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GB2RS Main News for Sunday 28th July 2019

The news headlines:

* ARISS Russia SSTV test transmissions
* Learn how to build a medium wave radio receiver
* New RadCom Basics out now

A Russian MAI-SSTV event is planned from the International Space
Station for Monday the 29th of July from 1315 to 2125UTC. There will
be a second session on Tuesday the 30th of July from 1350 to 1950UTC. Transmissions are expected to be on 145.800MHz FM in SSTV mode PD120.
The callsign in use will be RS0ISS. This session is the routine
MAI-75 activity that is only active for a few orbits.

On the 6th of August, the RSGB invites young people ΓÇô and an
accompanying adult if the child is under 16 ΓÇô to join them at the
National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park for a fun and hands-on
workshop where they can learn more about radio and electronics. The
workshop offers a short introduction to wireless communications
before moving on to the construction of a medium wave radio receiver.
Aimed at people aged 10 to 18, all tools, test equipment and
supervision will be provided. The event is organised by the RSGB,
including a goody bag for each young person, and the RCF is kindly
funding the kit. There is a choice of two sessions, 9.45am to 12.15pm
or 1 to 3.30pm. Tickets are just GBP 7 and you can book at tinyurl.com/rsgb-workshop

A new edition of RadCom Basics is out this weekend. RSGB Members can
read it today by going to www.rsgb.org/radcom-basics, where you can
also find out how to sign up for the RadCom Basics mailing list. Each
edition of RadCom Basics explores key aspects of amateur radio in a straightforward and accessible way. RadCom Basics is sent as an email
alert to subscribers when each edition is published. This email
provides a list of contents and a link to the articles on the RSGB
website. This edition looks at using repeaters in other areas, using
WSPR and how to take part in September's SSB Field Day.

Ofcom have confirmed their approach for innovation and sharing for
mobile phones and wireless broadband in a number of microwave bands,
following a consultation earlier this year. In the case of the 2390
to 2400MHz band, they acknowledge the RSGB Spectrum Forum input made
in March 2019. Typical amateur uses include datalinks, DATV reception
and the ARISS HamTV downlink for schools contacts. The Ofcom
statement now confirms amateurs as one of the secondary incumbent
users and the basis for our ongoing access. The original RSGB input
and a link to the Ofcom consultation and statement is at tinyurl.com/rsgb-2400MHz

The RSGB Convention takes place in Milton Keynes from the 11th to the
13th of October. Jim Loughlin, G4DKQ will give a talk on A Brief
History of Baldock Monitoring Radio Station. From its opening in 1929
as a receiving station for the Imperial Wireless Chain, Baldock
Monitoring Radio Station has seen many changes throughout the ninety
years of operation. The talk will cover the milestones in its history
up to the present very different operational capabilities of the
station. On the 12th, as part of the Contest University, Steve,
G0KYA, will look at how propagation plays an important role in
contesting and the tools available today for helping to predict for
the big event itself. To book weekend packages or day tickets and to
read more about the RSGB Convention, go to www.rsgb.org/convention.

Celebrating 55 years of offshore radio broadcasting, the Martello
Tower Group will be active as GB55RC between the 1st and 5th of
August. Activity will take place from the MV Ross Revenge, home of
Radio Caroline, moored in the Blackwater estuary. If members of the
public are interested in visit the station, a fully insured tender
will depart from Mersea Island at 10am and 1pm on the 3rd and 4th of
August for the approximately twenty minute journey to the Ross
Revenge. Details of the trips can be found on Qr Z.com under GB55RC.

The RSGB Radio Communication Foundation is a sponsor of the Arkwright Engineering Academy. On Wednesday the 7th of August, an Arkwright
Engineering Academy Foundation Licence training event is being
organised by the RSGB at the National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park.
The NRC Radio Room and the station, GB3RS, will be in use for
training and practical assessment purposes for most of the day.
Whilst GB3RS will still be operational, it does unfortunately mean
that the station won't be available for any visiting radio amateurs
to operate. During the day the NRC will remain open to visitors to
look around but, we apologise for any disappointment or inconvenience
caused by the radio room itself being unavailable.

The G5RP Trophy is an annual award to encourage newcomers to HF
DXing. If you are an established HF DXer and want to recommend
someone to be awarded the G5RP Trophy for 2019, now is the time to
send in your nomination. Your nominee should be an up-and-coming HF
DXer who has made rapid progress in the last year and has some real achievements to show. Please send your nominations to Ian
Greenshields, G4FSU, by e-mail to hf.manager<at>rsgb.org.uk to arrive
no later than Friday the 6th of September.


And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week

Today, the 28th, the Wiltshire Radio Rally and Electronics Fair takes
place at Kington Langley Village Hall & playing fields, Church Road,
Kington Langley, Chippenham SN15 5NJ. Doors open from 9am to 1pm,
with disabled visitors gaining access at 8.30am. Admission is GBP 2.
There is a car boot sale, flea market and trade stands. Catering is
available on site and there is an RSGB Bookstall. For more
information contact Brian, G6HUI on 0772 224 2741.

Today, the 28th, Horncastle Summer Rally will take place at the
Horncastle Youth Centre, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6DZ. Entry is
GBP 2 and the doors open at 10am. Refreshments are available. Contact
Tony, G3ZPU on 01507 527835. This will be the last radio rally at the Horncastle Youth Centre as the County Council are closing the
building. A new venue is being sought.

On the 4th of August, the 30th King's Lynn ARC Great Eastern Radio
Rally will take place at Gaywood Community Centre, Gayton Road,
King's Lynn, Norfolk PE30 4EL. Doors open at 9am and traders have
access from 7am. Admission is GBP 2.50, with free car parking. There
will be trade stands and a Bring & Buy. There are amateur radio
pitches outside as well as tables in hall. Details from Ted, G4OZG on
01553 768701.

On the 4th of August, the Crianlarich Radio Rally, organised by
Lomond Radio Club will be held at Crianlarich Village Hall, Main
Street, Crianlarich, Perthshire FK20 8QN. The doors will open at
10am. There will be a Bring & Buy, traders and RSGB Bookstall.
Catering will be available on site. Contact Bill,
mm0elf<at>blueyonder.co.uk for further details.

To get your event into RadCom, onto GB2RS and on the RSGB website,
please send details as early as possible to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk ΓÇô
we need to know four months in advance to get your info into RadCom.


And now the DX news from 425 DX News and other sources

SP3PS will be active as C5SP from The Gambia until the 5th of August.
He will operate SSB and FT8 on the 20 to 6m bands. QSL via his home
callsign.

Sebastien, F8BDQ will be active as IS0/F8BDQ the main island of
Sardinia, IOTA reference EU-024, until the 6th of August. QSL via his
home callsign, direct only.

Frank, K3TRM will be active as J6/K3TRM from St Lucia, NA-108, until
the 3rd of August. He will operate SSB, CW and digital modes of RTTY
and FT8, plus satellite, on the 40 to 6m bands. QSL via Club Log's
OQRS, Logbook of The World, or via his home call either direct or via
the bureau.

LA/OK1XC and LA/OK3EE will be active from Flemsoya, EU-056, until the
4th of August. QSL via OK1XC.

Rick, AI5P will be active holiday-style as VK9APX from Lord Howe
Island, OC-004 from the 31st of July to the 10th of August. He will
operate CW and FT8 on the 40 to 17m bands. QSL via AI5P.


Now the special event news

Arrowe Jamboree 2019 is a weekend camp celebrating the 90th
Anniversary of the 3rd World Scout Jamboree held at Arrowe Park,
Birkenhead, Cheshire. Wirral ARS will put GB2APJ on the air from
Helsby High School today, the 28th July, using most bands and modes
from 3.5MHz through to 5.6GHz.

Please send special event details to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk as early
as possible so we can give you free publicity. It is a licensing
condition that stations using a UK special event callsign must be
open to the public.


Now the contest news

The big contest this weekend is the Island On the Air, or IOTA,
contest. It runs for 24 hours until 1200UTC today, the 28th. Using
the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and IOTA reference.

Today, the 28th, the UK Microwave group contest runs from 0600 to
1800UTC. Using all modes on the 5.7 and 10GHz bands, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.

There are no RSGB HF contests in the month of August.

On Saturday the 3rd of August the fourth 144MHz Backpacker contest
runs from 1400 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the
exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and postcode.

Starting at the same time, but running for two hours longer, the
144MHz Low Power Contest runs from 1400 to 2000UTC. The exchange is
signal report, serial number, locator and postcode.

The WAB 144MHz Low Power Phone contest is also on the 3rd of August
from 1400 to 1800UTC. The exchange for this one is signal report,
serial number and WAB area.

On Sunday the 4th, the 432MHz Low Power contest runs from 0800 to
1200UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial
number, locator and postcode.

Don't forget that the UK Six Metre Group Marathon runs until the 4th
of August. Using all modes on the 50MHz band, the exchange is just
your 4-character locator.


Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Friday the 26th of July.

Last week HF was once again dominated by Sporadic-E openings. On
Wednesday FT8 contacts were being made across Europe on 28MHz, from
Finland in the North to Spain in the South. It was a similar story on
Thursday with S9 signals from the Balearic Islands to Norway. As we
head towards August it is best to make the most of these as the Es
season will start to fade quite soon.

Other than Sporadic-E it has been quiet on the HF bands in general.

NOAA predicts that next week the Sun will continue to be spotless,
with a solar flux index of 67. Geomagnetic conditions are likely to
remain settled, with the Kp index predicted to be around two to
three. The solar wind is currently more settled, with speeds down
into the 300 to 400km per second range. However, a large solar
coronal hole is making its way around the Sun. Its equatorial
position means it is likely to have an impact on the Earth. Our best
guess is that this could be mid-week, likely resulting in increased
solar wind speeds, an elevated K index and depressed maximum useable frequencies.


And now the VHF and up propagation news.

There is a warm, but unsettled theme to the weather in the next week,
but like the last few days this hot weather can produce some very
strong ducting over the seas around the British Isles. This means
that Tropo is always a possibility during this period. The unsettled
nature of the weather is also going to lead to some potentially heavy
showers on some days, bringing with them a chance of rain scatter.

We are still in the Sporadic-E season, so it's always worth checking
for openings. They tend to favour mid morning, late afternoon or
early evening. Follow the jet stream charts on the various websites,
for example propquest.co.uk and use the daily blog to guide you as to
which directions seem most likely to produce results. Sporadic-E
patches are created by the horizontal wind shear on the edges of
these strong upper flows of air in the troposphere. These generate
turbulence and launch atmospheric gravity waves up to the E region,
where they produce vertical wind shear.

The Moon reaches maximum declination on Tuesday and perigee next
Friday so it's a good week for EME.

Another propagation mode to signal for attention is meteor scatter,
with two small showers this week peaking on Tuesday. The Southern
Delta Aquariids and the Alpha Capricornids are then followed by the
major shower, the Perseids, in the next week or two, with a broad
peak around the 12th and 13th of August.

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.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A43 (Linux/32)
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