GB2RS News Sunday the 30th of July 2023  The news headlines: • Tonight@8 events on the Ofcom amateur radio consultation • Bar-coded stamps • GB2RS in Morse code The RSGB is holding two special live Tonight@8 events focused on the Ofcom amateur radio consultation, and it encourages all radio amateurs to take part. On Monday the 31st of July the session will look at contests, operating and callsign policy, in an event that might be of particular interest to Full licensees. On Monday the 7th of August, the focus will be on Foundation and Intermediate topics including callsign and exam changes, as well as the Consultation clauses that might lead to new opportunities for outreach activities for everyone. Instead of the usual webinar style, these events will be forums where, after a short introduction, a panel of RSGB experts will answer your questions. Questions can be submitted on the night of the event via live chat, or you can send in a question in advance. Advance questions can be by email or a short, clear video of you asking your question. In either case, please keep the question short and include your name and callsign. Send questions, by 12 noon on the Friday before the event, to comms@rsgb.org.uk and find out more about the events and the consultation on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/licencereview  From tomorrow, the 31st of July, you should not apply non-bar-coded stamps with Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s image to any mail. In doing so the sender or recipient may have to pay a surcharge. This news is highlighted to radio amateurs who use stamped-addressed QSL card envelopes. Please ensure all stamped-addressed envelopes have valid bar-coded stamps on them. This only applies to stamps with Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s image on them and does not apply to stamps which have other pictures on them. These can continue to be used. Royal Mail will exchange all non-barcoded stamps with new bar-coded ones for free. To do this, download a form from the Royal Mail website, complete it and include it alongside the stamps that are being returned. For more information, and to download a form, visit royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps GB2RS newsreader Graham, G4JBD has developed an online tool which plays Morse code based on the current GB2RS News script at a variety of different speeds. To help simulate a realistic HF-operating environment, the system can be set to include man-made band noise, or QRM, and/or natural band noise, or QRN. To try the system for yourself, visit thersgb.org/go/gb2rsmorse The July 2023 edition of RadCom Basics is now available and includes more topics to inspire those who are new to amateur radio and those who want to refresh their skills and knowledge. This edition includes the stories of the winner and runner-up in the RSGB Construction Competition Beginners’ category; Part 2 of ‘Repairing circuit board tracks’; a design for a simple multi-band vertical HF antenna; Part 6 in the ‘Basic fault-finding series; and an account of Lee, G4EJB’s recent visit to the RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park. To view RadCom Basics visit rsgb.org/radcom-basics The RSGB is also pleased to announce that a new edition of RadCom Plus, Volume 8, Issue 1, is out now. RadCom Plus is the RSGB’s digital technical supplement and RSGB Members can read it in HTML5 flipbook, PDF and Epub formats. This issue includes an article on a compact broadband active antenna for VHF and UHF and another on operating on the 30THz band. RadCom Plus can be accessed via rsgb.org/radcom-plus And now for details of rallies and events  Wiltshire Radio and Car Boot Sale is taking place today, Sunday the 30th of July at Kington Langley Village Hall and Playing Field, Kington Langley, Wiltshire SN15 5NJ. The event starts at 9 am and finishes at 1 pm. There is a £3 entry fee. Indoor tables are sold out, but there is plenty of Car Boot space available. Admittance for car booters is £10, and for vans, it is £15. For further information please contact rally@chippenhamradio.club Part 1 of the British Amateur Television Club’s Convention for Amateur TV 2023, or CAT 23, will take place on Sunday the 6th of August at Midland Air Museum, Coventry. It is a meet-up, show and tell, test and fix-it, and bring-and-buy event from 10.30 am to 4 pm. There will be full ATV and Microwave test facilities available for QO-100, 5.6GHz FM, Portsdown, MiniTiouner, Ryde, and power amplifiers and preamps. King’s Lynn Amateur Radio Club’s 33rd Great Eastern Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 6th of August. The venue will be Gaywood Community Centre, Gayton Road, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 4EL. The doors open to visitors at 9 am and admission is £2.50. The doors open to traders from 7 am. An outdoor pitch costs £8 and an indoor table costs £10. Car parking is free. There will be trade stands and a bring-and-buy area. On-site catering will be available. For more information email rally.klarc@gmail.com or visit klarc.org.uk Now the Special Event News DR45HAAN is the special callsign for DARC's Ortsverband Haan to celebrate its 45th anniversary. The station will be active until the 30th of September. All QSOs will be confirmed automatically via the bureau and direct cards via DL7ET. Special callsign LX90RTL is in use to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Radio Luxembourg’s first long-wave broadcast. It will be used by various LX operators until the end of the year. Listen for the callsign on the HF bands on SSB, CW, digital modes and via satellite. All QSOs will be confirmed automatically via the DARC bureau. The logs will be uploaded to  Club Log, Logbook of the World and eQSL on a regular basis. For more information see QRZ.com Now the DX news Today is the last chance to contact Giuseppe, IK5WWA who is active as IM0C from San Pietro Island, EU-165. He is QRV on the 40 to 2m bands. QSL via his home call. The IP1X team is active from Gallinara Island, EU-083, today, the 30th. They are operating CW and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands in the IOTA Contest. QSL via IU1JCZ, direct or via the bureau. For more details and updates check QRZ.com MD1U is active in the IOTA Contest today, the 30th, as part of a DXpedition to Scarlett Point Tower on the Isle of Man. QSL via M0OXO’s OQRS page and Logbook of the World. For more information see QRZ.com Sunny, VU2CUW, a member of the 42nd Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica, will be based at Maitri Station, Antarctica for around one year. In his spare time, he will be active as AT42I. QSL via VU2CRS.  Ersoy, TA2OM has been active as 3C3CA from Bioko Island, AF-010, in Equatorial Guinea since October 2022. His current plans are to stay there until sometime in August. He uploads his log to Club Log and Logbook of the World on a regular basis. Now the contest news The RSGB IOTA, or Islands On The Air, Contest will end at 1200UTC today, the 30th of July, Using CW and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and IOTA reference. Today, the 30th of July, the UK Microwave Group 5.7 and 10GHz Contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on 5.7 and 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Tuesday the 1st of August, the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 1st of August, the 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 2nd of August, the 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 2nd of August, the 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Saturday the 5th of August, the EU HF Championship runs from 0000 to 2359UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, the exchange is a signal report and the last two digits of the year you were first licensed.  On Saturday the 5th of August, the 4th 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 1400 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and two-letter postcode. Also on Saturday the 5th of August, the 144MHz Low Power Contest runs from 1400 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and two-letter postcode. The Worked all Britain 144MHz Low Power contest takes place on Saturday the 5th of August from 1400 to 1800UTC. Please note that the maximum power that can be used in this contest has been increased to 25W. The exchange is a report, serial number and Worked all Britain square, if applicable. Entries should be submitted to the contest manager by the 15th of August. For full details of the rules please see the Worked all Britain website. On Sunday the 6th of August, the 432MHz Low Power Contest runs from 0800 to 1200UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and two-letter postcode. The UK Six Metre Group Summer Marathon ends its three-month run on Sunday the 6th of August. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is your four-character locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 27th of July 2023 It was a mixed bag last week with periods of settled conditions, but two periods when the Kp index was above four. These unsettled geomagnetic conditions impacted HF, subduing signals and generally not helping at all. The cause was a coronal mass ejection, or CME, that passed Earth late on Tuesday the 25th of July. This triggered a minor G1 geomagnetic storm with the solar wind speed above 500km/s and the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field pointing south.  By the early hours of Thursday morning, the Kp index was down to 2.33, but there was talk of another CME threatening to push it up again.  We ‘dodged a bullet’ on the 24th of July when a large halo CME was observed leaving the Sun. It was so powerful that, despite taking place on the other side of the Sun, energetic proton levels streamed past Earth. By Wednesday lunchtime things were back to normal. By Thursday there were ten active regions visible on the Sun, with a solar flux of 167. Daytime HF conditions are still relatively poor, although the evenings are beginning to show an improvement. We probably won’t see a return to excellent HF conditions until September or October. Having said that, at 1230UTC on Thursday, there were openings on 15m FT8 to Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Puerto Rico, Cuba and Anguilla, despite the predicted MUF over 3,000km being around 19MHz. In other words, make sure you actually listen to the bands! Next week NOAA predicts that the Solar Flux Index will be in the range of 155 to 170. The Kp index is forecast to be around two. There may be a blip on Wednesday the 3rd of August when it is forecast to rise to three.  As always, this is likely to change if we get more solar flares and associated CMEs. And now the VHF and up propagation news The coming week is likely to continue its unsettled theme although, unlike last week, this time we may find a temporary ridge of high pressure building over southern England at the end of the week.   It’s some way off and much could change before we get there, but there is a hint of some Tropo next Friday, perhaps lasting into the Saturday afternoon for the 144MHz Low Power Contest.  The rest of this week and much of next will, however, stay firmly in the unsettled pattern with just rain scatter to console us. The Sporadic-E season often provides activity on the 6m band into the first week of September, so plenty of time to look for those chance QSOs. Last week saw a huge opening to Japan and a smaller opening to North America so there is still plenty to look for.  The current spell of unsettled weather is driven by a strong jet stream across the Atlantic into northern Europe and maybe a positive sign for Sporadic-E paths that cross it, say to Iberia, round through Italy to the Balkans. Other modes are relatively-low probability when compared with Sporadic-E, but the disturbed solar conditions could make Aurora a contender on those occasions when the Kp index is above five. Meteor scatter activity continues to increase as we head into the August Perseids, which peak around the 12th and 13th of August. The Moon reaches minimum declination on Sunday, becoming positive again late next Saturday so there will be short Moon windows early in the week. Perigee is on Wednesday so path losses are low. 144MHz sky noise is high this coming weekend turning low late Monday.  And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 30th of July 2023 The news headlines: • Tonight@8 events on the Ofcom amateur radio consultation • Bar-coded stamps • GB2RS in Morse code The RSGB is holding two special live Tonight@8 events focused on the Ofcom amateur radio consultation, and it encourages all radio amateurs to take part. On Monday the 31st of July the session will look at contests, operating and callsign policy, in an event that might be of particular interest to Full licensees. On Monday the 7th of August, the focus will be on Foundation and Intermediate topics including callsign and exam changes, as well as the Consultation clauses that might lead to new opportunities for outreach activities for everyone. Instead of the usual webinar style, these events will be forums where, after a short introduction, a panel of RSGB experts will answer your questions. Questions can be submitted on the night of the event via live chat, or you can send in a question in advance. Advance questions can be by email or a short, clear video of you asking your question. In either case, please keep the question short and include your name and callsign. Send questions, by 12 noon on the Friday before the event, to comms@rsgb.org.uk and find out more about the events and the consultation on the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/licencereview" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/licencereview</a> From tomorrow, the 31st of July, you should not apply non-bar-coded stamps with Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s image to any mail. In doing so the sender or recipient may have to pay a surcharge. This news is highlighted to radio amateurs who use stamped-addressed QSL card envelopes. Please ensure all stamped-addressed envelopes have valid bar-coded stamps on them. This only applies to stamps with Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s image on them and does not apply to stamps which have other pictures on them. These can continue to be used. Royal Mail will exchange all non-barcoded stamps with new bar-coded ones for free. To do this, download a form from the Royal Mail website, complete it and include it alongside the stamps that are being returned. For more information, and to download a form, visit <a href="http://royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps</a> GB2RS newsreader Graham, G4JBD has developed an online tool which plays Morse code based on the current GB2RS News script at a variety of different speeds. To help simulate a realistic HF-operating environment, the system can be set to include man-made band noise, or QRM, and/or natural band noise, or QRN. To try the system for yourself, visit <a href="http://thersgb.org/go/gb2rsmorse" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">thersgb.org/go/gb2rsmorse</a> The July 2023 edition of RadCom Basics is now available and includes more topics to inspire those who are new to amateur radio and those who want to refresh their skills and knowledge. This edition includes the stories of the winner and runner-up in the RSGB Construction Competition Beginners’ category; Part 2 of ‘Repairing circuit board tracks’; a design for a simple multi-band vertical HF antenna; Part 6 in the ‘Basic fault-finding series; and an account of Lee, G4EJB’s recent visit to the RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park. To view RadCom Basics visit <a href="http://rsgb.org/radcom-basics" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/radcom-basics</a> The RSGB is also pleased to announce that a new edition of RadCom Plus, Volume 8, Issue 1, is out now. RadCom Plus is the RSGB’s digital technical supplement and RSGB Members can read it in HTML5 flipbook, PDF and Epub formats. This issue includes an article on a compact broadband active antenna for VHF and UHF and another on operating on the 30THz band. RadCom Plus can be accessed via <a href="http://rsgb.org/radcom-plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/radcom-plus</a> And now for details of rallies and events  Wiltshire Radio and Car Boot Sale is taking place today, Sunday the 30th of July at Kington Langley Village Hall and Playing Field, Kington Langley, Wiltshire SN15 5NJ. The event starts at 9 am and finishes at 1 pm. There is a £3 entry fee. Indoor tables are sold out, but there is plenty of Car Boot space available. Admittance for car booters is £10, and for vans, it is £15. For further information please contact rally@chippenhamradio.club Part 1 of the British Amateur Television Club’s Convention for Amateur TV 2023, or CAT 23, will take place on Sunday the 6th of August at Midland Air Museum, Coventry. It is a meet-up, show and tell, test and fix-it, and bring-and-buy event from 10.30 am to 4 pm. There will be full ATV and Microwave test facilities available for QO-100, 5.6GHz FM, Portsdown, MiniTiouner, Ryde, and power amplifiers and preamps. King’s Lynn Amateur Radio Club’s 33rd Great Eastern Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 6th of August. The venue will be Gaywood Community Centre, Gayton Road, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 4EL. The doors open to visitors at 9 am and admission is £2.50. The doors open to traders from 7 am. An outdoor pitch costs £8 and an indoor table costs £10. Car parking is free. There will be trade stands and a bring-and-buy area. On-site catering will be available. For more information email rally.klarc@gmail.com or visit <a href="http://klarc.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">klarc.org.uk</a> Now the Special Event News DR45HAAN is the special callsign for DARC's Ortsverband Haan to celebrate its 45th anniversary. The station will be active until the 30th of September. All QSOs will be confirmed automatically via the bureau and direct cards via DL7ET. Special callsign LX90RTL is in use to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Radio Luxembourg’s first long-wave broadcast. It will be used by various LX operators until the end of the year. Listen for the callsign on the HF bands on SSB, CW, digital modes and via satellite. All QSOs will be confirmed automatically via the DARC bureau. The logs will be uploaded to  Club Log, Logbook of the World and eQSL on a regular basis. For more information see <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> Now the DX news Today is the last chance to contact Giuseppe, IK5WWA who is active as IM0C from San Pietro Island, EU-165. He is QRV on the 40 to 2m bands. QSL via his home call. The IP1X team is active from Gallinara Island, EU-083, today, the 30th. They are operating CW and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands in the IOTA Contest. QSL via IU1JCZ, direct or via the bureau. For more details and updates check <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> MD1U is active in the IOTA Contest today, the 30th, as part of a DXpedition to Scarlett Point Tower on the Isle of Man. QSL via M0OXO’s OQRS page and Logbook of the World. For more information see <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> Sunny, VU2CUW, a member of the 42nd Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica, will be based at Maitri Station, Antarctica for around one year. In his spare time, he will be active as AT42I. QSL via VU2CRS.  Ersoy, TA2OM has been active as 3C3CA from Bioko Island, AF-010, in Equatorial Guinea since October 2022. His current plans are to stay there until sometime in August. He uploads his log to Club Log and Logbook of the World on a regular basis. Now the contest news The RSGB IOTA, or Islands On The Air, Contest will end at 1200UTC today, the 30th of July, Using CW and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and IOTA reference. Today, the 30th of July, the UK Microwave Group 5.7 and 10GHz Contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on 5.7 and 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Tuesday the 1st of August, the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 1st of August, the 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 2nd of August, the 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 2nd of August, the 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Saturday the 5th of August, the EU HF Championship runs from 0000 to 2359UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, the exchange is a signal report and the last two digits of the year you were first licensed.  On Saturday the 5th of August, the 4th 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 1400 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and two-letter postcode. Also on Saturday the 5th of August, the 144MHz Low Power Contest runs from 1400 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and two-letter postcode. The Worked all Britain 144MHz Low Power contest takes place on Saturday the 5th of August from 1400 to 1800UTC. Please note that the maximum power that can be used in this contest has been increased to 25W. The exchange is a report, serial number and Worked all Britain square, if applicable. Entries should be submitted to the contest manager by the 15th of August. For full details of the rules please see the Worked all Britain website. On Sunday the 6th of August, the 432MHz Low Power Contest runs from 0800 to 1200UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and two-letter postcode. The UK Six Metre Group Summer Marathon ends its three-month run on Sunday the 6th of August. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is your four-character locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 27th of July 2023 It was a mixed bag last week with periods of settled conditions, but two periods when the Kp index was above four. These unsettled geomagnetic conditions impacted HF, subduing signals and generally not helping at all. The cause was a coronal mass ejection, or CME, that passed Earth late on Tuesday the 25th of July. This triggered a minor G1 geomagnetic storm with the solar wind speed above 500km/s and the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field pointing south.  By the early hours of Thursday morning, the Kp index was down to 2.33, but there was talk of another CME threatening to push it up again.  We ‘dodged a bullet’ on the 24th of July when a large halo CME was observed leaving the Sun. It was so powerful that, despite taking place on the other side of the Sun, energetic proton levels streamed past Earth. By Wednesday lunchtime things were back to normal. By Thursday there were ten active regions visible on the Sun, with a solar flux of 167. Daytime HF conditions are still relatively poor, although the evenings are beginning to show an improvement. We probably won’t see a return to excellent HF conditions until September or October. Having said that, at 1230UTC on Thursday, there were openings on 15m FT8 to Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Puerto Rico, Cuba and Anguilla, despite the predicted MUF over 3,000km being around 19MHz. In other words, make sure you actually listen to the bands! Next week NOAA predicts that the Solar Flux Index will be in the range of 155 to 170. The Kp index is forecast to be around two. There may be a blip on Wednesday the 3rd of August when it is forecast to rise to three.  As always, this is likely to change if we get more solar flares and associated CMEs. And now the VHF and up propagation news The coming week is likely to continue its unsettled theme although, unlike last week, this time we may find a temporary ridge of high pressure building over southern England at the end of the week.   It’s some way off and much could change before we get there, but there is a hint of some Tropo next Friday, perhaps lasting into the Saturday afternoon for the 144MHz Low Power Contest.  The rest of this week and much of next will, however, stay firmly in the unsettled pattern with just rain scatter to console us. The Sporadic-E season often provides activity on the 6m band into the first week of September, so plenty of time to look for those chance QSOs. Last week saw a huge opening to Japan and a smaller opening to North America so there is still plenty to look for.  The current spell of unsettled weather is driven by a strong jet stream across the Atlantic into northern Europe and maybe a positive sign for Sporadic-E paths that cross it, say to Iberia, round through Italy to the Balkans. Other modes are relatively-low probability when compared with Sporadic-E, but the disturbed solar conditions could make Aurora a contender on those occasions when the Kp index is above five. Meteor scatter activity continues to increase as we head into the August Perseids, which peak around the 12th and 13th of August. The Moon reaches minimum declination on Sunday, becoming positive again late next Saturday so there will be short Moon windows early in the week. Perigee is on Wednesday so path losses are low. 144MHz sky noise is high this coming weekend turning low late Monday. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 30th July 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 23rd of July 2023 The news headlines: Tonight@8 events on Ofcom consultation RSGB 2023 Convention RSGB Region 3 District Representatives    The RSGB is holding two special Tonight@8 events focused on the Ofcom amateur radio consultation. On Monday the 31st of July it will look at contests, operating and callsign policy, in an event that might be of particular interest to Full licensees. On Monday the 7th of August the focus will be on Foundation and Intermediate topics including callsign and exam changes, as well as the Consultation clauses that might lead to new opportunities for outreach activities for everyone. Instead of the usual webinar style, these events will be forums where, after a short introduction, a panel of RSGB experts will answer your questions. We encourage radio amateurs to be part of these events. Questions can be submitted on the night via the live chat, or you can send in a question in advance. Advance questions can be by email or a short, clear video of you asking your question. In either case, please include your name and callsign as well as your question. Send questions to comms@rsgb.org.uk or for further information about the Consultation, the events and the panellists go to the RSGB website at rsgb.org/licencereview The RSGB’s 2023 Convention will be held from the 13th to the 15th of October at Kents Hill Park Conference Centre in Milton Keynes. The Convention packs in a full weekend of the very best amateur radio lectures from around the world. With lecture streams, forums, special interest groups, presentations and all the usual activities, there is something for everyone. Join hundreds of others for what is also one of the best social events in amateur radio. Bookings are open now and you can take advantage of early bird pricing until the end of August. You’ll find the booking link and more information on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/convention The RSGB is looking for members in Region 3, the North-West of England, to step forward as volunteer District Representatives. If you’d like to make a difference to other radio amateurs in this area, provide advice and support, represent the RSGB and its Members, and also attend local rallies, please email Region 3 Regional Representative, Martyn Bell, M0TEB at: rr3@rsgb.org.uk The RSGB’s Examinations and Syllabus Review Group, or ESRG, has provided an additional set of four mock exam papers. These cover Foundation, Intermediate, Full and Direct to Full exams. You can find the papers on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/mock-exams A reminder now that the popular British Inland Waterways on the Air event will take place between the 26th and 28th of August. The event is open to amateurs who use canals, towpaths, rivers, lakes or reservoirs for work or recreation. Registration for the event is now open. To sign up, visit Nunsfield House Amateur Radio Group’s website nharg.org.uk and follow the ‘BIWOTA 2023’ link. Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week. And now for details of rallies and events  The Finningley Amateur Radio Society Rally is taking place today, the 23rd, at the Society’s HQ at Belton Road, Sandtoft, Doncaster, DN8 5SX. The doors are open from 10 am and a food bar is available. For more information and directions visit g0ghk.com Wiltshire Radio and Car Boot Sale will take place on Sunday the 30th of July at Kington Langley Village Hall and Playing Field, Kington Langley, Wiltshire SN15 5NJ. The event will start at 9 am and finish at 1 pm. There is a £3 entry fee. Indoor tables are sold out, but there is plenty of Car Boot space available. Admittance for car booters is £10, and for vans, it is £15. For further information please contact rally@chippenhamradio.club Part 1 of the British Amateur Television Club’s Convention for Amateur TV 2023, or CAT 23, will take place on Sunday the 6th of August at Midland Air Museum, Coventry. It is a meet-up, show and tell, test and fix-it, and bring-and-buy event from 10.30 am to 4 pm. There will be full ATV and Microwave test facilities available for QO-100, 5.6GHz FM, Portsdown, MiniTiouner, Ryde, and power amplifiers and preamps. King’s Lynn Amateur Radio Club’s 33rd Great Eastern Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 6th of August. The venue will be Gaywood Community Centre, Gayton Road, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 4EL. The doors open to visitors at 9 am and admission is £2.50. The doors open to traders from 7 am. An outdoor pitch costs £8 and an indoor table costs £10. Car parking is free. There will be trade stands and a bring-and-buy area. On-site catering will be available. For more information email rally.klarc@gmail.com or visit klarc.org.uk Now the Special Event News Special callsign DL0SOP is active until the 31st of July for the 65th edition of the Sea of Peace Award. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, Logbook of the World, eQSL or direct to DL4SVA. For more information about the award visit dl0sop.darc.de VX7NA is the special callsign in use by the Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association, until tomorrow the 24th of July, to celebrate its 75th anniversary. The Association is based on Vancouver Island, NA-036. QSL via VE7NA. Now the DX news The IP1X team will be active from Gallinara Island, EU-083, on the 29th and 30th of July. They will operate CW and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands and will be active for 24 hours during the IOTA Contest. QSL via IU1JCZ, direct or via the bureau. For more details and updates check QRZ.com MD1U will be active during the IOTA Contest on the 29th and 30th of July during a Dxpedition to Scarlett Point Tower on the Isle of Man. QSL via M0OXO’s OQRS page and Logbook of the World. For more information see QRZ.com Roland, F8EN is again active as TR8CR from Gabon until the 12th of August. He operates CW only. QSL via F6AJA, direct or via the bureau. Ersoy, TA2OM has been active as 3C3CA from Bioko Island, AF-010, in Equatorial Guinea since October 2022. His current plans are to stay there until sometime in August. He uploads his log to Club Log and Logbook of the World on a regular basis. Didier, F6BCW is active as FO/F6BCW from Huahine Island, OC-067, in French Polynesia until the 25th of October. He operates CW and SSB on the 80 to 6m bands. QSL via F6EXV, Club Log and Logbook of the World. Now the contest news On Tuesday the 25th of July, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on 2.3 to 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Thursday the 27th of July sees the data leg of the 80m Club Championships run from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using RTTY and PSK63, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Next weekend is the RSGB IOTA, or Islands On The Air, Contest. It runs from 1200UTC on the 29th to 1200UTC on the 30th of July. Using CW and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and IOTA reference. Please note that the Worked All Britain 144MHz Low Power Contest which was due to be held on Saturday the 29th of July has been moved to Saturday the 5th of August. A further announcement is expected next week. Next Sunday, the 30th of July, the UK Microwave Group 5.7 and 10GHz Contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on 5.7 and 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 20th of July 2023 The Sun continues to be peppered with spots with a solar flux index of 189 on Thursday the 20th. However, sunspots can bring solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections, or CMEs, which can be detrimental to good HF conditions. We have been relatively lucky over the last week as the flares have mostly been minor C-class and a few M-class events. There have been no X-class flares, so ionospheric disturbances have been minor. A large CME observed from active region 3363 is expected to mostly miss our planet. But the edge of the plasma cloud was still forecast to deliver a glancing blow to our geomagnetic field on Thursday the 20th of July. A Polar Cap Absorption, or PCA, event was also in progress from the morning of Monday the 17th of July. This was caused by the proton flux rapidly increasing and affecting HF paths over the poles. The proton flux is gradually decreasing but may still have a detrimental effect for a while yet. Region 3363, which was massive, has now disappeared behind the southwest limb and will no longer be a threat. That is, at least until its return in about two weeks’ time. It will be interesting to see how big it is on its return. Other than the Kp index hitting 4.67 on the 16th and 17th, geomagnetic conditions have been quiet with the Kp index at one or two over the past few days, which means HF conditions have been quite good. Daytime MUFs over a 3,000km path have been consistently above 18MHz and often above 21MHz at times. Nighttime MUFs over the same path have been higher than 14MHz, and often 18MHz, at least during the first part of the night. This means that if you hear signals on 24 or 28MHz the likelihood is that they are due to Sporadic-E propagation. Next week NOAA predicts that the Solar Flux Index will remain at about 160 to 170. It is also predicting a Kp index of two all week. If that happens, we can probably expect good HF conditions for this time of year. However, with this many sunspots, there is always the strong risk of solar flares and CMEs. So, keep an eye on solarham.net for real-time conditions. And now the VHF and up propagation news The continuing spell of unsettled weather will stay with us for the coming week, so any signs of Tropo will be very limited indeed. This means that rain scatter will once again be a predominant propagation mode for those equipped on the GHz bands to use it. Higher temperatures in summer mean strong convective cells, like thunderstorms, and better reflectivity from the larger raindrops, which can be held aloft by the stronger updrafts in the storm clouds. The reflectivity depends upon the 6th power of the diameter of the raindrop and the number of drops in the beam, so even a small increase in drop size gives a big increase in reflectivity. Sporadic-E remains in play for a good while yet, so stay alert to cluster reports and, in particular, 10m and 6m beacons. If time is limited, check 1600 to 1700UTC to gain maximum benefit. The usual other modes are still possibilities, of course. Starting with Aurora, in view of the recently disturbed solar conditions, you should monitor the Kp index for large values above say Kp=5.  Secondly, the Perseids meteor shower will peak between the 12th and 13th of August, but evidence of meteor material from the Perseids is already appearing. Officially, the shower starts to appear from around the 17th of July. The 50MHz and 144MHz bands have already produced some very short-lived bursts of FT8 signals that may be due to meteors.  The Delta Aquariids may also be responsible for these very sporadic bursts. As we move towards the Perseids peak you should expect an increasing number of bursts. As the Moon begins its monthly descent towards minimum declination on the 29th, path loss will decrease. However, the Moon will be close to Sagittarius A on the 28th, leading to very high noise. This will be prevalent on the lower VHF bands. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 23rd of July 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>Tonight@8 events on Ofcom consultation</li> <li>RSGB 2023 Convention</li> <li>RSGB Region 3 District Representatives</li> </ul> The RSGB is holding two special Tonight@8 events focused on the Ofcom amateur radio consultation. On Monday the 31st of July it will look at contests, operating and callsign policy, in an event that might be of particular interest to Full licensees. On Monday the 7th of August the focus will be on Foundation and Intermediate topics including callsign and exam changes, as well as the Consultation clauses that might lead to new opportunities for outreach activities for everyone. Instead of the usual webinar style, these events will be forums where, after a short introduction, a panel of RSGB experts will answer your questions. We encourage radio amateurs to be part of these events. Questions can be submitted on the night via the live chat, or you can send in a question in advance. Advance questions can be by email or a short, clear video of you asking your question. In either case, please include your name and callsign as well as your question. Send questions to comms@rsgb.org.uk or for further information about the Consultation, the events and the panellists go to the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/licencereview" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/licencereview</a> The RSGB’s 2023 Convention will be held from the 13th to the 15th of October at Kents Hill Park Conference Centre in Milton Keynes. The Convention packs in a full weekend of the very best amateur radio lectures from around the world. With lecture streams, forums, special interest groups, presentations and all the usual activities, there is something for everyone. Join hundreds of others for what is also one of the best social events in amateur radio. Bookings are open now and you can take advantage of early bird pricing until the end of August. You’ll find the booking link and more information on the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/convention" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/convention</a> The RSGB is looking for members in Region 3, the North-West of England, to step forward as volunteer District Representatives. If you’d like to make a difference to other radio amateurs in this area, provide advice and support, represent the RSGB and its Members, and also attend local rallies, please email Region 3 Regional Representative, Martyn Bell, M0TEB at: rr3@rsgb.org.uk The RSGB’s Examinations and Syllabus Review Group, or ESRG, has provided an additional set of four mock exam papers. These cover Foundation, Intermediate, Full and Direct to Full exams. You can find the papers on the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/mock-exams" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/mock-exams</a> A reminder now that the popular British Inland Waterways on the Air event will take place between the 26th and 28th of August. The event is open to amateurs who use canals, towpaths, rivers, lakes or reservoirs for work or recreation. Registration for the event is now open. To sign up, visit Nunsfield House Amateur Radio Group’s website <a href="http://nharg.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">nharg.org.uk</a> and follow the ‘BIWOTA 2023’ link. Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week. And now for details of rallies and events The Finningley Amateur Radio Society Rally is taking place today, the 23rd, at the Society’s HQ at Belton Road, Sandtoft, Doncaster, DN8 5SX. The doors are open from 10 am and a food bar is available. For more information and directions visit <a href="http://g0ghk.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">g0ghk.com</a> Wiltshire Radio and Car Boot Sale will take place on Sunday the 30th of July at Kington Langley Village Hall and Playing Field, Kington Langley, Wiltshire SN15 5NJ. The event will start at 9 am and finish at 1 pm. There is a £3 entry fee. Indoor tables are sold out, but there is plenty of Car Boot space available. Admittance for car booters is £10, and for vans, it is £15. For further information please contact <a href="mailto:rally@chippenhamradio.club">rally@chippenhamradio.club</a> Part 1 of the British Amateur Television Club’s Convention for Amateur TV 2023, or CAT 23, will take place on Sunday the 6th of August at Midland Air Museum, Coventry. It is a meet-up, show and tell, test and fix-it, and bring-and-buy event from 10.30 am to 4 pm. There will be full ATV and Microwave test facilities available for QO-100, 5.6GHz FM, Portsdown, MiniTiouner, Ryde, and power amplifiers and preamps. King’s Lynn Amateur Radio Club’s 33rd Great Eastern Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 6th of August. The venue will be Gaywood Community Centre, Gayton Road, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 4EL. The doors open to visitors at 9 am and admission is £2.50. The doors open to traders from 7 am. An outdoor pitch costs £8 and an indoor table costs £10. Car parking is free. There will be trade stands and a bring-and-buy area. On-site catering will be available. For more information email rally.klarc@gmail.com or visit <a href="http://klarc.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">klarc.org.uk</a> Now the Special Event News Special callsign DL0SOP is active until the 31st of July for the 65th edition of the Sea of Peace Award. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, Logbook of the World, eQSL or direct to DL4SVA. For more information about the award visit <a href="http://dl0sop.darc.de" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">dl0sop.darc.de</a> VX7NA is the special callsign in use by the Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association, until tomorrow the 24th of July, to celebrate its 75th anniversary. The Association is based on Vancouver Island, NA-036. QSL via VE7NA. Now the DX news The IP1X team will be active from Gallinara Island, EU-083, on the 29th and 30th of July. They will operate CW and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands and will be active for 24 hours during the IOTA Contest. QSL via IU1JCZ, direct or via the bureau. For more details and updates check <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> MD1U will be active during the IOTA Contest on the 29th and 30th of July during a Dxpedition to Scarlett Point Tower on the Isle of Man. QSL via M0OXO’s OQRS page and Logbook of the World. For more information see <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> Roland, F8EN is again active as TR8CR from Gabon until the 12th of August. He operates CW only. QSL via F6AJA, direct or via the bureau. Ersoy, TA2OM has been active as 3C3CA from Bioko Island, AF-010, in Equatorial Guinea since October 2022. His current plans are to stay there until sometime in August. He uploads his log to Club Log and Logbook of the World on a regular basis. Didier, F6BCW is active as FO/F6BCW from Huahine Island, OC-067, in French Polynesia until the 25th of October. He operates CW and SSB on the 80 to 6m bands. QSL via F6EXV, Club Log and Logbook of the World. Now the contest news On Tuesday the 25th of July, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on 2.3 to 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Thursday the 27th of July sees the data leg of the 80m Club Championships run from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using RTTY and PSK63, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Next weekend is the RSGB IOTA, or Islands On The Air, Contest. It runs from 1200UTC on the 29th to 1200UTC on the 30th of July. Using CW and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and IOTA reference. Please note that the Worked All Britain 144MHz Low Power Contest which was due to be held on Saturday the 29th of July has been moved to Saturday the 5th of August. A further announcement is expected next week. Next Sunday, the 30th of July, the UK Microwave Group 5.7 and 10GHz Contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on 5.7 and 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 20th of July 2023 The Sun continues to be peppered with spots with a solar flux index of 189 on Thursday the 20th. However, sunspots can bring solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections, or CMEs, which can be detrimental to good HF conditions. We have been relatively lucky over the last week as the flares have mostly been minor C-class and a few M-class events. There have been no X-class flares, so ionospheric disturbances have been minor. A large CME observed from active region 3363 is expected to mostly miss our planet. But the edge of the plasma cloud was still forecast to deliver a glancing blow to our geomagnetic field on Thursday the 20th of July. A Polar Cap Absorption, or PCA, event was also in progress from the morning of Monday the 17th of July. This was caused by the proton flux rapidly increasing and affecting HF paths over the poles. The proton flux is gradually decreasing but may still have a detrimental effect for a while yet. Region 3363, which was massive, has now disappeared behind the southwest limb and will no longer be a threat. That is, at least until its return in about two weeks’ time. It will be interesting to see how big it is on its return. Other than the Kp index hitting 4.67 on the 16th and 17th, geomagnetic conditions have been quiet with the Kp index at one or two over the past few days, which means HF conditions have been quite good. Daytime MUFs over a 3,000km path have been consistently above 18MHz and often above 21MHz at times. Nighttime MUFs over the same path have been higher than 14MHz, and often 18MHz, at least during the first part of the night. This means that if you hear signals on 24 or 28MHz the likelihood is that they are due to Sporadic-E propagation. Next week NOAA predicts that the Solar Flux Index will remain at about 160 to 170. It is also predicting a Kp index of two all week. If that happens, we can probably expect good HF conditions for this time of year. However, with this many sunspots, there is always the strong risk of solar flares and CMEs. So, keep an eye on <a href="http://solarham.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">solarham.net</a> for real-time conditions. And now the VHF and up propagation news The continuing spell of unsettled weather will stay with us for the coming week, so any signs of Tropo will be very limited indeed. This means that rain scatter will once again be a predominant propagation mode for those equipped on the GHz bands to use it. Higher temperatures in summer mean strong convective cells, like thunderstorms, and better reflectivity from the larger raindrops, which can be held aloft by the stronger updrafts in the storm clouds. The reflectivity depends upon the 6th power of the diameter of the raindrop and the number of drops in the beam, so even a small increase in drop size gives a big increase in reflectivity. Sporadic-E remains in play for a good while yet, so stay alert to cluster reports and, in particular, 10m and 6m beacons. If time is limited, check 1600 to 1700UTC to gain maximum benefit. The usual other modes are still possibilities, of course. Starting with Aurora, in view of the recently disturbed solar conditions, you should monitor the Kp index for large values above say Kp=5.  Secondly, the Perseids meteor shower will peak between the 12th and 13th of August, but evidence of meteor material from the Perseids is already appearing. Officially, the shower starts to appear from around the 17th of July. The 50MHz and 144MHz bands have already produced some very short-lived bursts of FT8 signals that may be due to meteors.  The Delta Aquariids may also be responsible for these very sporadic bursts. As we move towards the Perseids peak you should expect an increasing number of bursts. As the Moon begins its monthly descent towards minimum declination on the 29th, path loss will decrease. However, the Moon will be close to Sagittarius A on the 28th, leading to very high noise. This will be prevalent on the lower VHF bands. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS NewsBulletin for 23rd July 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 16th of July 2023 The news headlines: Ofcom consultation video guidance World Radiosport Team Championships RSGB coding activities    The RSGB has just released a video in which RSGB Spectrum and licensing expert Murray Niman, G6JYB, explains more about Ofcom’s Consultation on “Updating the amateur radio licensing framework”. This is the biggest revamp of amateur radio licensing and callsign policy in a generation. The video forms part of the RSGB’s wider guidance for radio amateurs on this Consultation. You can watch it on the RSGB’s YouTube channel or on the Society’s consultation web page at rsgb.org/licencereview The UK has been awarded the hosting rights for the 10th World Radiosport Team Championships, which will take place in July 2026. Sometimes referred to as the ‘Olympic Games of amateur radio’, the WRTC is hosted by a different nation every four years. To find out more about this radio contest event, which will take place in East Anglia, see wrtc2026.org As part of the RSGB’s commitment to encourage youngsters into amateur radio and to support lifelong learning, the Society is providing resources and creating coding activities for people to try throughout the month of September. From the BBC Micro:bit to Node-RED and GNU Radio, there will be detailed activity sheets available on the RSGB’s website. The RSGB hopes this will give you ideas to try yourself, with your club or to use as a workshop at your local school or community group. Some clubs are already planning workshops and there will be details of those on the website to inspire you too. Find out more at rsgb.org/coding Each RSGB Board Director has a liaison role between the Board and specific aspects of the Society’s work. The General Manager also has operational responsibilities. The RSGB’s Board web page now has a list of the different responsibilities for the current Board. The Society hopes that RSGB Members will be able to use this as a guide to help them know who to contact if they have questions, concerns or ideas about any areas of the Society’s activities. You can contact each Board Director, and the General Manager, via the email address shown by their name. Go to rsgb.org/board to find out more. A reminder now that every Thursday, a global net called ‘APRSThursday’ takes place using the Automatic Packet Reporting System, also known as APRS, for 24 hours. For amateurs who have APRS equipment, it is an opportunity to explore the mode and make contacts with other stations joining the net. The APRS frequency is 144.800MHz in Europe, and each week between 300 and 500 operators take part in the net. Further information can be found via aprsph.net And now for details of rallies and events  The McMichael Radio and Electronics Rally and Car Boot Sale is taking place today, Sunday the 16th of July. The venue is Reading Rugby Club which offers a bar and catering facilities and has ample free parking. Admission is £3 per person and £10 per table for traders. Visit mcmichaelrally.org.uk for more information and contact details. The Finningley Amateur Radio Society Rally will take place on Sunday the 23rd of July at Belton Road, Sandtoft, Doncaster, DN8 5SX. The doors will be open from 10am and a food bar will be available. For more information visit g0ghk.com Wiltshire Radio and Car Boot Sale will take place on Sunday the 30th of July at Kington Langley Village Hall and Playing Field, Kington Langley, Wiltshire SN15 5NJ. The event will start at 9am and finish at 1pm. There is a £2 entry fee for traders. Indoor tables cost £10. Admittance for car booters is £10, and for vans it is £15. For further information please contact Chairman@Chippenhamradio.club Now the Special Event News Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade Watch House will be on the air on Friday the 21st of July using the callsign GB4VLB. The station will be active on the 60 to 10m HF bands, and the 6m VHF band, using SSB and CW modes. QSL via Logbook of the World. For more information visit QRZ.com Special callsign TM110TDF is active until the 23rd of July to mark the 110th Tour de France. The station will be operating on the HF bands using SSB, CW and digital modes as well as 2m EME. QSL via F8GGZ.  Now the DX news A team of amateurs is active as KH8RRC from Tutuila, OC-045, in American Samoa until the 18th of July. They are operating using CW, SSB, FT8 and FT4 on the 80 to 6m bands from a mountain-top location within the American Samoa National Park. This will be the first ever Parks on the Air activity on the island. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, or direct to KB2FMH. An Italian DXpedition team is active from the Democratic Republic of the Congo until the 18th of July. 9Q1AA and 9Q1ZZ are operating using SSB, CW, RTTY and FT8. See i2ysb.com/idt for more information including a band plan. QSL direct to I2YSB. Look for Peter, PJ5/PA4O and Ad, PJ5/PE6Q who are active from Sint Eustatius, NA-145, until the 18th of July. They are operating using CW, SSB and FT8 on the 80 to 6m bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS. Now the contest news Today, Sunday the 16th, the International Low Power Contest runs from 0900 to 1600UTC. Using CW on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and TX power. On Monday the 17th of July, the RSGB FT4 Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using FT4 on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is your report. On Tuesday the 18th of July, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on 1.3GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Thursday the 20th of July, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.  Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 13th of July 2023 Last week saw the arrival of one of the biggest sunspots of this cycle. Active region 3363 could swallow the Earth four times over. It is a source of M-class flares, but at the time of writing hasn’t produced any X-class events. A new sunspot region 3372 has just rotated into view and has also been the source of eight M-class flares, one of which may have caused a coronal mass ejection that could give a glancing blow to the Earth this weekend – watch this one for more activity as it rotates into an Earth-facing position. Meanwhile, the Solar Flux Index has been hovering around the 200 mark, meaning daytime MUFs over a 3,000km path are around 21MHz, sometimes slightly lower. At night this falls to around 14 to 18MHz so don’t write off HF once the sun sets. Next week, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Centre has the Solar Flux Index around 175. While we have been lucky that Earth has not been subjected to too much geomagnetic disruption, after any disturbance across the weekend, the Space Weather Prediction Centre has forecast that the Kp index will be around two again all week. So it may be ideal for DX, like Silvano 9Q1AA/9Q1ZZ in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who has been active on the 10 and 15m bands recently. Or the KH8RRC DXpedition to American Samoa which is active until the 18th. Remember, there is DX to be worked – you’ve just got to pick the right band and time. And now the VHF and up propagation news The predominant theme this week is driven by low pressure systems, meaning further days of heavy rain or thundery showers and a distinct lack of Tropo from areas of high pressure. However, there is a split in the different models' view for southern Britain later in the coming week in which some try to build a ridge across southern UK and France from the Azores high. Check the forecast charts from Wednesday onwards to see which version ‘wins’. In the meantime, the heavy rain will continue the recent good run of rainscatter on the GHz bands. Sporadic-E will probably continue to be a feature on most days somewhere in Europe. Last Wednesday night saw another good opening to Newfoundland. Remember that there are plenty of online clusters and map plots showing where the focus of activity is located. Each day a blog is published on propquest.co.uk detailing the locations of likely Sporadic-E activity, based upon the positions of various weather features suspected of being responsible for the location of Sporadic-E patches. The recent behaviour of the Sun has regularly affected the prospects for VHF propagation by interaction with the Earth’s magnetic field giving a high Kp index, above five, which can be a sign of auroral conditions. A high Kp index is potentially a bad thing for Sporadic-E prospects, some operators suggesting that it is possible that solar flare activity may also be a negative influence on Sporadic-E. Meteor scatter prospects continue to improve due to two broad-peaked showers coming up later in the month. This weekend sees maximum Moon declination but losses are high as we approach apogee next Thursday. 144MHz sky noise is moderate until Monday when the Sun is close to the Moon for the whole day’s pass, lasting until 9am on Tuesday. After this, sky noise is low for the rest of the week.   And that’s all from the propagation team this week

GB2RS News Sunday the 16th of July 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>Ofcom consultation video guidance</li> <li>World Radiosport Team Championships</li> <li>RSGB coding activities</li> </ul> The RSGB has just released a video in which RSGB Spectrum and licensing expert Murray Niman, G6JYB, explains more about Ofcom’s Consultation on “Updating the amateur radio licensing framework”. This is the biggest revamp of amateur radio licensing and callsign policy in a generation. The video forms part of the RSGB’s wider guidance for radio amateurs on this Consultation. You can watch it on the RSGB’s YouTube channel or on the Society’s consultation web page at <a href="http://rsgb.org/licencereview" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/licencereview</a> The UK has been awarded the hosting rights for the 10th World Radiosport Team Championships, which will take place in July 2026. Sometimes referred to as the ‘Olympic Games of amateur radio’, the WRTC is hosted by a different nation every four years. To find out more about this radio contest event, which will take place in East Anglia, see <a href="http://wrtc2026.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">wrtc2026.org</a> As part of the RSGB’s commitment to encourage youngsters into amateur radio and to support lifelong learning, the Society is providing resources and creating coding activities for people to try throughout the month of September. From the BBC Micro:bit to Node-RED and GNU Radio, there will be detailed activity sheets available on the RSGB’s website. The RSGB hopes this will give you ideas to try yourself, with your club or to use as a workshop at your local school or community group. Some clubs are already planning workshops and there will be details of those on the website to inspire you too. Find out more at <a href="http://rsgb.org/coding" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/coding</a> Each RSGB Board Director has a liaison role between the Board and specific aspects of the Society’s work. The General Manager also has operational responsibilities. The RSGB’s Board web page now has a list of the different responsibilities for the current Board. The Society hopes that RSGB Members will be able to use this as a guide to help them know who to contact if they have questions, concerns or ideas about any areas of the Society’s activities. You can contact each Board Director, and the General Manager, via the email address shown by their name. Go to <a href="http://rsgb.org/board" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/board</a> to find out more. A reminder now that every Thursday, a global net called ‘APRSThursday’ takes place using the Automatic Packet Reporting System, also known as APRS, for 24 hours. For amateurs who have APRS equipment, it is an opportunity to explore the mode and make contacts with other stations joining the net. The APRS frequency is 144.800MHz in Europe, and each week between 300 and 500 operators take part in the net. Further information can be found via <a href="http://aprsph.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">aprsph.net</a> And now for details of rallies and events The McMichael Radio and Electronics Rally and Car Boot Sale is taking place today, Sunday the 16th of July. The venue is Reading Rugby Club which offers a bar and catering facilities and has ample free parking. Admission is £3 per person and £10 per table for traders. Visit <a href="http://mcmichaelrally.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">mcmichaelrally.org.uk</a> for more information and contact details. The Finningley Amateur Radio Society Rally will take place on Sunday the 23rd of July at Belton Road, Sandtoft, Doncaster, DN8 5SX. The doors will be open from 10am and a food bar will be available. For more information visit <a href="http://g0ghk.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">g0ghk.com</a> Wiltshire Radio and Car Boot Sale will take place on Sunday the 30th of July at Kington Langley Village Hall and Playing Field, Kington Langley, Wiltshire SN15 5NJ. The event will start at 9am and finish at 1pm. There is a £2 entry fee for traders. Indoor tables cost £10. Admittance for car booters is £10, and for vans it is £15. For further information please contact Chairman@Chippenhamradio.club Now the Special Event News Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade Watch House will be on the air on Friday the 21st of July using the callsign GB4VLB. The station will be active on the 60 to 10m HF bands, and the 6m VHF band, using SSB and CW modes. QSL via Logbook of the World. For more information visit <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> Special callsign TM110TDF is active until the 23rd of July to mark the 110th Tour de France. The station will be operating on the HF bands using SSB, CW and digital modes as well as 2m EME. QSL via F8GGZ.  Now the DX news A team of amateurs is active as KH8RRC from Tutuila, OC-045, in American Samoa until the 18th of July. They are operating using CW, SSB, FT8 and FT4 on the 80 to 6m bands from a mountain-top location within the American Samoa National Park. This will be the first ever Parks on the Air activity on the island. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, or direct to KB2FMH. An Italian DXpedition team is active from the Democratic Republic of the Congo until the 18th of July. 9Q1AA and 9Q1ZZ are operating using SSB, CW, RTTY and FT8. See <a href="http://i2ysb.com/idt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">i2ysb.com/idt</a> for more information including a band plan. QSL direct to I2YSB. Look for Peter, PJ5/PA4O and Ad, PJ5/PE6Q who are active from Sint Eustatius, NA-145, until the 18th of July. They are operating using CW, SSB and FT8 on the 80 to 6m bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS. Now the contest news Today, Sunday the 16th, the International Low Power Contest runs from 0900 to 1600UTC. Using CW on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and TX power. On Monday the 17th of July, the RSGB FT4 Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using FT4 on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is your report. On Tuesday the 18th of July, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on 1.3GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Thursday the 20th of July, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.  Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 13th of July 2023 Last week saw the arrival of one of the biggest sunspots of this cycle. Active region 3363 could swallow the Earth four times over. It is a source of M-class flares, but at the time of writing hasn’t produced any X-class events. A new sunspot region 3372 has just rotated into view and has also been the source of eight M-class flares, one of which may have caused a coronal mass ejection that could give a glancing blow to the Earth this weekend – watch this one for more activity as it rotates into an Earth-facing position. Meanwhile, the Solar Flux Index has been hovering around the 200 mark, meaning daytime MUFs over a 3,000km path are around 21MHz, sometimes slightly lower. At night this falls to around 14 to 18MHz so don’t write off HF once the sun sets. Next week, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Centre has the Solar Flux Index around 175. While we have been lucky that Earth has not been subjected to too much geomagnetic disruption, after any disturbance across the weekend, the Space Weather Prediction Centre has forecast that the Kp index will be around two again all week. So it may be ideal for DX, like Silvano 9Q1AA/9Q1ZZ in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who has been active on the 10 and 15m bands recently. Or the KH8RRC DXpedition to American Samoa which is active until the 18th. Remember, there is DX to be worked – you’ve just got to pick the right band and time. And now the VHF and up propagation news The predominant theme this week is driven by low pressure systems, meaning further days of heavy rain or thundery showers and a distinct lack of Tropo from areas of high pressure. However, there is a split in the different models' view for southern Britain later in the coming week in which some try to build a ridge across southern UK and France from the Azores high. Check the forecast charts from Wednesday onwards to see which version ‘wins’. In the meantime, the heavy rain will continue the recent good run of rainscatter on the GHz bands. Sporadic-E will probably continue to be a feature on most days somewhere in Europe. Last Wednesday night saw another good opening to Newfoundland. Remember that there are plenty of online clusters and map plots showing where the focus of activity is located. Each day a blog is published on <a href="http://propquest.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">propquest.co.uk</a> detailing the locations of likely Sporadic-E activity, based upon the positions of various weather features suspected of being responsible for the location of Sporadic-E patches. The recent behaviour of the Sun has regularly affected the prospects for VHF propagation by interaction with the Earth’s magnetic field giving a high Kp index, above five, which can be a sign of auroral conditions. A high Kp index is potentially a bad thing for Sporadic-E prospects, some operators suggesting that it is possible that solar flare activity may also be a negative influence on Sporadic-E. Meteor scatter prospects continue to improve due to two broad-peaked showers coming up later in the month. This weekend sees maximum Moon declination but losses are high as we approach apogee next Thursday. 144MHz sky noise is moderate until Monday when the Sun is close to the Moon for the whole day’s pass, lasting until 9am on Tuesday. After this, sky noise is low for the rest of the week.   And that’s all from the propagation team this week

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 16th July 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 9th of July 2023 The news headlines: New ATV display at the RSGB’s National Radio Centre Film award for members of Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend  A new amateur TV display has just been installed at the RSGB’s National Radio Centre, with signals received via the wide-band segment of the geostationary satellite QO-100. The Society is delighted to be able to demonstrate amateur TV as a permanent display at the NRC, helping to highlight yet another exciting aspect of our technical hobby. A special configuration, developed in conjunction with the British Amateur Television Club, incorporates a touch screen from which visitors can select a signal to be tuned, decoded and displayed on the large monitor. The RSGB would like to thank Justin, G8YTZ for designing the display and working with the BATC for the specially adapted configuration. A short film produced by members of the Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society has won a top award at the 2023 Doric Film Festival. The film was the joint winner in the ‘Groups’ category of the prestigious festival that showcases the distinctive Doric language and culture, most closely associated with North-East Scotland. The film includes a specially written fiddle music theme, based on Morse code. You can find the film by searching for ‘Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society Groups DFF Entry’ on YouTube. A reminder now that International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend is coming up soon. The event is usually held on the third weekend of August which this year is the 19th and 20th. It is one of the most popular amateur radio events in the calendar and in past years there have been more than 500 entries from over 40 different countries. More details about the event and a registration form can be found at illw.net There is so much happening at the RSGB’s National Radio Centre that it needs to expand its team of volunteers! If you can volunteer at weekends, you will be particularly welcome. The National Radio Centre has a fabulous set-up and full training on using the GB3RS radio station will be given. You will be joining a friendly and dedicated team. NRC volunteers also enjoy numerous benefits associated with volunteering at Bletchley Park. You should enjoy meeting people and be able to volunteer for one or two days per month. For more information please email NRC Coordinator Martyn Baker, G0GMB via nrc.support@rsgb.org.uk Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week. And now for details of rallies and events  The Cornish Radio Amateur Club Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 9th of July, at Penair School, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1TN.  The doors open at 10.30 am and admission is £3. There are traders, bring and buy and club stalls. Car parking and catering are available on-site. Contact Ken, G0FIC on 01209 821073 for more information. The McMichael Radio and Electronics Rally and Car Boot Sale will take place on Sunday the 16th of July. The venue will be Reading Rugby Club which offers a bar and catering facilities and has ample free parking. Admission will be £3 per person and £10 per table for traders. Visit mcmichaelrally.org.uk for more information and contact details. The Finningley ARS Rally 2023 will take place on Sunday the 23rd of July at Belton Road, Sandtoft, Doncaster, DN8 5SX. The doors will be open from 10 am and a food bar will be available. For more information visit g0ghk.com Wiltshire Radio and Car Boot Sale will take place on Sunday the 30th of July at Kington Langley Village Hall and Playing Field, Kington Langley, Wiltshire SN15 5NJ. The event will start at 9 am and finish at 1 pm. There is a £2 entry fee for traders. Indoor tables cost £10. Admittance for car booters is £10, and for vans, it is £15. For further information please contact Chairman@Chippenhamradio.club Now the Special Event News Guernsey Amateur Radio Society is running a special event station GB5IG until the 14th of July to celebrate the 19th Island Games, which is held every two years. The station will be active using SSB, digital modes, possibly satellite and CW, on HF, VHF and UHF bands. More information is available on QRZ.com VX7NA is the special callsign in use by the Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association, until the 24th of July, to celebrate its 75th anniversary. The Association is based on Vancouver Island, NA-036. QSL via VE7NA. Now the DX news Pierre, VK3KTB will be active as VY0ERC from the Eureka Amateur Radio Club station on Ellesmere Island, NA-008, until the 12th of July. QSL via M0OXO's OQRS. Rag, LB3RE will be active on the 40 to 6m bands as DU1/LB3RE from Luzon Island, OC-042, until the 18th of July. QSL via Logbook of the World, Club Log, or via his home call. Bo, OZ1DJJ will be active as OX3LX from Qaanaaq, on the main island of Greenland, NA-018, until the 18th of July. He will focus on the 6 and 4m bands but will also be QRV on the HF bands. A side trip to Herbert Island, NA-134, or Meteorite Island, is possible. QSL via Logbook of the World, Club Log, or direct to OZ0J.  Now the contest news Today, Sunday the 9th of July, the UK Microwave Group 24, 47 and 76GHz Contest runs from 0900 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on 24, 47 and 76GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The IARU HF Championship ends its 24-hour run at 1200UTC today, Sunday the 9th of July. Using CW and SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and ITU zone. The UK is in zone 27. In particular, listen out for the RSGB HQ station operating as GR2HQ from a variety of different locations using CW and SSB. A team of operators at different stations will be on the air simultaneously on all the available contest bands. On Tuesday the 11th of July, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 11th of July, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Wednesday the 12th of July, the 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 12th of July, the 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Wednesday the 12th of July, the 80m Club Championship SSB Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Thursday the 13th of July, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Saturday the 15th of July, the 70MHz Trophy Contest runs from 1400 to 2000UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and two-letter postcode. On Sunday the 16th of July, the International Low Power Contest runs from 0900 to 1600UTC. Using CW on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and TX power.  Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 6th of July 2023 NOAA’s prediction that the Solar Flux Index, or SFI, would decline last week didn’t come to fruition. In fact, the SFI stayed in the 160s and 170s until Thursday, when it declined to 155. The Sun produced more than 160 sunspots in June, the highest monthly number in more than two decades. This has led some newspapers to run more doom and gloom stories about solar Armageddon, while we amateurs look forward to some F2-layer DX! Unfortunately, more sunspots do mean more chance of solar flares and coronal mass ejections, but we have to take the rough with the smooth. As an example, we had an X1-class solar flare on the 2nd of June. This occurred at 2314UTC so didn’t affect the UK, but did cause an R3 radio blackout over the west coast of the USA and Pacific. Otherwise, there is still DX to be bagged for well-equipped stations, such as Eric, FP/KV1J on St Pierre and Miquelon islands on 12m FT8, and Marek, FH4VVK, on Mayotte island, on 10m FT8. Other DX worked this week by CDXC members includes the 4W6RU DXpedition on Timor Leste on various bands; Robert, 9N7AA in Nepal on 12m FT4; and V31XX in Belize on 20m CW. Next week, the Space Weather Prediction Centre has the SFI at 155, rising to 175 by the end of the week. Unfortunately, the Kp index is forecast to rise to four over the weekend, possibly due to a large Earth-facing coronal hole, and again up to Kp five on the 12th and 13th. If it happens, expect noisy bands and a decline in the maximum usable frequency. As always, we encourage you to get on the HF bands, in the evening, nighttime and especially around dawn, which is when a lot of HF DX is being worked. And now the VHF and up propagation news Low pressure dominates the whole weather pattern this coming week, driven by an active meandering jet stream across the Atlantic. This provides several regions where the turbulence, generated on the edge of these strong winds up at 10km, can propagate upwards to trigger Sporadic-E propagation at about 110km height in the E region. So, unsurprisingly, Sporadic-E will feature as a ‘go-to mode’ for the coming week. Typically, single-hop paths within Europe will produce very strong signals, whereas multi-hop paths, for example across the Atlantic, will require several such refraction points from Sporadic-E patches, plus intervening reflections from the sea surface, and will have much higher losses. These will usually be weak signals and probably very fleeting in view of the complex geometry of such paths. Tropo need not concern us this week, but rain scatter is worth a look since the unsettled weather will provide several heavy rainfall events in some areas. Look for the brighter echoes on the rainfall radar displays, especially those associated with thunderstorms. Random meteors could be useful in the early morning hours. We also have the start of two showers, Alpha Capricornids and Delta Aquarids, during next week, which don’t actually reach a peak until the end of July. So prospects for meteor scatter and Sporadic-E propagation are improving this month. The aurora chances may be reasonable initially in view of the recent coronal hole transition, so keep an eye on the Kp index. Moon declination goes positive on Sunday so there will be lengthening Moon windows. Path losses are currently low but will rise all week. 144MHz sky noise is low to moderate all week. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 9th of July 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>New ATV display at the RSGB’s National Radio Centre</li> <li>Film award for members of Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society</li> <li>International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend</li> </ul> A new amateur TV display has just been installed at the RSGB’s National Radio Centre, with signals received via the wide-band segment of the geostationary satellite QO-100. The Society is delighted to be able to demonstrate amateur TV as a permanent display at the NRC, helping to highlight yet another exciting aspect of our technical hobby. A special configuration, developed in conjunction with the British Amateur Television Club, incorporates a touch screen from which visitors can select a signal to be tuned, decoded and displayed on the large monitor. The RSGB would like to thank Justin, G8YTZ for designing the display and working with the BATC for the specially adapted configuration. A short film produced by members of the Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society has won a top award at the 2023 Doric Film Festival. The film was the joint winner in the ‘Groups’ category of the prestigious festival that showcases the distinctive Doric language and culture, most closely associated with North-East Scotland. The film includes a specially written fiddle music theme, based on Morse code. You can find the film by searching for ‘Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society Groups DFF Entry’ on YouTube. A reminder now that International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend is coming up soon. The event is usually held on the third weekend of August which this year is the 19th and 20th. It is one of the most popular amateur radio events in the calendar and in past years there have been more than 500 entries from over 40 different countries. More details about the event and a registration form can be found at <a href="http://illw.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">illw.net</a> There is so much happening at the RSGB’s National Radio Centre that it needs to expand its team of volunteers! If you can volunteer at weekends, you will be particularly welcome. The National Radio Centre has a fabulous set-up and full training on using the GB3RS radio station will be given. You will be joining a friendly and dedicated team. NRC volunteers also enjoy numerous benefits associated with volunteering at Bletchley Park. You should enjoy meeting people and be able to volunteer for one or two days per month. For more information please email NRC Coordinator Martyn Baker, G0GMB via nrc.support@rsgb.org.uk Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week. And now for details of rallies and events The Cornish Radio Amateur Club Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 9th of July, at Penair School, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1TN.  The doors open at 10.30 am and admission is £3. There are traders, bring and buy and club stalls. Car parking and catering are available on-site. Contact Ken, G0FIC on 01209 821073 for more information. The McMichael Radio and Electronics Rally and Car Boot Sale will take place on Sunday the 16th of July. The venue will be Reading Rugby Club which offers a bar and catering facilities and has ample free parking. Admission will be £3 per person and £10 per table for traders. Visit <a href="http://mcmichaelrally.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">mcmichaelrally.org.uk</a> for more information and contact details. The Finningley ARS Rally 2023 will take place on Sunday the 23rd of July at Belton Road, Sandtoft, Doncaster, DN8 5SX. The doors will be open from 10 am and a food bar will be available. For more information visit <a href="http://g0ghk.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">g0ghk.com</a> Wiltshire Radio and Car Boot Sale will take place on Sunday the 30th of July at Kington Langley Village Hall and Playing Field, Kington Langley, Wiltshire SN15 5NJ. The event will start at 9 am and finish at 1 pm. There is a £2 entry fee for traders. Indoor tables cost £10. Admittance for car booters is £10, and for vans, it is £15. For further information please contact Chairman@Chippenhamradio.club Now the Special Event News Guernsey Amateur Radio Society is running a special event station GB5IG until the 14th of July to celebrate the 19th Island Games, which is held every two years. The station will be active using SSB, digital modes, possibly satellite and CW, on HF, VHF and UHF bands. More information is available on <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> VX7NA is the special callsign in use by the Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association, until the 24th of July, to celebrate its 75th anniversary. The Association is based on Vancouver Island, NA-036. QSL via VE7NA. Now the DX news Pierre, VK3KTB will be active as VY0ERC from the Eureka Amateur Radio Club station on Ellesmere Island, NA-008, until the 12th of July. QSL via M0OXO's OQRS. Rag, LB3RE will be active on the 40 to 6m bands as DU1/LB3RE from Luzon Island, OC-042, until the 18th of July. QSL via Logbook of the World, Club Log, or via his home call. Bo, OZ1DJJ will be active as OX3LX from Qaanaaq, on the main island of Greenland, NA-018, until the 18th of July. He will focus on the 6 and 4m bands but will also be QRV on the HF bands. A side trip to Herbert Island, NA-134, or Meteorite Island, is possible. QSL via Logbook of the World, Club Log, or direct to OZ0J.  Now the contest news Today, Sunday the 9th of July, the UK Microwave Group 24, 47 and 76GHz Contest runs from 0900 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on 24, 47 and 76GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The IARU HF Championship ends its 24-hour run at 1200UTC today, Sunday the 9th of July. Using CW and SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and ITU zone. The UK is in zone 27. In particular, listen out for the RSGB HQ station operating as GR2HQ from a variety of different locations using CW and SSB. A team of operators at different stations will be on the air simultaneously on all the available contest bands. On Tuesday the 11th of July, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 11th of July, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Wednesday the 12th of July, the 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 12th of July, the 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Wednesday the 12th of July, the 80m Club Championship SSB Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Thursday the 13th of July, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Saturday the 15th of July, the 70MHz Trophy Contest runs from 1400 to 2000UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and two-letter postcode. On Sunday the 16th of July, the International Low Power Contest runs from 0900 to 1600UTC. Using CW on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and TX power.  Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 6th of July 2023 NOAA’s prediction that the Solar Flux Index, or SFI, would decline last week didn’t come to fruition. In fact, the SFI stayed in the 160s and 170s until Thursday, when it declined to 155. The Sun produced more than 160 sunspots in June, the highest monthly number in more than two decades. This has led some newspapers to run more doom and gloom stories about solar Armageddon, while we amateurs look forward to some F2-layer DX! Unfortunately, more sunspots do mean more chance of solar flares and coronal mass ejections, but we have to take the rough with the smooth. As an example, we had an X1-class solar flare on the 2nd of June. This occurred at 2314UTC so didn’t affect the UK, but did cause an R3 radio blackout over the west coast of the USA and Pacific. Otherwise, there is still DX to be bagged for well-equipped stations, such as Eric, FP/KV1J on St Pierre and Miquelon islands on 12m FT8, and Marek, FH4VVK, on Mayotte island, on 10m FT8. Other DX worked this week by CDXC members includes the 4W6RU DXpedition on Timor Leste on various bands; Robert, 9N7AA in Nepal on 12m FT4; and V31XX in Belize on 20m CW. Next week, the Space Weather Prediction Centre has the SFI at 155, rising to 175 by the end of the week. Unfortunately, the Kp index is forecast to rise to four over the weekend, possibly due to a large Earth-facing coronal hole, and again up to Kp five on the 12th and 13th. If it happens, expect noisy bands and a decline in the maximum usable frequency. As always, we encourage you to get on the HF bands, in the evening, nighttime and especially around dawn, which is when a lot of HF DX is being worked. And now the VHF and up propagation news Low pressure dominates the whole weather pattern this coming week, driven by an active meandering jet stream across the Atlantic. This provides several regions where the turbulence, generated on the edge of these strong winds up at 10km, can propagate upwards to trigger Sporadic-E propagation at about 110km height in the E region. So, unsurprisingly, Sporadic-E will feature as a ‘go-to mode’ for the coming week. Typically, single-hop paths within Europe will produce very strong signals, whereas multi-hop paths, for example across the Atlantic, will require several such refraction points from Sporadic-E patches, plus intervening reflections from the sea surface, and will have much higher losses. These will usually be weak signals and probably very fleeting in view of the complex geometry of such paths. Tropo need not concern us this week, but rain scatter is worth a look since the unsettled weather will provide several heavy rainfall events in some areas. Look for the brighter echoes on the rainfall radar displays, especially those associated with thunderstorms. Random meteors could be useful in the early morning hours. We also have the start of two showers, Alpha Capricornids and Delta Aquarids, during next week, which don’t actually reach a peak until the end of July. So prospects for meteor scatter and Sporadic-E propagation are improving this month. The aurora chances may be reasonable initially in view of the recent coronal hole transition, so keep an eye on the Kp index. Moon declination goes positive on Sunday so there will be lengthening Moon windows. Path losses are currently low but will rise all week. 144MHz sky noise is low to moderate all week. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for July 9th 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 2nd of July 2023 The news headlines: RSGB Tonight@8 webinar High-altitude balloon launch Alexanderson Day      Don’t forget that the RSGB’s next Tonight@8 webinar is this Monday the 3rd of July, when Eric P. Nichols, KL7AJ will be presenting “Receiving antennas are different”. The Tonight@8 webinars are live-streamed for free on the RSGB’s YouTube channel and special BATC channel, allowing you to watch the presentations and ask questions online. You can find out more at rsgb.org/webinars The team from hi-impact, based on the Wirral, is planning another high-altitude balloon launch. This time, working alongside staff and pupils from West Kirby School and College, they will launch a high-altitude balloon at 11 am, on the 11th of July 2023, from their usual location in Cilcewydd, near Welshpool in Wales. They will be running a HABduino and encourage all amateurs and short-wave listeners to upload telemetry to SondeHub. The frequency will be 434.650MHz USB, transmitting 50 Baud RTTY, 425Hz Shift and using 8N1 data format. The callsign is WKRS_HAB. More information can be found on hi-impact’s Facebook page and on Twitter via @hiimpactconsult Today, Sunday the 2nd of July is Alexanderson Day and the Alexander Association plans to activate the Grimeton VLF transmitter. The transmitter is located in Sweden and is the only remaining example of an early radio transmitter known as an ‘Alexanderson Alternator’. To read more about the Alexander Association visit tinyurl.com/ALEXDAY23 Marcus, G0IJZ has recently carried out antenna modelling of the Grimeton VLF antenna using NEC-5 software. You can read more about this on a blog that Marcus has contributed to via tinyurl.com/MWALDEN Amateurs are reminded that the special callsign GB23C, used to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, stopped being available for use on Friday the 30th of June. The availability of special callsigns GB23BAA to GB23BZZ, used for Beaconnect events, also ended at the same time. The optional ‘R’ Coronation regional secondary locator prefix is also no longer available for use. The RSGB’s National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed on the morning of Monday the 3rd of July. This is to allow time for work to install a new amateur TV display. Following the work, the Centre plans to re-open around lunchtime. This year the popular British Inland Waterways on the Air event will take place between the 26th and 28th of August. The event is open to amateurs who use canals, towpaths, rivers, lakes or reservoirs for work or recreation. Registration for the event is now open. To sign up, visit Nunsfield House Amateur Radio Group’s website, nharg.org.uk, and follow the ‘BIWOTA 2023’ link. And now for details of rallies and events  The Barford Norfolk Radio Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 2nd of July. The venue is Barford Village Hall and Green, Barford, Norwich, NR9 4AB. The doors open at 9 am for visitors and 8 am for traders. The event will feature trade stands, car boot sales, bring and buy, a raffle, repeater groups, catering and free car parking. Entry costs £2.50 per person. Under 16s will be admitted free of charge. For more information contact radio@dcpmicro.com and visit norfolkamateurradio.org The Cornish Radio Amateur Club Rally will take place on Sunday the 9th of July at Penair School, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1TN. Doors open at 10.30 am and admission is £3. There will be traders, bring and buy and club stalls. Car parking and catering are available on-site. Contact Ken, G0FIC on 01209 821073 for more information. The McMichael Radio and Electronics Rally and Car Boot Sale will take place on Sunday the 16th of July. The venue will be Reading Rugby Club which offers a bar and catering facilities and has ample free parking. Admission will be £3 per person and £10 per table for traders. Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue will be in attendance to provide a First Response service. Visit mcmichaelrally.org.uk for more information and contact details.   Now the Special Event News Today is the last chance to work F1IEH who is active as TM100GPF in celebration of the ‘24 Hours of Le Mans' event. The special callsign's suffix stands for ‘Grand Prix de France’, the motor race held in June 1906 that has become known as the first Grand Prix. QSL via F1IEH’s home call. As part of the ‘Crank It Up!’ STEM Event at Beamish Museum today, the 2nd of July, The Bishop Auckland Radio Amateur Club is operating a special event station GB4BM from the 1950s Welfare Hall. They will be operating a range of amateur radio equipment covering HF Voice, HF Data, VHF FM, SSB, DMR and internet-assisted modes. The digital and internet-assisted stations are being run by the Extended Freedom Network team and will allow the special event station to be contacted by a very diverse range of connection types from across the world. For further details visit extendedfreedom.network Commemorating the role that radio, and radio amateurs, had in rescuing the survivors of the airship 'Italia' disaster, special callsigns RT95NS, RT95MS and RT95KG are active until the 12th of July. The suffixes memorialise the radio amateurs who first picked up the SOS call on the 3rd of June 1928, and radio operators on board two of the ships that participated in the search and rescue operations. R1LK will also be active onboard the amateur radio station of the 'Krasin', the icebreaker that reached the castaways on the 12th of July 1928. Certificates will be available on hamlog.online for contacts made with these stations.   Now the DX news Don, K6ZO will be active as 7Q6M from northern Malawi until, possibly, the end of July. He expects to put special emphasis on the 6m band during his visit. He is joined by Jerry, W1IE and Bill, KC4D today, the 2nd of July. Their operations will likely be restricted to the evening hours of 1800 to 0000UTC and occasionally the early morning hours of 0300 to 0500UTC. See QRZ.com for QSL information. Roland, F8EN is active as TR8CR from Gabon until the 12th of August. He operates CW only, usually on the 30 to 10m bands. QSL via F6AJA.   Now the contest news The VHF National Field Day Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1400UTC today, the 2nd of July. Using all modes on the 6m, 4m, 2m and 70cm bands, and 1.3GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also today, the 2nd of July, the 3rd 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 1100 to 1500UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Monday the 3rd of July, the 80m Club Championship CW Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Tuesday the 4th of July, the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 4th of July, the 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 5th of July, the 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 5th of July, the 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Sunday the 9th of July, the UK Microwave Group 24, 47 and 76GHz Contest runs from 0900 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on 24, 47 and 76GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The IARU HF Championship starts its 24-hour run at 1200UTC on Saturday the 8th of July. Using CW and SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and ITU zone. The UK is in zone 27.   Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 29th of June 2023 The solar flux index stayed in the 150s and 160s last week, which is good news for HF propagation. From a flare and CME perspective, we have been lucky in that we have only had a few solar flares, all of which have been C- or M-class. As a result, the Kp index has remained fairly low, being in the range of one to three after the rise to a Kp of five on the 25th due to the solar wind’s magnetic field, or Bz, tipping south. We are, however, still in the summer doldrums, so daytime DX is limited thanks to D-layer absorption. We still recommend checking the bands at night as the MUF over 3,000km is still exceeding 14MHz and often reaching 18MHz at times. During the day Sporadic-E may still keep you entertained on the higher HF bands.   Daytime critical frequencies are around 5.2 to 6.7MHz according to the Dourbes ionosonde, which means you may find close-in contacts tricky on the 40m band at times, whereas more DX distances are still fine. Near vertical incidence skywave or NVIS, 40m signals may not be returned to Earth with that critical frequency. Looking ahead, active sunspot region 3354 was pointing directly at the Earth on Thursday but has so far been behaving itself with mostly C-class flare events. It is still the most likely candidate for a coronal mass ejection, or CME, over the weekend. Next week the Space Weather Prediction Centre has the Solar Flux Index declining to 130 before picking up later in the week to perhaps 145. The Kp index should remain around two unless we have a CME which could see it rising to five with the attendant lowering of the MUF. Meanwhile, you can get an idea of the best times to work various parts of the world by using the free Proppy software at soundbytes.asia/proppy or via VOACAP.com   And now the VHF and up propagation news The next week or so looks likely to continue in a very unsettled theme with low pressure residing over Scandinavia for much of the time and producing a west or north-westerly pattern over the UK. This will mean that tropo propagation will not be a large part of our operations during the period ahead. On the other hand, the frequent spells of fronts with prolonged rain or heavy summer showers will make rain-scatter modes a good use of time on the GHz bands. Talking of scatter modes, we are not in a major meteor shower at present, so random meteors are a good fail-safe although it can entail spending a lot of time in the process. The solar conditions, as previously mentioned, can be unsettled at the moment, and thus there is a potential for radio aurora if the Kp index goes above seven or so, even though daylight makes visible events unlikely at this time of the year. Lastly, the Sporadic-E situation is still our primary focus as we move into July. Days with good jet stream activity over Europe are good signs, whereas a high Kp index or solar flares are generally not so good. Of course, there are many other parameters involved and one of the critical components is likely to be the random meteor count which shows how much meteor debris might be available to make the Sporadic-E patches. In a roundabout way, if you monitor the meteor pings you might get a feel for how the Sporadic-E prospects are stacking up. The Moon declination is negative all week so there will be short Moon windows. Tuesday’s perigee means that path losses are at their lowest for the month. 144MHz sky noise is high this weekend but falling back to low levels by the end of the week. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 2nd of July 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>RSGB Tonight@8 webinar</li> <li>High-altitude balloon launch</li> <li>Alexanderson Day</li> </ul> Don’t forget that the RSGB’s next Tonight@8 webinar is this Monday the 3rd of July, when Eric P. Nichols, KL7AJ will be presenting “Receiving antennas are different”. The Tonight@8 webinars are live-streamed for free on the RSGB’s YouTube channel and special BATC channel, allowing you to watch the presentations and ask questions online. You can find out more at <a href="http://rsgb.org/webinars" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/webinars</a> The team from hi-impact, based on the Wirral, is planning another high-altitude balloon launch. This time, working alongside staff and pupils from West Kirby School and College, they will launch a high-altitude balloon at 11 am, on the 11th of July 2023, from their usual location in Cilcewydd, near Welshpool in Wales. They will be running a HABduino and encourage all amateurs and short-wave listeners to upload telemetry to SondeHub. The frequency will be 434.650MHz USB, transmitting 50 Baud RTTY, 425Hz Shift and using 8N1 data format. The callsign is WKRS_HAB. More information can be found on hi-impact’s Facebook page and on Twitter via @hiimpactconsult Today, Sunday the 2nd of July is Alexanderson Day and the Alexander Association plans to activate the Grimeton VLF transmitter. The transmitter is located in Sweden and is the only remaining example of an early radio transmitter known as an ‘Alexanderson Alternator’. To read more about the Alexander Association visit <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ALEXDAY23" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tinyurl.com/ALEXDAY23</a> Marcus, G0IJZ has recently carried out antenna modelling of the Grimeton VLF antenna using NEC-5 software. You can read more about this on a blog that Marcus has contributed to via <a href="http://tinyurl.com/MWALDEN" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tinyurl.com/MWALDEN</a> Amateurs are reminded that the special callsign GB23C, used to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, stopped being available for use on Friday the 30th of June. The availability of special callsigns GB23BAA to GB23BZZ, used for Beaconnect events, also ended at the same time. The optional ‘R’ Coronation regional secondary locator prefix is also no longer available for use. The RSGB’s National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed on the morning of Monday the 3rd of July. This is to allow time for work to install a new amateur TV display. Following the work, the Centre plans to re-open around lunchtime. This year the popular British Inland Waterways on the Air event will take place between the 26th and 28th of August. The event is open to amateurs who use canals, towpaths, rivers, lakes or reservoirs for work or recreation. Registration for the event is now open. To sign up, visit Nunsfield House Amateur Radio Group’s website, <a href="http://nharg.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">nharg.org.uk</a>, and follow the ‘BIWOTA 2023’ link. And now for details of rallies and events The Barford Norfolk Radio Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 2nd of July. The venue is Barford Village Hall and Green, Barford, Norwich, NR9 4AB. The doors open at 9 am for visitors and 8 am for traders. The event will feature trade stands, car boot sales, bring and buy, a raffle, repeater groups, catering and free car parking. Entry costs £2.50 per person. Under 16s will be admitted free of charge. For more information contact radio@dcpmicro.com and visit <a href="http://norfolkamateurradio.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">norfolkamateurradio.org</a> The Cornish Radio Amateur Club Rally will take place on Sunday the 9th of July at Penair School, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1TN. Doors open at 10.30 am and admission is £3. There will be traders, bring and buy and club stalls. Car parking and catering are available on-site. Contact Ken, G0FIC on 01209 821073 for more information. The McMichael Radio and Electronics Rally and Car Boot Sale will take place on Sunday the 16th of July. The venue will be Reading Rugby Club which offers a bar and catering facilities and has ample free parking. Admission will be £3 per person and £10 per table for traders. Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue will be in attendance to provide a First Response service. Visit <a href="http://mcmichaelrally.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">mcmichaelrally.org.uk</a> for more information and contact details. Now the Special Event News Today is the last chance to work F1IEH who is active as TM100GPF in celebration of the ‘24 Hours of Le Mans' event. The special callsign's suffix stands for ‘Grand Prix de France’, the motor race held in June 1906 that has become known as the first Grand Prix. QSL via F1IEH’s home call. As part of the ‘Crank It Up!’ STEM Event at Beamish Museum today, the 2nd of July, The Bishop Auckland Radio Amateur Club is operating a special event station GB4BM from the 1950s Welfare Hall. They will be operating a range of amateur radio equipment covering HF Voice, HF Data, VHF FM, SSB, DMR and internet-assisted modes. The digital and internet-assisted stations are being run by the Extended Freedom Network team and will allow the special event station to be contacted by a very diverse range of connection types from across the world. For further details visit extendedfreedom.network Commemorating the role that radio, and radio amateurs, had in rescuing the survivors of the airship 'Italia' disaster, special callsigns RT95NS, RT95MS and RT95KG are active until the 12th of July. The suffixes memorialise the radio amateurs who first picked up the SOS call on the 3rd of June 1928, and radio operators on board two of the ships that participated in the search and rescue operations. R1LK will also be active onboard the amateur radio station of the 'Krasin', the icebreaker that reached the castaways on the 12th of July 1928. Certificates will be available on hamlog.online for contacts made with these stations. Now the DX news Don, K6ZO will be active as 7Q6M from northern Malawi until, possibly, the end of July. He expects to put special emphasis on the 6m band during his visit. He is joined by Jerry, W1IE and Bill, KC4D today, the 2nd of July. Their operations will likely be restricted to the evening hours of 1800 to 0000UTC and occasionally the early morning hours of 0300 to 0500UTC. See <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> for QSL information. Roland, F8EN is active as TR8CR from Gabon until the 12th of August. He operates CW only, usually on the 30 to 10m bands. QSL via F6AJA. Now the contest news The VHF National Field Day Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1400UTC today, the 2nd of July. Using all modes on the 6m, 4m, 2m and 70cm bands, and 1.3GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also today, the 2nd of July, the 3rd 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 1100 to 1500UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Monday the 3rd of July, the 80m Club Championship CW Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Tuesday the 4th of July, the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 4th of July, the 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 5th of July, the 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 5th of July, the 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Sunday the 9th of July, the UK Microwave Group 24, 47 and 76GHz Contest runs from 0900 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on 24, 47 and 76GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The IARU HF Championship starts its 24-hour run at 1200UTC on Saturday the 8th of July. Using CW and SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and ITU zone. The UK is in zone 27. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 29th of June 2023 The solar flux index stayed in the 150s and 160s last week, which is good news for HF propagation. From a flare and CME perspective, we have been lucky in that we have only had a few solar flares, all of which have been C- or M-class. As a result, the Kp index has remained fairly low, being in the range of one to three after the rise to a Kp of five on the 25th due to the solar wind’s magnetic field, or Bz, tipping south. We are, however, still in the summer doldrums, so daytime DX is limited thanks to D-layer absorption. We still recommend checking the bands at night as the MUF over 3,000km is still exceeding 14MHz and often reaching 18MHz at times. During the day Sporadic-E may still keep you entertained on the higher HF bands. Daytime critical frequencies are around 5.2 to 6.7MHz according to the Dourbes ionosonde, which means you may find close-in contacts tricky on the 40m band at times, whereas more DX distances are still fine. Near vertical incidence skywave or NVIS, 40m signals may not be returned to Earth with that critical frequency. Looking ahead, active sunspot region 3354 was pointing directly at the Earth on Thursday but has so far been behaving itself with mostly C-class flare events. It is still the most likely candidate for a coronal mass ejection, or CME, over the weekend. Next week the Space Weather Prediction Centre has the Solar Flux Index declining to 130 before picking up later in the week to perhaps 145. The Kp index should remain around two unless we have a CME which could see it rising to five with the attendant lowering of the MUF. Meanwhile, you can get an idea of the best times to work various parts of the world by using the free Proppy software at <a href="http://soundbytes.asia/proppy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">soundbytes.asia/proppy</a> or via <a href="http://VOACAP.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VOACAP.com</a> And now the VHF and up propagation news The next week or so looks likely to continue in a very unsettled theme with low pressure residing over Scandinavia for much of the time and producing a west or north-westerly pattern over the UK. This will mean that tropo propagation will not be a large part of our operations during the period ahead. On the other hand, the frequent spells of fronts with prolonged rain or heavy summer showers will make rain-scatter modes a good use of time on the GHz bands. Talking of scatter modes, we are not in a major meteor shower at present, so random meteors are a good fail-safe although it can entail spending a lot of time in the process. The solar conditions, as previously mentioned, can be unsettled at the moment, and thus there is a potential for radio aurora if the Kp index goes above seven or so, even though daylight makes visible events unlikely at this time of the year. Lastly, the Sporadic-E situation is still our primary focus as we move into July. Days with good jet stream activity over Europe are good signs, whereas a high Kp index or solar flares are generally not so good. Of course, there are many other parameters involved and one of the critical components is likely to be the random meteor count which shows how much meteor debris might be available to make the Sporadic-E patches. In a roundabout way, if you monitor the meteor pings you might get a feel for how the Sporadic-E prospects are stacking up. The Moon declination is negative all week so there will be short Moon windows. Tuesday’s perigee means that path losses are at their lowest for the month. 144MHz sky noise is high this weekend but falling back to low levels by the end of the week. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for July 2nd 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 25th of June 2023 The news headlines: Ofcom consultation on updating the amateur radio licensing framework RSGB Tonight@8 webinar ‘Fly Your Satellite!’ programme  An Ofcom consultation titled “Updating the amateur radio licensing framework” opened on Friday the 23rd of June 2023. According to Ofcom, the proposals set out in the consultation aim to “provide greater operating freedom for radio amateurs; and make the process of getting and using a licence simpler, clearer and more responsive.” The closing date for responses is the 4th of September 2023. All radio amateurs are strongly encouraged to read the consultation via Ofcom’s website directly. You can also find the consultation by visiting rsgb.org/licencereview and clicking the Ofcom logo. The RSGB will provide guidance on how to respond to the consultation via the same web page in due course.  The next RSGB live Tonight@8 webinar will take place at 8pm on Monday the 3rd of July, with Eric P. Nichols, KL7AJ presenting “Receiving antennas are different”. Eric, who has written numerous amateur radio and electronics articles over the past 30 years, says that almost every ham radio station can benefit from a separate receiving antenna. Effective receiving antennas are optimised for best signal-to-noise ratio, not necessarily the greatest gain. Tune in to the RSGB YouTube channel or special BATC channel to hear Eric discuss the countless interesting means of building high signal-to-noise ratio receiving antennas. You can find out more at rsgb.org/webinars The ‘Fly Your Satellite!’ programme, initiated by the European Space Agency, presents an exciting challenge for radio amateurs and space enthusiasts worldwide to establish communication via the LEDSAT CubeSat digipeater. This unique opportunity invites participants to connect with the ESA Education Office ESTEC Ground Station in the Netherlands through the satellite digipeater, with a chance to win a special prize – a custom QSL card issued by the ESA Education Office and the LEDSAT team. Running from the 26th of June to the 30th of July, this challenge offers an exciting chance for radio enthusiasts to engage with space technology and demonstrate their communication skills. For more information go to the European Space Agency website at esa.int and search for “Connect and communicate with a satellite via the LEDSAT Digipeater Challenge.” It was with profound shock and sadness that the RSGB learnt of the untimely loss, at the age of 49, of Mr Alexandre ‘Sasha’ Kholod, Chairman of the CEPT WRC-23 Conference Preparatory Group. Alex was head of international frequency planning for the Swiss regulator and was widely respected and influential in CEPT and ITU. Of note to amateurs is that he chaired CEPT Project Team C which led to the successful ITU Region 1 50MHz allocation for the amateur service at World Radio Conference 19 in November 2019. His warm and professional personality will be sadly missed.   And now for details of rallies and events  The Newbury Radio Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 25th of June. The venue is Newbury Showground, next to junction 13 of the M4 motorway in Berkshire, RG18 9QZ. There is a display area with an amateur radio station, exhibits, special interest groups, clubs and societies. The doors open to sellers at 8 am and visitors at 9 am. Ample free parking is available and entry for visitors is £3. A seller’s pitch costs £15. On-site catering and disabled facilities are available. For more information, email NewburyRally@nadars.org.uk and visit nadars.org.uk The Barford Norfolk Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 2nd of July. The venue will be Barford Village Hall and Green, Barford, Norwich, NR9 4AB. The doors open at 9 am for visitors and 8 am for traders. The event will feature trade stands, car boot sales, bring and buy, a raffle, repeater groups, catering and free car parking. Entry costs £2.50 per person. Under 16s will be admitted free of charge. For more information contact radio@dcpmicro.com and visit norfolkamateurradio.org The Cornish Radio Amateur Club Rally will take place on Sunday the 9th of July at Penair School, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1TN. Doors open at 10.30 am and admission is £3. There will be traders, bring and buy and club stalls. Car parking and catering is available on-site. Contact Ken, G0FIC on 01209 821073 for more information. The McMichael Radio and Electronics Rally and Car Boot Sale will take place on Sunday the 16th of July. The venue will be Reading Rugby Club, which offers a bar and catering facilities and has ample free parking. Admission will be £3 per person and £10 per table for traders. Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue will be in attendance to provide a First Response service. Visit mcmichaelrally.org.uk for more information and contact details. Now the Special Event News German radio club DK0SM will be on the air as DL75BAL to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. The club plans to be active from the 28th of June to the 2nd of July and will be looking for UK stations on HF and on EchoLink via DL0STM. More information is available via the DL75BAL QRZ.com page. Special callsign GB1HEM will be active for 28 days from the 1st of July in support of Air Ambulances UK. A certificate will be available for making contact with the station on any band from 80 to 10m using SSB, PSK, DMR or FT8. More information is available via the GB1HEM QRZ.com page. Durham and District Amateur Radio Society is participating as one of the bonus stations in the popular 13 Colonies special event. The special callsign GB13COL has been issued for the occasion and will be active from 1300UTC on the 1st of July to 0400UTC on the 8th of July. The primary focus of the event will be the HF bands, but the station will also be working on VHF and UHF frequencies and via satellite. QSOs using SSB, CW, FM and various digital modes are welcome. QSL instructions can be found on the GB13COL QRZ.com page. For more information about the event email Ray, G0VLF on g0vlf@yahoo.co.uk From the 6th to the 9th of July, Hartlepool Amateur Radio Club will be celebrating the arrival of the Tall Ships Race to Hartlepool with the special event callsign GB0TSH. The station will be active on the HF, VHF and UHF bands and welcomes all contacts. For more details, contact Stan G7VGM via stan.g7vgm@gmail.com   Now the DX news Franco, IZ5IUY will be active as IL7/IZ5IUY from San Domino, EU-050, one of the Tremiti Islands in the Adriatic Sea, until the 29th of June. He is operating using SSB on the 40 to 6m bands, and on the 2m and 70cm bands. QSL is possible via his home call, but via the bureau is preferred. Take, JI3DST will be active from Shodo Island, AS-200, until the 5th of July. He will operate SSB and CW as JJ5RBH. He is paying special attention to the 6m band. QSL via Club Log and Logbook of the World. Roland, F8EN is active as TR8CR from Gabon until the 12th of August. He operates CW only, usually on the 30 to 10m bands. QSL via F6AJA.     Now the contest news Today, the 25th of June, the UK Microwave Group 5.7 and 10GHz Contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on 5.7 and 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Today, the 25th of June, the 50MHz CW Contest runs from 0900 to 1200UTC. Using CW on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Monday the 26th of June, the RSGB FT4 Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using FT4 on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is your report. On Tuesday the 27th of June, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on 2.3 to 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Saturday the 1st of July, the VHF National Field Day Contest starts its 24-hour run at 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 6m, 4m, 2m and 70cm bands, and 1.3GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Sunday the 2nd of July, the 3rd 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 1100 to 1500UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.   Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 22nd of June 2023 We had yet another week of high solar flux, plenty of sunspots, but also a major solar flare. The Solar Flux Index reached 180 on the 20th of June with a massive spread of sunspots across both solar hemispheres. But an X-class solar flare erupted on the same day. This was only just X-class though, as at X1.1 it barely hit the requirements. Luckily, its associated coronal mass ejection was directed away from Earth. We passed the summer solstice this week so are now heading towards Autumn. Don’t worry too much, though, as there is plenty of summer left, complete with its lower daytime maximum usable frequencies and high levels of D-layer absorption. Fortunately, multi-hop Sporadic-E is also bringing occasional DX on the higher bands. As we pointed out last week, nighttime MUFs remain high, partly due to seasonal norms and partly due to the high solar flux. There were reports this week of 15m CW still being open at 3.30 am local time, when Paul, MM0ZBH worked the VP6A DXpedition on Ducie Island. There have also been many reports of VP6A being worked on the 80m band at around 0800 UTC. Next week the Space Weather Prediction Centre puts the Solar Flux Index at around 165 to 180 again. We can expect unsettled geomagnetic conditions once again around the 27th and 28th of this month. Daytime F-layer MUFs over a 3,000km path are generally around 21MHz, but there are occasional surprises. Sporadic-E still dominates on the 10m band. At night, MUFs over 3,000km are often around 14 to 18MHz, again with some surprises at times. And now the VHF and up propagation news After a slow change to a more summer-like pattern of showers and sunshine with occasional fronts in the last week, it does seem like it's a continuation for the coming week. This means further opportunity for rain scatter on the GHz bands and with a reasonable chance of tracking the storms with any of the online weather radars. There will be a tendency for higher pressure close to southern Britain with possible Tropo, which will extend south across Biscay to northern Spain or farther south towards the Canaries and perhaps beyond. It may even offer paths east across the southern North Sea towards Denmark. There have been some reasonable Sporadic-E paths within Europe and beyond to the Americas. Paths have also opened eastwards to the Far East or Middle East and there is no reason not to expect similar for the coming week. As next week progresses, the jet stream distribution may favour paths to Scandinavia and the Baltic, plus across the Atlantic to the States. The recent unsettled solar conditions may affect the prospects for Sporadic-E propagation if the Kp index becomes too high, but on the plus side it could then be worth checking for aurora. Don’t forget that random meteors can provide a few chance QSOs using meteor scatter propagation and there have been audible meteor ‘pings’ on some Sporadic-E QSOs recently, so they do exist! Moon declination goes negative again on Monday – so shortening Moon windows. Path losses will fall all week, and 144MHz sky noise is low to moderate until next weekend when it reaches more than 2500 Kelvin on Sunday. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 25th of June 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>Ofcom consultation on updating the amateur radio licensing framework</li> <li>RSGB Tonight@8 webinar</li> <li>‘Fly Your Satellite!’ programme</li> </ul> An Ofcom consultation titled “Updating the amateur radio licensing framework” opened on Friday the 23rd of June 2023. According to Ofcom, the proposals set out in the consultation aim to “provide greater operating freedom for radio amateurs; and make the process of getting and using a licence simpler, clearer and more responsive.” The closing date for responses is the 4th of September 2023. All radio amateurs are strongly encouraged to read the consultation via Ofcom’s website directly. You can also find the consultation by visiting <a href="http://rsgb.org/licencereview" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/licencereview</a> and clicking the Ofcom logo. The RSGB will provide guidance on how to respond to the consultation via the same web page in due course.  The next RSGB live Tonight@8 webinar will take place at 8pm on Monday the 3rd of July, with Eric P. Nichols, KL7AJ presenting “Receiving antennas are different”. Eric, who has written numerous amateur radio and electronics articles over the past 30 years, says that almost every ham radio station can benefit from a separate receiving antenna. Effective receiving antennas are optimised for best signal-to-noise ratio, not necessarily the greatest gain. Tune in to the RSGB YouTube channel or special BATC channel to hear Eric discuss the countless interesting means of building high signal-to-noise ratio receiving antennas. You can find out more at <a href="http://rsgb.org/webinars" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/webinars</a> The ‘Fly Your Satellite!’ programme, initiated by the European Space Agency, presents an exciting challenge for radio amateurs and space enthusiasts worldwide to establish communication via the LEDSAT CubeSat digipeater. This unique opportunity invites participants to connect with the ESA Education Office ESTEC Ground Station in the Netherlands through the satellite digipeater, with a chance to win a special prize – a custom QSL card issued by the ESA Education Office and the LEDSAT team. Running from the 26th of June to the 30th of July, this challenge offers an exciting chance for radio enthusiasts to engage with space technology and demonstrate their communication skills. For more information go to the European Space Agency website at <a href="http://esa.int" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">esa.int</a> and search for “Connect and communicate with a satellite via the LEDSAT Digipeater Challenge.” It was with profound shock and sadness that the RSGB learnt of the untimely loss, at the age of 49, of Mr Alexandre ‘Sasha’ Kholod, Chairman of the CEPT WRC-23 Conference Preparatory Group. Alex was head of international frequency planning for the Swiss regulator and was widely respected and influential in CEPT and ITU. Of note to amateurs is that he chaired CEPT Project Team C which led to the successful ITU Region 1 50MHz allocation for the amateur service at World Radio Conference 19 in November 2019. His warm and professional personality will be sadly missed. And now for details of rallies and events The Newbury Radio Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 25th of June. The venue is Newbury Showground, next to junction 13 of the M4 motorway in Berkshire, RG18 9QZ. There is a display area with an amateur radio station, exhibits, special interest groups, clubs and societies. The doors open to sellers at 8 am and visitors at 9 am. Ample free parking is available and entry for visitors is £3. A seller’s pitch costs £15. On-site catering and disabled facilities are available. For more information, email NewburyRally@nadars.org.uk and visit <a href="http://nadars.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">nadars.org.uk</a> The Barford Norfolk Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 2nd of July. The venue will be Barford Village Hall and Green, Barford, Norwich, NR9 4AB. The doors open at 9 am for visitors and 8 am for traders. The event will feature trade stands, car boot sales, bring and buy, a raffle, repeater groups, catering and free car parking. Entry costs £2.50 per person. Under 16s will be admitted free of charge. For more information contact radio@dcpmicro.com and visit <a href="http://norfolkamateurradio.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">norfolkamateurradio.org</a> The Cornish Radio Amateur Club Rally will take place on Sunday the 9th of July at Penair School, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1TN. Doors open at 10.30 am and admission is £3. There will be traders, bring and buy and club stalls. Car parking and catering is available on-site. Contact Ken, G0FIC on 01209 821073 for more information. The McMichael Radio and Electronics Rally and Car Boot Sale will take place on Sunday the 16th of July. The venue will be Reading Rugby Club, which offers a bar and catering facilities and has ample free parking. Admission will be £3 per person and £10 per table for traders. Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue will be in attendance to provide a First Response service. Visit <a href="http://mcmichaelrally.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">mcmichaelrally.org.uk</a> for more information and contact details. Now the Special Event News German radio club DK0SM will be on the air as DL75BAL to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. The club plans to be active from the 28th of June to the 2nd of July and will be looking for UK stations on HF and on EchoLink via DL0STM. More information is available via the DL75BAL <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> page. Special callsign GB1HEM will be active for 28 days from the 1st of July in support of Air Ambulances UK. A certificate will be available for making contact with the station on any band from 80 to 10m using SSB, PSK, DMR or FT8. More information is available via the GB1HEM <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> page. Durham and District Amateur Radio Society is participating as one of the bonus stations in the popular 13 Colonies special event. The special callsign GB13COL has been issued for the occasion and will be active from 1300UTC on the 1st of July to 0400UTC on the 8th of July. The primary focus of the event will be the HF bands, but the station will also be working on VHF and UHF frequencies and via satellite. QSOs using SSB, CW, FM and various digital modes are welcome. QSL instructions can be found on the GB13COL <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> page. For more information about the event email Ray, G0VLF on g0vlf@yahoo.co.uk From the 6th to the 9th of July, Hartlepool Amateur Radio Club will be celebrating the arrival of the Tall Ships Race to Hartlepool with the special event callsign GB0TSH. The station will be active on the HF, VHF and UHF bands and welcomes all contacts. For more details, contact Stan G7VGM via <a href="mailto:stan.g7vgm@gmail.com">stan.g7vgm@gmail.com</a> Now the DX news Franco, IZ5IUY will be active as IL7/IZ5IUY from San Domino, EU-050, one of the Tremiti Islands in the Adriatic Sea, until the 29th of June. He is operating using SSB on the 40 to 6m bands, and on the 2m and 70cm bands. QSL is possible via his home call, but via the bureau is preferred. Take, JI3DST will be active from Shodo Island, AS-200, until the 5th of July. He will operate SSB and CW as JJ5RBH. He is paying special attention to the 6m band. QSL via Club Log and Logbook of the World. Roland, F8EN is active as TR8CR from Gabon until the 12th of August. He operates CW only, usually on the 30 to 10m bands. QSL via F6AJA. Now the contest news Today, the 25th of June, the UK Microwave Group 5.7 and 10GHz Contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on 5.7 and 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Today, the 25th of June, the 50MHz CW Contest runs from 0900 to 1200UTC. Using CW on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Monday the 26th of June, the RSGB FT4 Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using FT4 on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is your report. On Tuesday the 27th of June, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on 2.3 to 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Saturday the 1st of July, the VHF National Field Day Contest starts its 24-hour run at 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 6m, 4m, 2m and 70cm bands, and 1.3GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Sunday the 2nd of July, the 3rd 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 1100 to 1500UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 22nd of June 2023 We had yet another week of high solar flux, plenty of sunspots, but also a major solar flare. The Solar Flux Index reached 180 on the 20th of June with a massive spread of sunspots across both solar hemispheres. But an X-class solar flare erupted on the same day. This was only just X-class though, as at X1.1 it barely hit the requirements. Luckily, its associated coronal mass ejection was directed away from Earth. We passed the summer solstice this week so are now heading towards Autumn. Don’t worry too much, though, as there is plenty of summer left, complete with its lower daytime maximum usable frequencies and high levels of D-layer absorption. Fortunately, multi-hop Sporadic-E is also bringing occasional DX on the higher bands. As we pointed out last week, nighttime MUFs remain high, partly due to seasonal norms and partly due to the high solar flux. There were reports this week of 15m CW still being open at 3.30 am local time, when Paul, MM0ZBH worked the VP6A DXpedition on Ducie Island. There have also been many reports of VP6A being worked on the 80m band at around 0800 UTC. Next week the Space Weather Prediction Centre puts the Solar Flux Index at around 165 to 180 again. We can expect unsettled geomagnetic conditions once again around the 27th and 28th of this month. Daytime F-layer MUFs over a 3,000km path are generally around 21MHz, but there are occasional surprises. Sporadic-E still dominates on the 10m band. At night, MUFs over 3,000km are often around 14 to 18MHz, again with some surprises at times. And now the VHF and up propagation news After a slow change to a more summer-like pattern of showers and sunshine with occasional fronts in the last week, it does seem like it's a continuation for the coming week. This means further opportunity for rain scatter on the GHz bands and with a reasonable chance of tracking the storms with any of the online weather radars. There will be a tendency for higher pressure close to southern Britain with possible Tropo, which will extend south across Biscay to northern Spain or farther south towards the Canaries and perhaps beyond. It may even offer paths east across the southern North Sea towards Denmark. There have been some reasonable Sporadic-E paths within Europe and beyond to the Americas. Paths have also opened eastwards to the Far East or Middle East and there is no reason not to expect similar for the coming week. As next week progresses, the jet stream distribution may favour paths to Scandinavia and the Baltic, plus across the Atlantic to the States. The recent unsettled solar conditions may affect the prospects for Sporadic-E propagation if the Kp index becomes too high, but on the plus side it could then be worth checking for aurora. Don’t forget that random meteors can provide a few chance QSOs using meteor scatter propagation and there have been audible meteor ‘pings’ on some Sporadic-E QSOs recently, so they do exist! Moon declination goes negative again on Monday – so shortening Moon windows. Path losses will fall all week, and 144MHz sky noise is low to moderate until next weekend when it reaches more than 2500 Kelvin on Sunday. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for June 25th 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 18th of June 2023 The news headlines: His late Majesty, King Hussein of Jordan’s UK amateur radio equipment Coding and amateur radio RSGB Convention 2022 presentations    The Radio Society of Great Britain is delighted to announce that Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan has chosen to donate the UK amateur radio equipment of His late Majesty, King Hussein of Jordan to the Society. His Majesty was a great ambassador for amateur radio and, whenever his official duties allowed him, his radio callsign JY1 could be heard on the amateur bands. His Majesty always operated modestly, never announcing himself as King Hussein, always just ‘Hussein from Jordan’. A permanent display is being organised at the RSGB National Radio Centre so that the equipment can be used to help inspire people to get involved in amateur radio and promote communication, friendship and understanding throughout the many countries and cultures of the world. The RSGB extends its thanks to Her Majesty for this generous donation. National Coding Week has been run for many years in the third week of September. Coding is used increasingly in amateur radio, and the BBC Micro:bit and the Arduino have made it easier for radio amateurs of all ages to discover more about this. As part of its commitment to encourage youngsters into amateur radio and to support lifelong learning, the RSGB will be providing resources and creating coding activities for people to get involved in throughout the month of September. The Society is keen to hear from volunteers who have ideas for this initiative and would like to be part of it. Further details will follow but, if you’re interested, in the first instance please contact Exam and Syllabus Review Group member John Hislop, G7OHO via g7oho@rsgb.org.uk The RSGB has released two further Convention 2022 presentations. In the first, Noel Matthews, G8GTZ provides an introduction to the challenges of operating on 122GHz and gives an overview of the VK3CV-designed transverter boards which have put operation within the reach of amateurs without requiring advanced electronic and mechanical engineering skills. He tells the story of how he and Dave, G1EHF used the boards to work up from their first QSO over 2km to breaking the UK record for 122GHz at 36.5kms. Secondly, in a presentation called “HF propagation – what do the numbers mean?” RSGB Propagation Studies Committee Chair Steve Nichols, G0KYA unravels what terms such as Solar flux index, SSN, A and K index, and Solar Wind Speed mean and explains how to find the best HF conditions. You can watch both on the RSGB YouTube channel at youtube.com/theRSGB After serving for nine years, the RSGB Trophy Manager is retiring and the Society is looking for a new volunteer for this role. The position is part of the RSGB Volunteer Leadership Team, reporting to the Board. Working in close relationship with the three Contest Committees and the RSGB General Manager, the Trophy Manager looks after the RSGB’s trophies arranges for their engraving and presentation to recipients and maintains the trophies’ history. If you are interested in applying for the role or would like to find out more, please email gm.dept@rsgb.org.uk The G-QRP Club is running a fun event called the Summer Sizzler from Saturday the 17th to Sunday the 25th of June. This is not a contest, rather it is a relaxed on-air QRP event. It is an ideal opportunity to meet and greet new and old friends, to test your latest homebrew creations and to fill the bands with friendly QRP activity. The best logbook for the event will win the inaugural GM3OXX trophy. This will be decided upon by adjudicators and will not necessarily be awarded to the entrant with the most contacts. Unusual or remarkable logbooks have just as much chance of winning. For more information visit gqrp.com/awards.htm The Royal Air Force Air Cadets are running their popular radio communications event Exercise Blue Ham on the 60m shared band from the 19th to the 23rd of June from 7 pm to 9 pm local time. Contact can be made via USB Voice, PSK31 or Olivia 16/500. Details can be found by following the ‘Exercise Blue Ham’ link at alphacharlie.org.uk   And now for details of rallies and events  The East Suffolk Wireless Revival, also known as the Ipswich Radio Rally, will take place today, Sunday the 18th of June. The venue is Kirton Recreation Ground, Back Road, Kirton IP10 0PW, just off the A14. The doors open at 9.30 am and the entry fee for visitors is £3. The venue has free car parking. There will be trade stands, a car boot sale, a bring-and-buy area, special interest groups, an RSGB bookstall and much more. Catering is available on-site. For more information contact Kevin, G8MXV on 07710 046 846 and visit eswr.org.uk The Newbury Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 25th of June. The venue will be Newbury Showground, next to junction 13 of the M4 motorway in Berkshire, RG18 9QZ. There will be a display area with an amateur radio station, exhibits, special interest groups, clubs and societies. The doors will open to sellers at 8 am and visitors at 9am. Ample free parking will be available. Entry is £3 for visitors. A seller’s pitch costs £15. On-site catering and disabled facilities will be available. For more information, email NewburyRally@nadars.org.uk and visit nadars.org.uk The Barford Norfolk Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 2nd of July. The venue will be Barford Village Hall and Green, Barford, Norwich, NR9 4AB. The doors open at 9 am for visitors and 8 am for traders. The event will feature trade stands, car boot sales, bring and buy, a raffle, repeater groups, catering and free car parking. Entry costs £2.50 per person. Under 16s will be admitted free of charge. For more information contact radio@dcpmicro.com and visit norfolkamateurradio.org The Cornish Radio Amateur Club Rally will take place on Sunday the 9th of July at Penair School, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1TN. Doors open at 10.30 am and admission is £3. There will be traders, bring-and-buy and club stalls. Car parking and catering are available on-site. Contact Ken, G0FIC on 01209 821073 for more information.   Now the Special Event News Today is the last chance to work PD2023APD. The station is active to mark Autistic Pride Day which is held on the 18th of June each year. Listen for the callsign on the 10, 20 and 40m bands. See QRZ.com for more information. Special callsign AU40NRO is active on the HF bands until the 30th of June to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the National Institute of Amateur Radio in India. QSL via VU2NRO. VI75G is the callsign being used by the Geelong Amateur Radio Club throughout 2023 to celebrate its 75th anniversary. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL or via VK3ATL.   Now the DX news Today is the last chance to work Yuris, YL2GM who is active as VU7W from the Lakshadweep islands in the Arabian Sea. He is operating from Minicoy Island, AS-106, with a focus on the 6m band although he is also using other bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS is preferred, or direct to YL2GN. Roland, F8EN is active as TR8CR from Gabon until the 12th of August. He operates CW only, usually on the 30 to 10m bands. QSL via F6AJA. Ersoy, TA2OM has been active as 3C3CA from Bioko Island, AF-010, Equatorial Guinea since October 2022. His current plans are to stay there for another two months. He usually operates using FT8 on the HF bands and he uploads his log to Club Log and Logbook of the World on a regular basis.   Now the contest news The 50MHz Trophy Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1400UTC today, the 18th of June. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Today, the 18th of June, the Worked All Britain 6m Phone Contest runs from 0800 to 1400UTC. Using phone on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square. The All Asian DX Contest ends its 48-hour run at 2359UTC today, Sunday the 18th of June. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and age. On Tuesday the 20th of June, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on 1.3GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Thursday the 22nd of June, the 80m Club Championship SSB Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Sunday the 25th of June, the 50MHz CW Contest runs from 0900 to 1200UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Sunday the 25th of June, the UK Microwave Group 5.7 and 10GHz Contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on 5.7 and 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.  Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 15th of June 2023 We had another week of sound HF propagation, helped by relatively quiet geomagnetic conditions, a lack of bad solar flares, and some good multi-hop Sporadic-E openings. The Kp index never rose above three and was mostly ones and twos. This was no doubt helped by no M-class or higher solar flares and no Earth-directed coronal mass ejections. A large filament did break away from the Sun on the 12th of June, but luckily it was directed away from Earth. The solar flux index declined to the mid-140s after reaching 172 on the 6th of June. Paul, GM4ULS sent in an impressive log of 10m SSB contacts with Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. These were mostly during the late afternoon although Paul says the openings often started around noon. F2-layer propagation was the first thought, but closer analysis suggests that these were more likely to be multi-hop Sporadic-E. If these contacts die out as we progress through the summer that should confirm that they were multi-hop Sporadic-E. Paul does have one tip. He listens to 27.555MHz, which is the SSB CB calling frequency. If he hears activity there he then fires up on the 10m band. Other DX this week has included VP6A on Ducie Island in the South Pacific. This DXpedition should be active until the 26th of June, so there is still plenty of time to work them. 8Q7KB in the Maldives should also be on until the 21st of June. Next week, the Space Weather Prediction Centre thinks the Solar Flux Index will start the week at around 150, rising to 170 as the week progresses. After a geomagnetic disturbance this weekend that may see the Kp index rise to four, and is likely caused by a coronal hole on the Sun’s surface, we may expect quieter conditions next week with a maximum Kp index of two.   And now the VHF and up propagation news There has been some excellent Sporadic-E and super Tropo propagation during recent UK Activity Contest events. This is high-season for Sporadic-E, so it's worth a few notes to sharpen your DX potential. There are often two main 'windows' of activity: mid-morning and late afternoon or early evening. For early risers, there can be a surprise ‘window’ of activity around 0600 to 0700UTC on some days and this is particularly useful for paths across the pole to Japan and the Pacific. The tendency is for openings to migrate westwards. Paths across Eastern Europe will be replaced by new paths to Italy or even Iberia as the particular event ‘window’ migrates west. In this peak season the Sporadic-E operating ‘windows’ may almost merge into one continuous activity period, especially on the lower bands such as 10m and 6m. As paths to Portugal fade, the new cycle may be starting with paths to Scandinavia and the Baltic. Multi-hop paths will be weaker than single-hop, and often more fleeting due to the complex geometry required, making the slower data modes frustrating. Add this to frequency spreading, and sometimes slick, fast CW can be the best mode if you can find the activity. The prolonged high pressure has provided some very good Tropo paths, particularly across the North Sea to Scandinavia. This may not be so reliable in the coming week as low-pressure moves in and offers heavy thundery showers as a source of rain scatter for GHz operators.  Meteor scatter and aurora are always possible, but Sporadic-E will probably be too much of a distraction. Sunday sees peak Moon declination but with apogee this coming Thursday, path losses will be at their highest.  144MHz sky noise is moderate until Saturday afternoon when the Sun and Moon are very close in the sky, spoiling the weekend for VHF EME. This “close to eclipse” condition persists until Sunday night after which noise levels are low to moderate for the rest of the week.  And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 18th of June 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>His late Majesty, King Hussein of Jordan’s UK amateur radio equipment</li> <li>Coding and amateur radio</li> <li>RSGB Convention 2022 presentations</li> </ul> The Radio Society of Great Britain is delighted to announce that Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan has chosen to donate the UK amateur radio equipment of His late Majesty, King Hussein of Jordan to the Society. His Majesty was a great ambassador for amateur radio and, whenever his official duties allowed him, his radio callsign JY1 could be heard on the amateur bands. His Majesty always operated modestly, never announcing himself as King Hussein, always just ‘Hussein from Jordan’. A permanent display is being organised at the RSGB National Radio Centre so that the equipment can be used to help inspire people to get involved in amateur radio and promote communication, friendship and understanding throughout the many countries and cultures of the world. The RSGB extends its thanks to Her Majesty for this generous donation. National Coding Week has been run for many years in the third week of September. Coding is used increasingly in amateur radio, and the BBC Micro:bit and the Arduino have made it easier for radio amateurs of all ages to discover more about this. As part of its commitment to encourage youngsters into amateur radio and to support lifelong learning, the RSGB will be providing resources and creating coding activities for people to get involved in throughout the month of September. The Society is keen to hear from volunteers who have ideas for this initiative and would like to be part of it. Further details will follow but, if you’re interested, in the first instance please contact Exam and Syllabus Review Group member John Hislop, G7OHO via g7oho@rsgb.org.uk The RSGB has released two further Convention 2022 presentations. In the first, Noel Matthews, G8GTZ provides an introduction to the challenges of operating on 122GHz and gives an overview of the VK3CV-designed transverter boards which have put operation within the reach of amateurs without requiring advanced electronic and mechanical engineering skills. He tells the story of how he and Dave, G1EHF used the boards to work up from their first QSO over 2km to breaking the UK record for 122GHz at 36.5kms. Secondly, in a presentation called “HF propagation – what do the numbers mean?” RSGB Propagation Studies Committee Chair Steve Nichols, G0KYA unravels what terms such as Solar flux index, SSN, A and K index, and Solar Wind Speed mean and explains how to find the best HF conditions. You can watch both on the RSGB YouTube channel at <a href="http://youtube.com/theRSGB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/theRSGB</a> After serving for nine years, the RSGB Trophy Manager is retiring and the Society is looking for a new volunteer for this role. The position is part of the RSGB Volunteer Leadership Team, reporting to the Board. Working in close relationship with the three Contest Committees and the RSGB General Manager, the Trophy Manager looks after the RSGB’s trophies arranges for their engraving and presentation to recipients and maintains the trophies’ history. If you are interested in applying for the role or would like to find out more, please email <a href="mailto:gm.dept@rsgb.org.uk">gm.dept@rsgb.org.uk</a> The G-QRP Club is running a fun event called the Summer Sizzler from Saturday the 17th to Sunday the 25th of June. This is not a contest, rather it is a relaxed on-air QRP event. It is an ideal opportunity to meet and greet new and old friends, to test your latest homebrew creations and to fill the bands with friendly QRP activity. The best logbook for the event will win the inaugural GM3OXX trophy. This will be decided upon by adjudicators and will not necessarily be awarded to the entrant with the most contacts. Unusual or remarkable logbooks have just as much chance of winning. For more information visit <a href="http://gqrp.com/awards.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gqrp.com/awards.htm</a> The Royal Air Force Air Cadets are running their popular radio communications event Exercise Blue Ham on the 60m shared band from the 19th to the 23rd of June from 7 pm to 9 pm local time. Contact can be made via USB Voice, PSK31 or Olivia 16/500. Details can be found by following the ‘Exercise Blue Ham’ link at <a href="http://alphacharlie.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">alphacharlie.org.uk</a> And now for details of rallies and events The East Suffolk Wireless Revival, also known as the Ipswich Radio Rally, will take place today, Sunday the 18th of June. The venue is Kirton Recreation Ground, Back Road, Kirton IP10 0PW, just off the A14. The doors open at 9.30 am and the entry fee for visitors is £3. The venue has free car parking. There will be trade stands, a car boot sale, a bring-and-buy area, special interest groups, an RSGB bookstall and much more. Catering is available on-site. For more information contact Kevin, G8MXV on 07710 046 846 and visit <a href="http://eswr.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">eswr.org.uk</a> The Newbury Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 25th of June. The venue will be Newbury Showground, next to junction 13 of the M4 motorway in Berkshire, RG18 9QZ. There will be a display area with an amateur radio station, exhibits, special interest groups, clubs and societies. The doors will open to sellers at 8 am and visitors at 9am. Ample free parking will be available. Entry is £3 for visitors. A seller’s pitch costs £15. On-site catering and disabled facilities will be available. For more information, email NewburyRally@nadars.org.uk and visit <a href="http://nadars.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">nadars.org.uk</a> The Barford Norfolk Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 2nd of July. The venue will be Barford Village Hall and Green, Barford, Norwich, NR9 4AB. The doors open at 9 am for visitors and 8 am for traders. The event will feature trade stands, car boot sales, bring and buy, a raffle, repeater groups, catering and free car parking. Entry costs £2.50 per person. Under 16s will be admitted free of charge. For more information contact radio@dcpmicro.com and visit <a href="http://norfolkamateurradio.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">norfolkamateurradio.org</a> The Cornish Radio Amateur Club Rally will take place on Sunday the 9th of July at Penair School, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1TN. Doors open at 10.30 am and admission is £3. There will be traders, bring-and-buy and club stalls. Car parking and catering are available on-site. Contact Ken, G0FIC on 01209 821073 for more information. Now the Special Event News Today is the last chance to work PD2023APD. The station is active to mark Autistic Pride Day which is held on the 18th of June each year. Listen for the callsign on the 10, 20 and 40m bands. See <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> for more information. Special callsign AU40NRO is active on the HF bands until the 30th of June to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the National Institute of Amateur Radio in India. QSL via VU2NRO. VI75G is the callsign being used by the Geelong Amateur Radio Club throughout 2023 to celebrate its 75th anniversary. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL or via VK3ATL. Now the DX news Today is the last chance to work Yuris, YL2GM who is active as VU7W from the Lakshadweep islands in the Arabian Sea. He is operating from Minicoy Island, AS-106, with a focus on the 6m band although he is also using other bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS is preferred, or direct to YL2GN. Roland, F8EN is active as TR8CR from Gabon until the 12th of August. He operates CW only, usually on the 30 to 10m bands. QSL via F6AJA. Ersoy, TA2OM has been active as 3C3CA from Bioko Island, AF-010, Equatorial Guinea since October 2022. His current plans are to stay there for another two months. He usually operates using FT8 on the HF bands and he uploads his log to Club Log and Logbook of the World on a regular basis. Now the contest news The 50MHz Trophy Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1400UTC today, the 18th of June. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Today, the 18th of June, the Worked All Britain 6m Phone Contest runs from 0800 to 1400UTC. Using phone on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square. The All Asian DX Contest ends its 48-hour run at 2359UTC today, Sunday the 18th of June. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and age. On Tuesday the 20th of June, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on 1.3GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Thursday the 22nd of June, the 80m Club Championship SSB Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Sunday the 25th of June, the 50MHz CW Contest runs from 0900 to 1200UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Sunday the 25th of June, the UK Microwave Group 5.7 and 10GHz Contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on 5.7 and 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.  Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 15th of June 2023 We had another week of sound HF propagation, helped by relatively quiet geomagnetic conditions, a lack of bad solar flares, and some good multi-hop Sporadic-E openings. The Kp index never rose above three and was mostly ones and twos. This was no doubt helped by no M-class or higher solar flares and no Earth-directed coronal mass ejections. A large filament did break away from the Sun on the 12th of June, but luckily it was directed away from Earth. The solar flux index declined to the mid-140s after reaching 172 on the 6th of June. Paul, GM4ULS sent in an impressive log of 10m SSB contacts with Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. These were mostly during the late afternoon although Paul says the openings often started around noon. F2-layer propagation was the first thought, but closer analysis suggests that these were more likely to be multi-hop Sporadic-E. If these contacts die out as we progress through the summer that should confirm that they were multi-hop Sporadic-E. Paul does have one tip. He listens to 27.555MHz, which is the SSB CB calling frequency. If he hears activity there he then fires up on the 10m band. Other DX this week has included VP6A on Ducie Island in the South Pacific. This DXpedition should be active until the 26th of June, so there is still plenty of time to work them. 8Q7KB in the Maldives should also be on until the 21st of June. Next week, the Space Weather Prediction Centre thinks the Solar Flux Index will start the week at around 150, rising to 170 as the week progresses. After a geomagnetic disturbance this weekend that may see the Kp index rise to four, and is likely caused by a coronal hole on the Sun’s surface, we may expect quieter conditions next week with a maximum Kp index of two. And now the VHF and up propagation news There has been some excellent Sporadic-E and super Tropo propagation during recent UK Activity Contest events. This is high-season for Sporadic-E, so it's worth a few notes to sharpen your DX potential. There are often two main 'windows' of activity: mid-morning and late afternoon or early evening. For early risers, there can be a surprise ‘window’ of activity around 0600 to 0700UTC on some days and this is particularly useful for paths across the pole to Japan and the Pacific. The tendency is for openings to migrate westwards. Paths across Eastern Europe will be replaced by new paths to Italy or even Iberia as the particular event ‘window’ migrates west. In this peak season the Sporadic-E operating ‘windows’ may almost merge into one continuous activity period, especially on the lower bands such as 10m and 6m. As paths to Portugal fade, the new cycle may be starting with paths to Scandinavia and the Baltic. Multi-hop paths will be weaker than single-hop, and often more fleeting due to the complex geometry required, making the slower data modes frustrating. Add this to frequency spreading, and sometimes slick, fast CW can be the best mode if you can find the activity. The prolonged high pressure has provided some very good Tropo paths, particularly across the North Sea to Scandinavia. This may not be so reliable in the coming week as low-pressure moves in and offers heavy thundery showers as a source of rain scatter for GHz operators.  Meteor scatter and aurora are always possible, but Sporadic-E will probably be too much of a distraction. Sunday sees peak Moon declination but with apogee this coming Thursday, path losses will be at their highest.  144MHz sky noise is moderate until Saturday afternoon when the Sun and Moon are very close in the sky, spoiling the weekend for VHF EME. This “close to eclipse” condition persists until Sunday night after which noise levels are low to moderate for the rest of the week. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for June 18th 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 11th of June 2023 The news headlines: RSGB President's IRTS speech Contest group map Distance learning for Full licence exam    RSGB President, John McCullagh, GI4BWM received a warm welcome when he attended the IRTS AGM Gala Dinner recently. He talked about the challenges faced by national societies, as well as the success of the RSGB’s Tonight@8 live webinars and online exams, which were introduced during the pandemic. John also stressed the importance of engaging young people in amateur radio, through the Society’s work with schools and universities. He is featured on page 10 of the June issue of Ham Radio Ireland Magazine. As part of the RSGB’s new Club Finder facilities, the Society has launched an online map that shows affiliated contest-only clubs and groups. If you’d like to get involved in a group, you can use the map to search locally and more widely. Depending on the club entry you will be able to see which contests they participate in as well as their contact and website information. If you are part of an RSGB-affiliated contest group or club, please check your details and, if they need updating, log into the RSGB members’ portal. New information will be uploaded to the map every Friday afternoon. You can find the map on the RSGB’s contest web page at rsgb.org/radiosport Since 2011, the Bath Based Distance Learning team has helped nearly one thousand students to obtain their Full licence. Student feedback is always very positive and the pass rate continues to be well over 80%, compared with a national average of around 66%. The BBDL team is now planning another Full-licence level course. The course will run from the end of August to December, with exams in January. Students receive weekly work packages via an online classroom and have access to weekly online tutorials. Each student is allocated to one of the remote tutors who provide feedback and additional guidance. There are weekly quizzes to check on progress and at the end of the course there are a number of mock exams. There is no charge for the training, but applicants must work through some pre-course material and complete a quiz to be eligible for a place. This focuses on the ‘new’ Intermediate topics that were introduced to the syllabus in 2019. The aims of the pre-course classroom are to make sure applicants can use the BBDL systems and to ensure that they are ready for the current Full training syllabus. Each student will need to provide their own RSGB Full licence textbook and arrange their own exam at the end of the course. Advice will be provided as part of the course. The deadline for course applications is Tuesday the 25th of July. To request full details and an application form, please email BBDL Team Leader, Steve, G0FUW, via g0fuw@bbdl.org.uk International Museums on the Air will take place on the weekends of the 17th and 18th, and the 24th and 25th of June. A participation award will be issued to all stations that register. The registration process is simply to assist the organisers with the administration of the event and provides those taking part with an indication of how many stations will be active and exactly where the museums involved are located. To read more details about the event, and to register, please visit: tinyurl.com/MOTAW   And now for details of rallies and events  The Mendips Rally is taking place today, the 11th of June. The venue is Farrington Gurney Memorial Hall, Church Lane, Farrington Gurney, Somerset, BS39 6TY. The entrance fee is £2. The doors open at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. For bookings and enquiries please contact Luke on 07870 168 197 or email mendipsrally@hotmail.com The Junction 28 Radio Rally is also taking place today, the 11th of June. The venue is Alfreton Leisure Centre Bowls Hall, Church Street, Alfreton, DE55 7BD. The doors open at 10.15 am and admission is £4. There is a fee of £12 to book a table in advance. A bar and refreshments are available on-site. For more information, directions, and the booking form, visit snadarc.com Alternatively, email secretary@snadarc.com The East Suffolk Wireless Revival, also known as the Ipswich Radio Rally, will take place on Sunday the 18th of June. The venue will be Kirton Recreation Ground, Back Road, Kirton IP10 0PW, just off the A14. The doors open at 9.30 am and the entry fee for visitors is £3. The venue has free car parking. There will be trade stands, a car boot sale, a bring-and-buy area, special interest groups, an RSGB bookstall and much more. Catering is available on-site. For more information contact Kevin, G8MXV on 07710 046 846 and visit eswr.org.uk   The Newbury Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 25th of June. The venue will be Newbury Showground, next to junction 13 of the M4 motorway in Berkshire, RG18 9QZ. There will be a display area with an amateur radio station, exhibits, special interest groups, clubs and societies. The doors will open to sellers at 8 am and visitors at 9 am. Ample free parking will be available. Entry is £3 for visitors. A seller’s pitch costs £15. On-site catering and disabled facilities will be available. For more information, email NewburyRally@nadars.org.uk and visit nadars.org.uk   Now the Special Event News Autistic Pride Day is held on the 18th of June each year. In support of the occasion, special callsign PD2023APD will be active from the 16th to the 18th of June on the 10, 20 and 40m bands. See QRZ.com for more information. Special event callsign DB23SOWG will be active until the 25th of June. The suffix stands for ‘Special Olympics World Games’, the world's largest sporting event for athletes with intellectual disabilities. This year the event is being held in Berlin. QSL via the bureau, or direct to DL2VFR. The Royal Air Force Amateur Radio Society will be using the callsign GB0BAL at HQ RAF Cosford from the 17th of June to the 14th of July. The ‘BAL’ suffix stands for Berlin Airlift. This was a huge humanitarian operation that took place between June 1948 and September 1949. Access to the city of Berlin was blocked in June 1948. The Western Allies responded with the Berlin Airlift, an operation to supply the city with necessary resources by air. The Humber Fortress DX Amateur Radio Club is supporting International Men’s Health Week 2023 by using the special callsign GB0MMH from the 16th to the 18th of June. The group will be operating from its clubhouse at Haven Mill, Patrington Haven, 15 miles east of Hull in Yorkshire. Activity will be across various modes and HF bands. For more information, please visit hfdxarc.com   Now the DX news Today is the last chance to work Lars, SM6CUK. He is active from Ven Island, EU-137, as SA6G/7. He is operating on the 40 to 10m bands using CW. QSL via his home call, Logbook of the World and Club Log’s OQRS. Bob, N7XR is active as V7/N7XR from Kwajalein, OC-028, in the Marshall Islands until late June or early July. He operates CW, RTTY and FT8 on the 160 to 10m bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS. T88PB will be active from Koror Island, OC-009, until Monday the 19th of June. He will operate on the HF Bands. QSL via JA0JHQ directly.   Now the contest news The IARU ATV Contest starts on Saturday the 10th of June at 1200UTC and ends on Sunday the 11th of June at 1800UTC. Using TV on 432MHz and up frequencies, the exchange is a serial number, four-digit code and locator. On Sunday the 11th of June, the 2nd 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Sunday the 11th of June, the Practical Wireless 2m QRP Contest runs from 0900 to 1600UTC. Using phone and a maximum of 5W on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Tuesday the 13th of June, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. This is followed by the 432MHz UK Activity Contest which runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 14th of June, the 80m Club Championship CW Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Wednesday the 14th of June, the 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 14th of June, the 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Thursday the 15th of June, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The 50MHz Trophy Contest starts at 1400UTC on Saturday the 17th of June and ends at 1400UTC on Sunday the 18th of June. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The All Asian DX Contest starts at 0000UTC on Saturday the 17th of June and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday the 18th of June. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and age. On Sunday the 18th of June, the Worked All Britain 6m Phone Contest runs from 0800 to 1400UTC. Using phone on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square.   Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 8th of June 2023 Solar activity has remained at low levels over the past few days with only minor C-class and one M-class flare detected. The majority of these small flares were produced by active region 3327 in the southeast quadrant. But a large number of sunspots means we are at a high risk of M-class or even higher flares over the next week. HF conditions for last weekend’s Field Day were good and most teams put in good scores. Sporadic-E wasn’t too evident on HF, but there was plenty of F-layer DX to be had and luckily an anticipated geomagnetic storm never materialised. The Kp index remained low for the whole weekend, apart from a brief excursion to Kp4 late on Sunday evening, which only lasted until the next three-hourly update. Next week the Space Weather Prediction Centre thinks the solar flux index will be in the range of 140 to 155, with 155 coming much later in the week. We may expect some geomagnetic disturbance over this weekend, with the Kp index perhaps reaching four on Sunday the 12th. Looking further ahead, the 18th to the 21st is predicted to be unsettled with a maximum Kp index of five. We really are into a period of summer HF propagation now, which is characterised by lower maximum useable frequencies during daylight hours, but higher MUFs during night-time. According to Propquest, night-time MUFs over a 3,000km path are staying well above 14MHz and even 18MHz all night. You may even find DX on 21MHz up until midnight. So don’t write off the HF bands after dark as you may get some surprises.     And now the VHF and up propagation news Sporadic-E produced some remarkable conditions early last week with 50MHz FT8 QSOs made with Australia during the day and afternoon and evening openings to the Caribbean, Central, North and South America on FT8 and CW. Caribbean signals were still being copied at 2200UTC on some days. The 5th produced QSOs for many on 70MHz including S01WS in Western Sahara. We are still in the peak Sporadic-E season, so it is well worth keeping a check on band activity via the various clusters or simply listening, particularly in the late afternoon. The current weather setup is quite typical for this time of year and can be remarkably persistent. Although there have been suggestions of unsettled thundery weather arriving, it may be a brief visit and rather limited in extent. Some eastern areas stay close to the high pressure which becomes more dominant again throughout next week. This means that Tropo will still be a component of the coming week’s propagation, especially along North Sea coasts, although this will tend to favour northern Britain as the week progresses. The thundery weather could introduce rain scatter, especially to southern and western areas, and these storms should be easy to track in view of the light upper winds. Recent solar conditions, as detailed in the previous section, continue to provide propagation variety with chances of aurora plus the usual mention of random meteor scatter. Moon declination is still negative until Monday, and, as we are past perigee, we will have lengthening Moon windows and rising path losses. 144MHz sky noise is low all week. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 11th of June 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>RSGB President's IRTS speech</li> <li>Contest group map</li> <li>Distance learning for Full licence exam</li> </ul> RSGB President, John McCullagh, GI4BWM received a warm welcome when he attended the IRTS AGM Gala Dinner recently. He talked about the challenges faced by national societies, as well as the success of the RSGB’s Tonight@8 live webinars and online exams, which were introduced during the pandemic. John also stressed the importance of engaging young people in amateur radio, through the Society’s work with schools and universities. He is featured on page 10 of the June issue of Ham Radio Ireland Magazine. As part of the RSGB’s new Club Finder facilities, the Society has launched an online map that shows affiliated contest-only clubs and groups. If you’d like to get involved in a group, you can use the map to search locally and more widely. Depending on the club entry you will be able to see which contests they participate in as well as their contact and website information. If you are part of an RSGB-affiliated contest group or club, please check your details and, if they need updating, log into the RSGB members’ portal. New information will be uploaded to the map every Friday afternoon. You can find the map on the RSGB’s contest web page at <a href="http://rsgb.org/radiosport" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/radiosport</a> Since 2011, the Bath Based Distance Learning team has helped nearly one thousand students to obtain their Full licence. Student feedback is always very positive and the pass rate continues to be well over 80%, compared with a national average of around 66%. The BBDL team is now planning another Full-licence level course. The course will run from the end of August to December, with exams in January. Students receive weekly work packages via an online classroom and have access to weekly online tutorials. Each student is allocated to one of the remote tutors who provide feedback and additional guidance. There are weekly quizzes to check on progress and at the end of the course there are a number of mock exams. There is no charge for the training, but applicants must work through some pre-course material and complete a quiz to be eligible for a place. This focuses on the ‘new’ Intermediate topics that were introduced to the syllabus in 2019. The aims of the pre-course classroom are to make sure applicants can use the BBDL systems and to ensure that they are ready for the current Full training syllabus. Each student will need to provide their own RSGB Full licence textbook and arrange their own exam at the end of the course. Advice will be provided as part of the course. The deadline for course applications is Tuesday the 25th of July. To request full details and an application form, please email BBDL Team Leader, Steve, G0FUW, via g0fuw@bbdl.org.uk International Museums on the Air will take place on the weekends of the 17th and 18th, and the 24th and 25th of June. A participation award will be issued to all stations that register. The registration process is simply to assist the organisers with the administration of the event and provides those taking part with an indication of how many stations will be active and exactly where the museums involved are located. To read more details about the event, and to register, please visit: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/MOTAW" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tinyurl.com/MOTAW</a> And now for details of rallies and events The Mendips Rally is taking place today, the 11th of June. The venue is Farrington Gurney Memorial Hall, Church Lane, Farrington Gurney, Somerset, BS39 6TY. The entrance fee is £2. The doors open at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. For bookings and enquiries please contact Luke on 07870 168 197 or email mendipsrally@hotmail.com The Junction 28 Radio Rally is also taking place today, the 11th of June. The venue is Alfreton Leisure Centre Bowls Hall, Church Street, Alfreton, DE55 7BD. The doors open at 10.15 am and admission is £4. There is a fee of £12 to book a table in advance. A bar and refreshments are available on-site. For more information, directions, and the booking form, visit <a href="http://snadarc.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">snadarc.com</a> Alternatively, email secretary@snadarc.com The East Suffolk Wireless Revival, also known as the Ipswich Radio Rally, will take place on Sunday the 18th of June. The venue will be Kirton Recreation Ground, Back Road, Kirton IP10 0PW, just off the A14. The doors open at 9.30 am and the entry fee for visitors is £3. The venue has free car parking. There will be trade stands, a car boot sale, a bring-and-buy area, special interest groups, an RSGB bookstall and much more. Catering is available on-site. For more information contact Kevin, G8MXV on 07710 046 846 and visit <a href="http://eswr.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">eswr.org.uk</a> The Newbury Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 25th of June. The venue will be Newbury Showground, next to junction 13 of the M4 motorway in Berkshire, RG18 9QZ. There will be a display area with an amateur radio station, exhibits, special interest groups, clubs and societies. The doors will open to sellers at 8 am and visitors at 9 am. Ample free parking will be available. Entry is £3 for visitors. A seller’s pitch costs £15. On-site catering and disabled facilities will be available. For more information, email NewburyRally@nadars.org.uk and visit <a href="http://nadars.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">nadars.org.uk</a> Now the Special Event News Autistic Pride Day is held on the 18th of June each year. In support of the occasion, special callsign PD2023APD will be active from the 16th to the 18th of June on the 10, 20 and 40m bands. See <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> for more information. Special event callsign DB23SOWG will be active until the 25th of June. The suffix stands for ‘Special Olympics World Games’, the world's largest sporting event for athletes with intellectual disabilities. This year the event is being held in Berlin. QSL via the bureau, or direct to DL2VFR. The Royal Air Force Amateur Radio Society will be using the callsign GB0BAL at HQ RAF Cosford from the 17th of June to the 14th of July. The ‘BAL’ suffix stands for Berlin Airlift. This was a huge humanitarian operation that took place between June 1948 and September 1949. Access to the city of Berlin was blocked in June 1948. The Western Allies responded with the Berlin Airlift, an operation to supply the city with necessary resources by air. The Humber Fortress DX Amateur Radio Club is supporting International Men’s Health Week 2023 by using the special callsign GB0MMH from the 16th to the 18th of June. The group will be operating from its clubhouse at Haven Mill, Patrington Haven, 15 miles east of Hull in Yorkshire. Activity will be across various modes and HF bands. For more information, please visit <a href="http://www.hfdxarc.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hfdxarc.com</a> Now the DX news Today is the last chance to work Lars, SM6CUK. He is active from Ven Island, EU-137, as SA6G/7. He is operating on the 40 to 10m bands using CW. QSL via his home call, Logbook of the World and Club Log’s OQRS. Bob, N7XR is active as V7/N7XR from Kwajalein, OC-028, in the Marshall Islands until late June or early July. He operates CW, RTTY and FT8 on the 160 to 10m bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS. T88PB will be active from Koror Island, OC-009, until Monday the 19th of June. He will operate on the HF Bands. QSL via JA0JHQ directly. Now the contest news The IARU ATV Contest starts on Saturday the 10th of June at 1200UTC and ends on Sunday the 11th of June at 1800UTC. Using TV on 432MHz and up frequencies, the exchange is a serial number, four-digit code and locator. On Sunday the 11th of June, the 2nd 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Sunday the 11th of June, the Practical Wireless 2m QRP Contest runs from 0900 to 1600UTC. Using phone and a maximum of 5W on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Tuesday the 13th of June, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. This is followed by the 432MHz UK Activity Contest which runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 14th of June, the 80m Club Championship CW Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Wednesday the 14th of June, the 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 14th of June, the 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Thursday the 15th of June, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The 50MHz Trophy Contest starts at 1400UTC on Saturday the 17th of June and ends at 1400UTC on Sunday the 18th of June. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The All Asian DX Contest starts at 0000UTC on Saturday the 17th of June and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday the 18th of June. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and age. On Sunday the 18th of June, the Worked All Britain 6m Phone Contest runs from 0800 to 1400UTC. Using phone on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 8th of June 2023 Solar activity has remained at low levels over the past few days with only minor C-class and one M-class flare detected. The majority of these small flares were produced by active region 3327 in the southeast quadrant. But a large number of sunspots means we are at a high risk of M-class or even higher flares over the next week. HF conditions for last weekend’s Field Day were good and most teams put in good scores. Sporadic-E wasn’t too evident on HF, but there was plenty of F-layer DX to be had and luckily an anticipated geomagnetic storm never materialised. The Kp index remained low for the whole weekend, apart from a brief excursion to Kp4 late on Sunday evening, which only lasted until the next three-hourly update. Next week the Space Weather Prediction Centre thinks the solar flux index will be in the range of 140 to 155, with 155 coming much later in the week. We may expect some geomagnetic disturbance over this weekend, with the Kp index perhaps reaching four on Sunday the 12th. Looking further ahead, the 18th to the 21st is predicted to be unsettled with a maximum Kp index of five. We really are into a period of summer HF propagation now, which is characterised by lower maximum useable frequencies during daylight hours, but higher MUFs during night-time. According to Propquest, night-time MUFs over a 3,000km path are staying well above 14MHz and even 18MHz all night. You may even find DX on 21MHz up until midnight. So don’t write off the HF bands after dark as you may get some surprises. And now the VHF and up propagation news Sporadic-E produced some remarkable conditions early last week with 50MHz FT8 QSOs made with Australia during the day and afternoon and evening openings to the Caribbean, Central, North and South America on FT8 and CW. Caribbean signals were still being copied at 2200UTC on some days. The 5th produced QSOs for many on 70MHz including S01WS in Western Sahara. We are still in the peak Sporadic-E season, so it is well worth keeping a check on band activity via the various clusters or simply listening, particularly in the late afternoon. The current weather setup is quite typical for this time of year and can be remarkably persistent. Although there have been suggestions of unsettled thundery weather arriving, it may be a brief visit and rather limited in extent. Some eastern areas stay close to the high pressure which becomes more dominant again throughout next week. This means that Tropo will still be a component of the coming week’s propagation, especially along North Sea coasts, although this will tend to favour northern Britain as the week progresses. The thundery weather could introduce rain scatter, especially to southern and western areas, and these storms should be easy to track in view of the light upper winds. Recent solar conditions, as detailed in the previous section, continue to provide propagation variety with chances of aurora plus the usual mention of random meteor scatter. Moon declination is still negative until Monday, and, as we are past perigee, we will have lengthening Moon windows and rising path losses. 144MHz sky noise is low all week. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for June 11th 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 4th of June 2023 The news headlines: Volunteers’ Week New edition of RadCom Basics RSGB Emerging Technology Co-ordinating Committee    The RSGB is in the middle of celebrating Volunteers’ Week which runs from the 1st to the 7th of June. Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Society and the RSGB wants to thank everyone who gives their time and expertise to support it, and amateur radio, across such a wide range of roles. Head over to the special web page at rsgb.org/volunteers-week to hear from just some of the RSGB’s volunteers, keep an eye on the RSGB’s social media channels and look out for the special feature in the July issue of RadCom. The new edition of RSGB’s RadCom Basics is out now. It includes articles about using FT8 and the Reverse Beacons to gauge HF propagation; repairing circuit board tracks; a compact 160m vertical; basic fault-finding; and the doublet antenna. If you’re an RSGB member go to the website at rsgb.org/radcom-basics to read this issue. If you’d like to receive an email as soon as the latest RadCom Basics is available, log in to the RSGB Membership Services portal and go to the Manage Preferences section. The Society is looking for a volunteer to join the RSGB Emerging Technology Co-ordinating Committee, or ETCC, to act as Regional Representative for the Central England region. The function of the ETCC is to assist radio amateurs seeking an NoV to operate repeaters, gateways or beacons within the UK. The successful applicant will have broad experience of radio system engineering, analogue and digital modes, local topography and propagation theory. If you’re interested in this role, email ETCC Chair Andrew Barrett, G8DOR by the 9th of July via etcc.chairman@rsgb.org.uk  The RSGB National Radio Centre welcomes thousands of people through its doors each month and needs to expand its team of volunteers. If you are interested in becoming an NRC volunteer, you should enjoy meeting people and be prepared to work a minimum of one – preferably two – days per month. The team is particularly interested in recruiting new volunteers who are able to work at the weekend. The National Radio Centre has a fabulous set-up and full training on using the GB3RS radio station will be given. You will be joining a friendly and dedicated team. NRC volunteers also enjoy numerous benefits associated with volunteering at Bletchley Park. For more information about volunteering, please email NRC Coordinator Martyn Baker, G0GMB via nrc.support@rsgb.org.uk Don’t forget to join the RSGB’s live Tonight@8 webinar this Monday, the 5th of June, when Mike Richards, G4WNC will be giving a live presentation on Node-RED for radio amateurs. Node-RED is a visual programming language that is very powerful but surprisingly easy to use. The language has matured over recent years and has the potential to be a valuable tool for radio amateurs. Watch and ask questions live on the RSGB YouTube channel or special BATC channel. For more information see the RSGB website at rsgb.org/webinars The Worked All Britain group will be holding its AGM on Sunday the 11th of June at 12 pm. The venue will be the meeting room of Alfreton Leisure Centre Bowls Hall, Church Street, Alfreton, DE55 7BD. For further information contact Paul, M1AIB via: m1aib@worked-all-britain.org.uk or visit the Worked All Britain website.   And now for details of rallies and events  Spalding Radio Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 4th of June. The venue is Holbeach United Youth Football Club, Pennyhill Road, Holbeach, Lincolnshire, PE12 7PR. The doors open at 10 am. Disabled access is available from 9.30 am. Admittance is £3. The event will feature a car boot area, catering, a flea market and trade stands. For more information Contact Graham, G8NWC on 07754 619 701, email rally2023@sdars.org.uk or visit: sdars.org.uk/spaldingrally The Rochdale and District Amateur Radio Summer Rally will take place on Saturday the 10th of June. The venue will be Saint Vincent de Paul’s Hall, Norden, Rochdale, OL12 7QR. Doors open at 10 am and entry is £3. Refreshments and plenty of free parking are available. For further information, or to book a stall, contact either Roz Worrall via rozallin@gmail.com, or Dave Carden via dave@cardens.me.uk The Mendips Rally will take place on Sunday the 11th of June. The venue will be Farrington Gurney Memorial Hall, Church Lane, Farrington Gurney, Somerset, BS39 6TY. The entrance fee is £2. The doors open at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. For bookings and enquiries please contact Luke on 07870 168 197 or email mendipsrally@hotmail.com The Junction 28 Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 11th of June. The venue will be Alfreton Leisure Centre Bowls Hall, Church Street, Alfreton, DE55 7BD. The doors open at 10.15 am and admission is £4. There is a fee of £12 to book a table in advance. A bar and refreshments will be available on-site. For more information, directions, and the booking form, visit snadarc.com Alternatively, email secretary@snadarc.com   Now the Special Event News Special callsign DR100XRAY is active until the 30th of June. The station is operating to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of physicist Wilhelm C Roentgen. His discovery of X-rays in 1895 earned him the inaugural Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901 and revolutionised diagnostic medicine. QSL via the bureau or directly to DJ6SI. Ninety-five years ago, on the 25th of May 1928, the airship 'Italia' crashed on the ice on its way back from the North Pole. A small tent dyed red for maximum visibility was the only shelter for the survivors. Commemorating the role of radio, and amateur radio, in rescuing the survivors, special callsign II1ITR will be active on the 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands using SSB and CW until the 12th of July. QSL via IZ1ETD. See QRZ.com for more information.   Now the DX news John, W5JON will be active as V47JA from Saint Kitts, NA-104, until Wednesday the 7th of June. He will operate SSB and FT8 on the HF and 6m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, or directly to W5JON. Lars, SM6CUK will be active from Ven Island, EU-137, until Sunday the 11th of June 2023 as SA6G/7. He will operate on the 40 to 10m bands using CW. QSL via his home call, Logbook of the World and ClubLog’s OQRS. T88PB will be active again from Koror Island, OC-009, until Monday the 19th of June. He will operate on the HF Bands. QSL via JA0JHQ directly.   Now the contest news The ARRL International Digital Contest ends at 2359UTC today, Sunday the 4th. Using Digital modes on the 160 to 6m bands, the exchange is your four-character locator. National Field Day ends at 1500UTC today, Sunday the 4th. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Today, the 4th, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using all modes on 1.3, 2.3 and 3.4GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Today, the 4th, the UK Six Metre Group Summer Contest ends at 1300UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and member number. On Monday the 5th of June, the 80m Club Championship Data Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using RTTY and PSK63 on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Tuesday the 6th of June, the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report serial number. On Tuesday the 6th of June, the 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. and locator. On Wednesday the 7th of June, the 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also, on Wednesday the 7th of June, the 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Thursday the 8th of June, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Sunday the 11th of June, the 2nd 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The IARU ATV Contest starts on Saturday the 10th of June at 1200UTC and ends on Sunday the 11th of June at 1800UTC. Using TV on 432MHz and up frequencies, the exchange is a serial number, four-digit code and locator. On Sunday the 11th of June, the Practical Wireless 2m QRP Contest runs from 0900 to 1600UTC. Using a phone mode and a maximum of 5W on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.   Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 1st of June 2023 We had a relatively calm period last week with the Kp index remaining below three and plenty of sunspots. Although we started the week with the Solar Flux Index in the low 150s, it quickly picked up to reach 161 by Thursday. As a result, there was DX to be had, although most of the attention was on 6m where some outstanding multi-hop DX contacts were being made. But back on HF and people have been chasing T31TT on the Central Kiribati Islands. Some have made it, but it's a difficult path. Closer to home, Nobby Styles, G0VJG and Emil, DL8JJ have been active on Rockall, which is IOTA EU-189, using the callsign MM0UKI. Rockall is an uninhabitable granite islet situated in the North Atlantic. The nearest permanently inhabited place is North Uist, an island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, 200 nautical miles to the east. They have been worked from the UK mainland on 30m and 20m and heard in the east of England on 15m, possibly via Sporadic-E. They may have been a little too close to northern areas for 20m as you may have been inside their skip zone. One of their aims is to raise as much as possible for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and ABF, The Soldiers’ Charity, so please support them if you can. This weekend we may have unsettled geomagnetic conditions partly due to an Earth-facing coronal hole with the Kp index peaking at five. But after the weekend things may settle with a maximum Kp index of two. The solar flux index is predicted to be around 150, declining to 130 as the week goes on, so HF conditions may be down a little on last week.   And now the VHF and up propagation news The weather pattern seems stuck in its typical late spring/early summer state with cold north-easterly winds in eastern areas. There are good prospects for western Britain to shine but leaving eastern areas struggling. The root cause is a large area of high pressure that is over northern Britain, and currently trying to transfer to the east, which could improve things. Either way, it does mean that Tropo was doing a lot of the propagation work last week and will do so for much of next week too. As the high edges east, or splits into one to the west and one to the east of the UK, it could leave room for isolated thundery showers to encroach into southern and southwestern areas and give a chance of rain scatter on the GHz bands. The main mode of interest will probably be Sporadic-E and there have been a few examples in the last week, both single-hop within Europe and multi-hop paths to the States, the Far East and Australia. The first week of June is typically a prime period for Sporadic-E and although the jet stream position suggests mainly paths northeast to Scandinavia and Baltic regions will be best, other multi-hop options farther afield are worth exploring too. Monitor the clusters and band maps to see where the activity is happening. If you hear this in time, you might want to check out the 24-hour UK Six Metre Group Summer Sporadic-E contest which ends at 1300UTC today, the 4th. There should be plenty of activity. Other modes may also pop into view, such as aurora and meteor scatter, so we may be spoilt for choice. Moon declination is negative all week and still falling until Tuesday. We are past apogee so path losses will fall as the week goes on. So we will also have short Moon windows with falling path losses until perigee late Tuesday. 144MHz sky noise is high, reaching a peak of 2700K on Monday and only going below 300K by Friday. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 4th of June 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>Volunteers’ Week</li> <li>New edition of RadCom Basics</li> <li>RSGB Emerging Technology Co-ordinating Committee</li> </ul> The RSGB is in the middle of celebrating Volunteers’ Week which runs from the 1st to the 7th of June. Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Society and the RSGB wants to thank everyone who gives their time and expertise to support it, and amateur radio, across such a wide range of roles. Head over to the special web page at <a href="http://rsgb.org/volunteers-week" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/volunteers-week</a> to hear from just some of the RSGB’s volunteers, keep an eye on the RSGB’s social media channels and look out for the special feature in the July issue of RadCom. The new edition of RSGB’s RadCom Basics is out now. It includes articles about using FT8 and the Reverse Beacons to gauge HF propagation; repairing circuit board tracks; a compact 160m vertical; basic fault-finding; and the doublet antenna. If you’re an RSGB member go to the website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/radcom-basics" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/radcom-basics</a> to read this issue. If you’d like to receive an email as soon as the latest RadCom Basics is available, log in to the RSGB Membership Services portal and go to the Manage Preferences section. The Society is looking for a volunteer to join the RSGB Emerging Technology Co-ordinating Committee, or ETCC, to act as Regional Representative for the Central England region. The function of the ETCC is to assist radio amateurs seeking an NoV to operate repeaters, gateways or beacons within the UK. The successful applicant will have broad experience of radio system engineering, analogue and digital modes, local topography and propagation theory. If you’re interested in this role, email ETCC Chair Andrew Barrett, G8DOR by the 9th of July via etcc.chairman@rsgb.org.uk  The RSGB National Radio Centre welcomes thousands of people through its doors each month and needs to expand its team of volunteers. If you are interested in becoming an NRC volunteer, you should enjoy meeting people and be prepared to work a minimum of one – preferably two – days per month. The team is particularly interested in recruiting new volunteers who are able to work at the weekend. The National Radio Centre has a fabulous set-up and full training on using the GB3RS radio station will be given. You will be joining a friendly and dedicated team. NRC volunteers also enjoy numerous benefits associated with volunteering at Bletchley Park. For more information about volunteering, please email NRC Coordinator Martyn Baker, G0GMB via <a href="mailto:nrc.support@rsgb.org.uk">nrc.support@rsgb.org.uk</a> Don’t forget to join the RSGB’s live Tonight@8 webinar this Monday, the 5th of June, when Mike Richards, G4WNC will be giving a live presentation on Node-RED for radio amateurs. Node-RED is a visual programming language that is very powerful but surprisingly easy to use. The language has matured over recent years and has the potential to be a valuable tool for radio amateurs. Watch and ask questions live on the RSGB YouTube channel or special BATC channel. For more information see the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/webinars" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/webinars</a> The Worked All Britain group will be holding its AGM on Sunday the 11th of June at 12 pm. The venue will be the meeting room of Alfreton Leisure Centre Bowls Hall, Church Street, Alfreton, DE55 7BD. For further information contact Paul, M1AIB via: <a href="mailto:m1aib@worked-all-britain.org.uk">m1aib@worked-all-britain.org.uk</a> or visit the Worked All Britain website. And now for details of rallies and events Spalding Radio Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 4th of June. The venue is Holbeach United Youth Football Club, Pennyhill Road, Holbeach, Lincolnshire, PE12 7PR. The doors open at 10 am. Disabled access is available from 9.30 am. Admittance is £3. The event will feature a car boot area, catering, a flea market and trade stands. For more information Contact Graham, G8NWC on 07754 619 701, email rally2023@sdars.org.uk or visit: <a href="http://sdars.org.uk/spaldingrally" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sdars.org.uk/spaldingrally</a> The Rochdale and District Amateur Radio Summer Rally will take place on Saturday the 10th of June. The venue will be Saint Vincent de Paul’s Hall, Norden, Rochdale, OL12 7QR. Doors open at 10 am and entry is £3. Refreshments and plenty of free parking are available. For further information, or to book a stall, contact either Roz Worrall via rozallin@gmail.com, or Dave Carden via dave@cardens.me.uk The Mendips Rally will take place on Sunday the 11th of June. The venue will be Farrington Gurney Memorial Hall, Church Lane, Farrington Gurney, Somerset, BS39 6TY. The entrance fee is £2. The doors open at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. For bookings and enquiries please contact Luke on 07870 168 197 or email mendipsrally@hotmail.com The Junction 28 Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 11th of June. The venue will be Alfreton Leisure Centre Bowls Hall, Church Street, Alfreton, DE55 7BD. The doors open at 10.15 am and admission is £4. There is a fee of £12 to book a table in advance. A bar and refreshments will be available on-site. For more information, directions, and the booking form, visit <a href="http://snadarc.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">snadarc.com</a> Alternatively, email secretary@snadarc.com Now the Special Event News Special callsign DR100XRAY is active until the 30th of June. The station is operating to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of physicist Wilhelm C Roentgen. His discovery of X-rays in 1895 earned him the inaugural Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901 and revolutionised diagnostic medicine. QSL via the bureau or directly to DJ6SI. Ninety-five years ago, on the 25th of May 1928, the airship 'Italia' crashed on the ice on its way back from the North Pole. A small tent dyed red for maximum visibility was the only shelter for the survivors. Commemorating the role of radio, and amateur radio, in rescuing the survivors, special callsign II1ITR will be active on the 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands using SSB and CW until the 12th of July. QSL via IZ1ETD. See <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> for more information. Now the DX news John, W5JON will be active as V47JA from Saint Kitts, NA-104, until Wednesday the 7th of June. He will operate SSB and FT8 on the HF and 6m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, or directly to W5JON. Lars, SM6CUK will be active from Ven Island, EU-137, until Sunday the 11th of June 2023 as SA6G/7. He will operate on the 40 to 10m bands using CW. QSL via his home call, Logbook of the World and ClubLog’s OQRS. T88PB will be active again from Koror Island, OC-009, until Monday the 19th of June. He will operate on the HF Bands. QSL via JA0JHQ directly. Now the contest news The ARRL International Digital Contest ends at 2359UTC today, Sunday the 4th. Using Digital modes on the 160 to 6m bands, the exchange is your four-character locator. National Field Day ends at 1500UTC today, Sunday the 4th. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Today, the 4th, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using all modes on 1.3, 2.3 and 3.4GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Today, the 4th, the UK Six Metre Group Summer Contest ends at 1300UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and member number. On Monday the 5th of June, the 80m Club Championship Data Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using RTTY and PSK63 on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Tuesday the 6th of June, the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report serial number. On Tuesday the 6th of June, the 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. and locator. On Wednesday the 7th of June, the 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also, on Wednesday the 7th of June, the 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Thursday the 8th of June, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Sunday the 11th of June, the 2nd 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The IARU ATV Contest starts on Saturday the 10th of June at 1200UTC and ends on Sunday the 11th of June at 1800UTC. Using TV on 432MHz and up frequencies, the exchange is a serial number, four-digit code and locator. On Sunday the 11th of June, the Practical Wireless 2m QRP Contest runs from 0900 to 1600UTC. Using a phone mode and a maximum of 5W on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 1st of June 2023 We had a relatively calm period last week with the Kp index remaining below three and plenty of sunspots. Although we started the week with the Solar Flux Index in the low 150s, it quickly picked up to reach 161 by Thursday. As a result, there was DX to be had, although most of the attention was on 6m where some outstanding multi-hop DX contacts were being made. But back on HF and people have been chasing T31TT on the Central Kiribati Islands. Some have made it, but it's a difficult path. Closer to home, Nobby Styles, G0VJG and Emil, DL8JJ have been active on Rockall, which is IOTA EU-189, using the callsign MM0UKI. Rockall is an uninhabitable granite islet situated in the North Atlantic. The nearest permanently inhabited place is North Uist, an island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, 200 nautical miles to the east. They have been worked from the UK mainland on 30m and 20m and heard in the east of England on 15m, possibly via Sporadic-E. They may have been a little too close to northern areas for 20m as you may have been inside their skip zone. One of their aims is to raise as much as possible for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and ABF, The Soldiers’ Charity, so please support them if you can. This weekend we may have unsettled geomagnetic conditions partly due to an Earth-facing coronal hole with the Kp index peaking at five. But after the weekend things may settle with a maximum Kp index of two. The solar flux index is predicted to be around 150, declining to 130 as the week goes on, so HF conditions may be down a little on last week. And now the VHF and up propagation news The weather pattern seems stuck in its typical late spring/early summer state with cold north-easterly winds in eastern areas. There are good prospects for western Britain to shine but leaving eastern areas struggling. The root cause is a large area of high pressure that is over northern Britain, and currently trying to transfer to the east, which could improve things. Either way, it does mean that Tropo was doing a lot of the propagation work last week and will do so for much of next week too. As the high edges east, or splits into one to the west and one to the east of the UK, it could leave room for isolated thundery showers to encroach into southern and southwestern areas and give a chance of rain scatter on the GHz bands. The main mode of interest will probably be Sporadic-E and there have been a few examples in the last week, both single-hop within Europe and multi-hop paths to the States, the Far East and Australia. The first week of June is typically a prime period for Sporadic-E and although the jet stream position suggests mainly paths northeast to Scandinavia and Baltic regions will be best, other multi-hop options farther afield are worth exploring too. Monitor the clusters and band maps to see where the activity is happening. If you hear this in time, you might want to check out the 24-hour UK Six Metre Group Summer Sporadic-E contest which ends at 1300UTC today, the 4th. There should be plenty of activity. Other modes may also pop into view, such as aurora and meteor scatter, so we may be spoilt for choice. Moon declination is negative all week and still falling until Tuesday. We are past apogee so path losses will fall as the week goes on. So we will also have short Moon windows with falling path losses until perigee late Tuesday. 144MHz sky noise is high, reaching a peak of 2700K on Monday and only going below 300K by Friday. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for June 4th 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 28th of May 2023 The news headlines: RSGB Tonight@8 webinar RSGB Beaconnect loop experiments RSGB School Zone web page    On Monday the 5th of June, the RSGB’s Tonight@8 live webinar will feature Mike Richards, G4WNC who will give a presentation on Node-RED for radio amateurs. Node-RED is a visual programming language that is very powerful but surprisingly easy to use. The language has matured over recent years and has the potential to be a valuable tool for radio amateurs. In this talk, Mike will provide an introduction to Node-RED programming techniques. He will conclude with a live demonstration to show just how easy it can be to add extra facilities to your rig. Watch and ask questions live on the RSGB YouTube channel or special BATC channel. For more information see the RSGB website at rsgb.org/webinars Three weekends have been identified for some RSGB Beaconnect loop experiments. On the 3rd and 4th of June, there will be some regional loops and nets. On the 10th and 11th of June, there will be an England-only loop and net based round the activators who have registered for Beaconnect callsigns so far, but the Society would welcome new activators in the West of England and East Anglia. Finally, on the 24th and 25th of June there will be an attempt at a multiple nations loop, although to do so the Society will need activators in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. If you want to join in with these activities, register for a Beaconnect callsign via the RSGB website. Go to rsgb.org/coronation and choose the Beaconnect information page. The RSGB’s School Zone web page brings together radio amateurs in schools and colleges. The Society wants to help people to share their experience and expertise in establishing and running a radio club for young people. The RSGB has just launched a new page as part of this section called ‘School Zone stories’ where it is highlighting some of the great amateur radio activities that are happening in these, and other, schools. If you’re a school with an amateur radio club and want to be added to the list, or a radio amateur or club that is linking with local schools, the RSGB would love to add your information and stories to School Zone. Go to rsgb.org/school-zone to find out more, or send your stories and photos to comms@rsgb.org.uk Have you seen the RSGB Live News web page? It brings together the Society’s social media feeds, latest YouTube videos and front-page news in one place. Launched a few years ago, people found it very useful, so the RSGB is highlighting it again now for those who have become radio amateurs or returned to amateur radio more recently. Take a look at rsgb.org/live for a taster and then go to the individual comms channels to find out more. The Worked All Britain group will be holding its AGM on Sunday the 11th of June at 12pm. The venue will be the meeting room of Alfreton Leisure Centre Bowls Hall, Church Street, Alfreton, DE55 7BD. For further information contact Paul, M1AIB via: m1aib@worked-all-britain.org.uk or visit the Worked All Britain website.   And now for details of rallies and events  The Durham and District Amateur Radio Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 28th of May. The venue is Bowburn Community Centre, Bowburn, County Durham, DH6 5AT. The doors are open from 10.10 am to 2.30 pm with disabled visitors gaining access at 10 am. Admittance is £2. There is a bring-and-buy sale, trade stands, special interest groups and an RSGB bookstall. Catering and a licensed bar are available on-site. For more information, contact Michael Wright, G7TWX on 07826 924 192, or on email via dadars@gmx.com Spalding Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 4th of June. The venue will be Holbeach United Youth Football Club, Pennyhill Road, Holbeach, Lincolnshire, PE12 7PR. The doors open at 10 am. Disabled access is available from 9.30 am. Admittance is £3. The event will feature a car boot area, catering, a flea market and trade stands. For more information Contact Graham, G8NWC on 07754 619 701, email rally2023@sdars.org.uk or visit: sdars.org.uk/spaldingrally The Rochdale and District Amateur Radio Summer Rally will take place on Saturday the 10th of June. The venue will be Saint Vincent de Paul’s Hall, Norden, Rochdale, OL12 7QR. Doors open at 10 am and entry is £3. Refreshments and plenty of free parking are available. For further information, or to book a stall, contact either Roz Worrall via rozallin@gmail.com, or Dave Carden via dave@cardens.me.uk The Mendips Rally will take place on Sunday the 11th of June. The venue will be Farrington Gurney Memorial Hall, Church Lane, Farrington Gurney, Somerset, BS39 6TY. Entrance is £2. The doors open at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. For bookings and enquiries please contact Luke on 07870 168 197 or email mendipsrally@hotmail.com The Junction 28 Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 11th of June. The venue will be Alfreton Leisure Centre Bowls Hall, Church Street, Alfreton, DE55 7BD. The doors open at 10.15 am and admission is £4. There is a fee of £12 to book a table in advance. A bar and refreshments will be available on-site. For more information, directions, and the booking form, visit snadarc.com Alternatively, email secretary@snadarc.com   Now the Special Event News OL100RADIO, OL100RJ, OL23RADIO and OL23RJ are the special callsigns for the Czech Radio Club to mark 100 years of broadcasting in Czechoslovakia. Look for activity on all bands and modes until the 18th of June. A certificate will be available. For more information visit the QRZ.com pages associated with each of the special callsigns. Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first Trans-Tasman amateur radio contact,  members of the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters will be operating special callsign ZL100 until the 25th of July. North Bristol Amateur Radio Club, in partnership with South Bristol Amateur Radio Club, is holding a special event to commemorate the loss of flight 777a on the 1st of June 1943. The flight was en route from Portugal to Whitchurch Airport, now defunct, in Bristol. The event has been granted the rare callsign GB80AGBB. The station will be active from 10 am until 5 pm from the 30th of May to the 3rd of June on the 20 and 40m bands and on the Southwest DMR Cluster Talk Group 950. Contact can also be made via the FreeDMR Network on Talk Group 777. For more information, visit the GB80AGBB page on QRZ.com or email gb80agbb@gb7bs.com   Now the DX news To raise money for charity, a team of three amateurs is visiting Rockall Island, EU-189, in the North Atlantic Ocean almost 200 miles west of Scotland. The team will be operating using the callsign MM0UKI and plans to be QRV between Monday the 29th of May and Friday the 2nd of June. The team is expecting to be active on the 40 to 10m bands using CW, FT8 and SSB. The QSL manager for the DXpedition is Charles, M0OXO. For more information visit rockallexped.com Jack, M0PLX will be active from Unst and six other islands in the Shetlands, EU-012, until Friday the 2nd of June. He will operate using SSB on the HF bands and will also monitor the 6m band. Updates will be posted to M0PLX’s Facebook page. Vincent, HB9VCJ will be active as 8Q7VJ from the Maldives, AS-013, until Sunday the 4th of June. He will operate QRP SSB, and various digital modes, on the 40 to 6m bands, and also FM on the 10m band. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL or via his home call. Didier, F6BCW is active as FO/F6BCW from Huahine Island, OC-067, French Polynesia until the 25th of October. He operates CW and SSB on the 80 to 6m bands. QSL via F6EXV, Club Log and Logbook of the World.   Now the contest news Today, the 28th, the UK Microwave Group High Band Contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on 5.7 and 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Today, the 28th, the CQ Worldwide WPX CW Contest ends its 48-hour run at 2359UTC. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. National Field Day will start at 1500UTC on Saturday the 3rd of June and end at 1500UTC on Sunday the 4th of June. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. The UK Six Metre Group Summer Contest starts at 1300UTC on Saturday the 3rd of June and ends at 1300UTC on Sunday the 4th of June. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and member number. The ARRL International Digital Contest starts at 1800UTC on Saturday the 3rd of June and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday the 4th of June. Using digital modes on the 160 to 6m bands, the exchange is your four-character locator. On Sunday the 4th of June, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using all modes on 1.3, 2.3 and 3.4GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.  Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 25th of May 2023 The Sun currently has an equal number of spots in both its Northern and Southern hemispheres. The Solar Flux Index was consistently in the 150 to 160s range last week, with a total of eight M-class flares. We had unsettled geomagnetic conditions on the 21st and 22nd when the Kp index hit six, but things then settled down again to a more manageable two to three. There are times when the F-layer critical frequency is lower than the E-layer critical frequency due to Sporadic-E. This means that HF signals can’t reach the F2-layer, basically blocking off DX, but leaving Sporadic-E short skip available. So, make the most of these short-skip contacts to the continent and multi-hop Sporadic-E skips to further afield. Conditions in the F2-layer will improve in the autumn, so don’t worry! There is still HF DX to be had, but you may have to hunt for it. Recently, Laurie, G3UML worked BD4VGZ in China on the 15m band using CW and Stuart, M1SMH worked YG2ALQ in Indonesia as well as A71UN in Qatar, on the 10m band using FT8. Meanwhile, Andy, M0NKR worked VK on the 15m band using SSB long path. Namibia, Malawi and Equatorial Guinea have all been workable from the UK using FT8 on the 10m band during late morning. Next week NOAA predicts that the Solar Flux Index will remain in the same range. That is, in the 150 to 160s. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast from the 2nd to the 4th of June when the Kp index might reach four. Otherwise, it suggests that conditions will be mainly settled with the Kp index around two to three. So, make the most of the elusive HF F2-layer openings and the various opportunities available during this peak time for Sporadic-E propagation. And now the VHF and up propagation news The broad scale pattern is still dominated by a large area of high pressure over the country with its centre mostly to the northwest of the British Isles. The whole period through to the end of the coming week should offer some good tropo prospects, so why not try using CW or SSB to add some extra squares to your log? Under lift conditions, even a halo antenna can be surprisingly effective. The weather variety will remain until the end of next week when low pressure over France tries to push some thundery showers northwards into southern Britain after midweek, and perhaps then northwards as far as western Scotland. This brings a chance of rain scatter on the GHz bands. There is, as usual, always a chance of aurora and meteor scatter to bring additional options, but the main mode of interest this week will be Sporadic-E as we head into the peak of the season. With tropo also in play, it’s worth a quick note for those not used to working Sporadic-E; Tropo tends to be long-lasting and usually better on the higher bands. That is to say, the 70cm band is often better than the 2m band whereas Sporadic-E is usually brief and better at lower frequency bands. So, the 10m band is better than the 6m band. This time of the year it can reach up to 2m on rare occasions. If you do nothing else, simply check the bands and clusters at the end of the afternoon to maximise your Sporadic-E chances. Moon declination is positive but falling this weekend, going negative on Tuesday. We are past apogee so path losses will fall as the week goes on. We’ll see shortening Moon windows with falling path losses. 144MHz sky noise is low all week. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 28th of May 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>RSGB Tonight@8 webinar</li> <li>RSGB Beaconnect loop experiments</li> <li>RSGB School Zone web page</li> </ul> On Monday the 5th of June, the RSGB’s Tonight@8 live webinar will feature Mike Richards, G4WNC who will give a presentation on Node-RED for radio amateurs. Node-RED is a visual programming language that is very powerful but surprisingly easy to use. The language has matured over recent years and has the potential to be a valuable tool for radio amateurs. In this talk, Mike will provide an introduction to Node-RED programming techniques. He will conclude with a live demonstration to show just how easy it can be to add extra facilities to your rig. Watch and ask questions live on the RSGB YouTube channel or special BATC channel. For more information see the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/webinars" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/webinars</a> Three weekends have been identified for some RSGB Beaconnect loop experiments. On the 3rd and 4th of June, there will be some regional loops and nets. On the 10th and 11th of June, there will be an England-only loop and net based round the activators who have registered for Beaconnect callsigns so far, but the Society would welcome new activators in the West of England and East Anglia. Finally, on the 24th and 25th of June there will be an attempt at a multiple nations loop, although to do so the Society will need activators in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. If you want to join in with these activities, register for a Beaconnect callsign via the RSGB website. Go to <a href="http://rsgb.org/coronation" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/coronation</a> and choose the Beaconnect information page. The RSGB’s School Zone web page brings together radio amateurs in schools and colleges. The Society wants to help people to share their experience and expertise in establishing and running a radio club for young people. The RSGB has just launched a new page as part of this section called ‘School Zone stories’ where it is highlighting some of the great amateur radio activities that are happening in these, and other, schools. If you’re a school with an amateur radio club and want to be added to the list, or a radio amateur or club that is linking with local schools, the RSGB would love to add your information and stories to School Zone. Go to <a href="http://rsgb.org/school-zone" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/school-zone</a> to find out more, or send your stories and photos to <a href="mailto:comms@rsgb.org.uk">comms@rsgb.org.uk</a> Have you seen the RSGB Live News web page? It brings together the Society’s social media feeds, latest YouTube videos and front-page news in one place. Launched a few years ago, people found it very useful, so the RSGB is highlighting it again now for those who have become radio amateurs or returned to amateur radio more recently. Take a look at <a href="http://rsgb.org/live" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/live</a> for a taster and then go to the individual comms channels to find out more. The Worked All Britain group will be holding its AGM on Sunday the 11th of June at 12pm. The venue will be the meeting room of Alfreton Leisure Centre Bowls Hall, Church Street, Alfreton, DE55 7BD. For further information contact Paul, M1AIB via: <a href="mailto:m1aib@worked-all-britain.org.uk">m1aib@worked-all-britain.org.uk</a> or visit the Worked All Britain website. And now for details of rallies and events The Durham and District Amateur Radio Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 28th of May. The venue is Bowburn Community Centre, Bowburn, County Durham, DH6 5AT. The doors are open from 10.10 am to 2.30 pm with disabled visitors gaining access at 10 am. Admittance is £2. There is a bring-and-buy sale, trade stands, special interest groups and an RSGB bookstall. Catering and a licensed bar are available on-site. For more information, contact Michael Wright, G7TWX on 07826 924 192, or on email via dadars@gmx.com Spalding Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 4th of June. The venue will be Holbeach United Youth Football Club, Pennyhill Road, Holbeach, Lincolnshire, PE12 7PR. The doors open at 10 am. Disabled access is available from 9.30 am. Admittance is £3. The event will feature a car boot area, catering, a flea market and trade stands. For more information Contact Graham, G8NWC on 07754 619 701, email rally2023@sdars.org.uk or visit: <a href="http://sdars.org.uk/spaldingrally" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sdars.org.uk/spaldingrally</a> The Rochdale and District Amateur Radio Summer Rally will take place on Saturday the 10th of June. The venue will be Saint Vincent de Paul’s Hall, Norden, Rochdale, OL12 7QR. Doors open at 10 am and entry is £3. Refreshments and plenty of free parking are available. For further information, or to book a stall, contact either Roz Worrall via rozallin@gmail.com, or Dave Carden via dave@cardens.me.uk The Mendips Rally will take place on Sunday the 11th of June. The venue will be Farrington Gurney Memorial Hall, Church Lane, Farrington Gurney, Somerset, BS39 6TY. Entrance is £2. The doors open at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. For bookings and enquiries please contact Luke on 07870 168 197 or email mendipsrally@hotmail.com The Junction 28 Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 11th of June. The venue will be Alfreton Leisure Centre Bowls Hall, Church Street, Alfreton, DE55 7BD. The doors open at 10.15 am and admission is £4. There is a fee of £12 to book a table in advance. A bar and refreshments will be available on-site. For more information, directions, and the booking form, visit <a href="http://snadarc.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">snadarc.com</a> Alternatively, email secretary@snadarc.com Now the Special Event News OL100RADIO, OL100RJ, OL23RADIO and OL23RJ are the special callsigns for the Czech Radio Club to mark 100 years of broadcasting in Czechoslovakia. Look for activity on all bands and modes until the 18th of June. A certificate will be available. For more information visit the <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> pages associated with each of the special callsigns. Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first Trans-Tasman amateur radio contact,  members of the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters will be operating special callsign ZL100 until the 25th of July. North Bristol Amateur Radio Club, in partnership with South Bristol Amateur Radio Club, is holding a special event to commemorate the loss of flight 777a on the 1st of June 1943. The flight was en route from Portugal to Whitchurch Airport, now defunct, in Bristol. The event has been granted the rare callsign GB80AGBB. The station will be active from 10 am until 5 pm from the 30th of May to the 3rd of June on the 20 and 40m bands and on the Southwest DMR Cluster Talk Group 950. Contact can also be made via the FreeDMR Network on Talk Group 777. For more information, visit the GB80AGBB page on <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> or email gb80agbb@gb7bs.com Now the DX news To raise money for charity, a team of three amateurs is visiting Rockall Island, EU-189, in the North Atlantic Ocean almost 200 miles west of Scotland. The team will be operating using the callsign MM0UKI and plans to be QRV between Monday the 29th of May and Friday the 2nd of June. The team is expecting to be active on the 40 to 10m bands using CW, FT8 and SSB. The QSL manager for the DXpedition is Charles, M0OXO. For more information visit <a href="http://rockallexped.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rockallexped.com</a> Jack, M0PLX will be active from Unst and six other islands in the Shetlands, EU-012, until Friday the 2nd of June. He will operate using SSB on the HF bands and will also monitor the 6m band. Updates will be posted to M0PLX’s Facebook page. Vincent, HB9VCJ will be active as 8Q7VJ from the Maldives, AS-013, until Sunday the 4th of June. He will operate QRP SSB, and various digital modes, on the 40 to 6m bands, and also FM on the 10m band. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL or via his home call. Didier, F6BCW is active as FO/F6BCW from Huahine Island, OC-067, French Polynesia until the 25th of October. He operates CW and SSB on the 80 to 6m bands. QSL via F6EXV, Club Log and Logbook of the World. Now the contest news Today, the 28th, the UK Microwave Group High Band Contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on 5.7 and 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Today, the 28th, the CQ Worldwide WPX CW Contest ends its 48-hour run at 2359UTC. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. National Field Day will start at 1500UTC on Saturday the 3rd of June and end at 1500UTC on Sunday the 4th of June. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. The UK Six Metre Group Summer Contest starts at 1300UTC on Saturday the 3rd of June and ends at 1300UTC on Sunday the 4th of June. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and member number. The ARRL International Digital Contest starts at 1800UTC on Saturday the 3rd of June and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday the 4th of June. Using digital modes on the 160 to 6m bands, the exchange is your four-character locator. On Sunday the 4th of June, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using all modes on 1.3, 2.3 and 3.4GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.  Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 25th of May 2023 The Sun currently has an equal number of spots in both its Northern and Southern hemispheres. The Solar Flux Index was consistently in the 150 to 160s range last week, with a total of eight M-class flares. We had unsettled geomagnetic conditions on the 21st and 22nd when the Kp index hit six, but things then settled down again to a more manageable two to three. There are times when the F-layer critical frequency is lower than the E-layer critical frequency due to Sporadic-E. This means that HF signals can’t reach the F2-layer, basically blocking off DX, but leaving Sporadic-E short skip available. So, make the most of these short-skip contacts to the continent and multi-hop Sporadic-E skips to further afield. Conditions in the F2-layer will improve in the autumn, so don’t worry! There is still HF DX to be had, but you may have to hunt for it. Recently, Laurie, G3UML worked BD4VGZ in China on the 15m band using CW and Stuart, M1SMH worked YG2ALQ in Indonesia as well as A71UN in Qatar, on the 10m band using FT8. Meanwhile, Andy, M0NKR worked VK on the 15m band using SSB long path. Namibia, Malawi and Equatorial Guinea have all been workable from the UK using FT8 on the 10m band during late morning. Next week NOAA predicts that the Solar Flux Index will remain in the same range. That is, in the 150 to 160s. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast from the 2nd to the 4th of June when the Kp index might reach four. Otherwise, it suggests that conditions will be mainly settled with the Kp index around two to three. So, make the most of the elusive HF F2-layer openings and the various opportunities available during this peak time for Sporadic-E propagation. And now the VHF and up propagation news The broad scale pattern is still dominated by a large area of high pressure over the country with its centre mostly to the northwest of the British Isles. The whole period through to the end of the coming week should offer some good tropo prospects, so why not try using CW or SSB to add some extra squares to your log? Under lift conditions, even a halo antenna can be surprisingly effective. The weather variety will remain until the end of next week when low pressure over France tries to push some thundery showers northwards into southern Britain after midweek, and perhaps then northwards as far as western Scotland. This brings a chance of rain scatter on the GHz bands. There is, as usual, always a chance of aurora and meteor scatter to bring additional options, but the main mode of interest this week will be Sporadic-E as we head into the peak of the season. With tropo also in play, it’s worth a quick note for those not used to working Sporadic-E; Tropo tends to be long-lasting and usually better on the higher bands. That is to say, the 70cm band is often better than the 2m band whereas Sporadic-E is usually brief and better at lower frequency bands. So, the 10m band is better than the 6m band. This time of the year it can reach up to 2m on rare occasions. If you do nothing else, simply check the bands and clusters at the end of the afternoon to maximise your Sporadic-E chances. Moon declination is positive but falling this weekend, going negative on Tuesday. We are past apogee so path losses will fall as the week goes on. We’ll see shortening Moon windows with falling path losses. 144MHz sky noise is low all week. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for May 28th 2023

This is the weekly RSGB GB2RS broadcast. Please send any news items to radcom@rsgb.org.uk.

GB2RS News Sunday the 21st of May 2023 The news headlines: Youngsters on the Air camp RSGB Board appointment RadCom Basics Editor    The RSGB has announced the team of young members who will be representing the Society and the UK at this summer’s Youngsters on the Air camp. The event, hosted by the Hungarian Radio Amateur Society MRASZ, will take place in Gyor, Hungary between the 5th  and the 12th of August. The team is made up of team leader Alexander, 2E0FMZ and members Henry-James, M7HJR; Hannah, M7YYQ and Jake, M7JNS. You can read more about the camp and the team on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/yota-hungary The RSGB Board has decided to co-opt Ian Shepherd, G4EVK as a Board Director until the 2024 AGM. Please see the Board’s explanation of this appointment on the Society’s website at thersgb.org/go/boardcoopt The RSGB is sad to report that RadCom Basics Editor Lee Aldridge, G4EJB wishes to retire later this year. The RSGB thanks Lee for all his hard work and effort in the making of RadCom Basics. If you are interested in taking on the role of RadCom Basics Editor, please email radcom@rsgb.org.uk Last year, the RSGB was approached by the BBC to find experts to contribute to its planned series ‘The Secret Genius of Modern Life’. For episode one, which takes a look at the bank card, Neil Smith, G4DBN re-created the Great Seal Bug – a wooden seal, gifted to the US embassy in Moscow in 1945, and which contained a covert listening device. The technology developed for the bug was an early example of RFID, which is what allows contactless card payments to work. Neil has now released a series of fascinating videos on his YouTube channel which explain the history of the Bug as well as the mechanical design and machining needed to re-create it. You can find the videos in Neil’s playlist on ‘Machining and Microwaves’ and you can watch the original BBC Two programme on BBC Sounds – this episode is available for a further seven months. The RSGB National Radio Centre welcomes thousands of people through its doors each month and needs to expand its team of volunteers. If you are interested in becoming an NRC volunteer, you should enjoy meeting people and be prepared to work a minimum of one – preferably two – days per month. The team is particularly interested in recruiting new volunteers who are able to work at the weekend. The National Radio Centre has a fabulous set-up and full training on using the GB3RS radio station will be given. You will be joining a friendly and dedicated team. NRC volunteers also enjoy numerous benefits associated with volunteering at Bletchley Park. For more information about volunteering, please email NRC Coordinator Martyn Baker, G0GMB via nrc.support@rsgb.org.uk Interest in QRP activity is as strong as ever in the worldwide amateur radio community. QRP activity showcases the ability of radio amateurs to communicate using low power and helps to reduce QRM on amateur bands. This year, QRP Day will be held on the 17th of June. More information is available via the IARU website: iaru.org   And now for details of rallies and events  RetrotechUK, hosted by the British Vintage Wireless Society, is taking place today, the 21st of May. The venue is Sports Connexion, Leamington Road, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry, CV8 3FL. This large annual vintage technology fair features around 200 indoor stalls. Private sellers, clubs and dealers are offering vintage items, including radio, television, hi-fi, vinyl, 78s, gramophones, telephones, communications equipment, spare parts, and much more. There is also a bring-and-buy area and free parking available. The event is open to everyone and general admission from 10.30 am is £10. Early entry from 9 am costs £25. For more details contact Jeremy, G8MLK via email at jezzer3@hotmail.com, by phone at 07799 110 080, or visit retrotechuk.com The Dunstable Downs Radio Club Annual National Amateur Radio Car Boot Sale is also taking place today, the 21st of May. The venue is Stockwood Park in Luton. All the usual facilities are available. For more information visit ddrcbootsale.org The Barry Amateur Radio Society Rally will take place on Saturday the 27th of May. The venue will be Sully Sports and Social Club, South Road, Sully, CF64 5SP. Doors open from 9.30 am for the public and 7.30 am for traders. Free parking is available on-site. For more information contact Steve on 07368 140 795. The Durham and District Amateur Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 28th of May. The venue will be Bowburn Community Centre, Bowburn, Co Durham, DH6 5AT. The doors will be open from 10.10 am to 2.30 pm with disabled visitors gaining access at 10 am. Admittance is £2. There will be a bring-and-buy sale, trade stands, special interest groups and an RSGB bookstall. Catering and a licensed bar are available on-site. For more information, contact Michael Wright, G7TWX on 07826 924 192, or on email via dadars@gmx.com   Now the Special Event News Special callsign GB4VLB is active this weekend from the Volunteer Life Brigade Watch House in Tynemouth. The station is operating as part of SOS Radio Week in support of the Volunteer Life Brigade, RNLI and National Coast Watch Institution. For more information visit the GB4VLB QRZ page. QSL via Logbook of the World. Look out for the special callsign AU40NRO which is active until the 30th of June to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the National Institute of Amateur Radio in India. QSL via VU2NRO. North West Group Amateur Radio Club in Northern Ireland is running a special event station GB0AEL until the 26th of May to commemorate the anniversary of Amelia Earhart's transatlantic flight. On the 20th and 21st of May 1932, Earhart became the first woman to fly nonstop and alone across the Atlantic, leaving Harbor Grace in Newfoundland, Canada, and landing 15 hours later in Northern Ireland. QSL via MI0HOZ, directly or via the bureau. Members of ARI Novara will be active as II1CAI until the 30th of June. The special callsign marks the 100th anniversary of the local section of the Italian Alpine Club, founded in 1863. QSL via IQ1NO.   Now the DX news Today is the last chance to work Pete, M1PTR, Tom, M0DCG and Kieron, M5KJM / EI6KP from Stockport Radio Society who are operating as EJ6KP from Great Blasket Island, EU-007. The team is active on the 40, 20 and possibly 15m bands using SSB. QSL via the bureau or OQRS. Bob, N7XR is active as V7/N7XR from Kwajalein Atoll, OC-028, in the Marshall Islands until late June or early July. He operates CW, RTTY and FT8 on the 160 to 10m bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS. James, KI7MGY will be stationed in Djibouti until June and plans to be QRV as J28HJ on the 80, 40, 20, 17, 15 and 10m bands using SSB and FT8. QSL via Logbook of the World. Giorgio, IU5HWS will be active as 5UA99WS from Niamey, Niger until the 15th of June. In his spare time, he will be QRV on the 40 to 10m bands using FT8 and SSB. QSL via Logbook of the World, or via EA5GL.   Now the contest news Today, the 21st of May, the 1st 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 1100 to 1500UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. UK and Crown Dependency stations also send the first two letters of their postcode. Today, the 21st of May, the 144MHz May Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. UK and Crown Dependency stations also send the first two letters of their postcode. On Monday the 22nd of May, the FT4 Series Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using FT4 on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is your report. On Tuesday the 23rd of May, 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. On Thursday the 25th of May, the 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Saturday the 27th of May, the CQ Worldwide WPX CW Contest starts its 24-hour run at 0000UTC. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Sunday the 28th of May, the UK Microwave Group High Band Contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on the 5.7 and 10GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.   Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 18th of May 2023 After last week’s NOAA prediction that we would have settled geomagnetic conditions all week, it seems they were right! The Kp index never got above three – a miracle given the recent disruption due to coronal mass ejections and coronal holes. The proton flux from the Sun has declined as well. However, an M9 solar flare on Tuesday from active region 3310, and numerous C-class flares, maybe a precursor to more flare activity next week. With a solar flux index in the 130s and 140s, HF conditions have been quite good. Daytime maximum usable frequencies over a 3,000km path have usually exceeded 21MHz, with 24MHz seeing occasional F2-layer openings, as well as sporadic E propagation. At the moment, the 10m band is mainly open to Sporadic-E propagation with more DX paths now locked out until the Autumn. This is in line with predictions, as the ionosphere changes in the Northern Hemisphere summer with a change to more diatomic elements, which are harder to ionise. So, will our luck hold out next week? The Space Weather Prediction Centre forecasts that the Solar Flux Index, or SFI, will decline slightly to the 120s and this weekend should be geomagnetically settled. However, it is predicting that the Kp index will rise again from the 23rd of May. It suggests that the Kp index may hit four or even five for a few days before becoming more settled again from the 30th. The US Air Force disagrees and thinks the SFI will be higher, perhaps hitting 145 and even 155 by the 28th. It agrees that we are in for more unsettled geomagnetic conditions from the 24th to the 28th, possibly due to a coronal hole rotating into an Earth-facing position. So, expect MUFs to decline if the Kp index goes up, with poor overall HF conditions. It is certainly looking like this weekend may see the best conditions for HF, so we suggest you get your DXing in right now, with 14 to 21MHz offering the best prospects.   And now the VHF and up propagation news The upcoming weather week will be predominantly high-pressure driven, with an elongated region of high pressure from the Azores to Scandinavia. However, there is still scope for a few blemishes and as we end the current week it comes as isolated showers, especially in the south and weakening fronts over north-western Britain. Early next week, a brief period with low pressure over the near continent will threaten some heavier rain for south-eastern areas. Concentrating on the high-pressure part of the story, this means Tropo is a strong player and will hopefully be in attendance for the 144MHz May Contest and 144MHz Backpackers Contest this weekend.  Remember that, in the summer months, Tropo becomes much weaker over the land during the stronger heating of the daytime sunshine but can become quite widespread overnight and around coasts. The rainfall component can lead to good rain scatter options, especially as the summer usually produces more intense rainfall, so performs better as a scatterer on the GHz bands. The other primary propagation mode is going to be Sporadic-E as we move into the peak summer months. Follow the position of jet streams on the upper air charts, shown on propquest.co.uk and described in a daily blog. Don’t forget there are always modes like aurora and meteor scatter, which can add to the excitement, but will need to be checked each day. Moon declination is at its highest this weekend for the Dubus EME 10GHz and up SSB/CW contest, peaking on Monday. With apogee next Friday, path losses will continue to increase. 144MHz sky noise is moderate early next week becoming low by Thursday. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 21st of May 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>Youngsters on the Air camp</li> <li>RSGB Board appointment</li> <li>RadCom Basics Editor</li> </ul> The RSGB has announced the team of young members who will be representing the Society and the UK at this summer’s Youngsters on the Air camp. The event, hosted by the Hungarian Radio Amateur Society MRASZ, will take place in Gyor, Hungary between the 5th  and the 12th of August. The team is made up of team leader Alexander, 2E0FMZ and members Henry-James, M7HJR; Hannah, M7YYQ and Jake, M7JNS. You can read more about the camp and the team on the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/yota-hungary" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/yota-hungary</a> The RSGB Board has decided to co-opt Ian Shepherd, G4EVK as a Board Director until the 2024 AGM. Please see the Board’s explanation of this appointment on the Society’s website at <a href="http://thersgb.org/go/boardcoopt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">thersgb.org/go/boardcoopt</a> The RSGB is sad to report that RadCom Basics Editor Lee Aldridge, G4EJB wishes to retire later this year. The RSGB thanks Lee for all his hard work and effort in the making of RadCom Basics. If you are interested in taking on the role of RadCom Basics Editor, please email radcom@rsgb.org.uk Last year, the RSGB was approached by the BBC to find experts to contribute to its planned series ‘The Secret Genius of Modern Life’. For episode one, which takes a look at the bank card, Neil Smith, G4DBN re-created the Great Seal Bug – a wooden seal, gifted to the US embassy in Moscow in 1945, and which contained a covert listening device. The technology developed for the bug was an early example of RFID, which is what allows contactless card payments to work. Neil has now released a series of fascinating videos on his YouTube channel which explain the history of the Bug as well as the mechanical design and machining needed to re-create it. You can find the videos in Neil’s playlist on ‘Machining and Microwaves’ and you can watch the original BBC Two programme on BBC Sounds – this episode is available for a further seven months. The RSGB National Radio Centre welcomes thousands of people through its doors each month and needs to expand its team of volunteers. If you are interested in becoming an NRC volunteer, you should enjoy meeting people and be prepared to work a minimum of one – preferably two – days per month. The team is particularly interested in recruiting new volunteers who are able to work at the weekend. The National Radio Centre has a fabulous set-up and full training on using the GB3RS radio station will be given. You will be joining a friendly and dedicated team. NRC volunteers also enjoy numerous benefits associated with volunteering at Bletchley Park. For more information about volunteering, please email NRC Coordinator Martyn Baker, G0GMB via <a href="mailto:nrc.support@rsgb.org.uk">nrc.support@rsgb.org.uk</a> Interest in QRP activity is as strong as ever in the worldwide amateur radio community. QRP activity showcases the ability of radio amateurs to communicate using low power and helps to reduce QRM on amateur bands. This year, QRP Day will be held on the 17th of June. More information is available via the IARU website: <a href="http://iaru.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iaru.org</a> And now for details of rallies and events RetrotechUK, hosted by the British Vintage Wireless Society, is taking place today, the 21st of May. The venue is Sports Connexion, Leamington Road, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry, CV8 3FL. This large annual vintage technology fair features around 200 indoor stalls. Private sellers, clubs and dealers are offering vintage items, including radio, television, hi-fi, vinyl, 78s, gramophones, telephones, communications equipment, spare parts, and much more. There is also a bring-and-buy area and free parking available. The event is open to everyone and general admission from 10.30 am is £10. Early entry from 9 am costs £25. For more details contact Jeremy, G8MLK via email at jezzer3@hotmail.com, by phone at 07799 110 080, or visit <a href="http://retrotechuk.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">retrotechuk.com</a> The Dunstable Downs Radio Club Annual National Amateur Radio Car Boot Sale is also taking place today, the 21st of May. The venue is Stockwood Park in Luton. All the usual facilities are available. For more information visit <a href="http://ddrcbootsale.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ddrcbootsale.org</a> The Barry Amateur Radio Society Rally will take place on Saturday the 27th of May. The venue will be Sully Sports and Social Club, South Road, Sully, CF64 5SP. Doors open from 9.30 am for the public and 7.30 am for traders. Free parking is available on-site. For more information contact Steve on 07368 140 795. The Durham and District Amateur Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 28th of May. The venue will be Bowburn Community Centre, Bowburn, Co Durham, DH6 5AT. The doors will be open from 10.10 am to 2.30 pm with disabled visitors gaining access at 10 am. Admittance is £2. There will be a bring-and-buy sale, trade stands, special interest groups and an RSGB bookstall. Catering and a licensed bar are available on-site. For more information, contact Michael Wright, G7TWX on 07826 924 192, or on email via dadars@gmx.com Now the Special Event News Special callsign GB4VLB is active this weekend from the Volunteer Life Brigade Watch House in Tynemouth. The station is operating as part of SOS Radio Week in support of the Volunteer Life Brigade, RNLI and National Coast Watch Institution. For more information visit the GB4VLB QRZ page. QSL via Logbook of the World. Look out for the special callsign AU40NRO which is active until the 30th of June to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the National Institute of Amateur Radio in India. QSL via VU2NRO. North West Group Amateur Radio Club in Northern Ireland is running a special event station GB0AEL until the 26th of May to commemorate the anniversary of Amelia Earhart's transatlantic flight. On the 20th and 21st of May 1932, Earhart became the first woman to fly nonstop and alone across the Atlantic, leaving Harbor Grace in Newfoundland, Canada, and landing 15 hours later in Northern Ireland. QSL via MI0HOZ, directly or via the bureau. Members of ARI Novara will be active as II1CAI until the 30th of June. The special callsign marks the 100th anniversary of the local section of the Italian Alpine Club, founded in 1863. QSL via IQ1NO. Now the DX news Today is the last chance to work Pete, M1PTR, Tom, M0DCG and Kieron, M5KJM / EI6KP from Stockport Radio Society who are operating as EJ6KP from Great Blasket Island, EU-007. The team is active on the 40, 20 and possibly 15m bands using SSB. QSL via the bureau or OQRS. Bob, N7XR is active as V7/N7XR from Kwajalein Atoll, OC-028, in the Marshall Islands until late June or early July. He operates CW, RTTY and FT8 on the 160 to 10m bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS. James, KI7MGY will be stationed in Djibouti until June and plans to be QRV as J28HJ on the 80, 40, 20, 17, 15 and 10m bands using SSB and FT8. QSL via Logbook of the World. Giorgio, IU5HWS will be active as 5UA99WS from Niamey, Niger until the 15th of June. In his spare time, he will be QRV on the 40 to 10m bands using FT8 and SSB. QSL via Logbook of the World, or via EA5GL. Now the contest news Today, the 21st of May, the 1st 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 1100 to 1500UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. UK and Crown Dependency stations also send the first two letters of their postcode. Today, the 21st of May, the 144MHz May Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. UK and Crown Dependency stations also send the first two letters of their postcode. On Monday the 22nd of May, the FT4 Series Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using FT4 on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is your report. On Tuesday the 23rd of May, 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. On Thursday the 25th of May, the 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Saturday the 27th of May, the CQ Worldwide WPX CW Contest starts its 24-hour run at 0000UTC. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Sunday the 28th of May, the UK Microwave Group High Band Contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on the 5.7 and 10GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 18th of May 2023 After last week’s NOAA prediction that we would have settled geomagnetic conditions all week, it seems they were right! The Kp index never got above three – a miracle given the recent disruption due to coronal mass ejections and coronal holes. The proton flux from the Sun has declined as well. However, an M9 solar flare on Tuesday from active region 3310, and numerous C-class flares, maybe a precursor to more flare activity next week. With a solar flux index in the 130s and 140s, HF conditions have been quite good. Daytime maximum usable frequencies over a 3,000km path have usually exceeded 21MHz, with 24MHz seeing occasional F2-layer openings, as well as sporadic E propagation. At the moment, the 10m band is mainly open to Sporadic-E propagation with more DX paths now locked out until the Autumn. This is in line with predictions, as the ionosphere changes in the Northern Hemisphere summer with a change to more diatomic elements, which are harder to ionise. So, will our luck hold out next week? The Space Weather Prediction Centre forecasts that the Solar Flux Index, or SFI, will decline slightly to the 120s and this weekend should be geomagnetically settled. However, it is predicting that the Kp index will rise again from the 23rd of May. It suggests that the Kp index may hit four or even five for a few days before becoming more settled again from the 30th. The US Air Force disagrees and thinks the SFI will be higher, perhaps hitting 145 and even 155 by the 28th. It agrees that we are in for more unsettled geomagnetic conditions from the 24th to the 28th, possibly due to a coronal hole rotating into an Earth-facing position. So, expect MUFs to decline if the Kp index goes up, with poor overall HF conditions. It is certainly looking like this weekend may see the best conditions for HF, so we suggest you get your DXing in right now, with 14 to 21MHz offering the best prospects. And now the VHF and up propagation news The upcoming weather week will be predominantly high-pressure driven, with an elongated region of high pressure from the Azores to Scandinavia. However, there is still scope for a few blemishes and as we end the current week it comes as isolated showers, especially in the south and weakening fronts over north-western Britain. Early next week, a brief period with low pressure over the near continent will threaten some heavier rain for south-eastern areas. Concentrating on the high-pressure part of the story, this means Tropo is a strong player and will hopefully be in attendance for the 144MHz May Contest and 144MHz Backpackers Contest this weekend.  Remember that, in the summer months, Tropo becomes much weaker over the land during the stronger heating of the daytime sunshine but can become quite widespread overnight and around coasts. The rainfall component can lead to good rain scatter options, especially as the summer usually produces more intense rainfall, so performs better as a scatterer on the GHz bands. The other primary propagation mode is going to be Sporadic-E as we move into the peak summer months. Follow the position of jet streams on the upper air charts, shown on <a href="http://propquest.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">propquest.co.uk</a> and described in a daily blog. Don’t forget there are always modes like aurora and meteor scatter, which can add to the excitement, but will need to be checked each day. Moon declination is at its highest this weekend for the Dubus EME 10GHz and up SSB/CW contest, peaking on Monday. With apogee next Friday, path losses will continue to increase. 144MHz sky noise is moderate early next week becoming low by Thursday. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for May 21st 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 14th of May 2023 The news headlines: Coronation activities RSGB Trophy Manager  Women in Engineering Day    Although the Coronation itself has taken place, the RSGB’s Coronation activities run until the end of June. After the successful Special Special Event Station run by Cray Valley Amateur Radio Society, the GB23C callsign is now open for individual radio amateurs and clubs to use. You can find out how to register via the GB23C web page on the RSGB website. You can also get involved in Beaconnect using one of the hundreds of callsigns that Ofcom has made available for this activity. RSGB District Representative Martyn, M0TEB activated GB23BIR with Furness Amateur Radio Society and said the callsign attracted a lot of interest, so they would encourage others to get involved too! You can also download a special Coronation QSL card and work towards three different RSGB Coronation awards. Details of all of these activities are on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/coronation After serving for nine years, the RSGB Trophy Manager is retiring and the Society is looking for a new volunteer for this role. The position is part of the RSGB Volunteer Leadership Team, reporting to the Board. Working in close relationship with the three Contest Committees and the RSGB General Manager, the Trophy Manager looks after the RSGB’s trophies arranges for their engraving and presentation to recipients and maintains the trophies’ history. If you are interested in applying for the role or would like to find out more, please email gm.dept@rsgb.org.uk We know that amateur radio is a great foundation for STEM careers. With that in mind, why not help the RSGB celebrate International Women in Engineering Day this June? The Society would love to share your stories of women in engineering roles to inspire future generations. If you, or a girl or woman you know, aspire to work in engineering, are currently working as an engineer or are retired from the profession, do get in touch with the RSGB comms team. Please send a photo and a brief story to comms@rsgb.org.uk by Monday 22 May. Don’t forget that the RSGB’s May Tonight@8 webinar will be live tomorrow, Monday the 15th of May. Watch the live stream and ask questions as Jack Purdum, W8TEE and Al Peter, AC8GY talk about the T41-EP ALPS: A High-Performance CW Decoder. This a reminder now that Mills on the Air is taking place this weekend. There are plenty of stations on the air, so why not give them a call? For more information, visit the www.ddars.net website or contact millsontheair@gmail.com Pubs and Clubs on the Air is also taking place this weekend. Today is the last chance to work stations from all over the UK that are active for the event. For more information, email g1puv@yahoo.co.uk or visit the g6tw.co.uk website.   And now for details of rallies and events  The Braehead Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 14th of May. The venue is Braehead Arena Foyer, 150 Kings Inch Road, Renfrew G51 4BN. Free parking will be available. The doors open for everyone at 10 am and admission is £4. The event will feature Bring and Buy and the Central Scotland Repeater Group AGM. For more information and contact details visit www.braeheadradiorally.com RetrotechUK, hosted by the British Vintage Wireless Society, will take place on Sunday the 21st of May. The venue will be Sports Connexion, Leamington Road, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry, CV8 3FL. This large annual vintage technology fair will feature up to 200 indoor stalls. Private sellers, clubs and dealers will offer vintage items, including radio, television, hi-fi, vinyl, 78s, gramophones, telephones, communications equipment, spare parts, and much more. There will also be a bring-and-buy area and free parking available. The event is open to everyone and general admission from 10.30 am is £10. Early entry from 9 am costs £25. For more details contact Jeremy, G8MLK via email on jezzer3@hotmail.com, by phone on 07799 110 080, or visit www.retrotechuk.com The Dunstable Downs Radio Club Annual National Amateur Radio Car Boot Sale will be taking place on Sunday the 21st of May. The venue will be Stockwood Park in Luton. All the usual facilities will be there. For more information visit www.ddrcbootsale.org The Barry Amateur Radio Society Rally will take place on Saturday the 27th of May. The venue will be Sully Sports and Social Club, South Road, Sully, CF64 5SP. Doors open from 9.30 am for the public and 7.30 am for traders. Free parking is available on-site. For more information contact Steve on 07368 140 795. Now the Special Event News VI2023HRH is the special callsign for members of the Wireless Institute of Australia to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III. The callsign will be active until the 31st of May. QSL via operator's instructions. Look for the special callsign AU40NRO which is active until the 30th of June to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the National Institute of Amateur Radio in India. QSL via VU2NRO. Members of UBA Mechelen will be operating special event station OS23SOM until the 31st of May in celebration of Special Olympics Belgium's annual National Games, this year to be held in Mechelen, between the 17th and 20th of May. A certificate will be available and details of how to download it will be published via the OS23SOM QRZ.com web page.   Now the DX news Harold, DF2WO will be active again as 9X2AW from Rwanda until tomorrow, the 15th of May. He will operate using CW, SSB and digital modes on the HF and 6m bands. QSL via M0OXO's OQRS page. Giorgio, IU5HWS will be active as 5UA99WS from Niamey, Niger until the 15th of June. In his spare time, he will be QRV on the 40 to 10m bands using FT8 and SSB. QSL via Logbook of the World, or via EA5GL. James, KI7MGY will be stationed in Djibouti until June and plans to be QRV as J28HJ on the 80, 40, 20, 17, 15 and 10m bands using SSB and FT8. QSL via Logbook of the World. Pete, M1PTR, Tom, M0DCG and Kieron, M5KJM / EI6KP from Stockport Radio Society are planning to operate as EJ6KP from Great Blasket Island, EU-007, on the 16th, 17th and 18th of May. Operating during daylight hours, they will be active on the 40, 20 and possibly 15m bands using SSB. QSL via the bureau or OQRS.   Now the contest news Today, the 14th of May, the 70MHz CW Contest runs from 0900 to 1200UTC. Using CW on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. UK and Crown Dependency stations also send the first two letters of their postcode. Also today, the 14th of May, the UK Microwave Group Millimetre-Wave Contest runs from 0900 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on the 24, 47 and 76GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Tuesday the 16th of May, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 17th of May, the 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using data modes on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Thursday the 18th of May, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Saturday the 20th of May, the 144MHz May Contest starts its 24-hour run at 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. UK and Crown Dependency stations also send the first two letters of their postcode. On Sunday the 21st of May, the 1st 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 1100 to 1500UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. UK and Crown Dependency stations also send the first two letters of their postcode.   Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 11th of May 2023 Our topsy-turvy world of HF propagation continued last week with geomagnetic storms, solar flares, coronal mass ejections, proton events and more. The good news is that the solar flux index was at 170 by Thursday, but the bad news was that we had two episodes where the Kp index hit five and there were at least five M-class flares.  At least one of these flares was responsible for a coronal mass ejection, or CME, which swept past the Earth on the 10th of May with a solar wind speed close to 700km/s. Although it was fierce, it was relatively short-lived and the Kp index was back to three on Thursday the 11th. The CME caused the maximum usable frequency over 3,000km to decline to around 21MHz at times on Wednesday, but by Thursday morning it was back up to nearly 28MHz. The high proton flux also caused problems on the 10th of May. The protons, mainly from CMEs, move down the Earth’s magnetic field lines into the polar regions and cause massive ionisation of the polar D region leading to increased, or total, absorption of HF waves. This effect may last for as long as ten days and is called a Polar Cap Absorption event, or PCA. This affects signals going over the poles, such as the UK to the west coast of Canada and the USA, or to Japan and the far east. Meanwhile, we are now underway with the Sporadic-E season, so make the most of the short skip and potential multi-hop Sporadic-E DX on 14 to 28MHz. Next week, the Space Weather Prediction Centre has the Solar Flux Index declining slightly into the 150s. This is still more than enough to maintain DX on 21MHz and higher at times. It also predicts that the Kp index will be no higher than a stable 2 all week. However, that is hard to believe, with the level of solar activity at the moment, and we could reasonably expect the Earth to be hit with a CME or two at some stage. This could see the Kp index rising with the potential of reduced MUFs at times.   And now the VHF and up propagation news After a very unsettled end to the week, with lots of rain scatter reported, it will soon quieten down as a ridge of high pressure builds across the country to give some limited Tropo opportunities for the start of the weekend. This will not last long and by this evening, it will be heading back to unsettled with low pressure, heavy rain and rain scatter. This unsettled theme will last through the first half of the new week together with strong north-easterly winds. Thereafter, high pressure will build again for the second half of the week, providing further Tropo options. Keep a watch for Aurora, especially in view of the current unsettled solar state. CMEs will mean a very unsteady Kp index and anything higher than five should get your attention for auroral propagation. No significant meteor showers are expected this week, but QSOs using random meteors are always a possibility in the dawn hours. Likely to be of interest in the summer months ahead, there have already been Sporadic-E openings on 6m CW and FT8 into Europe. Early evening trans-equatorial 6m FT8 QSOs to South America, the Indian Ocean and the South Atlantic were reported from the UK last week. Check Propquest.co.uk for daily blogs and make use of the DX cluster and map plots to see where the actual centres of activity are located. Timings can be a bit random early in the season, but there tend to be two ‘openings’ per day – one in the morning and a second during the late afternoon or early evening. Moon declination is rising, going positive again next Tuesday. But last Thursday’s perigee means path losses are on the increase. 144MHz sky noise is low until Friday when the Sun and Moon are close in the sky for the whole Moon window. Things return to normal early on Saturday and sky noise is moderate. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 14th of May 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>Coronation activities</li> <li>RSGB Trophy Manager </li> <li>Women in Engineering Day</li> </ul> Although the Coronation itself has taken place, the RSGB’s Coronation activities run until the end of June. After the successful Special Special Event Station run by Cray Valley Amateur Radio Society, the GB23C callsign is now open for individual radio amateurs and clubs to use. You can find out how to register via the GB23C web page on the RSGB website. You can also get involved in Beaconnect using one of the hundreds of callsigns that Ofcom has made available for this activity. RSGB District Representative Martyn, M0TEB activated GB23BIR with Furness Amateur Radio Society and said the callsign attracted a lot of interest, so they would encourage others to get involved too! You can also download a special Coronation QSL card and work towards three different RSGB Coronation awards. Details of all of these activities are on the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/coronation" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/coronation</a> After serving for nine years, the RSGB Trophy Manager is retiring and the Society is looking for a new volunteer for this role. The position is part of the RSGB Volunteer Leadership Team, reporting to the Board. Working in close relationship with the three Contest Committees and the RSGB General Manager, the Trophy Manager looks after the RSGB’s trophies arranges for their engraving and presentation to recipients and maintains the trophies’ history. If you are interested in applying for the role or would like to find out more, please email gm.dept@rsgb.org.uk We know that amateur radio is a great foundation for STEM careers. With that in mind, why not help the RSGB celebrate International Women in Engineering Day this June? The Society would love to share your stories of women in engineering roles to inspire future generations. If you, or a girl or woman you know, aspire to work in engineering, are currently working as an engineer or are retired from the profession, do get in touch with the RSGB comms team. Please send a photo and a brief story to <a href="mailto:comms@rsgb.org.ukb">comms@rsgb.org.uk</a> by Monday 22 May. Don’t forget that the RSGB’s May Tonight@8 webinar will be live tomorrow, Monday the 15th of May. Watch the live stream and ask questions as Jack Purdum, W8TEE and Al Peter, AC8GY talk about the T41-EP ALPS: A High-Performance CW Decoder. This a reminder now that Mills on the Air is taking place this weekend. There are plenty of stations on the air, so why not give them a call? For more information, visit the <a href="http://www.ddars.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.ddars.net</a> website or contact millsontheair@gmail.com Pubs and Clubs on the Air is also taking place this weekend. Today is the last chance to work stations from all over the UK that are active for the event. For more information, email <a href="mailto:g1puv@yahoo.co.uk">g1puv@yahoo.co.uk</a> or visit the <a href="http://g6tw.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">g6tw.co.uk</a> website. And now for details of rallies and events The Braehead Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 14th of May. The venue is Braehead Arena Foyer, 150 Kings Inch Road, Renfrew G51 4BN. Free parking will be available. The doors open for everyone at 10 am and admission is £4. The event will feature Bring and Buy and the Central Scotland Repeater Group AGM. For more information and contact details visit <a href="http://www.braeheadradiorally.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.braeheadradiorally.com</a> RetrotechUK, hosted by the British Vintage Wireless Society, will take place on Sunday the 21st of May. The venue will be Sports Connexion, Leamington Road, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry, CV8 3FL. This large annual vintage technology fair will feature up to 200 indoor stalls. Private sellers, clubs and dealers will offer vintage items, including radio, television, hi-fi, vinyl, 78s, gramophones, telephones, communications equipment, spare parts, and much more. There will also be a bring-and-buy area and free parking available. The event is open to everyone and general admission from 10.30 am is £10. Early entry from 9 am costs £25. For more details contact Jeremy, G8MLK via email on jezzer3@hotmail.com, by phone on 07799 110 080, or visit <a href="http://www.retrotechuk.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.retrotechuk.com</a> The Dunstable Downs Radio Club Annual National Amateur Radio Car Boot Sale will be taking place on Sunday the 21st of May. The venue will be Stockwood Park in Luton. All the usual facilities will be there. For more information visit <a href="http://www.ddrcbootsale.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.ddrcbootsale.org</a> The Barry Amateur Radio Society Rally will take place on Saturday the 27th of May. The venue will be Sully Sports and Social Club, South Road, Sully, CF64 5SP. Doors open from 9.30 am for the public and 7.30 am for traders. Free parking is available on-site. For more information contact Steve on 07368 140 795. Now the Special Event News VI2023HRH is the special callsign for members of the Wireless Institute of Australia to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III. The callsign will be active until the 31st of May. QSL via operator's instructions. Look for the special callsign AU40NRO which is active until the 30th of June to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the National Institute of Amateur Radio in India. QSL via VU2NRO. Members of UBA Mechelen will be operating special event station OS23SOM until the 31st of May in celebration of Special Olympics Belgium's annual National Games, this year to be held in Mechelen, between the 17th and 20th of May. A certificate will be available and details of how to download it will be published via the OS23SOM <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> web page. Now the DX news Harold, DF2WO will be active again as 9X2AW from Rwanda until tomorrow, the 15th of May. He will operate using CW, SSB and digital modes on the HF and 6m bands. QSL via M0OXO's OQRS page. Giorgio, IU5HWS will be active as 5UA99WS from Niamey, Niger until the 15th of June. In his spare time, he will be QRV on the 40 to 10m bands using FT8 and SSB. QSL via Logbook of the World, or via EA5GL. James, KI7MGY will be stationed in Djibouti until June and plans to be QRV as J28HJ on the 80, 40, 20, 17, 15 and 10m bands using SSB and FT8. QSL via Logbook of the World. Pete, M1PTR, Tom, M0DCG and Kieron, M5KJM / EI6KP from Stockport Radio Society are planning to operate as EJ6KP from Great Blasket Island, EU-007, on the 16th, 17th and 18th of May. Operating during daylight hours, they will be active on the 40, 20 and possibly 15m bands using SSB. QSL via the bureau or OQRS. Now the contest news Today, the 14th of May, the 70MHz CW Contest runs from 0900 to 1200UTC. Using CW on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. UK and Crown Dependency stations also send the first two letters of their postcode. Also today, the 14th of May, the UK Microwave Group Millimetre-Wave Contest runs from 0900 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on the 24, 47 and 76GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Tuesday the 16th of May, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 17th of May, the 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using data modes on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Thursday the 18th of May, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Saturday the 20th of May, the 144MHz May Contest starts its 24-hour run at 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. UK and Crown Dependency stations also send the first two letters of their postcode. On Sunday the 21st of May, the 1st 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 1100 to 1500UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. UK and Crown Dependency stations also send the first two letters of their postcode. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 11th of May 2023 Our topsy-turvy world of HF propagation continued last week with geomagnetic storms, solar flares, coronal mass ejections, proton events and more. The good news is that the solar flux index was at 170 by Thursday, but the bad news was that we had two episodes where the Kp index hit five and there were at least five M-class flares.  At least one of these flares was responsible for a coronal mass ejection, or CME, which swept past the Earth on the 10th of May with a solar wind speed close to 700km/s. Although it was fierce, it was relatively short-lived and the Kp index was back to three on Thursday the 11th. The CME caused the maximum usable frequency over 3,000km to decline to around 21MHz at times on Wednesday, but by Thursday morning it was back up to nearly 28MHz. The high proton flux also caused problems on the 10th of May. The protons, mainly from CMEs, move down the Earth’s magnetic field lines into the polar regions and cause massive ionisation of the polar D region leading to increased, or total, absorption of HF waves. This effect may last for as long as ten days and is called a Polar Cap Absorption event, or PCA. This affects signals going over the poles, such as the UK to the west coast of Canada and the USA, or to Japan and the far east. Meanwhile, we are now underway with the Sporadic-E season, so make the most of the short skip and potential multi-hop Sporadic-E DX on 14 to 28MHz. Next week, the Space Weather Prediction Centre has the Solar Flux Index declining slightly into the 150s. This is still more than enough to maintain DX on 21MHz and higher at times. It also predicts that the Kp index will be no higher than a stable 2 all week. However, that is hard to believe, with the level of solar activity at the moment, and we could reasonably expect the Earth to be hit with a CME or two at some stage. This could see the Kp index rising with the potential of reduced MUFs at times. And now the VHF and up propagation news After a very unsettled end to the week, with lots of rain scatter reported, it will soon quieten down as a ridge of high pressure builds across the country to give some limited Tropo opportunities for the start of the weekend. This will not last long and by this evening, it will be heading back to unsettled with low pressure, heavy rain and rain scatter. This unsettled theme will last through the first half of the new week together with strong north-easterly winds. Thereafter, high pressure will build again for the second half of the week, providing further Tropo options. Keep a watch for Aurora, especially in view of the current unsettled solar state. CMEs will mean a very unsteady Kp index and anything higher than five should get your attention for auroral propagation. No significant meteor showers are expected this week, but QSOs using random meteors are always a possibility in the dawn hours. Likely to be of interest in the summer months ahead, there have already been Sporadic-E openings on 6m CW and FT8 into Europe. Early evening trans-equatorial 6m FT8 QSOs to South America, the Indian Ocean and the South Atlantic were reported from the UK last week. Check <a href="http://Propquest.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Propquest.co.uk</a> for daily blogs and make use of the DX cluster and map plots to see where the actual centres of activity are located. Timings can be a bit random early in the season, but there tend to be two ‘openings’ per day – one in the morning and a second during the late afternoon or early evening. Moon declination is rising, going positive again next Tuesday. But last Thursday’s perigee means path losses are on the increase. 144MHz sky noise is low until Friday when the Sun and Moon are close in the sky for the whole Moon window. Things return to normal early on Saturday and sky noise is moderate. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for May 14th 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 7th of May 2023 The news headlines: RSGB Coronation activities RSGB insurance Tonight@8 webinar    The RSGB has released some updates about its planned Coronation activities. Firstly, a personalised RSGB Coronation QSL card is now available on the Coronation web pages. You can simply enter your callsign and print it off. Following the recent issue of GB23BAA to BZZ by Ofcom, the Beaconnect activity registration is now open. If you go to the Beaconnect web page you will find the registration section which will guide you through the process. Finally, it is now possible for individual radio amateurs and clubs to register to use the GB23C callsign between the 10th of May to the 30th of June. Details can be found on the GB23C web page. For further information on these and all the other Coronation activities being led by the RSGB, go to rsgb.org/coronation RSGB club insurance, and beacon and repeater insurance, have now been renewed for the year to April 2024. Club insurance certificates can be downloaded from the RSGB website. You will need to log in to obtain your certificate. Beacon and repeater insurance certificates are available for an admin fee of £12 from the RSGB shop. Please allow a couple of days after renewal for your certificate to be dispatched. The RSGB’s May Tonight@8 webinar is not in its usual slot on the first Monday of the month. To accommodate the two Bank Holidays, the live webinar will be on Monday the 15th of May instead. Put the date in your diary for an interesting presentation by Jack Purdum, W8TEE and Al Peter, AC8GY on the T41-EP ALPS: A High Performance CW Decoder. Matthew, M0MZB from Calder Bridge in Cumbria, has become a SOTA Mountain Goat in impressive style. He reached the 1,000 activation point threshold with an overnight activation of High Stile G/LD-012 in the English Lake District. Matthew set up overnight camp on the summit of the long ridge above the western shore of Lake Buttermere. He operated both on VHF and HF and made a summit-to-summit contact with Alex Hill, G7KSE who was on the Dent summit, G/LD-045. Since getting involved in Summits on the Air, Matthew's expeditions have left many radio amateurs in awe. He has conducted many multi-summit expeditions without motorised transport, traversing between summits entirely on foot or by bicycle. Upon reaching the coveted Mountain Goat status, Matthew commented: "SOTA has given me new ideas for my little expeditions and has put me in touch with lots of new friends. The challenge of Mountain Goat has included many facets, from learning CW to antenna building, from battery technology to fishing poles." For more information about Summits on the Air visit www.sota.org.uk  Pubs and Clubs on the Air is taking place on the 12th, 13th and 14th of May. If you or your radio club or society is interested in taking part and operating a station, please email g1puv@yahoo.co.uk or visit the g6tw.co.uk website. Mills on the Air Weekend will take place on Saturday the 13th and Sunday the 14th of May. For more information, or to register to take part, visit www.ddars.net or contact millsontheair@gmail.com   And now for details of rallies and events  Thorpe Camp Hamfest Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 7th of May. The venue is Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre and the entrance fee is £4 per person. The rally is taking place from 9 am to 1 pm. Hot food and drinks will be available on-site. For more information phone Sylvia or Anthony at 07956 654 481. Dartmoor Radio Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 7th of May at Yelverton War Memorial Hall, Meavy Lane, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6AL. The usual bring-and-buy, trader stands, refreshments and free parking are available. Doors open at 10 am and admission is £2.50. For more information contact Roger by phone at 07854 088 882, or email via 2e0rph@gmail.com The Braehead Rally will take place on Sunday the 14th of May. The venue will be Braehead Arena Foyer, 150 Kings Inch Road, Renfrew G51 4BN. Free parking will be available. The doors open for everyone at 10 am and admission is £4. The event will feature bring-and-buy and the Central Scotland Repeater Group AGM. For more information and contact details visit www.braeheadradiorally.com RetrotechUK, hosted by the British Vintage Wireless Society, will take place on Sunday the 21st of May. The venue will be Sports Connexion, Leamington Road, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry, CV8 3FL. This large annual vintage technology fair will feature up to 200 indoor stalls. Private sellers, clubs and dealers will offer vintage items, including radio, television, hi-fi, vinyl, 78s, gramophones, telephones, communications equipment, spare parts, and much more. There will also be a bring-and-buy area and free parking available. The event is open to everyone and general admission from 10.30 am is £10. Early entry from 9 am costs £25. For more details contact Jeremy, G8MLK via email on jezzer3@hotmail.com, by phone on 07799 110 080, or visit www.retrotechuk.com The Barry Amateur Radio Society Rally will take place on Saturday the 27th of May. The venue will be Sully Sports and Social Club, South Road, Sully, CF64 5SP. Doors open from 9.30 am for the public and 7.30 am for traders. Free parking is available on-site. For more information contact Steve on 07368 140 795.   Now the Special Event News Today is the last chance to work special callsign 5F15SIA which is active to promote Morocco's International Exhibition of Agriculture. QSL via Logbook of the World, or direct to CN8WW. OT2023EPIC is the special callsign for the Pajottenlandse Radio Amateur Club in Belgium to promote the sixth Antwerp Port Epic cycling race. Look out for activity until the 21st of May. Special callsign GB4VLB will be active on the 20th and 21st of May from the Volunteer Life Brigade Watch House in Tynemouth as part of SOS Radio Week. The station will be operating in support of the Volunteer Life Brigade, RNLI and National Coast Watch Institution. For more information visit qrz.com. QSL via Logbook of the World.   Now the DX news Today is the last chance to work Kasimir, DL2SBY who is active as 8Q7KB in the Maldives. He is operating CW, SSB and FT8 and FT4 with a focus on the 30, 17, 12, 10 and 6m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, Club Log's OQRS or direct to his home call. Pista, HA5AO will be active as 5X2I from the shores of Lake Victoria, Uganda until Wednesday the 10th of May. He will operate CW, SSB and FT8 on the 40 to 10m bands.  QSL via HA5AO's OQRS page is preferred. JE1HXZ/6 is active from Kuroshima, AS-024, until Monday the 8th of May. He will operate CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8 and FT4 on the HF and 6m bands. QSL via the Bureau and Logbook of the World.   Now the contest news Today, the 7th, the Worked All Britain 7MHz Phone Contest runs from 1000 to 1400UTC. Using phone mode on the 40m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square. Today, the 7th, the ARI International DX Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1200UTC. Using CW, RTTY and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Italian stations give their province code. Today, the 7th, the 10GHz Trophy Contest runs from 0800 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 10GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Today, the 7th, 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. Also today, the 7th, the 432MHz to 245GHz Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1400UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Tuesday the 9th of May, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 9th of May, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 10th of May, the 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 10th of May, the 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Thursday the 11th of May, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Sunday the 14th of May, the 70MHz CW Contest takes place from 0900 to 1200UTC. Using CW on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Sunday the 14th of May, the UK Microwave Group Millimetre-Wave Contest runs from 0900 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on the 24, 47 and 76GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.   Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 4th of May 2023 Next week will see the Sun presenting with four large sunspots groups that are rotating to be Earth-facing, so look out for trouble. Just as the UK weather takes a turn for the worse, we expect the space weather to be unpredictable too! Active regions 3293, 3294, 3296 and 3297 look dark and are looming large on the Sun’s face. Region 3293 emitted an M7.2 class solar flare on the 3rd of May, which the Space Weather Prediction Centre reported was likely due to an intensification of the magnetic field within the spot group. The flare caused some degradation of the ionosphere, but nothing too serious. However, the Space Weather Prediction Centre now predicts that further flares could follow, perhaps even a strong X-class flare, which could have more serious effects. If an X-class flare occurs in daylight over the UK, we can expect the HF bands to be affected in what is known as a sudden ionospheric disturbance or Dellinger fadeout. This could see the lower HF bands shut down due to extreme ionisation in the D-layer, only for the band to return to normal over a period of minutes to an hour. More worrying is the fact that the flare could spark a coronal mass ejection, or CME, which, if Earth-directed, could cause the Kp index to rise, MUFs to drop and bring auroral activity a few days after the CME. So, keep an eye on solarham.net for updates. Meanwhile, the solar flux index, or SFI, remains in the 150s and this looks set to continue. The US Air Force predicts the SFI will start the week at 152, then dip slightly, before reaching 170 by the 12th of May. It also predicts that geomagnetic conditions will be settled once we get past this weekend, which could see the Kp index rise to four. These unsettled conditions may be due to a coronal hole, which became Earth-facing on Thursday. Propagation-wise, F2-layer maximum usable frequencies over a 3,000km path has struggled to exceed 21 to 24MHz during daylight hours as we head towards summer. The season is characterised as having lower MUFs during the day, but these tend to be maintained into the hours of darkness. Meanwhile, Sporadic-E might spring some surprises for paths over 800 to 2,200km on 14 to 28MHz, with very strong signals and rapid fading.   And now the VHF and up propagation news The weather pattern is taking a change to unsettled as we move through this first May weekend, with low pressure dominating the charts and throwing active weather fronts across the country. This will produce some quite heavy rain at times and perhaps even some thundery activity. This bodes well for rain scatter on the GHz bands. This pattern extends well into next week, eventually changing from a south-westerly to a north-westerly followed by a building ridge of high pressure to bring a temporary hint of Tropo to end the week. This opens the more exotic modes to consider, such as meteor scatter and possible aurora, but these are very much outliers to the main interest at this time of year, which is Sporadic-E. The season has nominally started, and daily blogs are being added to the website Propquest.co.uk, which describe the more likely regions to find Sporadic-E opportunities. This unsettled weather pattern brings a useful bonus in that it is often associated with jet stream activity. The whole period offers several jet streams across Europe, a positive for the start of the new Sporadic-E season since jet streams are often associated with the location of Sporadic-E activity. Moon declination is low and falling, reaching minimum next Tuesday. EME Moon windows will be short. Perigee is Thursday, so when you do have a view of the Moon, path losses will be low. 144MHz sky noise is high, reaching over 3200K late on Monday. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 7th of May 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>RSGB Coronation activities</li> <li>RSGB insurance</li> <li>Tonight@8 webinar</li> </ul> The RSGB has released some updates about its planned Coronation activities. Firstly, a personalised RSGB Coronation QSL card is now available on the Coronation web pages. You can simply enter your callsign and print it off. Following the recent issue of GB23BAA to BZZ by Ofcom, the Beaconnect activity registration is now open. If you go to the Beaconnect web page you will find the registration section which will guide you through the process. Finally, it is now possible for individual radio amateurs and clubs to register to use the GB23C callsign between the 10th of May to the 30th of June. Details can be found on the GB23C web page. For further information on these and all the other Coronation activities being led by the RSGB, go to <a href="http://rsgb.org/coronation" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/coronation</a> RSGB club insurance, and beacon and repeater insurance, have now been renewed for the year to April 2024. Club insurance certificates can be downloaded from the RSGB website. You will need to log in to obtain your certificate. Beacon and repeater insurance certificates are available for an admin fee of £12 from the RSGB shop. Please allow a couple of days after renewal for your certificate to be dispatched. The RSGB’s May Tonight@8 webinar is not in its usual slot on the first Monday of the month. To accommodate the two Bank Holidays, the live webinar will be on Monday the 15th of May instead. Put the date in your diary for an interesting presentation by Jack Purdum, W8TEE and Al Peter, AC8GY on the T41-EP ALPS: A High Performance CW Decoder. Matthew, M0MZB from Calder Bridge in Cumbria, has become a SOTA Mountain Goat in impressive style. He reached the 1,000 activation point threshold with an overnight activation of High Stile G/LD-012 in the English Lake District. Matthew set up overnight camp on the summit of the long ridge above the western shore of Lake Buttermere. He operated both on VHF and HF and made a summit-to-summit contact with Alex Hill, G7KSE who was on the Dent summit, G/LD-045. Since getting involved in Summits on the Air, Matthew's expeditions have left many radio amateurs in awe. He has conducted many multi-summit expeditions without motorised transport, traversing between summits entirely on foot or by bicycle. Upon reaching the coveted Mountain Goat status, Matthew commented: "SOTA has given me new ideas for my little expeditions and has put me in touch with lots of new friends. The challenge of Mountain Goat has included many facets, from learning CW to antenna building, from battery technology to fishing poles." For more information about Summits on the Air visit <a href="http://www.sota.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.sota.org.uk</a> Pubs and Clubs on the Air is taking place on the 12th, 13th and 14th of May. If you or your radio club or society is interested in taking part and operating a station, please email <a href="mailto:g1puv@yahoo.co.uk">g1puv@yahoo.co.uk</a> or visit the <a href="http://g6tw.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">g6tw.co.uk</a> website. Mills on the Air Weekend will take place on Saturday the 13th and Sunday the 14th of May. For more information, or to register to take part, visit <a href="http://www.ddars.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.ddars.net</a> or contact millsontheair@gmail.com And now for details of rallies and events Thorpe Camp Hamfest Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 7th of May. The venue is Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre and the entrance fee is £4 per person. The rally is taking place from 9 am to 1 pm. Hot food and drinks will be available on-site. For more information phone Sylvia or Anthony at 07956 654 481. Dartmoor Radio Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 7th of May at Yelverton War Memorial Hall, Meavy Lane, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6AL. The usual bring-and-buy, trader stands, refreshments and free parking are available. Doors open at 10 am and admission is £2.50. For more information contact Roger by phone at 07854 088 882, or email via 2e0rph@gmail.com The Braehead Rally will take place on Sunday the 14th of May. The venue will be Braehead Arena Foyer, 150 Kings Inch Road, Renfrew G51 4BN. Free parking will be available. The doors open for everyone at 10 am and admission is £4. The event will feature bring-and-buy and the Central Scotland Repeater Group AGM. For more information and contact details visit <a href="http://www.braeheadradiorally.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.braeheadradiorally.com</a> RetrotechUK, hosted by the British Vintage Wireless Society, will take place on Sunday the 21st of May. The venue will be Sports Connexion, Leamington Road, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry, CV8 3FL. This large annual vintage technology fair will feature up to 200 indoor stalls. Private sellers, clubs and dealers will offer vintage items, including radio, television, hi-fi, vinyl, 78s, gramophones, telephones, communications equipment, spare parts, and much more. There will also be a bring-and-buy area and free parking available. The event is open to everyone and general admission from 10.30 am is £10. Early entry from 9 am costs £25. For more details contact Jeremy, G8MLK via email on jezzer3@hotmail.com, by phone on 07799 110 080, or visit <a href="http://www.retrotechuk.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.retrotechuk.com</a> The Barry Amateur Radio Society Rally will take place on Saturday the 27th of May. The venue will be Sully Sports and Social Club, South Road, Sully, CF64 5SP. Doors open from 9.30 am for the public and 7.30 am for traders. Free parking is available on-site. For more information contact Steve on 07368 140 795. Now the Special Event News Today is the last chance to work special callsign 5F15SIA which is active to promote Morocco's International Exhibition of Agriculture. QSL via Logbook of the World, or direct to CN8WW. OT2023EPIC is the special callsign for the Pajottenlandse Radio Amateur Club in Belgium to promote the sixth Antwerp Port Epic cycling race. Look out for activity until the 21st of May. Special callsign GB4VLB will be active on the 20th and 21st of May from the Volunteer Life Brigade Watch House in Tynemouth as part of SOS Radio Week. The station will be operating in support of the Volunteer Life Brigade, RNLI and National Coast Watch Institution. For more information visit <a href="https://www.qrz.com/db/GB4VLB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">qrz.com</a>. QSL via Logbook of the World. Now the DX news Today is the last chance to work Kasimir, DL2SBY who is active as 8Q7KB in the Maldives. He is operating CW, SSB and FT8 and FT4 with a focus on the 30, 17, 12, 10 and 6m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, Club Log's OQRS or direct to his home call. Pista, HA5AO will be active as 5X2I from the shores of Lake Victoria, Uganda until Wednesday the 10th of May. He will operate CW, SSB and FT8 on the 40 to 10m bands.  QSL via HA5AO's OQRS page is preferred. JE1HXZ/6 is active from Kuroshima, AS-024, until Monday the 8th of May. He will operate CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8 and FT4 on the HF and 6m bands. QSL via the Bureau and Logbook of the World. Now the contest news Today, the 7th, the Worked All Britain 7MHz Phone Contest runs from 1000 to 1400UTC. Using phone mode on the 40m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square. Today, the 7th, the ARI International DX Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1200UTC. Using CW, RTTY and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Italian stations give their province code. Today, the 7th, the 10GHz Trophy Contest runs from 0800 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 10GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Today, the 7th, 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. Also today, the 7th, the 432MHz to 245GHz Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1400UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Tuesday the 9th of May, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 9th of May, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 10th of May, the 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 10th of May, the 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Thursday the 11th of May, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Sunday the 14th of May, the 70MHz CW Contest takes place from 0900 to 1200UTC. Using CW on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Sunday the 14th of May, the UK Microwave Group Millimetre-Wave Contest runs from 0900 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on the 24, 47 and 76GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 4th of May 2023 Next week will see the Sun presenting with four large sunspots groups that are rotating to be Earth-facing, so look out for trouble. Just as the UK weather takes a turn for the worse, we expect the space weather to be unpredictable too! Active regions 3293, 3294, 3296 and 3297 look dark and are looming large on the Sun’s face. Region 3293 emitted an M7.2 class solar flare on the 3rd of May, which the Space Weather Prediction Centre reported was likely due to an intensification of the magnetic field within the spot group. The flare caused some degradation of the ionosphere, but nothing too serious. However, the Space Weather Prediction Centre now predicts that further flares could follow, perhaps even a strong X-class flare, which could have more serious effects. If an X-class flare occurs in daylight over the UK, we can expect the HF bands to be affected in what is known as a sudden ionospheric disturbance or Dellinger fadeout. This could see the lower HF bands shut down due to extreme ionisation in the D-layer, only for the band to return to normal over a period of minutes to an hour. More worrying is the fact that the flare could spark a coronal mass ejection, or CME, which, if Earth-directed, could cause the Kp index to rise, MUFs to drop and bring auroral activity a few days after the CME. So, keep an eye on <a href="http://solarham.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">solarham.net</a> for updates. Meanwhile, the solar flux index, or SFI, remains in the 150s and this looks set to continue. The US Air Force predicts the SFI will start the week at 152, then dip slightly, before reaching 170 by the 12th of May. It also predicts that geomagnetic conditions will be settled once we get past this weekend, which could see the Kp index rise to four. These unsettled conditions may be due to a coronal hole, which became Earth-facing on Thursday. Propagation-wise, F2-layer maximum usable frequencies over a 3,000km path has struggled to exceed 21 to 24MHz during daylight hours as we head towards summer. The season is characterised as having lower MUFs during the day, but these tend to be maintained into the hours of darkness. Meanwhile, Sporadic-E might spring some surprises for paths over 800 to 2,200km on 14 to 28MHz, with very strong signals and rapid fading. And now the VHF and up propagation news The weather pattern is taking a change to unsettled as we move through this first May weekend, with low pressure dominating the charts and throwing active weather fronts across the country. This will produce some quite heavy rain at times and perhaps even some thundery activity. This bodes well for rain scatter on the GHz bands. This pattern extends well into next week, eventually changing from a south-westerly to a north-westerly followed by a building ridge of high pressure to bring a temporary hint of Tropo to end the week. This opens the more exotic modes to consider, such as meteor scatter and possible aurora, but these are very much outliers to the main interest at this time of year, which is Sporadic-E. The season has nominally started, and daily blogs are being added to the website <a href="http://Propquest.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Propquest.co.uk</a>, which describe the more likely regions to find Sporadic-E opportunities. This unsettled weather pattern brings a useful bonus in that it is often associated with jet stream activity. The whole period offers several jet streams across Europe, a positive for the start of the new Sporadic-E season since jet streams are often associated with the location of Sporadic-E activity. Moon declination is low and falling, reaching minimum next Tuesday. EME Moon windows will be short. Perigee is Thursday, so when you do have a view of the Moon, path losses will be low. 144MHz sky noise is high, reaching over 3200K late on Monday. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for May 7th 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 30th of April 2023 The news headlines: RSGB Coronation activities RSGB Membership portal High-altitude balloon launch    As the Coronation weekend approaches, don’t forget all the amateur radio activities that are being organised by the RSGB to mark this special event. Ofcom has kindly agreed that UK and Crown Dependency radio amateurs may use the “R” prefix in their callsigns during May and June 2023 – just apply for the Notice of Variation via the RSGB website. The RSGB has also created three new awards you can achieve for taking part in Coronation activities. In addition, the callsign GB23C can be used by individuals and clubs from the 10th of May until the end of June, and there is a special Beaconnect activity throughout May and June. Details of how to get involved with either of these will be announced soon on the RSGB website. Finally, there are ideas for outreach activities for use with people of all ages. Go to rsgb.org/coronation for more information. Are you an RSGB member? Have you logged into your online membership portal recently? It is important to check your personal information and ensure your preferences are up to date. You can also opt into receiving a number of direct benefits such as the weekly email GB2RS newsletter and notifications about RadCom Plus and RadCom Basics. A new option is to receive emails about the RSGB’s online events click on that and make sure you don’t miss out! Log into the RSGB membership portal via rsgb.org/members or email membership@rsgb.org.uk if you have any questions. hi-impact, based on the Wirral, is planning another high-altitude balloon launch. This one will feature on the team’s live-stream platform and be viewed by a number of schools across the UK and beyond. The team is planning to launch two high-altitude balloons. One will be running with a HABDuino and the other with some help from AmbaSat, using LoRA. The HABDuino side will be running on the standard setup – 434.650MHz USB, 50 Baud RTTY, 450Hz Shift, 7N1 data format and with the callsign ‘hi-impact’. If you're planning to upload telemetry to SondeHub, you'll need Dave Akerman's HABBase software and Fldigi. The launch, from Cilcewydd in Wales, will be between 11 and 11.15 am on Wednesday the 3rd of May. More information can be found on hi-impact’s Facebook page and on Twitter via @hiimpactconsult The RSGB is seeking to recruit a new Technical Editor for RadCom. Reporting to the Managing Editor, the successful candidate will need a wide range of radio and electronic knowledge, including amateur radio. The RSGB is looking for someone who is positive, enthusiastic about technology, has an excellent command of English and has a good eye for detail. For more information about the role and how to apply, see rsgb.org/careers   And now for details of rallies and events  Ripon Radio Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 30th of April, at Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 2PT. Traders can gain access from 7 am and tables are £12 each. Doors open to the public from 10 am and entrance is £3 per person. For more information and directions visit g4sjm.co.uk Thorpe Camp Hamfest Rally will take place on Sunday the 7th of May. The venue will be Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre and the entrance fee will be £4 per person. Traders should arrive from 7 am. The rally will take place from 9 am to 1 pm. Hot food and drinks will be available on-site. For more information phone Sylvia or Anthony at 07956 654 481. Dartmoor Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 7th of May at Yelverton War Memorial Hall, Meavy Lane, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6AL. There will be the usual bring and buy, trader stands, refreshments and free parking available. Doors open at 10 am and admission is £2.50. For more information contact Roger by phone on 07854 088 882, or email via 2e0rph@gmail.com The Braehead Rally will take place on Sunday the 14th of May. The venue will be Braehead Arena Foyer, 150 Kings Inch Road, Renfrew G51 4BN. Free parking will be available. The doors open for everyone at 10 am and admission is £4. The event will feature Bring and Buy and the Central Scotland Repeater Group AGM. For more information and contact details visit www.braeheadradiorally.com   Now the Special Event News Special callsigns PA100PCG, PA100M and PA100K will be active on the 5th, 6th and 7th of May to celebrate 100 years of communication history between Indonesia and The Netherlands. For more information visit QRZ.com. QSL via the bureau. Look out for special event station AU40NRO which is active until the 30th of June. The station is operating to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of the National Institute of Amateur Radio in India. QSL via VU2NRO. A special event callsign DM23BUGA will be active until the 8th of October. The callsign's suffix stands for 'Bundesgartenschau'. This is a biennial horticulture show and festival taking place in Mannheim this year. All QSOs will be confirmed automatically via the bureau, and direct cards via DL2VFR. Celebrating 100 years of broadcasting in Germany, special callsign DB100RDF will be in use until the 31st of December. The first official radio entertainment programme in Germany was broadcast on the 29th of October 1923. QSL via the bureau, or direct to DO2PZ.   Now the DX news Sands, VK4WXW has been on Willis Island, OC-007, since October and today is the last chance to work him. He works at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's weather monitoring station on the island. In his spare time, he is QRV as VK9WX. The T30UN operation from West Kiribati, OC-017, is expected to be active until the second week of May. Operators plan to be available on the 160 to 6m bands with one CW station, one SSB station and seven FT8 stations. It will be possible to see two FT8 stations on the same band, at the same time, on different frequencies. QSL via Club Log's OQRS.   Now the contest news Today, the 30th, the UK and Ireland Contest Club DX CW Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1200UTC. Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. UK and Ireland stations also send their district code. On Tuesday the 2nd of May, the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 2nd of May, the 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 3rd of May, the 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 3rd of May, the 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. Next weekend, the ARI International DX Contest starts its 24-hour run at 1200UTC on Saturday the 6th of May. Using CW, RTTY and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Italian stations give their province code. On Saturday the 6th of May, the 432MHz to 245GHz Contest starts its 24-hour run at 1400UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also, on Saturday the 6th of May, the 432MHz Trophy Contest runs from 1400 to 2200UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Saturday the 6th of May also sees the start of the UK Six Metre Group Summer Marathon. The event will run until Sunday the 6th of August. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is your four-character locator. On Sunday the 7th of May the 10GHz Trophy Contest runs from 0800 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 10GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Sunday the 7th 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. Sunday the 7th of May also sees the Worked All Britain 7MHz Phone Contest run from 1000 to 1400UTC. Using AM and SSB on the 40m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square.   Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 27th of April 2023 What a busy week we’ve just had! It started with a massive G4 geomagnetic storm that saw the Kp index rise to eight with aurora visible as far south as Cornwall and the Channel Islands. This was due to a coronal mass ejection from a filament eruption on the 21st of April. The 6m band came to life during the early stage of the storm with distorted aurora signals throughout the SSB and CW sections. However, the HF bands suffered, with MUFs down on the morning of the 24th. The 25th wasn’t much better with MUFs over a 3,000km path barely reaching 18MHz all day. By Thursday the 27th the Kp index was still at four. However, there were surprises to be had. Phil, GU0SUP reported that at 1300UTC on Monday the 24th, he was amazed to work Yuris, VU7W on the Lakshadweep Islands on 10m FT8, with good signals both ways. He says the Kp index was at six and the regular FT8 frequencies on both the 10m and 12m bands were pretty much dead. On Wednesday the 26th, Peter, G8BCG reported, on the CDXC reflector, that 15m FT8 was open all night via the long path to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. It is always worth checking the HF bands during a major geomagnetic storm as there may be surprises to be had. Next week the Space Weather Prediction Centre thinks that the Solar Flux Index will remain in the range of 135 to 140. The Kp index may remain around two to three. However, as last week showed, we are now really into uncharted territory, in terms of solar activity, with daily multiple solar flares and associated coronal mass ejections. So, don’t be surprised if we have another major geomagnetic disturbance with an elevated Kp index.   And now the VHF and up propagation news The weather pattern in late spring often settles into a period of south-easterly winds from a rapidly-warming Europe and the signs are there for just such a flow during the coming week. The sequence starts with unsettled weather and possible rain scatter from heavy April showers into the first weekend but, thereafter, a weak ridge of high pressure will move in to bring a chance of Tropo for next week. Paths along the east coast should do well, especially if there are large areas of sea fog and misty low clouds over the North Sea. At longer timescales, the period towards the following weekend will see eyes looking towards a low to the southwest of the British Isles that could push some thundery rain into southern areas by the end of the week and again bring a chance of rain scatter on the GHz bands. The jet stream pattern remains complex with several potentially useful flows that might be instrumental in prompting some early-season Sporadic-E propagation. Last week, the Portuguese CS5BALG beacon on 50.036MHz in IM67, and CS5BLA on 50.0760MHz, made a welcome return. Sporadic-E can be very fleeting early in the season, but keeping a regular check on the usual beacons should give you a chance of being there at the right time. The daily Sporadic-E blogs start on the 1st of May on www.propquest.co.uk and should give some clues as to any early-season options. Lastly, the Sun has kept everyone busy recently with visible and radio auroras, so check the Kp index for aurora potential. And we are in a period when increasing meteor input is starting to help provide better meteor scatter prospects, as well as fuel for Sporadic-E. The Eta Aquariids has a broad peak zenithal hourly rate of around 50 next weekend on the 6th of May. Moon declination is high and falling, meaning shortening EME Moon windows and peak elevations. We passed apogee on Friday so path losses will fall throughout the week. 144MHz sky noise is low to moderate. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 30th of April 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>RSGB Coronation activities</li> <li>RSGB Membership portal</li> <li>High-altitude balloon launch</li> </ul> As the Coronation weekend approaches, don’t forget all the amateur radio activities that are being organised by the RSGB to mark this special event. Ofcom has kindly agreed that UK and Crown Dependency radio amateurs may use the “R” prefix in their callsigns during May and June 2023 – just apply for the Notice of Variation via the RSGB website. The RSGB has also created three new awards you can achieve for taking part in Coronation activities. In addition, the callsign GB23C can be used by individuals and clubs from the 10th of May until the end of June, and there is a special Beaconnect activity throughout May and June. Details of how to get involved with either of these will be announced soon on the RSGB website. Finally, there are ideas for outreach activities for use with people of all ages. Go to <a href="http://rsgb.org/coronation" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/coronation</a> for more information. Are you an RSGB member? Have you logged into your online membership portal recently? It is important to check your personal information and ensure your preferences are up to date. You can also opt into receiving a number of direct benefits such as the weekly email GB2RS newsletter and notifications about RadCom Plus and RadCom Basics. A new option is to receive emails about the RSGB’s online events click on that and make sure you don’t miss out! Log into the RSGB membership portal via <a href="http://rsgb.org/members" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/members</a> or email <a href="mailto:membership@rsgb.org.uk">membership@rsgb.org.uk</a> if you have any questions. hi-impact, based on the Wirral, is planning another high-altitude balloon launch. This one will feature on the team’s live-stream platform and be viewed by a number of schools across the UK and beyond. The team is planning to launch two high-altitude balloons. One will be running with a HABDuino and the other with some help from AmbaSat, using LoRA. The HABDuino side will be running on the standard setup – 434.650MHz USB, 50 Baud RTTY, 450Hz Shift, 7N1 data format and with the callsign ‘hi-impact’. If you're planning to upload telemetry to SondeHub, you'll need Dave Akerman's HABBase software and Fldigi. The launch, from Cilcewydd in Wales, will be between 11 and 11.15 am on Wednesday the 3rd of May. More information can be found on hi-impact’s Facebook page and on Twitter via @hiimpactconsult The RSGB is seeking to recruit a new Technical Editor for RadCom. Reporting to the Managing Editor, the successful candidate will need a wide range of radio and electronic knowledge, including amateur radio. The RSGB is looking for someone who is positive, enthusiastic about technology, has an excellent command of English and has a good eye for detail. For more information about the role and how to apply, see <a href="http://rsgb.org/careers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/careers</a> And now for details of rallies and events Ripon Radio Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 30th of April, at Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 2PT. Traders can gain access from 7 am and tables are £12 each. Doors open to the public from 10 am and entrance is £3 per person. For more information and directions visit <a href="http://g4sjm.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">g4sjm.co.uk</a> Thorpe Camp Hamfest Rally will take place on Sunday the 7th of May. The venue will be Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre and the entrance fee will be £4 per person. Traders should arrive from 7 am. The rally will take place from 9 am to 1 pm. Hot food and drinks will be available on-site. For more information phone Sylvia or Anthony at 07956 654 481. Dartmoor Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 7th of May at Yelverton War Memorial Hall, Meavy Lane, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6AL. There will be the usual bring and buy, trader stands, refreshments and free parking available. Doors open at 10 am and admission is £2.50. For more information contact Roger by phone on 07854 088 882, or email via 2e0rph@gmail.com The Braehead Rally will take place on Sunday the 14th of May. The venue will be Braehead Arena Foyer, 150 Kings Inch Road, Renfrew G51 4BN. Free parking will be available. The doors open for everyone at 10 am and admission is £4. The event will feature Bring and Buy and the Central Scotland Repeater Group AGM. For more information and contact details visit <a href="http://www.braeheadradiorally.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.braeheadradiorally.com</a> Now the Special Event News Special callsigns PA100PCG, PA100M and PA100K will be active on the 5th, 6th and 7th of May to celebrate 100 years of communication history between Indonesia and The Netherlands. For more information visit <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a>. QSL via the bureau. Look out for special event station AU40NRO which is active until the 30th of June. The station is operating to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of the National Institute of Amateur Radio in India. QSL via VU2NRO. A special event callsign DM23BUGA will be active until the 8th of October. The callsign's suffix stands for 'Bundesgartenschau'. This is a biennial horticulture show and festival taking place in Mannheim this year. All QSOs will be confirmed automatically via the bureau, and direct cards via DL2VFR. Celebrating 100 years of broadcasting in Germany, special callsign DB100RDF will be in use until the 31st of December. The first official radio entertainment programme in Germany was broadcast on the 29th of October 1923. QSL via the bureau, or direct to DO2PZ. Now the DX news Sands, VK4WXW has been on Willis Island, OC-007, since October and today is the last chance to work him. He works at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's weather monitoring station on the island. In his spare time, he is QRV as VK9WX. The T30UN operation from West Kiribati, OC-017, is expected to be active until the second week of May. Operators plan to be available on the 160 to 6m bands with one CW station, one SSB station and seven FT8 stations. It will be possible to see two FT8 stations on the same band, at the same time, on different frequencies. QSL via Club Log's OQRS. Now the contest news Today, the 30th, the UK and Ireland Contest Club DX CW Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1200UTC. Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. UK and Ireland stations also send their district code. On Tuesday the 2nd of May, the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 2nd of May, the 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 3rd of May, the 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 3rd of May, the 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. Next weekend, the ARI International DX Contest starts its 24-hour run at 1200UTC on Saturday the 6th of May. Using CW, RTTY and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Italian stations give their province code. On Saturday the 6th of May, the 432MHz to 245GHz Contest starts its 24-hour run at 1400UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also, on Saturday the 6th of May, the 432MHz Trophy Contest runs from 1400 to 2200UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Saturday the 6th of May also sees the start of the UK Six Metre Group Summer Marathon. The event will run until Sunday the 6th of August. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is your four-character locator. On Sunday the 7th of May the 10GHz Trophy Contest runs from 0800 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 10GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Sunday the 7th 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. Sunday the 7th of May also sees the Worked All Britain 7MHz Phone Contest run from 1000 to 1400UTC. Using AM and SSB on the 40m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 27th of April 2023 What a busy week we’ve just had! It started with a massive G4 geomagnetic storm that saw the Kp index rise to eight with aurora visible as far south as Cornwall and the Channel Islands. This was due to a coronal mass ejection from a filament eruption on the 21st of April. The 6m band came to life during the early stage of the storm with distorted aurora signals throughout the SSB and CW sections. However, the HF bands suffered, with MUFs down on the morning of the 24th. The 25th wasn’t much better with MUFs over a 3,000km path barely reaching 18MHz all day. By Thursday the 27th the Kp index was still at four. However, there were surprises to be had. Phil, GU0SUP reported that at 1300UTC on Monday the 24th, he was amazed to work Yuris, VU7W on the Lakshadweep Islands on 10m FT8, with good signals both ways. He says the Kp index was at six and the regular FT8 frequencies on both the 10m and 12m bands were pretty much dead. On Wednesday the 26th, Peter, G8BCG reported, on the CDXC reflector, that 15m FT8 was open all night via the long path to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. It is always worth checking the HF bands during a major geomagnetic storm as there may be surprises to be had. Next week the Space Weather Prediction Centre thinks that the Solar Flux Index will remain in the range of 135 to 140. The Kp index may remain around two to three. However, as last week showed, we are now really into uncharted territory, in terms of solar activity, with daily multiple solar flares and associated coronal mass ejections. So, don’t be surprised if we have another major geomagnetic disturbance with an elevated Kp index. And now the VHF and up propagation news The weather pattern in late spring often settles into a period of south-easterly winds from a rapidly-warming Europe and the signs are there for just such a flow during the coming week. The sequence starts with unsettled weather and possible rain scatter from heavy April showers into the first weekend but, thereafter, a weak ridge of high pressure will move in to bring a chance of Tropo for next week. Paths along the east coast should do well, especially if there are large areas of sea fog and misty low clouds over the North Sea. At longer timescales, the period towards the following weekend will see eyes looking towards a low to the southwest of the British Isles that could push some thundery rain into southern areas by the end of the week and again bring a chance of rain scatter on the GHz bands. The jet stream pattern remains complex with several potentially useful flows that might be instrumental in prompting some early-season Sporadic-E propagation. Last week, the Portuguese CS5BALG beacon on 50.036MHz in IM67, and CS5BLA on 50.0760MHz, made a welcome return. Sporadic-E can be very fleeting early in the season, but keeping a regular check on the usual beacons should give you a chance of being there at the right time. The daily Sporadic-E blogs start on the 1st of May on <a href="http://www.propquest.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.propquest.co.uk</a> and should give some clues as to any early-season options. Lastly, the Sun has kept everyone busy recently with visible and radio auroras, so check the Kp index for aurora potential. And we are in a period when increasing meteor input is starting to help provide better meteor scatter prospects, as well as fuel for Sporadic-E. The Eta Aquariids has a broad peak zenithal hourly rate of around 50 next weekend on the 6th of May. Moon declination is high and falling, meaning shortening EME Moon windows and peak elevations. We passed apogee on Friday so path losses will fall throughout the week. 144MHz sky noise is low to moderate. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for April 30th 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 23rd of April 2023 The news headlines: RSGB Coronation activities RSGB AGM announcements and videos RSGB Board Chair    The RSGB is delighted that Ofcom has confirmed that the callsign GB23C can be used for the RSGB’s Coronation Special Special Event Station. Cray Valley Radio Society members led by Bob, M0MCV and Dave, G4BUO are organising the flagship amateur radio station that will use this callsign from the 3rd to the 8th of May. The Special Special Event Station will be on the grounds of the Old Royal Naval College, along the riverside in Greenwich. From the 10th of May onwards, the callsign will be available for individuals and clubs to use until the end of June 2023, and further details about this will be announced shortly. Ofcom has also kindly agreed to a block of 676 Special Special Event Station callsigns for the RSGB’s Be a Connect activity for the Coronation. These are GB23BAA to BZZ, which will be available throughout May and June. More details on how to obtain one of these will be given next week, but meanwhile, you may wish to find a beacon site you could activate one or more times for this event. Finally, if you are planning outreach activities with local clubs and groups, take a look at the paper circuit template the RSGB has just shared on its website – go to rsgb.org/coronation and choose the coronation activity ideas tab in the right-hand menu. The RSGB’s AGM was held online last Saturday, the 15th of April. If you missed the live event, you can see the results of the elections and follow links to the trophy awards and the construction competition winners on the RSGB website via rsgb.org/agm. You can also catch up on the full live stream or watch individual sections on the Society’s YouTube channel. The RSGB has released separate videos of the outgoing President’s review of 2022, its new short Convention promo, and the interesting presentation about preparing the GB2RS propagation reports by the RSGB Propagation Studies Committee Chair, Steve Nichols, G0KYA. You can see them all in the RSGB 2023 AGM playlist on YouTube via youtube.com/theRSGB Following the RSGB AGM on Saturday the 15th of April, a brief Board meeting was held to consider necessary appointments. The Board was aware that Stewart Bryant, G3YSX, who had been in a dual role since the recent resignation of Richard Horton, G4AOJ, had expressed a willingness to continue as Chair if required. It was agreed that Stewart should be co-opted to the Board under the terms of Article 37 and was asked to join the meeting. Stewart was then elected unanimously to serve as RSGB Board Chair until the 2024 AGM. This a reminder now that SOS Radio Week 2023 starts at midnight on the 1st of May and concludes at midnight on the 31st of May. It is an opportunity to support the many voluntary organisations in the British Isles whose members volunteer to save the lives of others at risk around the many miles of its coastline, and out at sea. These organisations include the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the National Coastwatch Association and numerous independent lifeboat and coastal rescue groups. Individual amateur radio operators and clubs are invited to register to become an official SOS Radio Week station and operate under their own callsign, their club’s or a special event callsign to raise awareness of the great work these volunteers perform. Awards are available for registered stations that make the most contacts on each of the 160m to 70cm bands and using various modes. Registration is now open and further details can be found at sosradioweek.org.uk   And now for details of rallies and events  The Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Rally, also known as both the ‘NARSA Rally’ and the ‘Blackpool Rally’, is taking place today, Sunday the 23rd. The venue is Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool FY2 9AA. For more details contact Dave, M0OBW on 01270 761 608, email dwilson@btinternet.com or visit narsa.org.uk Ripon Radio Rally will take place next Sunday, the 30th of April. The venue will be Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 2PT. Traders can gain access from 7 am and tables are £12 each. Doors open to the public from 10 am and entrance is £3 per person. For more information and directions visit: g4sjm.co.uk Thorpe Camp Hamfest will take place on Sunday the 7th of May. The venue will be Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre and the entrance fee will be £4 per person. Traders should arrive from 7 am. The rally will take place from 9 am to 1 pm. Hot food and drinks will be available on-site. For more information phone Sylvia or Anthony at 07956 654 481. Dartmoor Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 7th of May at Yelverton War Memorial Hall, Meavy Lane, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6AL. There will be the usual bring and buy, trader stands, refreshments and free parking available. Doors open at 10 am and admission is £2.50. For more information contact Roger by phone at 07854 088 882 or email via 2e0rph@gmail.com   Now the Special Event News Special callsign 5P0WARD will be active from Denmark until Tuesday the 25th of April in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, Logbook of the World, eQSL, or via OZ1ACB. Also celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, special event station OT23WARD will be active from various locations in Belgium until the 30th of April. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, Logbook of the World and eQSL. A certificate will be available. For more information visit QRZ.com Polydoros, SV1AHH is using special callsign SX50AHH to mark 50 years of being involved with amateur radio. Operating from Greece, the callsign will be active until Friday the 28th of April. He will be active on the 160 to 10m bands using CW, SSB, FT8, FT4 and RTTY. His logs will be uploaded to eQSL, Logbook of the World and Club Log. Paper cards will not be available. Special callsign 3A8AB is operating from Monaco until Sunday the 30th of April. The station is active to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first transatlantic amateur two-way contact between Leon Deloy, F8AB and Fred Schnell, 1MO in 1923. QSL via Logbook of the World.   Now the DX news Look out for Paul, VP9KF who is active from Baileys Bay, Bermuda, NA-005, until Wednesday the 26th of April. He operates CW only. QSL direct to Paul's address which you can view via his QRZ.com page. Sands, VK4WXW has been on Willis Island, OC-007, since October, and will remain there until the end of April 2023. He works at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's weather monitoring station on the island, and in his spare time, he is QRV as VK9WX. The T30UN operation from West Kiribati, OC-017, is expected to be active until the second week of May. Operators plan to be available on the 160 to 6m bands with one CW station, one SSB station and seven FT8 stations. It will be possible to see two FT8 stations on the same band, at the same time, on different frequencies. QSL via Club Log's OQRS.   Now the contest news The SP DX RTTY Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1200UTC today, Sunday the 23rd of April. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Polish stations send their province code. Today, Sunday the 23rd of April, The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group Sprint 75 Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using 75 Baud RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is serial number. On Monday the 24th of April, the FT4 Series Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using FT4 on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is your report. On Tuesday the 25th of April, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 26th of April, the UK and Ireland Contest Club 80m Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator. On Thursday the 27th of April, the 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using PSK63 and RTTY on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Next Saturday, the 29th, the UK and Ireland Contest Club DX CW Contest begins at 1200UTC and runs for 24 hours. Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. UK and Ireland stations also send their District Code.   Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 20th of April 2023 We had a surge in sunspot activity over the last week, pushing the solar flux index up to a maximum of 178, although it subsequently declined to 147. Solar flare activity was quite subdued after a frantic period from the 13th to the 15th that saw 40 C-class flares and two M-class flares erupt. This activity was mostly centred around active region 3282 in the northwest quadrant. Geomagnetic conditions were unsettled for a time around the 18th and 19th with the Kp index hitting a maximum of 4.3. This appears to have been due to enhanced activity from a coronal mass ejection and continuing coronal hole activity that saw the solar wind speed hit more than 600km/s and the Bz swing south. The critical frequency was down below 7MHz on the morning of Wednesday the 19th, which impacted near-vertical incidence skywave signals around the UK. This impacted maximum useable frequencies, which struggled to exceed 21MHz over a 3,000km path on Wednesday, although by Thursday they were back over 28MHz again. A critical frequency of more than 10MHz meant the 40m band was once again suitable for close-in contacts around the UK. There were many reports of DX being worked later on during the week, with Australia and New Zealand topping the bill on 18MHz and 28MHz. Next week NOAA has put a more positive spin on sunspot activity. The Solar Flux Index is predicted to be in the range of 168 to 172 for the first half of the week, falling to around 160 in the second half. But we could be in for a bumpy ride geomagnetically, with the Kp index predicted to hit five on Wednesday the 26th of April through to Monday the 1st of May. This may be due to the return of solar phenomena that occurred 27 days ago and saw the Kp index get up to 4.67. Meanwhile, a very large solar coronal hole, albeit positioned very south on the Sun’s surface, and a much smaller one on its equator, threaten HF conditions this weekend. Keep an eye on the real-time solar wind from the ACE spacecraft for signs of a rise in speed and a southward-pointing Bz interplanetary magnetic field on solarham.net.  This could push to Kp index higher, perhaps to four.   And now the VHF and up propagation news The Sporadic-E season is nearly upon us. Remember it will usually activate on 28MHz and then higher bands will follow if the event intensifies. There have been some 50MHz FT8 paths flagged up on DXmaps.com, although some may have been tropo. The recent large high pressure centred over Scandinavia has been a bit subdued as regards Tropo. Much of the time, the air nearer the surface has been fairly dry with little sign of banks of sea fog over the North Sea, which would suggest better ducting potential.   We are now entering a phase with low pressure on the charts, initially over the south of Britain, but edging north for a time before drifting out across the North Sea.  This could produce some rain scatter on the GHz bands, especially should any heavy April showers develop. Early next week a ridge will edge south across the UK in a colder northerly weather pattern, so although high-pressure returns, it may not be especially good for tropo. The third changeover comes after midweek when a milder south-westerly returns with active fronts bringing rain and unsettled weather, especially to the north and west. This could mean further opportunities for rain scatter on the GHz bands and perhaps a hint of tropo in the Southeast towards the continent. Aurora and meteor scatter are well worth considering, and the Lyrids shower peaks on Sunday the 23rd. The message is to monitor meteor scatter frequencies and the clusters for signs of activity and, of course, try putting out a CQ call! Moon declination is positive and rising, meaning increasing Moon time and increasing peak elevation until peak declination on Tuesday. Moon apogee is next Friday so path losses increase all week. 144MHz sky noise is moderate to low. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 23rd of April 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>RSGB Coronation activities</li> <li>RSGB AGM announcements and videos</li> <li>RSGB Board Chair</li> </ul> The RSGB is delighted that Ofcom has confirmed that the callsign GB23C can be used for the RSGB’s Coronation Special Special Event Station. Cray Valley Radio Society members led by Bob, M0MCV and Dave, G4BUO are organising the flagship amateur radio station that will use this callsign from the 3rd to the 8th of May. The Special Special Event Station will be on the grounds of the Old Royal Naval College, along the riverside in Greenwich. From the 10th of May onwards, the callsign will be available for individuals and clubs to use until the end of June 2023, and further details about this will be announced shortly. Ofcom has also kindly agreed to a block of 676 Special Special Event Station callsigns for the RSGB’s Be a Connect activity for the Coronation. These are GB23BAA to BZZ, which will be available throughout May and June. More details on how to obtain one of these will be given next week, but meanwhile, you may wish to find a beacon site you could activate one or more times for this event. Finally, if you are planning outreach activities with local clubs and groups, take a look at the paper circuit template the RSGB has just shared on its website – go to <a href="http://rsgb.org/coronation" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/coronation</a> and choose the coronation activity ideas tab in the right-hand menu. The RSGB’s AGM was held online last Saturday, the 15th of April. If you missed the live event, you can see the results of the elections and follow links to the trophy awards and the construction competition winners on the RSGB website via <a href="http://rsgb.org/agm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/agm</a>. You can also catch up on the full live stream or watch individual sections on the Society’s YouTube channel. The RSGB has released separate videos of the outgoing President’s review of 2022, its new short Convention promo, and the interesting presentation about preparing the GB2RS propagation reports by the RSGB Propagation Studies Committee Chair, Steve Nichols, G0KYA. You can see them all in the RSGB 2023 AGM playlist on YouTube via <a href="http://youtube.com/theRSGB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/theRSGB</a> Following the RSGB AGM on Saturday the 15th of April, a brief Board meeting was held to consider necessary appointments. The Board was aware that Stewart Bryant, G3YSX, who had been in a dual role since the recent resignation of Richard Horton, G4AOJ, had expressed a willingness to continue as Chair if required. It was agreed that Stewart should be co-opted to the Board under the terms of Article 37 and was asked to join the meeting. Stewart was then elected unanimously to serve as RSGB Board Chair until the 2024 AGM. This a reminder now that SOS Radio Week 2023 starts at midnight on the 1st of May and concludes at midnight on the 31st of May. It is an opportunity to support the many voluntary organisations in the British Isles whose members volunteer to save the lives of others at risk around the many miles of its coastline, and out at sea. These organisations include the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the National Coastwatch Association and numerous independent lifeboat and coastal rescue groups. Individual amateur radio operators and clubs are invited to register to become an official SOS Radio Week station and operate under their own callsign, their club’s or a special event callsign to raise awareness of the great work these volunteers perform. Awards are available for registered stations that make the most contacts on each of the 160m to 70cm bands and using various modes. Registration is now open and further details can be found at <a href="http://sosradioweek.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sosradioweek.org.uk</a> And now for details of rallies and events The Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Rally, also known as both the ‘NARSA Rally’ and the ‘Blackpool Rally’, is taking place today, Sunday the 23rd. The venue is Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool FY2 9AA. For more details contact Dave, M0OBW on 01270 761 608, email dwilson@btinternet.com or visit <a href="http://narsa.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">narsa.org.uk</a> Ripon Radio Rally will take place next Sunday, the 30th of April. The venue will be Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 2PT. Traders can gain access from 7 am and tables are £12 each. Doors open to the public from 10 am and entrance is £3 per person. For more information and directions visit: <a href="http://g4sjm.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">g4sjm.co.uk</a> Thorpe Camp Hamfest will take place on Sunday the 7th of May. The venue will be Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre and the entrance fee will be £4 per person. Traders should arrive from 7 am. The rally will take place from 9 am to 1 pm. Hot food and drinks will be available on-site. For more information phone Sylvia or Anthony at 07956 654 481. Dartmoor Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 7th of May at Yelverton War Memorial Hall, Meavy Lane, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6AL. There will be the usual bring and buy, trader stands, refreshments and free parking available. Doors open at 10 am and admission is £2.50. For more information contact Roger by phone at 07854 088 882 or email via 2e0rph@gmail.com Now the Special Event News Special callsign 5P0WARD will be active from Denmark until Tuesday the 25th of April in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, Logbook of the World, eQSL, or via OZ1ACB. Also celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, special event station OT23WARD will be active from various locations in Belgium until the 30th of April. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, Logbook of the World and eQSL. A certificate will be available. For more information visit <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> Polydoros, SV1AHH is using special callsign SX50AHH to mark 50 years of being involved with amateur radio. Operating from Greece, the callsign will be active until Friday the 28th of April. He will be active on the 160 to 10m bands using CW, SSB, FT8, FT4 and RTTY. His logs will be uploaded to eQSL, Logbook of the World and Club Log. Paper cards will not be available. Special callsign 3A8AB is operating from Monaco until Sunday the 30th of April. The station is active to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first transatlantic amateur two-way contact between Leon Deloy, F8AB and Fred Schnell, 1MO in 1923. QSL via Logbook of the World. Now the DX news Look out for Paul, VP9KF who is active from Baileys Bay, Bermuda, NA-005, until Wednesday the 26th of April. He operates CW only. QSL direct to Paul's address which you can view via his <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> page. Sands, VK4WXW has been on Willis Island, OC-007, since October, and will remain there until the end of April 2023. He works at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's weather monitoring station on the island, and in his spare time, he is QRV as VK9WX. The T30UN operation from West Kiribati, OC-017, is expected to be active until the second week of May. Operators plan to be available on the 160 to 6m bands with one CW station, one SSB station and seven FT8 stations. It will be possible to see two FT8 stations on the same band, at the same time, on different frequencies. QSL via Club Log's OQRS. Now the contest news The SP DX RTTY Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1200UTC today, Sunday the 23rd of April. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Polish stations send their province code. Today, Sunday the 23rd of April, The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group Sprint 75 Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using 75 Baud RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is serial number. On Monday the 24th of April, the FT4 Series Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using FT4 on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is your report. On Tuesday the 25th of April, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 26th of April, the UK and Ireland Contest Club 80m Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator. On Thursday the 27th of April, the 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using PSK63 and RTTY on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Next Saturday, the 29th, the UK and Ireland Contest Club DX CW Contest begins at 1200UTC and runs for 24 hours. Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. UK and Ireland stations also send their District Code. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 20th of April 2023 We had a surge in sunspot activity over the last week, pushing the solar flux index up to a maximum of 178, although it subsequently declined to 147. Solar flare activity was quite subdued after a frantic period from the 13th to the 15th that saw 40 C-class flares and two M-class flares erupt. This activity was mostly centred around active region 3282 in the northwest quadrant. Geomagnetic conditions were unsettled for a time around the 18th and 19th with the Kp index hitting a maximum of 4.3. This appears to have been due to enhanced activity from a coronal mass ejection and continuing coronal hole activity that saw the solar wind speed hit more than 600km/s and the Bz swing south. The critical frequency was down below 7MHz on the morning of Wednesday the 19th, which impacted near-vertical incidence skywave signals around the UK. This impacted maximum useable frequencies, which struggled to exceed 21MHz over a 3,000km path on Wednesday, although by Thursday they were back over 28MHz again. A critical frequency of more than 10MHz meant the 40m band was once again suitable for close-in contacts around the UK. There were many reports of DX being worked later on during the week, with Australia and New Zealand topping the bill on 18MHz and 28MHz. Next week NOAA has put a more positive spin on sunspot activity. The Solar Flux Index is predicted to be in the range of 168 to 172 for the first half of the week, falling to around 160 in the second half. But we could be in for a bumpy ride geomagnetically, with the Kp index predicted to hit five on Wednesday the 26th of April through to Monday the 1st of May. This may be due to the return of solar phenomena that occurred 27 days ago and saw the Kp index get up to 4.67. Meanwhile, a very large solar coronal hole, albeit positioned very south on the Sun’s surface, and a much smaller one on its equator, threaten HF conditions this weekend. Keep an eye on the real-time solar wind from the ACE spacecraft for signs of a rise in speed and a southward-pointing Bz interplanetary magnetic field on <a href="http://solarham.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">solarham.net</a>.  This could push to Kp index higher, perhaps to four. And now the VHF and up propagation news The Sporadic-E season is nearly upon us. Remember it will usually activate on 28MHz and then higher bands will follow if the event intensifies. There have been some 50MHz FT8 paths flagged up on <a href="http://DXmaps.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DXmaps.com</a>, although some may have been tropo. The recent large high pressure centred over Scandinavia has been a bit subdued as regards Tropo. Much of the time, the air nearer the surface has been fairly dry with little sign of banks of sea fog over the North Sea, which would suggest better ducting potential. We are now entering a phase with low pressure on the charts, initially over the south of Britain, but edging north for a time before drifting out across the North Sea.  This could produce some rain scatter on the GHz bands, especially should any heavy April showers develop. Early next week a ridge will edge south across the UK in a colder northerly weather pattern, so although high-pressure returns, it may not be especially good for tropo. The third changeover comes after midweek when a milder south-westerly returns with active fronts bringing rain and unsettled weather, especially to the north and west. This could mean further opportunities for rain scatter on the GHz bands and perhaps a hint of tropo in the Southeast towards the continent. Aurora and meteor scatter are well worth considering, and the Lyrids shower peaks on Sunday the 23rd. The message is to monitor meteor scatter frequencies and the clusters for signs of activity and, of course, try putting out a CQ call! Moon declination is positive and rising, meaning increasing Moon time and increasing peak elevation until peak declination on Tuesday. Moon apogee is next Friday so path losses increase all week. 144MHz sky noise is moderate to low. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for April 24th 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 16th of April 2023 The news headlines: Nominated Board Director Vacancy Regional Forum Facebook pages  SOS Radio Week    If you are an RSGB Member you still have time to apply for the RSGB Nominated Board Director vacancy. The RSGB needs a strong and effective Board and this could be your opportunity to be part of that. The deadline for applications is Monday the 17th of April. To find out more, go to the volunteer vacancies section of the RSGB website at rsgb.org/volunteers or, for an informal discussion, please email Nominations Committee Chair Stephen Purser, GW4SHF at nominations.chair@rsgb.org.uk The RSGB Regional Forum has created Facebook pages for each of the 13 regions. These pages focus on regional amateur radio communities and are moderated by members of the RSGB Regional Team. Whilst the pages share a similar style, they are very different in content. Selected posts are created by the RSGB moderators to maintain some news content from the RSGB, but the main content comes from clubs, individual licensees and also event organisers in those regions. The pages also provide a forum where anyone can ask for help with any part of the hobby. Clubs are positively encouraged to post news and events on the pages. You can find them on Facebook by searching for ‘RSGB Region’ and the number of your local region, for example, ‘RSGB Region 1’. SOS Radio Week 2023 starts at midnight on the 1st of May and concludes at midnight on the 31st of May. It is an opportunity to support the many voluntary organisations in the British Isles whose members volunteer to save the lives of others at risk around the many miles of its coastline, and out at sea. These organisations include the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the National Coastwatch Association and numerous independent lifeboat and coastal rescue groups. Individual amateur radio operators and clubs are invited to register to become an official SOS Radio Week station and operate under their own callsign, their club’s or a special event callsign to raise awareness of the great work these volunteers perform. Awards are available for registered stations that make the most contacts on each of the 160m to 70cm bands and using various modes. Registration is now open and further details can be found at sosradioweek.org.uk The outgoing RSGB President Stewart Bryant, G3YSX and the incoming RGSB President John McCullagh, GI4BWM will be at the NARSA rally in Blackpool on Sunday the 23rd of April. This is a great opportunity to meet John, have a chat and welcome him to his role. There will also be an official handover of the presidential chain on the stage area at the Norbreck Hotel. Find out more about the rally via the event website at narsa.org.uk Tuesday the 18th of April is World Amateur Radio Day. The IARU is excited to mark the occasion, and the 98th anniversary of its founding, with an event to promote the United Nations Human Security for All initiative, also known as ‘HS4A’. Special event stations have been operating since the 11th of April and will be available to work until the last week of April. For more information visit iaru.org and choose ‘On the Air’ from the menu options.   And now for details of rallies and events  The Cambridgeshire Repeater Group Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 16th of April. The venue is Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Doors opened at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. Admission is £3. The rally features a talk-in, trade stands, bring and buy, an RSGB Bookstall and free car parking. For more information contact Lawrence, M0LCM on 07941 972 724, email rally2023@cambridgerepeaters.net and see the cambridgerepeaters.net website. The Holsworthy Spring Rally and Boot Sale is taking place today, Sunday the 16th of April. The venue is Holsworthy Livestock Market, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. There is plenty of parking, wheelchair access and full catering available. The doors opened to the public at 10 am. For more details contact the club secretary Ken, G7VJA via email at m0omc@m0omc.co.uk and visit the m0omc.co.uk website. The Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Rally, also known as both the ‘NARSA Rally’ and the ‘Blackpool Rally’, will take place on Sunday the 23rd of April. The venue will be Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool FY2 9AA. For more details contact Dave, M0OBW on 01270 761 608, email dwilson@btinternet.com or visit narsa.org.uk Ripon Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 30th of April. The venue will be Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 2PT. Traders can gain access from 7 am and tables are £12 each. Doors open to the public from 10 am and entrance is £3 per person. For more information and directions visit: g4sjm.co.uk Now the Special Event News With the kind permission of the National Trust, Weston-super-Mare Radio Society will be operating special callsign GB0IMD from the Old Fort on Brean Down on Saturday the 22nd of April, as part of the International Marconi Day celebrations. Special callsign DR0LIMES will be active until the 30th of June for this year's German World Heritage Day. The 'limes' was the borderline of the Roman Empire to its greatest extent. In 2005, the remnants of the Upper German-Raetian Limes were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list as 'Frontiers of the Roman Empire'. Celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, DARC special event callsign DA23WARD will be active until Tuesday the 18th of April. All QSOs will be confirmed automatically via the bureau. Direct cards will be managed via DL2VFR. Also celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, special event station OT23WARD will be active from various locations in Belgium until the 30th of April. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, Logbook of the World and eQSL. A certificate will be available. For information visit QRZ.com Now the DX news Bernhard, DL2GAC will be active in the Solomon Islands until the end of May. He plans to be QRV as H44MS from Malaita OC-047, daily until the end of April, with activity on the 80 to 6m bands using SSB and some FT8. QSL via his home call, direct or via the bureau. He will upload his log to Club Log and Logbook of the World when he returns home. James, KI7MGY will be in Djibouti until June and plans to operate as J28HJ on the 80, 40, 20, 17, 15 and 10m bands using SSB and FT8. QSL via Logbook of the World. HH75RCH is the special callsign for the Haiti Radio Club, established on the 29th of March 1948 to celebrate its 75th anniversary. The station will be active until the 1st of May. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, or via N2OO.   Now the contest news On Tuesday the 18th of April, the 1.3GHz UK Activity contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 19th of April, the 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Thursday the 20th of April, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The Machine Generated Mode Contest starts its 24-hour run at 1400UTC next Saturday, the 22nd of April. Using machine-generated modes on the 6m and 2m bands, the exchange is a report and your four-character locator. The SP DX RTTY Contest starts its 24-hour run at 1200UTC on Saturday the 22nd of April. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Polish stations send their province code. The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group Sprint 75 Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC on Sunday the 23rd of April. Using 75 Baud RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is a serial number.   Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 13th of April 2023 A news item this week suggested that the peak of solar cycle 25 could be coming earlier than expected. According to a paper in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, by solar scientist Dr Scott Macintosh, the solar maximum may now be coming between late 2023 and mid-2024. So, make the most of the higher Solar Flux Index now! Solar activity picked up nicely over the past week. The solar flux index rose to 154 and there were eight active regions on the Sun’s visible face by Thursday the 13th. Nevertheless, daytime maximum usable frequencies, or MUFs, remain down a little, which has probably more to do with seasonal ionospheric changes than reduced sunspot activity. As we head towards Summer we will see the daytime F2-layer MUF decline further before it picks up again in the Autumn. We also saw some M- and C-class solar flare action this week, but this was not really enough to cause serious problems to the ionosphere. Next week NOAA predicts the Solar Flux Index will continue to increase, perhaps peaking at 160 around the 16th to 18th of April. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast for the 18th, perhaps with the Kp index rising to four. The forecast for International Marconi Day on the 22nd of April is for a Solar Flux Index of 155 and a declining Kp index of three, which bodes quite well for the event. In all, the Solar Flux Index is expected to be in the range of 140 to 160 for the rest of the month.   And now the VHF and up propagation news A big contrast is coming next week, so it’s time to dust off the VHF gear again! The unsettled weather of this last week will make a complete swap over to more settled high-pressure systems next week.  Initially, on Sunday this will appear as a ridge over the North Sea from a large high over Scandinavia. This will then gradually extend across the country and will eventually be joined by a second high west of Britain.  The end result will be enhanced Tropo prospects in the coming week and potentially good conditions for the 23cm UK Activity Contest on Tuesday the 18th and the 4m UK Activity on Thursday the 20th. Those who enjoy rain scatter propagation in this current showery weather will have to look for other modes by Sunday, once the high pressure builds. As we are coming out of the Winter lull in meteor shower activity, with the medium-rate Lyrids peaking on the 23rd of April at 0100UTC with a Zenithal Hourly Rate, or ZHR, in the 20s, it's well worth a look for meteor scatter contacts. The end of April normally prompts a return of isolated Sporadic-E reports on the 10m band and perhaps even with data modes on 6m. The upper troposphere jet stream charts suggest it’s got some potential, especially between Mediterranean countries although not quite so positive for paths nearer to home. The solar conditions may continue to offer a random chance of some aurora, so remember to keep an eye on the Kp index if it goes above five.   For EME operators, the Moon perigee is on Sunday so path losses are at their lowest. Moon declination is rising, going positive on Tuesday meaning increasing Moon time and increasing peak elevation passes. 144MHz sky noise is low, but the Moon is close to the Sun on Wednesday and Thursday meaning high Sun noise for those days. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 16th of April 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>Nominated Board Director Vacancy</li> <li>Regional Forum Facebook pages </li> <li>SOS Radio Week</li> </ul> If you are an RSGB Member you still have time to apply for the RSGB Nominated Board Director vacancy. The RSGB needs a strong and effective Board and this could be your opportunity to be part of that. The deadline for applications is Monday the 17th of April. To find out more, go to the volunteer vacancies section of the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/volunteers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/volunteers</a> or, for an informal discussion, please email Nominations Committee Chair Stephen Purser, GW4SHF at nominations.chair@rsgb.org.uk The RSGB Regional Forum has created Facebook pages for each of the 13 regions. These pages focus on regional amateur radio communities and are moderated by members of the RSGB Regional Team. Whilst the pages share a similar style, they are very different in content. Selected posts are created by the RSGB moderators to maintain some news content from the RSGB, but the main content comes from clubs, individual licensees and also event organisers in those regions. The pages also provide a forum where anyone can ask for help with any part of the hobby. Clubs are positively encouraged to post news and events on the pages. You can find them on Facebook by searching for ‘RSGB Region’ and the number of your local region, for example, ‘RSGB Region 1’. SOS Radio Week 2023 starts at midnight on the 1st of May and concludes at midnight on the 31st of May. It is an opportunity to support the many voluntary organisations in the British Isles whose members volunteer to save the lives of others at risk around the many miles of its coastline, and out at sea. These organisations include the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the National Coastwatch Association and numerous independent lifeboat and coastal rescue groups. Individual amateur radio operators and clubs are invited to register to become an official SOS Radio Week station and operate under their own callsign, their club’s or a special event callsign to raise awareness of the great work these volunteers perform. Awards are available for registered stations that make the most contacts on each of the 160m to 70cm bands and using various modes. Registration is now open and further details can be found at <a href="http://sosradioweek.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sosradioweek.org.uk</a> The outgoing RSGB President Stewart Bryant, G3YSX and the incoming RGSB President John McCullagh, GI4BWM will be at the NARSA rally in Blackpool on Sunday the 23rd of April. This is a great opportunity to meet John, have a chat and welcome him to his role. There will also be an official handover of the presidential chain on the stage area at the Norbreck Hotel. Find out more about the rally via the event website at <a href="http://narsa.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">narsa.org.uk</a> Tuesday the 18th of April is World Amateur Radio Day. The IARU is excited to mark the occasion, and the 98th anniversary of its founding, with an event to promote the United Nations Human Security for All initiative, also known as ‘HS4A’. Special event stations have been operating since the 11th of April and will be available to work until the last week of April. For more information visit <a href="http://iaru.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iaru.org</a> and choose ‘On the Air’ from the menu options. And now for details of rallies and events The Cambridgeshire Repeater Group Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 16th of April. The venue is Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Doors opened at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. Admission is £3. The rally features a talk-in, trade stands, bring and buy, an RSGB Bookstall and free car parking. For more information contact Lawrence, M0LCM on 07941 972 724, email rally2023@cambridgerepeaters.net and see the <a href="http://cambridgerepeaters.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">cambridgerepeaters.net</a> website. The Holsworthy Spring Rally and Boot Sale is taking place today, Sunday the 16th of April. The venue is Holsworthy Livestock Market, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. There is plenty of parking, wheelchair access and full catering available. The doors opened to the public at 10 am. For more details contact the club secretary Ken, G7VJA via email at m0omc@m0omc.co.uk and visit the <a href="http://m0omc.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">m0omc.co.uk</a> website. The Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Rally, also known as both the ‘NARSA Rally’ and the ‘Blackpool Rally’, will take place on Sunday the 23rd of April. The venue will be Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool FY2 9AA. For more details contact Dave, M0OBW on 01270 761 608, email dwilson@btinternet.com or visit <a href="http://narsa.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">narsa.org.uk</a> Ripon Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 30th of April. The venue will be Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 2PT. Traders can gain access from 7 am and tables are £12 each. Doors open to the public from 10 am and entrance is £3 per person. For more information and directions visit: <a href="http://g4sjm.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">g4sjm.co.uk</a> Now the Special Event News With the kind permission of the National Trust, Weston-super-Mare Radio Society will be operating special callsign GB0IMD from the Old Fort on Brean Down on Saturday the 22nd of April, as part of the International Marconi Day celebrations. Special callsign DR0LIMES will be active until the 30th of June for this year's German World Heritage Day. The 'limes' was the borderline of the Roman Empire to its greatest extent. In 2005, the remnants of the Upper German-Raetian Limes were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list as 'Frontiers of the Roman Empire'. Celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, DARC special event callsign DA23WARD will be active until Tuesday the 18th of April. All QSOs will be confirmed automatically via the bureau. Direct cards will be managed via DL2VFR. Also celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, special event station OT23WARD will be active from various locations in Belgium until the 30th of April. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, Logbook of the World and eQSL. A certificate will be available. For information visit <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> Now the DX news Bernhard, DL2GAC will be active in the Solomon Islands until the end of May. He plans to be QRV as H44MS from Malaita OC-047, daily until the end of April, with activity on the 80 to 6m bands using SSB and some FT8. QSL via his home call, direct or via the bureau. He will upload his log to Club Log and Logbook of the World when he returns home. James, KI7MGY will be in Djibouti until June and plans to operate as J28HJ on the 80, 40, 20, 17, 15 and 10m bands using SSB and FT8. QSL via Logbook of the World. HH75RCH is the special callsign for the Haiti Radio Club, established on the 29th of March 1948 to celebrate its 75th anniversary. The station will be active until the 1st of May. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, or via N2OO. Now the contest news On Tuesday the 18th of April, the 1.3GHz UK Activity contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 19th of April, the 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Thursday the 20th of April, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The Machine Generated Mode Contest starts its 24-hour run at 1400UTC next Saturday, the 22nd of April. Using machine-generated modes on the 6m and 2m bands, the exchange is a report and your four-character locator. The SP DX RTTY Contest starts its 24-hour run at 1200UTC on Saturday the 22nd of April. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Polish stations send their province code. The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group Sprint 75 Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC on Sunday the 23rd of April. Using 75 Baud RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is a serial number. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 13th of April 2023 A news item this week suggested that the peak of solar cycle 25 could be coming earlier than expected. According to a paper in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, by solar scientist Dr Scott Macintosh, the solar maximum may now be coming between late 2023 and mid-2024. So, make the most of the higher Solar Flux Index now! Solar activity picked up nicely over the past week. The solar flux index rose to 154 and there were eight active regions on the Sun’s visible face by Thursday the 13th. Nevertheless, daytime maximum usable frequencies, or MUFs, remain down a little, which has probably more to do with seasonal ionospheric changes than reduced sunspot activity. As we head towards Summer we will see the daytime F2-layer MUF decline further before it picks up again in the Autumn. We also saw some M- and C-class solar flare action this week, but this was not really enough to cause serious problems to the ionosphere. Next week NOAA predicts the Solar Flux Index will continue to increase, perhaps peaking at 160 around the 16th to 18th of April. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast for the 18th, perhaps with the Kp index rising to four. The forecast for International Marconi Day on the 22nd of April is for a Solar Flux Index of 155 and a declining Kp index of three, which bodes quite well for the event. In all, the Solar Flux Index is expected to be in the range of 140 to 160 for the rest of the month. And now the VHF and up propagation news A big contrast is coming next week, so it’s time to dust off the VHF gear again! The unsettled weather of this last week will make a complete swap over to more settled high-pressure systems next week.  Initially, on Sunday this will appear as a ridge over the North Sea from a large high over Scandinavia. This will then gradually extend across the country and will eventually be joined by a second high west of Britain.  The end result will be enhanced Tropo prospects in the coming week and potentially good conditions for the 23cm UK Activity Contest on Tuesday the 18th and the 4m UK Activity on Thursday the 20th. Those who enjoy rain scatter propagation in this current showery weather will have to look for other modes by Sunday, once the high pressure builds. As we are coming out of the Winter lull in meteor shower activity, with the medium-rate Lyrids peaking on the 23rd of April at 0100UTC with a Zenithal Hourly Rate, or ZHR, in the 20s, it's well worth a look for meteor scatter contacts. The end of April normally prompts a return of isolated Sporadic-E reports on the 10m band and perhaps even with data modes on 6m. The upper troposphere jet stream charts suggest it’s got some potential, especially between Mediterranean countries although not quite so positive for paths nearer to home. The solar conditions may continue to offer a random chance of some aurora, so remember to keep an eye on the Kp index if it goes above five.   For EME operators, the Moon perigee is on Sunday so path losses are at their lowest. Moon declination is rising, going positive on Tuesday meaning increasing Moon time and increasing peak elevation passes. 144MHz sky noise is low, but the Moon is close to the Sun on Wednesday and Thursday meaning high Sun noise for those days. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for April 16th 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 9th of April 2023 The news headlines: The RSGB’s Annual General Meeting RSGB Convention Presentations Ofcom Plan of Work for the 2023-24 year  The RSGB’s Annual General Meeting will be held online on Saturday the 15th of April. As well as the formal business of the meeting, there will be an announcement of the results of the Board Director elections. The President will give a video review of 2022 and the Society will announce the recipients of its annual awards and trophies, as well as the winners of its construction competition. At the end of the meeting, there will be a live presentation by RSGB Propagation Studies Committee Chair Steve Nichols, G0KYA who will look at the methods used to create the propagation report for GB2RS, including HF, VHF and Moon bounce. This year you will be able to ask questions at the AGM via the live chat on YouTube but if you have a question about the formal business, you must submit this in advance. If you are an RSGB member, don’t forget to vote for the two candidates that you would like to see as Board Directors for the next two years. You can find out more about each of them on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/candidates and then there is a link at the top and the bottom of the page to cast your vote. Read their personal statements, watch the videos and see if their background, skills and aspirations match your view of what the Society needs. The decision concerning who to vote for is entirely yours, but please do vote – it only takes a few minutes and will help to ensure that the RSGB Board reflects your views. You can find full details about the AGM on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/agm Over the Easter weekend, the RSGB will release two more presentations from its 2022 Convention. David Stansfield, G0EVV talks about the challenge and thrill of operating portable from mountain summits, whilst Olof Lundberg, G0CKV shares experiences from his DXpeditions to 3B8. Subscribe to the RSGB YouTube channel so you will be alerted when each presentation is available – go to youtube.com/theRSGB and subscribe! Ofcom has published a Statement on its proposed Plan of Work for the 2023 to 2024 year. The Statement describes plans for a review of amateur licensing arrangements. According to the document, consultation on the work is planned for the first quarter of the year. A subsequent statement is scheduled for the fourth quarter of the year. Once more details are available, the RSGB will review the consultation and provide guidance to UK amateurs on how to respond to Ofcom. To read the Statement in full visit www.ofcom.org.uk and choose the ‘Latest news’ option from the ‘News centre’ tab at the top of the page. The RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed on Monday the 17th of April for an essential upgrade to the radio equipment. We apologise for any inconvenience or disappointment this may cause. And now for details of rallies and events  Yeovil Amateur Radio Club’s 37th QRP Convention will take place on Saturday the 15th of April at The Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3AA. Doors open from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm and admission is £3. The Convention will feature talks, traders, bring and buy, club stalls and a café. For more information visit yeovil-arc.com or contact qrp@yeovil-arc.com The Cambridgeshire Repeater Group Rally will take place on Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Doors open at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. Admission is £3. The rally will feature talk-in, trade stands, bring and buy, an RSGB Bookstall and free car parking. For more information contact Lawrence, M0LCM on 07941 972 724, email rally2023@cambridgerepeaters.net and see the cambridgerepeaters.net website. The Holsworthy Spring Rally and Boot Sale will also take place on Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Holsworthy Livestock Market, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. There will be plenty of parking, wheelchair access and full catering available. The doors open to the public from 10 am. For more details contact the club secretary Ken, G7VJA via email at m0omc@m0omc.co.uk and visit the m0omc.co.uk website. The Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Rally, also known as both the ‘NARSA Rally’ and the ‘Blackpool Rally’, will take place on Sunday the 23rd of April. The venue will be Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool FY2 9AA. For more details contact Dave, M0OBW on 01270 761 608, email dwilson@btinternet.com or visit www.narsa.org.uk  Now the Special Event News Celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, DARC special event callsign DA23WARD will be active until the 18th of April. All QSOs will be confirmed automatically via the bureau. Direct cards will be managed via DL2VFR. Celebrating 100 years of broadcasting in Germany, special callsign DB100RDF will be in use until the 31st of December. QSL via the bureau, or direct to DO2PZ. LA100K is the special callsign for the Akademisk Radio Club, LA1K to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its foundation. Based in Trondheim, it is the oldest amateur radio club in Norway. The special callsign will be in use until the 31st of December. QSL via the bureau, or direct. VI10VKFF is the special callsign celebrating the 10th anniversary of the World Wide Flora and Fauna programme in Australia. It will be used from Australian parks until the end of 2023. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL or via VK5PAS.  Now the DX news James, KI7MGY will be in Djibouti until June and plans to operate as J28HJ on the 80, 40, 20, 17, 15 and 10m bands using SSB and FT8. QSL via Logbook of the World. Sunny, VU2CUW is a member of the 42nd Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica. He will be based at Maitri Station, Antarctica, AN-016, until November. In his spare time, he will be active as AT42I. QSL via VU2CRS. Diya, YI1DZ has been in Juba, South Sudan since the 13th of March and expects to remain there until the 22nd of April. He operates SSB and FT8 as Z81D in his spare time. QSL via Club Log's OQRS and Logbook of the World, or via OM3JW. Now the contest news Today, the 9th of April, the Worked All Britain Data Contest runs from 1000 to 1400UTC and from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using data modes on the 80 to 20m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square. On Monday the 10th of April, the Irish Radio Transmitters Society 70cm Counties Contest runs from 1300 to 1330UTC. Using FM and SSB on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. EI and GI stations also send their County code. Also on Monday the 10th of April, the Irish Radio Transmitters Society 2m Counties Contest runs from 1330 to 1500UTC. Using FM and SSB on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. EI and GI stations also send their County code. On Tuesday the 11th of April, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 11th of April, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 12th of April, the 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 12th of April, the 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Thursday the 13th of April, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.  Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 6th of April 2023 Solar activity declined this past week with the Sun looking distinctly spotless, other than active region 3270. In fact, this has even prompted some amateurs to question whether we are now past solar maximum for this cycle. Rest assured, we shouldn’t be, as it is pretty common for cycles to ebb and flow as they develop. Having said that, half of the Sun’s face is currently spotless, and NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will be in the range of 110 to 130 next week. Geomagnetically, things have been reasonably settled with the Kp index reaching a maximum of 4.67 over the past seven days. NOAA predicts that it could rise to four on the 10th and 11th of April but will otherwise stay pretty much as it is in the range of two to three. This may be due to a coronal hole that is currently making its way across the Sun’s face in a near-equatorial position. However, we may not have seen the last of the activity from active region 3270, which has increased in both size and magnetic complexity during the past 48 hours and could soon produce a moderate M-Flare. But, if you are reading or hearing this on Sunday, the region will be moving out of sight and is therefore no longer a threat. Daytime F2 critical frequencies at midday remain around 9 to 10MHz giving a maximum useable frequency, over a 3,000km path, of just over 28MHz. If 10m isn’t doing it for you we suggest moving down to 12 or 15m. Night-time F-layer critical frequencies are around 3 to 5MHz meaning MUFs over 3,000km are below 14MHz, leaving 3.5, 7 and 10MHz as the best bets for nocturnal DX. And now the VHF and up propagation news The current spell of high-pressure weather with enhanced Tropo, which turned up in time for the 2m UK Activity Contest on the 4th of April, is looking a bit vulnerable as active weather fronts come in from the Atlantic.  We are likely to have a brief change to unsettled conditions weather-wise before the start of the Easter weekend and again see some rain scatter opportunities on the GHz bands. Scandinavian highs are often long-lasting at this time of the year and this high will regain control by Good Friday and should dominate over the UK during the Easter weekend to give some useful tropo possibilities again. However, quite early next week a new powerful Atlantic jet stream pushes into northern France and will bring a return of unsettled weather and perhaps more rain scatter. The Sporadic-E season is approaching and the higher HF bands like 10m can show good examples of Es, even during the second half of April, so a good chance to get into the habit of checking your ‘go to’ list of 10m beacons as recently updated by Steve, G0KYA, on the propagation section of the RSGB website. The other defaults of auroral propagation have had a good run recently and random meteor scatter could also prove fruitful as we are soon ending the early year ‘drought’ of meteor showers with the arrival of the Lyrids later this month. For EME operators, Moon declination is negative and falling, reaching its minimum next Wednesday. Moon time will be limited to low-elevation passes, but with low path losses as we approach perigee on the 16th. 144MHz sky noise is increasing to a high of more than 2,000 Kelvin next Wednesday before falling back to the mid-200s the following Sunday. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 9th of April 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>The RSGB’s Annual General Meeting</li> <li>RSGB Convention Presentations</li> <li>Ofcom Plan of Work for the 2023-24 year</li> </ul> The RSGB’s Annual General Meeting will be held online on Saturday the 15th of April. As well as the formal business of the meeting, there will be an announcement of the results of the Board Director elections. The President will give a video review of 2022 and the Society will announce the recipients of its annual awards and trophies, as well as the winners of its construction competition. At the end of the meeting, there will be a live presentation by RSGB Propagation Studies Committee Chair Steve Nichols, G0KYA who will look at the methods used to create the propagation report for GB2RS, including HF, VHF and Moon bounce. This year you will be able to ask questions at the AGM via the live chat on YouTube but if you have a question about the formal business, you must submit this in advance. If you are an RSGB member, don’t forget to vote for the two candidates that you would like to see as Board Directors for the next two years. You can find out more about each of them on the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/candidates" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/candidates</a> and then there is a link at the top and the bottom of the page to cast your vote. Read their personal statements, watch the videos and see if their background, skills and aspirations match your view of what the Society needs. The decision concerning who to vote for is entirely yours, but please do vote – it only takes a few minutes and will help to ensure that the RSGB Board reflects your views. You can find full details about the AGM on the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/agm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/agm</a> Over the Easter weekend, the RSGB will release two more presentations from its 2022 Convention. David Stansfield, G0EVV talks about the challenge and thrill of operating portable from mountain summits, whilst Olof Lundberg, G0CKV shares experiences from his DXpeditions to 3B8. Subscribe to the RSGB YouTube channel so you will be alerted when each presentation is available – go to <a href="http://youtube.com/theRSGB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/theRSGB</a> and subscribe! Ofcom has published a Statement on its proposed Plan of Work for the 2023 to 2024 year. The Statement describes plans for a review of amateur licensing arrangements. According to the document, consultation on the work is planned for the first quarter of the year. A subsequent statement is scheduled for the fourth quarter of the year. Once more details are available, the RSGB will review the consultation and provide guidance to UK amateurs on how to respond to Ofcom. To read the Statement in full visit <a href="http://www.ofcom.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.ofcom.org.uk</a> and choose the ‘Latest news’ option from the ‘News centre’ tab at the top of the page. The RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed on Monday the 17th of April for an essential upgrade to the radio equipment. We apologise for any inconvenience or disappointment this may cause. And now for details of rallies and events Yeovil Amateur Radio Club’s 37th QRP Convention will take place on Saturday the 15th of April at The Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3AA. Doors open from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm and admission is £3. The Convention will feature talks, traders, bring and buy, club stalls and a café. For more information visit <a href="http://yeovil-arc.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">yeovil-arc.com</a> or contact qrp@yeovil<a href="http://-arc.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">-arc.com</a> The Cambridgeshire Repeater Group Rally will take place on Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Doors open at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. Admission is £3. The rally will feature talk-in, trade stands, bring and buy, an RSGB Bookstall and free car parking. For more information contact Lawrence, M0LCM on 07941 972 724, email rally2023@cambridgerepeaters.net and see the <a href="http://cambridgerepeaters.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">cambridgerepeaters.net</a> website. The Holsworthy Spring Rally and Boot Sale will also take place on Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Holsworthy Livestock Market, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. There will be plenty of parking, wheelchair access and full catering available. The doors open to the public from 10 am. For more details contact the club secretary Ken, G7VJA via email at m0omc@m0omc.co.uk and visit the <a href="http://m0omc.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">m0omc.co.uk</a> website. The Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Rally, also known as both the ‘NARSA Rally’ and the ‘Blackpool Rally’, will take place on Sunday the 23rd of April. The venue will be Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool FY2 9AA. For more details contact Dave, M0OBW on 01270 761 608, email dwilson@btinternet.com or visit <a href="http://www.narsa.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.narsa.org.uk</a>  Now the Special Event News Celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, DARC special event callsign DA23WARD will be active until the 18th of April. All QSOs will be confirmed automatically via the bureau. Direct cards will be managed via DL2VFR. Celebrating 100 years of broadcasting in Germany, special callsign DB100RDF will be in use until the 31st of December. QSL via the bureau, or direct to DO2PZ. LA100K is the special callsign for the Akademisk Radio Club, LA1K to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its foundation. Based in Trondheim, it is the oldest amateur radio club in Norway. The special callsign will be in use until the 31st of December. QSL via the bureau, or direct. VI10VKFF is the special callsign celebrating the 10th anniversary of the World Wide Flora and Fauna programme in Australia. It will be used from Australian parks until the end of 2023. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL or via VK5PAS.  Now the DX news James, KI7MGY will be in Djibouti until June and plans to operate as J28HJ on the 80, 40, 20, 17, 15 and 10m bands using SSB and FT8. QSL via Logbook of the World. Sunny, VU2CUW is a member of the 42nd Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica. He will be based at Maitri Station, Antarctica, AN-016, until November. In his spare time, he will be active as AT42I. QSL via VU2CRS. Diya, YI1DZ has been in Juba, South Sudan since the 13th of March and expects to remain there until the 22nd of April. He operates SSB and FT8 as Z81D in his spare time. QSL via Club Log's OQRS and Logbook of the World, or via OM3JW. Now the contest news Today, the 9th of April, the Worked All Britain Data Contest runs from 1000 to 1400UTC and from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using data modes on the 80 to 20m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square. On Monday the 10th of April, the Irish Radio Transmitters Society 70cm Counties Contest runs from 1300 to 1330UTC. Using FM and SSB on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. EI and GI stations also send their County code. Also on Monday the 10th of April, the Irish Radio Transmitters Society 2m Counties Contest runs from 1330 to 1500UTC. Using FM and SSB on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. EI and GI stations also send their County code. On Tuesday the 11th of April, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 11th of April, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 12th of April, the 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 12th of April, the 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Thursday the 13th of April, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.  Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 6th of April 2023 Solar activity declined this past week with the Sun looking distinctly spotless, other than active region 3270. In fact, this has even prompted some amateurs to question whether we are now past solar maximum for this cycle. Rest assured, we shouldn’t be, as it is pretty common for cycles to ebb and flow as they develop. Having said that, half of the Sun’s face is currently spotless, and NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will be in the range of 110 to 130 next week. Geomagnetically, things have been reasonably settled with the Kp index reaching a maximum of 4.67 over the past seven days. NOAA predicts that it could rise to four on the 10th and 11th of April but will otherwise stay pretty much as it is in the range of two to three. This may be due to a coronal hole that is currently making its way across the Sun’s face in a near-equatorial position. However, we may not have seen the last of the activity from active region 3270, which has increased in both size and magnetic complexity during the past 48 hours and could soon produce a moderate M-Flare. But, if you are reading or hearing this on Sunday, the region will be moving out of sight and is therefore no longer a threat. Daytime F2 critical frequencies at midday remain around 9 to 10MHz giving a maximum useable frequency, over a 3,000km path, of just over 28MHz. If 10m isn’t doing it for you we suggest moving down to 12 or 15m. Night-time F-layer critical frequencies are around 3 to 5MHz meaning MUFs over 3,000km are below 14MHz, leaving 3.5, 7 and 10MHz as the best bets for nocturnal DX. And now the VHF and up propagation news The current spell of high-pressure weather with enhanced Tropo, which turned up in time for the 2m UK Activity Contest on the 4th of April, is looking a bit vulnerable as active weather fronts come in from the Atlantic.  We are likely to have a brief change to unsettled conditions weather-wise before the start of the Easter weekend and again see some rain scatter opportunities on the GHz bands. Scandinavian highs are often long-lasting at this time of the year and this high will regain control by Good Friday and should dominate over the UK during the Easter weekend to give some useful tropo possibilities again. However, quite early next week a new powerful Atlantic jet stream pushes into northern France and will bring a return of unsettled weather and perhaps more rain scatter. The Sporadic-E season is approaching and the higher HF bands like 10m can show good examples of Es, even during the second half of April, so a good chance to get into the habit of checking your ‘go to’ list of 10m beacons as recently updated by Steve, G0KYA, on the propagation section of the RSGB website. The other defaults of auroral propagation have had a good run recently and random meteor scatter could also prove fruitful as we are soon ending the early year ‘drought’ of meteor showers with the arrival of the Lyrids later this month. For EME operators, Moon declination is negative and falling, reaching its minimum next Wednesday. Moon time will be limited to low-elevation passes, but with low path losses as we approach perigee on the 16th. 144MHz sky noise is increasing to a high of more than 2,000 Kelvin next Wednesday before falling back to the mid-200s the following Sunday. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for April 9th 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 2nd of April 2023 The news headlines: March 2023 edition of RadCom Basics Coronation activities Nominated Director vacancy    The March 2023 edition of RadCom Basics is now available on the RSGB website for Members to read. It is for new licensees or anyone who wants an introduction to a different aspect of amateur radio. This edition features articles which cover: QRP operating, an introduction to Andy’s Ham Radio Linux software, basic fault finding and how to have fun on the 10m band. To read RadCom Basics visit rsgb.org/radcom-basics The RSGB has just published a new section on its website with further details of its Coronation celebration activities. More information will be added over the coming weeks so do check back for updates. Go to rsgb.org/coronation to find out more. The resignation of Richard Horton, G4AOJ has left an RSGB Board vacancy for a Nominated Director. The Society needs to embrace new methods of working to help meet the changing needs of the amateur community. Candidates with experience in change management, for example, would be welcomed. The RSGB needs a strong and effective Board; this could be your opportunity to be part of that. To find out more, go to the volunteer vacancies section of the RSGB website at rsgb.org/volunteers or, for an informal discussion, please email Nominations Committee Chair Stephen Purser, GW4SHF at nominations.chair@rsgb.org.uk The RSGB’s Tonight@8 live webinar series continues this Monday the 3rd of April with a presentation called “Sheep Worrier: A High Altitude Balloon Flight and Recovery System” by Heather Nickalls, M0HMO. Heather will cover an introduction to flying High Altitude Balloons, the radio systems involved, some science experiments she did on her flights, the recovery system developed to help find the payload when it lands and, of course, lots of pictures from ‘almost’ the edge of space. You can ask questions live during the presentation via the RSGB YouTube channel or the special BATC channel. Find out more about this and other webinars on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/webinars Matthew Smith, M0VWS is moving on from his role as RadCom Technical Editor to pursue other opportunities. The RSGB thanks Matthew for all his work and wishes him well for the future. The RSGB is now seeking to recruit a new Technical Editor for RadCom. Reporting to the Managing Editor, the successful candidate will need a wide range of radio and electronic knowledge, including amateur radio. The RSGB is looking for someone positive, enthusiastic about technology, has an excellent command of English and has a good eye for detail. For more information about the role and how to apply, see rsgb.org/careers   And now for details of rallies and events  The Hack Green Military Surplus and Military Radio Hanger Sale is taking place today, Sunday the 2nd of April. The venue is Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 8AL. The sale includes electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio items and vehicle spares. For more information email coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk or visit www.hackgreen.co.uk Yeovil Amateur Radio Club’s 37th QRP Convention will take place on Saturday the 15th of April at The Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3AA. Doors open from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm and admission is £3. The Convention will feature talks, traders, bring and buy, club stalls and a café. For more information visit yeovil-arc.com or contact qrp@yeovil-arc.com The Cambridgeshire Repeater Group Rally will take place on Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Doors open at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. Admission is £3. The rally will feature a talk-in, trade stands, bring and buy, an RSGB Bookstall and free car parking. For more information contact Lawrence, M0LCM on 07941 972 724, email rally2023@cambridgerepeaters.net and see the cambridgerepeaters.net website. The Holsworthy Spring Rally and Boot Sale will also take place on Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Holsworthy Livestock Market, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. There will be plenty of parking, wheelchair access and full catering available. The doors open to the public from 10 am. For more details contact the club secretary Ken, G7VJA via email at m0omc@m0omc.co.uk and visit the m0omc.co.uk website. Now the Special Event News Celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, DARC special event callsign DA23WARD will be active until the 18th of April. All QSOs will be confirmed automatically via the bureau. Direct cards will be managed via DL2VFR. Special callsign II1CAI will be active until the 30th of June. The callsign celebrates the 100th anniversary of the local section of the Italian Alpine Club, founded in 1863. QSL via IQ1NO. 9M8SOTA and 9M8BOTA are the special callsigns that 9M8HAZ and others will be using during 2023 while operating from various mountains and beaches in Sarawak, East Malaysia. QSL for both callsigns via 9M8HAZ directly or, via Logbook of the World and Club Log. OE40XTU is the special callsign being used by OE1XTU, the Amateur Radio Club at the Vienna University of Technology during 2023 to celebrate its 40th anniversary. QSL via eQSL is preferred. QSL via Logbook of the World is also accepted. Paper cards requested via Club Log's OQRS will be issued in early 2024.  Now the DX news Luca, HB9OBD will be active as D44KIT from Sal Island, Cape Verde, AF-086, until the 5th of April. He will operate SSB and FT8 on the 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL, or via EB7DX. Pierre, VK3KTB will be active as VY0ERC from the Eureka Amateur Radio Club station on Ellesmere Island, NA-008, until the 12th of April. He will be operating using SSB, FT8 and CW on the 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10m bands. QSL via M0OXO's OQRS page. Diya, YI1DZ has been in Juba, South Sudan since the 13th of March and expects to remain there until the 22nd of April. He operates SSB and FT8 as Z81D in his spare time. QSL via Club Log's OQRS and Logbook of the World, or via OM3JW. Bernhard, DL2GAC will be active in the Solomon Islands until the end of April. He plans to operate as H44MS from Malaita, OC-047, on a daily basis. He will be operating on the 80 to 6m bands using SSB and some FT8. QSL via his home call, direct or via the bureau. He will upload his log to Club Log and Logbook of the World when he returns home.   Now the contest news Today, Sunday the 2nd of April, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using All modes on the 1.3 to 3.4GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The SP DX Contest began yesterday, Saturday the 1st of April, at 1500UTC. The contest ends today, Sunday the 2nd of April at 1500UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Polish stations send their province code. On Monday the 3rd of April, the 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Tuesday the 4th of April, the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also, on Tuesday the 4th of April, the 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 5th of April, the 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also, on Wednesday the 5th of April, the 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. Also, on Wednesday the 5th of April, the UK and Ireland Contest Club Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator. Next Sunday, the 9th of April, the Worked All Britain Data Contest runs from 1000 to 1400UTC and from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using data modes on the 80 to 20m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square.  Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 30th of March 2023 We were right in our prediction about the effects of the large solar coronal hole last week, which saw the Kp index peak at 7.67 with widespread aurora visible from the UK, even in the south. This was probably the most significant geomagnetic event we have had so far in this solar cycle. Last week saw another X1.2 solar flare erupt on the Sun. This one erupted from active region 3256 on the 29th of March at 0233UTC. It didn’t impact the ionosphere over the UK, but a fadeout was observed over the Pacific region. This was the seventh major solar flare since 2023 began. The Sun has now matched 2022’s total –and it's only March! The associated CME off the southwestern limb of the Sun was modelled and determined to be well ahead of the Earth’s orbit. This means that we are unlikely to see the Kp index rise as a result of this event. This region also produced an M1.2 flare that peaked around 1407UTC and an M1.1 flare at 2347UTC. The earlier flare didn’t seem to affect the ionosphere too much according to the ionosonde data. A minor solar wind stream is heading for Earth and is due on Saturday the 1st of April. The material is flowing from a relatively small coronal hole in the Sun's atmosphere, but it is on the equator and very Earth-centric. Expect Arctic auroras and an elevated Kp index when the solar wind arrives this weekend. The SFI remained fairly static, around 160, earlier in the week but then declined to 148 on Thursday the 30th. NOAA predicts that this decline will continue next week, perhaps down to the low 130s. Once the weekend’s geomagnetic conditions recover, NOAA predicts that the rest of the week should be quite settled. This is good news for HF propagation, although do continue to watch out for solar flares and CME activity which could affect conditions and MUFs. And now the VHF and up propagation news We have three phases of weather to consider over the next week. Forecasts predicted an unsettled weekend with rain and strong winds, so should have provided a focus for rain scatter on the GHz bands. The weekend ends with developing high pressure which lasts into early next week. There is good potential for some tropo from Sunday afternoon until about Tuesday lunchtime. At the time of writing, the best paths are likely to be from southern England into the near continent, also via Biscay to northern Spain and across the southern North Sea to Denmark. The third phase occurs when the high moves to the south to allow fronts to move in from the Atlantic across northern Britain, but possibly still leaving tropo into France and across Biscay. Later in the week, the high pressure may head back north again to reintroduce tropo to northern areas. The Sporadic-E season is fast approaching, typically from mid-April on 10m. If anything does happen before then, check the propquest.co.uk website for the Es blog tab, which shows the current day’s jet streams and will maybe provide a clue for which direction to beam. Remember to look for aurora if the Kp index reaches five or more and, of course, meteor scatter around dawn for those random meteor QSOs.  For EME operators, Moon declination is positive until Wednesday, so still plenty of Moon time to get some QSOs in. Perigee was last Thursday, so path losses are now falling. 144MHz sky noise is low, rising slowly throughout the week. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 2nd of April 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>March 2023 edition of RadCom Basics</li> <li>Coronation activities</li> <li>Nominated Director vacancy</li> </ul> The March 2023 edition of RadCom Basics is now available on the RSGB website for Members to read. It is for new licensees or anyone who wants an introduction to a different aspect of amateur radio. This edition features articles which cover: QRP operating, an introduction to Andy’s Ham Radio Linux software, basic fault finding and how to have fun on the 10m band. To read RadCom Basics visit <a href="http://rsgb.org/radcom-basics" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/radcom-basics</a> The RSGB has just published a new section on its website with further details of its Coronation celebration activities. More information will be added over the coming weeks so do check back for updates. Go to <a href="http://rsgb.org/coronation" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/coronation</a> to find out more. The resignation of Richard Horton, G4AOJ has left an RSGB Board vacancy for a Nominated Director. The Society needs to embrace new methods of working to help meet the changing needs of the amateur community. Candidates with experience in change management, for example, would be welcomed. The RSGB needs a strong and effective Board; this could be your opportunity to be part of that. To find out more, go to the volunteer vacancies section of the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/volunteers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/volunteers</a> or, for an informal discussion, please email Nominations Committee Chair Stephen Purser, GW4SHF at nominations.chair@rsgb.org.uk The RSGB’s Tonight@8 live webinar series continues this Monday the 3rd of April with a presentation called “Sheep Worrier: A High Altitude Balloon Flight and Recovery System” by Heather Nickalls, M0HMO. Heather will cover an introduction to flying High Altitude Balloons, the radio systems involved, some science experiments she did on her flights, the recovery system developed to help find the payload when it lands and, of course, lots of pictures from ‘almost’ the edge of space. You can ask questions live during the presentation via the RSGB YouTube channel or the special BATC channel. Find out more about this and other webinars on the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/webinars" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/webinars</a> Matthew Smith, M0VWS is moving on from his role as RadCom Technical Editor to pursue other opportunities. The RSGB thanks Matthew for all his work and wishes him well for the future. The RSGB is now seeking to recruit a new Technical Editor for RadCom. Reporting to the Managing Editor, the successful candidate will need a wide range of radio and electronic knowledge, including amateur radio. The RSGB is looking for someone positive, enthusiastic about technology, has an excellent command of English and has a good eye for detail. For more information about the role and how to apply, see <a href="http://rsgb.org/careers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/careers</a> And now for details of rallies and events The Hack Green Military Surplus and Military Radio Hanger Sale is taking place today, Sunday the 2nd of April. The venue is Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 8AL. The sale includes electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio items and vehicle spares. For more information email <a href="mailto:coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk">coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk</a> or visit <a href="http://www.hackgreen.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.hackgreen.co.uk</a> Yeovil Amateur Radio Club’s 37th QRP Convention will take place on Saturday the 15th of April at The Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3AA. Doors open from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm and admission is £3. The Convention will feature talks, traders, bring and buy, club stalls and a café. For more information visit <a href="http://yeovil-arc.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">yeovil-arc.com</a> or contact qrp@yeovil<a href="http://-arc.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">-arc.com</a> The Cambridgeshire Repeater Group Rally will take place on Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Doors open at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. Admission is £3. The rally will feature a talk-in, trade stands, bring and buy, an RSGB Bookstall and free car parking. For more information contact Lawrence, M0LCM on 07941 972 724, email rally2023@cambridgerepeaters.net and see the <a href="http://cambridgerepeaters.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">cambridgerepeaters.net</a> website. The Holsworthy Spring Rally and Boot Sale will also take place on Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Holsworthy Livestock Market, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. There will be plenty of parking, wheelchair access and full catering available. The doors open to the public from 10 am. For more details contact the club secretary Ken, G7VJA via email at m0omc@m0omc.co.uk and visit the <a href="http://m0omc.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">m0omc.co.uk</a> website. Now the Special Event News Celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, DARC special event callsign DA23WARD will be active until the 18th of April. All QSOs will be confirmed automatically via the bureau. Direct cards will be managed via DL2VFR. Special callsign II1CAI will be active until the 30th of June. The callsign celebrates the 100th anniversary of the local section of the Italian Alpine Club, founded in 1863. QSL via IQ1NO. 9M8SOTA and 9M8BOTA are the special callsigns that 9M8HAZ and others will be using during 2023 while operating from various mountains and beaches in Sarawak, East Malaysia. QSL for both callsigns via 9M8HAZ directly or, via Logbook of the World and Club Log. OE40XTU is the special callsign being used by OE1XTU, the Amateur Radio Club at the Vienna University of Technology during 2023 to celebrate its 40th anniversary. QSL via eQSL is preferred. QSL via Logbook of the World is also accepted. Paper cards requested via Club Log's OQRS will be issued in early 2024.  Now the DX news Luca, HB9OBD will be active as D44KIT from Sal Island, Cape Verde, AF-086, until the 5th of April. He will operate SSB and FT8 on the 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL, or via EB7DX. Pierre, VK3KTB will be active as VY0ERC from the Eureka Amateur Radio Club station on Ellesmere Island, NA-008, until the 12th of April. He will be operating using SSB, FT8 and CW on the 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10m bands. QSL via M0OXO's OQRS page. Diya, YI1DZ has been in Juba, South Sudan since the 13th of March and expects to remain there until the 22nd of April. He operates SSB and FT8 as Z81D in his spare time. QSL via Club Log's OQRS and Logbook of the World, or via OM3JW. Bernhard, DL2GAC will be active in the Solomon Islands until the end of April. He plans to operate as H44MS from Malaita, OC-047, on a daily basis. He will be operating on the 80 to 6m bands using SSB and some FT8. QSL via his home call, direct or via the bureau. He will upload his log to Club Log and Logbook of the World when he returns home. Now the contest news Today, Sunday the 2nd of April, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using All modes on the 1.3 to 3.4GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The SP DX Contest began yesterday, Saturday the 1st of April, at 1500UTC. The contest ends today, Sunday the 2nd of April at 1500UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Polish stations send their province code. On Monday the 3rd of April, the 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Tuesday the 4th of April, the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also, on Tuesday the 4th of April, the 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 5th of April, the 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also, on Wednesday the 5th of April, the 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. Also, on Wednesday the 5th of April, the UK and Ireland Contest Club Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator. Next Sunday, the 9th of April, the Worked All Britain Data Contest runs from 1000 to 1400UTC and from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using data modes on the 80 to 20m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square.  Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 30th of March 2023 We were right in our prediction about the effects of the large solar coronal hole last week, which saw the Kp index peak at 7.67 with widespread aurora visible from the UK, even in the south. This was probably the most significant geomagnetic event we have had so far in this solar cycle. Last week saw another X1.2 solar flare erupt on the Sun. This one erupted from active region 3256 on the 29th of March at 0233UTC. It didn’t impact the ionosphere over the UK, but a fadeout was observed over the Pacific region. This was the seventh major solar flare since 2023 began. The Sun has now matched 2022’s total –and it's only March! The associated CME off the southwestern limb of the Sun was modelled and determined to be well ahead of the Earth’s orbit. This means that we are unlikely to see the Kp index rise as a result of this event. This region also produced an M1.2 flare that peaked around 1407UTC and an M1.1 flare at 2347UTC. The earlier flare didn’t seem to affect the ionosphere too much according to the ionosonde data. A minor solar wind stream is heading for Earth and is due on Saturday the 1st of April. The material is flowing from a relatively small coronal hole in the Sun's atmosphere, but it is on the equator and very Earth-centric. Expect Arctic auroras and an elevated Kp index when the solar wind arrives this weekend. The SFI remained fairly static, around 160, earlier in the week but then declined to 148 on Thursday the 30th. NOAA predicts that this decline will continue next week, perhaps down to the low 130s. Once the weekend’s geomagnetic conditions recover, NOAA predicts that the rest of the week should be quite settled. This is good news for HF propagation, although do continue to watch out for solar flares and CME activity which could affect conditions and MUFs. And now the VHF and up propagation news We have three phases of weather to consider over the next week. Forecasts predicted an unsettled weekend with rain and strong winds, so should have provided a focus for rain scatter on the GHz bands. The weekend ends with developing high pressure which lasts into early next week. There is good potential for some tropo from Sunday afternoon until about Tuesday lunchtime. At the time of writing, the best paths are likely to be from southern England into the near continent, also via Biscay to northern Spain and across the southern North Sea to Denmark. The third phase occurs when the high moves to the south to allow fronts to move in from the Atlantic across northern Britain, but possibly still leaving tropo into France and across Biscay. Later in the week, the high pressure may head back north again to reintroduce tropo to northern areas. The Sporadic-E season is fast approaching, typically from mid-April on 10m. If anything does happen before then, check the <a href="http://propquest.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">propquest.co.uk</a> website for the Es blog tab, which shows the current day’s jet streams and will maybe provide a clue for which direction to beam. Remember to look for aurora if the Kp index reaches five or more and, of course, meteor scatter around dawn for those random meteor QSOs.  For EME operators, Moon declination is positive until Wednesday, so still plenty of Moon time to get some QSOs in. Perigee was last Thursday, so path losses are now falling. 144MHz sky noise is low, rising slowly throughout the week. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for April 2nd 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 26th of March 2023 The news headlines: RSGB Elections RSGB Membership and communications Coronation regional secondary locator    If you are an RSGB Member, don’t forget to vote for the two candidates that you would like to see as Board Directors for the next two years. You can find out more about each of them on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/candidates and then there is a link at the top and the bottom of the page to cast your vote. Read their personal statements, watch the videos and see if their background, skills and aspirations match your view of what the Society needs. The decision about who to vote for is entirely yours, but please do vote – it only takes a few minutes and will help to ensure that the RSGB Board reflects your views.  As the RSGB continues to expand the use of its new Membership and management systems, it will make greater use of electronic communications to advise Members of important changes to their fees, benefits and offers as well as to send notifications for important publications and events. If you are an RSGB Member, please remember to keep your preferences and personal information up to date, including your callsign and email address, by logging into the Society’s Membership portal via rsgb.org/members or by contacting membership@rsgb.org.uk As part of our Coronation celebration activities, Ofcom has approved “R” as the optional Coronation regional secondary locator prefix for all UK radio amateurs to use during May and June 2023. You will need to apply for a Notice of Variation – or NoV – and the form is now available on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/nov A group of radio amateurs in Jersey will be using a special event callsign GB3KCJ as part of the Coronation celebrations. An opportunity exists for groups in each of the UK Nations who have a regional secondary locator, and the Crown Dependencies, to apply for similar special event callsigns. Applications for special event callsigns can be made through the Ofcom web portal, as usual. Using the same format as the Jersey special event station callsign, applicants might consider the following if they are available: Scotland: GB3KCM; Wales: GB3KCW; Northern Ireland: GB3KCI; Guernsey: GB3KCU; and the Isle of Man: GB3KCD. The RSGB’s Tonight@8 summer programme begins on Monday the 15th of May when Jack Purdum, W8TEE and Al Peter, AC8GY will talk about “The T41-EP ALPS: A High-Performance CW Decoder”. Jack and Al collaborated to build the T41-EP, a seven-band, 20W, CW/SSB SDR transceiver but this presentation is chiefly about how they developed the high-performance CW decoder. The two were awarded the RSGB’s Bennett Prize in 2021 for their article on their “Double-Double Magnetic Loop” antenna article in the February 2020 issue of RadCom. Full details of all the webinars in the summer programme are on our website – there are some great topics, so take a look and put the dates in your diary! Go to rsgb.org/webinars to find out more. If you are an RSGB Member who is interested in online webinars and events, don’t miss out! Log into the RSGB Members’ portal, choose the preferences tab and click the online events option. The RSGB will be using this mailing list in future to send out details of forthcoming online events, for example, the packed programme of Tonight@8 live webinars that are booked until July. Go to rsgb.org/members   And now for details of rallies and events  The Hack Green Military Surplus and Military Radio Hanger Sale will take place on Sunday the 2nd of April. The venue will be Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 8AL. The sale will include electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio items and vehicle spares. For more information email coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk or visit www.hackgreen.co.uk Yeovil Amateur Radio Club’s 37th QRP Convention will take place on Saturday the 15th of April at The Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3AA. Doors open from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm and admission is £3. The Convention will feature talks, traders, bring and buy, club stalls and a café. For more information visit yeovil-arc.com or contact qrp@yeovil-arc.com The Cambridgeshire Repeater Group Rally will take place on Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Doors open at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. Admission is £3. The rally will feature a talk-in, trade stands, bring and buy, an RSGB Bookstall and free car parking. For more information contact Lawrence, M0LCM on 07941 972 724, email rally2023@cambridgerepeaters.net and see the cambridgerepeaters.net website. The Holsworthy Spring Rally and Boot Sale will also take place on Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Holsworthy Livestock Market, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. There will be plenty of parking, wheelchair access and full catering available. The doors open to the public from 10 am. For more details contact the club secretary Ken, G7VJA via email at m0omc@m0omc.co.uk and visit the m0omc.co.uk website.   Now the Special Event News In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China on the 1st of July 1997, Hong Kong licensed amateurs are granted the use of the special prefix VR25 until the 30th of June 2023. The VR2 Contest Club and the Hong Kong Amateur Radio Transmitting Society will be using VR25CC and VR25HK, respectively. YR1400VT is the special callsign that members of Radio Club YO6KGS will be using until the 30th of June 2023 to popularise the newly inaugurated Via Transilvanica, a long-distance trail used for hiking, cycling and horse riding that crosses Romania. More information can be found on QRZ.com QSL via eQSL. 9A66AA is the special callsign that Tom, 9A2AA will be using throughout 2023 to mark his 66th year in amateur radio. QSL via Tom's home call.   Now the DX news Neville, G3RFS will be active as 6Y5FS from Jamaica, NA-097, until the 29th of March. He will operate mainly using CW and some SSB. QSL via Logbook of the World, Club Log's OQRS, or via G4BWP. Rich, PA0RRS will be active as 9M2MRS from Penang Island, AS-015, West Malaysia until the 29th of March. He will operate using CW most of the time but will also use RTTY, FT8 and FT4 on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS is preferred, but also via Logbook of the World, or via PA0RRS. Willy, ON4AVT will be active as 6W7/ON4AVT from Warang, Senegal until the 31st of March. He usually operates using FT8, with some SSB and CW, on the 80 to 10m bands. He will also be available on the QO-100 satellite. QSL via Club Log's OQRS is preferred, or via his home call. Lars, SM6NT will be active as HS0ZME from Hua Hin, Thailand until the 2nd of  April 2023. He will operate mainly CW on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via SM6NT.   Now the contest news The CQ Worldwide WPX SSB Contest started at 0000UTC on Saturday the 25th of March and ends at 2359UTC today, Sunday the 26th of March. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Monday the 27th of March, the FT4 Series Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using FT4 on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is your report. On Tuesday the 28th of March, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1930 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 29th of March, the UK and Ireland Contest Club Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator. On Saturday the 1st of April, the FT4 International Activity Day runs from 0800 to 2000UTC. Using FT4 on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report. The SP DX Contest starts at 1500UTC on Saturday the 1st of April and runs until 1500UTC on Sunday the 2nd of April. Using CW and SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Polish stations send their province code. On Sunday the 2nd of April, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using All modes on the 1.3 to 3.4GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.   Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday 23rd of March 2023 The solar flux index dipped a little last week, down to 148, but it didn’t last long and was back up to 159 by Thursday the 23rd. We were free of major solar flares with only one M-class flare occurring on the 20th. Geomagnetic conditions were mainly settled as well, but that could change this weekend thanks to a large coronal hole. The massive coronal hole on the Sun became Earth-facing on Thursday. A coronal hole is an area on the Sun’s surface with open magnetic field lines, which allows plasma to flow out. They appear dark when photographed in extreme UV light. Although the bulk of the hole is south of the Sun’s equator, a long finger reaches out to the equator, which makes it a potential threat to Earth. All eyes will be on the Kp index over the weekend as we expect it to increase, possibly dramatically as the solar wind impacts us. Solar wind speeds are likely to be in excess of 600km/s and continue into the weekend, resulting in isolated G1 storm levels. Keep an eye on solarham.net for updates. We are now at the spring equinox, so it is prime time for auroral activity. The spring equinox traditionally brings greater solar activity which results in an increased frequency of auroral displays. It is also a prime time for north-south HF paths, such as the UK to South Africa, and the UK to South America. Next week, the US Air Force predicts that the solar flux index will decline slightly to bring it into the range of 130 to 140. Once the weekend’s solar storm declines, we may expect a few days of relatively calm geomagnetic conditions before another period of unsettled space weather is predicted for Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st. This could see the Kp index rise to five once again.   And now the VHF and up propagation news The overall unsettled nature of the current weather pattern is likely to continue for much of the period through to the end of next week, except for a brief ridge of high pressure crossing the country after the weekend. This might offer the only tropo potential for VHF operators. The rest of the time will probably be beset by bands of rain, showers and, at times, strong winds and introduce the prospect of some rain scatter on the GHz bands. It’s a week to focus on fleeting tropo, rain scatter and aurora as modes of choice. As we said earlier, the aurora is worth looking out for since the solar conditions are still very disturbed. As usual, good indicators are the Kp index values, which ideally should be five or greater to get our attention. The meteor shower calendar is still in its quiet period, and with no major showers to look for, it would be best to try your luck with random meteors, which tend to peak just before dawn. The Sporadic-E season has not started yet but is getting closer, say from mid-April on 10m, perhaps. For EME operators, Moon declination reaches maximum next Tuesday meaning long Moon availability windows. Path losses increase throughout the week and 144MHz sky noise starts out moderate, falling to low next weekend. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 26th of March 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>RSGB Elections</li> <li>RSGB Membership and communications</li> <li>Coronation regional secondary locator</li> </ul> If you are an RSGB Member, don’t forget to vote for the two candidates that you would like to see as Board Directors for the next two years. You can find out more about each of them on the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/candidates" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/candidates</a> and then there is a link at the top and the bottom of the page to cast your vote. Read their personal statements, watch the videos and see if their background, skills and aspirations match your view of what the Society needs. The decision about who to vote for is entirely yours, but please do vote – it only takes a few minutes and will help to ensure that the RSGB Board reflects your views.  As the RSGB continues to expand the use of its new Membership and management systems, it will make greater use of electronic communications to advise Members of important changes to their fees, benefits and offers as well as to send notifications for important publications and events. If you are an RSGB Member, please remember to keep your preferences and personal information up to date, including your callsign and email address, by logging into the Society’s Membership portal via <a href="http://rsgb.org/members" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/members</a> or by contacting membership@rsgb.org.uk As part of our Coronation celebration activities, Ofcom has approved “R” as the optional Coronation regional secondary locator prefix for all UK radio amateurs to use during May and June 2023. You will need to apply for a Notice of Variation – or NoV – and the form is now available on the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/nov" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/nov</a> A group of radio amateurs in Jersey will be using a special event callsign GB3KCJ as part of the Coronation celebrations. An opportunity exists for groups in each of the UK Nations who have a regional secondary locator, and the Crown Dependencies, to apply for similar special event callsigns. Applications for special event callsigns can be made through the Ofcom web portal, as usual. Using the same format as the Jersey special event station callsign, applicants might consider the following if they are available: Scotland: GB3KCM; Wales: GB3KCW; Northern Ireland: GB3KCI; Guernsey: GB3KCU; and the Isle of Man: GB3KCD. The RSGB’s Tonight@8 summer programme begins on Monday the 15th of May when Jack Purdum, W8TEE and Al Peter, AC8GY will talk about “The T41-EP ALPS: A High-Performance CW Decoder”. Jack and Al collaborated to build the T41-EP, a seven-band, 20W, CW/SSB SDR transceiver but this presentation is chiefly about how they developed the high-performance CW decoder. The two were awarded the RSGB’s Bennett Prize in 2021 for their article on their “Double-Double Magnetic Loop” antenna article in the February 2020 issue of RadCom. Full details of all the webinars in the summer programme are on our website – there are some great topics, so take a look and put the dates in your diary! Go to <a href="http://rsgb.org/webinars" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/webinars</a> to find out more. If you are an RSGB Member who is interested in online webinars and events, don’t miss out! Log into the RSGB Members’ portal, choose the preferences tab and click the online events option. The RSGB will be using this mailing list in future to send out details of forthcoming online events, for example, the packed programme of Tonight@8 live webinars that are booked until July. Go to <a href="http://rsgb.org/members" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/members</a> And now for details of rallies and events The Hack Green Military Surplus and Military Radio Hanger Sale will take place on Sunday the 2nd of April. The venue will be Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 8AL. The sale will include electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio items and vehicle spares. For more information email <a href="mailto:coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk">coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk</a> or visit <a href="http://www.hackgreen.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.hackgreen.co.uk</a> Yeovil Amateur Radio Club’s 37th QRP Convention will take place on Saturday the 15th of April at The Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3AA. Doors open from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm and admission is £3. The Convention will feature talks, traders, bring and buy, club stalls and a café. For more information visit <a href="http://yeovil-arc.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">yeovil-arc.com</a> or contact qrp@yeovil<a href="http://-arc.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">-arc.com</a> The Cambridgeshire Repeater Group Rally will take place on Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Doors open at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. Admission is £3. The rally will feature a talk-in, trade stands, bring and buy, an RSGB Bookstall and free car parking. For more information contact Lawrence, M0LCM on 07941 972 724, email rally2023@cambridgerepeaters.net and see the <a href="http://cambridgerepeaters.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">cambridgerepeaters.net</a> website. The Holsworthy Spring Rally and Boot Sale will also take place on Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Holsworthy Livestock Market, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. There will be plenty of parking, wheelchair access and full catering available. The doors open to the public from 10 am. For more details contact the club secretary Ken, G7VJA via email at m0omc@m0omc.co.uk and visit the <a href="http://m0omc.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">m0omc.co.uk</a> website. Now the Special Event News In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China on the 1st of July 1997, Hong Kong licensed amateurs are granted the use of the special prefix VR25 until the 30th of June 2023. The VR2 Contest Club and the Hong Kong Amateur Radio Transmitting Society will be using VR25CC and VR25HK, respectively. YR1400VT is the special callsign that members of Radio Club YO6KGS will be using until the 30th of June 2023 to popularise the newly inaugurated Via Transilvanica, a long-distance trail used for hiking, cycling and horse riding that crosses Romania. More information can be found on <a href="http://QRZ.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QRZ.com</a> QSL via eQSL. 9A66AA is the special callsign that Tom, 9A2AA will be using throughout 2023 to mark his 66th year in amateur radio. QSL via Tom's home call. Now the DX news Neville, G3RFS will be active as 6Y5FS from Jamaica, NA-097, until the 29th of March. He will operate mainly using CW and some SSB. QSL via Logbook of the World, Club Log's OQRS, or via G4BWP. Rich, PA0RRS will be active as 9M2MRS from Penang Island, AS-015, West Malaysia until the 29th of March. He will operate using CW most of the time but will also use RTTY, FT8 and FT4 on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS is preferred, but also via Logbook of the World, or via PA0RRS. Willy, ON4AVT will be active as 6W7/ON4AVT from Warang, Senegal until the 31st of March. He usually operates using FT8, with some SSB and CW, on the 80 to 10m bands. He will also be available on the QO-100 satellite. QSL via Club Log's OQRS is preferred, or via his home call. Lars, SM6NT will be active as HS0ZME from Hua Hin, Thailand until the 2nd of  April 2023. He will operate mainly CW on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via SM6NT. Now the contest news The CQ Worldwide WPX SSB Contest started at 0000UTC on Saturday the 25th of March and ends at 2359UTC today, Sunday the 26th of March. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Monday the 27th of March, the FT4 Series Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using FT4 on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is your report. On Tuesday the 28th of March, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1930 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 29th of March, the UK and Ireland Contest Club Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator. On Saturday the 1st of April, the FT4 International Activity Day runs from 0800 to 2000UTC. Using FT4 on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report. The SP DX Contest starts at 1500UTC on Saturday the 1st of April and runs until 1500UTC on Sunday the 2nd of April. Using CW and SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Polish stations send their province code. On Sunday the 2nd of April, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using All modes on the 1.3 to 3.4GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday 23rd of March 2023 The solar flux index dipped a little last week, down to 148, but it didn’t last long and was back up to 159 by Thursday the 23rd. We were free of major solar flares with only one M-class flare occurring on the 20th. Geomagnetic conditions were mainly settled as well, but that could change this weekend thanks to a large coronal hole. The massive coronal hole on the Sun became Earth-facing on Thursday. A coronal hole is an area on the Sun’s surface with open magnetic field lines, which allows plasma to flow out. They appear dark when photographed in extreme UV light. Although the bulk of the hole is south of the Sun’s equator, a long finger reaches out to the equator, which makes it a potential threat to Earth. All eyes will be on the Kp index over the weekend as we expect it to increase, possibly dramatically as the solar wind impacts us. Solar wind speeds are likely to be in excess of 600km/s and continue into the weekend, resulting in isolated G1 storm levels. Keep an eye on <a href="http://solarham.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">solarham.net</a> for updates. We are now at the spring equinox, so it is prime time for auroral activity. The spring equinox traditionally brings greater solar activity which results in an increased frequency of auroral displays. It is also a prime time for north-south HF paths, such as the UK to South Africa, and the UK to South America. Next week, the US Air Force predicts that the solar flux index will decline slightly to bring it into the range of 130 to 140. Once the weekend’s solar storm declines, we may expect a few days of relatively calm geomagnetic conditions before another period of unsettled space weather is predicted for Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st. This could see the Kp index rise to five once again. And now the VHF and up propagation news The overall unsettled nature of the current weather pattern is likely to continue for much of the period through to the end of next week, except for a brief ridge of high pressure crossing the country after the weekend. This might offer the only tropo potential for VHF operators. The rest of the time will probably be beset by bands of rain, showers and, at times, strong winds and introduce the prospect of some rain scatter on the GHz bands. It’s a week to focus on fleeting tropo, rain scatter and aurora as modes of choice. As we said earlier, the aurora is worth looking out for since the solar conditions are still very disturbed. As usual, good indicators are the Kp index values, which ideally should be five or greater to get our attention. The meteor shower calendar is still in its quiet period, and with no major showers to look for, it would be best to try your luck with random meteors, which tend to peak just before dawn. The Sporadic-E season has not started yet but is getting closer, say from mid-April on 10m, perhaps. For EME operators, Moon declination reaches maximum next Tuesday meaning long Moon availability windows. Path losses increase throughout the week and 144MHz sky noise starts out moderate, falling to low next weekend. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for March 26th 2023

GB2RS News Sunday the 19th of March 2023 The news headlines: RSGB AGM and Elections RSGB Board vacancy for a Nominated Director Tonight@8 Webinar    Voting for candidates in the RSGB elections is now open. On the Society’s website, you can see details about the Calling Notice, Resolutions, elected Board Director candidate statements and video interviews, as well as the voting process and a link to vote. Voting ends at 9 am on Thursday the 13th of April. The RSGB will be holding its AGM online this year on Saturday the 15th of April and will live stream the event. This year, RSGB Members have the opportunity to submit written questions in advance or to ask questions via the live chat on YouTube during the AGM. You can read further information in the April RadCom and on the Society’s website at www.rsgb.org/agm The resignation of Richard Horton, G4AOJ has left an RSGB Board vacancy for a Nominated Director. The Society needs to embrace new methods of working to help meet the changing needs of the amateur community. Candidates with experience in change management, for example, would be welcomed. The RSGB needs a strong and effective Board; this could be your opportunity to be part of that. To find out more go to the volunteer vacancies section of the RSGB website at rsgb.org/volunteers or for an informal discussion please email Nominations Committee Chair Stephen Purser, GW4SHF at nominations.chair@rsgb.org.uk The RSGB’s Tonight@8 live webinar series continues on Monday the 3rd of April with a presentation called “Sheep Worrier: A High Altitude Balloon Flight and Recovery System” by Heather Nickalls, M0HMO. Heather will cover an introduction to flying High Altitude Balloons, the radio systems involved, some science experiments she did on her flights, the recovery system developed to help find the payload when it lands and, of course, lots of pictures from ‘almost’ the edge of space. You can ask questions live during the presentation via the RSGB YouTube channel or a special BATC channel. Find out more about this and other webinars on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/webinars Barry Lewis, G4SJH, the RSGB’s Microwave Manager, is the IARU Lead on WRC23 AI9.1b.  He reports that the IARU has carried out the only statistical study regarding the WRC-related 23cm Galileo issue. You can read more information about it on the IARU Region 1 website at iaru-r1.org The post includes links to the background and updates on the developments. The RSGB has received a statement from National Hamfest (Lincoln) Ltd confirming that, due to several factors, there will not be a National Hamfest event in 2023. The organisers of the event say that there will be a bigger and better event next year at Newark Showground on the 27th and 28th of September 2024. To read the full statement from National Hamfest (Lincoln) Ltd visit nationalhamfest.org.uk And now for details of rallies and events  The Hack Green Military Surplus and Military Radio Hanger Sale will take place on Sunday the 2nd of April. The venue will be Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 8AL. The sale will include electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio items and vehicle spares. For more information email coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk or visit www.hackgreen.co.uk Yeovil Amateur Radio Club’s 37th QRP Convention will take place on Saturday the 15th of April at The Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3AA. Doors open from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm and admission is £3. The Convention will feature talks, traders, bring and buy, club stalls and a café. For more information visit yeovil-arc.com or contact qrp@yeovil-arc.com The Cambridgeshire Repeater Group Rally will take place on Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Doors open at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. Admission is £3. The rally will feature a talk-in, trade stands, bring and buy, an RSGB Bookstall and free car parking. For more information contact Lawrence, M0LCM on 07941 972 724, email rally2023@cambridgerepeaters.net and see cambridgerepeaters.net The Holsworthy Spring Rally and Boot Sale will also take place on Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Holsworthy Livestock Market, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. There will be plenty of parking, wheelchair access and full catering available. The doors open to the public from 10 am. For more details contact the club secretary Ken, G7VJA via email at m0omc@m0omc.co.uk and visit m0omc.co.uk Now the Special Event News GB1PAT and GB2PAT are the special callsigns for members of the Bushvalley Amateur Radio Club to use between the 1st and 28th of March to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. Three certificates are available for making contact with both callsigns on different bands. QSL via Logbook of the World only. HH75RCH is the special callsign for the Haiti Radio Club, established on the 29th of March 1948,  to celebrate its 75th anniversary. The station will be active until the 1st of May. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, or via N2OO. Special event callsign A60AP will be active until the 31st of  August. The callsign is active in recognition of the United Arab Emirates' Astronaut Programme which was launched in 2017. The Programme prepares crews of United Arab Emirates astronauts for missions to the International Space Station and other destinations in space. QSL via EA7FTR. Now the DX news Andy, DK5ON will be active as PJ2/DK5ON from Curacao, SA-099, until Wednesday the 22nd of March. He will operate SSB, CW and digital modes on the 160 to 6m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, Club Log's OQRS or via DK5ON directly or via the bureau. John, N9EAJ will be active as VP5/N9EAJ from Grand Turk Island, NA-003, until Wednesday the 22nd of March. Activity will be mainly on SSB and some CW. He also plans to be active in the Columbus Landfall National Park for Parks on the Air. QSL via his home call. He will upload his contacts to Club Log and possibly to Logbook of the World. Stephane, F5UOW will be active as FR/F5UOW from Reunion Island, AF-016, until Monday the 27th of March. He operates using CW. QSL via Logbook of the World. Sands, VK4WXW has been on Willis Island, OC-007, since October, and will remain there until the end of April 2023. He works at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's weather monitoring station on the island, and in his spare time, he is QRV as VK9WX. Now the contest news The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group HF RTTY Contest started at 0200UTC on Saturday the 18th of March. It will run until 0200UTC on Monday the 20th of March. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and time. On Tuesday the 21st of March, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also, on Tuesday the 21st of March, the IRTS 80m Evening Counties Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and county code. On Thursday the 23rd of March, the 80m Club Championship runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. The CQ Worldwide WPX SSB Contest starts at 0000UTC on Saturday the 25th of March and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday the 26th of March. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday 16th of March 2023 Last week was split in two, in terms of HF propagation. The first half of the week was characterised by excellent high-band conditions, with many people commenting on how good things were. The Kp index was low, there was a lack of solar flares and the solar flux index was high – perfect for HF. There were reports of openings to Hawaii and Alaska on 10m and Bob, MD0CCE said 10m had been open to the Pacific every night for the last five or six days. But it didn’t last and by Wednesday it all went pear-shaped. The Earth was hit by a fast-solar wind with a southward-pointing Bz on Wednesday the 15th, which increased the Kp index to 5.67. Its impact on the ionosphere was quick and very damaging, to such an extent that the two ‘local’ Digisondes at Fairford and Chilton couldn’t detect the F2 layer, leaving their traces blank. It happened again on Wednesday evening, with the Kp index hitting 5.67 once again. Luckily, it didn’t last long and the Kp index was back down to less than two by the morning and the MUF over 3,000km was back over 28MHz by mid-morning on Thursday. Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will remain in the range of 135 to 145. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast for the 20th but, as we know, anything can happen at this point in the solar cycle. Look for a low Kp index but, above all, get on the bands and see what you can work! And now the VHF and up propagation news The unsettled weather pattern seems likely to continue through the coming week driven by an undulating jet stream over the British Isles. This will mean, for yet another week, there is unlikely to be much good Tropo. It’s not all bad news though, since the unsettled part of the weather story may introduce some rain scatter on the GHz bands. The mention of jet streams should, in a month or so, raise the promise of some Sporadic-E activity, which is often geographically related to the position of jet streams. It’s probably a bit early for that, although it could be worth considering a look at 10 and 6m as we move towards the end of the month. 10m, and 6m if you're in the far South West, can also give some good Trans Equatorial propagation, this time of year. This is typical of the changeover period from the southern hemisphere to northern hemisphere Sporadic-E activity. As usual, the chance of aurora is still around, so keep a watch out on the clusters or spaceweather.com for all the latest news. Early-morning random meteors should stay on the checklist too. For EME operators, moon declination is low but rising, going positive again on Wednesday meaning Moon availability windows will lengthen. The Moon is at perigee today, so path losses are at a minimum. 144MHz sky noise is low this week, apart from the whole of Tuesday when the Sun and Moon are close to an eclipse. It is perhaps worth reminding new licensees that preparing a good list of HF and VHF beacons to monitor can be worthwhile, especially in quieter times before the summer Sporadic-E season gets underway. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News Sunday the 19th of March 2023 The news headlines: <ul><li>RSGB AGM and Elections</li> <li>RSGB Board vacancy for a Nominated Director</li> <li>Tonight@8 Webinar</li> </ul> Voting for candidates in the RSGB elections is now open. On the Society’s website, you can see details about the Calling Notice, Resolutions, elected Board Director candidate statements and video interviews, as well as the voting process and a link to vote. Voting ends at 9 am on Thursday the 13th of April. The RSGB will be holding its AGM online this year on Saturday the 15th of April and will live stream the event. This year, RSGB Members have the opportunity to <a href="https://rsgb.org/main/?page_id=26851&amp;preview=true" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">submit written questions</a> in advance or to ask questions via the live chat on YouTube during the AGM. You can read further information in the April RadCom and on the Society’s website at <a href="http://www.rsgb.org/agm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.rsgb.org/agm</a> The resignation of Richard Horton, G4AOJ has left an RSGB Board vacancy for a Nominated Director. The Society needs to embrace new methods of working to help meet the changing needs of the amateur community. Candidates with experience in change management, for example, would be welcomed. The RSGB needs a strong and effective Board; this could be your opportunity to be part of that. To find out more go to the volunteer vacancies section of the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/volunteers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/volunteers</a> or for an informal discussion please email Nominations Committee Chair Stephen Purser, GW4SHF at <a href="mailto:nominations.chair@rsgb.org.uk">nominations.chair@rsgb.org.uk</a> The RSGB’s Tonight@8 live webinar series continues on Monday the 3rd of April with a presentation called “Sheep Worrier: A High Altitude Balloon Flight and Recovery System” by Heather Nickalls, M0HMO. Heather will cover an introduction to flying High Altitude Balloons, the radio systems involved, some science experiments she did on her flights, the recovery system developed to help find the payload when it lands and, of course, lots of pictures from ‘almost’ the edge of space. You can ask questions live during the presentation via the RSGB YouTube channel or a special BATC channel. Find out more about this and other webinars on the RSGB website at <a href="http://rsgb.org/webinars" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rsgb.org/webinars</a> Barry Lewis, G4SJH, the RSGB’s Microwave Manager, is the IARU Lead on WRC23 AI9.1b.  He reports that the IARU has carried out the only statistical study regarding the WRC-related 23cm Galileo issue. You can read more information about it on the IARU Region 1 website at <a href="http://iaru-r1.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iaru-r1.org</a> The post includes links to the background and updates on the developments. The RSGB has received a statement from National Hamfest (Lincoln) Ltd confirming that, due to several factors, there will not be a National Hamfest event in 2023. The organisers of the event say that there will be a bigger and better event next year at Newark Showground on the 27th and 28th of September 2024. To read the full statement from National Hamfest (Lincoln) Ltd visit <a href="http://nationalhamfest.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">nationalhamfest.org.uk</a> And now for details of rallies and events The Hack Green Military Surplus and Military Radio Hanger Sale will take place on Sunday the 2nd of April. The venue will be Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 8AL. The sale will include electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio items and vehicle spares. For more information email <a href="mailto:coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk">coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk</a> or visit <a href="http://www.hackgreen.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.hackgreen.co.uk</a> Yeovil Amateur Radio Club’s 37th QRP Convention will take place on Saturday the 15th of April at The Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3AA. Doors open from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm and admission is £3. The Convention will feature talks, traders, bring and buy, club stalls and a café. For more information visit <a href="http://yeovil-arc.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">yeovil-arc.com</a> or contact qrp@yeovil<a href="http://-arc.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">-arc.com</a> The Cambridgeshire Repeater Group Rally will take place on Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6RN. Doors open at 7.30 am for traders and 9.30 am for visitors. Admission is £3. The rally will feature a talk-in, trade stands, bring and buy, an RSGB Bookstall and free car parking. For more information contact Lawrence, M0LCM on 07941 972 724, email rally2023@cambridgerepeaters.net and see <a href="http://cambridgerepeaters.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">cambridgerepeaters.net</a> The Holsworthy Spring Rally and Boot Sale will also take place on Sunday the 16th of April. The venue will be Holsworthy Livestock Market, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. There will be plenty of parking, wheelchair access and full catering available. The doors open to the public from 10 am. For more details contact the club secretary Ken, G7VJA via email at m0omc@m0omc.co.uk and visit <a href="http://m0omc.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">m0omc.co.uk</a> Now the Special Event News GB1PAT and GB2PAT are the special callsigns for members of the Bushvalley Amateur Radio Club to use between the 1st and 28th of March to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. Three certificates are available for making contact with both callsigns on different bands. QSL via Logbook of the World only. HH75RCH is the special callsign for the Haiti Radio Club, established on the 29th of March 1948,  to celebrate its 75th anniversary. The station will be active until the 1st of May. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, or via N2OO. Special event callsign A60AP will be active until the 31st of  August. The callsign is active in recognition of the United Arab Emirates' Astronaut Programme which was launched in 2017. The Programme prepares crews of United Arab Emirates astronauts for missions to the International Space Station and other destinations in space. QSL via EA7FTR. Now the DX news Andy, DK5ON will be active as PJ2/DK5ON from Curacao, SA-099, until Wednesday the 22nd of March. He will operate SSB, CW and digital modes on the 160 to 6m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, Club Log's OQRS or via DK5ON directly or via the bureau. John, N9EAJ will be active as VP5/N9EAJ from Grand Turk Island, NA-003, until Wednesday the 22nd of March. Activity will be mainly on SSB and some CW. He also plans to be active in the Columbus Landfall National Park for Parks on the Air. QSL via his home call. He will upload his contacts to Club Log and possibly to Logbook of the World. Stephane, F5UOW will be active as FR/F5UOW from Reunion Island, AF-016, until Monday the 27th of March. He operates using CW. QSL via Logbook of the World. Sands, VK4WXW has been on Willis Island, OC-007, since October, and will remain there until the end of April 2023. He works at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's weather monitoring station on the island, and in his spare time, he is QRV as VK9WX. Now the contest news The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group HF RTTY Contest started at 0200UTC on Saturday the 18th of March. It will run until 0200UTC on Monday the 20th of March. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and time. On Tuesday the 21st of March, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3GHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also, on Tuesday the 21st of March, the IRTS 80m Evening Counties Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and county code. On Thursday the 23rd of March, the 80m Club Championship runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. The CQ Worldwide WPX SSB Contest starts at 0000UTC on Saturday the 25th of March and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday the 26th of March. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday 16th of March 2023 Last week was split in two, in terms of HF propagation. The first half of the week was characterised by excellent high-band conditions, with many people commenting on how good things were. The Kp index was low, there was a lack of solar flares and the solar flux index was high – perfect for HF. There were reports of openings to Hawaii and Alaska on 10m and Bob, MD0CCE said 10m had been open to the Pacific every night for the last five or six days. But it didn’t last and by Wednesday it all went pear-shaped. The Earth was hit by a fast-solar wind with a southward-pointing Bz on Wednesday the 15th, which increased the Kp index to 5.67. Its impact on the ionosphere was quick and very damaging, to such an extent that the two ‘local’ Digisondes at Fairford and Chilton couldn’t detect the F2 layer, leaving their traces blank. It happened again on Wednesday evening, with the Kp index hitting 5.67 once again. Luckily, it didn’t last long and the Kp index was back down to less than two by the morning and the MUF over 3,000km was back over 28MHz by mid-morning on Thursday. Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will remain in the range of 135 to 145. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast for the 20th but, as we know, anything can happen at this point in the solar cycle. Look for a low Kp index but, above all, get on the bands and see what you can work! And now the VHF and up propagation news The unsettled weather pattern seems likely to continue through the coming week driven by an undulating jet stream over the British Isles. This will mean, for yet another week, there is unlikely to be much good Tropo. It’s not all bad news though, since the unsettled part of the weather story may introduce some rain scatter on the GHz bands. The mention of jet streams should, in a month or so, raise the promise of some Sporadic-E activity, which is often geographically related to the position of jet streams. It’s probably a bit early for that, although it could be worth considering a look at 10 and 6m as we move towards the end of the month. 10m, and 6m if you're in the far South West, can also give some good Trans Equatorial propagation, this time of year. This is typical of the changeover period from the southern hemisphere to northern hemisphere Sporadic-E activity. As usual, the chance of aurora is still around, so keep a watch out on the clusters or <a href="http://spaceweather.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">spaceweather.com</a> for all the latest news. Early-morning random meteors should stay on the checklist too. For EME operators, moon declination is low but rising, going positive again on Wednesday meaning Moon availability windows will lengthen. The Moon is at perigee today, so path losses are at a minimum. 144MHz sky noise is low this week, apart from the whole of Tuesday when the Sun and Moon are close to an eclipse. It is perhaps worth reminding new licensees that preparing a good list of HF and VHF beacons to monitor can be worthwhile, especially in quieter times before the summer Sporadic-E season gets underway. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for March 19th 2023

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