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GB2RS > NEWS 24.10.04 02:13l 153 Lines 7872 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : GB2RS241004A
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Subj: MAIN NEWS - 24th Oct 1/11
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To : NEWS@WW
The main news headlines:
PLT Gets the Go-Ahead in America
UK's First 'Store and Forward' Voice Relay Operational
Two New 5MHz Beacons Soon
RSGB HFC 22-24 October
Transmission 2004 Competition Winners Announced
Solar Minimum in 2006?
Radio 4 Programme 'In Touch' with Us Again!
Wedding Bells for GB2RS Newsreader
Special Event News
The news in detail:
PLT Gets the Go-Ahead in America
In America, the FCC has approved rules to regulate the deployment of
PLT, or Broadband over Power Line (BPL) technology, as it is called
there. A report on the ARRL website says that the FCC adopted a 'Report
and Order' when it met on 14 October, despite the fact that three members
of the Commission, including Chairman Michael K Powell, specifically
mentioned the concerns of radio amateurs. They expressed either assurances
or hope that the new BPL rules will adequately address interference
to licensed services.
ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, said he was encouraged to see the
Commission's shift from the early days of the BPL proceeding, when it
followed the lead of the BPL industry in largely ignoring interference
to amateurs as a real issue. He cited the FCC's approval of three major
points that the League had been pushing for - including mechanisms to
deal swiftly with interference complaints. Full details are on the ARRL
website .
UK's First 'Store and Forward' Voice Relay Operational
The UK's first unattended 'store and forward' single frequency voice relay
was switched on at 1330UTC on Saturday 16 October. It operates on 70.4375MHz
using the callsign MB7FM, with a maximum 'store' time of 120 seconds.
The installation is on an elevated site in the Chiltern Hills at locator
IO91PS, with 10dBW ERP from a dipole antenna at 32 metres above ground.
Please send signal reports etc by e-mail to mb7fm@77hz.com
Two New 5MHz Beacons Soon
The RSGB is close to installing and operating two new beacons on 5290kHz..
The new beacons, which some have monitored during their hardware test
phase, will be installed shortly and operate under the callsigns GB3WES
and GB3ORK. GB3WES will be located in Cumbria and GB3ORK in the Orkney
Islands. Both will have a stepped transmit power sequence and a 30-second
sounder sequence of 0.5ms pulses at 40Hz prf identical to that of the
current GB3RAL beacon. Their transmit times will follow GB3RAL by one
and two minutes respectively.
With GB3RAL located in Oxfordshire, the three beacons will provide an
excellent spread of signal source across Great Britain and thus offer
experimenters a unique opportunity to study propagation effects at 5MHz
from their own QTH. In addition to people designing and conducting their
own experiments all are additionally invited and encouraged to send in
their reports to the 5MHz Working Group in support of the '5MHz Experiment'.
Note that the use of these three beacons is open to all, as no NoV or
amateur licence is required to monitor and collect data.
Further information is available on the RSGB Spectrum Forum website.
The RSGB 5MHz Working Group would like to thank Andy, G4JNT, who has
designed and built the beacons and also the two new beacon keepers,
John, G3WGV and Donnie, GM0HTH.
RSGB HFC 22-24 October
The RSGB HF Convention is taking place over the weekend of 22 to 24
October at the Gatwick Worth Hotel near Gatwick Airport. Full details,
including a location map, can be found on pages 18 and 19 of the October
issue of RadCom. Day visitors are very welcome.
Transmission 2004 Competition Winners Announced
The British Wireless for the Blind Fund has announced the winners in
its 'Transmission 2004' fund-raising competition, which took place in
September. Prizes were on offer for the groups and individuals who both
raised the most money for the charity and who made the most contacts
during the weekend. The group or club that raised the most money was
the Poldhu Amateur Radio Club while the club that made the greatest
number of contacts was the Cray Valley Radio Society. The individual
who raised the most funds for the BWBF was Darren Loxley, M3LOX, while
the individual making the most QSOs was Bob Palmer, M3DPQ. It is good
to see Foundation licensees showing the way to more experienced amateurs
in this fun competition that raises money for such a good cause. The
prizes are being presented at the RSGB HF Convention.
Solar Minimum in 2006?
Could the next solar minimum arrive sooner than previously predicted?
American solar physicist David Hathaway thinks so. An article on the
'Science at NASA' website predicts that the next solar minimum could
occur in late 2006, about a year earlier than previously thought. Hathaway
bases his prediction on data from the last eight solar cycles, which
show that solar minimum follows the first sunspot-free day on the sun
by 34 months. In this solar cycle, the first spotless day was on 28
January this year and more recently, on 11 and 12 October, there were
two more spotless days. David Hathaway goes on to say that the next
solar maximum might also come early. "Solar activity intensifies rapidly
after solar minimum. In recent cycles, Solar Max has followed Solar
Min by just four years." If that is the case, the next solar maximum
should be in 2010.
Radio 4 Programme 'In Touch' with Us Again!
It is expected that the BBC Radio 4 programme 'In Touch' this week will
feature amateur radio again. 'In Touch' is a weekly programme featuring news,
views and information of interest to people who are blind or
partially-sighted. The programme will be broadcast at 8.40pm on Tuesday
26 October.
Wedding Bells for GB2RS Newsreader
On 28 October, Laurie Bradshaw, G0MRL, a GB2RS newsreader in North-West
England, is marrying Marilyn Smith, M3LBQ, at Kendal Register Office.
Present at the wedding will be Warwick Taylor, G6SKM, and his wife Christine,
G1LBQ. Christine has recently had the remarkable experience, after two
operations, of regaining useful sight after well over 20 years of total
blindness. On 6 November Laurie and Marilyn will be holding a 'post-wedding
bash' at which, among others, there will be about 20 radio amateurs. One of
them, Howard, G3NBY, is a most accomplished saxophonist and clarinettist
who will be leading a jazz band featuring one of the country's finest
jazz guitarists, Gary Potter.
Special Event News
GB2HLB is on the air representing Hunstanton Life Boat in Norfolk on
23 and 24 October. Activity is on the HF bands from 0900UTC on both days.
Members of the Crowborough and District Amateur Radio Society are operating
GB0FGR on 23 and 24 October to commemorate the end of the 'slam-door'
diesel trains that have been running on lines in south-east England
for the last 50 years. Operation is on the HF bands with an emphasis
on 80 and 40 metres.
GB2WCM is on the air from 1 to 28 October on all bands from 80m to 70cm.
The station is being sponsored by local companies to raise money for
Mount Edgcumbe Hospice in St Austell, Cornwall. Operator Dennis, G7AGZ,
is attempting to be as active as possible over the 28 days from a location
in Mount Hawke near St Agnes, Cornwall, but as this is a solo operation
bands and times are dependent on his work commitments. Activity during
the weekends is mainly be on HF.
GB200CLB is on the air from 29 October to 1 November to commemorate
200 years of lifeboats in Cromer, Norfolk. The station will be active
from the crew room at the end of the pier in Cromer on all bands between
160m and 70cm on as many modes as possible. A 23cm colour TV link is
planned between the crew room and Cromer town centre. The station is
being supported by the Bittern DX Group, Norfolk Amateur Radio Club,
Kings Lynn Amateur Radio Club, and North Norfolk Raynet. Further details
from David, M0CNP, by e-mail: david@m0cnp.fsnet.co.uk
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