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G4TNU > NEWS 04.05.25 03:44z 301 Lines 14274 Bytes #195 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 04 May 2025
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 4th of May 2025
The news headlines:
* The RSGB's Tonight<at>8 series continues with HamSCI
* Learn about radar through an RSGB Convention presentation and
new members' benefit
* RSGB club insurance, and beacon and repeater insurance renewed
On Monday the 12th of May, Dr Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF and RSGB
Propagation Studies Committee member Gwyn Griffiths, G3ZIL will be
delivering a Tonight<at>8 webinar on "Ham Radio Science Citizen
Investigation: Space Weather We Can Do Together". Since the 2017
Solar Eclipse QSO Party, HamSCI has been bringing together amateur
radio operators and professional space scientists. They have been
developing new and innovative ways to study space weather and its
impacts on the ionosphere and radio propagation. In the presentation,
Nathaniel will show results from the 2023 and 2024 HamSCI Festivals
of Eclipse Ionospheric Science. Gwyn will explain why he enjoys the
HamSCI experience, from exchanges with scientists to learning from
students while pursuing his own studies on HF propagation. They'll
also talk about what's next for the organisation and how you can
participate. Find out more by going to rsgb.org/webinars
In the latest RSGB 2024 Convention video to be released by the
Society, Graham Murchie, G4FSG presents "Radar - the eyes of the
few". In the talk Graham gives a brief history of early radar, events
leading up to the development of a viable system and the
establishment of the world's first operational radar station at
Bawdsey. Watch the video by going to youtube.com/<at>theRSGB If
you're interested in learning more about Bawdsey Radar Museum then
check out the new benefit for RSGB members, which offers a 20%
discount off the usual entrance price. Go
to rsgb.org/partner-museums to find out more!
RSGB club insurance, and beacon and repeater insurance have now been
renewed for the year to April 2026. Club insurance certificates can
be downloaded via rsgb.org/repeaterinsurance You will need to log in
to obtain your certificate. Beacon and repeater insurance
certificates are available for an admin fee of GBP 15 from the RSGB
shop. Please allow a couple of days after renewal for your
certificate to be dispatched.
The RSGB Contest Club has recently exceeded one million QSOs. These
have been made by RSGB members activating historic RSGB callsigns and
special event callsigns, either in contests or in radio marathon
activations. The QSOs have all been uploaded to Logbook of the World.
The most prolific callsign has been G6XX with over 154,000 QSOs, and
the most recent has been GB0IARU which was active in April to
celebrate 100 years of the International Amateur Radio Union. Find
out more about the RSGB Contest club, including how to join, by going
to the RSGB website and selecting Contest Club from the ‘on the
air' menu.
Celebrations for the 70th Anniversary of GB2RS are well underway. To
find out how you can get involved with special event stations and
awards go to rsgb.org/gb70rs . The RSGB has recently updated the web
page to add a selection of newsreader stories, which you can access
by clicking ‘GB2RS Newsreader Stories' from the menu on the
right-hand side. If you've ever wanted to learn more about the voice
behind your weekly GB2RS broadcast, this is your chance. More stories
will be added throughout the year.
On Saturday the 10th of May, RSGB volunteers will be attending a
regional Girlguiding event at Ardingly in West Sussex. Amongst other
activities, Girlguiding members will have the opportunity to operate
special event callsign GB25MAY via the QO-100 satellite. The
volunteers would welcome contacts via QO-100 between 10.30am and
3.30pm on the day. Put the date in your diary and make time to
encourage these youngsters as they try amateur radio!
The German amateur radio society, DARC [D-A-R-C], is once again
hosting the traditional HamCamp for youngsters during the HAM RADIO
fair in Friedrichshafen [FREE-DRICHS-HAH-FUHN] between the 26th and
29th of June. It is open to participants under 27 years old and
includes three nights at HamCamp, three breakfast vouchers and a
three-day ticket for the HAM RADIO fair. The package price is €80
and the deadline for registration is the 8th of June. You can find
further information via tinyurl.com/hamcamp25
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
The Dartmoor Radio Rally is taking place tomorrow, Monday the 5th of
May, at the Yelverton War Memorial Hall, Meavy Lane, Yelverton,
Devon, PL20 6AL. Free parking is available. There will be the usual
Bring and Buy as well as trader stands and refreshments. Doors open
at 10am and admission is GBP 3. For further details, please call
Roger on 07854 088882 or email him via 2e0rph<at>gmail.com
The popular Mills on the Air event is taking place on the weekend of
the 10th and 11th of May. There are currently 35 stations taking
part, with registrations still being accepted. Find out more by going
to tinyurl.com/millsontheair or by visiting the Mills on the Air
Facebook page.
Now the Special Event news
The Ramsbury Amateur Radio DX Group will be active on the 3rd, 4th
and 8th of May using special callsign GB1VE to celebrate VE day. The
group will be operating on 20m and 40m using CW, SSB and digital
modes.
The Vintage and Military Amateur Radio Society will be commemorating
VE Day on Thursday the 8th of May. Members will be controlling a
number of nets on varying frequencies between 7am and 2pm. They will
be using vintage military equipment dating from the WWll period and
beyond. The full programme of events can be found via vmars.org/news
Worthing Radio Events Group are planning to operate GB8OFP for the
anniversary of VE Day on the 8th of May. Operation will take place on
the seafront at the Ferring Pillbox, Patterson's Walk, West Sussex.
Members will be active between 10am and 2pm on the 40m and 20m bands
using SSB.
The East Midlands Electronics and Radio Group will be on the air
between the 8th and 11th of May to celebrate the 80th anniversary of
VE Day. Using the callsign GB1BK, the group will operate from former
RAF Binbrook in Lincolnshire. Members expect to be operational on at
least 40m, 20m and 2m, using SSB and possibly some FT8 and SSTV.
Guernsey Amateur Radio Society will be operating special event radio
station GU80LIB between the 9th and the 11th of May in celebration of
the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Guernsey at the end of
World War Two. See QRZ.com for more information.
Special event station GB0SAR will be operating between the 3rd and
the 30th of May to support SOS Radio Week. The station will mostly be
working using FT4 on the 20m band but you might also catch it on the
other HF bands using phone. For more information visit QRZ.com
Now the DX news
A team of radio amateurs is active as TX9A from Tubuai
[TWO-BWAI-EE] in the Austral Islands, IOTA reference OC-152, until
Wednesday the 7th of May. The group will operate on the HF bands. QSL
is available via DK8ZZ. For all direct requests, use Clublog OQRS.
Further information is available via austral2025.com
Yuris, YL2GM is active as ZS8W from Prince Edward and Marion
Island, IOTA reference AF-021, until Friday the 16th of May. Yuris
will be on Marion island as a radio engineer and member of the
SANAP station communication equipment maintenance team, and he hopes
to find good periods of time to be operational.
Now the contest news
The ARI International DX Contest started on Saturday the 3rd of May
and ends at 1159UTC today, Sunday the 4th of May. Using CW, RTTY and
SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the
exchange is signal report and serial number. Italian stations also
send their province.
The 432MHz to 245GHz Contest also started on Saturday the 3rd of May
and ends at 1400UTC today, Sunday the 4th of May. Using all modes on
432MHz to 245GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator.
The 10GHz Trophy runs today, Sunday the 4th of May, from 0800 to
1400UTC. Using all modes on 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and locator.
The May 144MHz Contest also runs today, Sunday the 4th of May, from
0800 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
Also today, the 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 1100 to 1500UTC.
Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial
number and locator. UK stations also send their postcode.
Today, Sunday the 4th of May, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest
runs from 0800 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on 1.3 to 3.4GHz
frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The Worked All Britain 7MHz Phone Contest runs today, Sunday the 4th
of May, from 1000 to 1400UTC. Using SSB on the 40m band, the exchange
is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain Square.
On Tuesday, the 6th of May, the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from
1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and locator.
Also on Tuesday, the 6th of May, the 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs
from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday, the 7th of May, the 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour
Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the
exchange is report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday, the
7th of May, the 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900
to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is report and
four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may
also enter the two-hour contest.
On Thursday, the 8th of May, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from
1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Thursday the 1st of May 2025
After the previous week's geomagnetic disturbances, as described in
last week's GB2RS, the last seven days have been relatively quiet.
The Kp index has mostly been in the ones and twos, however the rise
to a Kp value of four on Thursday the 1st of May could herald a
return to unsettled conditions.
The solar flux index peaked at 170 on the 24th of April, before
declining to 148 at the end of the month. HF conditions have been
acceptable rather than outstanding and many stations struggled to
work DX at times during International Marconi Day on the 26th of
April.
Nevertheless, there is DX about including ZS8W Marion Island, TX9A
Austral Islands and HD8G Galapagos Islands.
A look at the Proppy propagation prediction tool will help you work
out the best times for making a contact with each station and on each
band. You can find it by going to rsgb.org/propagation-tools
Looking ahead, a large sunspot has rotated into view. Now designated
4079, this region has returned and was previously sunspot region
4055. It has already emitted an M-class solar flare and we may expect
greater activity as it becomes more Earth-centric over the next week.
NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will climb again in the
coming week, perhaps rising to between 160 and 165. Geomagnetic
disturbances are also due to rise, with the Kp index forecast to
reach five on the 5th and 6th of May.
If this becomes a reality, expect lowered MUFs and poorer HF paths,
especially over the poles as the Kp index rises.
And finally, this week traditionally marks the start of the
Sporadic-E season so keep an eye on 10m and 12m for short- and
medium-range openings to Europe.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The current spell of high-pressure Tropo weather weakened a little as
last week ended and we'll see the return of unsettled conditions with
showery rain, perhaps even the odd thunderstorm.
This is unlikely to lead to a total removal of high pressure and
Tropo will still be worth looking for, especially over the western
side of the UK. Some models place a new high just west of Britain
during the coming week.
This means that the rain prospects are not great, although probably
just enough for a hint of rain scatter in any isolated heavier
showers.
The HF bands sounded a bit ‘watery' at times last week, which is a
classic sign of potential aurora to explore on the higher bands. Look
out for aurora in the coming week if the Kp index climbs above five.
Meteor scatter is worth thinking about and, after last week's Lyrids,
we now have the Eta Aquariids shower peaking in the early hours of
the 6th of May.
Remember that Sporadic-E ionisation is largely composed of long-lived
meteor ions so be on watch for Es openings. From now onwards through
to mid-September, Sporadic-E will dominate the lower VHF bands so
check the clusters for signs of activity. Remember that Es starts on
10m and moves HF as an opening develops, even reaching 2m in the peak
summer.
Unlike Tropo, Es events are often fleeting, so the best you can do is
monitor conditions as the Es intensifies and be ready when it reaches
the band you want. Don't forget to check the daily Es blogs on
www.propquest.co.uk which discuss the potential links between
location of jet streams and Es formation.
EME path losses are increasing, but apogee is still a week away. Moon
declination passed maximum last Thursday so Moon windows are
shortening along with reducing peak elevation. 144MHz sky noise is
low all week.
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.
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