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G4TNU > NEWS 15.06.11 19:41l 228 Lines 11642 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 19 Jun
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 19th June 2011
The news headlines:
* Southern 80m news readings to end
* Near-vertical incidence skywave measurements published
* New Olympic radio information website
Last month an appeal was made on GB2RS for members to come forward as
volunteer news readers for the South of England news readings on
3640kHz. Unfortunately no-one has come forward. The result is that
the South East and South West readings at 0900 and the East Anglia
reading at 0930 on 3640kHz will terminate next Sunday, 26 June. The
RSGB takes this opportunity to thank the four retiring newsreaders
involved, G3WDY, G3WUZ, G4NZQ and G4DYC, for their dedication to the
news service over many years. G4NZQ will, however, be able to
continue with the 2m evening news reading via the Norwich repeater.
Listeners are reminded that they can find alternative news readings
by accessing the RSGB Members' Only website, clicking on News and
then selecting the Broadcast Schedule tab.
Dr Marcus Walden, G0IJZ, recently attended the 13th International
Ionospheric Effects Symposium in Alexandria, USA. Marcus gave a
presentation titled Comparison of Propagation Predictions and
Measurements for Mid-Latitude HF NVIS Links at 5MHz. This compared
near-vertical incidence skywave measurements from the UK 5MHz beacon
network with HF propagation predictions using VOACAP and ASAPS
software. Further information and a link to the paper can be found on
the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/spectrumforum/hf/5mhzintro.php.
Marcus will also be at this year's RSGB Convention to give a
presentation on NVIS frequency selection, the 5MHz beacon
measurements and HF NVIS propagation predictions.
Further to the recent 70cm tests in support of the Olympic sailing at
Weymouth & Portland, the RSGB has introduced a more permanent
presence for Olympics news and information at www.rsgb.org/olympics.
It is also linked from the Operating section of the RSGB website.
Additional information will be added in due course as further details
become available.
The West Yorkshire Repeater Group is going digital. Their new
repeater, GB7HX, will go on air this morning, 19 June. The group were
hoping to run GB3HD in parallel but because of delays in new
frequency allocations for GB7HX, they have opted to put the new
digital repeater on the old HD frequencies for now, with a 1.6MHz
split. This means that GB3HD will be temporarily off air, but the
group aims to re-instate it once a new frequency pair has been
allocated for GB7HX. The repeater will operate from the group's
excellent site at Scapegoat Hill near Huddersfield and will provide
good coverage of Huddersfield, Brighouse, Elland, Halifax and the M62
corridor from Junction 22 to 32 and beyond. The solution is Icom
based with an Intel server for the internet gateway. The repeater is
connected to the K5TIT trust environment. The group would like to
thank the RSGB Emerging Technology Co-ordination Committee for all
their help with this proposal. You can get more information from the
repeater group's website at www.wyrg.org.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The Newbury Radio Rally and Boot Sale will take place on Sunday 19
June at the Newbury Showground, next to M4 J13. There will be a big
display area of amateur radio stations, exhibitions, special groups,
clubs and societies. There is free car parking, admission is GBP 2
and doors open at 9am. Sellers have access from 8am and pitches cost
GBP 10. Details from rally<at>nadars.org.uk.
On Friday 24 June, from 6 to 9pm,The Radio Society of Harrow are
holding a mini field day and picnic at Old Redding View Point Car
park, Harrow Weald HA3 6SE. During the evening, some satellite
operation is planned, although some expertise would be welcome in
this area. All are welcome to attend.
The Hamtronic Show takes place in Friedrichshafen, Germany from 24 to
26 June. Several UK companies will be exhibiting and there will also
be a large RSGB bookstall.
On 25 June an Amateur Radio Jumble will be held at Kilham Village
Hall, near Driffield, East Yorks YO25 4RG. Doors open at 9.30am and
entry is GBP 1, which includes tea or coffee. Details from John,
G3XYF on 01377 254441.
Next Sunday, 26 June, the West of England Radio Rally will be held in
the Cheese & Grain, Bridge Street, Frome, Somerset BA11 1BE. There
will trade stands and an RSGB bookstall. Contact Shaun, G8VPG,
01225 873 098.
Now for the news of special events
Reading and District Amateur Radio Club will be operating GB2MBA for
Museums on the Air today, 19 June, at the Museum of Berkshire
Aviation, Mohawk Way, Woodley.
Welland Valley Amateur Radio Society will put GB0BON on the air
today, 19 June, to commemorate the 366th anniversary of the Battle of
Naseby. The station will be located at Rupert's Viewpoint, just south
of Market Harborough in Leicestershire, on the Clipston Road.
Rupert's Viewpoint is one of the highest vantage points in the area.
Special event station GB4CVM will be active from 24 to 26 June. It
will be operated by Mike, G4SMB, a member of the World Association of
Christian Radio Amateurs and Listeners. Operating frequencies and
times will run generally as per the net schedules shown on the WACRAL
website, www.wacral.org. However, the station will be on the air at
other times where activities permit. Mike invites everyone to call in
and say hello if you can.
Central Lancs ARC will be activating Hoghton Tower on 26 June. This
stately home, located in Preston, Lancashire has been the ancestral
home of the De Hoghton family since William the Conqueror. For more
details go to www.cashota.co.uk.
And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
Several Greek amateurs plan to activate Kastri lighthouse on Othonoi
Island, which is IOTA reference EU-052, for the very first time until
26 June. Details at www.j48o.com. QSLs for J48O should be sent to
SP2FPU either via the bureau or direct.
SD1B/5 plans to become active from Aspoja, which is IOTA reference
EU-177, from 19 June until 1 July. QSL via DL8AAV.
K2EFG will be on the air from Fire Island, which is IOTA reference
NA-026, on 20m and 40m until 23 June. QSL via K2EFG either via the
bureau or direct.
A group of eight operators will be active as BY4QA/5 from Tantou Shan
Island, which is IOPTA reference AS-137, from 30 June to 3 July. They
will operate mainly SSB with some CW on the HF bands. QSL via BD4QK,
direct or via the bureau.
Nigel, G3TXF plans to be active as ZD7XF on St Helena between 22 and
30 June. He will operate CW only, mainly on the HF bands, but he will
also be taking antennas for 80 and 160 metres as well as for 6m.
There will not be any Internet access in the shack; logs will be
uploaded to both LoTW and ClubLog whenever practical. QSL via G3TXF.
Now the contest news
The biggest RSGB VHF event of the month is undoubtedly the 50MHz
Trophy, which takes place for 24 hours this weekend, 18-19th June.
There will be plenty of UK portables operating, some from rarely
activated squares, so unless your locator map has all the squares
coloured in there's likely to be potential for working some new ones.
This event is often blessed with enhanced propagation for at least
part of the time, so as well as the potential to work some new UK
squares, some new Continental ones might also come your way. From
1400 to 1400UTC and using all modes the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
The Worked All Britain 50MHz phone contest takes place today, Sunday
19 June, from 0900 to 1500UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial
number and WAB square. Full details of the rules and logsheets may be
obtained from the WAB website, www.worked-all-britain.co.uk, or from
the Contest Manager, G3XKT by e-mail to aebbooks<at>ntlworld.com.
The IRTS 80m Counties contest also takes place today, the 19th, from
1400 to 1700UTC. For those outside EI/GI, work EI and GI only. Send a
report and serial number, and expect to receive the same plus County
The 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest takes place on 21 June from 1900 to
2130UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number
and locator.
23 June sees the SSB leg of the 80m Club Championships take place
from 1900 and 2030UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial
number.
The fourth 70MHz Cumulative contest takes place on 26 June from 1400
to 1600UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
And now the solar factual data for the period from the 6th to the
12th of June, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on the 13th of June.
Solar activity varied between very low and moderate levels. The
largest solar flare of the week was a M2/2N which took place on the
7th from a small region that had been quiet till then. A large
coronal mass ejection was associated with this flare. Six C class
solar flares took place during the week on different days. Solar flux
levels declined from 100 units on the 6th to 85 by the 11th and the
12th. The average was 90 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the
12th was 103 units, that's three units down on last week. A sharp
fall like this in the 90 day solar flux average is not that unusual
as the very high daily solar flux levels from around 90 days ago come
out of the calculations. Just goes to prove that the progress from
sunspot minimum to maximum is not a smooth curve. X-ray flux levels
remained steady all week and averaged B1.5 units. Geomagnetic
activity was at unsettled levels all week. Several weak effects from
glancing blows from coronal mass ejections continued to take place
all week. The quietest day was the 6th with an Ap index of 7 units.
The average was Ap 10 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft
saw solar wind speeds vary between 380 and 500 kilometres per second.
Particle densities were into the teens during the 7th, 8th, 10th and
the 11th, the remaining days were low. Bz varied between minus and
plus 4 nanoTeslas during the quietest day and between minus 11 and
plus 8 nanoTeslas during the most disturbed day.
And now the solar forecast. The active side of the Sun is expected to
be rotating into view later in the week. Solar activity should
increase to low levels, with a small chance that activity could
increase to moderate levels. Solar flux levels are expected to
increase to slightly above the one hundred mark by next weekend.
Geomagnetic activity is expected to be quiet till midweek before a
coronal hole disturbance is expect to arrive and last till well into
the weekend. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be
around 21MHz for the south and 18MHz for the north. Darkness hour
lows should be about 12MHz. Paths this week to the Middle East should
have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of
about 21MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success
rate will be around 16MHz. The best time to try this path will be
between 1200 and 1900 hours. Also this path should be workable via
double hop sporadic-E on 28 and 50MHz. Occasional Sporadic-E openings
could take place on 144MHz.
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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