THE PAST WEEK
Last Wednesday was rescheduled as a Tea and Chat/On The Air night.
A brief discussion about the forthcoming club barbecue next Wednesday. The event is at Derek, G4XKF’s QTH around 7.00pm start. Please indicate if you will be attending by visiting the Doodle Poll – https://doodle.com/poll/k3m8zsw9nzqiw4a4 or email Andrew at g1vup@justshout.co.uk The club will be providing burgers, hot-dogs and soft drinks.
Pete, G4LKW announced the Lighthouses On The Air event, which takes place at Shoreham Lighthouse. All volunteers welcome between 4.00pm Friday 18th August (to setup the station) and (approx) 4.00pm Sunday 20th August (to dismantle the station). Licenced operators can either turn up on Saturday/Sunday or contact Pete, G4LKW or Pete, 2E0FVL – QTHR, to operate the special event callsign GB8SL.
Initial discussion was about progress over the club QTH, after which, Roger, 2E0TES and Jonathan, G1EXG discussed and demonstrated Roger’s new mag-loop antenna, with some really good results, which proved that mag-loops work very well when noise reduction is the aim.
After tea, Phil gave a detailed demonstration of FT8 digital transmission mode, using his Elecraft KX3 controlled by his newly acquired (el-cheapo) tablet computer.
The club’s IC7300 was in operation during the evening.
CLUB MEETINGS & EVENTS
Foundation examination at Lancing Parish Hall – Mon 14th August – 7:15pm – 8:30pm.
Club annual barbecue at Derek, G4XKF’s QTH. Details will be announced via WADARC Announce reflector – Wed 16th August – 7:00pm – 10.00pm. LPH CLOSED.
Lighthouses On The Air at Shoreham Lighthouse – Friday 18th – Sunday 20th August – See the Past Week report above for times.
Tea and Chat night, a chance to discuss anything Amateur Radio related or just socialise – Wed 23rd August – 8:00pm – 10:00pm.
2 metres Fox Hunt. Lancing Parish Hall open for those who can’t make it onto the road – Wed 30th August – 7:30pm – 10:00pm.
For further information as it occurs, please visit the WADARC website: www.wadarc.org.uk
NETS
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, 7.30am-8.00am (local)
RALLIES
August 2017
13 August 2017 Flight Refuelling ARS Hamfest
Cobham Sports & Social Club Ground, Merley, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 3DA.
Open 10:00. Admission £3.50. Free parking. Talkin S22. Car boot sale. Trade
at Indoor and outdoor pitches. Lectures. Catering with bar. Adjacent camping
available Saturday night only. Details: http://frars.org.uk/cgi-bin/render.pl?pageid=1448
27 August 2017 Milton Keynes MKARS Rally
The Irish Centre, Manor Fields, Watling Street, Bletchley, Bucks. MK2 2HX.
(Opposite Dobbie’s Garden Centre.) Entrance fee £3.00. Free parking.
Further details: https://www.mkars.org.uk
Details of other UK rallies can be found on this excellent website: http://www.g4rga.org.uk/All.html
RAGCHEW
NEW Summer 2017 edition published – http://www.wadarc.org.uk/ragchew/summer-2017-ragchew
PROPAGATION
HF:
LATEST SOLAR NEWS (Courtesy of Spaceweather News):
All space weather is calm. The next solar wind stream is expected Friday-Saturday and is expected to produce geomagnetic storms.
Solar wind is calming now and will not intensify again until the end of the week. Solar flaring is also expected to remain low.
For further info please visit: http://spaceweathernews.com/
VHF/UHF:
Predictions for today show possibilities of 2 metre contacts up to 500Km across the UK, with contacts in excess of 750Km to Northern Spain.
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
HF:
This week’s bulletin was made possible with information provided by 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.
MARKET REEF, OJ0. Martti, OH2BH and Henri, OH3JR signing OJ0BH and OJ0JR, respectively, will be QRV from August 12 to 19, using the new FT8 digital mode. They will also be active in the Worked All Europe DX Contest as well as make appearances on the traditional modes during any audible propagation.
ISRAEL, 4X. Udi, 4X6ZM and friends plan to activate the Baram National Park (Synagogue section Sn-02, Church section Ch-05, Holyland M-03-ZF, 4XFF-0005, WW Loc. KM37rb) for the HOCOTA programme on August 11. They will be QRV as 4X0B on HF using SSB and CW. QSL via 4X6ZM direct via the bureau or LoTW.
ALGERIA, 7X. Bodo, DF8DX is currently QRV as 7Y0A until August 26 from Bechar using SSB and CW. QSL via ClubLog OQRS.
ENGLAND, G. Special event station GB4RFR operates around the Flight Refueling Hamfest on August 13.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, K. K7I is the call of a special event station commemorating the birth of the first IBM-PC. They are QRV until August 14. This is one in a series of activities for marking historic milestones in air and spacecraft technology. For QSL information see www.qrz.com.
RUSSIA, UE. UE80AR draws attention to the founding of the Archangelsk Oblast 80 years ago and is QRV until the end of September. An award is available as well. QSL via RN1ON.
INDIA, VU. Madhukar, VU2MUD plans to use the call AT5M in the WAE contest from Bengaluru. QSL via VU2MUD, ClubLog.
MALTA, 9H. Oliver, DF6MS will be operating holiday-style from Gozo as 9H3BW until August 19 on 40 to 15 meters, using CW only, running a QRP rig. QSL via DF6MS.
SVALBARD, JW. Look for Volkmar, DL4AOJ signing JW/DL4AOJ on the HF bands, using SSB and CW, until August 14. QSL via home call.
MAYOTTE, FH. Heye, DJ9RR is QRV as FH/DJ9RR until August 14. Look for him using CW and RTTY on 80 to 10 meters. QSL direct or via the DARC QSL Bureau and LoTW.
FEDERAL STATES OF MICRONESIA, V6. Chusuke, JR1FKR will be operating as V63FKR while on vacation from September 27 to October 2, using SSB and RTTY on 40, 20, 17, 15, 10 and 6 meters. QSL direct only to JR1FKR.
VANUATU, YJ. Adam, K7ST will be QRV as YJ0ST from several different islands until mid October, before sailing on to Australia. QSL via EA5GL.
LIECHTENSTEIN, HB0. Tina, DL5YL and Fred, DL5YM will be QRV as HB0/home calls from September 21 to October 7. Look for them on 160 to 30 meters. Tina will be emphasizing low band activity towards JA, VK and ZL on the long path.
MAURITIUS, 3B8. Hans, PA3HGT will be QRV as 3B8/PA3HGT from September 5 to 22. Activity will be holiday style on 40, 20 and 10 meters using mainly SSB and sometimes the digital modes. QSL via his home call sign, via the Bureau, direct or LoTW.
GUINEA, 3YX. Operators Alain, F5OZC and Sebastien, F8DQZ will be active as 3XY3D from November 1 to 30. Activity will be on 40 to 10 meters using mainly CW. QSL via F5OZC, by the REF Bureau or direct.
SOUTH COOK ISLANDS, E5. Alex, F4GHS will be active as E51GHS from two of the South Cook Islands during August. He will be QRV from Aitutaki Island (OC-083) until August 16 and from Rarotonga Island (OC-013) from August 16 to 25. Activity will be holiday style on various HF bands. QSL via his home call.
LIGHTHOUSE OPERATIONS. GB0BLH will operate from Berwick Lighthouse (ILLW UK0077) from August 14 to 21, including the ILL weekend on August 19 and 20. QSL only via bureau and eQSL. Operators Moses, CM2YV, Bob, CO2KL, Amed, CO2AME and possibly others will be active as T45FM from the Faro Puta Maya Lighthouse (ILLW CU-005) during the ILL weekend. They plan to have six stations active on all bands using CW, SSB and digital modes. QSL via RW6HS, direct only.
MELLISH REEF, VK9M. Operators Dietmar, DL3DXX, Morten, LB8DC, Robert, N7QT, Brian, N9ADG, Eric, SM1ALH, Hawk, SM5AQD, Lasse, SM5GLC and David, W5XU will be active as VK9MA from November 3 to 16. They will be QRV on 160 to 10 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. They plan to have five stations on the air. QSL via N7QT, direct, via the Bureau, ClubLog’s OQRS, LoTW or eQSL.
THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO
The WAE DX Contest, CW, SKCC Weekend Sprintathon and Maryland-DC QSO Party are on tap for this weekend.
The MMMonVHF/DUBUS 144 MHz Meteorscatter Sprint is on August 11.
Please see August QST page 86, and the ARRL and WA7BNM contest web sites for details.
VHF/UHF:
All times – Local
13th August – 70 MHz Cumulatives #5 – 14.00-16.00
FINALÉ
Question: What’s the difference between a duck?
Answer: One of its legs are both the same!
Riddle: Is Mickey Mouse a cat or a dog?
73,
Alan. G4GNX
