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G4TNU > NEWS 20.04.11 23:03l 278 Lines 14663 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 24 Apr
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 24th April 2011
The news headlines:
* Royal Wedding Prefix NoV deadline looms
* QSL arrangements for Royal Wedding Prefix
* Radio Spectrum for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
The deadline for UK amateurs to apply for a Royal Wedding prefix
expires at 6pm on Tuesday 26 April. If you want to be able to use GR,
MR or 2R, according to your licence type, you must apply for a free
Notice of Variation before that time. Details are on the Society's
website at www.rsgb.org.uk/weddingcall. All NoVs will be provided by
close of business on 28 April. Please note that no postal
applications can be accepted and all NoVs will be sent by e-mail.
As the Royal Wedding prefix GR, MR and 2R replaces the traditional
regional locator for G, M and 2 callsigns, it has been necessary for
the QSL bureau to create a temporary special sub group to handle the
expected large influx of cards. Martin Coles, G0VXC has kindly
accepted the challenge of handling GR, MR and 2R calls. NOV holders
wishing to receive incoming cards must deposit separate, C5 size,
stamped and numbered envelopes with him, clearly showing the special
callsign in the top left hand corner. Please be advised that in line
with conventional GB cards, special Royal Wedding QSLs will not be
re-directed via the home callsign or QSL manager, even if it is
written on the card. Contact details for Martin, G0VXC are as per the
RSGB Yearbook and RSGB website.
As expected, the RSGB has been approached by Ofcom to help determine
sections of the 70cm amateur band that could be released for a
limited period around the London 2012 Games next year. As a secondary
user of the band, we as radio amateurs have no specific rights to any
of those frequencies. Rather than just imposing changes, Ofcom has
approached the Society in the spirit of cooperation to work together
to solve the problem. The RSGB intends to work constructively on this
matter to reach agreement with Ofcom on the segments that can be
released on a temporary basis. Ofcom has given clear and unambiguous
assurance that the segments used will be returned once the London
2012 Games are over. The RSGB is looking closely at how the spectrum
is used in the designated geographical areas in and around London,
Weymouth and South Essex in order to minimise the impact. We will be
responding to Ofcom shortly. The RSGB's response is being coordinated
within the RSGB Spectrum Forum by Murray Niman, G6JYB.
The RSGB and BATC have worked together over the last couple of years
to webstream the Society's AGM via live video. BATC again offered the
facility this year. The RSGB has considered its position and has
reluctantly taken the decision that this year it would not be prudent
to go ahead with live streaming. BATC has accepted the Society's
position on this but hopes to be able to offer the Society the
facility again in 2012.
The RSGB Contest Committee holds short evening contests each week, in
which individuals compete and can also build up a score for their
Affiliated Society. These take place on 80m on various modes, and
also on bands from 6m to 3cm. The Committee is pleased to announce
that the SHF contests, covering 13cm, 9cm, 6cm and 3cm, have been
extended from 2 hours to 2½ hours because of their increasing
popularity. Please go to www.rsgbcc.org for more information.
We have been made aware of a scam that is currently being operated
via email to obtain money from unsuspecting radio amateurs. An email,
purporting to be from a well known amateur and signed with that
amateur's first name, explains that they have been mugged in some
foreign city, losing passport and money. Needless to say, it requests
financial support to get the amateur out of difficulties. Several
different prominent callsigns have been used by the scammers. Members
may like to be aware of this, so that they can ignore such bogus
requests.
The RAIBC audio reading team has updated the Foundation Licence
Course talking book to the latest edition of Foundation Licence Now.
The disks are produced with the permission of RSGB for the use of
anyone with visual impairments, text reading difficulties or
disabilities that restrict the ability to read printed material. The
disks are available post free for the use of VI and dyslectic
students and all the RAIBC ask in return is a small donation to funds
to cover the cost of the disk and packing and to further their work
for amateurs with disabilities. RAIBC has an expert team with
experience of assisting amateurs with disabilities and if you require
any help in a personal capacity or as an instructor please contact
the RAIBC Helpline on 08000 141 743 or email
russell.bradleyg0okd<at>ntlworld.com. Full details of RAIBC Services
and activities are available at www.raibc.org.uk. The RAIBC would
like to thank the authors of the books for the excellent material and
the RSGB for permission to copy them to audio format.
A new QSL sub manager has been appointed for the G0V series. John
Joll, G0TQT now holds both the G0U and V series as a single group.
Details can be found on the RSGB website. G0V call holders need to
send new envelopes to John as soon as possible. The bureau has
recently learned that the family of the former manager, the late
Peter Eames, M0AXD, returned all SAEs to the originators direct and
there are none available to transfer.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
We are not aware of any rallies taking place over the Easter weekend,
24 and 25 April.
The Dambusters Hamfest will take place on 1 May at Thorpe Camp
Visitor Centre, Coningsby, Lincs LN4 4PE. Entry is GBP 3 and under
12s are free. There is free parking and overnight camping is
available. The doors open at 10am and there will be an RSGB
bookstall.
Monday 2 May sees the Dartmoor Radio Rally take place at Tavistock
College, Crowndale Rd, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 8DD. Doors open at
10.30am and there will be trade stands and a bring & Buy. More
details can be obtained from Peter, M1AYI on 01822 860277.
Now for the news of special events
The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival will take place from 28 April
to 2 May. Moray Firth Amateur Radio Society is celebrating this event
by running three Special Event stations. GB3SWF will be located at
Strathisla distillery, GB2SWF will be at the Craigellachie Distillery
and GB4SWF will be at Cragganmore Distillery. A commemorative QSL
card will be sent to all stations that contact the club during the
weekend.
Sands Contest Group is running a special event station to celebrate
the Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton. Weather
permitting they hope to run four stations using the callsign GB4HRH.
They will be on air between 10am and 5pm on Saturday 30 April and
Sunday 1 May. All QSL cards should be sent as EQSL. Details are
available on QRZ.com.
Tamworth Amateur Radio Society will be operating GB1WK on Friday 29
April from 2pm hours to celebrate the wedding of Prince William to
Kate Middleton. Operation will be on HF and 2m.
A team of GMDX members will activate Lunga in the Treshnish Isles 28
April to 1 May. Treshnish Isles are one of the rarer British IOTAs,
EU108, and Islands Of Scotland Award NH17. There will be two stations
on the air from Thursday 28 April through to Sunday 1 May. Equipment
will include K3s, amplifiers and verticals near the waters edge.
Operation will be on the 10m to 80m bands using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL
cards should be sent direct to MM0BQI. Bureau cards should be
requested from gb5ti.qsl<at>gmail.com. Cards will sent out in June.
GB4FPR will be on the airwaves for Marconi Day on 30 April. In
addition to the normal amateur frequencies they will also be
transmitting on 502 to 503kHz CW, replying on the same frequencies to
suitably equipped stations and crossband to 3570 or 7030kHz for non
suitably equipped stations. Signal reports are welcomed and QSLs
should be sent to M0BZZ direct or via the bureau.
M0HAZ & Thorpe Camp Museum ARG will be active on 5MHz from the WW2
Museum on 30 April from 9am to 1pm using CW and from 1pm to 5pm on
SSB. They will be using the callsign M0HAZ/A/TCM and will be looking
for SINPO reports. For more information please go to
www.m0haz.btck.co.uk.
Ballymena ARC will be participating in the Steam Traction Rally at
Shanes Castle, Antrim on 1 and 2 May. They will be putting on
displays of amateur radio for the public as well as activating the
castle as part of castles and stately homes on the air Northern
Ireland. The club will be using callsign GN4KPT, utilising all modes
and bands.
On Saturday 30 April, subject to weather for landing, two members of
the Barry Amateur Radio Society will be activating a Marconi Day
International Special Event Station from Flatholm Island located in
the Bristol Channel, which is IOTA reference EU 124. They plan to
operate on many of the HF bands and perhaps also via amateur
satellites when access is possible using the callsign GB4MBC. On
Friday 29th and Sunday 1 May also look out for them using the club
callsign GB4BRS/P. Further details will be posted on QRZ.com.
And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
Mirek, VK6DXI will be active as 9M8DX/2 from Kuala Lumpur, West
Malaysia on 25 to 30 April. This will a business trip with some CW
activity during the local evening hours. QSL via SP5UAF.
Francois, ON4LO will be active on 10 to 40m SSB as F/ON4LO/P until 4
June. He plans to operate from a few lighthouses during his trip. QSL
via his home callsign, direct or bureau.
Ben, DO1BEN and Barbara, DO1IQ will be active as OZ/homecalls from
Lolland Island, which is IOTA reference EU-029, until 30 April. They
will operate SSB and some RTTY and PSK31 on 10 to 80m. QSL for both
via DO1BEN, either direct or via the bureau.
Look for Noel, OO4O to be active as OZ/OO4O from Fyn Island, which is
IOTA reference EU-172, between 1 and 6 May. He will operate mainly
SSB on the HF bands. QSL via the Belgian QSL bureau and LoTW.
The XF2P expedition to Isla de Lobos, which is IOTA reference NA-221
has a website at http://xf2p.puebladx.org. Twelve operators will be
active on 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6 and 2 metres between 29 April and 1
May. QSL via XE1P, direct or bureau.
Now the contest news
The IRTS 2m Counties Contest takes place for two hours on Easter
Monday, 25 April between 1300 and 1500UTC. Exchange a report and
serial number. Irish stations also give their county. In each of the
five entry categories there are awards for the top station outside of
EI. Although the outside-EI awards usually go to someone in GI,
several categories often attract no entries at all from outside of
EI, which looks like a clear opportunity for certificate hunters to
get themselves some wallpaper.
Tuesday 26 April sees two contests taking place between 1900 and
2130UTC. The first is the 50MHz UK Activity Contest. Using all modes
the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The other
contest is the SHF UK Activity Contest. Again using all modes on the
2.3GHz and up bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and
locator.
The BARTG Sprint 75 Contest takes place on Saturday 30 April from
1700 to 2100UTC. The rules can be found on the BARTG website
www.bartg.org.uk/index.asp. Look under the contest tab.
And now the solar factual data for the period from the 11th to the
17th of April, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on the 12th of April.
On the 11th a small sunspot appeared and grew rapidly into a complex
group. This was joined by another complex group that rotated into
view during the 13th. Between them they produced numerous C class
solar flares every day. Other smaller groups were visible but they
remained stable and quiet. Solar activity was low every day but
increased to moderate levels on the 15th when an impulsive M1 solar
flare took place. These solar flares had little effect on
propagation. What they did though was to increase solar flux levels
from 106 units on the 11th to 129 by the 15th. The average was 116
units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 17th was 103, that's two
units up on last week. X-ray flux levels increased from B3 units to
B6.2 by the 15th. The average was B4.9 units. Geomagnetic activity
started at quiet levels but on the 12th the Ap index increased to 23
units due to the effects of a recurring coronal hole disturbance.
This continued into the 13th when the Ap was 14 units but after that
quiet conditions returned. The average was Ap 10 units. Solar wind
data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds increase from 300
kilometres per second on the 11th to 670 by the next day. Speeds then
gradually declined back to 320 kilometres per second by the end of
the period. Particle densities were low except for the 11th which saw
an increase to 22 particles per cubic centimetre. Bz varied between
minus 2 and plus 4 nanoTeslas on the quiet days and between minus 9
and plus 13 nanoTeslas during the 12th.
And now the solar forecast. This week the quieter side of the Sun is
expected to be rotating into view. Saying that, solar activity should
be low on most days and a slight chance that activity could increase
to moderate levels, especially during the next couple of days. Solar
flux levels should decline and be around the 110 mark by the weekend.
Geomagnetic activity is expected to be at quiet levels at first but
towards next weekend a coronal hole disturbance could arrive and
consequently activity will increase. MUFs during daylight hours at
equal latitudes should be around 23MHz for the south and 20MHz for
the north. Darkness hour lows should be about 10MHz. 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 22MHz. The
optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be
about 17MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 1600 and
2100 hours. Sporadic-E should take place on some days where small
openings could occur as we are still at the start of the summer
season.
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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