THE PAST WEEK
Last Wednesday Chris, M0VUE setup a small buildathon to construct a transformer/balun centred for the 20 metre band. Several members made a team effort and the device was duly produced. Tests showed a good frequency plot, with a low SWR, although this took some fine adjustment of the tuning capacitor. The final device is installed in a moisture proof standard electrical box, with a choice of in and out connectors. This makes it highly portable and suitable for temporary antennas.
The bands have been variable as usual, although the club nets have had slightly better patronage. Thursday saw 6 metres open up and once more the ‘magic band’ saw a flurry of activity.
CLUB MEETINGS & EVENTS
Tea and chat/on the air night – Wed 9th August – 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm.
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.
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)
VHF NFD RESULTS
Rather than reproduce the massive amount of info here, please visit:
http://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/vhfresults.pl?Contest=VHF%20NFD&year=2017
for the full report.
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://hamfest@frars.org.uk
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:
Old sunspot AR2665, will turn back toward our planet in early August, possibly bringing a new round of geomagnetic storms and auroras. Some enhancements are likely on the lower HF bands.
10 metres may also see increased activity due to the Perseids meteor showers (see below).
VHF/UHF:
THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER IS BEGINNING: This week, Earth is entering a stream of debris from Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, source of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Specks of dusty debris hitting the top of Earth’s atmosphere faster than 110,000 mph are burning up in the night sky, producing a spray of shooting stars from the constellation Perseus. Meteor rates are relatively low now, but they will increase sharply in the nights ahead. Forecasters expect the shower to peak on Aug. 11-13 with perhaps dozens of meteors per hour visible in bright moonlight and highly enhanced propagation on 6 metres and above.
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 DL7AFS, LU4AAO, US7IGN, 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.
GEORGIA, 4L. Armen, 4L6DL, Sergo, 4L6QC, Alex, UR5EAW, Antoine, F5RAB, and Luc, F5RAV are QRV as 4L0GF near Batumi until August 13. Activity is on 160 to 10 meters using CW, SSB and various digital modes. QSL via F5RAV.
MONTENEGRO, 4O. Gianluca, IK4LZH and Teresa, IU4ICT will be QRV as 4O/home calls from August 6 to 15. Activity will be on 40 and 20 meters using only SSB. QSL via IK4LZH.
LESOTHO, 7P. Dennis, ZS4BS will be QRV as 7P8DG from Roma during the SARL HF Phone Contest. Activity in the contest is limited to 80, 40 and 20 meters. QSL to home call.
CHINA, BY. Zhao, BD7IHN is QRV as B7/BD7IHN from Hainan Island, IOTA AS-094. Activity is on the HF bands using mostly CW. His length of stay is unknown. QSL to home call.
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY, DA. Look for Babs, DL7AFS and Lot, DJ7ZG to be QRV as DK0DFF from a variety of World Flora and Fauna sites for about a week beginning August 5. Activity will be on the HF bands. QSL via bureau.
SOUTH COOK ISLANDS, E5. Alex, F4GHS will be QRV as E51GHA from Aitutaki Island, IOTA OC-083, from August 7 to 16. Activity will be holiday style on the HF bands. QSL to home call.
KERGUELEN ISLANDS, FT/X. Gildas, TU5KG is currently QRV as FT5XT. Activity is on 20 and 15 meters using SSB. QSL via F4DXW.
ENGLAND, G. Various members of the RSGB will be QRV as GB17YOTA and GB4YOTA from the summer camp at Gilwell Park from August 5 to 12 during the 7th Youngsters On The Air event. QSL via operators’ instructions.
SARDINIA, IS0. Gil, IZ2DLV is QRV as IS0/IZ2DLV from Portobello di Gallura until August 25. Activity is holiday style on 80 to 10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL direct to home call.
ALASKA, KL7. Mikhail, VE7ACN will be QRV as AL3/VE7ACN from Hinchinbrook Island, IOTA NA-042, from August 9 to 15. Activity will be on 40 to 10 meters, and possibly 160 and 80 meters, using CW and SSB. QSL to home call.
ARGENTINA, LU. Special event station LU4AAO/A will be QRV from the Argentine Federal Tiro of Buenos Aires to celebrate its anniversary on August 5 and 6. Activity will be on 80, 40 and 20 meters using CW, SSB, JT65 and FT8 at various times both days. QSL via LU4AAO.
BRAZIL, PY. Special event station ZY158CAT is QRV until August 30 to commemorate the 158 years of the city of Catalao. Activity is on 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters using CW, SSB and various digital modes. QSL direct to PP2BO.
SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS. Alex, RI1ANO has been QRV on 30 meters CW around 1900z. QSL via RN1ON.
POLAND, SP. Special event stations SN1944W and SN0MPW are QRV until October 3 to commemorate the Warsaw Uprising 73 years ago. QSL via bureau.
TURKEY, TA. Vlad, US7IGN will be QRV as TA4/US7IGN from Kargicak from August 7 to 17. Activity will be on 40 to 10 meters using CW and QRP power. This includes an entry in the upcoming Worked All Europe CW contest. QSL to home call.
COSTA RICA, TI. Bryant, KG5HVO is QRV as TI5/KG5HVO until August 8 during the Dave Kalter Memorial Youth DX Adventure. Activity is on most HF bands. QSL via operator’s instructions.
ASIATIC RUSSIA, UA0. Members of the Russian Robinson Club will be QRV as RI0LI from Bear Island, IOTA AS-022, from August 7 to 12. QSL via R7AA.
INDONESIA, YSOUTH AFRICA, ZS.B. Special event station YB72RI is QRV with ten stations as YB72RI/0 to YB72RI/9 from various locations until August 17 to celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the Republic. Activity is on all HF bands using CW, SSB and various digital modes. QSL via bureau.
ASCENSION ISLAND, ZD8. Randy, WW6RG will be QRV as ZD8RA on August 8. Activity will be on 20 meters using SSB and QRP power around 0800 to 1030z and then between 1530z to 2000z. QSL to home call.
A group of operators will be QRV as ZS9V from Robben Island, IOTA AF-064, in the Western Cape Province from August 9 to 13. Activity will be on 160 to 10 meters using CW, SSB and possibly digital modes. QSL via M0OXO.
THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO
The ARRL 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest, North American CW QSO Party, 10-10 International 10-Meter Summer SSB Contest, European HF Championship, WAB 144 MHz Low Power Phone and SARL HF Phone Contest are all on tap for this weekend.
The ARS Spartan CW Sprint is scheduled for August 8.
The CWops Mini-CWT CW Test, Phone Fray and NAQCC CW Sprint are scheduled for August 9.
Please see August 2017 QST, page 86, and the ARRL and WA7BNM contest web sites for details
VHF/UHF:
All times – Local
5th August – 4th 144 MHz Backpackers – 13.00-17.00
5th August – 144 MHz QRP Contest – 14.00-20.00
6th August – 432 MHz QRP Contest- 08.00-12.00
13th August – 70 MHz Cumulatives #5 – 14.00-16.00
FINALÉ
Another visit from ‘Mr Ofcom’ with no result! It seems that the field guys have a certain amount of time to spend on a case and despite no positive result, they are closing the case. “Don’t worry” said the man, “I won’t forget you and may be back in October”. Yeah right!!!
Having spent several thousand pounds on equipment and many hours building gear and setting up antennas, I really object to the fact that a neighbour can buy a cheap wall-wart which farts all over the bands and Ofcom are apparently powerless to get it replaced, despite my offer to buy them a new device.
Answers on a postcard please!
73,
Alan. G4GNX
