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G4TNU > NEWS 28.11.11 21:06l 206 Lines 10071 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 27th November 2011
The news headlines:
* RSGB EGM Results
* EME Conference info on Twitter
* Changes to the 5MHz band in USA
135 people attended the RSGB EGM held on Saturday 19 November. The
meeting resulted in Special Resolution 1 to create the Interim Board
being passed with 85 percent of those voting at the meeting or by
proxy voting for the Special Resolution. For Ordinary Resolutions 2-9
to appoint individual members to the Board, the votes ranged between
83 and 86 percent of those voting.
Special Resolution 1 required a 75 percent majority, the others a
simple majority. Details of the meeting, including a recording of
proceedings and the detailed report from Electoral Reform Services
can be found online at www.rsgb.org/EGM/. The new Board now starts
work immediately and regular updates will be carried on the RSGB
website and in RadCom.
There is now an official Twitter information feed for the 15th
International EME Conference to be held in Cambridge in August 2012.
The Twitter feed can be found at twitter.com/moonbounce2012. More
information on the conference is available online at www.eme2012.com.
On November 18 the FCC announced changes for amateur radio operation
at 5MHz in the USA. The key changes are that the FCC deleted the
channel 5366.5 USB with a centre frequency of 5368.0kHz, and replaced
it with channel 5357.0kHz USB with a centre frequency of 5358.5kHz.
Changes have been made to now allow upper sideband, RTTY, data and
CW; with specific limitations, as well as a maximum power level of
100 watts PEP effective radiated power referenced to a dipole. The
changes won't become effective until 30 days after the publication of
the announcement. Full details can be read at www.arrl.org/news.
Roger, G3MEH is looking at the feasibility of running an Advanced
course early next year. It would need eight Sunday afternoon sessions
running from 2pm to 6pm for tuition at The White Hill Community
Centre, Chesham HP5 1AG. If the course ran on consecutive Sundays
then sitting the exam on Saturday 3 March would be just possible,
otherwise the next opportunity would be on Thursday 9 May. If you are
interested in the course, please contact Roger, by e-mail to
roger<at>g3meh.com.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The final rally of the year is due to take place on 4 December. The
Bishop Auckland Radio Amateurs Club Rally will be held in Spennymoor
Leisure Centre, Co Durham DL16 6DB. Doors open at 10.30am and
admission is GBP 1.50 with accompanied under 14s free. There will be
trade stands and a Bring & Buy. More details from Mark, G0GFG on
01388 747 497.
Now for the news of special events
G4PF and M0GWW will be running a special event station to celebrate
Lancashire Week, using the callsign GB0LD. The NoV finishes today, 27
November, with the Loyal Toast being read at 9pm tonight, which is
Lancashire Day. The station will be run from the village of Hoghton
in central Lancashire and will use all bands from 70cm to 160m. More
information can be found on QRZ.com.
GB2NFG will be operating today, Sunday 27 November 2011, 1000 to
1600UTC as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations open day for the
New Forest Group of the National Vintage Tractor and Engine Club. The
event is being held at Copythorne Village Hall, Pollards Moor Road,
Copythorne, Southampton SO40 2NZ. Operation will take place on the HF
bands and 2m. There will be vintage tractors and other vintage
vehicles on show as well as various exhibitions and stands. Admission
is free and radio amateurs and their families would be especially
most welcome. For further details contact Keith, G8MZF on
02380 849 395 or call him on 145.500MHz on the day.
And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
Jonathan, G0DVJ, Mike, W0MU and Jim, N1NK will operate as J6M from
St. Lucia as a team in the CQWW CW contest that finishes as midnight
tonight, 27 November.
Following on from his recent visit to Guinea in West Africa with the
3XY1D team DL7DF is now headed for Kenya for a holiday until 6
December. He will reactivate his Kenyan callsign, 5Z4HW, which he had
previously used in February 2004 and February/March 2008.
A team of German amateurs will be active from Banana Island off the
coast of Sierra Leone until 4 December. They will use the callsign
9L0W and for the island chasers the IOTA reference is AF-037.
QSLs go via DK2VW.
Steve White, G3ZVW will once again be active as ZD8N from Ascension
Island until 2 December. Activity will be on 10 to 80 metres using
CW, SSB and the digital modes. He is also expected to participate in
the CQWW DX CW Contest. QSL via his home callsign, by the bureau or
direct.
Phil, F4EGS, is back in Chad and active as TT8PK until 23 December.
He has been reported a number of times although activity is limited
to his spare time. QSL via F4EGS.
Mark, 6W/AA1AC from will be on the air from 4 to 11 December from
Senegal. He plans to be on 80 through 10m. QSL via the bureau or
direct to his home call.
Peri, HB9IQB, will be in Palestine in December and has a licence to
operate as E4/HB9IQB. He'll be using a K2/100 into wire verticals
mostly on CW on 12, 17 and 30. More details on
www.hb9iqb.ch/palestine.html.
Now the contest news
The CQWW DX CW Contest takes place over the whole weekend, 26 and 27
November, finishing at midnight tonight. With propagation on the
upper HF bands improved over recent years, at times we can expect the
CW segments of all the contesting bands to be very busy indeed. The
exchange is signal report and CQ Zone. The UK is Zone 14.
On Tuesday 29 November the 70MHz UK Activity Contest takes place
between 2000 and 2230UTC. Using all modes the exchanges is signal
report, serial number and locator.
The ARRL 160m CW Contest runs from 2200UTC Friday evening to 1600UTC
Sunday afternoon on 2 to 4 December. For UK stations, the action
takes place during the hours when North America and the UK are both
in darkness, around 2200 to 0800UTC. Work American stations including
KL7, KH6 and US overseas territories and Canadian stations only. For
single-ops there are QRP, low-power, high-power categories. It's
similar for multi-op stations, except that there's no QRP category. A
vertical antenna or an inverted-L with a high vertical section and an
efficient radial or earthing system are very much to be desired for
this one. The exchange is signal report and American and Canadian
stations also send their ARRL/RAC section number.
Next Sunday, 4 December, the 144MHz AFS takes place. This will be the
third in this season's Super League competition. From 0900 to
1700UTC, using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
On Tuesday 6 December the 144MHz UK Activity Contest takes place from
2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
And now the solar factual data for the period from the 14th to the
20th of November, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on the 21st of
November.
First this week the latest smoothed monthly sunspot numbers which are
for February, March and April are 33.4, 36.9 and 41.8 respectively.
Without being to optimistic this sunspot cycle could be higher than
presently predicted. How much higher, well, we will have to just wait
and see. The peak is due around the start of 2013.
The solar disc started with 13 sunspots groups visible on the 14th.
As some groups rotated out of view more were coming into view on the
opposite side of the Sun. Most were small and quiet but a few groups
produced numerous C class solar flares everyday. Solar activity was
low everyday except for the 15th which increased to moderate when
three small M1 class solar flares took place. Considering the number
of solar flares taking place the impact on propagation was minimal.
Solar flux levels declined from 161 units on the 14th to 140 by the
19th and the 20th. The average was 146. The 90 day solar flux average
on the 20th was 138 units, that's three units up on last week. X-ray
flux levels declined from C1 units on the 15th to B6 by the 20th and
the average was B8 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet everyday.
The period started with an Ap index of zero on the 14th. The most
disturbed day was the 15th with an Ap index of only 6 units. The
average was Ap 2 units, making it one of the quietest weeks of the
year. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds
around the 350 kilometres per second on most days but increased
briefly to 480 kilometres per second on the 16th. Particle densities
remained low everyday. Bz showed little variation throughout. On the
19th Bz remained positive all day.
And finally the solar forecast. This week the more active side of the
Sun is expected to be coming into view. Solar activity could be
moderate on some days. Solar flux levels look set to rise and be
around the 170's later in the week. There are now no coronal hole
disturbances expected and if no coronal mass ejections take place
that are directed towards Earth then a quiet geomagnetic week is
expected. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be
well above 30MHz for the whole of the UK. Darkness hour lows should
be around 10MHz. Paths this week to the Middle East should have a
maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around
34MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate
will be about 26MHz. The best time to try the path will be between
0900 and 1300 hours.
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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