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G4TNU > NEWS 29.10.23 00:31z 249 Lines 12190 Bytes #13 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 29 Oct 2023
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 29th of October 2023
The news headlines:
* RSGB Convention videos
* Amateur radio exam dates
* Tonight<at>8 webinar
The RSGB has released its first video from the 2023 Convention. RSGB
General Manager and Convention Chair, Steve Thomas, M1ACB, talks to
RSGB President John McCullagh, GI4BWM and IRTS President Enda
Broderick, EI2II. The two Presidents discuss their views on the
opportunities, challenges and great things happening in amateur radio
at the moment. You can see this video on the RSGB YouTube channel or
on its website at rsgb.org/convention
While other videos from this year's Convention are being prepared,
the Society is releasing a bumper collection of presentations from
its 2022 Convention, which previously had only been available for
members to view. You can see these at youtube.com/theRSGB in the
playlist called RSGB 2022 Convention. The topics range from VHF
transverters and VHF contesting to RadCom HF predictions and also
using the right tools to work more 144MHz DX. There is bound to be a
presentation that you will enjoy and find inspiring, so take a look!
If you are thinking of taking an amateur radio exam before Christmas,
there are two important dates you need to be aware of. The last date
you can take an exam at a club, whether online or on paper, is
Wednesday the 13th of December. If you want to take an exam online at
home, the last date you can do that is Wednesday the 20th of
December. The RSGB Exams Team will, where possible, post out exam
results before HQ shuts over Christmas and New Year. Exams will
resume on Wednesday the 3rd of January 2024 and the booking system
will be available over the festive season so you can book exams for
January onwards. You can book online at rsgb.org/exampay
Don't forget to be part of the RSGB's Tonight<at>8 webinar on Monday
the 6th of November. Colin Summers, MM0OPX will give an entry-level
talk aimed at newcomers to amateur radio. He will touch on antennas
generally but will focus on the end-fed half-wave antenna including
details of construction, transformers and performance. Watch this
live presentation on the RSGB YouTube channel or special BATC channel
and ask questions via the live chat. To find out more go to the RSGB
website at rsgb.org/webinars
Youngsters on the Air month is taking place in December. This means
you have just over one month to think about how you, your club,
school, or social group can get involved and help youngsters to get
active on the amateur bands. It could be giving a demonstration at a
local school or youth club or helping a young person to send a
greetings message. You can also listen out for the GB23YOTA callsign
and make a QSO with a young radio amateur on the air. The RSGB has
applied for Ofcom approval for special call sign GB23YOTA, which will
be active for the duration of the month. A full list of GB23YOTA
operating slots can be found on QRZ.com. These slots will be
first-come, first-served, so check your calendars and reserve your
place as soon as possible. To find out more about YOTA month and to
see what has taken place in previous years visit rsgb.org/yota-month
You can also email Jamie, M0SDV at yota.month<at>rsgb.org.uk to
register your interest, or simply ask for further information.
A reminder now that the 2023 Scottish Microwave Round Table, or GMRT
will be held between 10.30am and 5pm on Saturday the 11th of
November. The event will take place at the Museum of Communication,
Burntisland, Fife in Scotland. An interesting programme of speakers
has been arranged. Microwave test facilities will be provided, and
the event will be an opportunity to purchase components and
microwave-related items. The cost is GBP 12 and this includes a
buffet lunch. A dinner will be held in the evening at a local hotel.
Full information and online registration are available
at gmroundtable.org.uk/about Please email Colin, GM4HWO via
gm4hwo<at>gmail.com for more information.
And now for details of rallies and events
Carmarthen Amateur Radio Society Surplus Equipment Sale will take
place on Saturday the 4th of November. The venue will be Cwmduad
[COME-DOO-ADD] Community Hall. The doors will open at 8am for
sellers. Visitors are welcome from 10am. There will be a GBP 2 entry
fee per person and light refreshments will be available. For more
information, contact Andy, GW0JLX via 07768 282 880 or email
g0jlx<at>mail.com
Bushvalley Amateur Radio Club Rally will take place on Sunday the 5th
of November. The venue will be Limavady United Football Club,
Rathmore Road, Limavady, BT49 0DF. Several traders will be in
attendance and there will be a bring-and-buy stand. Car parking is
available on site and the doors will open at 11am. For more
information visit bushvalleyarc.org or email
bushvalleyarc<at>gmail.com
Holsworthy Radio Rally will also be taking place on Sunday the 5th of
November. The venue will be Holsworthy Leisure Centre, Well Park,
Western Road, Holsworthy, Devon, EX22 6DH. There will be traders, a
bring-and-buy area and catering available. Access for traders is
available from 8am. The doors open to the public at 10am. See
m0omc.co.uk [MIKE-ZERO-OSCAR-MIKE-CHARLIE] for more information and
contact details.
Now the Special Event News
Tom, VK2WN will be active as AX37EUDXF until the 30th of November to
celebrate the 37th anniversary of the European DX Foundation. QSL via
Logbook of the World, eQSL and Club Log's OQRS.
On the 10th of October 1923 the BBC, then the British Broadcasting
Company, opened its seventh transmitter and based it in Aberdeen.
Using the callsign GB2BD, the BBC Amateur Radio Group and Aberdeen
Amateur Radio Society are celebrating 100 years of broadcasting from
the north-east of Scotland on the 3rd and 4th of November 2023. The
date chosen for this event falls between the start of transmissions
and the centenary of the first Gaelic broadcast by the BBC.
Now the DX news
Yuri, VE3DZ will be active as HQ9A from Roatan [ROW-AH-TIN] Island,
NA-057, Honduras until the 31st of October, including an entry in the
CQ World Wide DX SSB Contest. Outside of the contest, he will operate
CW, SSB and FT8 on the HF bands. QSL via his home call. He plans to
upload his log to Logbook of the World and Club Log.
Kou [COO], JP1IHD will be active again as JD1BQP from Chichijima
[SHE-SHE-JIM-AH], AS-031, until the 2nd of November, including an
entry in the CQ World Wide DX SSB Contest. QSL via the bureau to
JD1BQP, or direct only to JP1IHD. He will upload his log to Logbook
of the World and Club Log.
Now the contest news
The CQ World Wide DX SSB Contest started at 0000UTC on Saturday the
28th of October and ends at 2359UTC today, Sunday the 29th of
October. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are
permitted, the exchange is signal report and CQ Zone. The UK is in
Zone 14.
On Wednesday the 1st of November, the Silent Key Memorial Contest
runs from 0600 to 0859UTC. Using CW only on the 80 and 40m bands, the
exchange is signal report and a Silent Key callsign.
Also on Wednesday the 1st of November, the 144MHz FT8 Activity
four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m
band, the exchange is report and four-character locator. Also on
Wednesday the 1st of November, the 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour
Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the
exchange is report and four-character locator. Stations entering the
four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest.
On Wednesday the 1st of November, the UK and Ireland Contest Club 80m
Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using SSB only on the 80m band,
the exchange is your six-character locator.
The 144MHz CW Marconi Contest starts at 1400UTC on Saturday the 4th
of November and ends at 1400UTC on Sunday the 5th of November. Using
CW 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 26th of October 2023
It was not a good week for the ionosphere with the Solar Flux Index,
or SFI, falling to less than 130, plus some disturbed geomagnetic
conditions as well.
On Wednesday the 24th, the SFI fell to 121, while the following day
the Kp index hit 4.33 thanks to a coronal mass ejection from a
filament eruption. Minor to strong geomagnetic storms continued on
Thursday afternoon and evening with a warning that Aurora sightings
may have been possible in the north of the UK that evening.
So, does this mean that Solar Cycle 25 is over? Most definitely not!
NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center has just issued a revised
prediction for solar activity during Solar Cycle 25, saying solar
activity will increase more quickly and peak at a higher level than
that predicted by an expert panel in December 2019. The updated
prediction now shows Solar Cycle 25 peaking between January and
October of 2024, with a maximum sunspot number between 137 and 173.
Meanwhile, the critical frequency remained relatively high at around
11 to 12MHz around lunchtime, which still gives a Maximum Useable
Frequency, or MUF, for paths over 3,000km of more than 28MHz. October
remains a good month for higher-band HF propagation with many reports
of contacts into the Pacific on the 15, 12 and 10m bands.
The bad news is that this weekend's CQ World Wide SSB Contest could
be hit by poor geomagnetic conditions later on. Two large coronal
holes on the Sun recently rotated into an Earth-facing position which
could mean a raised Kp index and reduced MUFs.
A coronal hole is a cooler, less dense region of the Sun with open
magnetic field lines that allow solar plasma to flood out.
We expect the solar material to hit the Earth today, the 29th, either
in the afternoon or evening, perhaps continuing into Monday, with an
associated warning of aurora as the Kp index rises.
Looking to next week, NOAA predicts the SFI will increase, perhaps
hitting the 140 to 145 mark by the end of the week. The ionosphere
may also remain unsettled until around Wednesday the 1st of November,
although the rest of the week should be better.
And now the VHF and up propagation news
This autumnal weather pattern is keeping up its attack on the UK
during the coming week.
This means that low-pressure systems will remain in control and it's
unlikely that Tropo will get much of a look-in! That leaves rain
scatter as the best of a bad bunch with heavy rain, especially any
heavy showers around the coasts, being the most likely to offer good
reflection points for GHz band operators.
The remaining options for propagation are aurora, which is not
entirely out of the question since we have a large coronal hole
navigating its way into a favourable position, as was mentioned
earlier.
There are many websites and widgets that show the latest Kp value and
it's definitely worth adding one to your favourites list.
The other mode of possible interest is that of meteor scatter and,
although we have just passed the peak of the Orionids, it came along
just right for the 6m Affiliated Societies Contest on Sunday the 22nd
of October, when some out-of-season Sporadic-E propagation made a
welcome appearance with paths to Italy, Sardinia and Spain being
reported. The slow decay of the Orionids means that we still have the
coming week to enjoy the remnants until early November.
For EME operators, Moon declination is positive and rising this week
with lengthening Moon windows and increasing Moon elevation. Path
losses start low but are increasing. 144MHz sky noise is moderate,
peaking at 500 Kelvin on Wednesday the 1st of November.
And that's all from the propagation team this week.
And that's the end of the main news for this week prepared by the
Radio Society of Great Britain. Items for inclusion in subsequent
bulletins can be emailed to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk to arrive by
10:00 on the Thursday before transmission.
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