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