THE PAST WEEK
Last weekend saw the PW 144MHz QRP Contest. Chris, M0VUE and Andrew, G1VUP operated GB3WOR from Kithurst Hill and reported some fairly brisk business until conditions deteriorated.
Perhaps the club highlight of the week was the recent EGM to decide on the future of a club shack. Although the original proposal was defeated by secret ballot, after a vote of confidence from the attending members, the committee have decided to rent the proposed room on favourable terms, and pay the rental fee from existing club funds, for a limited period (possibly up to 1 year) to see if the shack proves to be popular. If it does not, we will terminate the rental and cut our losses. The club acceptance of the rental terms depend on us obtaining permission to erect a tower, complete with rotator and suitable antennas.
CLUB MEETINGS & EVENTS
Lecture – Botswana DXpedition, by Graham G4FNL – Wed 21st June – 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm – Not to be missed.
Practical Evening – Wed 28th June – 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm. If you have a pet project needing assistance, please contact the committee beforehand to arrange test gear etc.
Club Tea and Chat Night – Wed 5th July – A chance to have a friendly discussion about anything radio related.
Lecture – Wed 12th July – Subject to be announced. If you know of a good lecturer or are willing to give a talk yourself, please contact the committee.
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, 8.00am (local)
RALLIES
June/July 2017
17th June 2017 South Lancs ARC Summer Rally [Saturday]
Bickershaw Village Community Club, Bickershaw Lane, Bickershaw, Wigan, WN2 5TE.
Open 09:00/07:30 for traders. Entry £2.50. Trade. SIGs. B&B. On-site parking
and catering.
Details/Bookings: Jason, G0IZR, 01942 735828.
18th June 2017 30th Newbury Radio Rally
Newbury Showground, Priors Court, Hermitage, Newbury, Berks. RG18 9QZ.
Next to M4 motorway at J13.
Open 09:00 visitors/08:00 sellers. Admission £2.50 visitors/£12.50 sellers.
Free parking. Exhibits. SIGs. Amateur radio display. Clubs & societies.
On-site catering and disabled facilities available.
Contact details and discounted advance bookings via the website:
http://www.nadars.org.uk/rally.asp
25th June 2017 West of England Radio Rally
Cheese & Grain, Market Yard, Bridge Street, Frome, Somerset BA11 1BE.
Admission £3, kids free. Open 10:00 to 14:00. Free parking. Trade. RSGB books.
Café. Disabled facilities.
Details: Shaun, G8VPG, 01225-873098, http://www.westrally.org.uk
14-16 July 2017 Hamtronic Show, Friedrichshafen, Germany [Friday-Sunday]
Messe, Friedrichshafen, 88046, Germany
Open 09:00-18:00. Admission €9.00, (other ticketing formats available). SIGs. Trade.
IARU Member Societies’ stands. Lectures, some in English. Large flea market. RSGB books.
Details: http://www.hamradio-friedrichshafen.de
16 July 2017 McMichael Rally
Reading Rugby Club, Holme Park Farm Lane, Sonning Lane, Sonning-on-Thames,
Reading RG4 6ST.
Open 09:30. Entry £3. Talkin S22. Tables & car boot spaces £10. Trade. SIGs.
Catering/bar on site. No dogs allowed – venue rules (assistance dogs excepted).
Details: Andy, 07775-940016 or Min, 07715-771665 http://www.mcmichaelrally.org.uk/
Details of other UK rallies can be found on this excellent website: http://www.g4rga.org.uk/All.html
RAGCHEW
Spring 2017 edition published – http://www.wadarc.org.uk/ragchew/spring-2017-ragchew
PROPAGATION
HF:
GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH: Spewing a stream of solar wind as fast as 700 km/s (1.6 million mph), a hole in the sun’s atmosphere is turning toward Earth. Forecasters expect the stream to reach our planet on June 15th or 16th with a 40% chance of minor G1-class geomagnetic storms when it arrives. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras in the nights ahead, especially in the southern hemisphere where deepening autumn darkness favours visibility.
It’s likely that the solar stream has been affecting HF once again with some very erratic QSB and raised noise levels. Some enhancement also on 15,17 and 10 metres.
VHF/UHF:
2 metre contacts were good for the weekend PW contest, although conditions deteriorated drastically around lunch time last Sunday. Conditions seemed to pickup again on Monday evening, with strong signals from GW being heard in Shoreham. Strangely, the beacons didn’t indicate anything special, but perhaps that’s because the enhancements seemed to mainly affect signals coming from the West.
For those with beams and modest power, 2 metre auroral contacts could be favourable during the next few days.
6 metres continues to bring in good DX due to Sporadic E. Well worth a check as often as possible.
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.
BELIZE, V3. Look for David, KG5CCI to be active as V31CI from
Ambergris Caye (NA-073), from June 21 to 27, including Field Day.
Listen for him on Satellites, 6 Meters (digital and SSB) and
possibly on the HF bands. QSL direct to KG5CCI.
ISLE OF MAN, GD. John, G4SKA will be QRV as GD4SKA on the HF bands
using RTTY and JT65 from June 29 to July 9. QSL via M0OXO (OQRS) or
direct to his postal address.
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, V2. Tim, VE6SH will be QRV from July 23 to
August 7 as V29SH. Listen for his vacation style operation mostly
on 30 and 17 meters. QSL via VE6SH and LoTW.
SINT MAARTEN, PJ7. K9UK, KK9N, W9AEB, W9KXQ and W9DR will be QRV as
PJ7/home calls, until June 28. Listen for them on 80 through 10
meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. They will also be on 6 meters as
PJ7/W9DR. QSL via home calls.
ALBANIA, ZA. Roumen, LZ4IR is QRV as ZA1IR. Look for him on 40 and
20 meters using PSK-31, JT65, RTTY, SSB and CW. QSL direct only.
GREECE, SV. Dave, SV8/GM0LVI/p will be operating holiday style from
June 16 to July 6 and August 31 to September 19. He will be QRP.
QSL direct or bureau to GM0LVI.
PALAU, T8. Ops T88FM (JM1LIG), T88HY (JL1HYH), T88MK (JO3LVG),
T88NC (JI6NCY), T88RR (JA6UBY) and T88VV (JH6DUL) will be active
from June 16 to 23. Look for them on HF and 6 meters using CW, SSB
and RTTY. QSL direct only, to the individual home call of the ones
you work.
POLAND, SN. SN0RX will be an entry in the IOTA Contest July 29 and
30, with DJ0IF operating from EU-132, Wollin Island. QSL via
SP8BXL.
AZERBAIJAN, 4J. Alex, 4J3DJ is active as 4JF1EU until June 25.
This is a special call sign being used to celebrate the running of
Formula 1 Grand Prix in Baku, June 23 to 25. QSL direct only to
4J3DJ.
SOUTH COOK ISLANDS, E5. Shirley, VK5YL will be active as E51XYL
from Rarotonga (OC-013) from June 10 to 17. Activity will be on 20
meter SSB. QSL via VK5YL.
LIECHTENSTEIN, HB0. Operators Janusz, SP9FIH, Bogdan, SP2FUD and
Zenon, SP2GCJ will be active as HB0/home calls until June 24.
Activity will be on 40 to 6 meters using CW, SSB and digital modes.
QSLs will be available via ClubLog.
EASTERN KIRIBATI, T32. Ken, KH6QJ will be QRV as T32AZ from June 28
to July 4. Activity will be on 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters using
SSB. He will also be in the RAC Canada Day Contest on July 1. QSL
via his home call sign, direct or by the bureau.
CORSICA, TK. Operators Alex, IZ5CMI and Alex, IW5ELA will be active
as TK/IZ5CMI from June 18 to 24. Activity will be holiday style on
40 to 10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL via IZ5CMI, direct or by the
bureau.
THAILAND, E2. E2HQ will be on 6 meters until July 17, including the
CQWW VHF Contest. The national association, RAST, got special
permission to operate on the 6 meter band.
CRETE, SV9. Mike, SV9/YO9GVW will operate from his hotel until June
23. This is IOTA EU-015. QSL to home call.
FRANZ JOSEF LAND, RI1. Eugene, UA4RX will be active as RI1FJ from
Heiss Island (EU-019) starting sometime in July until August 2017.
Activity will be on 160 to 10 meters using CW, SSB and digital
modes. QSL via UA2FM, direct, ClubLog’s OQRS or LoTW.
THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO. The All Asian DX Contest, CW, SMIRK
Contest, Ukrainian DX Classic RTTY Contest, ARR BPSK63 Contest, AGCW
VHF/UHF Contest, IARU Region 1 50 MHz Contest, Stew Perry Topband
Challenge, West Virginia QSO Party, Feld Hell Sprint, WAB 50 MHz
Phone, Kid’s Day Contest are all on tap for this weekend. The Run
for the Bacon QRP Contest is June 19. Please see June 2017 QST,
page 87 and the ARRL and WA7BNM Contest web sites for details.
VHF/UHF:
17th/18th June – 50 MHz Trophy Contest – 14.00-14.00 (Local)
22nd June – 70 MHz UKAC Contest – 20.00-22.30 (Local)
25th June – 70 MHz Cumulatives #4 – 14.00-16.00 (Local)
25th June – 50 MHz CW Contest – 09.00-12.00 (Local)
1st/2nd July – VHF NFD – 14.00-14.00 (Local)
FINALÉ
Mr Ofcom has paid a 2nd visit to ‘GNX Towers and thinks he’s found the source of the local QRM. It appears to be from a neighbouring building and is possibly a very nasty wall wart. Gaining access to it with a view to replacement may be more difficult than actually finding it. Watch this space…………….
73,
Alan. G4GNX
