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GB2RS NEWS

Sunday 11 May

The news headlines

* New RSGB office hours

* Dayton Hamvention approaches

* Irish ATV repeater live again

With the move to Bedford, the RSGB has adopted new opening hours of
8.30 am to 4.30 pm. Meanwhile, the phone system at the new RSGB
administrative headquarters has been giving problems. A fault has meant
that incoming calls have frequently been met with an engaged tone. Work
is continuing to correct the problems and we hope to have the system
operating properly very soon.

The RSGB is pleased to announce new contact details for the RSGB QSL
Bureau. With immediate effect QSL cards should be sent to the QSL
Bureau at the following address. RSGB QSL Bureau, PO Box 5, Halifax
England, HX1 9JR. The full contact details for the Bureau can also be
found on the RSGB website.

The huge Dayton Hamvention is taking place at the Hara Arena, Dayton,
Ohio from Friday 16 May to Sunday 18 May. There are 500 stands,
including an RSGB bookstall, a flea market with over 2500 stalls, and
many meetings and forums. The ARRL offers QSL card checking facilities
for awards such as DXCC, WAS and WAC. Full details of the Hamvention
can be found on the web at www.hamvention.org. A live 24/7 video stream
from the flea market will be available at http://w5kub.com, which may
make interesting viewing. The video stream starts two days before
Hamvention, live from W5KUB's car as he drives to Dayton.

Ireland's fast scan amateur television repeater, EI2WTR, is back on air
after the system was re-housed in separate RF-tight boxes over the
winter. It is located at Helvick Head in Waterford, the same site as
the 2 metre East Cork voice repeater, EI2ECR. The repeater unit
consists of a G1MFG transmitter on 1249MHz with about 10 watts to a
horizontally polarized slot antenna. It uses a receiver from the same
source on 1290MHz, fed from the same antenna through a duplexer.

Although the new amateur licence rules relaxed the requirements of
unattended operations for individual amateurs, these do not apply to
groups. With immediate effect, new arrangements are in place for
issuing talkthrough permits for RSGB and independent RAYNET groups.
These will now be issued by RSGB Board member Robin Bellerby, GM3ZYE.
Application forms and conditions of issue may be requested by post or
email. Robin's contact details are , telephone 01671
404387 or by mail to Glenamour, Newton Stewart, DG8 7AE. A C5 SAE
should be sent, with the stamp value sufficient to cover 8 sheets of
A4.

Last week, we brought you the news that the ARRL had achieved some
success in the fight against the regulations governing broadband
internet access over power lines in the USA. The existing regulations
are believed to have the potential for harmful interference to the
amateur bands. The ARRL now reports that a Dallas company has dropped
its plans to deliver internet access over power lines to two million
homes. Power line communications will still be used in Dallas but only
for power distribution administration which at present causes little
interference to amateur radio.

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Amateur satellite AMSAT-Oscar 16 went off the air recently for a few
days. The probable cause was a reduced amount of sunlight available for
charging the batteries. It was powered up again by a ground station and
placed in telemetry mode for a while. It is now back in service.

Still on the subject of space, the SEEDS satellite was one of a number
of microsats successfully launched on 28 April. Several amateurs have
successfully received SSTV pictures from the bird, which transmits on
437.485MHz. As well as SSTV the satellite sends telemetry in Morse
code, 1200 baud FM AFSK packet radio and speech via its Digitalker
module.

Antenna experimenters will be saddened to learn of the death of L B
Cebik, W4RNL, in April. He wrote more than a dozen books on antennas
and very many articles for amateur radio journals, the most recent
being published in March this year. The editor of QEX described him as
"probably the most widely published and often read author of amateur
radio antenna articles ever to write on the subject." More information
on L B Cebik and an archive of antenna information can be found at
www.cebik.com.

And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources.

DL7VOG will be active as ZF2GU from the Cayman Islands, IOTA reference
NA-016, until 14 May. He operates CW and RTTY, plus SSB on request. He
is running 100 watts to verticals.

DU9/PA3GZU will operate holiday style from Mindanao until 12 May. The
IOTA reference is OC-130. He will mainly be on 20 metres SSB and PSK31.

OZ1TL expects to be active from Bhutan until 15 May. He will operate
99% CW as A52TL. He might be joined by VU3RSB, who operates mainly
digital modes.

Now for the news of special events

Many special event stations are expected to be active this weekend from
windmills and watermills. National Mills Weekend, Saturday and Sunday,
10 and 11 May, is run by the Mills section of the Society for the
Protection of Ancient Buildings. Denby Dale Radio Society co-ordinates
the radio events. Further details, including a list of registered
stations, can be found at www.g4cdd.net.

On Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 May, GB0BW will be operated from Wyke
Regis, commemorating the inventor of the bouncing bomb, Barnes Wallis.
The locator is IO80SO. HF, VHF and UHF will be used.

The Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association on Vancouver Island will use the
special callsign VE7NARA throughout May to celebrate the club's 60th
Anniversary.

Special call PY100JA will be aired until December commemorating the
centenary of the first Japanese immigration to Brazil.

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

On Sunday 18 May, The Magnum Radio Rally is at the Magnum Leisure
Centre, Harbourside, Irvine, Ayrshire. Doors open at 10.30. Further
details can be obtained from Helen, MM0HLN, on 0777 6385247, or email
. The event's website is www.magnumrally.org.

Also on Sunday 18 May is the Dunstable Downs Amateur Radio Car Boot
Sale which is held at Stockwood Park, Luton, Bedfordshire. The event
opens at 9am. More information is available at www.ddrcbootsale.org.

Details of these and future rallies are available to RSGB members in
the May edition of RadCom.

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Now the contest news [Note to Newsreaders: please use your judgement on
whether to read the 11 May contest information, depending on your time
slot.]

The Volta RTTY Contest finishes at 1200 on 11 May. It is on 3.5 to
28MHz, and the exchange is RST, serial number and CQ zone.

Tuesday 13 May sees the RSGB 432MHz Activity contest held between 2000
and 2230 local time. All modes are permitted and the exchange is RST,
serial number and locator.

On Wednesday 14 May, there is the RSGB 80m Club Championship Data
Contest. This is held between 1900 and 2030 UTC on the 80m band and the
exchange is RST and serial number.

Over the weekend of 17 and 18 May, the King of Spain Contest takes
place, starting at 1200 on the Saturday and ending at 1200 on the
Sunday. This is a CW event on all HF bands. The exchange is RST and
serial number.

On Saturday and Sunday, 17 and 18 May, there is the RSGB 144MHz
Contest, between 1400 and 1400UTC. All modes are permitted and the
exchange is RST, serial number, locator and postcode.

Overlapping with the last hours of the RSGB 144MHz Contest is the RSGB
144MHz Backpackers Contest. It runs from 1100 to 1500 UTC on Sunday the
18th. All modes are permitted and the exchange is RST, serial number,
locator and postcode.

The Worked All Britain LF Phone Contest takes place on Sunday 18 May
from 1000 to 1400UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial number and
WAB area. Full details of the rules and logsheets may be obtained from
the WAB website www.worked-all-britain.co.uk or from G8XTJ, QTHR Logs
should go to the Contest Manager G0BFJ, QTHR.

And now the solar factual data for the period from 28 April to 4 May
compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS and Martin Harrison, G3USF.

The solar disc was spotless but on the 4th a small sunspot group
emerged. Its location and magnetic footprint confirms that this group
belongs to the new cycle and is the first group of the new cycle to be
located in the Sun's southern hemisphere. Solar flux levels averaged 68
units and only varied by a one unit day to day. The 90 day solar flux
average on the 4th was 71 units, that's one down on last week. X-ray
flux levels remained below the minimum reporting level throughout.
Geomagnetic activity started at unsettled levels in response to the
coronal mass ejection on the 26th. No sooner had that arrived then the
effects from a coronal hole also arrived. Activity was unsettled
everyday and the average was Ap 10 units. The ACE spacecraft saw solar
wind speeds increase from 370 kilometres per second to 630 by the 4th.
Particle densities increased to 43 particles per cubic centimetre on
the 30th. The remaining days levels were around 10 particles per cubic
centimetre. Bz varied between minus 8 and plus 9 nanoTeslas throughout.

HF propagation deteriorated with the arrival of coronal hole
disturbances and F2 daytime critical frequencies fell from 5.3MHz to
only 4.1Mhz on the 24th. VHF auroral propagation briefly reached as far
south as southern Britain on the 23rd but was mostly confined to high
latitudes. The good news has been the first big sporadic-E opening of
the season on the afternoon of the 22nd and 70MHz contacts with Italy -
though these were mainly by meteor scatter.

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And now the solar forecast. This week solar activity is expected to be
very low. The solar disc could be spotless on some days. Solar flux
levels should be around the 70 mark for most of the week. Geomagnetic
activity is expected to be mostly quiet all week. MUFs during daylight
hours at equal latitudes should be about 18MHz for the south and 15MHz
for the north. The darkness hour lows are expected to be around 9MHz.
Paths this week to South Africa should have a maximum usable frequency
with a 50 per cent success rate of around 24MHz. The optimum working
frequency with a 90 per cent success rate should be about 19MHz. The
best time to try this path will be between 0800 and 1600 hours UTC.
Sporadic-E is expected to take place on some days.

And that's all for this week from the propagation team.

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Next, the Local News:

Please note that details of all RSGB-affiliated clubs and societies

can be found on the RSGB website, including e-mail addresses

and website links where known.

[Note to newsreaders: Please read the local news items appropriate to
the service area of your

transmission.]

NEWS FOR THE SOUTH-EAST

and EAST ANGLIA On Sunday 11 May Bromley And District Amateur Radio
Society is running its Intermediate course at Victory Social Club,
Kechill Gardens. Details on the web at www.bdars.org.uk or by email to
. On Sunday 11 May Felixstowe and District Amateur
Radio Society is taking part in National Mills Day, running GB2WTM at
Woodbridge Tide Mill. There will be no meeting on 26 May. Contact Paul,
G4YQC, by email to . On Sunday 11 May Worthing and
District Amateur Radio Club will be operating special event station
GB0HSM from High Salvington Radio Club. Contact Roy, G4GPX, on 01903
753 893. On Monday 12 May Braintree and District Amateur Radio Society
will be having its club net. Contact John, M5AJB, on 01787 460 947. On
Monday 12 May Coulsdon Amateur Transmitting Society will be having a
talk by G4FKK on how to drive your radio over the internet. Contact
Andy, G8JAC, on . On Monday 12 May Ridgeway
Repeater Group is holding its AGM. Details on the web at
www.rrg.org.uk. On Monday 12 May Southdown Amateur Radio Society is
having an equipment sale at Chaseley. Contact John, G3DQY, on
01424,424,319, or by email to . On Monday 12 May Surrey
Radio Contact Club is having a project construction evening. Contact
Ray, G4FFY, on 020 8644 7589. On Tuesday 13 May Stevenage and District
Amateur Radio Society is having a talk on simple wire antennas by Paul,
G0WAT. Contact Neil, M0ARH, on 01438 217 077. On Wednesday 14 May
Aylesbury Vale Radio Society is having a talk on contest operating by
Roger, G3MEH. Contact Roger, G3MEH, on 01442 826 651, or by email to
. On Wednesday 14 May Colchester Radio Amateurs is
running its Intermediate License training course at St Helena School.
Contact David Chambers, M1AMI, on 01206 870989, or on the web at
www.g3co.ccom.co.uk. On Wednesday 14 May Havering and District Amateur
Radio Club is having a live demonstration of data on the air. Contact
Dave, 2E0EBV, on 07956 594 514. On Wednesday 14 May Norfolk Amateur
Radio Club is having an informal evening. Contact Mark Taylor, G0LGJ,
on 01362 691099, or by email to . On Wednesday 14 May
Reading and District Amateur Radio Club continues its Intermediate
License course. Contact Pete, G8FRC, on 01189 695 697. On Wednesday 14
May Whitton Amateur Radio Group is holding its Intermediate Exam.
Contact Chris, on 0870 760 5082, or on the web at www.warg.info.

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On Wednesday 14 May Worthing and District Amateur Radio Club is having
a quiz with Horsham Radio Club. Contact Roy, G4GPX, on 01903 753 893.
On Thursday 15 May Colchester Radio Amateurs is presenting its
Constructors Cup at St Helena School. Contact David Chambers, M1AMI, on
01206 870989, or on the web at www.g3co.ccom.co.uk. On Thursday 15 May
King's Lynn Amateur Radio Club is having a club night and 2 metre club
net. Contact Ray, G3RSV, on , or on the web at
www.klarc.org.uk. On Thursday 15 May Shefford and District Amateur
Radio Society is having a talk by Paul, M0PSW. Contact David, G8UOD, on
01234 742 757. On Thursday 15 May Sutton and Cheam Radio Society is
holding its AGM and construction contest. Contact John, G0BWV, on 020
8644 9945, or by email to . On Friday 16 May Mid-Sussex
Amateur Radio Society is having a radio night. Contact Sue, G6YPY, on
01273 845 103, or by email to . On Friday 16 May
Torbay Amateur Radio Society is having an operating night. Contact
Dave, G6FSP, by email to . On Sunday 18 May Bromley
and District Amateur Radio Society is running its Intermediate course
at Victory Social Club, Kechill Gardens. Details on the web at
www.bdars.org, or by email to . On Sunday 18 May
Chesham and District Amateur Radio Society is attending Dunstable Car
Boot Sale. Contact Terry, G0VFW, on 01442 831 491, or by email to
.

NEWS FOR THE SOUTH-WEST On Monday 12 May Cornish Radio Amateur Club
Computer Section is having a talk on bar codes by Alex, G4DEO. Contact
Ian, 01872 561 058. On Tuesday 13 May Poldhu Amateur Radio Club is
having a talk by Adrian Snell and Steve Gascom on military vehicles and
their radios. Contact Keith, G0WYS, on 01326 574 441. On Tuesday 13 May
West Devon Radio Club is having a Morse evening with M0BLO and G0TQT.
Contact Mr Ritter, M0ZOL, on 01752601823. On Wednesday 14 May South
Bristol Amateur Radio Club is having a survey of shack equipment.
Contact Len, G4RZY, on 01275 834 282. On Wednesday 14 May Taunton and
District Amateur Radio Club is having a Morse class and preparing for
the June NFD. Contact William, G3WNI, on 01823 666 234, or by email to
. On Wednesday 14 May Thornbury and South
Gloucestershire Amateur Radio Club is on the air. Contact Tony, G0WMB,
by email to . On Thursday 15 May Swindon and
District Amateur Radio Club is preparing for the 2 metre contest.
Contact Mike, M5CBS, on 01793 826 465. On Thursday 15 May Yeovil
Amateur Radio Club is having a talk on RAD HAZ by G4DCH. Contact Gary,
2E0BFJ, by email to . On Friday 16 May North Bristol
Amateur Radio Club is operating HF. Contact Dick Elford, G0XAY, on
.

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NEWS FOR THE MIDLANDS On Monday 12 May East Kent Radio Society is
having a cheese and wine evening. Contact Paul, G3VJF, on 01227 365
384, or by email to , or on the web at
www.paulnic.com/ekrs. On Monday 12 May Gloucester Amateur Radio And
Electronics Society is having a talk by Mike, G0VWH on interesting
engines. Contact Anne, 2E1GKY, on 01452 548478, daytime, or on the web
at www.g4aym.org.uk. On Monday 12 May Stourbridge and District Amateur
Radio Society is having an open shack night. Contact John, M1EJG, on
01562 700 513, or on the web at www.g6oi.org.uk. On Monday 12 May
Stratford Upon Avon District Radio Society is holding its AGM followed
by a surplus sale. Contact Jack, G3VYE, on 01926 641 988, or by email
to . On Tuesday 13 May Eagle Radio Group is having a
talk on digital modes by John, M3ERG. Contact Terry, G0SWS, on 07979
733 640. On Tuesday 13 May Loughborough and District Amateur Radio Club
is having its first DF of 2008. Contact Chris, G1ETZ, on 01509 504 319.
On Wednesday 14 May Lincoln Short-Wave Club is having a news and views
evening. Contact John, G1TSL, on 01526 323 153. On Wednesday 14 May
Telford and District Amateur Radio Society is having a meting of its
Hamfest committee. Contact Mike, G3JKX, on 01952 299 677, or by email
to . On Thursday 15 May RAF Waddington
Amateur Radio Club is on the air. Contact Martin, M0MDF, on 01522 752
785, or by email to . On Thursday 15 May
Salop Amateur Radio Society is having a natter night. Details on the
web at www.salop-ARS.org.uk. On Thursday 15 May Tamworth Amateur Radio
Society is on air. Contact Colin Marks, G4ZPJ, on 01827 700 893, or by
email to . On Friday 16 May Coventry Amateur
Radio Society is taking part in the first round of the G4ZMC trophy.
Contact John, G8SEQ, on 02476 273 190, or by email to
.

NEWS FOR THE NORTH OF ENGLAND First, a request for help from Dave
Wilson, repeater keeper for GB3MP. For a number of weeks a station has
been heard playing music over the top of the Sausage & Scouse Net that
meets every morning on the GB3MP repeater. For a few days the repeater
has been, and will continue to be, "curfewed" at the times the Sausage
and Scouse net meets. When normal operation resumes, hopefully in a few
days time, repeater keeper Dave, M0OBW would appreciate any reports
regarding the location of the person playing music. If music is being
played through the repeater if listeners could firstly listen on the
input of the repeater (145.150MHz) and record a signal strength - that
will help. If the signal strength is very strong then by temporarily
removing the antenna and listening on 145.150MHz it will help determine
if the source of the music is close to you. All reports with your name,
callsign, signal report, location, type of antenna and contact details,
should be sent to . All reports will be treated
in the strictest confidence, No anonymous reports please. A similar
situation has been reported by a station in the Wigan area only this
time on the calling frequency * again reports would be appreciated.
Remember these people must live close to someone. Thanks for your help.

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On Monday 12 May Angel Of The North Radio Amateur Radio Club is having
a demonstration of cats whiskers by Chris Herring, G7AQY. Contact
Nancy, G7UUR, on 07990 760 920, or by email to
, or on the web at www.anarc.net. On Monday 12
May Bolton Wireless Club is meeting at the Bolton TIC for a talk on SBS
radar by Bob, M1NUS. Contact . On Monday 12
May Sheffield Amateur Radio Club is having an outdoor project night.
Contact Trevor, M0TWS. On Tuesday 13 May Warrington Amateur Radio Club
is having an update on the club forum by Roger, M0DWQ. Contact Roger,
M0DWQ on 01925 813 558, or by email to . On Wednesday
14 May Great Lumley Amateur Radio And Electronics Society is having a
talk on D-Star by LAM Communications. For further details contact
David, M0BPM, on 0191 3888113 or by email to . On
Wednesday 14 May Hambleton Amateur Radio Society is having an HF
operating night using PSK. Contact Tim, G0TYM, on 01642 711 334, or by
email to , or on the web at
www.radioclubs.net/hambletonars. On Wednesday 14 May Hornsea Amateur
Radio Club is taking part in the RSGB Club 80m data contest. Contact
Sue, G6UQA, on 01482 668 041, or on the web at www.hornseaarc.co.uk. On
Wednesday 14 May Wirral and District Amateur Radio Club is having a
radio night at the Club. Contact Tom, G4BKF, on 07050 291 850. On
Thursday 15 May North Wakefield Radio Club is having a club night.
Contact Richard, M0RBG, on 07976 220 126, . On Friday
16 May East Cleveland Amateur Radio Club is having an events planning
evening. Contact Alistair, G4OLK, on 01642 475 671, or by email to
. On Friday 16 May Mexborough and District
Amateur Radio Society is having a talk by Michael, G7IDJ on how he set
up a radio station in Uganda. Contact Sharon, M0BOH. On Friday 16 May
South Manchester Radio and Computer Club is having a club barbecue.
Contact Ron, G3SVW, on 0161 969 3999. On Friday 16 May Tynemouth Radio
Club is having an operating and Morse night. Contact Tony, G8YFA, by
email to . 17 May Angel Of The North Radio
Amateur Radio Club and Tyne And Wear Repeater Group are together having
an auction. Contact Nancy, G7UUR, on 07990 760 920 or by email to
, or on the web at www.anarc.net.

NEWS FOR SCOTLAND On Wednesday 14 May Lothians Radio Society is having
a lecture. Contact Colin, GM4HWO, by email to
, or on the web at
www.lothiansradiosociety.com. On Wednesday 14 May Paisley (YMCA)
Amateur Radio Club is having an SSTV Demo. Contact Jim, GM3UWX. On
Thursday 15 May Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society is having a quiz night.
Contact Lewis, GM4AJR, on 01224 575 663, or on the web at
www.aars.freeserve.co.uk.

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NEWS FOR WALES On Friday 16 May Blackwood and District Amateur Radio
Society is having a talk by Ross Clare, GW3NWS, on the latest linear
amplifiers. Contact . 17 May Dragon Amateur Radio Club is
attending the steam rally at Hen Blas and operating GW4TTA . Contact
Martin, GW3PRL, on 01248 430 848, or by email to
.

NEWS FOR NORTHERN IRELAND No news items have been received for Northern
Ireland this week.

And that's the end of this week's GB2RS news broadcast,

prepared by the Radio Society of Great Britain.