RSGB Main News for 31 July 2005.
- From: Jim <g4rga@xxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2005 15:29:20 +0000
* RSGB Main News - GB2RS for 31 July 2005 *
The main news headlines:
* GB2RS Launches News Bulletin on the MT63 Mode
* Space Shuttle Discovery Achieves a Successful Launch
* US to Abolish Compulsory Morse Test
* Launch of SSETI Express Delayed
* RSSL Wins Golden Antenna Award
* Beacon News
* Special Event News
* DX News
* Contest News
* Propagation News
The news in detail:
GB2RS Launches News Bulletin on the MT63 Mode
---------------------------------------------
* We are pleased to announce the launch of a new GB2RS data news bulletin
using the popular MT63 mode. The national news script is now being put out on
Sunday evenings using MT63 upper sideband with 1kHz bandwidth and long
interleave. It may be copied at 19.15UTC on 3,592kHz and 14,109.5kHz, or
again at 19.45UTC on 1,992kHz and 5,279kHz. If the MUF has fallen below 14MHz
then the transmission on that band may be radiated on 7,092kHz instead.
Brief reception reports using MT63 or voice USB may be given after the
transmissions. Calls on 5MHz, by those holding the required NoV, should be
made using voice USB only on 5,278.5kHz exactly. Calls using Morse code A1A
may be tried anywhere between this channel lower edge frequency and 5,279kHz.
The channel is known as Foxtrot-Bravo. If the channel is occupied by the
primary user, then the transmission will be made on channel Foxtrot-Alpha
5,259kHz instead. This initiative is part of the build-up to the 50th
anniversary of GB2RS, which is being celebrated in two month?s time. More
details can be obtained from GB2RS news manager Gordon Adams, G3LEQ, on 01565
652 652.
Space Shuttle Discovery Achieves a Successful Launch
----------------------------------------------------
* The space shuttle Discovery blasted off from Kennedy Space Centre on
Tuesday 26 July, carrying six radio amateurs aboard, including flight
commander Eileen Collins, KD5EDS. The shuttle was originally due to take off
on 13 July but the mission was delayed after a fuel sensor circuit failed
during countdown.
The launch marks US space agency NASA?s return to manned space missions
after a two and a half year break following the Columbia disaster in 2003.
Columbia broke up on reentry, killing all aboard, as a result of damage to a
wing caused during take-off.
One of the objectives of Discovery during its 12-day mission will be to
test the additional safety measures put in place to avoid a repeat of the
accident, including a 15m robotic arm that will inspect the shuttle for
damage during orbit. The shuttle will also resupply the International Space
Station. The mission is of particular importance to NASA. If it were to fail,
it could signal the end for the space shuttles, which have come in for
criticism for their safety record and age from some quarters. Mission
controllers at NASA will therefore be crossing their fingers for a successful
reentry by Discovery.
US to Abolish Compulsory Morse Test
-----------------------------------
* The US is set to follow the lead set by the RSGB in the UK and abolish the
need for radio enthusiasts to pass a Morse code test in order to obtain a
licence. The RSGB dropped the Morse code element of licence examinations in
2003 and now the Federal Communications Commission (the agency responsible
for regulating amateur radio in the US) is proposing to do the same.
The commission said it believes dropping the five words per minute Morse
examination would encourage more people to become amateur radio operators and
would eliminate a requirement that's "now unnecessary" and may discourage
current licensees from advancing their skills. It also said the change would
"promote more efficient use" of the amateur spectrum.
The FCC?s decision to review the examination rules on Morse code follows
petitioning from 18 organisations including the American Radio Relay League.
It also comes after a change to Article 25 of the International Radio
Regulations that allowed individual countries to decide whether a Morse test
should be mandatory for amateur radio enthusiasts.
An FCC spokesman said: "Based on the petitions and comments, we propose to
amend our amateur service rules to eliminate the requirement that individuals
pass a telegraphy examination in order to qualify for any amateur radio
operator licence.
'We believe that this proposal, if adopted, would encourage individuals who
are interested in communications technology, or who are able to contribute to
the advancement of the radio art, to become amateur radio operators.'
Any change to the rules in the US is unlikely to take place for several
months. [ARRL Bulletin]
Launch of SSETI Express Delayed
-------------------------------
* The launch of SSETI Express, the first spacecraft designed and built by
European students, including radio amateurs, has been delayed by a month. The
craft was due to take off on 25 August from Plesetsk in Russia but is now set
to launch in late September. Funded by the European Space Agency, the space
ship will take up an Earth Sun synchronous orbit 686km above the Earth.
Built in just 18 months by 15 teams of students from 10 universities in
nine countries, the 62kg craft will deploy three tiny 1kg pico-satellites in
a first such operation in space history. The Express will also function as a
fully operational satellite, taking pictures of the earth and providing a
radio transponder for the global amateur radio community.
Take-off of the craft will mark the end of a long and difficult journey for
the students. They had to work many evenings and weekends to ensure that the
project remained on course. Numerous tests also had to be undertaken before
the craft could be deemed space worthy.
On 27 June, the craft was declared ready for flight. As student Karl Kaas
Laursen says, 'we will be waiting to see if we have built something that can
survive anything, the launch and the harsh space environment. SSETI Express
will do it, just watch...'
Laursen is one of three students and one radio amateur (Graham Shirville of
the UK) who will be monitoring the launch from Plesetsk. The rest of the
SSETI Express team will watch a live transmission of the launch at specially
organised events in their home countries. The European Space Agency is
planning follow-up student space projects to the SSETI Express, including the
European Student Earth Orbiter (due to be launched in 2008) and the European
Student Moon Orbiter (to take off sometime between 2010 and 2012).
RSSL Wins Golden Antenna Award
------------------------------
* The Radio Society of Sri Lanka (RSSL) and its president Victor
Goonetilleke, 4S7VK, have won the Golden Antenna 2005 award for their
outstanding work during the Tsunami disaster. The prestigious annual award is
organised by the German town of Bad Bentheim and is given to a person or
organisation that has used amateur radio in connection with humanitarian
work. The RSSL was selected for the prize by a jury including the president
of IARU Region 1 and the president and chair of the Dutch and German amateur
radio societies. Radio amateurs played a vital role in coordinating the
relief effort in regions hit by the Tsunami because most other communications
infrastructure was destroyed in the disaster.
Beacon News
-----------
* The GB3SC series beacon complex at Bell hill Dorset has been restored to
use following the demise of the original switch mode power supply due to a
lightning induced transient. The beacons themselves survived the lightning
strikes unscathed.
Members of the Flight Refuelling Amateur Radio Society - Andy Talbot,
G4JNT, Paul Marsh, M0EYT, and John Fell, G0API, constructed the replacement
control and PSU systems for the beacons and would welcome feedback about
beacon reception.
Special Event News
------------------
* The Greenock Air Cadets are running a special event callsign, GB0ATC,
during their annual camp at RAF Machrihanish from 6-13 August. They will be
active on all HF amateur bands, 6m, 2m and 70cm UHF.
* The Bolsover ARS and the Chesterfield & District Scout Radio Club will be
active from the Peak International Camp in Chatsworth Park Derbyshire from 30
July to 5 August as GB5PIC. Operation on all bands 80m to 70cm SSB, PSK and
RTTY.
* GB2CLB will be on the air with the Bittern DX Group from Cromer Lifeboat
station to celebrate Lifeboat Day on 7 August. The HF station will operate
all modes on 40m and 80m with a long G5RV and, if conditions permit, the
higher bands with a three-element beam.
* Three special callsigns will be active from 20 July to 31 December to
celebrate the 10th anniversary of the SKY Contest Club. The call signs are
YT310SKY for CW, YZ610SKY for SSB and 4O310SKY for RTTY.
* The Royal Signals Amateur Radio Association is operating three special
event stations, GB6VIJ, GB6VJD and GB4VJD, for 28 days from 1 August to
commemorate the Allies? victory in Japan.
* The Scarlett Point Radio Group on the Isle of Man is celebrating the
island?s 175th maritime anniversary year over the weekend of 30-31 July. The
special event call sign is GB5MOB, Mutiny on the Bounty. The Isle of Wight
Radio Society is operating for the Vectis Summer Fayre at the Agricultural
Showground in Northwood Isle of Wight from Friday 29 to Sunday 31 July with a
special event station callsign GB0VSF.
DX News
-------
Compiled from the 425 DX News, Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin and other sources:
* Hisato, JA1DOT, will be active as 5X1W from Lake Victoria, Uganda on 3-12
August. He plans to operate CW, SSB and RTTY on 10-160m with 100 watts and
vertical antennas.
* Sanyi, HA7JJS, Zsolt, HA6PS, and Laci, HA6NL, are operating mainly CW on
the HF bands as HA7JJS, HA6PS and 9A6NL from the Pasman Island from 26 July
to 1 August as part of the IOTA contest.
* Wojtek, SP5MXZ, is active on 20, 15 and 17m CW and SSB SP5MXZ from
Tenerife, Canary Islands through to 2 August as part of the IOTA contest.
Jim, I4FGG, will be cruising around French Polynesia between 25 July and 20
August. He plans to operate mainly CW on 40, 20 and 15m from Moorea, Huahine
and Bora Bora using 100 watts, a ground plane and dipoles.
Contest News
------------
* Mirek Rozbicki, VK6DXI, has won the Oceania Single-Op All Band category in
both the phone and CW sections. Overall activity was similar to that
experienced in 2003, despite the 10cm solar flux index dropping from around
110 during the 2003 contest to 90 in the 2004 contest. Compared to 2003,
there was around a 21% increase in the number of logs submitted. The increase
in participation appears to have offset any decline in conditions on the
higher HF bands.
* Do you know any newcomers to HF DXing who have made great progress over the
past year? If so, you are encouraged to nominate them for the prestigious
G5RP Trophy, an annual award aimed at encouraging newcomers to HF DXing.
Nominations should be sent to Colin Thomas, G3PSM, at the RSGB Spectrum Forum
at RSGB HQ or e-mailed to spectrum.chairman@xxxxxxxxxxxx They should arrive
no later than 27 August. The winner will be presented with the trophy at the
RSGB International HF and IOTA Convention in October.
* The European HF Contest is taking place on 6 August between 1200 and 2359.
Activity is across the 1.8MHz to 28MHz bands and on CW and SSB modes. RS
reports plus year of your first licence required.
* The wonderfully-named RoPoCo 2 contest is being held on 7 August between
0700 and 0900 using CW on the 3.5MHz band. Contestants will need to provide
their RS reports and last postcode received.
* The RSGB 144MHz Activity and Club Championship is running on 2 August. All
modes are supported. On 6 August between 1400 and 2000, the RSGB will be
holding its 144MHz low power contest. This again will cover all modes.
Reports and serial numbers required for both. The RSGB is also running a
432MHz low power contest on 7 August between 08000 and 1200 using all modes.
Reports, serial numbers and locators required.
The complete RSGB HF and VHF / UHF 2005 Contest Calendars are published in
the January RadCom. Details of RSGB HF contests are at:
http://www.rsgbhfcc.org/ and VHF/UHF contests at: www.blacksheep.org/vhfcc
Suitable freeware logging programs for RSGB HF and VHF contests is
available from a number of sources - see the ?Links? section of the VHF
Contest Committee website.
Propagation News
----------------
* The solar factual data for the period from 18 to 24 July , prepared by Neil
Clarke, G0CAS.
The sun was spotless until the 23rd when a small group appeared. Solar
activity was very low - no solar flares took place at all. Solar flux levels
increased slightly from 71 units on the 19th to 80 by the 23rd. The average
was 75 units. The 90-day solar flux average on the 24th remained at the same
level as last week at 97 units. X-ray flux levels averaged A2.4 units with
little variation day to day. Geomagnetic activity started at sub storm levels
with an Ap index of 34 units. Activity then gradually declined and by the
23rd the geomagnetic field was quiet with an Ap index of 5 units. The average
was Ap 17 units. The ACE spacecraft saw solar wind speeds increase to 660
kilometres per second by the 21st but by the 24th had declined to 300
kilometres per second. Particle densities increased to 20 particles per cubic
centimetre briefly on the 20th, otherwise, densities were low at below 10
particles per cubic centimetre. Bz varied between minus 10 and plus 8
nanoTeslas on the more disturbed days and between minus and plus 2 nanoTeslas
on the quietest days. The increase in geomagnetic activity affected HF
propagation for much of the period, with bands above 14MHz closed for
long-haul propagation for long periods, though sporadic-E occurred on
frequencies up to 28MHz on several days. Openings at 50 and 70MHz were brief
and localised. Despite the heightened geomagnetic activity, auroral events
were also brief and confined to the far north.
And finally the solar forecast. This week solar activity should be low.
However, activity could increase with a chance of a major solar flare taking
place. Solar flux levels should be in the 120s, but a decline might take
place towards next weekend. Geomagnetic activity should be mostly quiet but
could increase late in the week. MUFs during daylight hours at equal
latitudes should be around 20MHz for the south and 17MHz for the north. The
darkness hour lows should be about 11MHz. Paths this week to Japan should
have a maximum usable frequency of 18MHz with a 50 per cent success rate. The
optimum working frequency will be 14MHz with a 90 per cent success rate. The
best time to try this path will be between 1000 and 1200UTC. Expect sporadic
E to take place on some days. Openings taking place on 144MHz are unlikely
now but cannot be ruled out.
The RSGB propagation news is also available in a Saturday update, posted
every Saturday evening and for more on propagation generally, see
http://www.rsgb.org/society/psc.htm.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
* GB2RS is the weekly news service of the RSGB, broadcast by radio
amateurs. *
* News items from this week's script may be reproduced freely in printed
matter, provided the source - the Radio Society of Great Britain - is
clearly identified. The news may not be reproduced on the Internet without
prior written permission, though webmasters are welcome to provide a link
to this, or any other page on the RSGB site. *
* News for GB2RS must be sent in by 0900UTC on the Tuesday before the
broadcast. You can use post, phone, fax or e-mail. *
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
© 2005 Radio Society of Great Britain
Main Home page: http://www.rsgb.org
Members Only Home Page: http://www.rsgb.org/membersonly/lo-news.htm
Posted by Jim, G4RGA.
.
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