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G4TNU > NEWS 01.04.12 01:08l 233 Lines 11957 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 01 Apr 2012
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 1st April 2012
The news headlines:
* Did you know Ken Rowell G5RL?
* TEP observation beacons
* RSGB prepared to defend CW
Following the announcement a few months ago of the legacy from the
late Ken Rowell, the Legacy Trustees, appointed to consider the way
in which the bequest might be used, have held their first meeting.
They are now asking for help from anyone who has any information on
Ken Rowell, G5RL, his station, or any particular interests he had,
that would help the Trustees to develop proposals on how his generous
bequest could best be utilised. They are particularly anxious to
obtain any photographs, letters or documents that would assist in
this work. The Trustees are grateful for all the suggestions that
have already been made regarding this legacy and will keep members
informed of progress through RadCom. If you can help, please send any
information to the Secretary to the Trustees, care of RSGB
Headquarters, or to legacysecretary<at>rsgb.org.uk.
There are two new beacons on air from Namibia for TEP observations.
They are active 24 hours a day from JG82IE, callsign V51VHF. Listen
out for the 35 watt CW signal on 70.005 that uses a DK7ZB beam headed
North, and the 144.430MHz CW signal into a 10 element DK7ZB beam,
also heading North.
Some say that CW has been made obsolete by modern digimodes, which
work well in conditions far too poor for the older mode. Now that
Morse is no longer used in commercial radio traffic, the RSGB
confirms that it would fight any moves to prohibit CW on amateur
bands. The Society recognises that Morse gives much pleasure to
thousands of operators, and will continue to support its use.
The Radio Security Service will hold its 16th reunion at Bletchley
Park on Sunday 22 April in the Mansion Ballroom. Gates open at 10am
and the meeting starts at 11am. All are welcome. The reunions are
held to commemorate the 1,500-plus radio amateurs who used their
special skills in the greatest secrecy in WW2 to monitor the German
Secret Service, and thus facilitate numerous deceptions contributing
to military successes, especially on D-Day. There will be a series of
presentations and there will be the opportunity to visit Hut One to
view the large collection of communication equipment from the past.
Booking is not required, but it will be helpful if you can let Stan
Ames know if you hope to attend. You can contact him by email to
RSSreunion<at>aol.com.
Ofcom has announced a GPS jamming exercise between 9 and 20 April
near RAF Spadeadam in Cumbria. From 7am to 6pm there will be multiple
jammers based within 5km of N55° 04.000' W002° 34.000', operating
within the 24MHz band centred around 1575.42MHz. The total power used
will be up to 10 watts EIRP. It is stressed that, as in previous
exercises, Safety of Life operations will, at all times, take
precedence over exercise activities.
The Spring Edition of The 5MHz Newsletter has now been published and
features information on the recent WRC-12 conference. A subscription
is not needed and the Newsletter can be freely read or downloaded
from Google documents at http://tinyurl.com/7ylxz9z. A paper copy can
be obtained by sending an SASE large enough to take folded A4 to the
Editor, G4MWO, who is QTHR and on QRZ.com. A chart is also maintained
of current Worldwide 5MHz Amateur Allocations. This can be found at
http://tinyurl.com/82rwq2b
On 24 March, sometime between 0230 and sunrise, in Kenninghall,
Norfolk, Peter Lock, M0RYB had his red Land Rover Defender 90 X191
FVC stolen. Inside was an Icom IC-7000, serial number 1002538. The
crime Number is 12618/12/0. If anyone has any information on the
whereabouts of the radio, or vehicle, please contact Peter via
doc.lock<at>tesco.net so that he can pass the information onto the
police.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club Annual Rally will take place today,
1 April, at The Share Holiday Village, Lisnaskea, Co. Fermanagh
BT92 0EQ. Doors open at 11.30am. There will be trade stands and a
Bring & Buy. The RSGB President, Dave Wilson, M0OBW, will also be
visiting the rally. Details from Iain on 02866 326 693.
Also today, 1 April, the South Gloucestershire Amateur Radio Rally
will be held in the Scout Activity Centre, Woodhouse Park,
Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4LX. Doors open at 10am. There will be
trade stands and a Bring & Buy. Talk in is on S22. More details from
Stan Goodwin, G0RYM on 07833 517 370.
From 10 April the Titanic Centenary event will take place from
Charterhouse, Godalming. GR100MGY will be active for 6 days. There is
free admission and free car parking on 14 and 15 April, 12 to 4pm.
Contact G0EFO at michaelgs1<at>talktalk.net.
Now for the news of special events
On 8 April, GB50WVR will be on the air from the Keighley & Worth
Valley railway, which is celebrating 50 years of the Preservation
Society. More information, including QSL details, is on qrz.com.
GB100MGY will be on the air from 6 to 26 April from Fort Perch Rock
Marine Radio Museum, New Brighton, Wirral in commemoration of the
Titanic. They also have special permission from Ofcom to use this
callsign on the 501 to 504kHz band. They plan to transmit and receive
on 502kHz and, for those without a 500kHz band NoV, it will be
crossband on 3566kHz or 7066kHz as propagation conditions determine.
More on www.gb100mgy-fortperchrock.co.uk.
The centenary of the loss of RMS Titanic in 1912 will be commemorated
with many activities taking place around the world, including a
number in Godalming, Surrey, the birthplace of Titanic's Marconi
Radio Officer, Jack Phillips. GR100MGY will be on the air from the
grounds of Charterhouse school in Godalming. Operated by Wey Valley
Amateur Radio Group, members of the public are invited to visit on 14
and 15 April from noon until 4pm. Visitors should come to the school
on Hurtmore Road, GU7 2DX, during these opening hours and simply
follow the parking signs.
And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
ON4AEO and several other operators from Belgium and South Africa will
be active as 3DA0FC from Swaziland on 6 to 10 April. They plan to
operate SSB, RTTY and PSK on 10 to 80m bands. QSL via ON4CJK, direct
or bureau.
JA1XGI will be active as A35XG from Tongatapu, Tonga, which is IOTA
reference OC-049,
on 2 to 9 April. Activity will be on the 10 to 30m bands, especially
30, 17 and 12 metres using CW, SSB and digital modes. QSL via his
home callsign, direct or via the bureau.
GM6TW will be operating from the Inner Hebrides, IOTA reference
EU-008, from 7 to 13 April. The main QTH will be the Isle of Jura,
but will also be activations from Islay and Colonsay. QSL via M0UTD.
PJ2/PA7JWC and PJ2/PD7DB will be on the air from Curacao, which is
IOTA reference SA-099, on 2 to 9 April. They will operate SSB, CW,
RTTY and PSK on the 10 to 80m bands. QSLs via Logbook of The World
are preferred or via home callsigns, direct and via the bureau.
Now the contest news
At 90 minutes in duration it may be a short contest, but make no
mistake, the 1st RoPoCo contest today, 1 April, is quite challenging.
The maximum permitted power is 100 watts with no QRP or high power
categories. The basic format is that in your first QSO you send your
full postcode and for all subsequent QSOs you send the postcode you
received in your previous QSO. If you receive a postcode that you
know is erroneous, for example a corrupted version of your own
postcode, record it as received and give it to your next QSO partner
as-is. Provided you are not the person to introduce an error, you'll
get points for the QSO, because it is the accuracy of the exchange
that is important. This all takes place on the 3.5MHz band from 1900
to 2030UTC.
Activity on 70MHz continues to grow with the 1st 70MHz contest taking
place today, 1 April, from 0900 to 1200UTC. Last year 156 stations
took part from six different call areas. It's a race to accumulate as
many kilometres worked as possible, with no multipliers. Using all
modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The latest CW leg of the 80m club championships takes place on 2
April from 100 to 2030UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial
number.
On 3 April the 144MHz UK Activity contest takes place from 1900 to
2130UTC. Using all modes on the band the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
The first leg of the SP DX Contest takes place on 7 and 8 April from
1500 to 1500UTC. Using both CW and SSB on the 1.8 to 28m bands, SP
stations send a signal report plus a single character province code,
while non-SP stations send a signal report and a serial number.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 23rd to
the 29th of March, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday the 30th
of March.
Several small sunspot groups were visible every day. Only one group
was large, which produced an M class solar flare on the 23rd,
otherwise solar activity was at low levels every day with just a few
C class solar flares taking place each day. However, on the 29th a
large group was approaching the north-east limb and produced numerous
large C class flares. This is the return of a region that produced 14
M class and two X class solar flares on its last rotation during the
first two weeks of March. Solar flux levels increased from 101 units
on the 25th to 112 by the 29th. The average was 105 units. The 90 day
solar flux average on the 29th was 119, that's three units down on
last week. X-ray flux levels varied little day to day and averaged
B2.5 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet until a weak coronal hole
disturbance arrived around midday on the 27th and lasted for 24
hours. The Ap index on the 27th and the 28th was 15 units. The
average was Ap 8 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw
solar wind speeds increase from 330 kilometres per second on the 23rd
to 510 by the 28th. Particle densities were low every day except for
an increase to 20 particles per cubic centimetre by the 27th. Bz
varied between minus 3 and plus 4 nanoTeslas and between minus 12 and
6 nanoTeslas during the disturbance. MUFs fell below forecast levels
on several days, this is due to the coronal hole disturbance and
seasonal decline. A radio aurora event took place from the afternoon
27th to the early hours of the 28th but contracts appear to have been
confined to high latitudes.
And finally the solar forecast. This week the active side of the Sun
is expected to be looking our way. Depending on how active the old
region 1429 is, which is now back in view, that will determine the
level of activity for the coming week. Moderate levels are a
possibility. Solar flux levels should increase and be in the 130s
later in the week. Geomagnetic activity should be quiet every day.
However, there is a chance that later in the week activity could
increase due to the arrival of a coronal mass ejection. MUFs during
daylight hours at equal latitudes should be about 26MHz for the south
and 23MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be around 10MHz.
Paths this week to Australia should have a maximum usable frequency
with a 50 per cent success rate of around 27MHz. The optimum working
frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be about 21MHz. The
best time to try this path will be between 0900 and 1200 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 Thursday before transmission.
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