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G4TNU > NEWS 28.09.11 21:09l 220 Lines 11280 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 02 Oct
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 2nd October 2011
The news headlines:
* RSGB Convention next weekend
* GPS disruption tests due in East Anglia
* Help wanted to count Draconids meteors
The RSGB Convention takes place next weekend, 7 to 9 October at
Horwood House, near Milton Keynes. Booking for room packages closes
today, 2 October, but day tickets, priced GBP 6.50, are available for
either Saturday or Sunday. Lectures run from 9.30am to 5.45pm on
Saturday and 9am to 3.30pm on Sunday. See
www.rsgb.org.uk/rsgbconvention for details.
Ofcom has announced that multiple jammers will be disrupting the
SatNav GPS system around Stanford, East Anglia, between 0900 and
1730BST from 3 to 7 October. There will be multiple jammers, land
based, within 5km of N52° 31.0' E000° 45.0' using 24MHz band
signals centred around 1575.42MHz. It is stressed that Safety of Life
operations will at all times take precedence over exercise
activities. For further in formation contact
InfoGPS.Notices<at>ofcom.org.uk.
The British Astronomical Association is organising a meteor watch
exercise for the coming Draconids shower, between 7 and 9 October. It
would be interesting to compare meteor scatter counts against
activity reported by visual observers up and down the country. The
Draconids are not normally a large event but are subject to
occasional outbursts and there has been speculation that this year
could produce one of these. Observations are requested across the
three days of 7, 8 and 9 October. Preferably these would be
around-the clock, but if this is not possible, between 1500 and
2300UTC on the three days. Counts in 15-minute bins will be
appropriate for most of the time but on the evening of 8 October,
most likely between 1800 and 2100UTC, the rates may be changing very
quickly and so it would be advantageous to have the counts in
5-minute bins. It is very important that receiver settings and
antenna alignment are kept constant throughout the period of
observation. If possible, the beam of the antenna should be directed
towards the mid-point of the great circle path joining the
transmitter and receiver locations. Paul Hyde, G4CSD the BAA
Coordinator for the Radio Astronomy Group, will be consolidating the
observations into a single report which will be sent to all
participants. Please contact him by e-mail to
radiogroup<at>britastro.org for further information on how to submit
reports.
The T32C DXpedition to Kirimitati now has 10 Yaesu FT-450
transceivers and eight linear amplifiers on the island, along with
the hardware to put up gain antennas for 10 through 80 metres, and a
big vertical for 160m. They also plan to install Beverages for
receiving. Operation should be in full swing by this weekend and they
aim to post any breaking news on the DXpedition website, www.t32c.com.
The Central Scotland Mini Convention is a new event planned for June
2012. It will be held at the Crofthead Farm Community Education
Centre, Livingston. Planned attractions include traders' tables, a
bring and buy stall and a programme of talks. Further details will be
posted at http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/cshrc when they become
available.
In under a year the AMSAT-UK FUNcube Yahoo Group has achieved over
2000 members. The group was created by Rob Styles, M0TFO at the end
of October 2010. Its purpose is to provide support for the AMSAT-UK
FUNcube satellite and the FUNcube Dongle software defined radio
package. There are two talks at this year's RSGB Convention on the
Funcube satellite and the FUNcube dongle by Graham Shirville, G3VZV
and Howard Long, G6LVB respectively.
The 54th Jamboree On The Air will take place on 15 and 16 October.
This year's theme is Peace, Environment and Natural Disasters. Within
this year's JOTA, an emergency communications exercise will take
place on Saturday, 15 October, 2011 in the afternoon, European time
zone. This simulated emergency test will include the Headquarters
station, HB9S, of the World Organisation of the Scout Movement, which
will be operated by amateurs from 5 different countries.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The RSGB Convention takes place at Horwood House near Milton Keynes
on 7 to 9 October. Five lecture streams are available on both
Saturday and Sunday, totalling 65 lectures to choose from. There is
also a Partners Programme for those not interested in the radio
events of the weekend, with a trip to Stowe Landscape Gardens and
Milton Keynes. Both UK and US exams are available over the weekend.
See www.rsgb.org/rsgbconvention for full details.
The Autumn Militaria & Electronics & Radio Amateur Hangar Sale takes
place on 9 October at the Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich,
Cheshire, CW5 8AL. Doors open at 10am and admission is GBP 2.50.
There will be civil, military and vintage radio equipment plus
vehicle spares and more. Contact Rod Siebert, 01270 623 353.
Now for the news of special events
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of HMS Belfast's arrival in the
Pool of London, in October 1971, the London Group of the RNARS will
be active as GB40HMSB between 1 October and 31 December. A
commemorative QSL card will be available in the New Year.
And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
DL8KX and DD8ZJ will be active as 9H3KX from Gozo Island between 8
and 14 October. Their operation will be on the HF bands using CW and
SSB. QSL via DL8KX either direct or via by the bureau.
There is a joint US/Australian trip to Vanuatu until 12 October. The
callsign will be YJ0VK. They will be on all bands from 10 to 160m
using CW, SSB and RTTY/PSK31. QSLs go via VK2CA.
DK0RZ will be on the air from Hallig Hooge, which is IOTA reference
EU-042, on 5 to 8 October. They plan to operate CW, SSB and PSK31.
QSL via the bureau.
DJ7RJ will be operating as FR/DJ7RJ from Reunion Island, which is
IOTA reference AF-016, between 4 and 26 October. He will operate CW
and SSB on 10 to 160m, with a focus on the low bands using a 500 watt
amplifier into an inverted L antenna. QSL via home call, direct or
bureau.
A group of operators from the Workington Radio Club and the Sands
Contest Group will be active as MS0WRC from the Isle of Tiree until 8
October. QSL via G0MTD, direct or bureau.
Now the contest news
The IARU 432MHz-248GHz Contest runs until 1400UTC on 2 October. The
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The 21/28MHz Contest takes place today, Sunday 2 October. The planned
deletion of this event from the contest calendar may have contributed
to the substantial increase in entries in all sections last year.
They are hoping for similar results this year. Taking place from 0700
to 1900UTC and using CW and SSB on the two bands, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and district.
Tuesday 4 October sees the 144MHZ UK Activity Contest taking place
from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
On the 8th and 9th, the CW legs of the Oceania DX and the EU Sprint
take place. The Oceania DX is from 0800 to 0800UTC and the EU Sprint
from 1600 to 2000UTC. Being a sprint, of course there's a QSY rule.
It says that if you make a QSO as a result of calling CQ or QRZ, you
then have to QSY a minimum of 2kHz before you can make another QSO.
And please don't forget that the exchange includes both callsigns.
And now the solar factual data for the period from the 19th to the
25th of September, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on the 26th of
September.
After several warnings about a sudden increase in solar activity,
this week it happened with a bang. Solar activity started the period
at low levels with large C class solar flares on the 19th and the
20th. On the 21st, a large new sunspot group was rotating into view,
and it produced an X1 solar flare on the 22nd. Activity continued to
increase and on the 24th a further X1 class solar flare took place,
along with a number of large M class flares, and not all from the
same group because two small groups produced weaker M class flares.
Strong sudden ionospheric disturbances and large coronal mass
ejections accompanied many of the large solar flares. Solar flux
levels increased steadily during the period from 141 units on the
19th to 158 by the 23rd. The figure for the 24th was 190, however,
this was measured at the usual delay that coincided with a large
solar flare taking place at the same time, so the figure is what we
call ‘flare enhanced', a more realistic figure would have been
around the mid 160's, but the figure of 190 will be recorded which
makes that the highest daily figure for this cycle. The next day the
figure was 169. The average was 157 units. The 90 day solar flux
average on the 25th was 108, that's five units up on the previous
week. X-ray flux levels increased from B7.1 units to C2.7 by the
25th. The average was C1. Geomagnetic activity was quiet all week
with the Ap index into the low single figures every day. The average
was Ap 4 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar
wind speeds vary between 300 and 450 kilometres per second. Densities
were low throughout and the Bz varied no more that minus 5 and plus 6
nanoTeslas during the period.
And now the solar forecast. This week still should see the active
side of the Sun looking our way, at first anyway, but by next weekend
solar activity should decline as the large sunspot group rotates out
of view. Solar flux levels should decline to around the 120's later
in the week. Geomagnetic activity should be quiet at first but, due
to a coronal hole, activity should increase by next weekend. A
warning though, at any time this week a coronal mass ejection could
arrive and with it geomagnetic activity will increase significantly.
MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 30MHz
for the south and 27MHz for the north, though these levels should
decline as the week progresses and will be much lower if any large
scale magnetic storms take place. Darkness hour lows should about
12MHz. This week the Five Star DXers Association DXpedition to
Christmas Island in the Pacific with the callsign T32C will be under
way. Hopefully by now the pile ups will be somewhat smaller. If the
solar flux levels remain high then best time to try to work them on
28MHz will be between 0930 and 1130 short path and around 0900 on the
long path. Failing that, 14MHz will be open from around 0730 through
till around midday on the short path and from 0600 on the long path.
With it being a polar path, quiet magnetic conditions are almost
essential and any medium sized disturbances will make it all the more
difficult to work them. Next week we will have the LF bands forecast.
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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