GB2RS NEWS
Sunday 9th February 2014
The news headlines:
· RSGB invites information on solar installations
· Drainage work closes NRC this weekend
· Thinking Day on the Air next weekend
The RSGB is trying to build a clearer picture of the circumstances in which photovoltaic solar panel installations cause a significant rise in the noise levels on the amateur bands. If you, or a neighbour, have installed Solar PV, please let us know whether you have noticed an increase in noise level. It is also valuable to know if noise levels are unchanged. The RSGB website has details of the information the Society would like to know, which includes things like power rating, equipment make, model and date of installations.
Urgent remedial drainage work is taking place at Bletchley Park. It is taking longer than anticipated and regrettably the National Radio Centre will remain closed this weekend. It will re-open for visitors next Thursday, the 13th of February.
Thinking Day On The Air is an opportunity for the members of Girlguiding from the youngest Rainbow to the oldest Trefoil Guild member to talk to other members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts all over the world via amateur radio. The 2014 event, taking place next weekend, is very special as it celebrates the Brownies’ Centenary. Ofcom has agreed to allow TDOTA stations to apply for the suffix of GB100 followed by the usual two or three letters. Keep an ear open next weekend for these stations as many young people take to the air, perhaps for the first time.
Ahead of the September 2014 IARU Region 1 Conference, the RSGB has opened a new set of Discussion Boards so that UK amateurs can suggest topics, on matters such as operating procedures, technical standards and band plans. The initial phase is an open call and will be followed by further opportunities as UK papers are developed, or subsequently when all Conference papers are available. There are separate boards covering HF and VHF/Microwave matters, as well as more generic topics. Current topics under discussion include QSLing and poor operating. Full details and links are on the RSGB website and all amateurs and short wave listeners are invited to participate.
Two radio amateurs with close IARU ties are among the winners of Dayton Hamvention 2014 awards. Named as Amateur of the Year is Larry E Price, W4RA, President Emeritus of the ARRL and of the International Amateur Radio Union. ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, will receive the Special Achievement Award.
Two new bands are available to Polish radio amateurs from 18 February. The 472-479kHz band may be used with up to 1W EIRP and the 122.25-123.00GHz band may also be used. Both are allocated to the Polish amateur service on a secondary basis.
The RSGB Board has announced plans to sponsor a team of four young people to visit the IARU Youngsters on the Air event in July, hosted this year by the Finnish Radio Amateur League. All RSGB members between 15 and 25 years old have been sent a personal invitation to apply for an expenses-paid place on the UK team and there’s still time to apply. RSGB Membership is free to people under 21 and to students under 25 in full-time education. The RSGB is also looking for a suitable person to lead the team. They may be over 25, and will preferably be a young teacher or other type of experienced youth leader. Applications for this position must be sent to to reach the chairman of the Training and Education Committee Chair by 14th of February.
The winter 2013-14 edition of the 5MHz Newsletter is now available, As well as the latest news, there's also an article on the supremacy of 5MHz as a communication bridge, the new South African ZS6KTS Beacon plus items on Digital Voice and the latest update of the worldwide 5MHz amateur allocations chart – now with a total of 31 countries. You can find the 5MHz Newsletter at http://tinyurl.com/o26huzb.
And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week
Today sees the Harwell Radio and Electronics Rally at Didcot Leisure Centre, Mereland Road, Didcot. Talk in is on S22 and there is free car parking. The opening time is 10am and admittance is £3, with under 12s free. There will be trade stands, a flea market, special interest groups, a licensed bar, catering and disabled facilities. Details from Ann, G8NVI, on 01235 816 379, or online at www.g3pia.org.uk.
Next Friday, 14th February, the Ballymena ARC annual Bring and Buy will be held at the Ahoghill New Community Centre. Doors open at 7pm and tables are free to sellers. E-mail for details.
The Radio-Active Rally will take place on 16 February in the Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 5DG. Doors open at 10.30am and there will be trade stands and a Bring and Buy. More details from Tim on 01948 519 249.
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 e-mail details to .
Now for the news of special events
Next weekend there will be stations operating for Thinking Day on the Air using special GB100 callsigns celebrating 100 years of the Brownies. Amongst those operating will be GB100EDG for Easingwold District Guides, GB100LB for Llandovery Brownies, GB100WB with Wingerworth Brownies and GB100SWD for Scarborough West Division Brownies. Keep a listen out for these stations and make contact with the young people trying amateur radio for the first time.
Limerick Radio Club will be operating EI14LCC to celebrate Limerick being named as Ireland’s first National City of Culture. To mark the event, members of Limerick Radio Club will air the callsign from their own QTH and from various locations within Limerick throughout the year. All details are on qrz.com.
This is the year of ‘Homecoming’ in Scotland. Licensed amateurs with a main station address in Scotland will be permitted to use the special prefix A, such as GA, MA, 2A, instead of the usual M until 30 November, which is St Andrew's Day. The A stands for Alba, the Gaelic name for Scotland. An award is being sponsored by the GMDX Group; see www.gmdx.org.uk for the details.
The Extreme DX and Contest Group will use II3CV from 15 February to 4 March to celebrate the Carnival of Venice. QSL via IK3HHX, direct or via the bureau. Information on the relevant award can be found at www.extremegroup.org.
And now the DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources
K1ZE, W1EQ and W1UJ will be on the air stroke KP2 from the rental Mountain Breeze Villa on St Croix, IOTA reference NA-106, between 10 and 17 February. Activity will be on all HF bands using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via their home callsigns.
Four Italian operators will be active as S9TF from Principe Island, AF-044, until 12 February. They are on all bands from 80 to 10m using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSLs go via IK5CRH.
A group of Italian and Swiss operators will be active from Zanzibar Island, AF-032, until 13 February. Their callsign is 5I0DX and they can be found on all bands from 80 to 10m. The QSL Manager is IS0AGY.
The F6KOP Team will be operating from Reunion Island, AF-016, until 17 February. Listen out for TO7CC.
Eric, OE4AAC will be visiting Rodrigues Island, AF-017, until 18 February and will operate holiday-style as 3B9/OE4AAC on the 40 to 10m bands using CW. QSL via his home callsign either direst or via the bureau.
Several members of The Buddies in the Caribbean DXpedition Group will get on the air from Bequida, IOTA NA-025, until 18 February. They will be operating using CW and QSLs should go to the home callsigns of the operators, so listen on air for instructions.
Now the contest news
The RTTY leg of the CQ WW WPX contest finishes at midnight on the 9th, having run for 48 hours. It will undoubtedly keep the datamodes portions of the bands busy for the full 48 hours of the weekend. The exchange is RST and serial number.
The PACC (Dutch) Contest is a CW and SSB event and finishes its 24 hour session at 1200UTC today, 9th February. For non-Dutch stations there are numerous single-op categories. Work everyone, but concentrate on working the Netherlands because multipliers are awarded for the twelve Dutch provinces. The exchange is signal report and serial number with Dutch operators sending their Province too.
The 432MHz UK Activity Contest takes place on Tuesday from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The data leg of the 80m Club Championships takes place on Wednesday from 2000 to 2130UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number.
The ARRL International DX Contest takes place for the full 48 hours of the 15th-16th. Work the USA contiguous 48 States and Canada only, giving a signal report and your transmit power. US/Canadian stations give a signal report and their State/Province code. This is the CW leg of the event.
Now the solar factual data for the period from Friday the 31st of January to Thursday the 6th of February, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS on Friday the 7th of February.
Two large sunspot regions produced numerous C class solar flares every day and solar activity increased to high on the 2nd and the 4th due to the fact that more than five M class solar flares took place during the same day. In fact seven occurred on the 2nd and in total 16 M-class flares took place during the period. Solar flux levels increased slightly more than forecast from 166 units on the 31st to 194 by the 5th. The average was 185 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 6th was 155 units, that's three units up on last week. Geomagnetic activity was quiet every day. The most disturbed day was the 6th with an Ap index of 7 units. The average was Ap 3 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds increase from 300 kilometres per second on the 1st to 460 by the 5th. Particle densities were low every day except for a brief increase to 13 particles per cubic centimetre on the 4th. With the quiet magnetic field the magnetic component of the solar wind, the Bz, showed only minor variations of no more than minus 7 and plus 10 nanoTeslas during the period.
Finally, the solar forecast for the coming week. Presently, two large sunspot regions dominate the solar disc, however these will rotate out of view in the next day or two. Until then solar activity could be at moderate levels but then activity is expected to decline to low levels. Solar flux levels are expected to decline to around the 130's or the 140's. Geomagnetic activity could be unsettled today and tomorrow but then decline to quiet levels for the remainder of the period. However, there is a slight chance that a coronal mass ejection could head our way. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes should be around 32MHz. Darkness hour lows should be about 9MHz. Paths this week to South Africa should see both the maximum usable frequency and the optimum working frequency above 30MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 0900 and 1700 hours UTC.
And that’s all for this week from the propagation team.
Next, the Local News:
Please note that details of all RSGB-affiliated clubs and societies can be found on the RSGB website, including email addresses and website links where known.
[Note to Newsreaders: Please read the local news items appropriate to the service area of your transmission.]
NEWS FOR THE MIDLANDS
We start with news from clubs that have several events this week, Wythall Radio Club is on a trip to Didcot Rally today, and has a club net on 145.225MHz at 8pm tonight and next Sunday. The Foundation course continues on Monday. Tuesday sees a Morse class at 7.45 and a committee meeting from 8.30. The 80m Club Championship Contest data leg is on Wednesday from 8pm and Friday sees the shack social from 7.30. On Saturday the Foundation practicals commence at 9am. Next Sunday there’s a trip to the Nantwich Rally. Details from Chris, G0EYO, on 07710 412 819.
Coventry Amateur Radio Society has its club net on Monday from 8pm on 145.375MHz and also on Friday at 9pm because the hall is in use. Contact John, G8SEQ, on 07958 777 363.
South Birmingham Radio Society is holding a committee meeting at 8pm on Monday. Tuesday sees the regular coffee morning in the shack from 11am. Training classes with Dave Murphy, G8OWL are on Thursday and Friday sees work in the shack. Contact Gemma Gordon, M6GKG, by email to .
Sutton Coldfield Amateur Radio Society club is meeting on Monday at Sutton Coldfield rugby club from 7.15pm. Tuesday sees an open net on 70.475MHz from 7.30pm. More information from Robert Bird, by email to .
Lincoln Short-Wave Club is taking part in the 432MHz UKAC from 7.30pm on Tuesday. Wednesday sees shack activities and a natter night from 7.30. The club net is on Thursday on 145.375MHz from 8pm and Saturday sees the surgery plus new licensee mentoring. For more information contact Pam Rose, G4STO, on 01427 788 356.
Rugby ATS is taking part in the UKAC 432MHz on Tuesday, along with radio operation and projects On Saturday there’s a video about vintage electronics by Mike, G8CTJ. Contact Steve, G8LYB, on 01788 578 940.
Worcester Radio Amateurs Association is having a talk on transceiver controls on Tuesday. Saturday sees the start of the weekend Thinking day on the Air event at Perdiswell. Details from Rich Moles, M0UVA, via email to .
Now we return to the tradition al listing in date order. On Monday Gloucester Amateur Radio and Electronics Society is having a VHF operating and workshop evening. Contact Anne, 2E1GKY, on 01242 699 595, daytime.
On Monday Stratford Upon Avon District Radio Society is in the shack for a project discussion. Contact G0CHO, on 01608 664 488.