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G4TNU > NEWS 28.10.12 02:05l 203 Lines 10113 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 28 Oct 2012
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 28 October 2012
The news headlines:
* Queen's Diamond Jubilee and Olympics QSO Parties
* RSGB Extraordinary General Meeting, 17 November 2012
* AMSAT-UK delivers FUNcube-2 boards
Certificates have been dispatched for both of the QSO Parties that
were formed around the use of the special prefixes this summer. 32
certificates were issued for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Award and 24
for the Olympic Award. They turned out to be quite challenging
awards. Whilst QSOs were not that difficult as there were plenty of
stations who wanted a QSO with one's special prefix, it was more
challenging to find other Q or O stations to make up the required 100
contacts. The organisers hope that all those who took part enjoyed
the event, even if they didn't make the requisite total to claim
their certificate. Congratulations to the certificate recipients! The
RSGB would like to thank Ian Pawson, G0FCT and Pete Lindsay, G4CLA,
of the Contest Committee for facilitating the adjudication and to
Kevin Williams, who designed the certificate.
RSGB Members should have received their copy of the November 2012
RadCom. Contained with in it are details of the EGM to be held on 17
November 2012 near Stratford, at which Members will be invited to
vote on new governance arrangements for the Society. RSGB Members can
vote electronically via the RSGB website, by post or in person at the
EGM. The Board is very keen to ensure that the outcome of the EGM
accurately reflects the view of the whole membership, and all Members
are encouraged to cast their vote.
On 19 October, after some final testing and characterisation checks,
Graham Shirville, G3VZV of AMSAT-UK handed over to Clyde Space Ltd of
Glasgow the set of three PCBs that form the FUNcube-2 subsystem on
the UKube-1 spacecraft. Clyde Space is leading the development and
assembly of this CubeSat project for the UK Space Agency. FUNcube-2
on UKube-1 will provide a 435 to 145MHz linear transponder for
amateur SSB and CW communications and telemetry for school students
around the world. The UKube-1 spacecraft is expected to be launched
on a Soyuz-2 launcher from Baikonur in Kazakhstan in March 2013.
Amateurs across New Zealand may have to wait a bit longer to get full
access to the 6m band, currently in use by channel 1 television
transmissions. The New Zealand national amateur radio society is
working with the nation's Radio Spectrum Management on arrangements
for the period between when all the Channel 1 transmitters are turned
off, in November 2013, and their management right expires in 2015. In
the meantime, any New Zealand amateur in an area where TV channel 1
is no longer operating can apply for a permit to operate on the band.
DARC, Germany's national amateur radio society will be asking the
Deutsche Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information
Technologies to oppose a new pan-European draft Power Line
Transmission standard. Like the RSGB, DARC is concerned about the
future ambitions of the manufacturers of other PLC products in the
direction of higher limits for the emission of harmful
electromagnetic or EMC interference. This could lead to a weakening
of the previous limits in other European EMC standards.
Swedish amateurs are now allowed to use the full band of 1.85 to 2MHz
with Secondary status, as well as the Primary amateur radio
allocation of 1.81 to 1.85MHz. For many years Swedish amateurs were
not allowed to use 1.85 to 1.93MHz.
International Telecommunications Union members have agreed
first-stage approval of a new Universal Power Adapter technical
standard for devices such as modems, set-top boxes, home networking
equipment and fixed telephones. The standard will complement ITU's
very successful Universal Charging Solution for mobile devices
enabling further energy savings, reductions in e-waste and enhanced
consumer convenience by expanding the concept's application to the
vast majority of ICT devices.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, 28 October, sees the North Wales Rally taking place at John
Bright School, Llandudno LL30 1LF. Opening from 10am to 4pm,
admission is GBP 4.50 and there are disabled facilities. There will
be trade stands, a Bring and Buy, special interest groups and
catering. Details from Gordon, MW0GBR 0773 3531 766, or online at
www.nwrs.org.uk.
Sunday 4 November sees the Holsworthy Amateur Radio Rally taking
place at Holsworthy Community College, Victoria Hill, Holsworthy
EX22 6JD. For more information, send an e-mail to
gsowter<at>talktalk.net.
Also on Sunday 4 October, the Foyle & District ARC Rally will be held
in the White Horse Hotel, 68 Clooney Road, Londonderry BT47 3PA.
Doors open at 11.30am and there will be trade stands, special
interest groups, an RSGB book stand and a Bring & Buy. More
information from Philip Hosey, MI0MSO, by e-mail to
mi0mso<at>yahoo.co.uk.
Now for the news of special events
On Saturday 3 November, GB50WVR will be aired for the last time. The
station is celebrating 50 years of the Keighley & Worth Valley
Railway Preservation Society. QSLs should be sent either direct to
Pam, 2E1HQY or via the RSGB Bureau. More information can be found on
qrz.com.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
LTZ0 will be active from Penguin Island, IOTA reference SA-087, off
the coast of Perth, Western Australia, from 2 to 4 November. They
will be operational on 10 to 80m using CW, SSB and PSK31. QSL via
LU7DSY.
N5ZO will be active from Ascension Island, IOTA reference AF-003,
until 30 October as ZD8O. If you make contact, QSL via OH0XX.
5V7TH will be on the air from Togo until 5 November, using 6 to 40m
SSB, CW and RTTY. QSL via ON4CIT, bureau or direct. OQRS is available.
An international team will visit 6 islands belonging to Papua New
Guinea until 14 November. On 28 and 29 October they will be using the
callsign P29NI from Tatau, IOTA reference OC-099, then from 2 to 4
November it's P29VPB from Lihir, IOTA reference OC-069. These two
callsigns QSL via G3KHZ.
Three Italian stations will be on the air from Praslin Island in the
Seychelles, IOTA reference AF-024, until 4 November. They will use
the calls S79UN, S79YY and S79LC. This is a holiday style operation
and they hope to be on the 10 to 80m bands using CW, SSB and RTTY.
Now the contest news
This weekend sees the CQWW DX SSB Contest taking place, ending at
2359UTC today, 28 October. Using SSB on all contest bands from 3.5
– 28MHz, the exchange is signal report and Zone, which is 14 for
the UK.
Tuesday 30 October sees the 70MHz UK Activity Contest taking place
between 2000 and 2230UTC Using all modes on the band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
The Marconi CW Contest is the first VHF event of November taking
place over the weekend of the 3rd and 4th. There are 6- and 24-hour
sections for Open and Single-op Fixed entries. Starting at 1400UTC on
the 3rd and continuing until 1400UTC on the 4th, it's CW only on the
144MHz band with the exchange being signal report, serial number and
locator.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 19th to
Thursday the 25th of October, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on
Friday the 26th of October
Solar activity was moderate to high with an X1 class solar flare
taking place early on the 23rd. This is the first X class solar flare
since the 12th of July and is the sixth of the year. In total 3 M
class flares and numerous C class solar flares took place. Solar flux
levels increased from 141 units on the 19th to 156 by the 22nd,
levels then gradually declined to 130 units by the 25th. The average
was 143 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 25th was 122
units, that's three units up on last week. X-ray flux levels peaked
early in the period at B6.1 units on the 20th and then gradually
declined to B3.8 by the 25th. The average was B5.4 units. Geomagnetic
activity was quiet every day. The quietest day was the 20th with an
Ap index only 1 unit. On three days the Ap was 2 units. The most
disturbed day was the 23rd with an Ap index of 6 units and the
average for the period was 3 units. Solar wind data from the ACE
spacecraft saw solar wind speeds decline from 500 kilometres per
second at the start of the period to 320 by the end. Particle
densities were low every day and the Bz never varied more than minus
4 and plus 5 nanoTeslas. As they approached their autumn peak the HF
bands were in good shape throughout, with some excellent openings on
10 metres.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming week. This week the
more active side of the Sun is expected to rotate out of view. Solar
activity is expected to be predominately at low levels but there are
still visible sunspot groups that could increase activity to moderate
levels on some days. Solar flux levels should decline most days to
around the 100 mark later in the week. Geomagnetic activity on the
whole should be quiet, however, if a large solar flare and an
associated Earth directed coronal mass ejection takes place then
activity would increase. No coronal hole disturbances are expected.
MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 30MHz,
or slightly higher on some days. Darkness hour lows should be about
8MHz. Paths this week to India should have a maximum usable frequency
with a 50 per cent success rate will be around 29MHz. The optimum
working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate will be about
13MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 1000 and 1300
hours UTC.
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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