GB2RS News

Sunday the 19th of February 2023

The news headlines:

RSGB Board Chair and Company Secretary

RSGB Unopposed Election Results

Saint Patrick's Day Award

 

We report with regret that Richard Horton, G4AOJ has tendered his resignation as an RSGB Board Director and the Board Chair, and Stan Lee, G4XXI has tendered his resignation as RSGB Company Secretary. The resignations are independent of each other and for personal reasons. The RSGB would like to thank them for their hard work and contribution to the Society. The RSGB President Stewart Bryant, G3YSX will Chair the Board until the AGM. In view of the important role of the Company Secretary in the Society’s AGM, which is just a few weeks away, the Board will agree to the appointment of a temporary Company Secretary pending the advertisement of the position and selection through the normal process.

The RSGB has announced the unopposed nomination results in its 2023 elections. In the election for RSGB President, there was only one nomination received so John McCullagh MBE, GI4BWM is elected unopposed for a two-year term. This year there were Regional Representative vacancies for five Regions – Regions 3, 7, 8, 11 and 13. The only candidate for Region 8 was Michael Na bPiob, MI0HOZ so he is duly elected unopposed for a three-year term. The terms of office for both roles above will commence at the AGM on the 15th of April 2023. You can read their personal statements on page 6 of the March RadCom or on the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/election The RSGB would like to congratulate both candidates and wish them well in their roles. RSGB Board Director candidates will be announced in the April RadCom and voting will begin on Wednesday the 15th of March.

There are just over three weeks left to register to participate in the annual Saint Patrick's Day Award. The event takes place over a 48-hour period from 1200UTC on the 16th of March to 1200UTC on the 18th of March to allow worldwide participation in all time zones. The Saint Patrick's Day Award is 48 hours of non-competitive fun. Everyone can participate in the event, whether they are licensed or not. You can register to be a participating station by completing a short registration form online at stpatricksaward.com

The Isle of Man Amateur Radio Society will be operating the club callsign GT3FLH from the Isle of Man Sea Terminal building in Douglas on Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th of February between 11 am and 3 pm. The callsign will be active to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Douglas being the first radar-controlled harbour in the world. FT8, CW and SSB modes will be used on the HF bands from 40m and upwards. If the weather is inclement, the operation will be from the club HQ at the Scout Hall in Ballasalla. For more information about the Isle of Man Amateur Radio Society visit www.iomars.im

Today, the 19th is the second day of the British Amateur Television Club’s monthly activity weekend. The event is aimed at getting more people on the air either from home or a nearby high spot to promote this exciting part of the hobby. This month, activity on 23cm and upwards is planned. Participants are encouraged to post details of where they are going to be, and what time they’ll be on the air, on the BATC forum. You can view the forum posts via forum.batc.org.uk Everyone is welcome and you don’t need to be a member to take part.

As part of British Science Week, the RSGB is running the ever-popular ‘Build a Morse Tutor’ workshop at the National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park on Saturday the 18th of March. For information about the workshop and to see our British Science Week activity pack, visit our website: www.rsgb.org/bsw

Radio amateurs are requested to give way to emergency response groups that are dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake that unfortunately hit Turkey and Syria earlier this month. Response activities are primarily expected to be on VHF and UHF but 3.777MHz and 7.092MHz may also be used, if

GB2RS News

Sunday the 12th of February 2023

The news headlines:

Special Contest Callsigns

BBC Radio Somerset Interview

RSGB Convention Videos

 Ofcom has recently authorised an expansion of the list of Special Contest Callsign qualification contests to include two UK and Ireland DX Contests. Full details of how to apply for a Special Contest Callsign, including the complete qualifying criteria, can be found at rsgb.org/scc

On the 6th of February, RSGB District Representative Andy Jenner, G7KNA spoke to the BBC’s Simon Parkin about his passion for amateur radio. The RSGB arranged this interview having been contacted by BBC Radio Somerset, following the Society’s recent piece in The Times. Andy discussed how he got into radio, getting licensed and about the work he and South Bristol Amateur Radio Club are doing to involve young people in amateur radio. This includes plans for a demonstration day at a Bristol primary school as part of British Science Week in March. You can still listen to the interview if you search for BBC Radio Somerset and Simon Parkin’s show on BBC Sounds. The interview starts at 19 minutes and 20 seconds into the programme.

The RSGB has released two more of its 2022 Convention videos just for RSGB Members to view. In the first presentation, called “Using the right tools to work more 144MHz DX”, RSGB VHF Manager, John Regnault, G4SWX gives a comprehensive guide to a range of software packages and websites that will help you to develop your VHF DXing skills. The second presentation is by James Stevens, M0JCQ who is the co-author of the RadCom VHF/UHF column. In his presentation “VHF Equipment to start you going”, he explains how newcomers to amateur radio or even the most ardent HF enthusiast can get started on the VHF bands. These are being released as a benefit of RSGB Membership and can be seen in the RSGB 2022 Convention video section of the website at rsgb.org/videos

An organisation called Experimental Danish Radio Amateurs, also known as ‘EDR’, are celebrating the opening of the Enigma Post and Telegraph Museum in Copenhagen which now has a new address, appearance and name. EDR has created a special award to celebrate this opening. Contacts with different qualifying stations between the 14th and 28th of February will be eligible for the award. For more information, please visit the OZ625E page on QRZ.com

The Polish Amateur Radio Association is inviting the amateur radio community to participate in an event related to the 550th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus. From 0000UTC on the 17th of February to 2359UTC on the 5th of March, there will be nine special event stations on the air, including SN550NC. Awards will be available for contacts made with the special event stations. For more information about the event and the awards visit 550mk.pzk.org.pl

Time is running out to enter the RSGB Construction Competition. You don’t have to be an expert constructor and the judges will give special recognition to entries submitted by radio amateurs under the age of 24 and also to those who have just gained their Foundation licence. The four categories are: Beginners; Construction excellence; Innovation; and Software. There are cash prizes in every category. The RSGB Communications Manager chatted to last year’s winners and runners-up and shared their stories in the January and February editions of RadCom. So, take a look and be inspired! You can also read the stories and find out how to enter the competition on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/construction-competition

 

And now for details of rallies and events

The Mid Cheshire Amateur Radio Society Radioactive Fair is being held today, Sunday the 12th of February. The venue is Nantwich Civic Hall, Market Street, Nantwich, CW5 5DG. Doors open at 10 am and admission is £5. A wide variety of trader stalls, a bring-and-buy platform and refreshments and snacks are available. Parking is immediately adjacent to the hall. For more information visit r

GB2RS News

Sunday the 5th of February 2023

The news headlines:

RSGB feature in The Times

RSGB Convention videos

British Science Week

 

The RSGB was delighted to see the feature in The Times on Saturday the 28th of January about amateur radio. It was a great opportunity to highlight both amateur radio and the Society in the mainstream media. Heather Parsons, the RSGB Communications Manager, spent a week liaising with Rhys Blakely, the Science Correspondent, and coordinating the interviewees. She put forward a whole range of ideas and possible interviewees and the RSGB would like to thank everyone who supported this opportunity, even though some contributions didn’t make it into the final piece. An external media monitoring agency has confirmed that the potential online audience for this feature was over 42 million. The feature is called “Ham radio tunes in to a new generation” and you can still read it online. Go to thetimes.co.uk and search for amateur radio.

The RSGB has just released another presentation from its 2022 Convention. Brian Coleman, G4NNS talks about The UK Meteor Beacon Project which is a collaborative project between the amateur radio and radio astronomy communities. The aim is to collect data on meteor events over the UK and Phase one was to establish a transmitting beacon. Phase two is to create a network of receivers to monitor the radio echoes from meteors and to stream data over the internet to support the study of meteor events and their impact on the ionosphere. The Project has received RSGB Legacy funds to help make this great idea happen. You can see the presentation on the RSGB YouTube channel and you can find out more about the RSGB Legacy funds on the Society’s website at rsgb.org/legacy

British Science Week, run by the British Science Association, is an annual event celebrating science, technology, engineering and maths. It provides a platform to support teachers, STEM professionals and the public in delivering STEM activities and events across the UK. This year’s theme is Connections, which lends itself perfectly to wireless communication and amateur radio-related activities! The RSGB has put together a set of activities suitable for children in Early Years, Primary and Secondary school. Several radio clubs from across the UK have already planned activities for British Science Week and the RSGB hopes its resources will inspire you to get involved too. Find out more on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/bsw

Edition 32 of RadCom Basics is now available. The edition contains articles on antenna performance comparison and basic fault finding, among others. RadCom Basics can be downloaded via rsgb.org/radcom-basics

On the 26th of January 2023, some students from the University of Glasgow met and formed the Glasgow University Wireless Society. The Glasgow University Wireless Society Net takes place on Monday evenings around 145.525MHz from 6 pm. Those who are interested in joining the Society can make contact via [email protected] A list of universities with amateur radio clubs can be viewed on the RSGB website via rsgb.org/university-corner

Widnes and Runcorn Amateur Radio Club is running its first face-to-face Foundation training course since Lockdown happened in March 2020. The course will take place over the weekend of the 18th and 19th of February at Lostock Sports and Social Club, Works Lane, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 7NW. The online Foundation exam will take place on Sunday afternoon. Prior registration, before Wednesday the 8th of February, is essential. For further details, and to book a place, please contact Dave Wilson, M0OBW either by phone on 07720 656 542 or by email at [email protected].

 

And now for details of rallies and events

The Canvey Rally takes place today, Sunday the 5th of February, at Cornelius Vermuyden School, Dinant Avenue, Canvey, Essex, SS8 9QS. The Rally is expected to be the usual hive of activity with plenty of traders and an indoor boot sale. Hot food and dr

GB2RS News

Sunday the 29th of January 2023

The news headlines:

RSGB Construction Competition

RSGB Elections

Tonight@8 webinar

 

Have you been busy making something recently? Don’t forget that you have just five weeks left to enter the RSGB Construction Competition. The four categories are Beginners; Construction excellence; Innovation; and Software. The judges will give special recognition to entries submitted by radio amateurs under the age of 24 and also to those who have just gained their Foundation licence. There are cash prizes in every category. The RSGB Communications Manager chatted to last year’s winners and runners-up and shared their stories in the January and February editions of RadCom, so take a look and be inspired! Details about how to enter the competition are on the RSGB website at: rsgb.org/construction-competition

If you’re interested in helping to see amateur radio, and the RSGB, continue to thrive over the coming years, this is a final reminder that the closing date for RSGB President, Elected Director and Regional Representative roles is this Tuesday, the 31st of January. Candidate packs, forms and further details can be found at rsgb.org/election

On Monday the 6th of February, Anthony Luscre, K8ZT will talk about QRP operating on the RSGB’s Tonight@8 webinar. Find out more on the Society’s website at rsgb.org/webinars and put the date in your diary for another fascinating live presentation.

We are delighted to announce that, as part of our Coronation celebration activities, Ofcom has approved "R" as the optional Coronation regional secondary locator prefix for all radio amateurs. You will be able to use this for the whole of May and June 2023. More information will be reported closer to the date of the Coronation.

Aged 26 or under? Love all things radio? Why not join the RSGB Youth Team? The team currently has over 30 members across the UK, who work together to encourage young people into the hobby. You'll be involved in planning events, attending shows and writing articles. Get involved, gain skills and make new friends! See the new youth video “Try it!” on the RSGB YouTube channel and find out how to get involved in the Youth Team via the Society’s website: rsgb.org/youth

Today, the 29th, from approximately 1200UTC, James, M0GQC, Fraser, MM0EFI, David, EI5IMB and Chris, M0RSF will be activating four separate Worldwide Flora and Fauna areas on 20 and 40m SSB. They will post their working frequencies on the Worldwide Flora and Fauna website. All calls are welcome.

 

And now for details of rallies and events

The Lincoln Shortwave Club Winter Radio Rally will be held today, Sunday the 29th of January, at The Festival Hall, Caistor Road, Market Rasen, LN8 3HT. Doors open at 9.30 am and entry is £2. Refreshments are available on-site and talk-in is available on 145.375MHz. For more information email Graham via [email protected]

The Canvey Rally will be held on the 5th of February at Cornelius Vermuyden School, Dinant Avenue, Canvey, Essex, SS8 9QS. The Rally is expected to be the usual hive of activity with plenty of traders and an indoor boot sale. Hot food and drinks will be available. Contact [email protected] for further information.

The Mid Cheshire Amateur Radio Society Radioactive Fair will be held on Sunday the 12th of February. The venue will be Nantwich Civic Hall, Market Street, Nantwich, CW5 5DG. Doors open at 10 am and admission is £5. A wide variety of trader stalls, a bring-and-buy platform and refreshments and snacks will be available. Parking is immediately adjacent to the hall. For more information visit radioactivefair.co.uk

West Manchester Radio Club’s Red Rose Rally will take place on Sunday the 26th of February. The event will be held at St. Joseph’s Hall, Leigh, WN7 2PJ. Free parking, café services and a raffle are among the attractions on offer. For further information visit: wmrc.co.uk/rally.htm

Andover Radio Amateur Club has unfortunately had to cancel its bo

GB2RS News

Sunday the 22nd of January 2023

The news headlines:

RSGB Elections

RSGB Band Plans

RSGB Convention Videos

 

Could you help to shape the future of amateur radio? The RSGB is looking for volunteers who are willing and able to give their time and enthusiasm to ensure that amateur radio and the Society continue to develop and thrive. There is still time to stand for the eight elected roles. Would one of these roles suit your skills, experience and enthusiasm? You can stand for RSGB President, elected Board Director or for one of the five Regional Representative roles. The closing date is the 31st of January and the results of the elections will be announced at the AGM on the 15th of April. Candidate packs and information about the nomination process can be found on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/election

The 2023 RSGB Band Plans are now available online and in the February edition of RadCom. Whilst there are no formal changes compared to 2022, an accompanying background article explains what may be in prospect in the year ahead which has both major IARU and World Radio Conference events. The Band Plans can be viewed by visiting: rsgb.org/bandplans 

As a benefit for its members, the RSGB has released two Convention videos just for members to view. Peter Duffett-Smith, GM3XJE talks about the input impedance of feeders, whilst ‘Sprinkles or Mirrors’, the presentation by Chris Deacon, G4IFX, discovers the true nature of six-metre sporadic-E. Both videos are available in the RSGB online members’ portal. Over the next few weeks, the Society will release more videos into this portal so RSGB members have the benefit of watching these presentations first. Log into the RSGB website, go to www.rsgb.org/videos and then choose the Convention lectures section.

RSGB District Representative Martyn Vincent, G3UKV was interviewed on BBC Radio Shropshire recently for “Learn your name in Morse Code Day”. Martyn spoke to Michaela Wylde about amateur radio, CW and his club, Telford and District Amateur Radio Society. He gave a demonstration of how to send his name in Morse code and played an example of what Morse sounds like in a contest on the 40m band. You can hear the interview on BBC Sounds where Michaela was sitting in for the Mark Elliott show on the 11th of January. The interview starts at 12 minutes and five seconds into the programme.

The Cray Valley Radio Society will be running a two-day face-to-face Foundation licence course on Saturday the 4th and Saturday the 11th of February, with a paper exam on the second Saturday. A few places remain available on a first-come first served basis. Located in Eltham London SE9, the course will also provide practical advice and instruction to assist candidates in setting up a station. For the online application form, please go to CVRS.org and open the training tab.

The Newbury and District Amateur Radio Society is running an Intermediate license training course on the weekend of the 18th and 19th of March 2023. This classroom-based course runs from 9 am to 5.30 pm on both days and is held in a quiet village hall near Newbury in Berkshire. Each course is limited to eight students, enabling the trainers to provide the highest standard of training to each student. The team of six instructors, each specialising in a topic, will help you gain all the knowledge you need to pass the Intermediate exam. If you are interested or know someone who might be, then please contact the course secretary Lloyd, M5LDF via [email protected] or complete the online enquiry form via nadars.org.uk/courses.asp

 And now for details of rallies and events

The Lincoln Shortwave Club Winter Radio Rally will be held on Sunday the 29th of January at The Festival Hall, Caistor Road, Market Rasen, LN8 3HT. Doors open at 9.30 am and entry is £2. Refreshments are available on-site and talk-in is available on 145.375MHz. For more information email Graham via [email protected]

The Canvey Rally will be held on the 5th o

GB2RS News

Sunday the 15th of January 2023

The news headlines:

M0RWX activates all G summits in one year

Direct to Full exams

New display at the RSGB’s National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park

 

Robert, M0RWX from Malmesbury, Wiltshire activated every single SOTA summit in England, within the calendar year of 2022. This is an unprecedented achievement, but it doesn't end there.  Robert also activated extensively in France, Scotland and Wales and a little in Benelux, during 2022, recording a total of 326 activations, and a mammoth 1476 activator points in the year – almost 1.5 Mountain Goats. Robert is now targeting an activator completion of Wales during 2023 and, thereafter, spending longer on each summit, experimenting with more bands and modes. For more information about Summits on the Air please visit sota.org.uk

Bookings for the Direct to Full exam are now open. The exam can only be taken online but can be booked by individuals or clubs. Go to the RSGB’s exam booking page and follow the process for an individual or club booking. The Society has also published a mock paper for the Direct to Full exam which can be found at rsgb.org/mock-exams

After several months of restoration and development, a Wheatstone Tape Perforator and Wheatstone High-Speed Morse Transmitter have gone on display in the RSGB’s National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park. Used extensively from the 1940s until at least the late 1960s such systems enabled the transmission of Morse signals either via telegraph or by wireless at consistently high speeds, without errors, such that might have been introduced by hand-sent Morse. The display is connected to an audio oscillator so, with a push button on the outside of the display case, visitors are able to start the transmitter, see the paper tape being read, and hear Morse characters being sent.

The RSGB’s National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park is looking to create a new wall display, illustrating some simple radio set-ups, to inspire newcomers to get started in amateur radio. If you would like to have a photo of your radio shack on display, please send in a good-quality image, showing you operating your radio, or your radio bench. The radio shack could be located anywhere from your loft, to your back bedroom, garden shed, car or on a mountaintop. Remember, the point of this project is to inspire people to get started in the hobby, so the photos need to show a diverse mix of operators and the radio set-up shouldn’t be overly complex. The most suitable photos will be selected and a montage display created, with the title: Take a look at my radio station. If you would like to enter, send your photos to: [email protected]

The Online Amateur Radio Community provides amateur radio licence training via Zoom. The next Intermediate course is due to commence during the first week of February. The course, which costs £5 to join, will run for eight weeks. The next Full licence training course will start on Wednesday the 17th of April and run for nine weeks. The fee for the Full course is also £5. For further information please visit www.oarc.uk

The GB2RS news service would like to increase the coverage of VHF FM and SSB broadcasts in Northern Ireland. Applicants must be an RSGB member holding a Full or Intermediate licence. If you would like to find out more, without obligation, please get in touch with the GB2RS News Manager, Steve G4HPE, via [email protected] More information about the RSGB’s news service can be found at rsgb.org/gb2rsschedule

Following the recent items in The Times and on the BBC Radio 4 PM programme about a rise in the use of Morse Code in America, the RSGB contacted BBC Three Counties Radio and arranged an interview for Mervyn Foster, G4KLE. Mervyn is a volunteer at the RSGB National Radio Centre, an RSGB District Representative and a lifelong devotee of Morse Code. He spoke to Andy Collins on the breakfast show on Friday the 13th of January. You can listen to the interview on

GB2RS News

Sunday the 8th of January 2023

The news headlines:

Marconi international amateur radio award

2023 Tonight@8 series

Direct to Full exams

The news team and all the staff at RSGB HQ would like to wish our newsreaders, listeners and online readers a very Happy New Year. We would like to remind everyone that we always welcome your news, by email, to [email protected], and the deadline is 10am sharp on Thursday mornings. The GB2RS script is uploaded to the RSGB website by 4.30pm each Friday afternoon.

“Marconi Was Here!” is an international amateur radio award organised by ARI Fidenza Radio Club. The main objective of the award is to commemorate historically some of the most important and significant Italian cities where Marconi performed scientific experiments in radio engineering, long distance communications, radio direction-finding and others; experiments that, in the following periods, revealed themselves to be crucial for technical and scientific advancement and the progress of wireless communications. The award period lasts the whole of the 2023 year. Each month is dedicated to a specific Italian city connected to the story of Guglielmo Marconi and is paired to a different special callsign. Further details, special callsigns and award rules can be found at  www.arifidenza.it

The RSGB’s Spring 2023 series of Tonight@8 webinars kicks off this Monday the 9th of January when Ben Lloyd, GW4BML will be talking about Portable Operating. As well as explaining briefly the definition and benefits of portable operating, Ben will also share a little about his amateur radio adventures. These focus mainly on SOTA, working DX and contesting, but all by operating portable. Ben will run through everything that is packed away in his rucksack to enable successful activation. You can watch and ask questions live on our YouTube channel or special BATC channel. Further information about this and other webinars can be found on the Society’s website at rsgb.org/webinars

Following the introduction of the Direct to Full syllabus in July, bookings for the Direct to Full exam will begin this week. You can only take the exam online but you can book as an individual or through your club via the RSGB website. The first exam slot will be on Saturday the 21st of January and the exam will last for two-and-a-half hours. The bookings page will be updated with the Direct to Full information on Wednesday the 11th of January. Go to rsgb.org/exampay to make a booking.

Are you keen to see amateur radio thrive? Do you have the time and enthusiasm to support other radio amateurs and to help shape the RSGB of the future? If so, you still have the opportunity to be nominated in the RSGB elections. This year there are nine roles to be filled and the results will be announced at the Society’s AGM in April 2023. An explanation of how to apply for the various roles, as well as the candidate packs and forms for President, Elected Board Director and Regional Representative, are all on the Society’s website. The deadline for the Nominated Board Director role has now passed but the closing date for other roles is the 31st of January 2023. Find out more at rsgb.org/election

The RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed for one day on the 10th of January 2023 to allow electrical maintenance work to be undertaken. When booking a visit on any other day, remember that RSGB members can download a free entry voucher to Bletchley Park from the RSGB website at rsgb.org/bpvoucher

The RSGB’s RadCom team is looking for authors to contribute to the magazine. Previously unpublished features and articles are always welcome for consideration, and we will pay authors for any content we use. At the moment, the team is particularly interested in hearing from people who enjoy writing about antennas. To contact the RadCom team please email [email protected]

There is still time to apply for the volunteer roles of RSGB Lecture Chair and RSGB Social Diversity

GB2RS News

Sunday the 25th of December 2022

 

The news headlines:

Coronation of King Charles III

RSGB Elections

New edition of RadCom Plus released

 

Season’s greetings to all our listeners! Today’s GB2RS news script will the final one of 2022. Today’s news reading is optional, as the RSGB appreciates that not all newsreaders will be available as normal, but the script will be on the RGSB website so all can see it. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the newsreaders, who read the news on a variety of platforms, for their service to their fellow amateurs throughout the year. We’d also like to remind amateurs that there is a long-standing convention to listen for news broadcasts on Sundays before transmitting to allow news reading to go ahead without interference. Thank you to all those who listen on Sunday mornings, and the other times that the news is read, to those who call in afterwards to speak to the newsreaders, and to everyone who listens via various platforms. Please note, there will be no script prepared for broadcast on Sunday the 1st of January 2023 due to RSGB HQ being closed from 12.30pm on Friday the 23rd of December until 8.30am on Tuesday the 3rd of January 2023. Newsreaders may, of course, choose to run a net at their normal transmission time, but under their own callsign only.

The RSGB is making plans to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and the Queen Consort in May 2023. The Coronation theme is looking towards the future while being rooted in our traditions, which the Society would like to incorporate in its celebrations. The UK has an ancient chain of fire-based beacons and the RSGB is considering ways that these might be used in the plans. As well as organising events for radio amateurs, this is a great opportunity to demonstrate amateur radio to the public and to gain publicity in the media. If you have any thoughts about how to use the fire beacon chain, or if you have ideas for activities on the Coronation theme that could be used as outreach to the public, please contact the RSGB Coronation Lead, Alan Messenger, G0TLK on [email protected]

Are you keen to see amateur radio thrive? Do you have the time and enthusiasm to support other radio amateurs and to help shape the RSGB of the future? If so, you still have the opportunity to be nominated in the RSGB elections. This year there are nine roles to be filled and the results will be announced at the Society’s AGM in April 2023. An explanation of how to apply for the Nominated Board Director process, as well as the candidate packs and forms for President, Elected Board Director and Regional Representative, are all on the Society’s website. The deadline for the Nominated Board Director role is the 3rd of January 2023 whilst the closing date for other roles is the 31st of January 2023. Find out more at rsgb.org/election

The RSGB is pleased to announce that a new edition of RadCom Plus, Volume 7, 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 contains almost forty pages, including an article on an active dipole antenna and another on the construction of a portable dish for operating on the 23 and 13cm bands. RadCom Plus can be accessed via www.rsgb.org/radcom-plus

The RSGB is releasing three more 2022 Convention videos between Christmas and New Year to give radio amateurs some great content to watch during the festive season. Dr Colin Forsyth from UCL’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory gives a fascinating presentation about Space Weather, whilst Prof Norman Billingham, M0EBI talks about plastics for the radio amateur. Jim Bacon, G3YLA reviews what the 2020s have told us about Sporadic-E. The presentations will be published on three separate days so if you subscribe to the RSGB YouTube channel you will know when they’re available. Go to youtube.com/theRSGB

 

And now for details of rallies and events

The Yeo

GB2RS News

Sunday the 18th of December 2022

 

The news headlines:

Train the Trainers courses

RSGB Convention videos

Planning Advisory Committee recruitment

 

After a forced break during Covid, the RSGB will be restarting Train the Trainers courses in the spring of 2023. It is hoped that three courses will be run across the country. The team would like to run the courses where demand is greatest, rather than arrange three courses where there is no demand. If you are an existing trainer, or would like to become one, and would like to attend a course during the year, please contact  [email protected]  The team would also like to hear from clubs that are willing to host a course so that it can match demand with availability. For further details about the course, what it covers and what is required from hosts, please visit rsgb.org/train-the-trainers

The RSGB has released four individual presentations from its 2022 Convention which cover a wide and interesting range of topics. Philip Lawson, G4FCL gives an introduction to test equipment whilst Phil Catterall, G4OBK talks about adventure radio in Europe. Taking a look back into history, Dr David Abrutat provides a fascinating insight into Bletchley Park and the Y Services between 1939 and 1945. Finally, as a link with December’s YOTA month, young radio amateurs Dan McGraw, M0WUT and Hamzah Shah, 2E0HXS share their experiences and learning from the YOTA summer camp in Croatia this year. Find these and other RSGB Convention presentations on its YouTube channel at youtube.com/theRSGB

The RSGB Planning Advisory Committee assists RSGB Members with planning advice. It is looking to recruit additional committee members to help with this valuable service. You should be involved with, or retired from, a discipline associated with the planning process or have a good working knowledge of the planning process. The committee would particularly like to add a planning enforcement officer or a lawyer to the panel. The duties include assisting Members with planning enquiries, enforcement notices and appeals but will not include the actual preparation of planning applications on behalf of Members. If you think you can assist, please contact the RSGB Planning Advisory Committee Chair John Mattocks, G4TEQ by email at [email protected]

The RSGB HQ email system encountered a technical fault between the afternoon of Tuesday the 13th of December and the morning of Wednesday the 14th of December. If you emailed the RSGB during this period, it is likely that your message was not received and will need to be resent. To help, the RadCom team has extended the deadline for submissions to the magazine to Monday the 19th of December. So, there is still time to send in reports and items for the Club Calendar and Around Your Region sections of RadCom. The RSGB apologies for any inconvenience the fault may have caused.

The RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed for two days on the 10th and 11th of January 2023 to allow electrical maintenance work to be undertaken. When booking a visit on any other day, remember that RSGB members can download a free entry voucher to Bletchley Park from the RSGB website at rsgb.org/bpvoucher

The RSGB has made two announcements about exams this week. The first gives details of how to book for the Direct to Full exam from January, and the second outlines necessary changes to the exam fees. Further details of both can be found on the RSGB website. Go to rsgb.org/exams and choose the Exam Announcements option in the righthand menu.

RSGB HQ will be closed for Christmas and New Year from 12.30pm on Friday the 23rd of December until 8.30am on Tuesday the 3rd of January 2023. Next Sunday, the 25th of December, the GB2RS News script will be prepared as usual and read at the discretion of individual news readers. There will be no GB2RS broadcast on Sunday the 1st of January 2023. During the holidays, if you need information about amateur radio, exams or Ra

GB2RS News

Sunday the 11th of December 2022

The news headlines:

RSGB Elections

Australian Licensing Changes

GB22YOTA at the National Radio Centre

The RSGB is calling for volunteers who are willing and able to give their time and enthusiasm to ensure the Society continues to develop and thrive. This year there are nine roles to be filled and the results will be announced at the RSGB’s AGM in April 2023. An explanation of how to apply for the Nominated Board Director process, as well as the candidate packs and forms for President, Elected Board Director and Regional Representative, are all on the Society’s website at rsgb.org/election

At the end of September 2022, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, or ACMA, proposed that Australia’s amateur radio operators move to a class-based licensing scheme in July 2023, opening a consultation period that closed at the end of November 2022. The Wireless Institute of Australia has replied to the ACMA proposals with a comprehensive evidence-based response. The ACMA proposes moving Australia’s radio amateurs from individual apparatus licences to one licence for the amateur service as a whole. The principal reason cited is a reduction in the administrative burden for both the ACMA and the amateur radio community. The immediate benefit would be that licence and licence-renewal fees would disappear. The Wireless Institute of Australia’s response to the consultation can be found at tinyurl.com/WIAsubm

The RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park is pleased to announce that it will be hosting GB22YOTA on Saturday the 17th of December. Any young amateurs, or those who are interested to learn more about amateur radio, are welcome. The National Radio Centre is located within the grounds of the Bletchley Park Museum. Entry details and opening times can be found on the Bletchley Park website. RSGB members can download an entry voucher for a free day pass to the National Radio Centre from the members’ portal on the RSGB website.

The RSGB is looking for volunteers for two new roles: RSGB Lecture Chair and RSGB Social Diversity Officer. The deadline for applications is Monday the 16th of January. Full details of both roles, including how to apply, are on the Society's website at www.rsgb.org/volunteers

Does your school or college run an amateur radio club? Or are you interested in setting up a club at your school or college? Following the success of University Corner, the RSGB’s online list of universities with amateur radio clubs, the Society has launched School Zone. This brings together details of schools and colleges that have an active amateur radio club. If your school or college has a club and would like to be included in the online list, please send details to [email protected] Contact details should include the club callsign, if it has one, the school website URL and an email address for the teacher or adult who runs the club. If you are a pupil member of the club, please check those details before you send them to the RSGB. You can find the new School Zone webpage at rsgb.org/school-zone 

The RSGB’s Transatlantic Centenary Tests is running throughout December to celebrate the Centenary of the first amateur radio signals to cross the Atlantic. There are awards available for working the special stations. Over 40,000 QSOs were made in the first week. There are still opportunities to get involved so go to the RSGB website at rsgb.org/tct to book an operating slot.

The RSGB’s RadCom team is looking for authors to contribute to the magazine. Previously unpublished features and articles are always welcome for consideration. At the moment, the team is particularly interested in hearing from people who enjoy writing about antennas. To contact the RadCom team please email [email protected]

And now for details of rallies and events

The Yeovil Amateur Radio Club Rally will be held on Thursday the 29th of December at Davis Hall, Howell Hill, West Camel, Yeovil, Some