RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 20th October 2024

GB2RS News

Sunday the 20th of October

The news headlines:

• The RSGB welcomes your feedback on its 2024 Convention
• Today is the last chance to get involved with JOTA 2024
• The RSGB is looking for Youth Champions

The RSGB’s 2024 Convention took place last weekend and brought together hundreds in person, as well as many more from across the globe who watched via the livestream. The Society is already receiving an overwhelming amount of positive feedback, but if you did attend the Convention and haven’t yet completed the feedback form, please go to rsgb.org/feedback and share your thoughts. If you watched the livestream the Society would also love to hear your feedback. Please visit rsgb.org/livestream-feedback and let the team know what you think of the online event. The feedback forms will be closed at the end of October. The live streams for both days will remain available for everyone to watch, so if you’d like to catch up on the selection of presentations that were aired, go to the RSGB website and search for ‘Convention 2024 Livestream’. As well as talks from the weekend, you’ll find exclusive special interviews and pre-recorded videos.

Today, the 20th, is the last day of Jamboree on the Air, also known as JOTA. The event promotes friendship and global citizenship and is a brilliant celebration of amateur radio among the Scout Association. The Society has compiled a list of Scouting groups that are involved with the annual event and has shared it on its website. The list is available by going to rsgb.org/jota and choosing the ‘JOTA Stations on the Air’ link on the right hand side of the page. The RSGB would love to see your photos of Scouts getting involved with JOTA, so tag @theRSGB and also use #JOTAJOTI to be involved in the conversation on social media. If you’re not involved with a JOTA station do listen out and encourage the young operators on the air. There will be a report in RadCom so please send details and photos from your event to radcom@rsgb.org.uk by the 15th of November.

Following the recent appointment of two Youth Champions for schools and universities, the RSGB is keen to expand the team. The Society is looking for a Youth Champion for scouts, guides and cadets, and another to lead activities and create resources to support young people once they have gained their Foundation licence, motivating them to try new things within amateur radio. The four Youth Champions will work closely as a team, as well as with the RSGB Board Liaison, Ben Lloyd, GW4BML and the RSGB Outreach Team. Together, the Youth Champions will also create a youth team and run a net or sked to involve all youngsters. Do you have what it takes to engage with young people and support them on their amateur radio journey? Another part of each Youth Champion’s role is to give input and support for current activities, such as promoting and participating in Youngsters on the Air Month each December. If you are proactive, experienced at managing your own time efficiently, a good leader who can build relationships and mentor young people, and you are passionate about growing the number of young people involved in amateur radio, then one of these roles could be for you! Take a look at the youth activities on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/youth and see some of the great things that are happening already. If you’re interested in being part of the team, contact Youth Board Liaison Ben Lloyd, GW4BML via gw4bml@rsgb.org.uk

The date has been confirmed for the Twelfth Scottish Microwave Round Table GMRT. It will be going ahead on Saturday the 9th of November 2024 at the Museum of Communication, Burntisland in Fife. Lunch will be provided, and an optional dinner will be held in the evening at a local hotel. The programme is now confirmed and, at the moment, 43 people have booked to attend the event. There are only 7 places left so please book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Online booking is available via the GMRT website at gmroundtable.org.uk or by email to Colin, GM4HWO at gm4hwo@gmail.com 

Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk  The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.

And now for details of rallies and events

Part 2 of the British Amateur Television Club Convention for Amateur TV 2024, also known as CAT 24, is taking place on Saturday the 26th of October. The online event will run from 10 am until 3 pm and will feature talks about ATV-related topics. For more information visit batc.org.uk/live

Carrickfergus Amateur Radio Group’s Rally is also taking place on Saturday the 26th of October at Elim Pentecostal Church, North Road, Carrickfergus. The doors will be open from 11.30 am and refreshments will be available. More information, including contact details, is available on the Group’s Facebook page.

The next Essex CW Boot Camp is scheduled to go ahead on Saturday the 26th of October. The event is an opportunity to meet your friends and enjoy a day of CW activities, tea, coffee and cakes. If you are interested in attending and have not yet registered, email info@essexcw.org.uk For more information about the event visit essexcw.uk

The Galashiels Rally is taking place on Sunday the 27th of October at the Volunteer Hall, St Johns Street, Galashiels, TD1 3JX. The doors will be open from 11 am. The admission fee is £3 and there will be refreshments, traders and a bring-and-buy area to enjoy. For more information contact rallyqueries@galaradioclub.co.uk or visit galaradioclub.co.uk

Now the Special Event news

Special event station PF16F is active to say farewell to the F-16 fighter aircraft, or Fighting Falcon. After 45 years of service, from 1979 to 2024, the F-16 will retire from the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Members of Radio Club Limburg will be operating the callsign until the 30th of November 2024 and hope to work as many amateur radio operators across the world as possible. For more information about the station visit rclb.nl/pf16f

As part of the celebrations to mark the centenary of the world’s first trans-global two-way radio communication, special callsign GB2ZL has been active at times from the UK. This is in addition to the main UK activity from GB2NZ, G2SZ and others. On Tuesday the 15th of October, the GB2ZL station, operated by Chris GM3WOJ from near Inverness, made a remarkable QSO with the ZL4AA team located just North of Dunedin. The ZL4AA station was operated by Dave ZL4DK, Mike ZL4OL and Stephen ZL4BN. This QSO, on the 40m band, long path at 0721UTC, was made using CW. 559 reports were exchanged each way and the operators at both ends were thrilled to make the contact. At each end of the QSO was an 80-year-old all-valve military transceiver from New Zealand, the iconic ZC1. These radios date from 1944, just 20 years after the first UK to New Zealand QSO. For more information about the station and the ZC1 transceiver visit the GB2ZL page at QRZ.com

Sylvia, OE5YYN is active as OE20SOTA until the 31st of October to mark the 20th anniversary of Austria joining the Summits on the Air programme. Details of a certificate that is available for working the station are available at QRZ.com

Now the DX news

Harold, DF2WO is active as 9X2AW from Rwanda until the 22nd of October. He is operating using CW, FT4 and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands. You might also catch Harold operating via the QO-100 satellite. When possible, he also hopes to be QRV on the 6m band. QSL via OQRS.

Stephane, F5UOW is active as FR/F5UOW from Reunion Island, AF-016, until the 28th of October. He is operating using CW only on the 17 to 10m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World only.

Now the contest news

The Worked All Germany Contest started at 1500UTC on Saturday the 19th and ends at 1500UTC today, the 20th of October. Using CW and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

Today the 20th, the RSGB 50MHz Affiliated Societies Contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Tuesday the 22nd, the RSGB 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 24th, the RSGB Autumn Series SSB Contest runs from 1900 to 2030 UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

The CQ World Wide DX SSB Contest starts at 0000 UTC on Saturday the 26th and ends at 2359 UTC on Sunday the 27th of October. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, the exchange is signal report and CQ Zone. The UK is in Zone 14. 

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 17th of October 2024

The past week has been characterised by a low geomagnetic Kp index and excellent conditions on HF, including the 10m band. With a solar flux index between 168 and 195, and a Kp index that never rose above 4, conditions have been better than the previous week, which suffered from the bad effects of solar flares and coronal mass ejections.

This came as NASA, NOAA and the International Solar Cycle Prediction Panel announced that the Sun has reached its solar maximum period, which should continue for the next year.

The announcement was not unexpected, and the exact period of maximum activity won’t be known for some time. But it was a wake-up call for radio amateurs to get on the bands and make the most of the conditions!

NOAA anticipates additional solar and geomagnetic storms during the current solar maximum period and during the declining phase of the solar cycle.

The solar flux index fell from its 200-plus highs to be in the 160 to 195 range last week. But this was still more than enough to keep the ionosphere running. Maximum usable frequencies over a 3,000km path have been consistently over 28MHz during daylight, falling to around 11MHz overnight.

Next week, the Space Weather Prediction Centre thinks the solar flux index will rise into the 200s again, but we may also get some geomagnetic disturbances, namely on the 22nd and 23rd when the Kp index might rise to around 4.

Meanwhile, October can be one of the best months for HF propagation with good 10m band openings to Australasia in the morning and North and South America in the afternoon.

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

The current unsettled spell of weather seems likely to continue into next week and is not atypical at this time of year. We should expect a more changeable pattern around the autumn as the main polar front jet stream migrates south across the UK into its winter state over the Mediterranean.

That said, there may well be some brief interludes when the extended region of high pressure across Europe influences conditions over the British Isles, more specifically the southeastern corner.

This is shown by some models around midweek for potential Tropo from southeastern England into the continent or across the North Sea to northern Europe and southern Scandinavia.

The obvious mode to result from this unsettled weather will be rain scatter and it is probable that the GHz bands will enjoy this period of weather.

Meteor scatter in October has a few showers to maintain interest. The Orionids and the Taurids are both active during the coming week. In fact, the Orionids, associated with the comet Halley, peak on Monday and Tuesday.

Just a final note about Sporadic-E, which is ‘out of season’. Remember that there are no ‘zero Sporadic-E months’ and recent indications have tended to show the response of raised critical frequencies of the Sporadic-E layer occurring around the middle of the day on the propquest.co.uk NVIS graphs.

You may also see peaks earlier in the day around dawn, which is the peak time for meteor input. Beware, it is easy to get hooked on out-of-season Sporadic-E hunting!

For EME operators, Moon declination is positive and rising. Path losses are rising again after the perigee on Thursday the 17th. So, we have increasing peak Moon elevations and longer Moon windows until Tuesday the 22nd. 144MHz sky noise is low to moderate for the rest of the week.

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