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G4TNU > NEWS 12.01.11 19:06l 194 Lines 9963 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 16 Jan
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 16th January 2011
The news headlines:
* Cadets' usage of 5MHz WSPR is clarified
* IARU Technical Consultant appointment
* South African Radio League proposal
Non-amateur cadet stations have been getting long-distance reports of
their 5MHz transmissions using the amateur Weak Signal Propagation
Reporting network but problems have arisen with their unusual
callsign formats. Consultation between the RSGB 5MHz working group
and the cadet organisations has resolved these.
CCF, ACF, and ATC cadets are permitted to communicate with
amateurs on the 5MHz channels and some have been trying the WSPR mode
on the 5288.5 kHz channel. A large number of amateur stations
worldwide monitor this channel and report the signals heard via the
wsprnet.org website. However, the WSPR transmission format is only
capable of coding regular amateur callsigns of the prefix, digit,
suffix format, but the cadet callsigns are not in this form. After
some initial trials by cadets it was clear that any ad-hoc
modification of cadet callsigns could cause trouble.
To avoid the possibility of misleading or confusing callsigns
being seen on WSPR, the RSGB 5MHz working group has suggested that
the cadets modify their callsigns by transposing the digits and the
letters in the cadet callsign and in some cases adding an initial
letter M. This creates a dummy amateur callsign in the form M89X or
M89YZ. The cadet organisations have agreed to implement this
suggestion, which will make it possible to correctly identify
transmissions from these cadet stations.
IARU President Tim Ellam VE6SH/G4HUA has appointed Ian Greenshields,
G4FSU, as an IARU Technical Consultant, to represent IARU at various
regulatory meetings such as ITU meetings and to promote IARU
objectives at those meetings.
The South African Radio League is preparing documentation to gain
access to additional spectrum on the 160 meter band for amateur
communication in that nation. South African radio amateurs are being
invited to make input by sending their views as to why it is
necessary to expand the very narrow allocation currently available.
Responders are asked to include items such as propagation studies and
of what benefit an expanded 160 meter allocation will be. The South
African Radio League proposal will be presented at the next SARL and
the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa liaison
meeting, planned for February of 2011.
In just under a week an exciting nine day fund-raising event will
start. SOS Radio Week was created to raise money for the Royal
National Lifeboat Institution. Anyone can participate, be they clubs,
individuals, adults or youths. Simply register on the event web site,
download a sponsorship form and raise at least GBP 5. As an
encouragement there are over GBP 700 worth of prizes from Icom, the
SRC Young Persons award, a radio from Martin Lynch and four antennas
from Sigma Euro-Comm to give away. There are currently 47 stations
registered. In addition there is an award scheme for amateur radio
operators that work registered SOS Radio Week stations during the
event. The event starts at 00:00 on 22 January and concludes at 23:39
on the 30th. Further details can be found at www.sosradioweek.org.uk.
HM Queen Elizabeth II has awarded the Tristan Government Treasurer
Lorraine Repetto, ZD9CO an MBE for services to the community of
Tristan da Cunha in the New Year's Honours List published on 31
December 2010.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Dover Radio Rally will be held today, 16 January, at Whitfield
Village Hall, Dover CT16 3LY, which is on the A2 just outside of
Dover. The event was revived last year and was such a success that
extra space has been arranged for the rally this year. The focus will
be on radio related items, rather than other electronic bits and
bobs. The website www.doverradiorally.com has all the usual
information.
The Red Rose Winter Rally will be held at the George H Carnall
Leisure Centre, Kingsway Park, M41 7FJ today, 16 January. There is
free car parking and doors open at 11am. There will be trade stands,
a Bring and Buy as well as an RSGB bookstall. Details from Steve on
07502 295 141.
Advance notice now for the next rally, due to take place on 30
January. The Horncastle Winter Rally will be held in the Horncastle
Youth Centre, Lincolnshire LN9 6DZ. Doors open at 10.30am and
admission will be GBP 1.50. Details from Tony, G3ZPU on 01507 527835,
or email G3ZPU<at>yahoo.co.uk.
Now for the news of special events
The Porthmadog and District Amateur Radio Society is supporting SOS
Radio Week again this year. The club will be operating on 22 and 23
January from 10am to 6pm both days from Criccieth life boat station.
And on 29 and 30 January from 10am to 6pm the club will be operating
from the Porthmadog Yacht club The society will be using the callsign
GB0PLB. All visitors will be welcome to come along and join in or
support.
Crewe Heritage Centre Amateur Radio Club will also be taking part in
the SOS Radio week, using GB4CHC on Sunday 23, Saturday 29 and Sunday
30 January. The Club will have two HF stations, one on SSB and one on
digimodes. They are being sponsored per country contacted and money
raised will go to the RNLI.
And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
Diego, LU8DIP will be on various South Shetland Islands from now to
about middle of March as LU8DIP/Z and LU1ZS on Base Teniente Camara
Half Moon Island. QSL via LU4DXU.
Alan, VK3XPD, Kevin, VK4UH and Mike, VK3KH are active from Norfolk
Island, which is IOTA reference OC-005, as VK9NA until 20 January.
QSL via VK3KH either direct of via the bureau.
Now the contest news
The UHF UK Activity Contest takes place on 18 January from 2000 to
2230UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3 and 2.3GHz bands, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator. Please note that there are
rule changes to the UKACs this year, including new entry categories
for 10 watt stations, and active users of the DX cluster and chat
channels such as ON4KST. There is also a change to the locator
squares multiplier rule. To ensure you enter the right category and
avoid claiming the wrong score, please check the full rules on the
Contest Committee website at www.rsgbcc.org/vhf before the start.
The data leg of the 80m Club Championships takes place on 20 January
from 2000 to 2130UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial
number. Remember the maximum power allowed in Club Champs is 100
watts, but for Foundation licensees and those who enjoy low power
operation there's also a 10 watt category.
The BARTG RTTY Sprint Contest takes place on 22 and 23 January from
1200 to 1200UTC on all bands from 3.5 to 28MHz. Single band entries
are not allowed in this event and BARTG have an interesting rule
whereby any single operator station that has been placed in the Top
10 in any BARTG contest in the past three years must enter the
‘expert' category. The contest exchange for this event is serial
number only.
Now the solar report and forecast compiled by Martin Harrison, G3USF.
Solar activity has remained low to very low, with just two small
C-class flares reported on the 3rd and 4th. They had little or no
impact on propagation. The solar flux recovered from the low levels
of the Christmas period, reaching 92 on the 3rd before falling back
to average 87 over the week ending January 9th. The 90-day average,
which is the best pointer to underlying trends, gained one point to
84. This time last year it was 75. The X-ray flux averaged A8.0. For
most of the time geomagnetic activity remained at the low levels of
recent weeks, but a brief magnetic disturbance on the 7th reached
minor storm level, depressing MUFs at HF and bringing radio aurora in
the early hours of the 7th, when most European operators were
probably asleep. Solar wind speeds increased from 285klm/sec on the
3rd to 690km/sec on the 9th, when Earth was within a recurring
high-speed coronal stream. Particle densities briefly reached 70 per
cubic centimetre but were otherwise in single figures, while the
interplanetary magnetic field varied between plus14 and minus 16
nanoTeslas around the same time. It, too, showed only minor variation
during the quieter periods. Overall, the HF bands were generally in
good shape, with MUFs at times reaching 28MHz, which was open on
several days. 160 and 80 metres provided good openings to North
America during the breakfast period, while the West Coast was
workable on 7MHz by the long path around 1600UTC.
Now the forecast. Solar activity is likely to remain low or very low
during the coming week, with only occasional C-class flares. The
solar flux looks likely to be in the mid-to-high 80s and geomagnetic
activity is expected to remain low. In short, though the Sun can
always spring a surprise, conditions during the coming week will
probably show little change. The low bands will still be close to
their seasonal best, while MUFs at equal latitudes will reach around
25MHz in the south and 22MHz in the north. Darkness hour lows will be
around 8MHz. Paths to the Middle East will have a maximum usable
frequency in the region of 25MHz. The optimum working frequency at
which there should be a 90 per cent chance of a contact, will be
about 21MHz. The path should be workable between around 0800 to
1600UTC with 1000 to 1400 the optimum times.
And that's all for this week from the propagation team.
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 gb2rs<at>rsgb.org.uk to arrive by
10:00 on the Tuesday before transmission.
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