THE PAST WEEK
Last Wednesday’s meeting was a quiz night with a different format this time, presented on the large screen and very successful. Thanks to Bob, G3VXJ and Phil, G3UDU for compiling and running it.
Progress is still being made on the new QTH for WADARC. The Lions Hall committee meets on Monday and we will try to finalise the main details, ASAP after that.
CLUB MEETINGS & EVENTS
Tea and Chat night – Wednesday 6th December – 8.00pm-10.00pm
Christmas Party and Annual Awards – Wednesday 13th December – 7.30pm at the Old Tollgate, Bramber – Note: LPH CLOSED.
Discussion, what is the future for WADARC – Wednesday 20th December – 8.00pm – 10.00pm
Annual traditional Christmas morning net on 145.525 MHz/S21/V38 Simplex – 10.00am – 12.00pm
Multi Band Nets on the air from home – See the website for updated details – 8.00pm – 9.30pm – Note: LPH CLOSED.
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
2 December 2017 ML&S Annual Hog Roast [Saturday]
ML&S, Wessex House, Drake Ave, Staines, Middx. TW18 2AP.
08:00 until 16:00. Attended by reps from Icom, Yaesu, Kenwood, BHi, SDR Play, RSGB and more.
Details: 01932-567333, http://www.hamradio.co.uk
29 December 2017 Yeovil ARC Tabletop Rally [Friday]
Sparkford Village Hall, Church Road, Sparkford, Somerset BA22 7JN.
Open 10:00 to 15:00. Admission £3. Free parking. Light refreshments.
Details: Bob, 01963-440167, wjh069@gmail.com
Details of other UK rallies can be found on this excellent website: http://www.g4rga.org.uk/All.html
RAGCHEW
Autumn 2017 edition published – http://www.wadarc.org.uk/ragchew/autumn-2017-ragchew
PROPAGATION
HF:
LATEST SOLAR NEWS (Courtesy of Spaceweather News):
(Nov 28th A minor solar wind intensification has occurred due to the departing coronal hole. Eruptive potential begins to depart with it as we expect a calmer 48 hours on our star for the middle of the week.
(Nov 29th Solar wind is calming and solar flaring remains low. The next coronal hole stream is not due until the weekend but a small, weak CME may impact earth today from the filament eruption center-disk 3 days ago.
For further info please visit: http://spaceweathernews.com/
Morning propagation on 40 metres has been sporadic and directional. Conditions have changed in a matter of tens of seconds.
VHF/UHF:
Conditions in our area have been poor, with beacons sitting just above the noise. There may be minor improvements over the weekend, but nothing remarkable is expected.
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 JA2JWH, OH2GIL, OH9MM, the OPDX Bulletin, 425 DX News, DXNL, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites. Thanks to all.
RODRIGUES ISLAND, 3B9. Olof, G0CKV is QRV as 3B9HA until December 12. Activity is holiday style on the HF bands using CW and possibly FT8. QSL to M0OXO.
MAURITANIA, 5T. Operators Ahmad, 9K2AI, Obaid, A61M and Fawaz, A92AA are QRV as 5T5TI from Tida Island, IOTA AF-050, until December 7. Activity is on 80 to 10 meters using CW, SSB and various digital modes. QSL direct to NI5DX.
SAMOA, 5W. Katsu, JA1DXA will be QRV as 5W0DXA from December 2 to 6. Activity will be on the HF bands using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL direct to JA1DXA.
MALAWI, 7Q. Shin, JA7SGV is QRV as 7Q7AB until December 2.
Activity is on 40 to 15 meters. QSL to home call.
MALTA, 9H. Kjell, SM6DQR and Kathrine, SM6AAF are QRV as 9H3DQR and 9H3AAF, respectively, from Gharb, Gozo Island until December 11. Activity is on 160 to 10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL both calls via SM6DQR.
WEST MALAYSIA, 9M2. Rich, PA0RRS is QRV as 9M2MRS from Penang Island, IOTA AS-015, until January 31, 2018. Activity is on 40 to 10 meters using CW, SSB and PSK. QSL to home call.
THE GAMBIA, C5. Andre, ON7YK is QRV as C5YK from Bijilo until January 30, 2018. Activity is on 40 to 6 meters using FT8 and some CW. QSL to home call.
BAHAMAS, C6. Operators Tomi, HA7RY, George, AA7JV and Mike, KN4EEI are QRV as C6AGU from Water Cay, IOTA NA-001, until December 3. Activity is on 160 to 10 meters using mostly CW and some SSB. This includes being an entry in the ARRL 160 Meter contest. QSL via HA7RY.
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, HC8. A group of operators are QRV as HC8LUT from San Cristobal Island, IOTA SA-004, until December 8. Activity is on 160 to 10 meters using all modes. QSL via IK2DUW.
SVALBARD, JW. Erik, LA2US is QRV as JW2US from Bear Island, IOTA EU-027, until June 2018. Activity is in his spare time on the HF bands using CW, RTTY, PSK and FT8. QSL to home call.
GUAM, KH2. Operators JA2JWH, JA2QNV and JE1JAC will be QRV as KH2/K2IO, KH2/W2VR and KH2/AC2CX, respectively, on December 2 and 3. Activity will be on 40 to 6 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY, JT65 and FT8. QSL to home calls.
LUXEMBOURG, LX. Members of the Luxembourg Amateur Radio Union are QRV as LX2017TRAM from Luxembourg City during December to welcome their new tramway. QSL via bureau.
FINLAND, OH. Members of radio club OH2AP will be QRV as OH100FIN on December 6 to celebrate the 100th year of Finland’s independence. Activity will be on the HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY and other digital modes. QSL via bureau.
FINLAND, OH. The traditional Santa Claus Land station OH9SCL will be QRV during December from Finnish Lapland. Activity will be mainly on 160 to 10 meters using all modes, including FT8. QSL via OH9AB.
BONAIRE, PJ4. Mike, NA9Q plans to be QRV as PJ4/NA9Q from December 2 to 10. Activity will be holiday style on the HF bands using CW, SSB and FT8. This includes being an entry in the upcoming ARRL 10 Meter contest. QSL to home call.
NAMIBIA, V5. Ulmar, DK1CE is QRV as V5/DK1CE until December 15. Activity is on 80 to 10 meters using CW. QSL to home call.
CANADA, VE. Special event station CK100VDA will be QRV from December 2 to 10 to commemorate the December 6, 1917 explosion of the French munitions ship Mont Blanc. QSL direct to VA1YL.
LAOS, XW. Ken, K4ZW will be QRV as XW4ZW from December 3 to 8. Activity will be on the HF bands with a focus on the low bands. QSL via K1SE.
CAYMAN ISLANDS, ZF. Stan, K5GO is QRV as ZF9CW from Cayman Brac Island, IOTA NA-016, until December 16. Activity is on the HF bands. QSL direct to home call.
THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO
The ARRL 160-Meter Contest, NCCC RTTY Sprint, QRP 80-Meter CW Fox Hunt, Brandenburg-Berlin-Contest, NCCC CW Sprint, Wake-Up. QRP CW Sprint, TOPS Activity CW Contest, EPC Ukraine DX BPSK63 Contest, Ten-Meter RTTY Contest and SARL Digital Contest are all on tap for this upcoming weekend.
The ARS Spartan CW Sprint is scheduled for December 5. The CWops Mini-CWT CW Test, Phone Fray and QRP 40-Meter CW Fox Hunt are scheduled for December 6.
Please see December QST, page 73, and the ARRL and WA7BNM contest web sites for details
VHF/UHF:
All times – Local
3rd December – 144MHz Affiliated Societies Contest – 10.00-16.00
26th – 29th December – 50/70/144/432MHz Christmas Cumulatives Contest – 14.00-16.00
FINALÉ
Scammers have targeted RSM radio users and licence holders in New Zealand, on social media
RSM has been made aware that a scammer is using a Facebook account claiming to work for New Zealand’s Radio Spectrum Management and asking for personal information from licence holders and radio users.
Radio Spectrum Management would never contact radio users or licence holders on social media asking for their personal and financial details, IRD numbers or password. In this case, personal information and meetings have been requested.
Although this doesn’t directly affect UK Amateurs, it could happen to you, so please be aware.
73,
Alan. G4GNX
