the islands) on 10 October 2010, the two Netherland
Antilles DXCC entities will be deleted. Commencing at 0400Z (12am local time)
on 10 October, 2010, operation from the islands of Curacao, Bonaire, Saint
Maarten, Saba and St Eustatius will count for a yet-to-be-determined number of
new entities. The DXCC desk will not accept confirmations for these new
entities until after 1 January 2011.
North Wakefield Radio Club is about to start an Advanced exam course to be
held on Tuesdays from 7 to 10pm. Around 12 to 14 sessions are planned, leading
towards an exam on 1 February 2011, although candidates can also take a later
exam if they prefer. If you require further information, contact Chris Street,
by email to secretary<at>g4nok.org.uk.
Crystal Palace Radio and Electronics Club is holding a Foundation course
during November. Information and application forms can be obtained from the
course leader, Victor, G1PKS on 020 8653 2946 or by email to
victor<at>jmail.co.uk.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week.
The Autumn Militaria & Electronics & Radio Amateur Hangar Sale will take place
at Hack Green secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 8AL today, Sunday
3 October. Doors open at 10am and admission is £2.50. Contact Rod Siebert,
01270 623 353 for further details.
The RSGB Convention takes place between 8 and 10 October at Horwood House,
Little Horwood near Milton Keynes. Highlights include an excellent lecture
programme, the Martin Lynch & Sons 20th anniversary buffet on the 8th, the DX
Dinner on the 9th and trophy presentations on 10th. Accommodation for Saturday
night is now sold out, although day tickets are still available. Details at
www.rsgb.org/rsgbconvention.
Now for the news of special events
GB4GD will be on the air until 9 October commemorating 79 years since the
first four Guide Dogs were trained in Wallasey, Cheshire.
The Royal Naval Amateur Radio Society is celebrating its 50th anniversary this
year. A special event callsign GB50RN will be on the air until 9 October. The
station will be aired on CW and SSB on the HF and WARC bands from 80m to 10m
and with FM on the 2m and 70cm bands. A special Anniversary award is available
to listeners and licensed amateurs who hear or contact RNARS members and the
special event stations during 2010. Full details can be found on the society
website at: www.rnars.org.uk
On Sunday 10 October, G0FQN, G1PIE and 2E1HQY will be on the air from the
Worth Valley Railway during the steam gala using the call GB5WVR. More details
are on qrz.com.
And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
Originally announced to go to Sint Maarten, Paul, K1XM and others now plan to
be on St. Eustatius, which is IOTA reference NA-145 on 8 to 16 October. They
will operate SSB, CW and RTTY on 160 to 10 metres. QSL via KQ1F.
W8FV will be returning to Tanzania and will be active as 5H9PD from 2 to 30
October. Operation will probably be on 40 to 10 meters, depending on
propagation, mostly CW with the possibility of some PSK31. QSL via his home
callsign.
PJ7E is the callsign that the team on Sint Maarten will use for their 10-day
operation scheduled to begin on 10 October. Further information and QSLling
instructions at www.stmaarten2010.com.
Jay, VY1JA will be active in his spare time from 6 October to 9 November as
VY0JA from CFS Alert on Ellesmere Island, which is IOTA reference NA-008. He
will operate mainly CW running low power into wire antennas. QSL via N3SL.
Now the contest news
This month's RSGB HF events begin with the 21/28MHz contest on Sunday 3
October. Despite being popular with its loyal band of followers, this event
has not attracted a great deal of participation for some considerable time. In
an attempt to boost the number of entries, the Contest Committee tried
changing the format, but it was to no avail. The event is being discontinued
from 2011, so make the most of the final one. Times are from 0700 to 1900UTC
using both CW and SSB, the exchange is signal report, serial number and
District.
The 144MHz UK Activity Contest takes place on 5 October from 1900 to 2130UTC.
Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The CW leg of the Oceania DX Contest takes place on 9 and 10 October between
0800 and 0800. using the 1.8 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and
serial number. Also on 9th to 10th is the WAB HF Contest, which runs for 24
hours, from 1200 to 1200UTC. UK stations work non-UK stations, while non-UK
work everyone. Using all modes on the 14 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and WAB area. The final event of the weekend is
the CW leg of the EU SSB Sprint between 1600 and 2000UTC on 9th. Using bands
from 3.5 to 14MHz, the exchange is both callsigns, serial number and name.
And now the solar factual data for the period from the 20th the 26th of
September, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on the 27th of September.
Sunspots were visible every day, in fact a large group rotated into view on
the 21st and looked rather threatening, but by the 26th had yet to produce a C
class solar flare. Solar activity remained at very low levels. Solar flux
levels varied little day to day and averaged 84 units. The 90 day solar flux
average on the 26th was 80 units, that's one unit up on last week. X-ray flux
levels averaged B1.5 units and showed little variation. Geomagnetic activity
started at quiet levels, the Ap index on the 22nd was only 2 units. During the
24th a coronal hole disturbance arrived, its impact was very limited, the Ap
index was only in double figures on that day at 13units. Levels quickly
returned to quiet levels. The average was Ap 6 units. Solar wind data from the
ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds increase from 300 kilometres per second
on the 23rd to 640 by the next day. Particle densities were low except for the
23rd which increased to 26 particle densities per cubic centimetre. Bz varied
between minus 2 and plus 3 nanoTeslas on the quietest day and between minus 8
and plus 12 nanoTeslas during the disturbance.
And now the solar forecast. This week the quiet side of the Sun is expected to
be looking our way. However, all it takes is one large sunspot group to
increase activity. Solar flux levels should be around the 80 mark or just
below for most of the week. Geomagnetic activity could be unsettled today and
tomorrow due to a recurring coronal hole but then activity is expected to
return to quiet levels for the remainder of the week. MUFs during daylight
hours at equal latitudes should be around 25MHz for the south and 22MHz for
the north. Darkness hour lows should be about 10MHz. Paths this week to India
should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of
around 24MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate
will be about 19MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 1000 and
1200 hours zulu. Just a remainder that now and for the coming winter months
the daytime highs normally take place within a couple hours either side of
local noon.
And that's all for this week from the propagation team.
........and for this week's main news packet bulletin.
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