GB2RS

GB2RS NEWS

Sunday 8th July 2018

The news headlines:

• World Radiosport Team Championship looms

The World Radiosport Team Championship takes place this week, running from Thursday the 12th to Monday the 16th. This invitation-only event pits the world’s elite contesters against each other in two-person teams. To level the playing field, all the contesters use similar stations with similar antennas, all within a relatively small geographical operating area to ensure no-one is aided or disadvantaged by local propagation conditions. We have more details on how you can take part in the Contests section of this bulletin. This year’s event takes place in Germany and you can find details of all parts of the event at www.wrtc2018.de

Starting from Tuesday the 17th of July, the RSGB National Radio Centre will be open seven days a week instead of the usual six. This is so everyone visiting the Bletchley Park site in the holiday season has a chance to experience the NRC. This arrangement will continue until the end of August. Increasing visitor numbers mean there are now a minimum of three NRC volunteers on duty at all times, thanks to an increase in the number of volunteers. Members of the RSGB can get free admission to Bletchley Park by downloading a voucher from the RSGB website. See www.rsgb.org/bletchley-park-voucher for details.

We understand that a poorly-worded online message has been circulating, purportedly from the ARRL, seeking donations supposedly to cover the medical expenses of a poorly child, ‘Dawn’. The ARRL has confirmed that this email is a scam, and describes as “despicable” the attempt to prey on the willingness of amateurs to help others in need. If the ARRL, RSGB or any other responsible organisation launches an appeal it will normally be announced on their websites, which you should NOT access by clicking on a link in an email.

You may remember that Chertsey Radio Club member James Preece, M0JFP was planning to take part in the Benidorm or Bust rally challenge. His 18-year-old Vauxhall Vectra successfully negotiated the 1500 mile drive. Sporting a large pirate flag in keeping with the car’s pirate radio theme, he carried an HF payload sponsored by Moonaker, and used car-to-car communication gear sponsored by Retevis. James raised several hundred pounds for the children’s ward in St Peters, Chertsey. Overall, the event attracted some 200 cars and raised a lot of money for the Benidorm charity Busy Bees, who help support battered women and abused children. You can find out more about the event at www.benidormorbust.co.uk Separately, James was interviewed by local TV station Get Surrey Talking TV about receiving the slow-scan TV transmissions from the International Space Station that we featured in last week’s broadcast. You can see a recording of the interview at https://tinyurl.com/GB2RS-0807A

A reminder now that an RSGB Train the Trainers course will take place at Barry Amateur Radio Club from 10am on Saturday the 21st of July. For more information, and details of how to book a place, contact Glyn Jones, GW0ANA, via email to [email protected]

And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week

The Stockport Radio Society Rally takes place today, the 8th, at Walthew House, 112 Shaw Heath, Stockport SK2 6SQ. Car parking is available around the venue and a talk-in station will be on the air. Doors open at 10am, with disabled visitors gaining access at 9.30am. Entry is £2. There will be trade stands, special interest groups and an RSGB book stall. Contact Nigel Roscoe, G0RXA on 0750 690 4422

GB2RS NEWS

Sunday 1st July 2018

The news headlines:

• Receive SSTV from the ISS

This weekend ARISS Russia is running a special slow-scan television event from the International Space Station. Unfortunately we learned the details too late to include in last week’s bulletin. The transmissions started around 0900UTC on Friday and continue until around 1830UTC today, Sunday the 1st. The cosmonauts will be sending images commemorating the various satellites that were deployed by hand from the ISS. Transmissions will be on 145.800MHz using the PD-120 SSTV mode. You can check when the ISS is within range of your location via a number of websites, for example heavens-above.com. A simple 2m handheld and rubber duck aerial is sufficient to pick up signals strong enough to be decoded, albeit with some noise.

Today is Alexanderson Day, the day when Grimeton Radio Station in Sweden fires up its Alexanderson alternator to transmit as SAQ on 17.2kHz VLF. For those who don’t know the story, this is the last surviving high frequency alternator CW transmitter from the pre-electronic transmitter era. Built in the early 1920s, it was used as an early long-wave transatlantic wireless telegraphy station, staying in operation until the 1940s. During World War 2 it was Sweden’s only telecommunications link with the rest of the world. Now preserved as an historical site, the transmitter is operated once a year with brief test transmissions that can be heard all over Europe and beyond. This year’s transmissions start with tuning up at 0815UTC and transmission of a message at 0845UTC, with similar activations beginning at 1015UTC and 1215UTC. The transmissions will be broadcast live on YouTube. At the same time, amateur radio station SK6SAQ will be operating on one of 7.035MHz CW, 14.035MHz CW or 3.755MHz SSB. More information can be found at http://alexander.n.se/

The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) has welcomed the St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla Amateur Radio Society as its newest member-society, to represent St Kitts & Nevis. The Society does not claim to represent Anguilla, which is already represented in the IARU by the Anguilla Amateur Radio Society; the inclusion of Anguilla in their name dates back to an earlier time.

On Tuesday evening RSGB Membership Services will be offline from 5pm to about midnight. This is so that essential maintenance can take place. During this time all RSGB online services that require a Membership login will be unavailable. If you need a Members’ voucher to visit Bletchley Park or any other time-sensitive material, please make sure you do it before the system goes offline. The maintenance work is being done by a third-party service provider. Announcements will be made on the RSGB website and via social media if there is any variation to the planned schedule. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused.

A report on the Newbury Today website describes how nearly a thousand amateurs attended the Newbury rally last weekend. Alongside a very positive write-up there are some nice photos of the goings-on, ranging from microwave activities to a classic police command and control truck.

And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week

Today, the 1st of July, sees the Barford Norfolk Radio Rally at Barford Village Hall & Green, Barford, Norwich NR9 4AB. Doors open at 9am, an hour earlier for traders, and there is talk-in on S22. Car parking is free. There will be trade stands, car boot sales, Bring & Buy, a raffle and representatives of repeater groups. Catering is available on si

GB2RS NEWS

Sunday 24th June 2018

The news headlines:

• ITU chief declares Z6 prefix illegal

The Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union has said that authorising Kosovo Z6 callsigns is “unauthorised and illegal”. Houlin Zhao said, “ITU has not allocated call sign series Z6 to any of its member states. Consequently, the utilisation of callsign series Z6 by any entity without a formal allocation and consent of the ITU represents an unauthorised and illegal usage of this international numbering resource.” Kosovo is not an ITU Member State and is thus not eligible to receive a callsign block allocation from the ITU. More information is in the ITU Operational Bulletin no 1149, downloadable from tinyurl.com/GB2RS-ITU-1149

Ofcom is auctioning surplus equipment including vehicles, masts, test and radio communication equipment. The equipment is located at the Baldock Radio Monitoring Station and some of this may be of interest to amateur radio clubs, repeater groups or individual radio amateurs. It should be noted that bidding ends at noon on the 27th June and additional fees and charges apply above the hammer price, including commission and VAT. Details are at tinyurl.com/GB2RS-ofcom-auction

Many seasoned CW operators will remember fondly the Curtis Morse keyer chip. The ground-breaking device, which revolutionised electronic keyers, was developed in the late 1960s by John G Curtis, K6KU, who was more often known as Jack. Sadly, Jack became a Silent Key on the 4th of June. His legacy lives on in thousands of devices; most of today’s electronic keyers owe a debt of gratitude to him.

As summer winds on and Field Days get under way, the ARRL has drawn attention again to its Field Day Safety Officer Checklist. This brief document contains some useful points to consider before any portable operation. It can be downloaded freely from tinyurl.com/GB2RS-ARRL-safety

Region 1 of the International Radio Union has released an updated version of its HF Managers’ Handbook. It contains many changes agreed at IARU Region 1 conferences and meetings between 2008 and 2017. The structure has also been revised to make it more accessible. Whilst most home operators won’t need to read it, there is much useful information that illuminates the HF management policies in Region 1. The new book, version 9, can be downloaded via tinyurl.com/GB2RS-R1-HF-handbook

An RSGB Train the Trainers course will take place at Barry Amateur Radio Club on the Saturday the 21st of July. Running from 10am in the bowling green board room at Sully Sports and Social Club, this free course is intended for club Training Officers. It includes the latest information and techniques on training people for all levels of the amateur radio exams. For more information contact Glyn Jones, GW0ANA, via email to [email protected] and for more information at the venue see http://sullysportsclub.com/

The Indian Express newspaper has lauded the “invisible warriors who battle Mumbai monsoon” – amateur radio operators. Communications are often the first casualty during a disaster. Mumbai hams operate side by side with the paid crisis-management teams, they ensure that lines of communication between the agencies never break down. You can read the full report via tinyurl.com/GB2RS-Mumbai-monsoon

Chelsea Pensioners will air their permanent special event callsign GB4CP on Tuesday from 2pm to 4pm. Operating mainly around 145.500MHz, they will also be on 20m if possible.

Chippenham and District Amateur Radio Club will run a classroom-based Intermediate training course in July. Starting on the 3rd,

GB2RS NEWS

Sunday 17th June 2018

The news headlines:

• Three balloons go up on Thursday

Three high altitude balloon launches will take place from a site in Welshpool on Thursday 21st of June, conditions permitting. Starting between 10.30 and 11.30am, the balloons will have a number of experiments on to look at various aspects of space flight. Involving a number of schools in the north west, the launches are by a team from Hi-Impact Consultancy, based on the Wirral, as part of their SpaceCamp event, and take place in association with AirProducts UK. The organisers ask as many amateurs and SWLs to get involved and track the flight using FL-DIGI. The balloons will transmit on 434.650MHz USB with callsign SPACECAMP. They use 50 baud RTTY, 450Hz shift, 7N2. Details about the flights will be posted via Twitter @hiimpactconsult and on www.facebook.com/hiimpactconsultancy

Following agreement with Ofcom, the RSGB is pleased to announce that a new much faster online process is now available for all Full Licensees to access the 70.5-71.5MHz experimental band. Applications can now be made online for a new, annually-renewable Notice of Variation. It works in a similar way to the 146-147MHz NoV. This replaces the previous Special Research Permit process  and is expected to spur digital innovation at VHF. Prospective applicants should ensure they read the supplementary information and must observe the NoV power and geographic restrictions. See www.rsgb.org/nov for details.

The Reverse Beacon Network is beta-testing a separate Telnet feed for FT8 spots. You can find it at telnet.reversebeacon.net port 7001. This is in addition to the existing feed on port 7000, which has been re-purposed as CW-only. Also, Aggregator version 5 has been developed as a beta that can handle FT8 spots received from WSJT-X. This will be available, with instructions, from the Reverse Beacon Network website.

Preparations for the next World Conference in 2019 have continued over the past few weeks with meetings at ITU in Geneva and CEPT Project Team D in Estonia. Volunteers from IARU and Member Societies have been engaged on two key agenda items of interest to amateur radio; regarding a potential 50MHz allocation for Region 1, and Wireless Power Transfer for charging electric vehicles. For the latter topic, the RSGB has provided further information on Wireless Power Transfer, including IARU briefing slides and links to Ofcom measurements, on our WRC-19 focus page at tinyurl.com/GB2RS-0617A

The Chinese amateur satellite organisation, CAMSAT, has released more details about their satellites planned for launch later this year. CAS-5A will carry two HF and two VHF-UHF transponders. CAS-6 will include a CW telemetry beacon on VHF, a 20kHz wide UHF-VHF linear transponder and AX.25 4.8k baud GMSK telemetry. Meanwhile, two Russian CubeSats will be deployed during a spacewalk from the International Space Station. SiriusSat-1, callsign RS13S, will beacon on 435.570MHz and SiriusSat-2, callsign RS14S, will beacon on 435.670MHz.

And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week

The West of England Radio Rally takes place today at the Cheese & Grain, Market Yard, Bridge St, Frome, Somerset BA11 1BE. This, the fifteenth occurrence of the event will see inside & outside traders, free car parking, disabled access, a café, plus an RSGB bookstall. Doors open from 10am to 2pm and admission is £3, with accompanied under 14

GB2RS NEWS

Sunday 10th June 2018

The news headlines:

• South Africans get 100kHz on 60m

The South African regulator, ICASA, recently published their 2018 National Radio Frequency Plan. In this, amateur radio was allocated 100kHz on a shared basis in the 60 metre band. 5.350 to 5.450MHz is now available to all licensed radio amateurs on a shared, non-interference basis, with a power limit of 15W EIRP. The South African Radio League Council is working on the 60m band plan and will publish it as soon as possible so operation on 60 metres can start. Additionally, 5.290MHz has been allocated for WSPR beacons used in the SARL Propagation Research project.

As the next World Radio Conference approaches in 2019, Ofcom has launched a consultation regarding its positions and priorities on a range of Agenda Items. These include next generation 5G wireless broadband and Wi-Fi, small satellites, amateur radio at 50MHz and wireless power transfer. The Society's response will be coordinated by the RSGB Spectrum Forum, where views can be fed in via its members and affiliated groups. You can find details at tinyurl.com/GB2RS-0610A

A new, and some might say oddly named SOTA-like awards programme has been launched to encourage chasing and activating a subtly different kind of summit. HEMA, the HuMPs Excluding Marilyns Award, is for summits or hilltops that have a prominence between 100 and 150 metres. The HEMA Activity Day is Saturday the 16th of June. Most activity will take place between 1000UTC and 1400UTC. Chasers and activators can get awards; it’s not a contest, but rather a bit of fun to get people operating portable. Further information is at www.hema.org.uk

The Chelsea Pensioners Radio Club, with permanent special event callsign GB4CP, will be on the air on the 12th, 19th and 26th of June from 4pm to 6pm. They will mainly be setting up chats on 2m FM, but also on 20m where possible. Visits may now be arranged, in advance only, which will include a tour of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, and a visit their radio shack. For more information email [email protected]

The National Media & Infocommunications Authority of Hungary has updated its National Frequency Allocation Table. This, among other changes, initiates the WRC-15 60m allocation of 5351.5 to 5366.5kHz, with 15W EIRP maximum power. This replaces special 3-month permits that were discontinued in 2017.

The RSGB has released another 2017 Convention presentation into its online video portal. In his presentation SDR – the station of the future, John Linford, G3WGV looks at what software defined radio offers us as radio amateurs and what our stations might look like in a few years’ time. SDR is as much a disruptive technology as were the advent of semiconductors or synthesisers. It is said that in five years it will no longer be possible to buy a new radio that is not SDR based. The presentation is available via www.rsgb.org/videos

Services from GB3MCB, GB3NC, GB3HB and GB3NQ are liable to interruption next Saturday. Weather permitting, the Mid Cornwall Beacon and Repeater Group will be undertaking maintenance work on the mast.

The RSGB has now drafted in some additional effort to help produce GB2RS Local News, which is included in this week’s broadcast and is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. We apologise for the interruption in service, caused by the ongoing illness of a key staff member. Please send your GB2RS and RadCom information to [email protected], not to any other email address. As of Thursday the 7th of June we believe we were up to date with all incoming news, so if you haven’t h

GB2RS NEWS

Sunday 3rd June 2018

The news headlines:

Threat to Belgian 70cm allocation

Schoolboy makes silicon chips at home

Details of FIFA World Cup stations

Amateurs in Belgium are facing severe restrictions on their 70cm band operations even though, unlike in the UK, it is a Primary allocation for amateurs. The Regulator is proposing to reduce amateur privileges in the middle of the band to just a few milliwatts, and to ban certain modes outright. These may include digital and analogue ATV, packet radio, and possibly others on the affected frequencies. We believe it is unprecedented for any Primary user being overridden and restricted in such a way. Details are on the website of UBA, the Belgian national society, at tinyurl.com/BelgiumUBA

We normally think of silicon chip fabrication as being a cutting-edge practice, requiring huge investments and hundreds of people. However, we learned recently of Sam Zeloof, a 17-year-old high school student in the USA, who is making his own chips in his garage. Using ingenuity and equipment purchased via eBay, including things like an electron microscope he bought for less than the cost of shipping, Sam can fabricate features down to about 2 microns, though he says contamination issues mean 10 microns is the practical limit for functioning devices – because, after all, he’s working in a garage, not a clean room. More details are on the IEEE Spectrum website, accessible via tinyurl.com/GB2RS-0306A

The Russian National Society, RRC, has organised an amateur radio marathon to commemorate the FIFA World Cup finals. It runs from the 1st of June to the 15th of July. Five awards are available, some of which are achievable at several different levels. Most bands from Top Band to 70cm can be used, on all modes. A full list of participating stations, and details on how to apply for the awards, can be found at www.rsgb.org/fwc The UK is participating with special event stations in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales at various times throughout the event. Look out for GB18FWC, MB18FIFA, GB18FIFA and, first, GB18FWC, which kicks things off this Monday from the RSGB’s National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park. In addition, G6XX, GI6XX, GM6XX and GW6XX will be activated to represent the FIFA member countries. Any RSGB Member who holds

GB2RS NEWS

Sunday 27th May 2018

The news headlines:

• Opt in to GB2RS emails

If you receive the GB2RS weekly email you will have seen that you need to opt in to keep receiving it in future. This is so that the RSGB complies with the new General Data Protection Act. The RSGB is delighted that a large number of people have done so already and they will receive the GB2RS email this week. If you are a Member and haven’t yet subscribed, go to www.rsgb.org/gb2rs-subscribe and fill in a few details so that the RSGB can confirm your membership and send you future GB2RS emails.

Marconi’s floating laboratory Elettra will be put on the air next weekend as part of the Museum Ships Weekend. Using the callsign II4AMP and sponsored by the Guglielmo Marconi Foundation, this is the sixth time the yacht has been activated in this way. For more information on Museum Ships Weekend see www.nj2bb.org/

GB7BP, the D-Star repeater in the RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park, has recently come back on the air. It had been inactive due to equipment problems. Many local amateurs have already used the repeater since it was reactivated and everyone is invited to listen in. RSGB Members can download a voucher from www.RSGB.org that permits free entry to Bletchley Park and thus the National Radio Centre. Amateur radio facilities at the NRC are in the process of being improved and if you bring a copy of your licence, you can try operating the world-class station GB3RS.

A formation of two satellites was launched on Monday on a lunar orbit mission. The 47kg microsatellites each carry two SDR VHF/UHF transceivers to provide command, telemetry, image transmission and a GMSK-JT4 repeater. The project is led by Harbin Institute of Technology and has low frequency radio astronomy, amateur radio and educational goals. More information and further links are on the amsat-uk.org website.

Darenth Valley Radio Society will be holding a Foundation Course on the 9th and 16th of June at the Crockehill Village Hall, Swanley, Kent. The cost of the course will be £55 including the exam fee. More details can be obtained by emailing [email protected] as soon as possible.

Ashhar Farhan, VU2ESE was inducted into the CQ magazine Hall of Fame at the Hamvention in Xenia, USA last weekend. He is the only living Indian amateur in the elite group. He was recognised for his work designing and popularising the Bit-X low power, open-source transceiver semi-kits. He estimates that at least 15,000 of these exist around the world. Their low cost and simple construction opened up the world of amateur radio to a large number of people in a very affordable way. Congratulations to Ashhar Farhan on his induction. The only other Indian in the CQ Hall of Fame was Kalpana Chawla. In 1997 she became the first Indian woman in space, but sadly died in the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.

Due to the ongoing serious illness of a key staff member, it has again not been possible to prepare Local News this week. We are taking steps to cover their absence and restore the full GB2RS service as soon as possible. Thank you to everyone who has sent in club calendar information, which we will include in RadCom as normal. However, we are running significantly late on acknowledging those contributions.

And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week

Today, Sunday, the Durham District ARS Radio Rally is at Bowburn Community Centre, Durham Road, Bowburn, Co. Durham DH6 5AT. Doors open from 10.10am, with disabled visitors ga

GB2RS NEWS

Sunday 20th May 2018

The news headlines:

• Grab your R series callsign NOW

There is still just time to get yourself the unique “R” Notice of Variation that is being used to celebrate this weekend’s royal wedding. All grades of licence can apply; it is valid only from the 19th to the 21st of May. Full details of how to apply for the free NoV, and how to use it, are online at rsgb.org/rwrsl and you MUST sort out the NoV BEFORE using the “R”.

Congratulations to the young radio amateurs who have been chosen to represent the UK at YOTA 2018 in South Africa this summer. Peter Barnes, M0SWN will be the UK team leader, whilst Benjamin Chalmers, M0NBA, Nathan Prentice, 2I0NTP and Mike Jones, 2E0MLJ will form the UK team. On their return they will be helping to arrange events to encourage more young people to get involved in amateur radio.

The February edition of RadCom included a helpful article by Ofcom about their Licensing Portal, Registration and Revalidation, which are all on the Ofcom website. The RSGB has now made the article available on its website as an easy reference for everyone, whether or not they are an RSGB Member. You can download it directly from tinyurl.com/GB2RS-0520A

As mentioned last week, the RSGB QSL Bureau is attending Dayton Hamvention® this weekend, meaning the office is unstaffed. This, plus an expected influx of cards from Dayton will make them very busy for a while afterwards. All Members, clubs and special event stations are asked to delay sending any other cards to the Bureau until after the 3rd of June, to give them a chance to catch up.

We apologise but due to the ongoing serious illness of a key staff member, plus the scheduled absence of several others, it has not been possible to prepare Local News this week.

And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week

Today, Sunday, the Sarcom Braehead Radio Electronics Rally is at Kings Inch Road, Glasgow G51 4BN. Doors open from 10am to 4pm and entry is £4. Talk-in is available. There will be trade stands, a Bring & Buy, flea market, special interest groups, an RSGB bookstall and family attractions. There will be lectures on the day. Catering and a licensed bar are on site. There will be a raffle. More information from Andrew Hood, GM7GDE, on 0782 593 2488, or email [email protected].

Also today the 35th Dunstable Downs Radio Club amateur radio car boot sale takes place at Stockwood Park, London Rd. Farley Hill, Luton LU1 5PP. All the usual facilities will be there, and further details are online at www.ddrcbootsale.org

Next Saturday, the 26th, the RADARS Flea Market Indoor Sale takes place at St Vincent de Paul’s, Caldershaw Road, off Edenfield Road, Norden, Rochdale, OL12 7QR. Doors open to the public at 10.30am, with disabled visitors gaining access 15 minutes earlier. Admission is £2.50, with those under 12 years free. For traders it’s £5 per pitch if you have your own tables, otherwise £10. There will be a Bring & Buy as well as commercial traders and amateur radio sellers. Refreshments available including bacon and sausage butties. Details from Robert, M0NVQ, on 0777 811 3333 or email [email protected].

Next Sunday the Durham District ARS Radio Rally is at Bowburn Community Centre, Durham Road, Bowburn, Co. Durham DH6 5AT. Doors open from 10.10am, with disabled visitors gaining access at 10am. Admittance is £2. Th

GB2RS NEWS

Sunday 13th May 2018

The news headlines:

• Thousands watch CubeSat deployment

Three CubeSats were deployed on Friday from the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo aboard the International Space Station. The satellites were Irazu from Costa Rica, 1KUNS-PF from Kenya and UBAKUSAT from Turkey. All of them carry amateur radio telemetry payloads; UBAKUSAT also carries a linear transponder for SSB and CW. Details of the beacon and transponder frequencies can be found via the amsat-uk.org website. The deployment was broadcast live from the ISS via YouTube and was watched by thousands of people.

The Norsk Radio Relae Liga, RSGB’s counterpart in Norway, has been given the responsibility to issue new 2x1 contest callsigns to that nation’s amateur community. The first 27 calls were issued in mid-April at the country’s biggest rally, Norsk Hammeting, and last five years. With few exceptions the new callsigns are available only to clubs and an admin fee of approaching £100 is payable, which is passed on to the country’s communications regulator, NCA.

A change in scoring methodology for handling duplicate contacts in the CW weekend of the 2017 CQ World Wide DX Contest led to an inconsistency with the standards by which logs submitted for the SSB weekend of the same contest were scored. After considerable discussion and debate among members of the CQ WW Contest Committee and consultation with CQ management, it was decided to restore the original scoring methodology and to re-score all CW logs for the 2017 CQ WW DX contest. Updated scores will be published online on the CQ website and on the CQ World Wide DX Contest website, but the re-scoring is not expected to result in any changes to the order of finish.

Next weekend is the Dayton Hamvention®, mentioned in more detail later. The RSGB QSL Bureau is attending, which will of course mean they are out of the office for some time. This, plus an expected influx of cards from Dayton will make them very busy afterwards. All Members, clubs and special event stations are asked to delay sending any other cards to the Bureau until after the 3rd of June.

Also next weekend, on 19 and 20 May, Albania’s Open Source conference, OSCAL 18 takes place in Tirana. Daniel Pocock, M0GLR / VK3TQR hopes to run a prominent amateur radio demonstration station at the event. No callsign has been announced but information on the plans is online at tinyurl.com/GB2RS-0513A

CQScotland.com will be providing free electronic kits for accompanied school-age children attending the Scottish Electronics and Radio Convention. It takes place at the Braehead Arena, Glasgow, on the 20th of May. A dedicated construction area will be set up, and help will be on hand so children should leave with a fully working project. Alternatively, it may be built at home with a parent. The kits and construction session is sponsored by the RSGB and Antex Electronics Ltd.

Finally, Darenth Valley Radio Society announces that they still have places for their Foundation course starting on the 9th of June. More information can be obtained from Mike, G8AXA, via email to [email protected].

And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week

Today, the 13th, the Lough Erne Amateur Radio Rally takes place at Share Centre, Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh BT92 0EQ. Access in NI is from the M1, A5 & A4, or via the M/N3 from the RoI. Doors open at 11.30am. Details from David, GI4VHO, on 0784 291 0076, or online at www.learc.eu.

Next Thursday the Dayton Hamventio

GB2RS NEWS

The news headlines:

• NHS amateur radio callsign launches

GB1NHS is the new National Health Service amateur radio station. The RSGB’s National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park is hosting the launch event on Tuesday the 8th of May. National Radio Centre Coordinator Martyn Baker, G0GMB, will make the initial transmission using the call sign at 10.45am and the event will run to 2pm. The launch is part of the NHS #EndPJparalysis campaign, a 70-day mission to get patients up, dressed and moving while in hospital. The long-term aim of the station is to promote, through the medium of amateur radio, NHS initiatives that lead to patients receiving excellent care, faster recovery and living longer, healthier lives. For further information see www.GB1NHS.net

The RSGB is delighted to announce that Tim Duffy, K3LR has agreed to be the Keynote and after-dinner speaker at its 2018 Convention in October. Tim is amongst the leaders, if not the leader, in the field of amateur radio contesting. He will be talking about his contest station but also, as he puts it, focusing on ‘keeping ham radio fun and alive’. Bookings for the RSGB Convention are now open. Visit the RSGB website for more information and to book your tickets. You’ll find details at www.rsgb.org/convention

UK radio amateurs wishing to celebrate the royal wedding can apply for a Notice of Variation to do so. The RSGB has agreed with Ofcom an NoV to authorise the temporary use of the Regional Secondary Locator R after the United Kingdom call sign prefix. So M1ACB could use MR1ACB, 2E1GKR could use 2R1GKR and GW1MFG could use GR1MFG – note that the celebratory letter R replaces the usual Regional Secondary Locator. Exact details are given in the NoV documentation. You must apply for the Notice of Variation before using the R, and it will only be valid between the 19th and the 21st of May 2018. To apply for the Royal Wedding Regional Secondary Locator Notice of Variation, visit the RSGB web page www.rsgb.org/rwrsl – the NoV is free and open to all UK licensees.

Also to celebrate the Royal Wedding, Ofcom has issued the unique Special Event callsign GR9RW to the Cray Valley Radio Society. It will be in operation between the 19th and the 23rd of May. This is believed to be the first time that the GR9 series has been officially activated in the UK. GR9RW will primarily use SSB and CW on its two HF stations, plus FM on the VHF / UHF station. A very special QSL card will be sent on request and cards can also be requested via OQRS. For further information see the Cray Valley Radio Society website, www.cvrs.org

In a landmark step, the Irish regulator Comreg has agreed to amateur access, on a Secondary basis, to an extensive amount of VHF spectrum including 30-49MHz and 54-69.9MHz. In addition, their existing 4m band has been widened to the full 69.9-70.5 MHz CEPT range. It is expected that this will facilitate a number of innovative developments, including digital amateur television and new or realigned VHF propagation beacons. The RSGB congratulates its IRTS colleagues on their success, which dates back to a 2016 consultation input.

The FIFA World Cup Marathon is being organised by the Russian national radio society. Over 20 FIFA nations will be active between the 1st of June and the 15th of July. UK nations will be participating with three different special event callsigns. GB18FWC will be on the air from the RSGB National Radio Centre on the 4th and 20th of June and also on the 12th of July. On the 13th to the 15th of July it will be hosted by the HF Contest Committee Chair. MB18FIFA will be hosted by the Aberystwyth Radio Club on the 1