RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for 14th April 2024

 

GB2RS News

Sunday the 14th of April 2024

The news headlines:

• RSGB member interviewed by the BBC about the total solar eclipse
• Ofcom releases video about changes to UK amateur radio licensing
• World Amateur Radio Day is coming up

On Monday the 8th of April, a total solar eclipse gripped North America as radio amateurs worldwide looked on to see its effect on the ionosphere. This included RSGB Propagation Committee associate member Gwyn Griffiths, G3ZIL, who was interviewed by BBC news on the topic. The article, which was shared across the world, looked at some of the scientific experiments that took place during the eclipse. You can read the article by searching for “The 4-minute window into the Sun's secrets” on BBC news. The RSGB thanks all the WSPR users who responded to Gwyn’s call to action, got involved and shared their results on the RSGB social media channels. 

Ofcom has released a video about changes to the UK amateur radio framework covering licensing and callsign changes. It also gives some insight into the forthcoming Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the changes for callsigns and special event stations. You can watch the video at tinyurl.com/ofcomvid

World Amateur Radio Day is celebrated each year on the 18th of April. The theme for 2024 is “A Century of Connections: Celebrating 100 Years of Amateur Radio Innovation, Community and Advocacy.” The global event covers all of the IARU regions and runs from 0000UTC on Thursday the 18th of April to 0000UTC on Friday the 19th of April. All radio amateurs are invited to take to the airwaves to show their skills and capabilities to the public. You can read more about the event at tinyurl.com/iaruward

During May, the RSGB’s Photo Friday feature on social media will highlight radio amateurs who are taking advantage of the new licence conditions. You could be an individual who is discovering different things to enjoy with the new power levels, or who is encouraging friends and family to get on the air under your supervision. You could be a club involved in special events and outreach to the public. In whatever way you’re making the most of the new licence conditions, the RSGB wants to hear from you! Send a photo and a short description to comms@rsgb.org.uk and the Society will share as many stories as possible.

On the 11th of April, BBC Radio 4 Feedback presenter Andrea Catherwood looked at why the Long Wave frequency is being shut down by the BBC. She interviewed RSGB President John McCullagh, GI4BWM, and in the final programme, a brief clip was used in which John gave his opinion on the possible impact for some listeners. You can listen to the Feedback show on BBC Sounds, by searching for “Feedback and Long Wave” on the BBC website. The feature starts at 19 minutes and 55 seconds, with the RSGB President featuring at 22 minutes and 18 seconds.

This year Dennis, G7AGZ is running special event station GB0CHC again in support of Cornwall Hospice Care. This is Dennis’ 33rd year of fundraising for the charity. The station will be active until the end of April on all bands from 80m to 70cm using SSB, FM and DMR. If you would like to support the cause, search for GB0CHC on the justgiving.com  website

The Cornish Radio Amateur Club has re-launched its sought-after Cornish Award Certificate. The award has been around since the 1960s and is given to amateur radio stations based outside of the County of Cornwall who have contacted 20 Cornish-based amateur radio stations. The new award allows the use of HF, VHF and UHF bands using any mode including FM, SSB, CW, and now digital modes such as FT8. Proof in the form of copies of logbook entries showing the 20 stations worked, dates, times and modes is required to qualify. The new award applies to contacts made on or after the 1st of January 2024, and the certificate will be emailed in PDF format. More information can be found via the “Cornish Award” link at gx4crc.com

A reminder now that International Marconi Day is coming up on the 27th of April. Once again, the Cornish Radio Amateur Club is organising and running the event. Lots of amateur radio stations will be operating from sites that Marconi operated from or had a personal connection with. For more information, and to view a list of the stations that are taking part, follow the “International Marconi Day” link on the gx4crc.com  website

 And now for details of rallies and events

Yeovil Amateur Radio Club’s 38th QRP Convention will be held on Saturday the 20th of April at Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3AA. The doors will be open from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm and admission will be £3. The event will feature talks, traders, a bring-and-buy area, club stalls and a café. For more information, see yeovil-arc.com or email derekbowen1949@talktalk.net

Andover Radio Amateur Club Boot Sale is due to take place on Sunday the 21st of April at Wildhern Village Hall, Tangley, Wildhern, Andover, SP11 0JE. The doors open at 10 am for visitors and at 9 am for sellers. Entry will cost £2. The fee for a field pitch is £8 and the cost for a table in the hall will be £10. For more information visit arac.org.uk  For table bookings email admin@arac.org.uk

Cambridge Repeater Group Rally will take place on Sunday the 21st of April at Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridgeshire, CB22 6RN. The doors will open at 9.30 am for visitors and at 7.30 am for traders. The event will be a car-boot sale. The rally will feature talk-in, trade stands, clubs, bring and buy, RSGB books, a free marshalled car park and a burger van. For more information contact Lawrence, M0LCM on 07941 972 724, email rally2024@cambridgerepeaters.net, or visit cambridgerepeaters.net

The Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Rally, also known as both the ‘NARSA Rally’ and the ‘Blackpool Rally’, will take place on Sunday the 21st of April. The venue will be Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool, FY2 9AA. For more details contact Dave, M0OBW on 01270 761 608, email dwilson@btinternet.com or visit narsa.org.uk

Dunstable Downs Radio Club would like to remind everyone that its annual boot sale has been postponed until the 30th of June. This is due to the site being used by BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend music festival. Updates will be posted to Dunstable Downs Radio Club’s Facebook page and reminder emails will be sent out closer to the time. To add yourself to the list, visit ddrcbootsale.org  and sign up for email reminders.

 Now the Special Event News

Special event station 5P0WARD will be active from Denmark on the 18th of April to mark World Amateur Radio Day. QSL via Logbook of the World or via OZ1ACB. For more information, including details of awards that are available, visit QRZ.com

Special callsign ER30ARM is active to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Amateur Radio Society of Moldova, ER1KAA. Look for activity until the 30th of April. The station was spotted recently on the HF bands using CW and FT8. QSL via the Bureau, directly, and Logbook of the World.

 Now the DX news

Willy, ON4AVT is active as 6W7/ON4AVT from Warang, Senegal until the 16th of April. He operates using mainly FT8 on the 80 to 10m bands. He will also be QRV on the QO-100 satellite. QSL via Club Log's OQRS.

Bernhard, DL2GAC is active as H44MS from Malaita, OC-047 in the Solomon Islands until the 25th of April. He is QRV on the 160 to 6m bands using SSB and some FT8. QSL via Bernhard’s home call or the Bureau. He will upload his log to Club Log and Logbook of the World.

 Now the contest news

On Tuesday the 16th, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 23cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Wednesday the 17th, the 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

On Thursday the 18th, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using All modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

 Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 11th of April 2024

The Sun is still looking a little bare, but the solar flux index has climbed back to 131, as of Thursday the 11th, with four active regions. The promise is that things will improve, especially as we will soon see the return of active region 3615, which was the source of numerous M-class and one X-class flare on its last rotation.

Things have been a little sparse on the higher HF bands, with only FT8 being audible or visible on the 10m band at times. Having said that there has been some good FT8 DX to be worked on the 10m band, including Angola, Malawi, China, Japan, Taiwan and the Solomon Islands.

During the recent solar eclipse event there were also a lot of US stations on the 10m band using WSPR. These included Bob, K6XX in Santa Cruz, California, who was copiable in the UK at around 1850UTC. This just shows how effective WSPR is as a mode on an otherwise quiet band.

There have been some early signs of Sporadic-E on the 10m band using digital modes, including some brief openings to Scotland from eastern UK. We can expect these to improve as we head towards May.

Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will be in the 140 to 150 range with a maximum Kp index of three. If this is correct it means that HF conditions will be roughly the same as last week.

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

The weather patterns are showing signs of change after being stuck for quite some time, and the main beneficiary will be VHF operators seeing a chance of Tropo returning to the bands. 

The initial unsettled weather over the UK, with high pressure fixed over the continent, will take us through to the middle of the coming week.

Thereafter, a high will develop to the southwest of Britain midweek and drift northeast across the country, although some models take the high on a more southerly track. In either event, there should be some useful Tropo in the south and possibly northern areas too. This may be limited to southwestern areas for Tuesday's 23cm UK Activity Contest, but will hopefully be more supportive of the 4m UK Activity Contest on Thursday.

Meteor scatter is worth a look next week since we are approaching the 21st and 22nd of April peak of the Lyrids shower at the end of next weekend.

The quieter solar conditions have taken aurora down the table, but it's still good practice to watch out for if the Kp index goes above five.

Gigahertz-band rain scatter certainly drops down the league table next week as high pressure probably takes over.

As we said earlier, the next big thing is the start of the 2024 Sporadic-E season, which slowly comes to life during April for the 10 and 6m bands, especially on digital modes, whereas the real shift up in gear often comes during May. As mentioned last week, it’s worth updating your list of beacons in your rig’s memory while it’s still quiet.

For EME operators, Moon declination is at maximum this weekend, ending the 14th, so there will be long Moon windows. We are past perigee, so path losses are rising again. 144MHz sky noise is moderate this weekend then low for the rest of the week.

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