GB2RS NEWS

Sunday 23rd September 2018

The news headlines:

Railways on the Air this weekend

Planning Permission guide update for RSGB Members

RSGB Operating Advisory Service pages online

This weekend is Railways on the Air and many clubs will be operating special event stations from railway related sites around the country. It celebrates the anniversary of the first steam powered passenger railway that took place on the 27th of September 1825 – the first passenger train ran on a line in the North East of England from Darlington to Stockton. Bishop Auckland ARC coordinates this event. You can find a list of the participating callsigns at https://rota.barac.org.uk/

The RSGB’s Planning Advisory Committee will be launching its latest Planning Guide for Members at the National Hamfest on Friday the 28th of September. Now in its 9th edition and edited by PAC Chairman John Mattocks, G4TEQ, this popular guide draws on John’s many years as a professional Planning Inspector and the work of the RSGB Planning Advisory Committee. The guide has been updated to reflect recent changes in the planning system and includes advice on making planning applications, enforcement notices and also appeals for amateur radio aerials and masts. A limited number of printed copies of the new RSGB Planning Guide will be available from the RSGB Planning booth at the National Hamfest. It will be available as a downloadable pdf for RSGB Members from the 28th September on the RSGB website at www.rsgb.rg/pac

The Operating Advisory Service, OAS, is an RSGB volunteer-run service that provides guidance to licensed radio amateurs in the UK and Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It helps promote good practice, and advises on you how to manage problematic behaviour and poor operating practice on the amateur bands. The initial OAS pages are now on the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/oas

Reg Woolley, G8VHI is looking for an additional newsreader to help when he is unavailable due to his work shift pattern. His newsreading covers the Midlands area and he uses both 2m and 70cm. If you are interested, please drop an email to [email protected]

The National Hamfest takes place in Newark on the 28th and 29th of September at the George Stephenson Pavilion, Newark & Nottingham Showground, Lincoln Road, Winthorpe, Newark NG24 2NY. On Saturday the 29th, the National Club of the Year trophies 2017 will be presented, with thanks to Waters & Stanton for their sponsorship of this competition. Details and tickets from www.nationalhamfest.org.uk

The RSGB Board has decided to make changes to the way in which Nominated Board Directors are appointed. The RSGB Board is made up of 8 Directors – one is the elected President and four are directly nominated and elected by Membership ballot. A further three Directors are nominated by the RSGB Nominations Committee for endorsement by the Membership at the AGM. The role of the committee is to identify areas where the knowledge and skills of the Board members may need further support and to find suitable candidates; primarily they are looking for business skills and not those directly associated with amateur radio. Full details are on page 10 of the October RadCom. If you feel you have skills that could be of benefit to the RSGB Board, please get in touch by email to [email protected]

The RSGB Convention takes place from the 12th to the 14th of October at Kents Hill Park Training and Conference Centre in Milton Keynes. Our thanks to the principal sponsor, Martin Lynch & Sons. You can see the whole Convention lecture programme at www.rsgb.org/convention Visitors will be pleased to know that Jim Bacon, G3YLA will be speaking with a lecture entitled Sporadic-E revisited – is it any clearer? Sporadic-E is a complex propagation mode so Jim will start with a review of where we are with current understanding of Sporadic-E, ideal for the many newcomers to amateur radio. VHF Baluns – Fact and Fancy by Ian White, GM3SEK shows how our ideas about HF baluns have changed dramatically in recent years. Now Ian extends those ideas into the VHF-UHF spectrum, taking a critical look at some long-established methods for feeding Yagi antennas and identifying a new list of Do’s and Don’ts for modern conditions.

Keith Haynes, G3WRO has recently decided for personal reasons to step down as an RSGB Board Director. Keith was co-opted to the Board following his proposal by the Nominations Committee, and took on the liaison responsibilities for the RSGB Awards and Regional Team. We wish Keith well for the future and thank him for his contribution to the RSGB in the many roles he has undertaken.

Those attending the RSGB Convention Gala dinner on Saturday the 13th can reserve tables for groups. Please email [email protected] with the names and callsigns, if appropriate, of those wishing to share a table, and the organisers will take care of the details.

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

On the 28th & 29th of September the National Hamfest is at the Newark & Nottinghamshire Showground, Lincoln Road, Winthorpe, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG24 2NY. The venue has free car parking and has disabled facilities. There will be trade stands, a Bring & Buy, car boot area, flea market, special interest groups and a huge RSGB bookstall. There will also be representatives from the RSGB Services and committees. Morse proficiency test will be available. The venue has catering outlets and a seating area. Details are at www.nationalhamfest.org.uk

On Sunday the 30th of September the Pencoed ARC Table Top Sale takes place at Pencoed Rugby Football Club, The Verlands, Felindre Road, Pencoed CF35 5PB. Tables are £10 each, on a first come first served basis. Doors open 8am for sellers, 9.30 for buyers. Admission is £2. Hot and cold drinks are available, with hot food available in the morning and at lunchtime. More from Madeline Roberts on 0773 837 5775.

Also on the 30th, the Belgium Amateur Radio & Computer Rally takes place at Louvexpo, in La Louvière. There is direct access from the motorway and it is 50km south of Brussels. Open from 9am, there is talk-in on local FM repeaters on 145.600MHz. There is 4000m² exhibition space, trade stands from UK, Holland, Germany & France and a flea market. Details at www.on6ll.be

To get your event into RadCom and GB2RS, please send details as early as possible to [email protected]

And now the DX news from 425 DX News and other sources

Chris, VE6CMV will be active in the CQWW RTTY contest on the 28th and 29th September as VO2VC, which CQ Zone 2, Labrador. He will be operating in the low power, single op, on 20m only using a delta loop antenna and 100W. Outside of the contest he will be active from the 27th of September to the 4th of October on 80 to 6m SSB, RTTY and FT8. QSL to his home call VE6CMV as per QRZ.com

Victor, WB0TEV and Scott, K5PS will be active as V31VP and V31CQ respectively from Blackman Eddy in central Belize from the 27th of September to the 2nd of October. They will operate SSB and RTTY and will participate in the CQ WW DX RTTY Contest. QSL V31VP via Club Log’s OQRS, or via WB0TEV direct or via the bureau; QSL V31CQ via Logbook of The World, Club Log’s OQRS or via K5PS direct or via the bureau.

Stu, K4MIL will be active as KG4SS from Guantanamo Bay from the 25th September to the 9th of October. He will operate RTTY including in the CQ WW DX RTTY Contest, FT8 in Fox & Hound mode and CW. QSL via Logbook of The World or direct to K4MIL.

The NB-DX Team will be active as HB0/ON4ANN from Liechtenstein from the 24th to the 28th of September. QSL via M0URX’s OQRS.

Now the special event news

Celebrating 100 years of the RAF, GB100RAF will be operating from the Air Defence Radar Museum at RAF Neatshead in Norfolk today, the 23rd. QSL cards require an SAE only to RAFARS, RAF Cosford, WV7 3EX.

North Bristol ARC has been invited by Avon Valley Railway to set up a two stations on the 23rd, one station from within an operational train. The main HF station will be using GB0AVR on the 20, 40 and 80m bands. A portable station will operate from the train using QRP on 20 and 17m as well as via GB3BS and GB7BS.

We are very happy to publicise your event on GB2RS, in RadCom and on the RSGB website. Please send details to [email protected] as early as possible. One condition for getting a special event callsign is that the station must be open to the public, so our free publicity can help make your efforts more widely known.

Now the contest news

Over this weekend the UK and EI Contest Club Contest DX ends its 24 hour run at 1200UTC today, the 23rd. Using SSB on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands the exchange is signal report, serial number and district code.

Today, the 23rd, the Practical Wireless 70MHz contest runs from 1200 to 1600UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Tuesday the SHF UJK Activity Contest runs from 1830 to 2230UTC using all modes on the 2.3 to 10GHz bands. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Wednesday the UK and EI Contest Club contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW only, the exchange is your 4-character locator square.

On Thursday the 80m Autumn Series contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using data only, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

Next weekend from 0000UTC on the 29th to 2359UTC on the 30th the CQWW DX RTTY contest takes place using the 3.5 to 28MHz bands. The exchange is RST and Zone, which for the UK is 14.

On the 30th the UK Microwave Groups contest runs from 0600 to1800UTC on the 5.7 and 10GHz bands. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 21st of September 2018.

First, the sunspot reported a few weeks ago as possibly being from the new sunspot cycle 25 was in fact from cycle 24. Although it had a reverse magnetic polarity signature than other cycle 24 spots, scientists now say that its low solar latitude means it was not from the new cycle. Scientists are also now predicting that sunspot minimum may be in September 2019, so we can expect poor conditions to last for some time yet.

Over this last week the solar flux index was pegged pretty much at 68. Geomagnetic conditions were mainly settled in the latter half of the week with the K index zero at times. Next week NOAA predicts the solar flux index will remain in the range 68-69. Geomagnetic conditions are forecast to be poor on Sunday the 23rd and Monday the 24th due to a small coronal hole that will contribute to the high speed solar wind. Expect the K index to reach at least four, with conditions improving as the week progresses.

We are now moving into the autumnal propagation season so we can expect to see modest rises in maximum usable frequencies, perhaps passing 18 and even 21MHz at times.

And now the VHF and up propagation news.

This weekend looks to be in the grip of unsettled weather with more strong winds possible. One model puts a deep low over southern England today with the potential for very strong winds in the south. Another model doesn’t develop this strong feature, so check the forecasts regularly and make sure your antennas are secure.

There is better news for the coming week as high pressure is expected to return to bring more settled conditions, giving a chance for Tropo to develop. The overnight and early morning autumn mists are a good weather clue for Tropo conditions since they indicate cool moist air near the surface, overlain by warmer drier air above. It’s this contrast of moisture which is the major contribution to changes in the refractive index of the air and hence ducting or Tropo.

The moon is past apogee now and declination goes positive on Tuesday meaning increasingly longer moon windows and decreasing EME path losses as the week progresses.

There’s a light meteor shower peaking next Saturday. The daytime Sextantids is not well known to visual observers as its radiant lies close to the sun, meaning trails are only visible during the last couple of hours before dawn. Meteor rates are very low so nothing to get excited about from a meteor scatter point of view.

And that’s all from the propagation team this week.