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G4TNU > NEWS 29.04.12 09:23l 218 Lines 10991 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 29 Apr 2012
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 29th April 2012
The news headlines:
* New Ofcom Regulations for the Olympic Games
* Dr Marcus Walden, G0IJZ publishes 5MHz paper in Radio Science
* Planned maintenance for Cornish beacons
Ofcom have issued a consultation on regulations that will enable
prompt enforcement action for interference cases that affect the
Olympics. The draft regulations designate 25-35km radii around all
major venues across the UK, including football stadia, where enhanced
enforcement could apply. Ofcom's proposals can be found on their
website at http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations. The
announcement follows last week's Ofcom notice of restrictions to the
70cm, 2.3 and 3.4GHz amateur bands.
A paper entitled Comparison of propagation predictions and
measurements for mid-latitude HF near-vertical incidence sky wave
links at 5MHz has just been published in the peer-reviewed, academic
journal Radio Science. The paper, by Dr Marcus Walden, G0IJZ,
compares near-vertical incidence skywave, or NVIS, measurements from
the UK 5MHz beacon network with HF propagation predictions using
VOACAP and ASAPS software. Further information, including a link to
the paper, can be found on the RSGB website at
www.rsgb.org/spectrumforum/hf/5mhzintro.php.
The GB3MCB Mid-Cornwall beacons on 6 metres, 4 metres, 2 metres and
70cm will all be switched off between 8am and 7pm on Saturday 5 May.
All four beacon antennas and their feeders are being replaced,
because they are over 20 years old. The Mid-Cornwall Group apologises
for the interruption in service, but it is hoped this will provide
improved beacon signals in future on all four bands.
At the end of last year, the Emergency Services Amateur Radio DX
Group was born on Facebook. The idea was that serving and retired
members of any of the Emergency Services could meet through the Group
to discuss their common interest in amateur radio. The Group has been
very successful and a net has now started on 40m. The net is run by
Jim, GM0GMN and Tony, M6AIV and is open to anyone who serves or has
served within one of the services, either full time or as a
volunteer. The net takes place on 7.173MHz every Thursday evening at
1800UTC. Further details from Jim or Tony, both are QTHR.
RadCom HF columnist, Don Field, G3XTT took top honours in the first
ever LA Contest Club CW Pile Up Competition held at LA Ham Meeting,
Letohallen, near Oslo. The competition was organized by Bjørn, LB1GB
of LA Contest Club. Begali Keys sponsored the first prize, a fine
Morse key, which Don brought home to England.
Over the last few years, GB0VUL has been used by various members of
the Newbury & District Amateur Radio Society to promote XH558, the
last flying Vulcan bomber. This year the callsign GB60VUL is being
used to promote 60 years of the Vulcan Bomber and the Vulcan's Salute
to Her Majesty during her Diamond Jubilee year. The call will be
active from 6 different locations from 30 April to 27 May. These
include Robin Hood Airport Doncaster, the Control Tower at Greenham
Common, and the 211 Squadron ATC in Newbury. Details will appear in
GB2RS nearer the time.
And now for the details of forthcoming rallies and events
The Dambusters Hamfest will take place on 6 May at Thorpe Camp
Visitor Centre, Coningsby, Lincs LN4 4PE. Admission is GBP 3 and
there is free parking. Pitches are free but size is limited if not
pre-booked. There is a RAF heritage centre on site. Overnight camping
is available by appointment. Gates open at 10am.
The Dartmoor Radio Club Rally takes place on Bank Holiday Monday, 7
May, at Tavistock College, Crowndale Rd, Tavistock, Devon PL19 8DD.
Doors open at 10.30am and admission is GBP 2. There will be trade
stands, a Bring & Buy and special interest groups. Details from Viv
on 01752 823 427.
Advance notice now for the Rochdale & District ARS Flea Market and
Junk Sale to be held on 12 May. Taking place at St Vincent's Church
Hall, Caldershaw Rd, Rochdale OL12 7QL, the doors open at 10am. There
will be trade stands, car boot sale area and a Bring & Buy. Pitches
cost GBP 7.50. Unfortunately, the contact details that appeared in
RadCom were incorrect, so to book your place, contact G0PUD on
01706 346 517 or e-mail dave.shaw1<at>sky.com.
Now for the news of special events
There will be a Vulcan special event station at Finningley Robin Hood
International Airport, with the callsign GB60VUL, from 5 to 12 May.
This will be in conjunction with Newbury Amateur Radio Society. The
Finningley Amateur Radio Society will be there with their
communications van and the radio station will be open from 8am to
9pm. Special QSL cards will be available for all contacts.
Sherwood Amateur Radio Club are operating GB1TBW for Nottinghamshire
Scouts from 4 to 7 May. The organisers are hoping for plenty of
contacts as the Scouts will be participating with QSOs. There will
also be an ARDF event for them.
On 6 May, Felixstowe & District ARS will be operating GB2CRF using
original Clansman radio equipment on HF, 4m and 6m from the Suffolk
Aviation Heritage Society's Falklands 30th event at RAF Foxhall
Heath. Further details from Iain G0OZS on 07850 424007. QSL cards for
GB2CRF should be sent via the RSGB bureau please.
Dengie Hundred Amateur Radio Society will be operating GB0SMA from
Stow Maries Aerodrome in Essex from 5 to 7 May to celebrate the 100th
Anniversary of the Royal Air Force. They will be active on bands
between 160m & 70cm. Stow Maries Aerodrome in Essex is probably the
best preserved World War 1 airfield in the UK with over 20 of the
original buildings still standing. It was home to 37 Home Defence
Squadron, Royal Flying Corps and then after 1 April 1918, 37
Squadron, Royal Air Force.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
ZS6JR and ZS6DJD will be operating from Mozambique for seven days
from 3 or 4 May. The idea is to park next to a small lake in Shai
Shai, 400km north of the capital, and operate all vertical antennas
with the earth wires in the water. They will operate vertically on
most bands 40m to 10m.
Alain, F6HBR lives in Thailand and has been issued a reciprocal Thai
callsign. Operating as HS0ZKG he works mainly CW with some PSK and
RTTY from Koh Samui, which is IOTA reference AS-101.
Noel, OO4O will be active as OZ/OO4O from Hou Fyr on Langeland
Island, which is IOTA reference EU-172, until 5 May. He will operate
mainly SSB and CW on the HF bands. QSL via LoTW and the Belgian QSL
bureau.
Now the contest news
Today, 29 April, the BARTG Sprint takes place from 1700 to 2100UTC.
Using 75 baud RTTY only on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is
serial number. Please note all entries are single op.
Tuesday 1 May sees the 144MHz UK Activity Contest taking place from
1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
The first leg of the 2E0ITV Commemorative Multi Mode competition
takes place on 4 May from 1900 to 2230BST. The event is organised by
Friskney & East Lincolnshire Communications Club. The exchange is
callsign, locator and serial number. The 4 May event uses BPSK-3 on
the HF bands as well as 6, 4 and 2m. QRP entries have a maximum of 5W
output and QRO entries 20W output. Further details from the FELCC
information line on 0755 436 2020 or from
bren.sykes<at>btinternet.com.
The 432MHz trophy takes place on 5 May from 1400 to 2200UTC. Using
all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Also on 5 May between 1400 and 2200UTC, the 10GHz trophy takes place.
Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and
locator.
Finally, over the weekend 5 and 6 May, the 432MHz to 248GHz trophy
takes place between 1400 and 1400UTC. Using all modes on the bands
between 432MHz and 248GHz, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 20th to
Thursday the 26th of April, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday
the 27th of April.
Despite several large sunspot groups, solar activity remained at low
levels. Several C class solar flares took place every day, a couple
produced Earth directed coronal mass ejections. Solar flux levels
increased to 149 units on the 21st but then declined to 119 by the
26th. The average was 137 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the
26th remained at the same level as last week at 112 units. X-ray flux
levels increased to B6.4 units by the 22nd but then declined to B4.1
units by the 26th. The average was B5 units. Geomagnetic activity
started at quiet levels with an Ap index of 8 units for the first
three days on the period before a coronal mass ejection arrived and
activity increased to Ap 30 units on the 23rd and 43 the next day.
Just as this storm was subsiding a coronal hole disturbance arrived
with an Ap index of 31 and 20 units on the 25th and the 26th
respectively. The average was Ap 21 units. Solar wind data from the
ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds increase from 290 kilometres per
second on the 20th to 800 by the 25th. Particle densities were low
except for an increase on the 23rd to 34 particles per cubic
centimetre. Bz varied between minus 7 and plus 5 on the quieter days
and between minus 16 and plus 14 nanoTeslas during the coronal mass
ejection disturbance and between minus 12 and plus 10 nanoTeslas
during the coronal hole disturbance. The disturbances resulted in
degraded propagation on the higher HF bands, with MUFs being down
several MHz from late on the 21st to the early hours of the 25th.
Aurora was reported between the 21st and the 25th but for much of the
time favouring North America. European contacts were largely confined
to high latitudes.
And finally the solar forecast. This week the quiet side of the Sun
is expected to be looking our way. Solar activity is expected to be
low on most days. Solar flux levels should be around the 120 mark for
most of the week. Geomagnetic activity should be quiet every day.
MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 25MHz
for the south and 22MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be
about 11MHz. Paths this week via the short path to Japan will be
around 21MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent
success rate will be about 15MHz. The best time to try this path will
be between 1100 and 1400 hours. Occasional Sporadic-E openings will
take place with openings up to 50MHz possible.
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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