RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 21st July 2024

GB2RS News

Sunday the 21st of July 2024

 

The news headlines:

• The RSGB has released new training manuals for amateur radio exams
• Plans for the RSGB Convention in October are taking shape
• ICQ Podcast Episode 434 features interviews with RSGB representatives at Friedrichshafen

The RSGB is pleased to announce that it has released new training manuals for the Foundation, Intermediate and Full licence exams. These books are in addition to the existing manuals and reflect changes to the syllabus due to the new licence conditions. The RSGB will start examining to version 1.6 of the syllabus from the 1st of September 2024 and the new manuals will help tutors and students to prepare for exams from that date. If you are taking an exam before the 1st of September, you should continue to use the existing manuals. There isn’t a single manual for the Direct to Full exam, but you can buy a bundle of all three licence-level manuals for a discounted price. The manuals are available from the RSGB via rsgbshop.org/training and you can also read more about them in the August RadCom.

This year the RSGB Convention will take place between the 11th and 13th of October at Kents Hill Park in Milton Keynes. It is the place to be if you are interested in everything and anything to do with amateur radio. The Society is delighted that the event will be sponsored by Martin Lynch & Sons and that AMSAT will be holding its Colloquium during the Convention again this year. Following a recent call for proposals, the RSGB received some fantastic offers of presentations and practical activities. The programme is starting to take shape and will be organised into three streams called ‘Getting Started’ – aimed at those who want to try something new; Operating and Technical. To find out more about the programme, go to the RSGB website at rsgb.org/convention or read the update in the August RadCom.

ICQ Podcast has released episode 434 of their podcast, which includes a report from Ham Radio Friedrichshafen. The team chatted with RSGB General Manager, Steve Thomas M1ACB about a wide range of topics, including international liaison and the RSGB Convention. You can listen to this section from one hour and 17 minutes into the podcast. You can also hear RSGB President John McCullagh GI4BWM, Board Chair Stewart Bryant G3YSX and Spectrum Forum Chair Murray Niman G6JYB talking about licence changes, outreach and spectrum. You can find this part of the interview from one hour and 39 minutes into the show. Listen to the podcast at icqpodcast.com For more information on the licence changes, see rsgb.org/licence-review

International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend is coming up soon. The event is usually held on the third weekend of August which this year is the 17th and 18th. It is one of the most popular amateur radio events in the calendar and in past years there have been more than 500 entries from over 40 different countries. More details about the event and a registration form can be found at illw.net

Don’t forget that the British Inland Waterways on the Air event will take place between Saturday the 24th and Monday the 26th of August. The event is open to amateurs who use canals, towpaths, rivers, lakes or reservoirs for work or recreation. Registration for the event is now open. To sign up, visit Nunsfield House Amateur Radio Group’s website at nharg.org.uk and follow the ‘BIWOTA 2024’ link.

The National Hamfest 2024 is taking place on the 27th and 28th of September and promises to be an unforgettable celebration of all things amateur radio. As always, the traders and manufacturers are lining up to bring you the best in amateur radio equipment and accessories. Many exhibitors will be offering exclusive deals, making it the perfect time to upgrade your gear or add new items to your shack. For those eager to secure their spot, online ticket sales are open and an early-bird discount is available until the 31st of August. For more information and to purchase your tickets, visit nationalhamfest.org.uk 

 And now for details of rallies and events

Bury St Edmunds Radio Rally is taking place today, the 21st of July. The venue is Rougham Tower Museum, IP32 7QB. The doors open at 9.30 am for visitors and at 8 am for traders. Refreshments are available from the Museum’s cafeteria. Admission for visitors costs £3. For further information email rally2024@bsears.co.uk

The Finningley Amateur Radio Society Rally is also taking place today, the 21st of July, at Belton Road, Sandtoft, Doncaster, DN8 5SX. The doors are open from 10 am. More details are available at g0ghk.com

On Sunday the 28th of July, the Wiltshire Radio Summer Rally will take place at Kington Langley Village Hall, Kington Langley, SN15 5NJ. The event will run from 9 am to 1 pm, admission will be £3 and indoor tables cost £10. To take part in the car-boot sale, a car-size pitch costs £10 and a van-size pitch is £15. Hot and cold refreshments will be available on-site. For more information email Chairman@Chippenhamradio.club

Now the Special Event news

Tom, NL7RR is active on Wake Island, OC-053, until Tuesday the 23rd of July. In his spare time, he is operating as NL7RR/KH9 on or around 14.200MHz between 0600 and 0800UTC. QSL directly via Tom’s home call.

Vincent, F4BKV is active as XW4KV from Laos until Wednesday the 24th of July, with limited operation via the QO-100 satellite as well as QRP activity on the 15m band using SSB and FT8. QSL via Logbook of the World, Club Log's OQRS or directly via his home call.

Now the DX news

The IP1X team is active from Gallinara Island, EU-083, on the 27th and 28th of July using CW and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands. QSL via OQRS, or to IU1JCZ directly or via the Bureau. For more details and updates visit QRZ.com

Special callsign DL0SOP is active until the 31st of July for the 66th edition of the Sea of Peace Award. The station was heard recently on the 80, 40, 30 and 20m bands using CW. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, Logbook of the World, eQSL or directly to DL4SVA. For details of an award that is available for contacting the station, visit tinyurl.com/DL0SOP24

Special callsign OL80CARBON is active until the 30th of November to mark the 80th anniversary of Operation Carbon during World War Two. The operation involved the dropping of paratroopers in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. A team of operators is active using CW, SSB and digital modes on the HF bands. More information is available on QRZ.com

Now the contest news

Today, the 21st, the International Low Power Contest runs from 0900 to 1200 UTC and from 1300 to 1600 UTC. Using CW on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and transmitter power.

On Tuesday the 23rd, the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830 to 2130 UTC. Using all modes on 2.3 to 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Thursday the 25th, the 80m Club Championship Data Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using RTTY and PSK63 on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

The IOTA Contest runs from 1200UTC on Saturday the 27th to 1200UTC on Sunday the 28th of July. Using CW and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and IOTA reference.

On Sunday the 28th, the UK Microwave Group 5.7 and 10GHz Contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on 5.7 and 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

 Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 18th of July 2024

We had another great week in terms of HF propagation. The solar flux index was at a remarkable 224 on Thursday the 18th, and the Kp index had been consistently in the ones and twos all week.

It doesn’t get much better than this, HF-wise, although it's a shame it's not autumn with the associated good HF autumnal propagation.

Given that we are in the summer HF doldrums, there has been a lot of DX on the bands. 15m has been very good during late afternoons, and open to all continents, with Australia, Asia, Africa, North America and South America all workable on FT8 at the same time.

On Thursday the 18th, there were 17 active sunspot regions visible, which contributed to the high solar flux index. Two X-class solar flares brought short-term solar fadeouts on the 14th and the 16th, but any associated coronal mass ejection has been mainly directed away from Earth.

For those new to HF propagation, this is good news. Remember, a high solar flux index is generally good, while a high, perhaps more than four, Kp index is generally bad.

Daytime maximum usable frequencies, or MUFs, over a 3,000km path have been consistently above 21MHz. Nighttime MUFs have been more than 14MHz, and often 18MHz, at times.

But will this continue? Probably not.

Of the 17 visible sunspot groups, six are classed as ‘growing’. There have been coronal mass ejections from sunspots on the edge of the Sun, but they have not been Earth-directed. But, as these spots rotate to be Earth-facing, a coronal mass ejection could be more problematic.  

Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index may fall, perhaps into the 170s to 180s range.

The Kp index is predicted to be around 2, but if we do have an Earth-facing coronal mass ejection that could easily climb to 4 or 5, with an associated drop in the maximum usable frequency.

So, will it be another week without a high Kp index? Maybe that is too much to hope for!

And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO

Last week ended with a decaying high over Germany and fronts pushing in across western Britain. With such warm air over the UK at first, even temporarily, there will be a reasonable chance of Tropo over nearby cooler waters around our coasts, especially along the English Channel and southern North Sea.

Incidentally, for anyone taking a VHF rig with them on holiday to the Mediterranean resorts, you can expect typical summer semi-permanent, very strong maritime Tropo ducts over any sea path to neighbouring islands or countries.

Returning to the UK, we have a series of fronts and lows lined up for the coming week. In summer months these can often have a showery element to them, so expect some heavy rain and thunder at times, but at least there'll be rain scatter to make up for it!

Meteor scatter is again a random experience, with no major showers this week. Try around, or just before, dawn for best results. The solar conditions have been all over the place with flares and weak auroral responses, but nothing dramatic for VHF radio.

Sporadic-E, on the other hand, has done fairly well for digital mode activity, especially for transatlantic paths, but is slightly subdued where higher signal levels are required for SSB and CW. Although the weather is expected to be unsettled, the jet stream activity is less widespread than recently. If anything, the western side of Europe seems in a better spot with quite good options for paths to Iberia. Remember, most years will see activity into the first week of September, so don’t give up yet.

The Moon is at minimum declination on Friday the 19th so we start the week with short Moon windows and falling path losses as we approach perigee on the 24th. Perigee is the point at which the Moon is closest to the Earth. 144MHz sky noise starts very high but declines to medium next week.

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