RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for December 22nd 2019.

GB2RS NEWS

Sunday 22nd December 2019

The news headlines:

Final GB2RS of the year

Last chances to work GB18YOTA

RSGB Christmas and New Year opening times

This is the final GB2RS news reading for 2019 and we start with seasonal greetings to all newsreaders and listeners, both over the air and via the internet recordings, and not forgetting viewers of the ATV broadcast, which is available via several repeaters and kindly streamed via the BATC.TV website, as well as those that get this news via TX Factor or podcasts. We would like to take this opportunity to once again thank all those that read the news, in whatever format, for their tireless dedication to their fellow amateurs. There will be no formal news reading on the 29th of December, although Newsreaders may choose to read the local news for that week. An abbreviated broadcast will resume on Sunday the 5th of January and a full GB2RS service on the 12th.

YOTA Month is gathering pace and the two-day event at the RSGB’s National Radio Centre last weekend was a great success. Today, the 22nd, the Royal Signals Amateur Radio Society at Blandford Camp will operate from 1200 to 1800UTC at the Headquarters Station. There is still time to apply to host the callsign between Christmas and the New Year so email [email protected] if you would like to take part.

RSGB HQ will close for the Christmas and New Year period from 12 noon on the 24th of December. It opens again at 8.30 am on the 2nd of January. During that time, if you need information about amateur radio, exams or RadCom you’ll find lots of information on the RSGB website, www.rsgb.org. The RSGB’s National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Visitors should also note that the NRC will close early, at 3 pm, on New Year’s Eve.

Sweden’s Alexanderson alternator station SAQ has planned a Christmas Eve transmission on 17.2kHz. The transmitter will be tuned up starting at around 0730UTC and a message will be transmitted at 0800UTC. Guests are welcome to attend the transmission at the radio station in Grimeton from 8 am. The Alexander association will arrange Coffee and Christmas cookies, free of charge, and there is no entrance fee. Amateur radio station SK6SAQ will be active on the 24th on 7.035 and 14.035MHz on CW, and 3.755MHz SSB. Two stations will be on the air most of the time.

The TX Factor team is celebrating an important milestone with the release of the 25th Episode of the only TV show dedicated to amateur radio. Bob, G0FGX talks to Eric Swartz, WA6HHQ about the new Elecraft K4 transceiver and Mike, G1IAR finds out about the WQ Weather Radar by Weatherquest. Mike and Bob took a trip to Southampton and Portsmouth to meet a team of radio amateurs who are working with their local emergency planning officer to make their repeaters resilient by using point to point RF links utilising off the shelf kit; there is also some information on the recent ITU World Radiocommunication Conference held in Egypt. Look out for the RSGB explanation on how it represents radio amateurs both nationally and internationally at around 28 minutes into the show. TX Factor is sponsored by the RSGB and Martin Lynch & Sons. Episode 25 is viewable in HD on all devices from smartphones to smart TVs and is available at www.txfactor.co.uk, where you will find all the previous episodes too.

Now for a licence revalidation reminder. All amateurs are required to revalidate their licence with Ofcom at least every five years. If it has been a while since you did that, go to www.ofcom.org.uk/manage-your-licence or email [email protected]. The process doesn’t take very long.

The GB2RS 5MHz Team has a need for readers on the rota of its Sunday afternoon national broadcast at 1500UTC on 5398.5kHz USB. We would welcome applicants, who should contact the RSGB’s GB2RS Manager via email to [email protected]. Note that 5MHz readers need to possess a Full UK amateur radio licence and be RSGB Members.

The RSGB has released a bumper crop of lectures from the 2019 Convention for members to enjoy over the Christmas break. Chris Duckling, G3SVL speaks about Lessons from the 6Gs VK9XG DXpedition including logistics, 160m & FT8 Fox and Hounds mode; Roger Balister, G3KMA and Igor Znamenskiy, UA9KDF talk about the Arctic Legends DXpedition by RI0B to the Russian Polar Arctic; Chris Whitmarsh, G0FDZ talks about 122GHz and up and Elaine Richards, G4LFM explains about Writing for all variants of RadCom. Head to www.rsgb.org/videos to view these and many more.

You may like to take part in Worked All Postcodes, sponsored by Moonraker and assisted by several other dealers. The idea is simple – work as many different postcode areas as you can on 4m, 2m, 70cm and 23cm. The award website is www.amateur-radio.co.uk.

And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week

On the 29th of December, the Yeovil ARC Christmas Rally will be held in Davis Hall, West Camel, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 7QX. Doors open from 10 am and 2 pm. There are light refreshments available and plenty of free parking. The event has been sponsored by Lindars Radio. More from Bob Harris on 01963 440 167 or by email [email protected].

Please send details of your 2020 rally and event plans as soon as possible to [email protected].

And now the DX news from 425 DX News and other sources

Kasimir, DL2SBY will be active as HB0/DL2SBY from Liechtenstein until the 28th of December. He will operate SSB, CW and digital modes on the 80 to 10m bands. QSL via his home call direct only. The log will be uploaded to Logbook of The World and Club Log.

Several operators from the Holy Land DX Group will be active as 4X9R from the UNESCO World Heritage site of Beit Shearim on the 27th and 28th of December. They will operate CW and SSB, with two stations on the 80 to10m bands. QSL via 4Z5LA

Oleh, KD7WPJ will be active as CE0Y/UR5BCP from Easter Island, IOTA reference SA-001, from the 26th to the 31st of December. He will operate SSB, CW, FT8 & FT4 on the 60 to 6m bands. QSL via KD7WPJ, either direct or via the bureau; his digital QSOs will be uploaded to Logbook of The World.

Antonio, EA5RM will use HC3AGT while in Loja, Ecuador until the 5th of January 2020. In his spare time, he operates SSB and digital modes on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via his home call.

Col, MM0NDX operating as TF/OJ0Y and Jonathan, MM0OKG operating as TF/MM0OKG will be active from Iceland, EU-021 from the 31st of December to the 2nd of January. They will operate CW, SSB and FT8 on the 80 to 20m bands, and possibly on 160m. QSL via Logbook of the World for both and additionally via EB7DX for Col.

Now the special event news

Royal Signals ARS are pleased to host GB19YOTA at their Headquarters Station G4RS in Blandford Camp, Blandford, Dorset on today, the 22nd of December. Activity will be from 12 noon to 6 pm and HF and VHF operation on SSB, CW and FT8 is planned. Visitors are welcome but please note, as it is located on the Royal Signals Camp a photo ID such as a passport or driving licence is required for all adults visiting the station.

Please send special event details to [email protected] as early as possible. We have not received special event station info from Ofcom in recent months so you MUST let us know to get your event publicised here on GB2RS, in RadCom, and online.

Now the contest news

The Christmas Cumulatives take place from 1400UTC on the 26th to 1600UTC on the 29th of December. Using all modes on the 50 to 432MHz bands, the exchange is a signal report, serial number and locator.

The Worked All Britain Christmas Party runs from the 26th of December to the 6th of January. Using all modes on all contest bands, the exchange is just your WAB book number.

On The 26th, the DARC Christmas Party runs from 0830 to 1100UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 3.5 to 7MHz contest bands, the exchange is a signal report and serial number. German stations also send DOK or NM.

The Stew Perry Topband Challenge runs from 1500UTC on the 28th to 1500UTC on the 29th of December. It’s CW only and the exchange is your 4-character Locator square.

On the 1st of January, the IRTS 80m Counties Contest runs from 1500 to 1700UTC. Using SSB and CW, the exchange is a signal report and serial number. EI and GI stations also send their County.

Also on the 1st, but from 2000 to 2100UTC, the UK EI Contest Club Contest is SSB-only on the 80m band. The exchange is your 4-character locator.

The ARRL RTTY Roundup takes place from 1800UTC on the 4th to 2359UTC on the 5th of January. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands the exchange is a signal report and serial number, with US stations sending their State and Canadian stations their Province.

Finally, in this bumper session, the EUCW 160m CW Party takes place from 2000 to 2230UTC on the 4th of January.

Don’t forget that the UK Six Metre Group’s Winter Marathon and runs until the end of January. There are no specific operating modes or periods. Just work as many locator squares as you can on the 50MHz band.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 20th of December 2019.

We have a slightly different twist on the HF propagation report this week. At Christmas, we usually help you work the Father Christmas special event station in Lapland, but we are not sure if it is active this year. Instead, there are seven special Christmas stations operating in Spain until the 6th of January 2020. These are AO1XMA, AO2XMA, AO3XMA, AO4XMA, AO5XMA, AO7XMA, and AO8XMA. These are all a fairly easy one-hop distance away from the UK. During daylight hours rsgb.org.uk/predtest forecasts that 7MHz and 10MHz may be the best bands for a contact. Twenty metres, or the 14MHz band, may also offer opportunities around the middle of the day. After sunset the MUF on this path drops to around 5-5.5MHz, so 80m or the 3.5MHz band may provide the best chance.

At the time this report was prepared, we were not too sure exactly where the stations are located. All are listed as being organised by Federacion Digital EA in Barcelona. As Spain is quite large, it could be that propagation on the higher bands favours any station located in the south of Spain.

NOAA predicts a solar flux index of 70 for the next two weeks and reasonably-settled geomagnetic conditions with a Kp index of two. The disruption seen on Thursday 19th should quieten as Earth leaves the high-speed solar wind stream from a coronal hole.

There is the potential for a new sunspot that has been seen forming in the north-west quadrant on the Sun. But this may have completely disappeared by the time this report is being read out, so don’t get your hopes up!

And now the VHF and up propagation news

The weather models diverge markedly by the middle of next week. Starting with the period that remains in-step, which takes us through this weekend and up to Christmas, we have low pressure in the vicinity of northern Britain eventually drifting into the North Sea by Christmas. This will mean rain or showers and perhaps some rain scatter on the microwave bands, but little sign of tropo.

However, one of the models produces a reasonable high over the country by Christmas Day, which tries to hang on nearby the UK to the end of the week. This could bring some slightly enhanced tropo, although it’s forming in cold air and may only provide limited lift conditions, but at least it’s a chance.

The other model evolution retains the low-pressure story, so no tropo and a dominant low over the nearby Atlantic keeping the weather breezy and with rain in the west and north, so the rain scatter theme persists.

There are continuing signs of a quite strong jet stream activity over southern Britain and the near continent, which in the summer is usually a shoo-in for Sporadic-E. In the winter it’s much less common, but not entirely without hope, especially for digital modes on 10m and perhaps up to 6m if we’re really lucky.

Moon declination is negative and falling further this week so Moon availability will reduce. Perigee was last week so path losses will continue to rise. The 144MHz sky temperature will be high, leading to Thursday morning which sees the Moon and Sun very close.

There is just the small Ursids meteor shower peaking tomorrow, but the massive Quadrantids shower gets underway on Friday leading up to its 110 zenithal hourly rate peak over the third and fourth of January.

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