| |
G4TNU > NEWS 09.03.25 03:09l 312 Lines 15543 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
BID : 31297G4TNU
Read: DJ6UX
Subj: RSGB Main News - 09 Mar 2025
Path: DB0FHN<OE2XZR<OE6XPE<DB0ERF<DK0WUE<PD0LPM<IR0AAB<I0OJJ<GB7CIP<GB7CIP<
GB7CIP
Sent: 250309/0126Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO $:31297G4TNU
>From g4tnu%gb7cip.#32.gbr.euro@i0ojj.ampr.org Sun Mar 9 02:29:47 2025
Received: from i0ojj.ampr.org by i0ojj.ampr.org (JNOS2.0p.6) with SMTP
id AA17027560 ; Sun, 09 Mar 2025 02:29:47 +0100
Message-Id: <31297G4TNU@gb7cip.bbs>
>From: g4tnu@gb7cip.#32.gbr.euro
X-JNOS-User-Port: Telnet (gb7cip @ 77.104.162.230) -> Sending message
T:From: G4TNU@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO <g4tnu@gb7ipf.ampr.org>
T:Newsgroups: ampr.news.europe
T:Message-Id: <E1_6710701_G4TNU@gb7ipf.ampr.org>
GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 9th of March 2025
The news headlines:
* RSGB members celebrate IARU Centenary with a special callsign
* British Science Week events you can be part of
* RSGB Propagation Studies Committee members give talks at
HamSCI event
As part of the celebrations of the centenary of the International
Amateur Radio Union, the RSGB will be activating the callsign GB0IARU
during the month of April 2025. If you would like to be an activator,
you need to be an RSGB member with a Full licence, as UK licence
conditions only allow Full licensees to operate club callsigns. If
you would like to take part, please send an email to
contestclub<at>rsgbcc.org You will be invited to join a discussion
group which will be used to provide you with all the information that
you will need. You will have to join the RSGB Contest Club in order
to use the callsign, as GB0IARU is linked to the Contest Club's
callsign G6XX. Foundation and Intermediate licensees will be able to
take part under supervision. You can find detailed instructions about
operating with GB0IARU on the RSGB website at tinyurl.com/GB0IARU
For QSL information please see the QRZ.com page for GB0IARU.
British Science Week began on Friday the 7th of March and will
continue until Sunday the 16th of March. The annual celebration
presents radio amateurs with the opportunity to showcase the hobby to
new audiences. Crowthorne and Wokingham Men's Shed will be operating
as G8EYM during the forthcoming week. Organisers who would like to
set up skeds with other groups, particularly other Men's Sheds
groups, should get in touch via info<at>nmishedww.co.uk if you'd
like to be involved. Some events are also open to the public. South
Derbyshire and Ashby Woulds Amateur Radio Group will be hosting a
family friendly open weekend on the 15th and 16th of March. The event
will include opportunities for kit building, details of training, as
well as an opportunity to operate under supervision. Norfolk Amateur
Radio Club is intending to support the City of Norwich School with
its Super Science Saturday on the 15th of March. To get involved with
these events, plus more, go to rsgb.org/bsw and choose the "Events
happening near you" tab on the righthand menu. The Society has also
shared a number of fun ideas that you can take part in, from giving
your friends and family a tour of your shack, through to observing
the Sun's cycles and understanding the aurora. And of course, don't
forget to get involved with the official RSGB British Science Week
activity, which is featured in the Community Activity Pack. This can
be done at home on DMR or any other radio. Whatever inspires you, be
part of this fantastic celebration of Science, Technology,
Engineering and Maths and show the very best that amateur radio has
to offer.
Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation, also known as HamSCI, is
holding its 8th annual workshop in New Jersey on the 14th and 15th of
March. This year's workshop features nearly 50 presentations, four
tutorials, as well as a keynote address by the ARRL's Bob
Inderbitzen, NQ1R. RSGB Propagation Studies Committee associate
member Professor Gwyn Griffiths, G3ZIL will be delivering several
sessions at the two-day event, including one on post-sunset
Sporadic-F propagation. The RSGB Propagation Studies Committee
Secretary Doctor Chris Deacon, G4IFX, is also attending and will be
delivering a session on The Physical Nature of Sporadic-E. You'll be
able to watch these sessions, plus more from the workshop agenda
online. Details of how to access the event virtually, as well as more
information about the event can be found via hamsci.org/hamsci2025
The RSGB remote invigilation team will be taking a break over the
Easter weekend. You will be able to book to take an exam on Friday
the 18th of April or Saturday the 19th of April, but no exam slots
will be available on Sunday the 20th of April, or Monday the 21st of
April. Exam bookings will resume as normal after that.
Amateur Radio Clubs On The Air is getting ready for a second weekend
of operating on the 22nd and 23rd of March. It is a chance for
amateurs to promote their club, have some fun and collect points for
an award. All bands may be used, using any mode including SSB, CW,
FM, RTTY, FT8, FT4 and other digital modes. This is an ongoing award,
and contacts may be claimed from the 23rd of March 2025 onwards. You
can find full details on the Leicester Radio Society website at
g3lrs.org.uk, via the G3LRS page at QRZ.com or by emailing
arcota<at>g3lrs.org.uk
Cray Valley Radio Society is running a two-day, face-to-face
Foundation licence course on the 5th and the 12th of April, near
Greenwich in southeast London. The Foundation training package
costs GBP 65 and this includes the online exam at the end of the
course. Please apply or contact Cray Valley Radio Society via its
temporary website at cvrs.uk
Please send details of all your news and events to
radcom<at>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
On Sunday the 16th of March, the Ripon and District Amateur Radio
Society Rally will take place at Great Ouseburn Village Hall,
Lightmire Lane, Great Ouseburn, York YO26 9RL. Doors open for traders
at 7.30am and then to the public at 10am for an admission price of
GBP 3. Free parking, refreshments and bacon butties will be
available. Tables cost GBP 10 each. For enquiries, or to book one or
more tables, email radars.rally<at>gmail.com
The Biggleswade Swapmeet, organised by the British Vintage Wireless
Society, is taking place on Sunday the 23rd of March at The
Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire,
SG18 8JH. Doors open to stallholders from 9am, with general entry
from 9.30am. Admission is GBP 8. Hot and cold refreshments are
available all day. There will be vintage technology of varying sorts
including radio, TV, communications, audio, vinyl, computing,
telephones and components. There will also be a bring-and-buy stall
run by the British Wireless and Television Museum. For enquiries,
including stall bookings, please email Jeremy Owen, G8MLK
via secretary<at>bvws.org.uk More details can also be found
via BVWS.org.uk
The Callington Radio and Electronics Rally will be held in the Town
Hall, New Road, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7BD on Sunday the 23rd of
March. Public access to the event is from 10am until 1pm. Entry is
GBP 2 each with no charge for those under the age of 16. A
comprehensive selection of traders, clubs and societies from the
south-west will be present along with a bring-and-buy stall and the
usual excellent catering service. As an improvement from last year,
the bring-and-buy stall now accepts payment by all major debit and
credit cards using contactless, chip and pin or by phone. The venue
has disabled access and toilet facilities with ample parking in a
nearby car park. Although the main hall is now fully booked, tables
are still available in an adjacent room at GBP 5 for the large size
and GBP 3 for the smaller one. Pre-booking is essential, so please
contact Alastair, M0KRR at alastair.kerr1<at>btinternet.com or by
phone on 01503 262 755 with your requirements as soon as possible.
Also on Sunday the 23rd of March is The Dover Amateur Radio Club 2025
Rally which is taking place at the St Radigunds Community Centre,
Poulton Close, Dover, CT17 0HL. The doors are open between 10am and
2pm and entry is GBP 3. Tea, coffee and bacon rolls will be available
on site. Tables are available at GBP 15 each, with a maximum of two
tables per vendor. For table bookings and the latest news go
to darc.online/rally
Now the Special Event news
The British Railways Amateur Radio Society is running special event
station GB0LMR and GB2SDR during 2025 to celebrate 200 years of train
travel since 1825. Starting from April, it will also be running GB2TT
to celebrate the same anniversary. QSL will be via the Bureau. More
information is available at QRZ.com and via webrars.info
>From the 1st to the 28th of March George, MM0JNL will once again be
activating special event station GB0GTS. This year the station is
active in support of the Great Tommy Sleepout. This national
challenge aims to raise funds and awareness for all former UK service
personnel who are living homeless. More details are available at
QRZ.com and rbli.co.uk
Now the DX news
The VK9CU team will be active between the 4th and the 11th of March
from Cocos Keeling Islands, IOTA reference OC-003. They will operate
on the 160 to 6m bands using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT4 and FT8. QSL via
DL2AWG, ClubLog and Logbook of the World.
Elvira, IV3FSG is active as D68Z from Moroni in the Comoro Islands
until the 18th of March. IOTA reference AF-007. She will operate on
HF bands using CW, SSB and digital modes.
Looking ahead, DA1DX, DK9IP, DM6EE and DL8LAS will be active from
Anegada [A-NE-GA-DA] Island in the British Virgin Islands
as VP2VI from the 10th to the 27th of April.
Now the contest news
The Commonwealth Contest started at 1000UTC on Saturday the 8th of
March and ends at 1000UTC today, Sunday the 9th of March. Using CW on
the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is
signal report and serial number. HQ stations also send ‘HQ'.
On Tuesday the 11th of March, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs
between 1900 to 1955UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
Also on Tuesday the 11th of March, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest
runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday the 12th of March, the 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour
Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the
exchange is report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the
12th of March, the 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from
1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is report
and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest
may also enter the two-hour contest.
On Wednesday the 12th of March, the 80m Club Championship Contest
runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is
signal report and serial number.
On Thursday the 13th of March, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs
from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group HF RTTY Contest starts at
0200UTC on Saturday the 15th of March and ends at 0200UTC on Monday
the 17th of March. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests
are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and time.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Thursday the 6th of March 2025
We started last week with geomagnetic disturbances that saw the Kp
index rise to a maximum of 5.67 on the 28th of February and then
hover around the 4.5 mark for the next couple of days.
As predicted, the rest of the week went quite well, with the Kp index
in the range of one to four. The solar flux index fell from a maximum
of 210 on the 23rd of February to a low of 140 on the 2nd of March.
It then climbed back to 160 on the 4th. Over the past week we have
had no X-class and only one M-class solar flare which was on the 5th.
As we head into next week, it looks like all the sunspots in the
Sun's northern hemisphere have now departed. Nevertheless, the
southern hemisphere is still supplying lots of spots so don't panic
just yet!
HF conditions have been quite good. VK6IF and VK6IA in Western
Australia were booming in on 28MHz USB on the morning of Thursday the
6th, as was VK9CU on the Cocos-Keeling Islands.
Nigel, VP8TXF and Ian, VP8CIW have been operating from the Falkland
Islands ahead of this weekend's Commonwealth Contest and have been
worked from the UK on 20m-10m. They are there until the 10th, so get
in quick.
Other DX to be worked this week includes VU4AX Andaman Islands, 6Y7EI
Jamaica, PJ7AA Sint Maarten Island, 4S7KKG Sri Lanka, TY5C Benin,
6W7/ON4AVT Warang Senegal, RI1ANE Antarctica and H44MS Solomon
Islands.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will start off
around 150 and may then climb to 185 by the 16th. A large coronal
hole became Earth-facing on the 6th, which may result in unsettled
geomagnetic conditions this weekend, the 8th and the 9th.
It looks like we can expect unsettled geomagnetic conditions around
the 10th to the 16th, with a maximum predicted Kp index of five.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The weather divides into two segments; the first, from the middle of
last week through to the middle of next week, is rather changeable
with low pressure nearby bringing rain or showers and potential for
rain scatter on the GHz bands.
Eventually, the unsettled weather ends with a cold northerly on
Tuesday the 11th and this leads to a new high building from Wednesday
into the weekend of the 15th and 16th March.
This is good news for Tropo and could possibly be of benefit to those
in the UK 70cm Activity Contest on Tuesday the 11th in western UK,
but more generally for the FT8 70cm Activity Contest on Wednesday and
the 50MHz UK Activity Contest on Thursday evening.
We are still between major meteor showers and therefore must rely
upon random activity for now. The next shower of note is the Lyrids
on the 21st and the 22nd of April, so we have a while to go yet.
The solar activity has continued to produce a regular supply of
auroral alerts and fluttery signals on the LF bands, but with a lot
of cloud in northwestern areas and southern parts just marginally out
of reach for any naked-eye auroras. A few digital camera pictures did
surface on the web.
Keep an eye open just in case though. Remember Kp equalling five or
greater is where we need to be.
Lastly, the Sporadic-E prospects are still relatively low with only
the odd minor blip up to around a Sporadic-E critical frequency of 5
to 7MHz, often around the middle of the day. This contrasts with the
morning and evening windows in the main season. It is enough to
promote interest in the 10 or 6m bands, but almost certainly a
fleeting moment.
EME path losses rise all this coming week and moon declination falls
with associated shortening Moon windows and reducing peak Moon
elevation. The best results will therefore be early in the week.
144MHz sky noise is moderate this weekend, falling to low in the week
commencing the 10th.
And that's all from the propagation team this week.
And that's the end of the main news for this week prepared by the
Radio Society of Great Britain. Items for inclusion in subsequent
bulletins can be emailed to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk to arrive by
10:00 on the Thursday before transmission.
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
