Newsgroups: uk.radio.amateur,rec.radio.amateur.misc,rec.radio.info From: dave@llondel.demon.co.uk (David Hough) Path: news.cs.tut.fi!news.cc.tut.fi!news.funet.fi!news.eunet.fi!EU.net!uknet!miclon!ibmpcug!cam.news.pipex.net!pipex!demon!llondel.demon.co.uk!dave Subject: GB2RS News 13th November 1994 Followup-To: uk.radio.amateur Approved: rec-radio-info@stat.com X-Mailer: cppnews $Revision: 1.42 $ Organization: last! Lines: 191 Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 19:13:10 +0000 Message-ID: <784519990snx@llondel.demon.co.uk> Sender: usenet@demon.co.uk Xref: news.cs.tut.fi uk.radio.amateur:728 rec.radio.amateur.misc:61978 rec.radio.info:6855 Good morning. It's Sunday the 13th of November and here is the GB2RS news broadcast, prepared by the RSGB and intended for all radio amateurs and short-wave listeners. Now this week's headlines:- Twenty people have won prizes in recent competitions The RSGB apologises for a backlog in processing book orders And the RA will shortly announce which organisation will be issuing amateur licences from next Spring. We start this week with some prize winners: The winner of the RSGB draw at the Leicester show is by Mr M C Eddyvean, G7SQF. He wins a Christmas hamper worth 100. The winner of the RSGB 'Introduce a Friend' membership promotion draw is Mr T B Saggerson, G4WSE. He wins a scanner. Major prize winners at the LIVE '94 Amateur Radio Village are: Mr J R Groves, G7SNZ who wins a TH-22E 2m handheld; Mr A Rowe, G6AVP, who wins a KPC3 packet controller; Mr J Irlam, G3JBT, who wins an HF-150 short-wave receiver; Mr M B Chapman, G4ZKE, who wins an Alinco VHF/UHF hand held; Mr S M Gambles, G4GI, who wins an FT-416 2m hand held; and Mr P J Holt, G8YQJ, who wins an IC-281H 2m mobile. Twelve runners up received RSGB or Practical Wireless subscriptions. All winners have been notified by post. RSGB Headquarters apologises for the delay in despatching book orders recently. This has been due to the enormous demand for two new publications which has stretched resources somewhat. Every effort is being made to clear the backlog as soon as possible. Customers are asked to be patient as calls regarding late delivery just add to the workload. The Radiocommunications Agency has stated that it will shortly be able to announce who will be dealing with amateur radio licensing when the existing contract runs out next Spring. Licensees will be written to individually by the RA with details of the new arrangements. RSGB members are reminded that the ballot papers for Council nominations must be received at RSGB Headquarters by 12 noon on Tuesday the 29th of November. The ballot paper and proxy voting form are part of the Society's Annual Report and Accounts which was posted to all members on the 17th of October. Any member who has not received this document should contact Fay Huxley at RSGB Headquarters as soon as possible. Now some items of HF DX news from the weekly RSGB DX News Sheet which is edited by Brendan McCartney, G4DYO. From Ascension Island, N6TJ will sign ZD8Z from now until Thursday the 1st of December. From St Christopher-Nevis, WB8GEX and WZ8D will sign V47NF and V47WZ respectively from Saturday the 19th until Sunday the 27th of November on all bands from 160 to 6 metres, on SSB and CW. And from Cayman Islands, W5SJ will be active as ZF2SY from Saturday the 19th until Wednesday the 23rd of November. Activity will be mainly CW on the WARC bands also 40 and 80 metres. Now the rallies we know of for today, Sunday the 13th of November: The Barnsley & District Amateur Radio Club Amateur Radio Rally is being held at the Metrodome Complex which is in Barnsley Town Centre, next to the bus and railway interchange. Follow the 'Metrodome' and rally signs from junction 37 of the M1. The event features amateur radio and computer trade stands, clubs and groups, plus a bring and buy stall. There are ample parking facilities and a separate car park for disabled visitors. The Donegal / Tir Conaill Radio Club Annual Mobile Rally is being held at Jackson's Hotel, Ballybofey, County Donegal. Doors open at 12 noon. The event features the stands and a junk sale. Refreshments will be available throughout the day. The Midland Amateur Radio Society - Stockland Radio Computer Rally is being held at the Stockland Green Leisure Centre, Slade Road, Erdington, Birmingham. Doors open at 10am. The rally features the usual traders, local clubs and a bring and sell tables. Refreshment are available. Next the two events we know of for next weekend, Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th: Next Saturday, the 19th, the Carrickfergus Amateur Radio Group Rally is to be held at the Downshire Secondary School, Downshire Road, Carrickfergus, County Antrim. Doors open at 12 noon. The event features the usual trade stands and a bring and buy stall. Further details from Hugh, GI0JOF, on 01960 351807. Next Sunday, the 20th, the Bishop Auckland Amateur Radio Club Radio Rally is to be held at the Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre, Beveridge Arcade, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham. From the A1M take the A167 to Aycliffe town and follow the rally signs. Doors open at 11am, or from 10.30 for disabled visitors. The event features trade stands covering radio, electronic and computer interests, an RSGB Book and Information stand and a bring and buy stall. Refreshments will be available and talk-in will be on 2 metres, channel S22. Details from Mike, G0PRQ, on 01388 766264. Now news of a Rally cancellation: The Leeds and District Amateur Radio Society announces that, due to circumstances beyond its control, the Christmas Rally, scheduled for the 4th of December has had to be cancelled. Details from G0IBU whose address is correct in the RSGB Call Book. HF contest news next: The WAE RTTY Contest finishes today, Sunday the 13th, at 2359 UTC. See the November RadCom, page 19 for further details. The RSGB 2nd 1.8MHz CW Contest will be held next Saturday, the 19th from 2100 until 0100 UTC. See the October edition of RadCom, page 81, for details on frequency, exchange data and category of entry. Next some VHF contest news: The next RSGB 1.3GHz and 2.3GHz Cumulative Contest takes place on Thursday the 17th of November from 2030 to 2300 UTC. The fourth RSGB 432MHz Cumulative Contest will take place on Monday the 28th of November from 2030 to 2300 UTC. For further details of both of these Cumulative Contests see July RadCom page 82. And now the solar factual data: The period from the 31st of October to the 6th of November saw some very small solar flares, particularly at the start. Solar flux and geomagnetic levels have declined. At the time of preparing this bulletin geomagnetic levels were still very unsettled. The sunspot indices have generally declined over the period, from 89 on the 31st, down to 39 by the 4th November, giving a mean of 64. Solar flux levels also declined every day from 97 units on the 31st of October, to 81 units by the 6th of November. The period averaged 88 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 6th November was 81 units. The geomagnetic field declined from 'sub-storm' levels with an Ap of 38 on the 31st, down to unsettled conditions by the 6th November. There was only one relatively quiet day - the 3rd, with an Ap index of 10; the period averaged an Ap of 21 units. The state has been 'mag alert' for most of the period. Not all of the x-ray flux data is to hand but levels were declining, and were at A8.5 on the 1st of November. The aa indices, as reported by the British Geological Survey for the period from the 25th to the 31st of October, started at quiet levels. The daily index was down to only 8.0 nanoTeslas on the 27th but by the morning of the 29th, levels increased considerably with the magnetic storm, reaching 194 nanoTeslas (about K7) by mid-day,. Storm levels were maintained to the end of the period which averaged 35.4 nanoTeslas, about K4. The monthly sunspot number for October was RI 43.8, with a maximum of 60 on the 14th and a minimum of 16 on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The smoothed sunspot number for April 1994 was 33.8 +/-5. I'll repeat the figures. Spots - 64; Flux - 88; Ap index - 21; X-ray flux about A8.5. October spots RI 43.8 Now the ionospheric data for Central France: The F2 daytime critical frequencies at Poitiers, as reported by Meudon for the period 31st of October to the 4th of November, are still declining and averaged 8.2MHz. The darkness hour lows varied little from day to day and averaged 2.5MHz. The daily highs are now around noon, and the lows between 05.00 and 06.00 hours. And lastly the solar forecast: This week the active side of the sun should be rotating away. There is a small chance of flare activity in the first half of the week. Solar flux levels are expected to decline to the 80s. The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet levels up to the 18th, then the passage of a coronal hole with possible proton enhancement could give storm conditions. Ionospheric MUFs during daylight up to the 18th in the south are expected to reach 30MHz and in the north about 25MHz; then much will depend on the geomagnetic levels. Darkness hour levels are expected to reach about 10MHz. The lower bands are expected to be best for east/west paths. And that's 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 allocated were in the G 0 Victor Kilo and G 7 Tango Victor series, and Novice calls in the 2 0 Alpha Juliet and 2 1 Delta November series. -- GB2RS is prepared by the Radio Society of Great Britain and is broadcast in the 80m, 40m, 6m and 2m bands. Tel +44 1707 659015 Fax +44 1707 645105