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G4TNU > NEWS 27.05.12 01:03l 244 Lines 12357 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 27 May 2012
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 27th May 2012
The news headlines:
* NoV issued for new 2m transatlantic propagation study
* Queen's Diamond Jubilee QSO Party Award reminder
* RSGB responds to Ofcom's consultation on proposed Wireless Telegraphy
Act Regulations
On 18 May, Ofcom issued a NoV for another propagation beacon to test
the possibility of a 144MHz transatlantic path from the UK. Located
at Lough Navar Forest in Co Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, at 349m ASL
it will have a clear take off over the sea. GB3WGI will radiate on
144.487MHz towards North America, initially with an ERP of 100 watts
relative to a dipole, with plans to increase this if licensing
allows. This beacon was made possible due to the generous donation of
a transmitter by Brian Justin, WA1ZMS, the man behind the US 70MHz
beacon, and NoV holder, Gordon Curry, GI6ATZ, who is providing the
site and site services. This NoV is particularly welcome from Ofcom
in what is clearly a busy Olympic year and the VHF weak signal
community in the US and the UK thank them for their efforts. No date
is yet fixed for the installation of the beacon, but plans are well
under way and an announcement will be made in due course.
Amateurs are reminded that the Q special prefix runs until 10 June
and that contacts with stations using this special prefix count to
the award for those who wish to apply for their Queen's Diamond
Jubilee QSO Party Award. Full details, including how to apply for a Q
prefix, are on the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/jubilee
This week the RSGB responded to Ofcom's consultation on proposed
Wireless Telegraphy Act Regulations. It has made a formal input to
the Ofcom consultation on proposed new Regulations to provide Ofcom
with powers to take action in cases of interference from non wireless
telegraphy apparatus. Whilst the immediate proposal is to implement
the new Regulations in time for the Olympic Games, the action by
Ofcom highlights the point that the Society has advocated on many
occasions – the need for Ofcom to have statutory powers in cases of
serious interference to the spectrum from non-WT apparatus. Ofcom has
indicated that it intends to prepare Regulations for ongoing
application after the Olympic Games and part of the RSGB response
emphasises the need for such powers. The text of the RSGB response
can be found online at www.rsgb.org/news/articlelinks.php?id=0362.
The consultation remains open until 28 May 2012.
Today, 27 May, William Williams, GW8TGS will be an Olympic
Torchbearer as part of the team carrying the Flame through
Aberystwyth around 1814BST. Having taken part in several charity runs
and raising over GBP 15,000 for charity, William, GW8TGS was
nominated by the Rotary Club of Aberystwyth for his fund raising and
his other voluntary work. William says he feels honoured to be taking
part in this once-in-a-lifetime event.
The International Lighthouse & Lightship Weekend is held in August
every year. So far registrations are going well, with Australia on 42
entries ahead of its rival Germany, with 36 registrations. There are
215 entries from 30 countries and the numbers are rising each week.
Among those activating ten lightships are Australia, Belgium,
England, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, and the USA. The basic
objective of the weekend is to increase awareness of lighthouses and
lightships and their need for preservation and restoration, and at
the same time to promote amateur radio and foster international
goodwill. International Lighthouse & Lightship Weekend is on 18 and
19 August and registration is available on the website www.illw.net.
2012 is the Centenary of the Wireless Institute of Australia being
established in the State of Queensland, Australia. A special
Centenary callsign, VK100WIQ, will be activated from 1 June through
to 31 July by way of the WIA affiliated radio clubs in Queensland.
There is also a Centenary QSL card and a Centenary award available.
Details of the QSL card and award can be found at www.wia.org.au.
Cuban amateurs have received permission to use more digital modes on
the airwaves. In addition to PSK31, QPSK31, AMTOR, PACKET and RTTY,
Domino Contestia, Olivia, MFSK, JT65 and almost all variants of PSK
have been added. Another important step is that they have now have
access to the national society's internal network using packet radio
nodes and have permission to use packet gateways in cross bands.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
GB2RS has not received any details of rallies taking place this
weekend, 27 and 28 May.
The Central Scotland Mini Ham Radio Convention will take place on 2
June. It will be held at Crofthead Farm Community Education Centre,
Templar Rise, Livingston EH54 6DG. Doors open at 10am, and there will
be trade stands, a Bring & Buy as well as lectures and an RSGB
bookstand.
On 3 June, the Spalding & District Annual Rally will take place at
The Sir John Gleed Technology School, Halmer Gardens, Spalding,
Lincs, PE11 2EF. Doors open at 10am and there will be trade stands,
free car parking and catering facilities at the event. More details
from John, G4NBR, on 07946 302 815.
Now for the news of special events
The Geoparks Communications Weekend finishes today, 27 May. EI2GEO
will be on the air from Tankardstown on the Copper Coast Geopark in
Co. Waterford. Activity will mainly be on HF.
Coventry Amateur Radio Society will put GB50CCC on the air until 19
June for the Coventry Cathedral Celebration.
Chorley and District Amateur Radio Society will be on air over the
Queen's Diamond Jubilee bank holiday weekend with the club call
MX0ISN. A special QSL card is being produced for this event and
details are on qrz.com.
South Kesteven Amateur Radio Society will be operating GB0GMO from
Grantham Museum on 1 and 2 June to mark the re-opening of the museum.
They will be using voice modes on all bands from 6m to 40m and also
on 2m from 10am to 4pm when the museum is open. A special QSL card
will be available either direct or via the RSGB bureau.
South Lancs Radio Club will be on the air from Ashurst Beacon main
car parking area airing the callsign MQ0SLR/P between 10am until 6pm
on 2 June. Then on 3 June from 10am to 4pm they will be on the air
from Shackerley Community Centre using MQ0SLR/P.
The Kent Weald Radio Club will be operating from the Headcorn
Aerodrome, Kent for the duration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee week
beginning on 1 June. The club will be using the special event
callsigns GB1ER and GB1HA working the HF, VHF & UHF bands. Visitors
are welcome to call in to see the operation. Further details are
available from Patrick, G0UXG via e-mail to palybl<at>btinternet.com.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
F5IRO has received his Ugandan callsign 5X5RO. He will be operating
CW and PSK during his spare time until 8 June. QSL via F8DFP.
OK7MT, OK5MM and OK2PP will be operating stroke P4 until 31 May. They
will use the callsign P40H in the WPX CW Contest that finishes at
midnight tonight, 27 May. QSL via OK7MT.
European Football Championship 2012 On The Air is an activity
organised by Polish and Ukrainian amateurs. From 1 June to 5 July
there will be numerous special event stations active on the air. More
detailed information can be found at http://efc2012.pzk.org.pl.
A multi-national group will operate from the Kingdom of Bhutan until
6 June. The callsign will be A5A. They will be active on all bands
from 10 to 80m and will take part in the WPX CW Contest that finishes
at midnight tonight, 27 May.
Craig, MM0SSG is now on the air from Luanda in Angola until around
the end of October. Workwise he is employed on an offshore oil
platform but he is active as D2SG when back on land. His QSL manager
is GM4FDM.
Now the contest news
Today, 27 May, is the third 70MHz Cumulative contest taking place
from 1400 to 1600UTC. Using all modes on the band the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
The CW leg of the WPX Contest finishes at midnight tonight, 27 May,
after a gruelling 48 hours. There are numerous entry categories,
single/multi-band, single/multi-op, QRP/low/high-power, etc. Exchange
a report and serial number.
The 70MHz UK Activity Contest takes place from 1900 to 2130UTC on 29
May. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and
locator.
NFD takes place next weekend, 2 and 3 June during the Queen's Diamond
Jubilee weekend. Incidentally, the Contest Committee considered
changing the date of NFD so that it would not coincide with the
Jubilee weekend, but decided not to because lots of other countries
also have their Field Days on the same weekend. Running from 1500 to
1500UTC on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and
serial number.
The UK Six Metre Group's Summer E's Contest runs for 24 hours on 2
and 3 June from 1300 to 1300UTC on the 50MHz band. Using all modes,
exchange a signal report, serial number, locator and, if you are a
member of UKSMG, your membership number.
The UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest takes place on 3 June on the
1.3, 2.3 and 3.4GHz bands. Running from 1000 to 1600UTC and using all
modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 18th to
Thursday the 24th of May, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday
25th of May.
Five new sunspot groups appeared during the period, with eight groups
visible on the 20th. Most sunspot groups were small and quiet. A
couple of regions were large enough to produce small C class solar
flares, 17 in total for the period. Solar activity was very low on
the 20th, 21st and the 22nd. Solar flux levels declined from 132
units on the 18th to 116 by the 24th. The average was 125 units. The
90 day solar flux average on the 24th was 116 units, that's one unit
up on last week. X-ray flux levels varied little day to day and the
average was B3.6 units. Geomagnetic activity started at quiet levels
but on the 20th a small disturbance arrived, this relates back to the
M5 solar flare from the 17th. The Ap was 11 units. More elevated
conditions took place on the 22nd and 23rd when the Ap was 18 and 19
units respectively. This was due to a recurring coronal hole. The
only quiet day was the 19th, with an Ap index of 5 units. The average
was Ap 10 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar
wind speeds increase from 320 kilometres per second on the 21st to
700 by the 23rd. Particle densities were low every day, however, on
the 20th they increased to 11 particles per cubic centimetre. Bz
varied between minus 4 and plus 6 nanoTeslas on the quietest day and
between minus and plus 11 nanoTeslas during the coronal hole
disturbance.
And finally the solar forecast. At first this week the quiet side of
the Sun should be looking our way but from about midweek new active
regions should be rotating into view. Solar activity is expected to
be mostly low. Solar flux levels should increase and be in the 120's
by next weekend. Overall, geomagnetic activity should be mostly quiet
every day. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be
around 24MHz for the south and 21MHz for the north. Darkness hour
lows should be about 14MHz. Paths this week to South America should
have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of
about 28MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success
rate will be around 21MHz. The best time to try this path will be
between 1400 and 2100 hours. Sporadic-E is expected to take place
most days with openings up to 70MHz at least. Openings on 144MHz are
also possible on the occasional days with the favoured times during
the mid morning and again in the late afternoon, but remember not
exclusively.
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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