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G4APL > NEWS 05.02.17 00:03l 277 Lines 13529 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 5 Feb 2017
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Sent: 170204/1847Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO #:33790 [Caterham Surrey GBR]
From: G4APL@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To : NEWS@EU
GB2RS Main News for Sunday 5th February 2017
The news headlines:
* Ofcom Licensing System update
* Consultation on RSGB future
* Online exams FAQ launched
Ofcom updated its Licensing System for radio amateurs on 30 January.
Changes include the ability to request a Notice of Variation for
standard Special Event Stations; a Verify My Details button, which
prompts users to confirm or update their personal details annually
after login; a display showing the date your personal details were
last verified; and some accessibility improvements with larger system
icons. It remains a licensing requirement to validate your details at
least every five years.
Lots of people have views on what the RSGB should or should not do.
Here is your chance to have your say. The RSGB Board has been working
with strategy expert Chris Deacon, G4IFX, the Leadership Team and
Headquarters Staff to develop a strategy for the next 5 years. That
work has been boiled down into a one-page document with a narrative
to explain the context and background. We would now like your views.
The draft strategy and narrative are online at
www.rsgb.org/strategyreview. There is also a link to an online survey
where you can express your views. If you need a paper version of the
questionnaire, please call the RSGB General Manager's office on
01234 832 700.
Further to December's announcement regarding online Advanced exams, a
new document, entitled Online Advanced Exams, has just been placed on
the RSGB website. You will find it under the Examination Announcement
tab, which is in the Training part of the website. The document
includes more detail regarding timing of the pilot phase of the
project and also includes an FAQ section that hopefully answers most
of the questions that Exam Secretaries and Candidates are likely to
raise. For more details contact the RSGB Examination Quality
Assurance Manager Dave Wilson, M0OBW, via email to eqam<at>rsgb.org.uk
To mark the 50th anniversary of the first France-to-US moonbounce
contact, special callsigns TM8DO and TM1BF will be on the air until
the 11th of February on 2m and 70cm EME using JT65. The original
contact was between F8DO in France and W6DNG in California on the
27th of January 1967. TM8DO will be on 144.21MHz and 432.060MHz, and
TM1BF will operate on 144.128 MHz. Stations will transmit in
sequence. Real-time information and skeds may be arranged via the
N0UK (A) and (B) or HB9Q chatrooms.
The RSGB Convention this year will be held on 13-15 October at Kents
Hill Park Conference Centre, Milton Keynes. We are starting to
identify speakers for the Convention and would particularly like to
develop the HF and DXpedition content further. If you have
suggestions for any topics or speakers you would like to hear, please
email an outline suggestion to convention<at>rsgb.org.uk
Plans for YOTA 2017 at Gilwell Park are progressing. The IARU YOTA
team had a very difficult job in selecting the countries to be
represented; they had more applications than can fit into the venue.
To allow as many as possible to take part they decided to reduce the
size of each Team to three, including a young Team Leader. This
resulted in twenty seven Region 1 countries and Japan being offered
places. It seems the Japanese team will be looking at how the YOTA
camp works to see if the idea can be exported to Region 3. The IARU
team also raised the minimum age for attendance at YOTA camps to
fifteen and asked that all Team Leaders be under thirty years of age.
Paulo, PV8DX has released a video describing the new TubeSat
Tancredo-1 and shows reception of the 437.200MHz downlink by Drew,
KO4MA. Tancredo-1, mounted in a TuPOD Deployer, was ejected from the
International Space Station on the 16th of January. The satellite is
a STEM project built by middle school students in Brazil. The video
is in Portuguese but try enabling the YouTube Closed Caption
subtitles and use the Auto-translator to get English. See
https://youtu.be/8tvSp0eNPww
On the 2nd of February, RSGB President Nick Henwood, G3RWF was
interviewed about amateur radio on BBC Radio Northampton. Nick
explained that amateur radio is not only alive and well, but
flourishing among people of all ages. It was a prelude to the
documentary on Frank Wright, a schoolmaster at Bugbrooke school, who
more than 100 years ago taught boys and girls to send and receive
Morse messages. This was at a time when rural children were expected
to leave school barely literate. Business houses, shipping companies
and the military were seeking out young people from Bugbrooke to
staff their wireless cabins and run their communications. The
documentary will be available on iPlayer after broadcasts on the 5th
and 6th. Listen to Nick, G3RWF at about 44 minutes into the
recording. See www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04p017c#play
QSL bureau sub manager for the G7 group, Chris Flanagan, G7NRO,
changed his address some time ago. The Post Office divert on his mail
has now expired. Some Members are still using his old address to send
collection envelopes. The Post Office divert on his old address has
expired, so unless you use the correct address he will not receive
your mail. Whatever your callsign series, this is perhaps a timely
reminder to check the details of your QSL sub manager. Details can be
found under the ‘Operating' drop down on the main RSGB website.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today, the 5th of February, the 32nd Canvey Radio and Electronics
Rally will take place at The Paddocks Community Centre, Long Road,
Canvey Island SS8 0JA. Public access is at 10.30am. There is free
parking and the venue has disabled facilities including space outside
the main doors for disabled visitors. There will be trade stands,
special interest groups and an RSGB bookstall. Refreshments,
including Mark's famous bacon baguettes, will be available on site.
Details from Vic Rogers, G6BHE, on 0795 746 1694.
The Ballymena Amateur Radio Club Rally takes place on Saturday the
11th of February at Ahoghill Community Centre, 80 Cullybackey Road,
Ahoghill BT42 1LA. There is free parking on site. Doors open at
10.30am and admission is GBP 3. There will be trade stands, Bring &
Buy and a prize draw. Light refreshments will be available. Details
from Hugh, GI0JEV on 0282 5871 481.
The Harwell ARS Radio and Electronics Rally takes place on the 12th
of February at Didcot Leisure Centre, Mereland Road, Didcot,
OX11 8AY. Talk-in will be available using G3PIA on 145.550MHz. There
is free parking nearby, with disabled parking next to the Leisure
Centre. Doors open at 10am. Admission is GBP 3, with children under
12 free. There will be radio and electronics stalls, Special Interest
Groups and an RSGB Bookstall. Refreshments will be available all day.
Details for both traders and visitors from Ann, G8NVI by email to
ann.stevens<at>btinternet.com.
If you have any rally or event information you'd like to appear in
future editions of GB2RS News, in RadCom and on the RSGB website,
please email full details to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
A team of US operators will be meeting at Guantanamo Bay, IOTA
reference NA-015, at various times between the 10th and 24th of
February. Bill, KG4WV, Jim, KG4AW and Keith, KG4DY will start on the
10th. Keith will stay until the 17th. Don, KG4ZK will join the team
on the 17th and will leave on the 24th with Bill and Jim. The team is
there to do some antenna repairs as well as give exams for new hams
and upgrades. When not working, activity will be on the 160 to 6m
bands using CW, SSB, PSK and RTTY. QSL via the operator's home
callsign, Logbook of the World or Club Log.
Harald, DF2WO will be in Kigali, Rwanda until the 11th of March. He
will use the callsign 9X2AW. QSLs go via M0OXO.
A group of Italian operators will activate TL8TT from the Central
African Republic until the 14th of February. Activity will be on all
bands from 160 to 10m. Logs will be uploaded to Logbook of The World.
Paul, HB9ARY is operating as 3B8HC from Pointe aux Sables in
Mauritius, AF-049, until the 15th of February 15. Activity is holiday
style on 80 to 10 metres using CW and SSB. QSL via NI5DX.
Tim, N4UM, Mike, K4RUM and Bob, N4BP will be on the air as C6ARU,
C6AUM and C6AKQ, respectively, from Abaco Island, NA-080, from the
7th to the 21st of February. Activity will be on 160 to 6 metres
using CW and some RTTY. QSL via operators' instructions.
Now the special event news
Members of the Paphos Radio Club are operating a special event
station H2017PFO throughout 2017 for Europe's Capital of Culture in
2017. Activity is on the HF bands using all modes. QSL direct to
5B4AIE.
Members of the Bulgarian Radio Club Blagovestnik are operating as
LZ235SIR during February for All Saints 2017. QSL via the bureau.
The 14th of February marks the 95th anniversary of the start of the
UK's first ever regular, advertised broadcast radio station, 2MT,
which came live from Writtle in Essex. A team from Chelmsford ARS
will be making operating GB952MT from the 12th to the 14th to mark
this occasion. Details are on QRZ.com.
Now the contest news
Today, the 5th of February, the 432MHz AFS contest runs from 0900 to
1300UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
On Tuesday the Low Power 144MHz FM contest runs from 1900 to 2000UTC.
The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Following that at 2000 to 2230UTC the 144MHz UK Activity Contest
takes place. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
On Thursday the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC.
Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and
locator.
Next weekend, from 0000UTC on the 11th to 2350UTC on the 12th, the CQ
WW WPX RTTY contest takes place on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands. The
exchange is just the serial number.
The PACC contest takes place from 1200UTC on the 11th to 1200UTC on
the 12th. Using CW and SSB on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is
signal report and serial number. PA stations also send their Province.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday the 3rd of February 2017.
Last week's prediction about geomagnetically-disturbed conditions
turned out to be correct, with the K index soaring to five during the
week. This resulted in visible aurora at high latitudes, as local
midnight is often the time when aurorae and disturbed conditions hit
their peak. There were three small sunspot groups visible on the
solar surface on Thursday, but these only pushed the solar flux index
to 76.
Next week, NOAA predicts similar solar parameters, with the solar
flux index in the seventies. Sunday the fifth may be geomagnetically
unsettled, but we should then get a better period of quiet
conditions. This may allow the ionosphere to recover, with the
possibility of better DX openings from the 6th. Expect daytime
maximum usable frequencies over 3,000 kilometres to peak at around 15
metres at times, with 17 and 20 being more reliable.
Daytime critical frequencies may peak around 7MHz, although the 5MHz
band will be more reliable for intra-UK contacts. Night-time critical
frequencies may exceed 3.5MHz at times, offering the potential for DX
on 80 and even 40 metres. A settled polar ionosphere can sometimes be
a good indicator for the lower bands.
Bob, MD0CCE reported good Top Band openings to the USA on many
occasions last month. The evening of the 24th of January also
provided one of the best 160m openings to JA he had heard in two
years. The high-latitude K index had been zero or one for each of
that day's three-hourly periods, which suggested a settled ionosphere
for polar paths.
And now the VHF and up propagation news.
It is looking like another week of unsettled weather with low
pressure systems dominating the charts, bringing some wet and windy
weather at times. There is unlikely to be much enhanced Tropo on
offer, but there could be rain scatter opportunities on the GHz
bands. Last week saw rain scatter on 3.4 and 10GHz with signals from
beacons, but sadly no UK activity to go with it.
Even light rain can provide enhancement if you look carefully for it,
so make a noise on the GHz bands.
On the positive side, there is a hint of a weak ridge of high
pressure over south-eastern parts of Britain later in the week, but
it is too far ahead to get excited about just yet. It does seems that
the 2m UK activity contest on Tuesday evening is more likely to occur
under a trough of low pressure.
With just a few very minor meteor showers this week, activity
continues to be low but there are still opportunities for random
meteor scatter contacts around dawn.
With perigee, or closest approach of the moon on Monday and maximum
declination on Wednesday, it's a good week for EME with low losses
and long moon windows.
And that's all from the propagation team this week.
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.
--
g4apl@gb7cip.ampr.org g4apl@gb7cip.#32.gbr.euro
http://www.theskywaves.net http://gb7cip.ampr.org
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