THE PAST WEEK
Last Wednesday, Ron – G3SKI gave a very informative talk on his dealings with the opening of the IBA (Independent Television) in the 1950s. Unfortunately the event wasn’t especially well attended, so those who weren’t there missed one of the best lectures of the year. Ron, at the age of 94+ continues to amaze with his wealth of knowledge.
Next week is our annual Construction Contest. Please think about bringing along an item that you’ve made. It can be anything radio related and it’s OK if you’ve entered it in a previous contest.
We’ve discovered that there’s a serving hatch area in the Jubilee Hall, which can be used as a temporary shack on club nights. It has shutters that can be pulled down, which will isolate the area from noise in the rest of the hall. Although this is unlikely to be a permanent arrangement for a club shack, it’s a start!
We’re also finding that although the big screen is easier to see and requires no setup, we may think about using the WADARC screen in the bar area in future, because the acoustic is far less ‘lively’.
CLUB MEETINGS & EVENTS
- Intermediate Training – email training@wadarc.org.uk to book – Sat 16th – Sun 17th September – 9:00 am – 5:30 pm.
- Intermediate Exam – Monday 18th September – 7.15pm – 9.00pm.
- Construction Competition – Wednesday 20th September – 8.00pm – 10.00pm.
- Setting Up Your Laptop for Digital Modes, talk – Wednesday 27th September – 8.00pm – 10.00pm.
- AGM and after meeting chat – Wednesday 4th October – 8.00pm sharp.
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
September 2017
17 September 2017 Weston-Super-Mare Rally The Campus, Highlands Lane, Weston-Super-Mare, BS24 7DX. Open 10:00. Admission £3. Large car park. B&B. Trade. Auction. Lectures. Family amusements, competitions & contests, interactive displays and fun activities. On-site catering. Details: 01278-786684, mjones129@btinternet.com http://www.G4WSM.club
29 & 30 September 2017 National Hamfest [Friday & Saturday] Newark & Nottinghamshire Showground, Lincoln Road, Winthorpe, Newark, Notts. NG24 2NY. Trade. B&B. Free parking. Disabled facilities. SIGs. Car boot sale. Flea market. RSGB books. Morse tests. Catering.
Details: http://www.nationalhamfest.org.uk
Details of other UK rallies can be found on this excellent website:
http://www.g4rga.org.uk/All.html
RAGCHEW
Summer 2017 edition published – http://www.wadarc.org.uk/ragchew/summer-2017-ragchew
PROPAGATION
HF:
LATEST SOLAR NEWS (Courtesy of Spaceweather News):
(Sep 14 1831UTC) The northern coronal hole has impacted earth’s magnetic field. A Level 2 geomagnetic storm storm is underway. Aurorae are likely tonight!
(Sep 13 1136UTC) The faint edge of the CME shockwave from the X8 solar flare impacted earth yesterday. Since the bulk mass of the CME missed earth only a low-level geomagnetic storm was produced. We are awaiting solar wind impact from the northern coronal hole in the coming days.
For further info please visit: http://spaceweathernews.com/
40 metre UK propagation on Thursday was extremely difficult, with only Phil, GM4UDU/M being heard consistently in Sussex and via the Hack Green SDR. Stations across the rest of the country could not contact each other, but would occasionally pop up out of the noise, only to disappear again within seconds. Ground wave was not as badly affected and the path between Shoreham and Bramber was mostly good.
VHF/UHF:
Conditions were average for the time of year. A couple of contacts were possible between Shoreham and a couple of low power handhelds at sea level in Brighton. Nothing to indicate tropospheric propagation, so the signals probably just got lucky and dodged between the buildings etc.,
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.
GEORGIA, 4L. Dmitry, R4WW will be QRV as 4L/R4WW from September 17 to 29. Activity will be holiday style on 80 to 10 meters using CW, and possibly SSB and RTTY. This may include an entry in the upcoming CQ World Wide RTTY contest. QSL direct to home call.
SAMOA, 5W. Al, K7AR will be QRV as 5W0RA from Apia, IOTA OC-097, from September 19 to 29. Activity will be on the HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY and possibly FT8. QSL to home call.
MAURITANIA, 5T. A group of operators are QRV as 5T5OK until September 29. Activity is on the HF bands using CW, SSB and RTTY with several stations active simultaneously. QSL via OK6DJ.
ALGERIA, 7X. Rodrigo, EA7JX will be QRV as 7U1X from Djelfa from September 18 to 25. Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters. This includes being an entry in the upcoming CQ World Wide RTTY DX contest. QSL to home call.
WEST MALAYSIA, 9M2. Members of the Kuala Lumpur DX Team will be QRV as 9M4IOTA from Indah Island, IOTA AS-074, from September 16 to 18. QSL direct to 9M4IOTA.
BOTSWANA, A2. Operators Pavel, R2AD, Yuri, RM0F and Elena, RC5A are QRV as A25BE, A25BI and A25SP, respectively, from Kasane until September 25. Activity is on 160 to 6 meters using CW and SSB. QSL to home calls.
TONGA, A3. Hal, JR4OZR will be QRV as A35W from Nuku’alofa from September 20 to 26. Activity will be on the HF bands using RTTY and FT8. This includes being an entry in the upcoming CQ World Wide RTTY DX contest. QSL via JJ2VLY.
NIUE, E6. Grant, VK5GR is QRV as E6AG until September 25 while on vacation. Activity is holiday style on 40 to 6 meters using mainly digital modes but also some CW and SSB. This includes being an entry in the upcoming CQ World Wide RTTY DX contest. QSL via M0OXO.
ST. PIERRE AND MIQUELON, FP. Operators G7VJR, G3ZAY, DH5FS, M0BLF, M0WUT, M0ZXA and M0INN will be QRV as FP/homecalls from Ile aux Marins from September 18 to 22. Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters
using all modes, including FT8, with four stations active simultaneously. QSL to home call.
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, HC8. Members of the 7163 Group are QRV as HD8M from Isabela Island, IOTA SA-004, until September 21. Activity is on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB, and various digital modes, including FT8. QSL direct to WB2REM.
GRENADA, J3. Wayde, KD2NOP is QRV as J3/KD2NOP until September 20. Activity is on various HF bands using JT65, FT8 and possibly other digital modes. QSL to home call.
WAKE ISLAND, KH9. Terry, K7ASU is QRV as K7ASU/KH9 until September 17 while on work assignment. His activity is sporadic, but is generally active on 40 and 20 meters at various times. QSL direct to home call.
ALAND ISLANDS, OH0. Operators DK2DO, DL1ZBO and DL5FF will be QRV as OH0JWL from September 19 to 25. Activity will be on 80 to 10 meters using CW. This includes being an entry in the upcoming CQ World Wide RTTY DX contest. QSL CW contacts via DK2DO, and RTTY contacts via DL5FF. In addition, special event callsign OF100FI/0 will be QRV from Brando Island during the SAC CW contest to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the independence of Finland. QSL via OH2BAD.
CZECH REPUBLIC, OL. Special event station OL100SV is QRV until September 23 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Signal Forces of the Czech Army. QSL via bureau.
LAOS, XW. Champ, E21EIC will be QRV as XW1IC from September 21 to 25. Activity will be on 80 to 6 meters. This includes being an entry in the upcoming CQ World Wide RTTY DX contest. QSL to home call.
ZIMBABWE, Z2. David, G4NRT is QRV as Z21NRT from Harare until September 29. Activity is on 80 to 2 meters using CW, SSB, PSK, JT65, JT69, FT8 and FM on 2 meters. QSL direct to home call.
THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO. The ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest, North American RTTY Sprint, NCCC RTTY Sprint, NCCC Sprint CW Ladder, AGB 80-Meter NEMIGA Contest, SARL VHF/UHF Analogue/Digital Contest,
Scandinavian Activity CW Contest, All Africa International DX Contest, Iowa QSO Party, New Hampshire QSO Party, New Jersey QSO Party, QRP Afield, Washington State Salmon Run, Feld Hell Sprint and BARTG Sprint 75 are all scheduled for this upcoming weekend.
The 144 MHz Fall Sprint and Run for the Bacon QRP CW Contest are scheduled for September 18.
The RSGB 80-Meter Autumn CW Series, Phone Fray and CWops Mini-CWT CW Test are scheduled for September 20.
Please see September 2017 QST, page 84, and the ARRL and WA7BNM Contest Web Sites for details.
VHF/UHF:
All times – Local
17th September – 70 MHz Contest # 2 – 09.00-12.00
FINALÉ
Is WADARC going ‘down the pan’, or is the lack of attendance a pre-AGM lull? I do hope it’s the latter. In the past couple of weeks, attendance has been poor and even the Fox Hunt was avoided by most. As the Fox Hunt was the last meeting in South Hall and there were more people there than out on the road, is the drop-off due to a dislike of the Jubilee Hall, or is it that the subject matter only interested a very few? I also wonder if some people didn’t turn up because they’d not paid next year’s membership? Please don’t stay away because of that. There’s is leeway in payment times and we don’t want to lose members because they’re a bit late in paying. If anyone feels financially embarrassed, please contact Roger, G7VBR who will discretely sort it out for you. Although WADARC is not paying for most of it, a lot of money and effort is being spent to move the club antennas and to provide improved meeting facilities for us all. I hope that it will all be worth it and attendances will greatly improve. Also, please try to promote membership of WADARC to non-members and past members. Members don’t need to be licenced and can find the Club a useful stepping stone to gaining knowledge and obtaining an Amateur Radio Licence.
73,
Alan. G4GNX
