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