GB2RS

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

GB2RS News

Sunday the 28th of August 2022

The news headlines:

Get ready for the Transatlantic tests

National Radio Centre contacts the ISS

GB3HA is back on air in Northumberland

The RSGB is hosting The Transatlantic Centenary Tests on the HF bands, for the entire month of December 2022. This is to commemorate the centenary of the achievement of amateur transatlantic communication, during the tests that were held between 1921 and 1923. Unlike the tests of the 1920s, which consisted of one-way communication, the 2022 tests will encourage worldwide two-way communication with UK & Crown Dependency-based stations. For those activating special stations, there will be a series of awards available. With the assistance of Ofcom, the RSGB has reactivated five callsigns that it held in the 1920s. These historic callsigns will be activated by RSGB Members and clubs. You can read more about the original transatlantic tests and how to participate in 2022 at rsgb.org/transatlantic-tests.

RSGB National Radio Centre volunteer Steve, 2E0YBJ, was able to show the visiting public a live radio contact with the International Space Station using GB3RS. He was using the demonstration station at the NRC, running SatPC32. This is used to track Earth Low Orbit satellites and, more recently, the onboard ISS repeater. Steve put his success down to two factors; the excellent NRC station set-up and the fact that the ISS approaches the UK from the West. This enables UK stations to ‘see’ the ISS before its communications footprint passes over mainland Europe. It was an unexpected treat for the Bletchley Park visitors, a super result for Steve and a first for GB3RS.

The Northumberland 2m repeater, GB3HA, is operational again serving the northeast of England. To celebrate the switch on, a short check-in net will be held on Tuesday the 30th of August at 7.30 pm. Net control will be Roy, M0TKF, and all radio amateurs within the repeater coverage are welcome to call in for a quick hello. Please check the GB3HA page on QRZ.com for frequencies and access information.

NASA is well known for communicating with astronauts on space missions, but radio amateurs may also contact NASA centres around the world. Until the end of this year, NASA will mark several past and present-day key milestones. NASA Amateur Radio Clubs at the agency’s centres and support facilities across the United States plan to participate with ‘NASA on the air’ special event stations. Look out for events to celebrate the Artemis launch over the next few days. The 22nd of September is National Astronomy Day and special event stations will be on the air for that too. To learn more about NASA on the Air events, go to nasaontheair.wordpress.com.

The cross-band voice repeater and the APRS node aboard the International Space Station can now be used simultaneously. The FM repeater uplink is on 145.990MHz and a 67Hz PL tone is needed to activate the downlink transmitter on 437.800MHz. APRS and packet mode uses 145.825MHz for uplink and downlink. The Columbus module radio uses the callsign NA1SS and the new service module radio uses the callsign RS0ISS. Both radios are expected to be operational at all times, except during school contacts, spacewalks and docking manoeuvres. The operational state of the ISS ham-radio station can be found on the ARISS website at ariss.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 the 28th, the Milton Keynes ARS Rally will be held at The Irish Centre, Manor Fields, Watling Street, Bletchley, MK2 2HX. There is free onsite parking, catering and disabled facilities. Entry is £3 and the doors open at 9 am. See mkars.org.uk for more information.

The Torbay Annual Communications Fair also takes place today, the 28th, at Newton Abbot Racecourse, Devon TQ12 3AF. Doors open at 10 am with disabled visitors gaining

GB2RS News

Sunday the 21st of August 2022

The news headlines:

Sponsoring young contesters

8-year-old speaks to the ISS

British Inland Waterways on the Air

The CDXC and the RSGB are pleased to announce their joint sponsorship of one of the Youth Teams at the World Radiosport Team Championship. The Championship is due to take place in Bologna, Italy in July 2023. In order to promote contest activity by young radio amateurs, the organising committee reserved six sites for young contesters. Jamie Williams, M0SDV and Philipp Springer, DK6SP will form Youth Team 2 and will be the team jointly sponsored by CDXC and RSGB.

On Tuesday, the 16th of August, BBC TV spoke to 8-year-old Isabella about her contact with a NASA astronaut on the International Space Station. On the 2nd, Isabella used her dad's callsign M0LMK to make supervised contact with the ISS amateur station. Isabella, a member of the Hilderstone Radio Society, has been involved in several amateur radio events and is working towards her own amateur radio licence. BBC South East Today for the 16th of August is available on the iPlayer and this interview is about 15 minutes into the show.

British Inland Waterways on the Air takes place between the 27th and 29th of August. It is open to all amateurs who are boaters, cyclists, walkers and other users of the canals, rivers, towpaths and riverbanks for work or recreation. Even lakes and reservoirs that are used for recreation classify as an inland waterway, so there are many places for activating. Many clubs and individual amateurs on or near the UK inland waterways obtain a Special Event Station callsign. Others operate mobile or portable using their own call signs. The primary bands will be 40m and 2m. If you would like to register or obtain more details about the event please visit, nharg.org.uk/biwota.

Another popular event, Churches and Chapels On The Air, will take place on 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.

There is still time to get involved with the Oscar 100 Award. It aims to promote and foster experimental activities and radio contacts by means of the geosynchronous satellite QO-100. Participants need to contact as many stations and DXCC countries as possible via QO-100 between 0001UTC on the 1st of June to 2359UTC on the 31st of December. The award is open to all radio amateurs operating from geographical locations under the coverage of the satellite. Further details and award rules are available at arifidenza.it.

Advance notice now. The 6th Essex CW Boot Camp will take place on the 22nd of October. CW enthusiasts from around the country meet for a fun day of CW activities that include gaining confidence on the Morse key to improving your receiving skills. Early booking is essential as space is limited, so please email [email protected].

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 21st of August, the Rugby ATS Radio Rally will take place at Princethorpe College, Princethorpe, Rugby CV23 9PY. Doors open at 10 am and there will be a car boot sale area. More at rugbyats.co.uk.

Also today, the 21st, the Red Rose Rally will be held at St Joseph’s Hall, Leigh WN7 2PJ. Organised by West Manchester Radio Club, there will be free parking, a café as well as trade, individual and club stands. There will also be a Bring & Buy. More information at wmrc.co.uk.

Next Sunday, the 28th, the Milton Keynes ARS Rally will be held at The Irish Centre, Manor Fields, Watling Street, Bletchley, MK2 2HX. There is free onsite parking, catering and disabled facilities. Entry is £3 and the doors open at 9 a

GB2RS News

Sunday the 14th of August 2022

The news headlines:

New RadCom team announced

Jamaican amateurs mark 60 years of independence

Jacques, ON4AVJ, Silent Key

Earlier in the year, the RSGB announced that RadCom Managing Editor, Elaine Richards, G4LFM, was planning to retire after leading the RadCom team for 14 years. Very soon after that announcement, we had to come to terms with the sad and sudden news that RadCom Technical Editor, Giles Read, G1MFG, had passed away. RSGB General Manager, Steve Thomas, M1ACB has now announced the appointment of the new RadCom team that will continue to deliver and develop a RadCom suite of publications that supports the future of amateur radio. Ed O’Neill, M0TZX will take on the role of Managing Editor and Matt Smith, M0VWS has joined the team as Technical Editor. Ed and Matt are working very closely with Elaine and the rest of the team to ensure a smooth handover in the coming months. You can read the full press release on the main page at rsgb.org.

Amateur radio stations from Jamaica may use the 6Y60 prefix to mark the 60th anniversary since the Colony of Jamaica gained independence from the UK. For example, 6Y5WE will be using 6Y60WE.

Sad news next. The IARU has announced that Jacques, ON4AVJ, has become a Silent Key. He held many roles within the Belgian national society, UBA, and was part of the IARU Region 1 VHF Committee. He received honours from both the UBA and IARU for his work on VHF and higher frequencies. Our thoughts are with his family and friends within the wider amateur radio community at this difficult time.

This year is the 25th anniversary of the international Lighthouse and Lightship weekend that will take place next weekend, the 20th and 21st of August. The event runs for 48 hours and, as this news script was prepared, there are 325 stations registered for this year from Argentina to Malta and The Netherlands to Wales. Some are stations that have operated many times before, others like TM59LH are taking part for the first time. This station will operate from the Sandettie Light Vessel in Dunkirk Harbour.

Earlier this year, the IARU Region 1 invited amateurs to come up with an idea that could lead to more licensed radio amateurs. They have now announced the results. Joint first place was awarded to Nestor, 5B4AHZ and Christian, HB9FEU. Nestor’s idea is the Ham Radio Escape Room which is a radio-based escape room with amateur radio themes and played with teams communicating via radio. Christian’s idea was a public database of fun projects for innovation where those with little or no experience and equipment could still take part. Read the full story at iaru-r1.org where you can find out more about these projects and the other prize winners.

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 14th, the Flight Refuelling ARS Hamfest takes place at Cobham Sports and Social Club Ground, Merley, near Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 3DA. Talk-in will be on 145.550MHz. Gates open between 10 am and 6 pm with entry costing £4. There will be trade stands as well as indoor and field pitches. Lectures will take place during the event. No dogs except Guide dogs are allowed as this is the landowner’s condition. More from Tony, G3PFM on 0774 347 5018.

Next Sunday, the 21st of August, the Rugby ATS Radio Rally will take place at Princethorpe College, Princethorpe, Rugby CV23 9PY. Doors open at 10 am and there will be a car boot sale area. More at rugbyats.co.uk.

Also next Sunday, the 21st, the Red Rose Rally will be held at St Joseph’s Hall, Leigh WN7 2PJ. Organised by West Manchester Radio Club, there will be free parking, a café as well as trade, individual and club stands. There will also be a Bring & Buy. More information at wmrc.co.uk.

Now the Special Event news

AP75PAK is the special callsign for the Pakistan ARS to celebrat

GB2RS News

Sunday the 7th of August 2022

The news headlines:

GB22HQ moving location

Welsh operators wanted for GB22GW

New Special Interest Group Manager appointed

For operational reasons, it is no longer possible to operate GB22HQ, the special event station for the Commonwealth Games, from the Smithfield site in Birmingham. The move to the Smithfield site had been a last-minute decision due to other calls on our original site by the Commonwealth Games organisers. It has been problematic due to lack of public access, high RF noise levels and ingress of water and dust on site. We’re pleased to say that GB22HQ will continue on the air for the remainder of the games thanks to members of the Wolverhampton Amateur Radio Society and the Central Radio Amateur Circle.

GB22GW is the Commonwealth Games callsign for Wales. Cath, GW4CVT is looking for volunteers in Wales to use the callsign either by CW, SSB or data modes until the 21st of August. To book a slot, visit qrz.com and search for GB22GW. There you will find Cath’s email address and the slots that are available.

The RSGB is pleased to announce that Philip Hosey, MI0MSO has been appointed as the Special Interest Group Manager. The primary role of the Honorary Officer for Affiliated National Societies and Special Interest Groups is to champion their interests and to develop a closer relationship between them and the RSGB, and the amateurs they represent.

Sad news now. Long-time GB2RS newsreader Dr David Sadler-Lockwood, G4CLI became a Silent Key recently. He was a keen member of both the Wakefield and District Amateur Radio Society and the Denby Dale Amateur Radio Society. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

There is a new award available during August to celebrate the 200th anniversary of a Polish lighthouse. Until 31st August there will be nine special event stations on the air with SN200 or SP200 plus one letter callsigns, for example, SN200Z. Two other stations, 3Z200LHR and 3Z25ILLW, will operate only during the international lighthouse and lightship weekend, the 20th and 21st. For details on this award, go to qrz.com and look up one of the special stations involved.

Canadian radio amateurs have gained access to two new bands recently. They now have access to 472 to 479kHz with a maximum of five watts EIRP, and 5.3515 to 5.3665MHz with a maximum of 100 watts EIRP. Canadian amateur radio is a Secondary radio service on these bands.

The YOTA Team Croatia has created an award available for working youngsters at the YOTA Summer Camp. Each QSO with a 9A YOTA station in a different band or mode combination earns you one point. Duplicates do not count. Valid QSOs will be made from 0000UTC on the 6th to 2359UTC on the 13th of August. You may even get to contact one of the four young people the RSGB has sent to the Summer Camp. Go to iaru-r1.org and click on the YOTA Summer Camp news item for details on the award.

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 7th of August, the 2022 BATC Convention for Amateur TV will take place at Midland Air Museum, Rowley Road, Coventry CV3 4FR. It will be a meet-up, show and tell, test and fix-it, and Bring & Buy event from 10 am to 4 pm. There will be full test facilities available for equipment.

Also today, the 7th, King’s Lynn ARC 32nd Great Eastern Radio Rally will be held at Gaywood Community Centre, Gayton Road, King's Lynn, Norfolk PE30 4EL. Doors open at 9 am and admission is £2.50. Car parking is free. There will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy. More information at klarc.org.uk.

On Friday, it is the 27th Cockenzie and Port Seton Mini-Rally Night. It will take place at the Community Centre, Main Hall, Port Seton. Doors open at 6 pm and admission is £2. Tables are on a first come first served basis.

Next Sunday, the 14th, the Flight Refuelling ARS Hamfest tak

GB2RS News

Sunday the 31st of July 2022

The news headlines:

Commonwealth Games station on the air

Listen out for YOTA Summer Camp stations

RadCom Basics available to RSGB Members

 

The RSGB is excited to be supporting the Commonwealth Games with special event station GB22HQ. This is being activated from the Birmingham Smithfield site where the Beach Volleyball, 3x3 Basketball and Wheelchair Basketball will take place. It is also the starting point for the Marathon. GB22HQ will run for the duration of the Games until the 8th of August. There are two stations using wire aerials for 40m and 30m, plus a Yagi for the five bands from 20m to 10m. During the first day of operation, the station was on the 10 to 40m bands and pile-ups were evident. The operators say 40m SSB during the daytime is probably the best place to look for them. See more at rsgb.org/cwg.

As part of the Youngsters On The Air 2022 summer camp from the 6th to the 13th of August, seven call signs will be heard. 9A22YOTA will operate from the camp in Croatia for the full duration. 9A1YOTA will join remotely on the 8th alongside 9A2YOTA on EU-136. 9A3YOTA will be on the air on the 10th, together with 9A4YOTA. 9A5YOTA will be on the air on the 12th. 9A100QO will work the QO100 satellite from all locations.

The latest edition of RadCom Basics for July 2022 is now available. There are more topics to help newcomers and those looking to brush-up. You can read articles on setting up a station on a tight budget, and understanding the propagation predictions in RadCom and Inter-G working amongst other topics. To help find topics covered in previous editions, the index of RadCom Basics articles has been updated. To read this edition, go to rsgb.org/radcom-basics and login with your RSGB Membership Services details.

The RSGB is pleased to announce the co-option of Karl Bridge M0KHB as Regional Representative for Region 3, the North West, until the 2023 AGM. Also, vacancies currently exist for two District Representatives within the Region 3 team. One to cover the Greater Manchester District and another to represent the Merseyside District. These are worthwhile and rewarding opportunities to assist the RSGB in spearheading the hobby of amateur radio in Region 3. Please contact Karl Bridge, M0KHB for further information by email to [email protected].

A date for your diary now. Churches and Chapels On The Air will take place this year on Saturday the 10th of September from 10 am to 4 pm. If you plan to put a station on the air from your local church or chapel, please inform John, G3XYF by email to [email protected]. He will then add your station to the list on the WACRAL website.

The Genesis Radio Group currently operates around North Manchester and the North West. Founded in May 2022, the group wanted a more relaxed approach to talk about, and operate radios without the constraints of the traditional club. They meet on Wednesday evenings from 7.30 pm on the air. The last Wednesday of the month is put aside for a cafe/pub meet, the location of which rotates in order that as many members as possible can have a chance to turn up. For further information please visit genesisradiogroup.org.uk.

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 31st of July, the Wiltshire Radio & Car Boot Sale will be at Kington Langley Village Hall and Playing Field, Kington Langley, Wiltshire SN15 5NJ. Doors open at 9 am and admission is free. Hot and cold refreshments will be available on site.

Next Sunday, the 7th of August, the 2022 BATC Convention for Amateur TV will take place at Midland Air Museum, Rowley Road, Coventry CV3 4FR. It will be a meet-up, show and tell, test and fix-it, and Bring & Buy event from 10 am to 4 pm. There will be full test facilities available for equipment.

Also next Sunday, the 7th, King’s Lynn ARC 32nd Gr

GB2RS News

Sunday the 24th of July 2022

The news headlines:

Operate a Commonwealth Games station

GB2RS news readers sought

Poldhu ARC Open Day

For the Commonwealth Games, GB22HQ will be operating from the Birmingham NEC. There are also seven ‘Special’ Special Event callsigns, one each from the four UK Home Nations and three Crown Dependencies. From the 25th of July until the 21st of August, the special callsigns will be available for activation by RSGB affiliated clubs or individual RSGB Members. To take part you must please first check the relevant Activation Schedule on QRZ.com for a slot to suit your availability. Then contact the callsign coordinator, who will be keen to help. They will book you in and update the schedule. Depending upon your location, the callsigns to look for are GB22GE, GB22GM, GB22GW, GB22GI, GB22GJ, GB22GU and GB22GD. More details at rsgb.org under the ‘on the air’ tab.

The RSGB is seeking one or more readers to join the team that broadcasts GB2RS on 2m FM voice at 9 am UK clock time each Sunday from south Essex. You would transmit the news occasionally as part of a schedule devised by the existing team. Your station should provide good coverage of South-East Hertfordshire, South Essex, Greater London, North-East Surrey and North-West Kent. If you would like to find out more, please contact the GB2RS Manager Steve Richards, G4HPE at [email protected].

Poldhu Amateur Radio Club is holding an Open Day on Saturday the 6th of August from 10 am. They welcome anyone who has an interest in amateur radio, or those that are already licensed, to join them for the day. There will be an opportunity to operate the club station, have a chat and learn more. The club has a superb site on the cliffs overlooking Poldhu Cove and Mounts Bay, with a triband HF beam and multiple dipoles. The location is close to Poldhu Cove beach with its café, an ideal location for the family while you indulge your radio passion. Go to Poldhu Cove and follow the signs to the Marconi Centre, where there is a large free car park. For more information, please call Terry, G4CDY on 0776 468 1843.

The RSGB is pleased to announce the publication of the new Direct to Full examination syllabus. Enrolments for the Direct to Full examinations will open in January 2023, six months after the publication of the new syllabus. More information about the changes and the full syllabus can be found at rsgb.org/direct-to-full.

The biographical film about Sir Ran Fiennes’ life, Explorer, has a fair number of clips of HF radio operations with his late wife, Ginny, and Laurence, GM4DMA now KL7L included. HF communications were a mainstay of many of their expeditions from the early 70s to the 2000s. The trailer for the film has a short CW message to be decoded. The film is shown at selected cinemas in the UK.

The RSGB is pleased to announce the team of young RSGB Members who will be representing the UK at next month’s YOTA camp in Croatia. Hosted by the Croatian Amateur Radio Association, the event will be held between the 6th and 13th of August. Dan, M0WUT is the Team leader with Peter, M0SWN; Hamzah, 2E0HXS and Povilas, MW7DKV.

The RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park is looking to recruit volunteers, particularly for duties on Mondays, Thursdays and at the weekend. If you think this volunteer role is for you, or if you want more information, please contact the NRC co-ordinator, Martyn, G0GMB at [email protected].

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 the 24th of July, the Finningley ARS Rally is due to take place near Doncaster, junction 2 of the M180. It will be a car-boot-style rally. Refreshments will be available on site. Entry is £3. You can find out more via the club’s Facebook page.

The Radio Operators Cornwall radio weekend takes place from the 28th of J