Amateur radio in West Sussex - Training, Exams, Contests and Special Event Stations

WEEKLY BULLETIN – May 1 2017

Hello,

As you know we are operating a rota for the weekly bulletin until a volunteer can be found on a full-time basis.  If anyone wants to take on the role to produce the bulletin please let the committee know. You can probably tell due to it being 3 days late, I’m not always around.  My apologies for being tardy.  Anyway, here we go warts and all. If you don’t make it to the end of this update.

73, Chris, M0VUE

P.S. It would be nice if you tough it out.

THE PAST WEEK

The club meeting was held as per normal on the 26th unfortunately I was not there (in Canada) and therefore I do not know how the antenna building workshop went.  I can only assume it was an awesome outstanding success and the club’s new antenna analyser made a brief and startling appearance and was beheld by everyone.  I’m personally looking forward to seeing what was built and what will be used at the 70cm DF hunt.

One thing that did happen last week was Graham G4FNL setup shop in Botswana as A25UK for a DX expedition   This week 20m and 15m propagation has not been too bad and he has been possible to reach on 100w SSB.  I hope you have been keeping an ear open for him.  Also, the Kempton rally took place, some of us went, and bargains were to be had.

CLUB MEETINGS & EVENTS

Tea and Chat Evening – Wed 3rd May – 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Breakfast is on Sunday the 7th at the Britannia Harvester Lancing, 9am

Lecture (Subject TBA, any clues yet?) – Wed 10th May – 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Practical Evening/Workshop Demo (still not agenda for this one) – Wed 17th May – 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Meal and Social Gathering – The Old Tollgate, Bramber West Sussex – Wed 24th May – 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm – NOTE: NO MEETING AT LANCING THIS WEEK. You must reserve a place at the Tollgate by contacting Alastair, M0OAL and paying £7.50 deposit (per person). Please do this early to avoid disappointment.

Mills on the air, 13th and 14th May operating as GB0HSM from High Salvington Windmill 9am to 5pm.  A good opportunity to get some Mills in the log if your not attending.

RAGCHEW

We need more articles from members, even if you think what you have to offer is completely un-interesting please submit it.  You will be surprised how often what people think is mundane is interesting.  Spring 2017 edition has been published – www.wadarc.org.uk/ragchew/spring-2017-ragchew  Please can we have some more articles.

WHINGE CORNER

Why do cyclists always stop on the entrance and exits to roundabouts these days?  It’s very dangerous and annoying.

Why do Italians on 20m when told not to call when I’m having a chat with someone in Oman?

PROPAGATION ON HF

Well it is what is it now with the SFU still heading down and not due to pick up on average for a few years we will have to put up with the following forecast for the next week;

#UTC                     Radio Flux           Planetary             Largest

#Date                    10.7 cm                A Index                Kp Index

2017 May 01              77                           12                           4

2017 May 02              75                           8                             3

2017 May 03              75                           12                           4

2017 May 04              73                           12                           4

2017 May 05              75                           8                             3

2017 May 06              75                           8                             3

2017 May 07              75                           5                             2

2017 May 08              75                           8                             3

I’ve noticed a lot of people on the nets are getting QRM and QRN mixed up when discussing conditions on the 40 & 80 meter nets and complaining about the conditions.  I can always hear you all from my home QTH so the QRN is often not that bad and propagation is ok, it’s your local QRM that’s the issue.  So “top tip” it might be worth investing some time into your reception antennas and not into expensive radios.

 

Lastly, Inter G is not working well now (due to Brexit no doubt) and probably won’t for a few months; however, this does not mean you must give up on the club nets.  VHF & UHF should be ok give them a go even if it is little wavelengths that do not require 100m of copper wire. You could also try to build an NVIS antenna.

PROPAGATION VHF UHF

Alan G4GNX published a useful list of beacons last week, see below.  I would strongly recommend having a listen to them on each for the frequencies you propose to use with 2m and 70cm, when there is a list it can be amazing just how far you can get under good random conditions VHF and UHF can provide from nowhere.  Again, the list is;

 

VHF:

F1ZXK – JN18KF – 144.438 MHz

F5ZSF – IN88GS – 144.409 MHz

GB3VHF – JO01EH – 144.430 MHz

ON0VHF – JO20HP – 144.418 MHz

 

UHF:

F5XBA – JN18KF – 432.830 MHz

GB3UHF – JO01EH – 432.430 MHz

ON0UHF – JO20ET – 432.567 MHz

CLUB NETS

For those of you who can’t find the net times and frequencies on the website here they are.

 

 Monday – 2metres 145.425 MHz, FM, 7.30pm (local)

Thursday – 40metres 7.106 MHz +/-QRM, SSB, 11.00am (local)

Saturday – 70cms on GB3WO, 7.00pm (local)

 

Sunday – 80metres 3.712 MHz +/- QRM, SSB, 8.00am (local)

DX News (RLD017 DX news)

This week’s bulletin was made possible with information provided by KZ3AB, PY4NY, W3UR, QRZ DX, the OPDX Bulletin, 425 DX News, The Daily DX, DXNL, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites.  Thanks to all.

VIET NAM, 3W.  Peter, DF7DQ will be QRV as 3W9DQ from South Viet Nam from May 1 to 10.  Activity will be holiday style on 40 to 10 meters using mostly CW with some digital modes.  QSL to home call.  In addition, Yuri, RM0F will be QRV as 3W9FU from Nha Trang while on vacation from May 1 to 10.  Activity will be holiday style on 40 to 10 meters using CW, SSB and various digital modes.  He also plans to be active as 3W9FU/p from IOTA AS-157 for two to three days.  QSL to home call.

MALDIVES, 8Q.  Jim, G3VDB is QRV as 8Q7EJ until May 7.  Activity is on 30, 20 and 17 meters using mostly CW with some SSB, PSK and RTTY.

QSL via OQRS.

WEST MALAYSIA, 9M2.  Luca, IK2PFL will be QRV as 9M2/IK2PFL from Perhentian Besar, IOTA AS-073, from May 1 to 8.  Activity will be holiday style on the HF bands.  QSL to home call.

EAST MALAYSIA, 9M8.  A group of operators will be QRV as 9M8RC from Satang Besar, IOTA OC-165, from April 29 to May 1.  Activity will be on 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters.  QSL via 9W8KIF.

 

BOTSWANA, A2.  A group of operators are QRV as A25UK until May 6. Activity is on the low bands with an emphasis using RTTY.  QSL via M0OXO.

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY (DX Really?), DA.  Members of the DARC club Pfronten Fuessen will be QRV with special callsign DL60TELF from May 1 to April 30, 2018 to celebrates its 60th anniversary.  QSL via bureau,

SOUTH COOK ISLANDS, E5.  Doug, W6HB and Bruce, AD7MM will be QRV as E51DLD and E51BAS, respectively, from Rarotonga Island, IOTA OC-013, from April 30 to May 12.  Activity will be on 160 to 10 meters using SSB.  QSL direct to home calls.

MARQUESAS ISLAND, FO.  Max, IZ2ZTQ will be QRV as FO/IZ2ZTQ from Fatu Hiva, IOTA OC-027, beginning May 1.  Activity will be on 40 to 15 meters using SSB, RTTY, PSK and JT65 using solar panels and a wind generator.  He will be active from other islands as well.  QSL direct to home call.

JAPAN, JA.  Special event stations 8J4VLP, 8J6VLP, 8J8VLP and 8J9VLP are QRV until June 30 to commemorate World QRP Day on June 17.  All these stations will be active on the HF bands using 5 watts.  QSL all calls via bureau.

OGASAWARA, JD1.  Hiroyuki, JG7PSJ will be QRV as JD1BMH from Chichi Jima from April 30 to May 5.  Activity will be on 40 to 10 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY.  QSL to home call.

GREENLAND, OX.  Michael, 5P1KZX is QRV as OX/5P1KZX from Nuuk until May 5.  Activity is on 80 to 10 meters using various digital modes. QSL to home call.

FERNANDO DE NORONHA, PY0F.  Jan, PY4NY will be QRV as PY0NY from May 5 to 15 to celebrate the 65 years after the creation of the Smoke Squadron, the Brazilian Air Force’s Official Squadron.  Activity will be on the HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY and various digital modes.  QSL to home call.

SEYCHELLES, S7.  Ivan, LZ1PJ will be QRV as S79J from Mahe, IOTA AF-024, from May 2 to 10.  Activity will be on the HF bands and 6 meters using only CW.  He welcomes calls from SKCC members.  QSL to home call.

POLAND, SP.  Special event station SN74GETTO is QRV until May 16 to commemorate the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. QSL direct to SP5PDB.

CRETE, SV9.  Seppo, OH1VR is QRV as SV9/OH1VR until May 3.  Activity is on 80 to 10 meters using only CW.  QSL direct to home call.

LORD HOWE ISLAND, VK9L.  Christoph, DL1YAF plans to be QRV as DL1YAF/VK9L from May 1 to 8.  Activity will be holiday style on 80 to 10 meters using CW and SSB.  QSL to home call.

CAYMAN ISLANDS, ZF.  Al, KZ3AB and Tony, W1FHN will be QRV as ZF2AB from April 29 to May 6.  Activity will be holiday style on 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters using SSB.  QSL via WA3EOP.

CALLSIGN CORRECTION.  As reported in DX news ARLD016, Denis, F8DAK is QRV as TZ8TM, NOT TZ6BB, for 18 months.  QSL via W3HNK.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO.  The 10-10 International Digital Spring Contest, NCCC RTTY Sprint, NCCC CW Sprint, Feld Hell Sprint, Helvetia Contest and Florida QSO Party are all on tap for this upcoming weekend.

The RSGB 80-Meter Club SSB Championship and AGCW QRP/QRP CW Party are scheduled for May 1.

The ARS Spartan CW Sprint is scheduled for May 2.

The MIE 33 Contest, 432 MHz Spring Sprint, Phone Fray and CWops

Mini-CWT CW Test are scheduled for May 3.

Please see April QST, page 92, May QST, page 87, and the ARRL.

 

RALLIES

6th May – Southern Electronics and Radio Fair – Eastbourne Radio Rally. – CANCELLED

19th – 21st May – DAYTON HAMVENTION – Greene County Fair and Exposition Center, Xenia, Dayton, Ohio, USA. Doors open 8.00am. Details: www.hamvention.org

21st May – DUNSTABLE DOWNS RC ANNUAL NATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO CAR BOOT SALE – Stockwood Park, London Road, Luton, LU1 4LX. Admission £3.

Details of other UK rallies can be found on this excellent website: http://www.g4rga.org.uk/All.html

RSGB VHF/UHF Contest:

 

2nd May – 144 MHz UKAC Contest – 20.00-22.30 (Local)

9th May – 432 MHz UKAC Contest – 20.00-22.30 (Local)

11th May – 50 MHz UKAC Contest – 20.00-22.30 (Local)

18th May – 70 MHz UKAC Contest – 20.00-22.30 (Local)