GB2RS News

Sunday the 18th of February 2024

The news headlines:

• Ask the RSGB Board a question during the Society’s 2024 AGM
• Get involved with British Science Week
• Registration is now open for Maritime Radio Day 2024

Over the last few years, the RSGB has been developing the way in which the Board can be asked questions at the Society’s online AGMs. Last year people were able to ask questions via the YouTube live chat as well as submitting written questions in advance. This year, in response to members’ feedback, there will be an opportunity to ask a question on video via Zoom. The RSGB Board will still take written questions in advance and will also answer as many questions on the day via the live chat as possible, depending on the time. The RSGB AGM will be held on Saturday the 13th of April and you can find more information about how to take part on the Q&A subpage of the RSGB AGM web section at rsgb.org/agm

The RSGB has a collection of resources to help you get involved with British Science Week, which runs from the 8th to the 17th of March this year and has the theme of ‘Time’. If you already have something planned, please let the RSGB know. This will be useful for others to see and might inspire them! There are already several events for British Science Week on the RSGB website. Some of these are open to everyone, so please show your support for them. If you’re going on the air, tell everyone when to listen out for you by sending the RSGB dates, times, bands and modes. The RSGB’s British Science Week coordinator is Ian Neal, M0KEO and you can contact him via bsw@rsgb.org.uk  Please send Ian the resources you’d like to share and your event details including the times you’ll be on the air. All details are on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/bsw

Registration is now open for Maritime Radio Day 2024 which takes place annually on the 14th and 15th of April. The event is held to commemorate the almost 100 years of wireless telegraphy service for seafarers which ended with the closure in the UK of Portishead Radio on the 30th of April 2000. Commencing at 1200UTC on the 14th of April, and finishing at 2300UTC on the 15th of April, this event is a great opportunity to have a QSO with ex-Marine Radio Officers and Coast Station professionals who exchange details of their previous ships and coast stations. The mode of operation is CW and all of the HF bands are used, including the WARC bands. A certificate of participation will be issued to everyone who submits results. Amateur licence holders are invited to register to take part in Friends of Maritime Radio Day. Shortwave listeners may also submit logs. For more information and to register, visit tinyurl.com/MRD24

There are less than two weeks to go until the deadline for the RSGB Construction Competition. There are six categories to enter this year: Antennas; Beginners; Most creative and/or elegant PCB Design; Construction Excellence; Innovation; and Software and Systems. To enable members from across the country, and even the world, to enter, entries will again be judged over the internet rather than in person. Special recognition will be given to entries submitted by radio amateurs under the age of 24, and to those who have just gained their Foundation licence. A cash prize will be awarded to the winner of each section, with a bonus for the overall winner, who will also be declared the winner of the Pat Hawker G3VA Award. You can find out more, including how to enter, on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/construction-competition  Don’t forget, the deadline for entries is the 1st of March 2024 so get your entry in before it’s too late.

Many amateur radio stations have been on the air this weekend, in conjunction with The Guide Association, to celebrate World Thinking Day on the Air. The aim of World Thinking Day on the Air is to encourage Guides to make friendships with members of other units, using amateur radio as the means of communication. If you, or your club or society, were on the air during the event don’t forget to send your pictures and stories to radcom@rsgb.org.uk  Please send your reports in by the 23rd of March.

And now for details of rallies and events

The British Vintage Wireless Society Biggleswade Swap meet and AGM will take place on Sunday the 25th of February. The venue will be The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, SG18 8JH. A bring-and-buy stall will be available with a 10% commission on sales going to the British Vintage Wireless and Television Museum. Stallholders can gain entry from 9 am. The doors open to the public at 9.30 am and admission will be £8. For more information visit bvws.org.uk or email secretary@bvws.org.uk

The Red Rose Winter Rally will take place on Sunday the 25th of February. The venue will be St Joseph’s Hall, Mather Lane, Leigh, WN7 2PJ. Access for exhibitors will be available from 8.30 am and the event will be open to the public from 10 am. Hot and cold refreshments will be available. Further details can be found via West Manchester Radio Club’s website at wmrc.co.uk  Send enquiries to Les, G4HZJ via lesjackson@ntlworld.com or phone 07796 264 569.

The Exeter Radio and Electronics Rally will take place on Sunday the 3rd of March from 10 am to 1 pm. The event will be held at America Hall, Pinhoe, EX4 8PX. For more information contact Pete, G3ZVI on 07714 198 374 or email g3zvi@yahoo.co.uk

Now the Special Event News

Today is the last chance to work Francois, F8DVD who is active as TM21AAW to promote the 21st Antarctic Activity Week. He is QRV from his home QTH in France. QSL via Logbook of the World, his home call or the Bureau.

Listen out for members of Radio Club Jean Bart, F6KMB who are active today, the 18th, as TM6C during the traditional Dunkirk Carnival. Operators will be working on the HF and VHF bands using CW, SSB and FT8. QSL via F6KMB.

Celebrating the Scandinavian CW Activity Group's 50th anniversary, special callsign SC50AG is active on the HF bands during February. All QSOs will be confirmed via the Bureau and Logbook of the World.

Now the DX news

Antonio, IK7WUL is active as TY2AA until Tuesday the 20th of February while on a humanitarian mission to Benin. In his spare time, he operates SSB on the HF bands. QSL via IZ8CCW and Logbook of the World.

Chuck, KG9N is active as V26CV from Antigua, NA-100, until Tuesday the 20th of February. He is operating mainly using CW and SSB on various bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, or his home call.

Now the contest news

The ARRL International DX Contest started at 0000UTC on Saturday the 17th and ends at 2359UTC today, the 18th. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and transmitter power. American stations send their state and Canadian stations send their province.

On Tuesday the 20th, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 23cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Thursday the 22nd, the 80m Club Championship runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

The CQ 160m DX Contest runs from 2200UTC on Friday the 23rd to 2200UTC on Sunday the 25th. Using SSB on the 160m band, the exchange is signal report and CQ zone. American stations send their state and Canadian stations send their province.

The French HF Championship, also known as the REF Contest, starts at 0600UTC on Saturday the 24th and ends at 1800UTC on Sunday the 25th. Using SSB on the HF bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. French stations send their department number or overseas territory prefix.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 15th of February 2024

We had an interesting week with the threat of a major coronal mass ejection at any time with so much sunspot activity. In the end, it pretty much amounted to nothing, with the highest Kp index only reaching 4.33 on February 11th.

That’s not to say we didn’t have solar activity. Far from it, as the solar flux index reached 208 on the 12th and has been consistently above 180 all week. We also had high proton levels as the positively charged particles streamed past Earth. This was the result of an eruption early on Monday morning from beyond the southwest limb. This may have affected HF signals going over the poles.

Otherwise, we had numerous low-level solar flares to contend with, but none of them were stronger than M-class and so of little consequence.

So where did this leave us in terms of HF propagation? All in all, not bad with maximum usable frequencies, or MUFs for short, over 3,000km consistently above 28MHz in daylight hours. Daytime MUFs were peaking above 33MHz according to the Dourbes ionosonde.

Looking further ahead, we are now heading towards the equinox period, so we can expect MUFs to fall from their winter highs. The good news is that we can expect north-south paths to improve. The equinox is traditionally a better time for auroral conditions.

If you want to work the USA on 28MHz you still have a couple of months left to do so, but expect transatlantic propagation conditions to decline by the time April arrives. The good news is that propagation to South Africa, South America and the Caribbean may improve.

Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index may reduce and be in the range of 155 to 165. Geomagnetic conditions are predicted to be quiet but, as always, keep an eye on solarham.net for a near real-time update as the risk of a coronal mass ejection, or CME, remains high. To recap, an Earth-facing CME could increase the Kp index, reduce MUFs and generally give poor HF propagation for up to a day.

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

The basic weather pattern remains unsettled with a series of frontal systems crossing the country during the period. This leaves little room for any Tropo other than the occasional transient ridge of high pressure between successive weather systems. It does however give plenty of scope for rain-scatter enthusiasts to try their luck on the GHz bands.

The solar conditions continue to give hope for an increased geomagnetic Kp index, which would be a good signal for potential aurora if it goes above 5 as evidenced in visual displays over northern Britain last Tuesday night, the 13th and 14th of February.

As usual, the other propagation modes can still surprise us, even though this is not strictly the best time of year. The large number of satellites in operation means that QSOs can be guaranteed even with simple hand-held equipment. So, have a look at the AMSAT-UK pages and the RSGB website for details and give it a go!

Also, a reminder that the best time for random meteor scatter QSOs is around dawn and that the high solar flux could see some 50MHz openings if the Kp index remains low, especially for the far South and West of the UK.

For EME operators, the moon reaches peak declination today, Sunday the 18th, so activity should be higher with high peak moon elevations and long moon windows. Path losses are moderate but rising and 144MHz sky noise is moderate, but falling after Monday.

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