rsgb gb2rs news 18th july
Edward Batts
broadcast, prepared by the Radio Society of Great Britain.
First the headlines:- The RSGB Woburn Rally is today; another Wireless
Telegraphy Act prosecution has concluded; and a there's a new venue for the
Torbay Rally.
The Radio Society of Great Britain National Mobile Rally takes place today
Sunday the 18th of July at Woburn Park, near the famous Abbey in Bedfordshire.
It is easily accessible: leave the M1 via junction 13, whether arriving from
the North or South and not 12 as signposted, and follow the signposts to
Woburn Abbey. Watch out for the RSGB signs. Do not follow the signs to the
Game Reserve or the Wild Animal Kingdom. The rally features a large trade
exhibition, an RSGB Bookstall and enquiries stand, a BARTG stall and a members
mart area, all under cover. All the normal Woburn attractions will be
available at a small extra charge. Doors open at 10.00am and refreshments are
available nearby. July Radcom page 41 gives full details and a map of the
surrounding area.
In a West Midlands court on the 8th of July, David John Giles-Probert was
granted a Conditional Discharge for three years on three charges relating to
the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949. Dudley Magistrates ordered him to pay DTI
costs of 1000 and to forfeit some of his radio and test equipment.
Due to unforeseen circumstances the venue for the Torbay Mobile Rally,
scheduled for Sunday the 29th of August, is not as advertised. The new venue
is the Audley Park School, Barton Road, Torbay. Further details from G3HTX on
0803 526762.
The 70 Centimetre Voice Repeater GB3AN is currently off the air and will be
out of service for about three weeks. This is to carry out a change of site,
to Nebo, near Amlwch on the north east coast of Anglesey, and a channel change
to RB8. The Arfon Repeater Group apologises for any inconvenience caused and
will keep users informed of developments via GB2RS and via packet messages
posted on GB7ABB. For further information contact the repeater keeper GW4KAZ
whose address is correct in the RSGB Call Book.
Now some items of HF DX news from the weekly RSGB DX News Sheet which is
edited by Brendan McCartney, G4DYO. From the Bahamas, KD4GLC will sign
KD4GLC/C6A from now until Monday the 26th of July mainly CW on the five bands
80 - 10m and possibly some 30m. From Aaland Islands, DK7ZB will sign OH0/DK7ZB
from Friday the 25th of July until the 20th of August on all bands 6 - 160
metres, CW only. From Tanzania, G0GWA will be active as 5H3FOE from now for
three months, mainly on CW. From Montserrat, a YL group, including N6XJM,
KM6WF and AB6MP will sign VP2M/own-call from Sunday the 25th to Friday the
30th of July. Operation mainly SSB with some CW and RTTY, check 3900, 14250,
21350 and 28,350kHz.
We know of only one rally for today Sunday the 18th, which is the RSGB
National Rally at Woburn mentioned earlier in this bulletin.
We have been notified of five rallies taking place on Sunday the 25th of July:
The Colchester Radio & Computing Rally is to be held at the St Helena School,
Sheepen Road, Colchester, which is located adjacent to the Colchester inner
by-pass, Avenue of Remembrance. The venue is signposted from the A12. Doors
open at 10am and there is easy access for wheelchairs and ample car parking
space. There will be trade stands catering for radio and computer needs as
well as components suppliers. The event also features an amateur radio car
boot sale and a bring & buy stall. Morse test will be available on demand, but
remember to bring two passport-type photographs. Talk-in will be on channel
S22. Details from Frank, G3FIJ on 0206 851189.
Also next Sunday, the 25th, the Norfolk Amateur Radio Club and Hewett School
Radio and Electronics Group Rally takes place. Doors open at 10.00am. There
are trade stands and a bring & buy stall also various displays stands. The
venue is described as suitable for all the family. Details from Sheila, G0KWP
on 0603 618810.
The East Yorkshire Radio Rally is to be held next Sunday at the Beverley
Racecourse, North Humberside. Doors open at 11.00am, or 10.45 for disabled
visitors. There will be trade and special interest group stands and a bring
and buy stall. Events start at 12 noon with Morse tests available on demand,
but remember the two passport-type photos. At 2pm the East Yorks Repeater
Group will give a lecture, an RSGB RLO meeting takes place at three, and at
four there is an RSGB questions and answers session. Further details from
Peter, G4EJP on 0964 550397 evenings or 550921 during working hours.
The Radio Amateurs Invalid and Blind Club's Annual Romsey Picnic is held on
the 25th at the Broadlands, Romsey, Hampshire. The event features the usual
attractions, plus a junk sale, a bring & buy stall, refreshments and a grand
draw. All members, families, friends and supporters are welcome. Talk-in will
be on channel S22. Any contributions for the junk sale and offers of prizes
for the draw will be greatly appreciated. Further information from John, G4COM
on 0703 693017.
The Rugby Amateur Transmitting Society fifth Annual Rugby Radio Rally is to be
held at the BP Truckstop on the A5, some 2 miles North from junction 18 of the
M1 motorway. Trader and visitors welcome from 8.00am. The truckstop will be
open for catering and other facilities throughout the day. Talk-in will be on
channel S22 by GB5RRR. Details Peter, G0JEW on 0455 552449.
HF contest news now:
The RSGB Low Power Field Day Contest is taking place today Sunday the 18th of
July, from 0900 to 1200GMT and 1300 to 1600GMT. This is CW only on 3510 to
3560kHz and 7010 to 7040kHz. See July RadCom page 81 for the power output
categories and equipment special conditions The first ever Islands on the Air
SSB Contest runs next weekend from 1200GMT on Saturday the 24th for 24 hours
on 3.5 to 28MHz. See March RadCom page 81 for full details.
VHF contest news:
The RSGB 144MHz Low Power Contest is on Saturday the 24th from 1400 to
2200GMT. It features four entry sections: single operator fixed, single
operator portable, all others and short wave listener. The RSGB 432MHz Low
Power Contest will take place on Sunday the 25th of July from 0800 to 1400GMT.
February RadCom on page 66 has further details of both of these events.
News now of a special event station operating this week:
Starting on Tuesday the 20th until Saturday the 31st of July the callsign
GB4ATC will be aired from the Royal Tournament at Earls Court, London. The HF
and VHF stations will operate daily from 1000 to 2100GMT.
And now the solar factual data
The period from the 5th of July to the 11th saw the quiet side of the sun
looking our way. There was only one flare, a small B4.2 on the 11th. All
parameters have declined, including HF band conditions. Sun spots meaned about
66 with numbers dropping every day. The solar flux also declined, dropping
from 101 units on the 5th down to 83 by the 11th, with the period averaging 91
units. The geomagnetic activity started at quiet levels, but from the 8th
increased up to very unsettled and reached sub-storm levels of 22 units on the
11th. The period averaged 13.6 units. The state has been 'nil, nothing to
report' throughout the period. The radio quality indices declined to well
below normal and had not recovered by the 11th. The Fort Collins Boulder,
Tokyo, and Canberra circuits were extremely poor. The aa indices daily
averages, as supplied by the British Geological Survey for the period 29th
June to 5th July, averaged 26.2 nanoTeslas. The 1st and 2nd being unsettled up
to periods of 80 nanoTeslas, with the 5th being quiet down to periods of 5
nanoteslas. The X-ray flux has also declined, dropping from B2.0 to A5.7 by
the 11th. The period averaged B1.4.
Now the ionospheric data for Central France:
The F2 day-time critical frequencies at Poitiers as reported by Meudon
averaged 7.1MHz and the darkness hour lows averaged 4.7MHz. There were many
periods of blanketing E almost every day lasting up to 12 hours on some days.
Now the ionospheric data for the north:
The F2 day-time critical frequencies at Ekaterinberg averaged 6.1MHz and the
darkness hour lows 3.5MHz. Levels have been depressed as the magnetic
disturbances have been in the high latitudes. June saw the finest period of
sporadic E that most of us can remember. It was reported on 50MHz every day
except for the 23rd, with many openings to North America. The August edition
of RadCom, which will be posted to all RSGB members in just over a week, deals
with this in some detail.
And lastly the solar forecast:
The sun is now showing a small active region of about one quarter with three
quarters mostly quiet. This week will still see a relatively quiet part of the
sun looking our way. Solar flux levels are expected to be about 100.
Geomagnetic levels are expected to be unsettled. The radio quality indices are
expected to be normal improving later in the week to well above normal.
And that is the end of the solar information.
Finally in the main news, SSL has informed the Society that as of last
Wednesday morning, the latest callsigns issued were in the G0 T W and
G7 O X series, and Novice calls in the 2 0 A F and 2 1 B Z series. .
You're listening to GB2RS, the news broadcasting service of the Radio Society
of Great Britain, transmitting in the 80, 40, 6 and 2 metre bands.