RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for January 26th 2020.

GB2RS NEWS

Sunday 26th January 2020

The news headlines:

RSGB Board application deadline looms

British Science Week info available now

Why GB3GV is QRP

The deadline for applications for the two elected RSGB Board Director positions is Friday the 31st of January. This is your opportunity to take an important and interesting role in leading the Society into the next decade. You'll find guidance and candidate forms on the RSGB elections web page, but if you’d like an informal chat to find out more, contact the Board Chair, Ian Shepherd, G4EVK, via email to [email protected].

If you or your radio club want to get involved in British Science Week, which takes place between the 6th and the 15th of March, activity packs are now available to download from https://tinyurl.com/qvyqnr8. The pack contains tips on how to run British Science Week in school or at home, easy-to-run activities, and details of the annual poster competition. There's a lot to get you started on this excellent initiative.

Leicestershire digital ATV repeater GB3GV has been significantly down on power for the last couple of weeks. Due to failure of one of the transmitter stages it has only been running about 1W to the antenna. Repairs will hopefully be carried out soon, which will bring the signal back to full strength. Further info is online at www.leicestershirerepeatergroup.org.uk.

Regulators in Spain are allowing radio amateurs there to exchange their current longer-format callsigns for permanent 2 x 1 callsigns. To be eligible, applicants must have held a licence issued by Spanish authorities without any sanctions and have at least 15 years of experience in international amateur radio.

Germany is again permitting amateurs to use the 70.150-70.200MHz segment of the 4m band until the end of 2020. All conditions are the same as last year.

If you would like to support the RSGB at a senior level but are unable to commit to a full three years as a Board Director, please contact the Nominations Committee with an outline of your skills. This Committee can suggest Members for co-option to the RSGB Board or to act as a Board adviser for a certain period and for specific projects. If this fits your skills and time, please email the Company Secretary, who is also the Nominations Committee Chair, via [email protected].

In New Zealand, the trial licence scheme for the 5MHz band has been extended for a further six months. It will now continue until 24 July, during which time the authorities hope to work out a more permanent solution. Conditions of use remain unchanged from earlier in the trial.

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

On Saturday the 1st of February, the Barry ARS Table Top Rally takes place at The Wilton Lounge, Sully Sports & Leisure Club, South Road, Sully CF64 5SP. Doors open from 10am and entry is £2, with under 18s free. There is ample parking. Items on offer will include new and second-hand radio, computer and electronics. Catering and a bar will be available. More details from Nigel, GW1CUQ, via [email protected].

On Sunday the 2nd of February, the 36th Canvey Radio & Electronics Rally will take place at Cornelius Vermuyden School, Dinant Avenue, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 9QS. Talk in will be on 145.550MHz. There is free car parking and easy level ground floor access to two large halls. Doors open at 10am, or 9.45am for disabled visitors. Admission is £3, with children under 10 free. Tea, coffee and soft drinks will be available, as well as bacon butties. There will be radio, computing and electronics traders. More details from Tony, G0JYI, via email to [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

Dirk, WA4DT will operate until the 2nd of February as HR9/WA4DT from Roatan Island, off the coast of Honduras, IOTA reference NA-057. He will be on CW and FT8.

Melvin, W8MV will be active from the Caribbean island of Montserrat, NA-103, from the 26th January to the 2nd of February. He will be using CW on the HF bands using the callsign VP2MCV. Logs will be uploaded to Logbook of The World.

Russell, G5XW will be on the air holiday-style as C5XW in The Gambia from the 28th of January to the 7th of February. Activity will be mainly SSB and possibly some CW on 40 to 17m. QSL via the RSGB bureau.

Matteo, IZ4YGS will be active as 9G5GS from Sanzule, Ghana from the 1st to the 26th of February. In his spare time he will operate FT8 and SSB on the 160 to 20m bands. He also plans some USB activity on the QO-100 satellite. QSL via Logbook of The World, eQSL or direct to his home call.

Nando, IT9YRE and Mike, K9AJ will be active as CB0Z from Selkirk Island, SA-101, between the 3rd and the 5th of February. They will operate SSB and CW on the 40, 30, 20, 17 and 15m bands, using vertical antennas and two stations. QSL via Club Log’s OQRS, or via IT9YRE.

Don, VE7DS will be active as E51DDG from Rarotonga in the South Cook Islands, OC-013, between the 2nd and the 14th of February. He will operate CW only on the 40, 30, 20 and 17m bands. QSL via Logbook of The World, or via his home call.

Now the special event news

We’ve received no news of special event stations taking place this week.

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 160m DX contest ends its 48 hour run at 2200UTC today, the 26th. It’s CW only on the 1.8MHz band, and the exchange is signal report and CQ Zone. Note that US stations also send their State, and Canadians send their Province.

The BARTG RTTY Sprint contest ends its 24 hour run at 1200UTC today, the 26th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is simple the serial number of the contact.

On Tuesday the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1930 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3 to 10GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Wednesday the UK EI Contest Club 80m contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW only, the exchange is your 4-character locator.

Next Sunday, the 2nd of February, the 432MHz AFS contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Don’t forget that the UK Six Metre Group’s Winter Marathon runs until the end of January, so you have a few days left. 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 24th of January.

This week saw a decline in Sporadic-E conditions on 10m. This may be due to a repositioning of the jet stream or just the end of the winter Sporadic-E season, but more of that in the VHF section.

On the face of it, last week saw the Sun behaving itself, with zero sunspots. But look a little closer and it has actually been quite active. Two solar events were launched off the Sun’s surface, one on Sunday the 19th, which was preceded by an X-ray solar flare, the other from a coronal hole on Monday the 21st. There was a slight increase in the solar wind at times this week due to the coronal hole’s solar wind stream. This pushed the Kp index to three.

Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will remain around 72, with mainly settled geomagnetic conditions. The Kp index is predicted to remain around two, at least until the first of February when an unsettled region of the Sun rotates back into view.

The most interesting propagation this week has been on the low bands, notably Top Band and 80 metres. Derek, G3RAU reports on the CDXC reflector that he worked Mexico on 80m at 0900UTC, while Chris, G3SJJ worked NA5G in Louisiana on 160m at 0745UTC. Victor, G3JNB reports working JT5DX in Mongolia on 80m in the late evening. The JT5 station has also been active on 160 metres.

This really is an optimum time of year for low band DXing, so keep an eye on 160, 80 and 40 metres, especially around dawn for DX from the west. The DX net around 3.795MHz every morning is always a good test of your station’s 80m DX capabilities.

And now the VHF and up propagation news.

It’s goodbye to the high pressure as we go through this weekend and the Atlantic weather systems start to move in from the west. This will set up a very unsettled period of weather again during most of the week with strong winds, especially in the north, but also in southern areas at times.

As for propagation, there should be some GHz bands rain scatter options as squally fronts cross the country, and from scattered showers in the unstable westerly flow which follows the cold fronts.

Although high pressure remains over the southern half of the continent, it will be well out of reach from most of the UK and Tropo is unlikely to be a feature of propagation this week.

It’s always just possible for out of season Sporadic-E, and the jet stream over the UK is likely to strengthen again next week. If this were high summer it would be a very positive steer, but in mid-winter it’s not a good prospect, except perhaps for paths to Scandinavia and the Baltic if you are really lucky.

Moon declination is rising this week, going positive on Thursday. Apogee is on Thursday, so it is not a great week for EME due to high path losses. 144MHz sky noise is low.

There are no major meteor showers this week so continue to look for random QSOs in the early morning around dawn.

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