GB2RS News

Sunday the 6th of November 2022

The news headlines:

Next RSGB Tonight@8 Webinar

RSGB Annual General Meeting

RSGB Morse Test Coordinator

 

The next RSGB Tonight@8 webinar will be live-streamed on Monday the 7th of November at 8 pm. Terry, G4POP, will present ‘Log4OM: The first decade’ – a look at the popular free logging software Log4OM. Suitable for all levels of expertise, Terry’s talk will consider the software’s history, its developers and its in-built features. There will be a live demonstration and a chance to ask questions. Tonight@8 webinars are live-streamed on BATC and on the RSGB YouTube channel. For more information about all RSGB webinars go to rsgb.org/webinars

The RSGB has announced that its 96th AGM will take place on Saturday the 15th of April 2023. Full details of the AGM, the voting process and the calling notice will appear in the April 2023 issue of RadCom. In the coming weeks, the Society will publish details of the roles that will form part of the elections and how you can get involved.

The RSGB has appointed Eric Arkinstall, M0KZB as its Morse Test Coordinator. Eric has been interested in electronics since he was young and he built his first crystal set when he was about 11 years old. Eric now teaches Morse code on the air each week. For further information about Morse and the Morse test, see the RSGB website at rsgb.org/morse

Amateur Radio Digital Communications is a private foundation that exists to support amateur radio and digital communication science and technology. It has two standing committees for which it seeks volunteers each year: the Technical Advisory Committee and the Grants Advisory Committee. Applications should be received by the 12th of November 2022. International applications are welcome. Details of how to apply can be found under the News tab at ampr.org

The Bath Based Distance Learning team has helped over a thousand students to pass UK amateur radio exams with pass rates consistently above the national average. Their next course will be for the Intermediate level and it will run from January to May 2023. The deadline for applications is the 7th of December. There will be no charge for the training but students will need to provide their own textbook, scientific calculator, electronic parts and tool kit. As well as weekly work packages via a virtual classroom, there will be weekly online tutorials, revision quizzes and lots of practical exercises to bring the theory to life. Students will also have access to one of the remote tutors who will provide feedback and additional guidance when required. As part of the application process, there will be some pre-course work to ensure students are able to use the online learning systems and ensure they are ready to study in January. To find out more and receive course application details, email Team Leader Steve, G0FUW via [email protected] The team will also run a Full Licence course, which will start in August 2023, but a further announcement will be made when that course is ready for enrolment.

 

And now for details of rallies and events

The Holsworthy Radio Rally will take place today Sunday the 6th of November, at Holsworthy Leisure Centre, Well Park, Western Road, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 6DH. There will be traders, a bring-and-buy sale and catering. The venue has disabled access. Doors open for traders at 8 am and to the public at 10. For more information email [email protected]

Now the Special Event News

On Thursday the 1st of December, GB1WH will begin operating. The Special Event Station has been established to promote the work done by Wakefield Hospice. For more information, visit the GB1WH QRZ.com page.

GB1LJF begins its on-air activities on Thursday the 1st of December. The Special Event Station is operating to celebrate the manufacturing of the English Electric Lightning aircraft in Lancashire. More information is available via the GB1LJF QRZ.com page.

Now the DX news

Today, the 6th is the last

GB2RS News

Sunday the 30th of October 2022

The news headlines:

RSGB Construction Contest

RSGB ICQ Podcast Interviews

Next RSGB Tonight@8 Webinar

 

The RSGB has launched this year’s construction competition. To enable members across the country, and even the world, to take part, entries will be judged over the internet rather than in person. There are four categories – Beginners, Construction Excellence, Innovation, and Software – and the deadline for entries is the 1st of March 2023. Special recognition will be given to entries submitted by radio amateurs under the age of 24, and to those who have just gained their Foundation licence. A cash prize will be awarded to the winner of each section, with a bonus for the overall winner who will also be declared the winner of the Pat Hawker G3VA Trophy. To find out more, including how to enter, see the full details on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/construction-competition

The RSGB President Stewart Bryant, G3YSX and General Manager Steve Thomas, M1ACB were interviewed by ICQ Podcast at the National Hamfest. Steve talked about this year’s first hybrid RSGB Convention which brought hundreds of people together again. The two days of live stream content is still attracting thousands of views from radio amateurs across the world. The President discussed the RSGB’s international and standards work with the IARU, as well as the need to use and protect the spectrum. You can find Episode 388 at icqpodcast.com and the RSGB interview starts at one hour, thirty minutes and fifty-two seconds.

The next RSGB Tonight@8 webinar will be live-streamed on Monday the 7th of November at 8 pm. Terry, G4POP, will present ‘Log4OM: The first decade’ – a look at the popular free logging software Log4OM. Suitable for all levels of expertise, Terry’s talk will consider the software’s history, its developers and its in-built features. There will be a live demonstration and a chance to ask questions. Tonight@8 webinars are live-streamed on BATC and on the RSGB YouTube channel. For more information about all RSGB webinars go to rsgb.org/webinars

The RSGB VHF Contest Committee is currently planning the rules for next year’s VHF contests. Following some discussion at the RSGB Convention, they have some questions on which they would appreciate feedback from contestants. You can find the survey online at thersgb.org/go/vhf2023. The survey will close on Sunday the 13th of November.

The RSGB is sad to learn of the passing of Richard Brunton, G4TUT. For countless years, Richard was editor of the popular Southgate Amateur Radio News website. Every single day, he searched the world’s amateur radio and technology resources for stories of interest and published them. Richard offered his platform inclusively, commissioning non-commercial podcasts and blogs to promote opinion alongside conventional news items. He also compiled the ‘CQ Serenade’ weekly programme which was broadcast throughout Europe on Shortwaveradio.de and other public-facing media. Richard was an intensely private man who had no close family, but he reached thousands of friends daily through his website. Amateur radio has lost a true communicator.

And now for details of rallies and events

Scotland’s biggest Rally for this year is being held in Galashiels today the 30th of October. The Rally takes place at the Volunteer Hall, St John Street, Galashiels. Admission is £2.50 per person, with free entry for those under 16s. Doors open for general admission at 11 am with disabled and accessible entry and early book-in of bring-and-buy items at 10.45 am. There will be an RSGB bookstall and catering is available on the site.

The Hack Green Radio Surplus Hangar Sale takes place today, the 30th, at Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 8AL. The event will include the sale of electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio items and vehicle spares. Doors open at 11 am. For more details visit www.hackgreen.co.uk

The Br

GB2RS News

Sunday the 23rd of October 2022

The news headlines:

RSGB Tonight at 8 Webinar

EMF Assessments

Ofcom Preparations for WRC-23

The next RSGB Tonight at 8 Webinar will be live-streamed on Monday the 7th of November at 8pm UK local time. Terry, G4POP will present ‘Log4OM: The first decade’ – a look at the popular free logging software Log4OM. Suitable for all levels of expertise, Terry’s talk will consider the software’s history, its developers and its in-built features. There will be a live demonstration and a chance to ask questions. Tonight @ 8 webinars are live-streamed on youtube.com/theRSGB

As of the 18th of November 2022, all UK amateurs are required to have conducted EMF assessments for all the bands they use. The RSGB provides an assessment app which can be found at rsgb.org/emf. This app includes many current antennas. However, if you have one you feel should be added, please email details of the antenna, with a web link if possible, to George, MM0JNL at: [email protected]

Over the period June to September 2022, Ofcom consulted on UK provisional views and positions as part of the preparations for WRC-23, the next ITU World Radio Conference. The RSGB has made a comprehensive reply and its volunteers continue to engage actively in national and international preparations. Topics of relevance to amateurs include 50MHz, 1.3GHz and many other amateur allocations from LF to Millimetre Waves. To find out more, visit rsgb.org/wrc-23

December is Youngsters On The Air month. This is an opportunity for individuals, clubs, groups and schools to run an amateur radio station with the aim of getting youngsters active on the air. The RSGB is inviting applications to host the special callsign GB22YOTA. To register your interest email Jamie, M0SDV at [email protected] with details of the activity you are planning. Please include your name, organisation and the callsign of the Full licensee who will host the activation. To see the GB22YOTA activation schedule, visit the GB22YOTA page at qrz.com

And now for details of rallies and events

Scotland’s biggest Rally for this year is being held in Galashiels on Sunday the 30th of October. The Rally takes place at the Volunteer Hall, St John Street, Galashiels. Admission will be £2.50 per person, with free entry for those under 16. Doors open for general admission at 11 am with disabled and accessible entry and early book-in of bring-and-buy items at 10.45 am. There will be an RSGB bookstall and catering is available on the site.

The British Vintage Wireless Society’s Golborne Swapmeet will take place on Sunday the 30th of October. The venue will be Golborne Parkside Sports and Community Club, Rivington Avenue, Golborne, Warrington, Cheshire WA3 3HG. Doors open at 10 am with stallholder entry from 9:30 am. Contact Mark Ryding via [email protected] for additional information.

Bishop Auckland Radio Amateurs' Club is pleased to announce that its annual radio rally has returned after a break. This premiere north-eastern rally will take place at Spennymoor Leisure Centre on Sunday the 27th of November. The usual selection of traders and other stalls will be at the rally. Parking for visitors can be found at the leisure centre or nearby. The postcode for Satnavs is DL16 6DB. Traders who have reserved tables should have received their information already. If you are a trader or wish to book a table then please see the website www.barac.org.uk/rally/traders for more information or contact G0OCB at [email protected]. There are spaces left for the rally but they are selling out fast.

Now the Special Event News

The Norfolk Tank Museum Radio Group near Long Stratton has been granted the permanent special callsign of GB2NTM and will be on the air for the last day of the Museum’s 2022 season from 11 am until 5 pm on the 30th of October. Operation is planned on 80, 40 and 20m plus 70.450MHz FM using radios from the museum collection. More details via the QRZ.com pa

GB2RS News

Sunday the 16th of October 2022

The news headlines:

IARU President Keynote Speech at the 2022 RSGB Convention

Celebrating 100 Years of the BBC

New Transponder Bandplan for QO-100

Last weekend the RSGB held its first hybrid Convention which had speakers, attendees and live stream watchers from across the world. The keynote presentation by IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, who also holds the callsign G4HUA, was very thought-provoking. In it, he highlighted the threats to amateur radio as well as the importance of embracing modern techniques, whilst also being willing to adapt and change. The Society has released a standalone recording of Tim’s presentation on its YouTube channel, combined with his interesting Convention Chat with the RSGB and IRTS Presidents. The RSGB would like to thank everyone who gave a presentation, as well as those who attended the Convention, whether in person or online. It is also grateful to the RSGB General Manager and Convention Chair Steve Thomas, M1ACB and his hard-working Convention team who made this such a fantastic event. Individual presentations will be released over the coming months, first on the RSGB website for its members and then on YouTube for everyone to see. The two live streams have already had thousands of views – to see either of those or to watch Tim’s keynote speech, go to youtube.com/theRSGB

On the 18th of October 1922, the Marconi Company and other equipment manufacturers formed the British Broadcasting Company, which became the British Broadcasting Corporation six years later. To mark this momentous date exactly 100 years on, members of the BBC Amateur Radio Group have been invited by Arqiva to operate for the day at the Daventry transmitting station that was home to so much of BBC short-wave broadcasting over the years. Members of the BBC and Arqiva clubs will be operating HF on Tuesday the 18th of October from the Empire Service Building at the Daventry site. As well as GB100BBC, the callsign G2LO will be on air. 2LO was the callsign allocated to the very first BBC transmitter, built by Marconi and located at Savoy Hill in London. Keep an eye on the GB100BBC QRZ page for more information.

At the 2022 AMSAT-UK Colloquium on Saturday 8th October, a new narrowband transponder bandplan for the QO-100 geostationary amateur satellite was announced. Among other changes, AMSAT has allocated a new ‘broadcast’ spot frequency which is intended for the news services of amateur radio organisations. The RSGB’s news service GB2RS has been transmitted via QO-100 for some time and has already clocked up 70 broadcasts. It is very popular, with an audience within the footprint of the satellite which covers almost half of the world’s surface. Following this announcement, GB2RS will be moving to the new broadcast frequency of 10489.855MHz with immediate effect. The transmission is at 0800UTC every Sunday. Perhaps in the future, the news services of other amateur radio organisations will follow the RSGB’s lead and make use of this special allocation to reach a diverse international audience.

Jamboree On The Air is an annual event in which Scouts and Guides all over the world communicate with each other via amateur radio. JOTA 2022 ends its 48-hour run at 2359UTC today, the 16th. You can find out more at jotajoti.info

The Royal Air Force Air Cadets will be running the popular Blue Ham Exercise on the 22nd and 23rd of October from 0800 to 1800UTC each day. If you are a UK Full licence holder the hope is that you can set some time aside to take part with the Cadets and Staff Volunteers who will be ready to take your QSOs over the operating period. A Blue Ham participation certificate for amateur operators who contact 20 or more special MRE call signs will be available. Details are on the alphacharlie.org.uk portal.

And now for details of rallies and events

Today, the 16th, the Hornsea Amateur Radio Club Rally will take place at the Driffield Showground YO25 9DW. More in

GB2RS News

Sunday the 9th of October 2022

The news headlines:

RSGB Convention 2022

New RSGB Board Member

Celebrating 100 Years of the BBC

The RSGB’s first hybrid Convention is this weekend. A selection of presentations is being live-streamed as well as interviews, videos and live operations by the special event station GB3HQ. You can watch some of the live stream if you want to join this event from where you live. Head over to the RSGB YouTube channel or follow the link from the live stream web page at rsgb.org/livestream.

The RSGB Board is pleased to announce that John McCullagh, GI4BWM has been co-opted as a Board Director until the 2023 AGM. Many members will know John as he was ETCC Chairman from 2005 until 2017 and he is still the Northern Ireland ETCC representative. John worked for almost 40 years as a communications professional in the emergency services in Northern Ireland, retiring in 2005 and being awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours list for services to policing. Since then, he has worked as a communications consultant in Eastern Europe and in the past few years has, with his wife, volunteered with a children's charity in Tanzania. John was licensed in 1973 and has been active ever since, mainly on UHF and VHF. He has been involved with the repeater scene since the late 1970s when he installed the first repeater in Northern Ireland. He is also the Controller of a RAYNET Group in County Antrim and has been in that position since 1976.

On the 18th of October 1922, the Marconi Company and other equipment manufacturers formed the British Broadcasting Company, which became the British Broadcasting Corporation six years later. To mark this momentous date exactly 100 years on, members of the BBC Amateur Radio Group have been invited by Arqiva to operate for the day at the Daventry transmitting station that was home to so much of BBC short-wave broadcasting over the years. Members of the BBC and Arqiva clubs will be operating HF on Tuesday the 18th of October from the Empire Service Building at the Daventry site. As well as GB100BBC, the callsign G2LO will be on air. 2LO was the callsign allocated to the very first BBC transmitter, built by Marconi and located at Savoy Hill in London. Keep an eye on the GB100BBC QRZ page for more information.

The Caledonian Rally is an annual event that brings together 13- to 17-year-old Scouts and Guides from all over Scotland. This year the event takes place between the 14th and 16th of October. Inverness Amateur Radio Society will be running GB2CWR for the event as part of Jamboree on the Air. Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society members are helping with the station, but more experienced operators are sought, especially for set up and break down. Email [email protected].

The Royal Air Force Air Cadets will be running the popular Blue Ham Exercise on the 22nd and 23rd of October from 0800 to 1800UTC each day. If you are a UK Full licence holder the hope is that you can set some time aside to take part with the Cadets and Staff Volunteers who will be ready to take your QSOs over the operating period. A Blue Ham participation certificate for amateur operators who contact 20 or more special MRE callsigns will be available. Details are on the alphacharlie.org.uk portal.

Member States of the International Telecommunication Union, the United Nations' specialised agency for information and communication technologies, have elected Doreen Bogdan-Martin, KD2JTX as the organisation's next Secretary-General. She will assume office on the 1st of January 2023. She will be the first woman to lead the ITU in its 157-year history and only the third Secretary-General to hold an amateur radio licence.

And now for details of rallies and events

The National Hamfest will take place on Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th of October at Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire. Gates open at 9.30 am and the main hall opens at 10 am. For more information visit nationalhamfest.org.uk.

N

GB2RS News

Sunday the 2nd of October 2022

The news headlines:

RSGB Convention 2022

Jamboree on the Air and Jamboree on the Internet

Three new CW and FT8 Beacons in Service

Booking for the RSGB Convention ends today, Sunday the 2nd of October, so don’t miss out! You will still be able to buy day tickets at the event, but these will be at a higher price. The programme is available on the RSGB website with summaries of some of the presentations. Information is added regularly to help you make the most of the weekend. In addition to over 50 lectures, there are also RSGB sessions on Sunday where you can meet the Regional Team, the Board of Directors and the Contest Committees. Do go along and hear from these volunteer groups, find out their plans for the coming year and ask any questions you may have. DXCC card checking and new user registrations for Logbook of the World will be available on Saturday only. Full information about the Convention is at rsgb.org/convention.

Jamboree on the Air and Jamboree on the Internet is the world’s largest radio and digital Scout event. It takes place on the air and online between the 14th and the 16th of October. If you or your club are planning to help a local Scout group get on the air, the RSGB would love to hear about it. Email [email protected] and also post the details on the RSGB’s Facebook and Twitter profiles. For more information about the worldwide event go to jotajoti.info.

On Sunday the 25th of September, the Mid Cornwall Beacon and Repeater Group brought into service three new CW and FT8 Beacons. These can be found on 28.215MHz, 40.050MHz and 60.300MHz, each using the callsign GB3MCB. The beacons were constructed by Peter, G8BCG and are located at IO70OJ in mid-Cornwall. They are ideally situated for identifying transatlantic and equatorial Sporadic-E as well as F2 propagation. For further information visit gb3nc.org.uk.

 

The next RSGB Tonight@8 webinar is on Monday the 3rd of October when Daimon Tilley, G4USI takes ‘HF on Holiday’. Aimed at everyone, from beginners upwards, Daimon will look at considerations and ideas for those who would like to take HF away with them. Find out more on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/webinars.

The latest edition of RadCom Basics was released on the 29th of September. Each edition of RadCom Basics explores key aspects of amateur radio in a straightforward way. An email alert is sent to subscribers when a new edition of RadCom Basics is published. Topics included in the latest edition include how to start with a tight budget, basic bench fault finding and working towards and claiming awards. For more information visit rsgb.org/radcom-basics.

The RSGB is hosting the Transatlantic Centenary Tests 2022 on the HF bands for the month of December. Unlike those of the 1920s, which consisted of one-way communication, this event will encourage worldwide, two-way communication with UK and Crown Dependency stations. There will be a series of awards available for making QSOs with those who are activating historic RSGB callsigns. The Club Log Team has kindly agreed to provide the supporting infrastructure for this. Taking part is simple and everything you need to know is on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/transatlantic-tests.

And now for details of rallies and events

The 48th Welsh Radio Rally, due to be held on Monday the 3rd of October at Rougemont School, Newport, has been cancelled as previously publicised.

The RSGB Convention will take place between Friday the 7th of October and Sunday the 9th of October at Kent’s Hill Park Training and Conference Centre, Milton Keynes. For more information visit rsgb.org/convention.

National Hamfest will take place on Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th of October at Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire. Gates open at 9.30 am and the main hall opens at 10 am. For more information visit nationalhamfest.org.uk.

 

Now the Special Event News

ZL75WARC will be on the air from New Zealand between the 1st of Octob

GB2RS News

Sunday the 25th of September 2022

The news headlines:

RSGB Convention 2022

New RSGB EMF Calculator App

Remote Examination Invigilators Wanted

 

The RSGB has published the draft programme for its annual Convention. There are over 50 lectures planned for the weekend so there should be something for everyone to enjoy. This is the Society’s first hybrid event where some of the lectures will also be live-streamed. Further details of that live stream will be added to the RSGB Convention web page over the next few days. All three levels of UK amateur radio exams will be held at the RSGB Convention and the deadline for booking an exam slot has been extended to Sunday the 2nd of October. You won’t be able to book exams on the day and you will need to take your own laptop. For links to the Convention programme and the online exam booking form, go to rsgb.org/convention. The deadline for booking Convention day or weekend tickets, accommodation or complete packages online is also the 2nd of October.

The RSGB has issued a Trial Version 2 of its EMF Calculator App. This version removes the restriction on frequencies below 10MHz and the minimum separation of near field boundary. The app is being released as a trial version as the RSGB would welcome feedback from users. You can find the app and more information about the EMF work on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/emf. There will also be a presentation on the update at the RSGB Convention on Saturday and an EMF support clinic on Sunday morning.

The next RSGB Tonight@8 webinar is on Monday the 3rd of October when Daimon Tilley, G4USI takes ‘HF on Holiday’. Aimed at everyone, from beginners upwards, Daimon will look at considerations and ideas for those who would like to take HF away with them. Find out more on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/webinars.

Remote invigilation and online examinations have been a huge success due to the efforts of the team of invigilators. If you have not previously invigilated an online examination using the TestReach system and would like more information on joining the team, please email [email protected].

The closing date for applications for the RSGB’s Commonwealth Games operating awards is next month. The RSGB Awards Manager must receive your application via [email protected] by the 31st of October or your application won’t be counted. Further details and application forms for the 2022 Commonwealth Games Award and the GB22 Award are on the Society’s website at www.rsgb.org/cwg.

Andy, G6PJZ has achieved the coveted Summits On The Air Mountain Goat award for reaching 1,000 activator points. Andy started collecting SOTA points in 2015. His Mountain Goat-qualifying activation took place from a summit in the English Lake District recently.

The provisional results for the last IARU Region 1 50 and 70MHz CW and SSB contests are available. Congratulations to GM4ZUK who was placed first in the single operator 70MHz category and G0VHF/P who has been placed first in the multi-operator section. In the 50MHz contest, GM4ZUK was placed second in the single operator category and G8T was placed second in the multi-operator category. Read the full results at iaru-r1.org.

And now for details of rallies and events

Please send your rally and event news as soon as possible to [email protected]. We’ll publicise your event in RadCom, on GB2RS, and online.

Today, Sunday 25th of September, the Weston-Super-Mare Radio Society and Electronics Rally will be held at The Campus Community Centre BS24 7DX. It opens at 10 am and entry is £3 per person.

On Sunday the 2nd of October, the Welsh Radio Rally will be held at the new venue of Llanwern High School, NP18 2YE. Doors open at 10 am. More information at gw6gw.co.uk.

Now the Special Event News

Today, the 25th, the South Eastern Amateur Radio Group, EI2WRC will be active from the Suir Valley Railway Station in County Waterford, Ireland for Railways On the Air.

In celebration of the life of the late Queen Elizabeth

GB2RS News

Sunday the 18th of September 2022

The news headlines:

RSGB HQ and the National Radio Centre closed on Monday

Special Regional Secondary Locator

RSGB Convention latest

Our thoughts are very much with the Royal Family as they mourn the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The RSGB will be closing its HQ and the RSGB National Radio Centre on Monday the 19th of September, the day of the Queen’s state funeral, as a mark of respect.

In response to requests from radio amateurs and after contact from Ofcom, the RSGB will be making available the special Regional Secondary Locator of Q. Any licensed radio amateur may choose to use this after their UK callsign prefix to show their respect for the Queen if they wish to do so. For example, GQ4LFM, MQ1ACB or 2Q0ABC. It will be available until the end of official national mourning on Monday the 19th of September. Radio amateurs will need to download the Notice of Variation that is available from the RSGB website at rsgb.org/nov. You may be interested to note that Australian amateurs may use the AX prefix between the 19th and the 23rd of September to commemorate the life of Queen Elizabeth II.

The RSGB Convention will take place from the 7th to the 9th of October. The online booking system for overnight packages, dinners and day tickets will close on the 2nd of October. The latest information can be found at rsgb.org/convention Don’t forget that all three UK amateur radio exams may be taken online at this year’s RSGB Convention. The Foundation and Intermediate exam will take place on Saturday and the Full exam on Sunday morning. You will need to book a place via the online form before the 26th of September. Applications will not be accepted on the day. If you have a question, please email [email protected] or you can book your place via the link on the RSGB’s Convention web page at rsgb.org/convention.

The RSGB is bringing its Jubilee activities to a close as a mark of respect for the Queen. The Society’s website is being updated and the Innovation 70 award has been cancelled. If you have collected QSOs between the 1st and the 30th of June for the Jubilee Award 70, you may still submit an application to the RSGB Awards Manager before the 31st of October. Details of how to do so will remain on the awards section of the RSGB website at rsgb.org/jubilee.

As the World Radiocommunication Conference 23 approaches, the studies regarding 23cm and RNSS satellites are working towards conclusions. However, the IARU is not content that all the operational aspects of the amateur service usage of the 1240 to 1300MHz band are being properly considered to develop an acceptable compromise for all concerned parties. You can find some more detail on the areas of concern in the discussion paper posted on the global IARU WRC-23 web pages at iaru-r1.org.

On Friday the 23rd of September, a team from hi-impact, based on the Wirral, will be working with Everton Free School on another High Altitude Balloon launch. Launching near Welshpool, at 11 am, you can listen out on 434.250MHz USB and the RTTY transmission will be 300 baud with a 910Hz shift. The callsign will be EVERTONFS. The flight will be SSDV enabled, so there will be pictures being beamed back to earth.

The Radio Amateurs of Canada, the national society in Canada, is holding its AGM today at 1600UTC. The AGM will start with A Fireside Chat on the Future of Amateur Radio. Those involved will be Tim Ellam, VE6SH, President of the IARU, Rick Roderick, K5UR, President of the ARRL, Stewart Bryant, G3YSX, the RSGB President and Phil A. McBride, VA3QR, the President of RAC. You can find out more at rac.ca.

December is Youngsters On The Air month. This brings an opportunity for individuals, clubs, schools and groups to run an amateur radio station with the aim of getting youngsters active on the air. The RSGB is inviting applications to host the special callsign GB22YOTA, pending Ofcom approval. Activations can be big or small and

GB2RS News

Sunday the 11th of September 2022

The news headlines:

The death of Queen Elizabeth II

Bletchley Park and NRC open

EMF lecture and workshop at the RSGB Convention

We are deeply saddened by the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Our thoughts are with the King and all members of the Royal Family at this sad time.

Bletchley Park Museum, and hence the National Radio Centre, will remain open in the coming days but will be closed for the day of the funeral. More information will follow once the date of the funeral has been announced.

There will be EMF Compliance events at the RSGB Convention on the 8th and 9th of October. On the morning of Saturday the 8th, John Rogers, M0JAV of the RSGB, ARRL and IRTS EMF team will give an update on EMF compliance developments. This will include the updated RSGB EMF Compliance App and the results of some measurements made. Then, on Sunday morning, team members Peter Zollman, G4DSE and Ian White, GM3SEK will run an open Compliance Clinic. If you have already carried out an EMF compliance assessment but are not sure how the results relate to your situation, they will work through some site-specific cases to put the principles into practice. Please check the Convention timetable for final details. You can email your questions in advance to [email protected].

The July edition of the IARU Monitoring Service Region 1 Newsletter is now available. In this issue, you can read more about how ‘Over the Horizon’ radars were the most obvious transmissions causing harm to our amateur radio HF bands. The front runner was the Russian ‘Contayner’ with a bandwidth of 12kHz at 40 symbols per second, received in all bands from 40 to 12m. The others sending short bursts with bandwidths of 10kHz at 50 symbols per second, were also very active and were mostly observed on the 20m and 15m bands. To read the full report go to iaru-r1.org. Word has just arrived via the South African Radio League that three new African countries have joined the ranks of 5MHz or 60m operators. They are Botswana, Lesotho & eSwatini, formerly known as Swaziland. Each has the new WRC-15 Amateur Secondary Allocation of 5351.5 to 5366.5kHz. This makes a total of 89 countries now on the band worldwide. Thanks to ZS4BS and SARL for the information.

All three UK amateur radio exams may be taken online at this year’s RSGB Convention. The Foundation and Intermediate exam will take place on Saturday and the Full exam on Sunday morning. Places must have been booked prior to the 26 September cut-off date and applications will not be accepted on the day. For booking enquiries, please email [email protected]

And now for details of rallies and events

Following the sad news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the RSGB recommends that anyone attending amateur radio rallies or events should check before travelling.

Please send your rally and event news as soon as possible to [email protected]. We’ll publicise your event in RadCom, on GB2RS, and online.

Also, today the 11th, the Ripon Radio Rally will be held at Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon, HG4 2PT. Doors open for traders from 7 am and to the public at 10 am. Admission is £3 per person. Please note that the Bring & Buy is upstairs. The cost for Bring & Buy is £1 per item to a local charity, sold or not.

Weston Super Mare Radio Society’s Radio & Electronics Rally on the 25th of September. It will be held at The Campus Community Centre BS24 7DX.

As a mark of respect for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Caister Lifeboat Radio Rally, which was due to be held this coming Sunday 11th September, has been postponed.

Please note also that the Angel of the North Rally, due to be held on the 17th of September has also been postponed.And now for the Special Event news

Paisley Amateur Radio Club will be operating the special event station GB0DOD from the Methodist Central Hall, 2 Gauze St, Paisley, PA1 1EP on Saturday the 17th of September. It is part of Paisley Doors Open Day when historic

GB2RS News

Sunday the 4th of September 2022

The news headlines:

Syllabus 1.5 checks finished

Tonight @8 restarts for a new season

Regional hub for makers to meet

The Examinations and Syllabus Review Group has just completed an editing and checking exercise for all the v1.5 syllabus content on the RSGB website. The single-tier and three-tier versions should have exactly the same content and, by majority request, Oxford commas have been removed. The old syllabuses can still be found on the RSGB website, while the new syllabuses can be found at rsgb.org/syllabus2019. The Group has also been working on the sample examination papers and sample questions on the RSGB website in order to bring them into line with version 1.5. As the majority of candidates will now be taking examinations online, as opposed to paper-based exams, the front sheets of the sample papers have been adapted to reflect this transition. The sample questions are now shown using an Excel spreadsheet rather than a pdf. The updated sample examination papers can be found at rsgb.org/mock-exams.

The first Tonight@8 talk of the new season will be on Monday the 5th of September. Mike Richards, G4WNC will talk about going Back to the keyboard! He says that now we have filled our logbooks with FT-8 contacts, maybe it’s time to move on and start communicating again. In an illustrated talk, he will introduce you to the best data modes for keyboard QSOs with a special focus on VarAC. In addition to explaining their operation, Mike will run through some operating techniques to take the strain out of keyboard QSOs. It will be streamed live on the RSGB’s YouTube channel and via the BATC allowing you to watch the presentation and ask questions online. To watch the Tonight @8 talk, go to youtu.be/SC0UxNG2itE.

A regional hub for makers and home brewers of radio-related projects is proposed by Eric, M0REQ and Graham, G4NMD. The idea is for a club that co-operates with knowledge, experience and test gear to support those who are already building or wishing to build radio-related projects. The inaugural meeting is set for Wednesday the 7th of September at 7.30 pm at Grafham Rooms, Grafham, Surrey GU5 0LJ. More details by e-mail to [email protected].

The CQ Contest policy has been updated. It will be effective with the upcoming CQ WW RTTY DX contest on the 24th and 25th of September, and all CQ contests going forward. CQ will resume accepting Russian or Belorussian log entries as regular logs and publish their scores. However, plaques will not be awarded to otherwise-eligible Russian or Belorussian stations but to the top-scoring non-Russian or non-Belorussian entry in that category. Online certificates will not be awarded to any Russian or Belorussian entry, either as a participant award or based on ranking. You can read more about the policy at cq-amateur-radio.com.

Churches and Chapels On The Air will take place next Saturday the 10th of September between 10 am and 4 pm. Stations will be operating mainly on the 20, 40 and 80m bands usually using SSB. If you would like to register your special event station, please email John, G3XYF at [email protected]. The latest list of stations taking part can be found at wacral.org.

SN0ZG will be on the air until 2359UTC on the 15th of September using the 3.5MHz, 7MHz and 144MHz bands with a variety of modes. An award certificate will be issued in electronic PDF form for making at least two QSOs on any band and in any mode on different days. All QSOs will be uploaded to the qrz.com log once a week.

And now for details of rallies and events

Please send your rally and event news as soon as possible to [email protected]. We’ll publicise your event in RadCom, on GB2RS, and online.

Today, the 4th of September, the Telford HamFest takes place at the Harper Adams University, TF10 8NB. Three excellent speakers will give presentations in a reserved room. For other details see the website telfordhamfest.org.uk.

Also