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G4TNU > NEWS 22.04.12 01:05l 277 Lines 14580 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 22 Apr 2012
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 22nd April 2012
The news headlines:
* 2O12xx special prefix stations
* New FAQs section on RSGB website
* Details of Olympics amateur band restrictions announced
The London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games provide an outstanding
opportunity to publicise amateur radio. To that end, the RSGB
negotiated a very limited number of special prefixes, 2O12x (two
Oscar one two x), with the intention that these calls are given an
extensive airing over the Olympic period this summer. Special
stations are already planned for London, 2O12L, and Wales, 2O12W, and
there will be a special callsign for the National Radio Centre.
Groups in Scotland and Northern Ireland are encouraged to take
advantage of the special callsign secured for their region. Groups
who would like to use the callsigns for all or part of the Olympic
period should bear in mind that public access and good world-wide
coverage will be required. Expressions of interest should be sent,
without delay, to Bob, G3PJT, by email to G3PJT<at>btinternet.com.
This week, the RSGB has posted comprehensive sets of frequently asked
questions and answers at www.rsgb.org/faq. Amateurs may find that
this is a useful first place to look for any questions you have about
the hobby, membership of the RSGB or for information on the amateur
exam system. The resource will continue to be updated with new
answers as necessary.
Details of amateur band frequency restrictions during the London 2012
Olympic and Paralympic Games have now been released by Ofcom. Parts
of the 70cm, 13cm and 9cm bands are affected between 28 June and 23
September 2012. The restrictions only apply in geographically limited
areas, with 70cm being particularly affected around London and
Weymouth. Full details are on the RSGB website at
www.RSGB.org/olympics.
The Radio Communications Foundation is charged by Ofcom with the
creation and maintenance of the examination arrangements for the
Amateur Radio Examinations in the UK. In discharging its role, the
RCF has an agreement with RSGB that the Society handles the
administration of the processes involved. Questions of syllabus,
examination questions and related policy issues are handled by the
RCE Examinations Committee of the RCF. As a result of turnover in
Committee membership there are vacancies on this Committee and
applications are sought from those with relevant skills and
experience. If you have an Advanced licence, a keen interest in
training and education, experience of examination processes, syllabus
development, examination performance assessment, question development
and the time to devote to four meetings a year, plus e-mail working,
which will become the more normal way of working, then please express
your interest, enclosing a relevant CV, to Professor Simon Watts,
Chairman of the RCE Standards Committee, via
SC.chairman<at>commsfoundation.org.
The RSGB has made available a Media Information Pack for affiliated
radio clubs because of the expected upswing in interest in amateur
radio courtesy of the Olympics. There have been some excellent
examples of clubs and societies using special events to promote
amateur radio widely and the aim of the pack is to help more clubs
achieve this success. You can read details of the media pack at
www.tinyurl.com/RSGBmedia, although the downloadable material is in
the Members Only area.
Following the recent consultation on the Spectrum Strategy, the final
version can now be downloaded from the Spectrum Strategy consultation
page as well as from the Spectrum Forum website. Whilst the response
to the consultation was small, the quality of comment was good and as
a result a number of improvements have been made to the document. As
with all strategy statements, it will need to be reviewed and updated
every few years to reflect changes in our needs and the spectrum
management context. The RSGB would like to thank the members of the
Spectrum Forum for developing the strategy and those who responded
during the consultation.
The RSGB is pleased to announce the appointment of Andy Talbot,
G4JNT, as Technical Forum Chair. Andy brings a wide and deep
understanding of the technical side of amateur radio to this role.
Changes to the RSGB QSL bureau operation that were detailed in the
December 2011 RadCom have now taken effect. Volunteers now despatch,
where possible, all available incoming cards to members and
pay-to-receive users on a quarterly basis. Currently they are sending
out their last batch of cards to non-members, together with the
return of unused collection envelopes and details of how to access
the new scheme. All members with more than one active callsign,
especially those in the M3, M6, 2 and M0 series, urgently need to
visit the RSGB website and update their membership details, if they
have not already done so. To avoid envelopes being returned
incorrectly and cards lost, this information is vital. It would be
most helpful if those who do not collect traditional QSL cards change
the wording of any QRZ.com entry to include the wording "No bureau
cards". Please note that all NOV holders of GB Special Event and
abbreviated single letter callsigns must be registered to a valid
member or affiliated Society in order to continue sending and
receiving cards. To update your information visit www.rsgb.org/amend
or telephone RSGB headquarters, without delay.
From 28 April to 4 May, the Camb-Hams will be continuing their
traditional Scottish Island activation by returning to the Isle of
Mull in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, which is IOTA reference EU-008.
All HF bands from 160m to 10m will be covered with five stations on
air simultaneously, all capable of running the legal power limit from
five linear amplifiers. 6m, 4m and 2m will be active with a great
take-off to the UK and Europe, again all at legal limit. 10GHz is
also being used, for a first-time activation of IO66 square. There
will also be a 24 hour activation from Lunga, IOTA EU-108, using the
callsign GS6PYE/P. This will most likely take place from Sunday 29th
until Monday 30th and is weather dependent. You can follow the
progress at http://dx.camb-hams.com, or on Twitter as <at>g3pye.
Enrolment for the next Bath-based Distance Learning course for the
Advanced exam opens on 1 May. The course will start in June, heading
for the December exam. The course is open to anyone that has passed
the UK Intermediate exam. Each week students will receive directed
reading instructions and a set of revision questions, every three
weeks they will also receive a progress test and mock exams at the
end of the course. Students' answers are marked and worked solutions
are provided. You will need your own copy of the Advanced textbook, a
non-programmable scientific calculator and access to the internet;
material is distributed via a dedicated Yahoo Group. You will need to
set aside at least two hours a week for twenty weeks. Applicants
should not underestimate the commitment required to do this home
study option, but those that see it through to the end have had a
very high pass rate. The course team are based in Bath but have a
growing number of remote tutors across the UK. Further details and
enrolment forms can be obtained by contacting Steve Hartley, G0FUW,
at 5 Sydenham Buildings, Bath BA2 3BS or by email to
G0FUW<at>tiscali.co.uk.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
The 28th Yeovil QRP Convention takes place today, 22 April, in Digby
Hall, Hound Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3AA, which adjoins the
central shopping car park. Doors open 9.30am and there will trade
stands, a Bring & Buy as well as a lecture programme. Contact Derek,
M0WOB on 01935 414 452 for more details.
Today, 22 April, the West London Radio & Electronics Show takes place
at Kempton Park Racecourse, Staines Road East, Sunbury on Thames,
Middlesex TW16 5AQ. There is free car parking and doors open at 10am.
There will be trade stands, a Bring & Buy and special interest
groups. Details from Paul, M0CJX on 08451 650 351.
The Radio Security Service Reunion takes place today, 22 April, at
Bletchley Park. Starting at 11am, all are welcome to this event
commemorating the 1,500+ radio amateurs who monitored German signals
in WWII. There will be lectures and a vintage equipment exhibition.
The National Radio Centre is also open for visitors from 11am.
Moray Firth Amateur Radio Society will be holding their spring junk
sale on Saturday 28 April at 12 noon in the Scout Hall, Christie
Place, Fochabers. Contact Barry, GM4TOE, on 01807 580376.
Now for the news of special events
Today, 22 April, the North Cork Radio Group will be activating Mizen
Head Visitors Centre using the callsign EI0IMD.
Ripon and District ARS are organising the first Inns and Pubs on the
Air weekend. Using GB2TH they will be operating from the Tan Hill Inn
on 22 April. At 1732 feet ASL, the location is the highest licensed
premises in Great Britain.
230 (Congleton) Squadron Air Training Corps will be hosting special
event station GB1AC on 28 April. Station operators will include newly
licensed Cadets. Visitors and VIPs at the event celebrating the
Squadron's newly enlarged premises will be involved. Contact with
current and previous Cadets and service personnel will be much
welcomed. The station will be active from 11am to 3pm. Skeds on any
bands between 10 and 80m can be arranged via email to
rogerm0gmg<at>gmail.com.
Botley Flour Mills near Southampton is one of the UK's oldest known
milling sites and is listed in the Domesday Book. The Mill will be
activated with the callsign GB0BFM for Mills on the Air weekend on 12
and 13 May from 10am to 4pm using 80m, 40m, 2m & 70cm. The station
will be run by M0IED, his father G6FRT and other members of Itchen
Valley Radio Club, with added assistance from Southampton University
Wireless Society.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
JS6RRR and JA5DUR will be active as /JS6 from Miyako Island, AS-079,
between 26 April and 7 May. They will operate SSB, CW, FM and some
RTTY and PSK31 on the 160 to 6m bands. QSL to their home callsigns,
preferably via the bureau.
VA3QSL will be active as KP4/VA3QSL from Puerto Rico, NA-099, from 22
April to 4 May, including a two-day side trip to nearby Isla de
Vieques. He will operate SSB and CW on 40, 20 and 6m. QSL via his
home callsign, direct or via the bureau.
Mal, VK6LC will be active again as XV4LC from Vinh Long, Vietnam
until 24 April. He will operate holiday style on 20 and 17m CW and
SSB. QSL direct only to VK6LC.
F4DTO andF4GFE will be active as ZA100I from Albania until 29 April.
They will operate SSB only on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via F4DTO,
direct or via the bureau.
Now the contest news
The First 50MHz contest takes place from 0900 to 1200UTC today, 22
April. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number,
locator and postcode.
It's busy on 24 April with two contests taking place between 1900 and
2130UTC. The 50MHz Activity Contest uses all modes on the 6m band and
the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The SHF UK
Activity Contest uses the 2.3GHz and up bands. The exchange is also
signal report, serial number and locator.
The weekend of 28 and 29 April is a RTTY contest time. From 1200 to
1200UTC, the SP DX RTTY contest takes place on the 3.5 to 38MHz
bands. The exchange is signal report and serial number, with SP
stations sending their province code too. The BARTG Sprint takes
place from 1700 to 2100UTC on 29 April. It's 75 baud only and all
entries are single op. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands the exchange is
serial number only.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 13th of
April to Thursday the 18th, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday
the 20th of April.
This week several sunspot groups were visible every day. As the week
progressed, some of the groups increased in size and complexity. At
first solar activity was very low on the 13th and the 14th, but by
the 16th activity increased to moderate levels when a small M class
solar flare took place. The remaining day's activity was low, with
several large C class solar flares taking place. Solar flux levels
increased from 98 units on the 13th to 138 by the 19th. The average
was 111 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 19th was 112,
that's two units down on last week. X-ray flux levels increased from
B1.5 units on the 13th to B5.2 by the 19th. The average was B2.9
units. Geomagnetic activity started at active levels with an Ap index
of 22 units on the 13th due to a recurring coronal hole. Activity
then declined to quiet levels for the rest of the period. The average
was Ap 10 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar
wind speeds decline from 690 kilometres per second to 330 by the
18th. Particle densities were low every day. Bz varied between minus
10 and plus 5 nanoTeslas during the disturbance of the 13th and
between minus and plus 2 nanoTeslas on the quieter days.
And finally the solar forecast. This week solar activity could be
slightly higher than recent weeks, especially at first. Solar flux
levels should be around 130 for the next few days but then decline
towards next weekend. Due to a small coronal hole, geomagnetic
activity is expected to be at unsettled levels on Monday and Tuesday,
after which, quiet conditions should return for the remainder of the
week. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around
24MHz for the south and 21MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows are
expected to be about 10 or 11MHz. Paths this week to South Africa
should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success
rate of around 30MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per
cent success rate will be about 25MHz. The best time to try this path
will be between 1100 and 1600 hours. Occasional small sporadic-E
openings should take place, mainly affecting 28MHz and occasionally
50MHz.
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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