GB2RS NEWS

Sunday 8th January 2012

The news headlines:

* Happy New Year

* ARISSat-1 falls to Earth

* Prestigious award for IOTA heads

The news team and all the staff at RSGB HQ would like to wish our
newsreaders, listeners and online readers a very Happy New Year. We
would like to remind listeners that some of the arrangements for GB2RS
have changed. Now that postal copies are no longer being sent, the
deadline has been changed to 10am on Thursday morning. The GB2RS Script
will now be uploaded to the Members Only area of the RSGB website on
Friday afternoons, and placed in the public area on Mondays. These
changes mean that GB2RS will be able to being you much fresher news
than ever before.

According to the AMSAT website, ARISSat-1 stopped transmitting shortly
after 0600UTC on Wednesday 4 January. It is believed that the satellite
re-entered the atmosphere and burned up at around 0700 over the South
Atlantic. Full details are at www.arissat1.org.

Roger Ballister, G3KMA and Martin Atherton, G3ZAY are recipients of the
Yasme Excellence Award for 2011. This award is for their dedicated work
for the Islands on the Air programme. The Yasme Foundation is a
not-for-profit corporation organized to conduct scientific and
educational projects related to amateur radio, including DXing and the
introduction and promotion of amateur radio in underdeveloped
countries. Everyone at the RSGB would like to congratulate both Roger
and Martin on this well deserved award.

Two UK amateurs have reported hearing strong echoes on their 80m CW
signals in the evening last week. Tony, G3ZRJ in Herefordshire and
Andrew, GW3OQK in Swansea were in QSO on 1 January when they could hear
another signal underneath theirs. It turned out to be an echo of their
own signals. Tony said the echoes were initially so strong that he had
trouble monitoring his CW keying. The delay in the echoes was of the
order of 0.25 to 0.5 seconds and the echo strength hit S9. Tests by
Andrew on the evening of 3 January revealed the same phenomena at
around 2100Z, albeit weaker. Steve, G0KYA, chairman of the RSGB's
Propagation Studies Committee, said that these were unlikely to be
round-the-world echoes, but could be due to a form of magnetospheric
ducting where signals follow the earth's magnetic field lines down to
the southern hemisphere before being bounced back along the same duct.
Steve said that this was quite rare and not really understood. UK
amateurs are being urged to look out for any echoes on their 80m
signals and report any findings to .

An agreement has now been reached with ISIS Launch Services BV, who are
based in Delft in the Netherlands, for them to provide a launch of the
FUNcube-1 CubeSat. It is anticipated that FUNcube-1 will be launched
with a number of other spacecraft from a DNEPR rocket, sometime in the
third quarter of 2012. The orbit is still to be defined precisely but
it is expected to be nearly circular and approximately sun synchronous.
The FUNcube-1 spacecraft will transmit signals that can be easily
received directly by schools and colleges for educational outreach
purposes. In addition to providing educational outreach for schools and
colleges around the world, the spacecraft will also provide a U/V
linear transponder for radio amateurs during local night, at weekends
and during holiday periods. The production and testing of the
spacecraft itself has already been funded via a legacy and other
sources. For more information, check out www.funcube.org.uk.

Dutch amateurs have been granted access to two new bands. They now have
501kHz to 505kHz on a secondary basis with power and mode restrictions,
plus 70 to 70.5MHz, also on a secondary basis with power restrictions.

Denmark has the Presidency of European Union from 1 January to 30 June
2012 and the callsign 5P12EU will be activated during this period. QSL
cards will be available and there is an award scheme for working or
hearing this callsign. For all details on QSLing, the award scheme and
logs, check out www.5p12eu.dk.

Using the new OPERA datamode, Gary, G4WGT successfully transmitted a
signal to Joe, VO1NA on 137.5kHz, a distance of 3,500km. Gary
transmitted six full callsigns in a two hour period, which is a big
time saving over modes like QRSS. The OPERA mode was envisaged by
Graham, G0NBD and coded by Jose Ros, EA5HVK, as a way of providing data
operations for stations who only had the CW capability. The most up to
date information on this mode can be found at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/O_P_E_R_A_/.

The Winter edition of the 5MHz Newsletter has just been published and
includes news and features about 5MHz, including a chart of the current
5MHz allocations worldwide. You can freely access this latest edition
of the 5MHz Newsletter from Google Documents at
http://tinyurl.com/72mozfx. Although originating in the UK, the 5MHz
Newsletter invites worldwide interest, both in readers and
contributors. For those without internet access who want a paper copy,
send a self-addressed envelope big enough to take folded A4 sheets,
together with adequate postage, or IRCs in the case of outside of the
UK. Requests should be addressed to the Editor, G4MWO, who is QTHR in
the UK Callbook and on QRZ.com

The International Museums Weekend special event will this year take
place on the double weekends of 16 & 17 and 23 & 24 June. Radio
amateurs are encouraged to participate in this event by setting up
stations in their local museums. Organiser Harry, M1BYT asks that all
those intending to take part in the event should register their museum
via the from on the International Museums Weekend website,
www.ukradioamateur.co.uk/imw. He can be contacted via e-mail to
, or on 075111 28933.

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

The Red Rose Winter Rally will take place on 15 January at George H
Carnall Leisure Centre, Kingsway Park, M41 7FJ. The venue is easily
accessible from Junction 9 of the M60, opposite the Trafford Centre.
Doors open at 11am. There is free car parking, traders, a Bring & Buy,
special interest groups and an RSGB bookstall. Details from Steve, on
07502 295 141.

Also on 15 January the Dover Amateur Radio Club Rally will take place
at Whitfield Village Hall, Dover CT16 3LY. There will be trade stands
and a Bring & Buy. Now for the news of special events

Orkney Amateur Radio Club is supporting the SOS fundraising week from
21 to 29 January. There will be a special event station at or near each
of the Islands' three lifeboat stations. GB1OL will be in Stromness;
GB2OL will in Longhope, based at the old lifeboat station; and GB4OL
will be at Kirkwall Bay. QSLs should be sent direct with the
information on the website. http://eu009.webplus.net/gb1ol.html. The
stations will be active on most bands, mainly at the weekends, and will
concentrate on 80, 40 and 20m.

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

PA8A will be active as PJ4B from the island of Bonaire. Listen out for
him between 8 and 22 January. His operation will be holiday style on
the high frequency bands only. QSL direct only via PA8A.

VE2XB will be active as J79XB from Dominica for several weeks. His
operation will be holiday style on all bands from 10 to 160m and
possibly 6 meters if there are openings. QSL via VE2XB as listed on
QRZ.com.

On 12 January the VP6T team will start the journey to French Polynesia,
with the first stop in Tahiti, which is IOTA OC-046, for 3 days. They
will then take a small airplane to Mangareva Island, OC-063. They plan
to be active from Tahiti and, if time permits, also from Mangareva as
TX6T. QSL via G3TXF.

Now the contest news

This weekend the ARRL RTTY Roundup will be making the datamode portions
of the HF bands busy. Activity is on all datamodes. Check out the ARRL
website for full rules.

10 January sees the 430MHz UK Activity Contest take place from 2000 to
2230UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number
and locator.

On Sunday 15th the Super League series continues with 80m CW Affiliated
Societies Contests takes place from 1400 to 1800UTC. Using CW only the
exchange is signal report and serial number.

And now for the solar factual data for the period from Friday 30
December to Thursday 5 January, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS, on the
6th January.

The solar disc had numerous sunspot groups visible every day. Most were
stable and quiet but a couple of groups produced small C class solar
flares every day except for the two days when none took place. These
flares had very little effect on propagation. Solar flux levels
declined from 141 units on the 30th to 130 by the 1st but then
recovered to 136 by the 4th. The average was 135. The 90 day solar flux
average on the 5th was 144, that's two units down since the last
report. X-ray flux levels declined slightly from B5.6 units on the 30th
to B3.9 by the 4th. The average was B4.3 units. Geomagnetic activity
was quiet with the Ap index in single figures every day. The average
was Ap 5 units. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft saw solar wind
speeds vary between 310 and 430 kilometres per second. Particle
densities on some days were moderate, with levels of 20 particles per
cubic centimetre on the 30th and 3rd. Bz varied between minus and plus
9 nanoTeslas on the 30th and the 2nd and less than that on the quieter
days.

And finally, the solar forecast. This week the quiet side of the sun is
expected to be looking our way. Solar activity should be mostly at low
levels, with C class solar flares taking place on most days. Solar flux
levels should be around the 120s every day. Geomagnetic activity is
expected to be at quiet levels every day. MUFs during daylight hours at
equal latitudes are expected to be around 27MHz. Darkness hour lows
should be around 8MHz. Paths this week to India should have a maximum
useable frequency with a 50 percent success rate of around 29MHz. The
optimum working frequency with a 90 percent success rate will be about
23MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 0900 and 1200
hours.

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

Next, the Local News:

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

can be found on the RSGB website, including email 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 MIDLANDS On Monday 9 January Gloucester Amateur Radio &
Electronics Society is having a talk on SETI by Chris Martin, M6CJM.
Contact Anne, 2E1GKY, on 01452 548 478, daytime.

On Monday 9 January South Birmingham Radio Society is planning rally
visits for 2012. Contact Don, on 01214 581 603.

On Monday 9 January Stratford Upon Avon District Radio Society is
visiting Hack Green Nuclear Bunker with John, G8HJS. Contact G0CHO, on
01608 664 488.

On Tuesday 10 January Derby & District Amateur Radio Society is holding
a committee meeting. Contact Richard Buckby, by email to
.

On Tuesday 10 January Lincoln Short-Wave Club is putting G6COL on the
air for the VHF/UHF/SHF Cumulative Club Contest. For more information
contact Pam Rose, G4STO, on 01427 788 356.

On Tuesday 10 January Loughborough & District Amateur Radio Club is
having a talk on coaxial feed lines by Andrew, G7SEG.. More information
from Chris, G1ETZ, on 01509 504 319.

On Tuesday 10 January Worcester Radio Amateurs Association is having a
talk on satellites. Details from Rich Moles, M0UVA, via email to
.

On Tuesday 10 January Wythall Radio Club is holding a committee
meeting. Details from Colin, M0GJM, on 07598 540 507.

On Wednesday 11 January Lincoln Short-Wave Club is holding its AGM. For
more information contact Pam Rose, G4STO, on 01427 788 356.

On Wednesday 11 January Midland Amateur Radio Society is holding a
committee meeting and training classes. Details from Norman, G8BHE, on
07808 078 003.

On Thursday 12 January South Birmingham Radio Society is having
training classes with Dave Murphy, G80WL. Contact Don, on 01214 581
603.

On Friday 13 January Bromsgrove & District Amateur Radio Club is having
a VHF night. Contact Chris, M0BQE on 01905 776 869.

On Friday 13 January Coventry Amateur Radio Society is holding its
annual dinner. Contact John, G8SEQ, on 07958 777 363.

On Friday 13 January South Birmingham Radio Society is having a
construction evening. Contact Don, on 01214 581 603. On Saturday 14
January Lincoln Short-Wave Club is in the shack and holding its
Saturday surgery. For more information contact Pam Rose, G4STO, on
01427 788 356.

On Sunday 15 January Leicester Radio Society is taking part in the AFS
contest. Details from John, G0IJM, on 07939 121 132.

NEWS FOR THE NORTH OF ENGLAND On Monday 9 January Angel of the North
Amateur Radio Club is enrolling students for the Advanced and
Intermediate courses. Contact Nancy Bone, G7UUR, on 01914 770 036.

On Monday 9 January Sheffield Amateur Radio Club is holding a QSL card
competition. More information from Peter Day, G3PHO, by email to
.

On Monday 9 January Thornton Cleveleys Amateur Radio Society club is on
the air. More information from J Duddington, G4BFH, on 01253 853 554.

On Tuesday 10 January Chester & District Radio Society is holding a
committee meeting. Contact Bruce Sutherland, M0CVP, on 01244 343825.

On Tuesday 27 December Halifax & District Amateur Radio Society is on
the air. Details from Anthony Vinters, G0WFG, on 01422 822636.

On Tuesday 10 January Stockport Radio Society is having a presentation,
Whiskey Galore Revisited, by Ray, M1REK and Andy, M1LOL. More
information from Nigel Roscoe, on 07973 312 699.

On Wednesday 11 January Chorley & District Amateur Radio Society
returns after the festive period. Details from Nessie, M0NES, by email
to .

On Wednesday 11 January Hornsea Amateur Radio Club is taking part in
the 80m CC SSB contest and watching a DVD. Contact Gordon MacNaught,
G3WOV, on 01377 240 573.

On Wednesday 11 January Maltby & District Amateur Radio Society is
having a talk on the Rediffusion days by Barry, M1CYJ. Details from
Keith, G1PQW, on 07801 156 678.

On Wednesday 11 January Sheffield Amateur Radio Club is taking part in
the RSGB 80m Club Contest SSB from the club station, G3RCM. More
information from Peter Day, G3PHO, by email to .

On Thursday 12 January South Manchester Radio and Computer Club is
having a talk on mobile antenna installation by Brian, G4LUL. Details
from Ron, G3SVW, on 01619 693 999.

On Friday 13 January East Cleveland Amateur Radio Club is on the air.
For more information contact Alistair, G4OLK, on 01642 475 671.

On Friday 13 January Tynemouth Amateur Radio Club is listening to
Noises Off. Contact Bob, M6KLO, by email to .

On Sunday 15 January Hornsea Amateur Radio Club is taking part in the
AFS Contest CW. Contact Gordon MacNaught, G3WOV, on 01377 240 573.

NEWS FOR NORTHERN IRELAND On Wednesday 11 January Mid Ulster Amateur
Radio Club commences its 12 week Intermediate course. For more
information send an email to .

NEWS FOR SCOTLAND On Sunday 8 January Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society is
taking part in the RSGB Affiliated Societies 80m CW Contest. More
information from Lewis, GM4AJR, on 01224 575 663.

On Tuesday 10 January Livingston & District Amateur Radio Society is
having an operating evening. Details from Norman, on 07740 946 192.

On Wednesday 11 January Lothians Radio Society is having a video
evening with Peter Dick, GM4DTH. Contact Andy Sinclair, by email to
.

On Thursday 12 January Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society is on the air and
having Morse tuition with James Mackinnon, GM4EKC. More information
from Lewis, GM4AJR, on 01224 575 663.

On Friday 13 January Borders Amateur Radio Society is holding a
discussion night. Details from MM0YLG on 07944 912 751.

On Friday 13 January Cockenzie & Port Seton Amateur Radio Club is
having a normal club night. More information from Bob, GM4UYZ, on 01875
811 723.

On Saturday 14 January Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society is taking part in
the RSGB Affiliated Societies 80m SSB Contest. More information from
Lewis, GM4AJR, on 01224 575 663.

NEWS FOR THE SOUTH EAST and EAST ANGLIA Chelmsford Amateur Radio
Society has announced that its January Foundation course was
oversubscribed. A further course will be announced shortly. The club
has run 43 courses since its first, in January 2002, and has trained
over 300 people. For more information contact Clive, G1EUC, on 01245
224577. On Monday 9 January Coulsdon Amateur Transmitting Society is
holding its annual dinner at The Fox, Coulsdon Common. Details from
Steve Beal, G3WZK, by email to .

On Monday 9 January East Kent Radio Society is having a gadget evening.
Details from Karl Davies, M1DFM, on 01227 710 120.

On Monday 9 January Southdown Amateur Radio Society is holding its AGM
at Chaseley. Details from John, G3DQY, on 01424 424 319.

On Monday 9 January Surrey Radio Contact Club is having a fix-it,
move-it-on, advice clinic and chin-wag led by John, G8MNY. Contact
John, G3MCX, on 02086 883 322.

On Monday 9 January Swale Amateur Radio Club is having a presentation
on railway communications by Phil, G0JBA. Non-club members are welcome.
Detains form Phil, G0JBA, on 01233 330 127. On Monday 9 January West
Kent Amateur Radio Society Club is planning activities for 2012.
Details from Keith, G4JED, via email to .

On Tuesday 10 January Brede Steam Amateur Radio Society is at the
shack. For more information contact Steve, on 01424 720 815.

On Tuesday 10 January Harwell Amateur Radio Society Radio is having a
quiz and preparing for the rally. Contact Malcolm, G8NRP, on 01235 524
844.

On Wednesday 11 January Chesham & District Amateur Radio Society is
holding a members forum and following up on the Foundation training
course. More details from Terry, G0VFW, on 01442 831 491.

On Wednesday 11 January South Essex Amateur Radio Society is preparing
for the Canvey radio rally. Details from Dave, G4UVJ, on 01268 697 978.

On Wednesday 11 January Southgate Amateur Radio Club is looking at EMC.
Contact David Sharp, M0XDS, by email to .

On Wednesday 11 January Southgate Amateur Radio Club David is having a
talk on the rise and fall of radio paging by M0XDS. Contact Mr D F
Berry, G4DFB, by email to .

On Thursday 12 January Bittern DX Group is having an informal meeting
at Pinewood Park Leisure Club. Details from Linda, G0AJJ, on 01692 404
154.

On Thursday 12 January Echelford Amateur Radio Society is having a
natter night, CW practice and Bring & Buy. Contact John, G4GSC, on
01784 451 898.

On Thursday 12 January Edgware & District Radio Society is holding its
AGM. More information from Mike, G4RNW, on 02089 500 658.

On Thursday 12 January Lowestoft & District PYE Amateur Radio Club is
holding its annual dinner. Details from Lee, 2E1LJL, on 01502 564 242.

On Thursday 12 January Reading & District Amateur Radio Club is having
a talk on police CCTV by Alison Wilkins, G8KSH. Details from Pete,
G8FRC, on 01189 695 697.

On Friday 13 January Cambridge & District Amateur Radio Club is having
at talk on a homebrew Geiger counter by Mark, M1MPW. Contact Ron,
G3KBR, on 01223 501 712.

On Friday 13 January Loughton & Epping Forest Amateur Radio Society is
having a film night. Contact Marc Litchman, G0TOC, on 02085 021 645.

On Friday 13 January Wimbledon & District Amateur Radio Society is
having a roundup of members' Christmas activities by Eric, G0KRT.
Contact Andrew Maish, G4ADM, on 02083 353 434.

On Sunday 15 January Loughton & Epping Forest Amateur Radio Society is
having its New Year's carvery dinner. Contact Marc Litchman, G0TOC, on
02085 021 645.

On Sunday 15 January Southdown Amateur Radio Society is taking part in
the CW AFS contest. Details from John, G3DQY, on 01424 424 319.

NEWS FOR THE SOUTH WEST The Cornish Amateur Radio Club has launched a
new club website at www.GX4CRC.com and can also be found on Facebook.
More information from Steven, G7VOH, on 01209 844 939.

On Monday 9 January Exeter Amateur Radio Society is having a club night
at the Moose Centre. Contact Nick, 2E0NRJ, on 01363 775 756.

On Tuesday 10 January Mid Somerset Amateur Radio Club is having a talk
on the use of FM broadcast in disaster response by Mike Adams of The
Far East Broadcasting Company. Contact Nick, M6NJB, on 01749 346 320.

On Tuesday 10 January Plymouth Radio Club is preparing for its AGM.
Details from Chris, M0ZCP, on 07834 767 161.

On Wednesday 11 January Thornbury & South Gloucestershire Amateur Radio
Club is on the air. Contact Tony, G0WMB, on 01454 417 048.

On Thursday 12 January South Bristol Amateur Radio Club is having a
talk on battery charging by Dave, G7BYN. Details from Andrew Jenner,
G7KNA, on 07838 695 471.

On Thursday 12 January Swindon & District Amateur Radio Club is
watching the FSDXA 3B7C St Brandon Island DVD. Contact Den, M0ACM, on
07810 317 750.

On Thursday 12 January Yeovil Amateur Radio Club is having a photo quiz
with M0WOB. Contact Steve Crask, G7AHP, by email to .

On Friday 13 January Torbay Amateur Radio Society is holding an
operating night. For more information contact Dave, G6FSP, by email to
.

NEWS FOR WALES On Sunday 8 January Aberystwyth & District Amateur Radio
Society is holding a junk sale. Details from Ray, GW7AGG, on 01970 611
853.

On Friday13 January Blackwood & District Amateur Radio Society is
beginning its Advanced training course. Details are on the web at
www.GW6GW.co.uk.