WADARC meets at – Lions Hall, 21 Roberts Road, Lancing. BN15 8AR.
THE PAST WEEK
Andy, M6RFE continues to progress, but his condition is more serious than we initally thought so his stay in hospital will be longer than first predicted.
Last Wednesday’s meeting was a Tea and Chat, with some lively and friendly discussion amongst those present.
If you want to know more about plastics and other aspects of Normans (M0EBI) work, we made two films a few years ago so do please check these out:
Jonathan Hare talks to Professor Norman Billingham about his life in science:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwL-naxxlW8&feature=youtu.be
Is there life in your PC?:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5gb4x7gMb0&feature=youtu.be
** Brian Spiby talk is next week “I was a cold war spy” **
CLUB MEETINGS & EVENTS
Talk – I was a cold war spy – Brian Spiby – Wednesday 11th April – 8.00pm-10.00pm
Tea and chat night – Lions Hall, Lancing – Wednesday 18th April – 8.00pm-10.00pm
Outside event – Bring Radios/Antennas – Meet at Mill Hill, Shoreham – 2nd Car Park – Wednesday 25th April – 7.30pm-9.30pm – Lions Hall will be closed!
Talk on Algeria trip – Chris, M0VUE – Lions Hall, Lancing – Wednesday 2nd May – 8.00pm-10.00pm
Moon Bounce talk – Lions Hall, Lancing – Wednesday 9th May – 8.00pm-10.00pm (see WADARC web site for details)
For further information as it occurs, please visit the WADARC website: www.wadarc.org.uk
NETS
Monday – 2 metres 145.425 MHz, FM, 7.30pm (local)
Thursday – 40 metres 7.106 MHz +/-QRM, SSB, 11.00am (local)
Saturday – 70 cms on GB3WO, 7.00pm (local)
Sunday – 80 metres 3.712 MHz +/- QRM, SSB, 7.30am-8.00am (local)
RALLIES
15 April 2018 Yeovil ARC QRP Convention
Digby Hall, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3AA.
Admission £3. Open 09:30 to 15:00. Regrettably only guide dogs can be admitted.
Traders. B&B. Club stands. Talks programme (see website). Trader bookings via
the website. Supported by RSGB, RAFARS & BYLARA.
Details: http://yeovil-arc.com/QRPconvention.php
15 April 2018 West London Radio & Electronics Show
Kempton Park Racecourse, Staines Road East, Sunbury on Thames, TW16 5AQ.
Open 10:00/09:50. Talkin. Free on-site parking. Trade. B&B. SIGs. Lectures.
Raffle. On-site catering.
Details: Paul, M0CJX, 0845-165-0351, info@radiofairs.co.uk http://www.radiofairs.co.uk
29 April 2018 Exeter Radio & Electronics Rally [Rescheduled from 4 March]
America Hall, De La Rue Way Pinhoe, Exeter, EX4 8PW.
Open 10:30/10:15 disabled & B&B bookin – may open earlier in inclement weather.
Admission £2. Trade. B&B. Catering.
Details: Pete, G3ZVI, 07714-198374, g3zvi@yahoo.co.uk
Details of other UK rallies can be found on this excellent website: http://www.g4rga.org.uk/All.html
RAGCHEW
Winter 2017 edition published – http://www.wadarc.org.uk/ragchew/winter-201718
PROPAGATION
Propagation News – 1 April 2018
rsgb | March 29, 2018
As we move into April 2018 it is time to think about updating the latest smoothed sunspot number if you are using a VOACAP-based propagation prediction program.
There are a number of different methods used to smooth or average sunspot numbers, but VOACAP recommends the adjusted SSN from the Solar Influences Data Centre in Belgium. So we’ll settle for an SSN of eight. This tells us that solar activity is very low and the predicted solar flux index of 68-70 for this week basically says we are likely to continue to have no sunspots at all. But that doesn’t mean we will have no HF propagation. We can expect to see daytime openings up to 18MHz, with occasional openings on 21MHz as well. It is a little too early for the main sporadic E season, so openings on 12 metres and 10 metres will be few and far between, but not impossible. This time of year does favour north-south paths for F2 layer openings on the higher bands so do check 12 and 10 metres.
The good news is that the NOAA longer-term forecast for next week is for quieter geomagnetic conditions. This often involves crystal ball gazing as the Solar Dynamics Observatory cannot see around the edge of the Sun, but quieter geomagnetic conditions, shown by lower K-indices, could spell better conditions on the HF bands.
Eighty metres remains a mainly night time band and 40 metres may provide 24 hour contacts, with longer paths opening up after dark. It might also be a good time to try a new mode such as FT8, which is getting rave reviews for its ability to secure DX contacts with low power and compromise antennas.
VHF and up
This week is a rather long range tropo forecast due to the Easter break and this week’s GB2RS deadline having been brought forward.
In the run up to Easter, it’s been very unsettled again, so there is little chance of enhanced tropo. There will be periods of wet and windy weather and some risk of snow in the north. This Easter weekend there is a hint of a weak high developing over Scotland, which will transfer east over the North Sea. The end result is that the UK is still under low pressure with rain or April showers and early signs that there may be more significant low developing towards the following weekend with a chance of severe gales. It’s a long way off, but it is a flag to check the forecasts carefully as we get closer. In the odd quieter days beforehand, it may be worth checking those mast guys before the end of the second week.
So what modes are options? You can try rain scatter on the microwave bands from April showers, sporadic E on 10m and 6m, especially on weak signal digital modes at the end of next week as strong jet streams arrive, but sadly no strong signal for tropo.
Moon declination is negative again and at minimum next Saturday. Apogee is only seven days away so losses are high and increasing and moon windows are shortening.
Beacons often heard in our area:
VHF:
GB3WSX – IO80QW – 70.007 MHz
GB3BAA – IO91PS – 70.016 MHz
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
DX NEWS
This week’s bulletin was made possible with information provided by
UR4NWW, The Daily DX, the OPDX Bulletin, 425 DX News, DXNL, Contest
Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites.
Thanks to all.
AGALEGA AND ST. BRANDON ISLANDS, 3B6,7. A large group of operators
are QRV as 3B7A from Saint Brandon Island, IOTA AF-015, until April
17. Activity is on the HF bands with five stations active using CW,
SSB and RTTY. QSL via F5CWU.
KENYA, 5Z. Kees, 5Z4ZC is QRV on 40 to 10 meters using PSK31, JT65
and FT8. QSL via PA3CPK.
CROATIA, 9A. Dusan, S52DG will be QRV as 9A/S52DG/p from Krk
Island, IOTA EU-136, from April 12 to 15. Activity will be holiday
style on 80 to 10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL to home call.
BHUTAN, A5. Zorro, JH1AJT, Jin, JF1IST and Champ, E21EIC are QRV as
A5A until April 11 while meeting with an official from the ministry
of health, sports federations and the BOC National Olympic
Committee. Activity is on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB and FT8.
QSL via JH1AJT.
THE GAMBIA, C5. C5WP is QRV until April 13 while performing charity
work. Activity is in his spare time on the HF bands using SSB and
FT8, with some activity on 60 meters a well, and listening for
sporadic-E openings on 10 meters. QSL via ON7WP.
CAPE VERDE, D4. Mike, CT1IUA is QRV as D4IA from Sal Island, IOTA
AF-086, until April 9. Activity is on the various HF bands using
mostly CW. QSL to home call.
LIECHTENSTEIN, HB0. Operators PA2HGJ, PA2RDK, PA3CNO, PA3DRF,
PE0MGB and PE1FLO will be QRV as HB0/home calls from April 7 to 14.
Activity will be on 160 to 10 meters using mostly CW with some SSB
and various digital modes. QSL all calls via PE1FLO.
OGASAWARA, JD1. JN2AMD is QRV as JN2AMD/JD1. His length of stay is
unknown. QSL to home call.
SABA, ST. EUSTATIUS, PJ5/6. Rick, AI5P will be QRV as PJ5/AI5P from
April 9 to 16. Activity will be on the HF bands. QSL to home call.
FRANZ JOSEF LAND, R1/F. Eugeny, UA4RX is QRV as RI1FJ from Heiss
Island until September 2018. Activity is generally on 160 to 10
meters using CW, SSB and various digital modes. QSL via UA2FM.
SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE, S9. Helio, CT1ENW is QRV as S92HP from Sao
Tome City, and is here until January 31, 2019. Activity is on the
HF bands, and 6 meters, using CW, SSB and various digital modes.
QSL to home call.
TUVALU, T2. Antoine, 3D2AG will be QRV as T2AR from Funafuti, IOTA
OC-015, from April 8 to 15. Activity will be in his spare time on
160 to 10 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY, JT65 and FT8. QSL to home
call.
EUROPEAN RUSSIA, UA. Special event stations UE57G, UE12APR, R12APR,
and R108M are QRV until April 15 to commemorate Yuri Gagarin’s first
flight. QSL UE12APR and R12APR via R3LO, R108M via RK3LC, and UE57G
via R3LD.
UKRAINE, UR. Special event call EM30N is QRV until December 31,
2018 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the International
Radioamateur Club WW. QSL via UR4NWW.
AUSTRALIA, VK. Andy, VK5MAV will be QRV as VK5MAV/9 from Cato Reef,
IOTA OC-265, from April 9 to 18. QSL via RN3RQ.
THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO. The North American SSB Sprint Contest,
NCCC RTTY Sprint, NCCC CW Sprint, LZ Open 40-Meter CW Sprint
Contest, PODXS 070 Club 20-Meter PSK 31 Flavors Contest, SARL
VHF/UHF Digital Contest, SKCC Weekend CW Sprintathon, Mississippi
QSO Party, Missouri QSO Party, Texas State Parks on the Air, Florida
State Parks on the Air, SP DX Contest and the EA RTTY Contest are
all on tap for this upcoming weekend.
The 144 MHz Spring Sprint and 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday
Sprint are scheduled for April 9.
The CWops Mini-CWT CW Test, RSGB 80-Meter Club SSB Championship,
Phone Fray and NAQCC CW Sprint are scheduled for April 11.
The ARRL International Grid Chase runs during all of 2018.
Please see April QST, page 84, and the ARRL and WA7BNM Contest Web
Sites for details.
VHF/UHF:
10th April – 432MHz FMAC – 19.00-20.00
10th April – 432MHz UKAC – 20.00-22.30
12th April – 50MHz FMAC – 19.00-20.00
12th April – 50MHz UKAC – 20.00-22.30
15th April – 1st 50MHz Contest – 09.00-12.00
19th April – 70MHz FMAC – 19.00-20.00
19th April – 70MHz UKAC – 20.00-22.30
21st/22nd April – 1st MGM Contest – 14.00-14.00
