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G4TNU > NEWS 04.11.12 02:21l 211 Lines 10834 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 04 Nov 2012
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 4th November 2012
The news headlines:
* IRTS also backs draft Power Line Transmission standard
* RSGB Extraordinary General Meeting
* GB3GC, a new six metre repeater
Following the news last week that the German National Society, DARC,
now oppose a new pan-European draft Power Line Transmission standard,
we have heard that the Irish Radio Transmitters Society, like the
RSGB, also opposes the Standard. In their magazine they say that "the
draft Standard accepts that the PLT devices do not, in effect, meet
the essential requirements of the EMC Directive as it prescribes
measures to mitigate interference by permanently or dynamically
excluding frequencies in the amateur, aeronautical mobile and
broadcast bands." The IRTS Committee took the unanimous view that it
would not be appropriate to support a draft Standard that sought only
to protect selective sensitive frequencies in the HF spectrum without
regard to the levels of interference that could be caused by the
equipment concerned on the remainder of the HF spectrum. If you would
like more information on this subject, the RSGB laid out their views
some weeks ago. Details are in the October RadCom and on the RSGB
website.
RSGB Members are encouraged to vote on the new governance
arrangements for the Society, proposed in the November RadCom and
shown on the RSGB website, whether by post, online or in person at
the EGM. If you are attending the EGM on 17 November in Stratford,
you will be interested to hear about the afternoon informal session.
Visitors will learn about the plans for our forthcoming centenary
year, and hear a fascinating presentation of some of the highlights
of our history as we dip into the archives. With 100 years of history
to celebrate, 2013 will be full of events for the Membership as well
as the world-wide amateur community. Our history also provides a
wealth of events from the momentous to the quirky and you will hear
more about these on 17 November. If you are planning to attend please
register your interest on the RSGB website.
A new six metre repeater, GB3GC, is up and running in south east
Cornwall, on the same site as the 2m repeater GB3PL. This 6m repeater
has its input on 51.230MHz FM and 500kHz spacing for its output at
50.730MHz. The CTCSS tone is 77Hz. Any enquiries should be directed
to Roger, 2E0RPH, whose details are correct on QRZ.com.
Radio amateurs around the world will not have missed the devastation
caused by Hurricane Sandy to the Caribbean and then the Eastern
Seaboard of the United States. The ARRL report on the role played by
amateur radio is on their website at www.arrl.org/news. Sadly, on 29
October, a replica of the Bounty that was built in 1960 for a remake
of the 1962 film Mutiny on the Bounty, sank off the coast of North
Carolina as Hurricane Sandy made its way toward New Jersey. Of its 16
crew members, 14 were rescued by the US Coast Guard. Bounty Captain
Robin Walbridge, KD4OHZ, never made it to one of the two deployed
life rafts and is presumed dead. Doug Faunt, N6TQS, of Oakland,
California, was one of the 14 who was rescued by the Coast Guard;
Faunt served as a deckhand and was also the ship's electrician. Our
thoughts go to the family and friends of KD4OHZ and all others who
have been affected by Hurricane Sandy.
There have been no confirmed reception reports since the F-1 amateur
radio CubeSat was deployed from the International Space Station on 4
October. The team is focusing on reception of the backup UHF
transmitter, on 437.485MHz, plus or minus 10kHz Doppler shift. This
FM beacon should transmit Morse code for 20 seconds every minute
during daylight. The team would appreciate any reports of the beacon,
which can be sent to Thu Trong Vu, XV9AA, by email to
thuvt<at>fpt.edu.vn. Further information can be found on the AMSAT-UK
website, www.amsat-uk.org.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, 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 today, 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,
MI0MSO, by e-mail to mi0mso<at>yahoo.co.uk.
On Saturday 10 November the Rochdale & District ARS Traditional Radio
Rally will take place at St Vincent's Church Hall, Cutgate, Rochdale
OL12 7QL. Doors open at 10.30am and admission is GBP 2.50. There will
be a Bring & Buy. Details from Dave, G0PUD on 01706 346 517.
On 11 November, the West London Radio & Electronics Show, otherwise
known as the Kempton Rally, will be held at Kempton Park Racecourse,
Staines Road East, Sunbury on Thames TW16 5AQ. There is free car
parking and the doors open at 10am. Visitors will find trade stands,
a Bring & Buy, special interest groups as well as a lecture
programme. Details from Paul, M0CJX on 08451 650 351.
Now for the news of special events
GB4WLR will be on air on 11 November as part of the Remembrance
Sunday commemorations. A World War One locomotive is expected to be
in steam on the West Lancashire Light Railway at Hesketh Bank. The
locomotive served behind the front lines during WW1 and is named
Joffre. Also taking place that day is the annual BBC Children in Need
fund raising day. QSL 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
DL1LLL is currently operational portable as ZS7 from Antarctica on
the HF bands. His location is the Neumeyer Emergency base. QSL via
DL5EBE.
JA1PBV will be on the air from Mauritania as 5T5BV until 10 November.
His activity has so far been on 30, 12 and 10m using CW and RTTY. QSL
via JA1PBV.
DL8NU will be active as S79NU from Mahe Island in the Seychelles,
IOTA AF -024, from 9 to 12 November. He will be operational on the HF
bands mostly on CW. QSL via his home callsign.
Walter, HB9MFM will be active as J79WTA from the Tamarind Tree Hotel
near Salisbury in Dominca until 17 December. Activity is holiday
style on 10 through to 160 metres, using SSB, RTTY, PSK as well as
SSTV, if possible. QSL via his home callsign, direct or via the
Bureau.
Kazu, 7L4XDT and Masa, K1GI will be active as PJ7XK and PJ7I,
respectively, from 18 to 24 November from Sint Maarten, NA-105.
Activity will be on 6 through to 160 metres using CW, SSB and the
digital modes. QSL PJ7XK via 7L4XDT and PJ7I via JG2BRI.
Now the contest news
The Marconi CW Contest is the first VHF event of November and it
finishes at 1400UTC today, 4 November. There are 6- and 24-hour
sections for Open and Single-op Fixed entries. It's CW only on the
144MHz band, with the exchange being signal report, serial number and
locator.
The 144MHz UK Activity Contest takes place on 6 November from 2000 to
2230UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number
and locator.
On 10 November it's the very popular Club Calls Contest from 2000 to
2300UTC. Using SSB only on the 1.8MHz band the exchange is signal
report, serial number and your club code.
For the whole 48 hours of next weekend, 10 and 11 November, the WAE
DX RTTY Contest should keep the RTTY parts of the HF bands buzzing.
Everybody can work everybody on RTTY. In WAE events reports of a
previously conducted contest QSOs can add significantly to your total
score, so it's well worth investigating in advance of the event how
they work. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal
report and serial number.
And now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 26th of
October to the 1st of November compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on
Friday the 2nd of November.
Only four new sunspots groups appeared during the week, these, like
the other visible sunspot groups, were mostly quiet, with only
occasional small C class solar flares taking place on some days. On
the 29th, 30th and the 1st, solar activity was at very low levels,
with no C class solar flares taking place. Solar flux levels declined
every day from 131 units on the 26th to 98 by the 1st. The average
was 112 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 1st was 120,
that's two units down on last week. X-ray flux levels declined from
B5.1 units on the 26th to B2.2 by the end of the period. The average
was B3.9 units. Geomagnetic activity was quiet every day, except for
the 1st when activity increased due to a coronal mass ejection that
departed the Sun on the 29th. The Ap index on the 1st was 24 units.
The average was 7 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw
solar wind speeds decline to a slow 260 kilometres per second by the
30th. Wind speeds then increased to 380 kilometres per second on the
arrival of the disturbance. Particle densities were low but increased
to 60 particles per cubic centimetre on the 31st. Bz varied between
minus 3 and plus 2 nanoTeslas on the quiet days and between minus and
plus 12 nanoTeslas during the disturbance. A weak radio aurora took
place during the afternoon of the 1st, which extended down to
northern Scotland during the afternoon.
And finally the solar forecast for the coming week. This week the
quiet side of the Sun is expected to be looking our way. Solar
activity is expected to be low, however, activity could decline
further to very low levels on some days. Solar flux levels should be
at their lowest for the next few days and be in the 90's but later in
the week levels should increase. Geomagnetic activity could be
unsettled at first due to a small coronal hole disturbance, but by
midweek quiet levels should return. MUFs during daylight hours at
equal latitudes should be above 30MHz, especially early in the week
until the coronal hole disturbance arrives, when MUFs could decline.
Darkness hour lows should be around 9MHz. Paths this week to South
Africa should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent
success rate of around 35MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90
per cent success rate will be about 27MHz. The best time to try this
path will be between 1100 and 1500 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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