RSGB GB2RS News Bulletin for December 7th 2025

GB2RS News

Sunday the 7th of December 2025

The news headlines:

• Become an RSGB Regional Representative in your area
• Keep up to date with how technology can be used in amateur radio
• 5MHz – an important reminder about FT8 use within allocated frequencies

Do you want to make a difference to the amateur radio community in your region? The RSGB has three Regional Representative posts that are available for nominations in the upcoming 2026 elections. These are for Region 2, which covers Scotland North and the Northern Isles, Region 7, which represents South Wales, and Region 9, which covers London and the Thames Valley. As a Regional Representative, you will lead the team of District Representatives in your area and not only represent the Society but also support your fellow radio amateurs. Find out more about what it takes to succeed in this role by reading the candidate pack at rsgb.org/elections  The deadline for applications is the 31st of January 2026.

An increasing number of modern technologies are being used in different ways within amateur radio. From artificial intelligence that helps you to write software, to a 3D printer that you can use to create amateur radio equipment. The RSGB has gathered some of these together in a web section called ‘Emerging technologies’ and has now added to it an overview of the new monthly RadCom column ‘Experimenters’ Corner’. The column was introduced in November and is written by RSGB Board Director Mark Jones, G0MGX. The column covers everything from setting up your own TinyGS project at home to experimenting with Meshtastic. Go to rsgb.org/emerging-technologies  and be inspired.

The RSGB reminds all radio amateurs that they must only operate within the UK allocated bands for each mode. Ofcom has noticed that, increasingly, radio amateurs are using FT8 outside of the UK 60m allocations. It is monitoring usage and will write to you if it observes your callsign operating outside of this band. Please ensure the configuration of your FT8 software limits your transmissions to frequencies and bandwidth that are fully within the UK allocation. For example, when using WSJT-X for digital modes at 5357kHz, it is imperative that the transmitted signal is never above 5358kHz. Using 'Hold TX Freq’ can help with this. The Society works hard to protect the spectrum for all radio amateurs to use, but that work will be made more difficult if radio amateurs continue to stray outside of the allocated bands. The Ofcom OFW611 Amateur Radio Licence Terms and Conditions document includes an explanation of all the frequencies available to radio amateurs in the UK. You can find this on the Ofcom website or via the UK amateur licensing link on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/licensing

The RSGB National Radio Centre, located at Bletchley Park, will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. There will be reduced hours on New Year’s Eve when the Centre will be closing at 2pm. In addition to this, it will also be closed for essential maintenance works on the 5th and 6th of January 2026. Outside of these times, volunteers look forward to welcoming visitors as usual. Remember that RSGB members can download a free entry voucher for Bletchley Park from the RSGB website at rsgb.org/bpvoucher

Youngsters on the Air Month is well underway with multiple groups scheduled to host special event station GB25YOTA this week. Today, Sunday the 7th of December, you’ll be able to work operators from Cray Valley Radio Society, as well as the 2nd Marlborough Scouts. The Scout group will also be active tomorrow, Monday, the 8th of December. Buckie High School in Scotland will be operating on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, so listen out and encourage young operators in making what could be their first ever QSO. On Tuesday, the 9th of December, Hilderstone Radio Society members will be supervising students from St. Peter ' s-In-Thanet Junior School. On Wednesday, the 10th of December, students from Sunderland College will be on the amateur bands with supervision from Ian Bowman, G7ESY. Looking ahead to next weekend, the RSGB National Radio Centre will be welcoming young people to operate as GB25YOTA. Details of operating times, bands and modes can be found at rsgb.org/yota-month

There have been a number of changes to the Region 1 team, which covers Scotland South and the Western Isles. To ensure you are contacting the correct representative, go to rsgb.org/regions  and click the team name from the right-hand menu, followed by ‘Meet the Region 1 team’.

And finally, a date for your diary. The next in the popular 145 Alive series will take place on Saturday, the 7th of February, from 12 pm to 3 pm. The event will include the addition of 144MHz SSB stations with vertical polarisation. For more information, visit the 145 Alive Facebook page.

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

And now for details of rallies and events

Today, the 7th of December, the Mid Devon Amateur Radio and Electronics Fair is taking place at Winkleigh Sports and Recreation Centre. The doors will be open from 9 am to 1 pm. Entry costs £3 per person, and there is no charge for partners and under-16s. For more details, contact Phil, G6DLJ, on 07990 563 147 or email wrg2024@hotmail.com

Sparkford Radio Rally is due to take place on Sunday, the 28th of December at Davis Hall, Howell Hill, West Camel, near Yeovil BA22 7QX. The doors will be open from 9.30 am, and admission will cost £2. Refreshments and free parking will be available on site. For more details, contact Luke on 07870 168 197 or email luke@mymixradio.co.uk.

Now the Special Event news

Celebrating the city of Chemnitz, one of the European Capitals of Culture for 2025, a number of special event callsigns are active in Germany until Monday, the 15th of December. All QSOs will be uploaded to eQSL, Logbook of the World and Club Log. To read more, including information about certificates that are available for working the stations, visit 2025c.de

The first French satellite, named Asterix, was launched into orbit on the 26th of November 1965. To mark the 60th anniversary, members of the Wingles Radio Club, F4KLR, are active as TM60ATX on Friday the 12th and Saturday the 13th of December, and again between the 19th and 23rd of December. All CW and SSB QSOs will be confirmed automatically via the Bureau. FT8 QSOs will be confirmed via eQSL.

Now the DX news

Vlad, OK2WX and Paula, OK2YL, are active as HP3/OK2WX and HP3/OK2YL from Panama until Wednesday, the 10th of December. They are operating CW and SSB with a focus on the 160, 80 and 40m bands. See QRZ.com for more information.

Pierre, VK3KTB, is active as VY0ERC from the Eureka Amateur Radio Club station on Ellesmere Island, NA-008, until Wednesday, the 10th of December. He operates CW, SSB and FT8 on various bands. QSL via OQRS and Logbook of the World.

Now the contest news

The ARRL 160m Contest started at 2200 UTC on Friday, the 5th and ends at 1559 UTC today, Sunday, the 7th of December. Using CW on the 160m band, the exchange is signal report. American and Canadian stations also send their ARRL or RAC section reference.

Today, the 7th of December, the RSGB 144MHz Affiliated Societies Contest runs from 1000 to 1400 UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Tuesday, the 9th of December, the RSGB 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 1955 UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Also, on Tuesday, the 9th, the RSGB 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230 UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Wednesday, the 10th of December, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also, on Wednesday the 10th, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100 UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest.

On Thursday, the 11th of December, the RSGB 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230 UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

The ARRL 10m Contest starts at 0000 UTC on Saturday, the 13th of December and ends at 2359 UTC on Sunday, the 14th of December. Using CW and phone on the 10m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. American and Canadian stations also send their state or province code.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 4th of December

The prediction made for last week was for the solar flux index to increase, possibly reaching 155 by the 1st of December and 175 by the 6th.

In fact, it hit 196 on the 1st and 200 on the 2nd. This was no doubt aided by three large sunspot groups in the Sun’s southern hemisphere.

We also said that the Kp index could hit 5 on the 3rd of December, and it actually hit 6.67. So well done to the Space Weather Prediction Centre for its forecast.

On Thursday the 4th of December, the solar wind speed gradually increased from around 360 kilometres per second to 475 kilometres per second, thanks to the onset of an enhanced solar wind from a very large coronal hole. The Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field has also been pointing sharply south at times, which means it more easily couples with the Earth and the Kp index goes up as solar plasma floods in.

Maximum useable frequencies, or MUFs, have been affected, but not too much. The MUF over a 3,000km path was still above 28MHz on the 3rd of December, at least until sunset. Nighttime MUFs are now characteristically below 14MHz, leaving only 10MHz and below open to DX.

As reported by CDXC’s Slack group this week, recent DX included the YJ0GC DXpedition to Vanuatu and OX7AM in Greenland on the 10m band using CW. 5R8IC in Madagascar was noted on the 15m band using FT4. And SU8YOTA in Egypt was worked on the 20m band using SSB.

Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will stay in the 180 to 190 range, and the good news is that the Kp index is predicted to remain low, at least until Saturday, the 13th of December, when it is forecast to rise once again to 5.

So, get your HF DXing in during the daytime over this coming week!

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

The weather charts for the coming week or more show a very unsettled pattern with some deep areas of low pressure, strong winds and heavy rain at times.

Tropo is unlikely in the traditional high-pressure sense, but sometimes a strong maritime south-westerly wind can bring a brief, slight improvement for parts of southeast Britain in the windy warm sector of the depression. Watch out for this on Tuesday, the 9th of December.

Rain scatter remains a good option since there will be numerous bands of rain and showers available as scatter elements. The Margate 24GHz WebSDR has seen the Flanders beacon ON0HVL for a number of days due to rain over the southern North Sea, but the lack of active 24GHz stations on the east coast made this a frustrating watch on a WebSDR.

Aurora is a possibility during the coming week. Look for a Kp index above 5 to generate a good radio response. The evening of the 3rd of December saw classic fluttery HF signals on the 80m and 40m bands, supported by a Kp index of 6.67 and reported auroral QSOs on 70, 144 and 50MHz.

Lastly, a consideration of the meteor scatter prospects is more promising as we are now in the broader period for the Geminids, which is due to peak on Sunday, the 14th of December. This shower has a maximum hourly rate of 120, so it ranks as a joint second after the August Perseids.

For EME operators, Moon declination reached a maximum yesterday, the 6th of December, meaning long Moon windows and high peak elevation. Path losses are at their lowest but increasing during the week. 144MHz sky noise is low for the coming week.

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