RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for February 9th 2020.

GB2RS NEWS

Sunday the 9th of February 2020

 

The news headlines:

Build a radio at Bletchley Park
Voting for RSGB AGM opens in around 4 weeks
GB3GV ATV repeater back to full power

 

The RSGB invites young people, and an accompanying adult if the child is under 16 years, to join them at the National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park for a fun and hands-on workshop where they can learn more about radio and electronics on the 14th of March. The workshop offers a short introduction to wireless communications, radio propagation and electronic construction, before moving on to the construction of a medium wave radio receiver provided free of charge for each registered student by the Radio Communications Foundation. Attendees will also be able to visit Bletchley Park, including the National Radio Centre. Places are limited to eight young persons, tickets cost £7 and accompanying adults if child is under 16 £8. The ticket includes access to Bletchley Park for the purposes of this workshop on the specified date only. Bookings are available via the Bletchley Park website at www.bletchleypark.org.uk/ under the what’s on tab.

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered for the RSGB Board Director and Regional Representative roles as part of the forthcoming elections. The nomination period has now ended. Voting will begin on the 11th of March and will end on the 23rd of April. All the information on candidates and how to vote will appear in the April edition of RadCom.

GB3GV, the Leicestershire Repeater Group 23cm ATV repeater, has now been restored to full ERP following a site visit on the 1st of February. Further info from www.leicestershirerepeatergroup.org.uk.

Venues and dates for the 2020 series of Train the Trainers courses can be found on the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/train-the-trainers. In order to ensure that courses are run as cost-effectively as possible between twenty and twenty-five candidates are needed for each course. To reserve a place on any of the courses please email [email protected] with your name and telephone number. The first course to run will be held in Telford on the 21st of March; it currently has eight places available. Following Telford will be Cardiff on the 18th of April. This course currently still has space so please book as soon as possible. Details of other courses available are on the website.

The RSGB’s Examinations and Syllabus Review Group is delighted to announce the appointment of Greg Fenton, M0ODZ to the group. Greg has had a life-long interest in amateur radio and in more recent years he also became involved with Makerspace in Newcastle. After gaining his Full licence he started to take part in amateur radio teaching, including to his youngest daughter who is now also a licensed radio amateur. Like Tony, G7ETW who also joined the group recently, Greg has already brought fresh enthusiasm and ideas to the group and the RSGB looks forward to his continued participation.

Due to essential maintenance, the Radio Room at the RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed to visitors on Tuesday the 11th of February. Whilst the NRC itself will remain open to visitors, it means that the station GB3RS will be ‘off-air’ and hence will be unavailable for any visiting radio amateurs to operate. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. The work should be completed by mid-afternoon and hence GB3RS may be on-air later in the day but, by closing for the day, we are allowing for any over-run needed to complete the work.

Provisional results for the last IARU R1 VHF Contest are available on IARU Region 1 website www.iaru-r1.org. Congratulations to GM4ZUK/P who was the highest placed UK station in the single operation 145MHz section and G8P who were the highest placed team in the multi operatior 145MHz section. G3XDY was the highest placed UK station in the 6 hour 145MHz section

 

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

Today, the 9th of February the Harwell Radio and Electronics Rally will be held at Didcot Leisure Centre, Mereland Road, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 8AY, that’s about 3 miles from the A34 Milton Interchange. Doors open 10am to 3pm and admittance is £3 with under 12s free. Talk in will be on 145.550MHz, using G3PIA and there is free car parking. Local and national traders as well as Special Interest Groups and an RSGB Bookstand will be in attendance. Home-made refreshments are available all day. Details from [email protected] or 01235 816379.

Next Saturday, the 15th the Ballymena ARC Rally will be held in Ahoghill Community Centre, 80 Cullybackey Road, Ahoghill BT42 1LA. Doors open at 10.30am and admission is £3. There is free parking on site. There will be traders, a Bring & Buy and a prize draw will operate. Light refreshments will be available. Tables are free but must be pre-booked by email to [email protected]. More details from Hugh, GI0JEV on 0282 587 1481.

Next Sunday, the 16th, the RadioActive Rally will be held at Nantwich Civic Hall, Cheshire, CW5 5DG. There is free car parking and doors open at 10.30am. There will be a Bring & Buy, as well as traders and an RSGB book stall. A single raffle ticket is included with the entrance programme; additional tickets available. Catering is provided on site. Contact Stuart Jackson on 0788 073 2534.

Also, next Sunday, the 16th, the Lomond Radio Club Bring & Buy event takes place at John Connolly Centre, Main Street, Renton G82 4LY. Doors open at 10am. There will be a Bring & Buy, traders and refreshments will be available. Contact Bill at [email protected].

Please send details of your rally and event plans as soon as possible to [email protected] – we give you valuable publicity online, in RadCom and on GB2RS, all for free.

 

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

Andre, PP6ZZ will be active as PY0FF from Fernando de Noronha, SA-003, until the 18th of February. He plans to operate all modes, including FT8 and FT4, in his spare time. QSL via Logbook of The World, or via W9VA.

RI1ANC, the club station at Vostok Station in Antarctica, is active. Look for activity on the HF bands, mainly FT8 with some CW and SSB. QSL via RN1ON.

Ed, K1EP will be active as VP2MEP from Montserrat, NA-103, between the 11th and 17th of February. He will operate CW, SSB and some FT8. QSL via Logbook of The World or direct to K1EP.

Rob, G4WXJ will be active as ZC4RH from the UK Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus until the 13th of February. He expects to operate SSB, CW and FT8 on the 40, 30, 20, 15 and 10m bands. QSL via his home call, direct or via the bureau. He does not use Logbook of The World or Club Log.

Dave, VE3VSM will be active as VE3VSM/HR9 from Roatan Island, NA-057, between the 11th and 23rd of February. He will be operating on the 20 and 15m bands using CW in his spare time and during some contests. QSL via Logbook of The World, or direct.

 

Now the special event news

Heiko, DK3DM and others are active as DL2020R until the end of the year to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the German reunification process. QSL via Club Log's OQRS or direct only to M0SDV.

DL250BEETH is another special callsign commemorating Ludwig van Beethoven's 250th anniversary. It will be used by the Kerpen local branch of DARC until the end of the year. QSL via DJ6SI.

Please send special event details to [email protected] as early as possible to get your event publicised here on GB2RS, in RadCom, and online.

 

Now the contest news

The CQ WW WPX Party ends its 48-hour run at 2359UTC today, the 9th. It’s RTTY only on the 3.8 to 28MHz bands. The exchange is signal report and serial number.

The PACC Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1200UTC today, the 9th. Using CW and SSB on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands the exchange is signal report serial number with PA stations also sending their Province.

On Tuesday the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 1955UTC. The 432MHz UK Activity Contest follows at 2000 to 2230UTC using all modes. The exchange is the same for both, signal report serial number and locator.

On Wednesday the 80m Club Championships holds a datamodes leg from 2000 to 2130UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number.

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 the ARRL International DX Contest runs from 0000UTC on the 15th to 2359UTC on the 16th. Using CW only on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands the exchange is signal report and transmit power, with US stations also sending their State and Canadians their Province.

 

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 7th of February.

After sunspot group 2757 rotated out of view the Sun remained spotless with a solar flux index around 70. We had periods of geomagnetic disruption thanks to the effects of coronal holes, the worst seeing the Kp index hit four on Thursday morning. These storms resulted in visible aurora being reported at higher latitudes.

Monday saw the first of the RSGB’s 80m Club Championship events with an SSB contest. Participants complained about the poor propagation, with continental stations being stronger than locals. This was reflected in the ionosonde data at propquest.co.uk, that showed the f0F2 critical frequency, as measured at RAF Fairford, as 2.875MHz at the start of the contest and only 3.175MHz at the end. Meanwhile, Chilton recorded 3.7MHz at the start of the contest and 3.5MHz at the end.

So, you can see that short-range propagation on 80m was marginal and favoured different parts of the country. Next week, there is the possibility that strong jet streams may provide some low-band Sporadic-E enhancement for evening nets when the foF2 has deserted us.

Thursday saw an HF enhancement, possibly linked to the raised Kp index, with maximum usable frequencies creeping above 21MHz and 15m FT8 openings into the Canary Islands, the Azores, Greece and European Russia. There were also 15m FT8 openings to South America later in the afternoon.

CDXC members have also reported contacts last week with TI9A, Cocos Island, off Costa Rica, and HU1DL in El Salvador. Excitement is also building for the VP8PJ South Orkney DXpedition that should start later this month.

Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will remain around 70 with more settled geomagnetic conditions after the effects of the current high-speed solar wind diminish.

 

And now the VHF and up propagation news.

 

After a brief period of Tropo in the second half of last week, we are now about to enter a period of very unsettled weather with deep lows passing by the far north of Britain. This means that Tropo will not be a feature this coming week and time may be better spent making sure the antenna ropes are secure and towers lowered if the forecast looks severe.

At present, the strongest winds are likely in northern and western areas, but with such a strong Atlantic jet stream there is a huge amount of energy available to spin up very deep lows in less than 24 hours. The message therefore is to keep up to date with the latest forecasts, because the track of such lows can change markedly over a few hours.

There is one propagation silver lining to this type of weather, which is possible microwave rain scatter as squally fronts or showers pass by.

One of the models does build a high over the continent at the end of next week with a possibility of some Tropo into France, but only from the southeastern corner of the country.

Moon declination goes negative on Wednesday, but with perigee on Monday, it's still a good week for EME. Path losses are at their lowest and 144 MHz sky noise is low all week.

There are no major meteor showers this week, and we are now well into the Winter minimum for random meteors. The best time for random meteor scatter QSOs is always around dawn when the Earth is rotating towards the main meteor flux.

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