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G4TNU > NEWS 12.08.12 01:08l 207 Lines 10225 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 12 Aug 2012
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 12th August 2012
The news headlines:
* AMSAT-UK International Colloquium to visit Surrey Satellite
Technology facility
* RSGB Convention Early Bird Bookings
* Castles & Stately Homes on the Air
The AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium, taking place 15-16
September in Guildford, will provide an opportunity to visit the
satellite facilities in the new Surrey Satellite Technology Limited
(SSTL) Kepler Building. The full presentation schedule is being
finalised and will be published shortly. The Colloquium takes place
at the Holiday Inn, Guildford, GU2 7XZ. Booking information is at
www.uk.amsat.org/.
The RSGB Convention early bird bookings close on 14 August.
Highlights of the programme that includes lectures on the HK0NA
DXpedition can be found on the RSGB website. For bookings, visit
www.rsgbevents.org.
As part of European Heritage Month, Bobby, MI0RYL will be activating
New Grange/Knowth in Drogheda, Ireland on 18 August. Bobby hopes to
mainly be on 40m/20m/17m/15m. This activation is part of the Castles
and Stately Homes on the Air award scheme. See www.cashota.co.uk/.
We are now in the final week for comments on the Strategy and
Governance proposals. Members can make any final comments in the
new "Last Call" topics. The Contest Committee is starting a
consultation on proposals for next year's General Contest Rules.
For access and further information on both, please follow the "We
need your Views" link on the RSGB's Home page.
Operations at 2O12L (Two-oscar-one-two-London) the flagship station
celebrating the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games have been
progressing beyond the expectations of the organisers. In the first
12 days of operation the station had made a remarkable 31,000
contacts with over 20,000 unique stations in 175 different countries.
Demand to work the station is very high and pile-ups are fierce at
times. The best two bands for world-wide communication have proved to
be 20m and 17m, whilst many contacts with UK stations have been
completed on 40m and 30m. The station remains open to the public
daily from 10am until 4pm until 9 September. Further information
about the station can be found on the website at www.2O12L.com.
It is intended that all three levels of the amateur radio exam will
be available at the RSGB Convention over the weekend of 13 and 14
October. The Foundation and Intermediate exams will be on the
Saturday and the Advanced on the Sunday. Check out
www.rsgb.org/rsgbconvention/.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, 12 August, the Flight Refuelling ARS Hamfest takes place at
Cobham Sports and Social Club Ground, Merley, near Wimborne, Dorset,
BH21 3DA. Doors open at 0am and there will be trade stands and a car
boot area. More details from Mike, M0MJS on 01202 883 479.
The 15th International EME Conference takes place and 17 and 18
August at Churchill College, Cambridge, CB3 0DS. Full details at
www.eme2012.com.
On 19 August, the Rugby (Princethorpe) Annual Radio Rally takes place
at Princethorpe College, Princethorpe, Rugby CV23 9PX. Doors open
from 10am to 4pm, and admission is GBP 2. Contact Tony, G0OLS on
07759 684 411 for more details.
Now for the news of special events
The Sandford Mill Museum in Chelmsford will be open to the public
today, 12 August, from 2 to 5pm. The museum is home to an extensive
collection of historic radio equipment. Many fascinating radio
exhibits are displayed there including spark transmitters from the
late 1890's and a fully equipped ship's radio room. The Chelmsford
Amateur Radio Society will be operating GB1000MWT from the 2MT
Marconi hut inside the museum, postcode CM2 6NY. Admittance and
parking are free.
Carrickfergus Amateur Radio Group will be operating GN0LIX/P from
Chaine Memorial Tower in Larne, County Antrim between 18 and 19
August as part of the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend.
The station will be active on 20m, 40m and 10m SSB, conditions
permitting. All QSL will be via the bureau. For further information,
visit the Carrickfergus Club website at www.radioclubs.net/carg/.
Kent Weald Radio Club are operating GB1HA today, 12 August, from the
Headcorn airfield, Kent. Operation will be on HF and VHF to
demonstrate amateur radio during the military show that is taking
place there over the two days. Further details can be obtained from
Patrick via e-mail to palybl<at>btinternet.com.
Telford and District Amateur Radio Society will be operational today,
12 August, using the callsign GB0WPB for William Penny Brookes. The
station is celebrating the life of Doctor William Penny Brookes,
founder of the Wenlock Olympian Association, who organised the first
Annual Wenlock Olympian Games in October 1850. The first Games, held
in October 1850, were a mixture of athletics and also traditional
country sports such as quoits, football and cricket. The station will
be based at Much Wenlock Scout Hut, Bull Ring, Much Wenlock,
TF13 6HS. Three stations will be running, 2m/70cm using a vertical,
40 and 80m using a dipole and 20, 15 and 10m using a tribander.
Fellow amateurs who happen to be in the area are welcome to visit and
operate.
A pair of twinned Special Event Stations, GB175PO and TM175PO, will
be running in Dover and Calais to celebrate 175 years of P&O.
Operation starts on 11 August and will be running for 30 days. Both
stations will have the opportunity to work /MM from ferries at
various times during the operation.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
A multinational DXpedition to the Comoros in the Indian Ocean will
take place until 20 August. The callsign will be D64K. IOTA reference
is AF-007 and the QSL info is via IV3DSH.
W4XP is going to the Chagos Archipelago until 25 August. He will
activate the callsign VQ9XP. QSLs go via his home callsign.
Chuck, W4XP, plans to be active until 25 August from Diego Garcia
Atoll, IOTA reference AF-006 as VQ9XP from the club station VQ9X. The
focus of his activity is 6m, he's also on the air on HF. QSL direct
via W4XP and Logbook of the World.
Members of the Grantham Amateur Radio Club members will be active as
GS0GRC from Bressay Isle, Shetland & Fair Isle (EU-012) from 14 to 19
August. QSL via G0RCI either direct or via the bureau.
Now the contest news
The 5th 70MHz Cumulative Contest takes place today, 12 August, from
1400 to 1600UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report,
serial number and locator.
The first of this year's Worked All Europe contests finishes at
midnight tonight, 12 August. This month it's CW. Work non-European
stations only. There are country multipliers and the added dimension
of QTCs (reporting the details of previously held QSOs) enables those
who choose to send and receive them to boost their score
significantly. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal
report and serial number.
On 14 August the 432MHz UK Activity Contest takes place from 1900 to
2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 3rd to
Thursday the 9th of August, compiled by Neil Clarke on Friday the
10th August.
Twelve groups were visible on the 3rd, all were small and mostly
quiet. However, two new groups rotated into view, one on the 6th and
one on the 7th. Until then solar activity was at low levels with only
C class solar flares taking place. On the 6th activity increased to
moderate levels when the only M class solar flare of the period took
place. Numerous C class solar flares took place everyday, most were
small and had no effect on propagation. Solar flux levels declined
from 140 units on the 3rd to 129 by the 7th. Levels then increased
slightly by the end of the period. The average was 134 units. The 90
day solar flux average on the 9th was 128 units, that's one unit up
on last week. X-ray flux levels showed little variation and averaged
B5.9 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet but increased to just
unsettled levels with an Ap index of 11 units on the 6th and the 8th.
The average was 8 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw
solar wind speeds vary between 320 and 550 kilometres per second
throughout the period. Particle densities were low except for a brief
rise to 20 particles per cubic centimetre late on the 8th and for the
first hour on the 9th, otherwise densities were low. Bz varied no
more than minus and plus 8 nanoTeslas, less than that on the quieter
days. Sporadic-E occurred most days up to 70MHz, however, openings
are becoming less intense and shorter in duration.
And finally the solar forecast. This week the quiet side of the Sun
will be rotating into view. Solar activity is expected to be low at
first with a slight chance that activity could increase to moderate
levels, though unlikely. However, later in the week activity could
decrease to very low levels. Solar flux levels should decline and by
next weekend be below the 100 mark. Geomagnetic activity is expected
to be mostly quiet but towards next weekend a small coronal hole
disturbance could increase activity slightly. MUFs during daylight
hours at equal latitudes should be around 22MHz for the south and
19MHz for the north. Darkness hour lows should be about 13MHz. Paths
this week to the east coast of North America should have a maximum
usable frequency with a 50 per cent success rate of around 20MHz. 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 1600 and
2100 hours. Sporadic-E should take place most days with openings
becoming less intense.
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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