RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for April 26th 2020.

GB2RS NEWS

Sunday the 26th of April 2020

The news headlines:

First, remotely-invigilated exam callsigns issued

Download latest 5MHz Newsletter

Japanese amateurs get new privileges

The RSGB is pleased to announce that the first successful candidates in the online, remotely invigilated amateur radio exams have now received their callsigns. At the close of play on the 24th of April, 29 remotely invigilated exams had taken place. Around 10 candidates per day are scheduled, with the aim to increase this number as more invigilators join the team. Dave Wilson, M0OBW, the RSGB President and Exam Quality Manager, has expressed his thanks to the invigilators that are making this work and the HQ exams staff who are doing an outstanding job under very difficult circumstances. We look forward to hearing the new amateurs on the bands.

The latest edition of The 5MHz Newsletter is now available for free pdf download from the RSGB 5MHz page at http://rsgb.org/main/operating/band-plans/hf/5mhz/. This edition includes 5MHz news from seven countries, the GB3WES beacon closedown, a 5MHz controlled feeder radiation dipole, plus features the latest World of 5MHz map and an article on two Blue Ham Exercises.

Japanese radio amateurs now have new privileges on the 160 and 80m bands. The new allocations are 1800 – 1810, 1825 – 1875, 3575 – 3580 and 3662 – 3680kHz. The new regime allows Japanese radio amateurs to operate FT8 on the 160m and 80m bands, as well as WSPR on 1836.6kHz. Additional details are on the Japan Amateur Radio League website, www.jarl.org

Tim Duffy, K3LR has announced that Contest University USA 2020, usually held at the Dayton Hamvention, will be held online via Zoom on Thursday the 14th of May, starting at 1245UTC. CTU 2020 is free. The CTU course outline has been posted online. Connection details to the CTU Zoom bridge will be posted on the Contest University site one week prior to the event. Sessions will be recorded for viewing any time after the 14th of May. Slides will be posted on the CTU website as well. At the end of CTU 2020, Dave Siddall, K3ZJ, will present the 2020 CQ Contest Hall of Fame awards.

RSGB President Dave Wilson, M0OBW, was interviewed recently on NARC Live! where he talked about the Society’s introduction of remote invigilation for Foundation exams. This new initiative is enabling people to join amateur radio during these times of social isolation. Dave’s piece starts at 27:50 and you see it on the Norfolk Amateur Radio Club Facebook page, which can be accessed via tinyurl.com/y7kslekf

The November and December 2019 RSGB Board Proceedings have been published on the RSGB website today and can be found at tinyurl.com/RSGB-boardproc-2019

The RSGB’s campaign in partnership with the NHS – Get on the air to care – has been publicised across the world over the last week, both on the airwaves and through the UK media. The Society even received a video message of support from Tony Hadley, lead singer of 1980s group Spandau Ballet! To see this coverage, head over to www.rsgb.org/gota2c and click on the media coverage link at the bottom of the page. The RSGB is grateful to all radio amateurs who are taking to the airwaves to support other radio amateurs during these times of social isolation. If you use social media, add the hashtag #GOTA2C and send any photos or video clips of you on the air to [email protected]

Peter Valentine, a 96-year-old radio amateur from Eastbourne, is celebrating his birthday by aiming to contact 96 amateurs over the airwaves and walk 96 miles over the coming weeks. As thanks to the NHS which has given him good care recently, he is using the special call sign GB0EDH to represent Eastbourne District General Hospital. He is active on D-Star, 2m, 4m and 80m, so listen out for him on the air and help him to achieve his target!

The RSGB has been adding updates to the ‘Sharing ideas’ section of its Coronavirus updates page, which you can find at www.rsgb.org/coronavirus-updates There are reports from Colchester Radio Amateurs amongst other clubs and Lockdown Morse to learn something new during this lockdown. Find out what others are doing, be inspired and then email [email protected] to share how your club is adapting to the current challenges.

Now the special event news

Peter, G4XEX will be active as GB4SAH for Stay At Home until the 30th of April to help amateurs pass the time during the lockdown.

Euan, MM0VIK is active as GB1COR from his home QTH in the Shetland Islands, EU-012, until the end of April in recognition and support for the health professionals and essential key workers during the coronavirus emergency. QSL cards will not be available for this special callsign.

The RAF Amateur Radio Society will be activating the special event GB75VED from the 1st to the 28th May from members’ homes. On the 2nd of May, Reg, G8VHI will operate mostly on 6 and 2m as well as 70cm from Nuneaton using FM, SSB and maybe digital modes. Details are at www.rafars.org/GB75VED/ and QRZ.com

SOS Radio Week will go ahead from 0000UTC on the 1st of May and concludes at 2359UTC on the 31st May. During that period participants should make as many contacts as possible with stations at home and around the world. For further details, and to register, please visit www.sosradioweek.org.uk.

The Hungarian amateur radio society, MRASZ, will hold a special radio activity for the period during the Covid-19 virus threat. Their aim is to raise awareness of the threat of the epidemic and to promote the importance of staying at home. Look for the following 5 stations, of which the last two letters add up the words STAY AT HOME: HG20ST, HG20AY, HG20AT, HG20HO and HG20ME. Each station must be contacted in two different modes on any band to qualify for a downloadable commemorative award. The activity ends on the 15th of May at 2359UTC. Details are at www.mrasz.org.

Several Brazilian amateurs are using the special event callsign ZW8THANKS as a tribute to health care professionals fighting Covid-19. Activity will be on all bands and modes including the satellites. QSL direct, eQSL or Logbook of The World.

The Tokyo-based 7-CALL Amateur Radio Club will operate 8J17CALL for a year to celebrate the club’s 30th anniversary.

Now the contest news

Due to social distancing and movement precautions around the world, most contest organisers are not accepting entries from multi-operator groups or from portable stations. Check the rules before taking part.

The SP DX RTTY contest ends it 24-hour run at 1200UTC today, the 26th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands the exchange is signal report and serial number, with SP stations also sending their Province code.

Today, the 26th, the BARTG Sprint 75 contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is your serial number only.

On Monday the third FT4 series contest will run from 1900 to 2030UTC using the 3.5MHz band. The exchange is your 4-character locator.

Tuesday sees the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830 to 2130UTC using all modes on the 2.3GHz and up bands. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

The UK and Ireland Contest Club 80m CW contest runs for an hour on Wednesday between 1900 and 2000UTC. The exchange is your 4-character locator.

Next weekend is busy for contests, but please remember to check before the events for new rules due to lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world. RSGB strongly advises obeying your own government’s advice first and foremost.

The 432MHz Trophy contest and the 10GHz Trophy contest are both on Saturday between 1400 and 2200UTC. Using all modes in the respective bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

The 432MHz to 248MHz Trophy contest runs for 24 hours over next weekend from 1400 on the 2nd to 1400UTC on the 3rd. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Another 24-hour contest is the ARL International DX event from 1200UTC on the 2nd to 1200UTC on the 3rd. Using phone and RTTY on the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number, with Italian stations also giving their Province code.

Next Sunday, the 3rd of May, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 0800 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3 to 3.4GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

The UK Six Metre Group’s Summer Marathon runs from the 2nd of May to the 2nd of August. Using all modes in the 50MHz band, the exchange is your 4-character locator.

A one-off independent 2m contest is being held on Bank holiday Monday, the 4th of May, to promote 2m usage during the COVID-19 lockdown. From 2 pm to 3 pm, there will be an FM contest, where operators should exchange signal reports, serial number and 4 character Grid Squares. From 3 pm to 4 pm, there will be an FT8 contest using the standard FT8 messages to exchange signal reports and grid squares. The contests are open to all licensed amateur radio operators and short wave listeners but due to the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, no portable or mobile operation is permitted. Further details can be found at www.vhflockdown.fun.

And finally, don’t forget the RSGB Hope QSO Party on weekdays, see www.rsgbcc.org/hf for further details. So far around 300 UK and non-UK participants have taken part, and for some, it has been their first attempt at an HF contest. One participant told us that it was their first-ever attempt at CW in 36 years. Come and join in the fun.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 24th of April.

Last week showed how difficult it can be to prepare HF propagation predictions. We said that we expected the Sun to remain settled throughout the week. But on Wednesday the 15th there was a stealthy slow-moving coronal mass ejection off the Sun that barely appeared in the SOHO spacecraft imagery. However, this CME was Earth-directed and around midday on Monday the 20th it hit. The net result was the Kp index rose to five and MUFs were adversely affected, after an initial positive phase that saw MUFs over a 3,000km path rise above 18MHz. HF conditions were still down on Tuesday, with bands above 20 metres pretty much closed. But luckily, by Wednesday things were pretty much back to normal.

The highlight of the week has been a gradual increase in Sporadic-E on 10 metres. There have been numerous openings, mainly into Spain and the Canary Islands, with other fleeting openings into Sweden and Germany. While signal strengths haven’t been too strong so far, it bodes well for the Sporadic-E season, which is likely to ramp up over the next week or so. The message is - keep an eye on 10 metres.

Next week NOAA predicts a continued quiet Sun with a solar flux index around 69. With zero sunspots predicted again it does begin to look like we are close to the sun spot minimum.

Geomagnetic conditions are predicted to be settled, with a Kp index of around two to three, other than on Monday the 27th when it could rise to four.

And now the VHF and up propagation news.

We have a hybrid of weather types during the coming week, with the last of any Tropo fading as this bulletin goes out. Thereafter, it looks more unsettled with a chance of showery rain, initially in the southwest, but more generally as we run into next week. This is because an Atlantic low should develop south of Iceland and a cold front becomes slow-moving over western Britain at the end of next week. In this latter part of the week, high pressure builds from Biscay across northern France.

So, expect some Tropo at first, but ending this weekend and perhaps in south-eastern areas late next week. Rain scatter looks more favourable again with several areas of showery rain or fronts involved from this weekend onwards.

In view of the approaching start of the Sporadic-E season we would expect to find some openings, but as we said earlier any have been brief so far. It would seem that nobody has told the jet streams to get into line! I cannot say that this looks like a strong lead this week.

The peak of the ongoing Lyrids meteor shower is over, so expect declining meteor scatter activity this week.

Moon declination is positive all week and reaches its maximum on Tuesday. We are past apogee, so EME path losses will continue to fall. 144MHz sky noise is low all week.

And that’s all from the propagation team this week.