Amateur radio in West Sussex - Training, Exams, Contests and Special Event Stations

Weekly Bulletin – September 29 2017

THE PAST WEEK

The recent Intermediate training and subsequent exam was successful, last Saturday. Congratulations to Ninesh, Bruce and Alex on passing the exam. Looking forward to hearing you on the air with your new callsigns.

Last Wednesday we confined ourselves to the bar area in Jubilee Hall and as there were no complaints, I presume that everyone was happy with this.

There was a better attendance than previous weeks, hopefully because some fool volunteered to give a talk on Digital Modes. Despite the best efforts of Murphy, everything finally worked and my thanks go to Bryan, G0SIU for lending me his iMic sound card interface, due to mine having died the night before! Thanks also to those who ‘filled in the gaps’ where my knowledge failed.
Last but not least, thanks to Roger, G7VBR for coming down specially to make the tea, at short notice.

Bearing in mind that the Junk Sale is not too many weeks away, images of Bryan, G3GVB’s equipment are now on the WADARC website – follow this link (or copy and paste) to view:

www.wadarc.org.uk/weekly-updates/sk-g3gvb-equipment-at-the-next-junk-sale

Please also note that the start time of the Junk Sale has been brought forward to 7.30pm, as there are quite a lot of ‘GVB pieces as well as members’ own items.

Don’t forget the Sunday Breakfast this Sunday morning at Lancing Harvester (see below).

CLUB MEETINGS & EVENTS

  • Breakfast at the Lancing Harvester – Sunday 1st October – 9.00am – 10.00am
  • WADARC AGM and after meeting chat – Wednesday 4th October – 8.00pm sharp
  • Foundation Training – Saturday 7th October – email: training@wadarc.org.uk to book
  • Foundation Exam – Monday 9th October – 7.15pm – 8.30pm
  • Lecture – The Rampion Windfarm – Wednesday 11th October – 8.00pm – 10.00pm
  • Junk Sale (including radios etc from G3GVB) – Wednesday 18th October – 8.00pm – 10.00pm
  • Fox Hunt – final stage – Wednesday 25th October – 7.30pm onwards – meet in pub afterwards – 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

September 2017

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

October 2017

1 October 2017 Hack Green Hangar Sale
Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, French Lane, Nantwich, Ches. CW5 8AL.
Open 10:00. Sale of amateur & electronic equipment, comps, military radio
sets and vehicle spares. Refreshments on-site.
Details: Lucy Siebert, 01270-623353, lucy@hackgreen.co.uk

13 to 16 October 2017 The RSGB Convention [Friday to Monday]
Kent’s Hill Park Training and Conference Centre, Swallow House, Timbold Drive,
Kent’s Hill Park, Milton Keynes, Bucks. MK7 6BZ.
Details: http://www.rsgbevents.org

15 October 2017 Holsworthy ARC Rally
Holsworthy Community College, Victoria Hill, Holsworthy, Devon, EX22 6JD.
Trade. B&B. Catering. Free on-site parking. Disabled access.
Details: Howard, M0MYB, holsworthyarc@gmail.com

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 27 1157UTC) The 2nd coronal hole stream this week has impacted earth. A geomagnetic storm is underway this morning and should proceed nice auroral activity around high latitudes. Solar flares remain absent but three sunspot groups exist on the disk and we’ll monitor them as well.

(Sep 28 1152UTC) Level 3 geomagnetic storms are underway this morning as the speed of the coronal hole stream surged to high levels. Electrical/Health alerts are in play at moderate to high levels. New sunspots were born behind the formerly grand sunspot group but solar flaring remains low for now.

For further info please visit: http://spaceweathernews.com/

VHF/UHF:

Some enhanced propagation during the past week, but sustained higher temperatures haven’t produced anything remarkable. Currently distances of 250Km are highly possible in the direction of Paris towards the south and the Netherlands towards the north east. Autumn auroral activity also likely.

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.

ALGERIA, 7X. Members of the Radio Club of Djelfa will be QRV as
7Y7AI from Ile du Cavallo, IOTA AF-104, from September 30 to October
10. Activity will be on 80 to 10 meters. QSL via 7X2DD.

BHUTAN, A5. Operators Zorro, JH1AJT, Kasu, VR2KF and Champ, E21EIC
are QRV as A5A until October 8. Activity is on 160 to 6 meters
using CW, SSB and RTTY. The main objective of this visit is to
support the Bhutan Olympic Committee in its setup of a Paralympic
Committee. QSL via JH1AJT.

REUNION ISLAND, FR. Gust, ON6KE will be active from September 29 to
October 10 as FR/ON6KE on 80 to 10 meters using CW, JT65 and FT8.
QSL via ClubLog, LoTW or eQSL.

TEMOTU PROVINCE, H40. Stan, LZ1GC returns to Nendo Island as H40GC
from September 30 to October 20. He will focus on the low bands
using SSB, CW, RTTY and PSK. QSL via LZ1GC.

DODECANESE, SV5. Oliver, DK7TX will be active holiday-style from
the islands Kos, Lalymos, Nisyros, and Telendos, IOTA EU-001, from
October 3 to 30 as SV5/DK7TX on 40 to 6 meters, with a focus on 20,
15 and 10 meters. QSL via home call.

EUROPEAN RUSSIA, UA. R60SAT will be QRV to commemorate the first
Sputnik from October 1 to 8. An award is available as well. QSL
via R4AS direct.

MICRONESIA, V6. Chusuke, JR1FKR and Yutaka, JH1MLO will be QRV from
September 27 to October 2. They will sign V63FKR and V63MLO on SSB
and RTTY. QSL V63FKR via JR1FKR and V63MLO via JH1MLO.

INDIA, VU. The team of VU3NPI, VU2GTI, VU3EDG, VU3ESV, VU3GDS,
VU3YPP, VU3SXH, VU3ZLS, VU2DEV, VU2RCT, VU3DEW and VU3ZNG will be
QRV as AT7M from St. Mary’s Island, IOTA AS-096, from September 30
to October 1 on 40 and 20 meters and possibly other bands depending
on conditions. QSL via VU3NPI.

BURKINA FASO, XT. Listen for Harald, DF2WO from September 29 to
October 30 as XT2AW on HF including 60 meters using digital modes
such as JT65 and FT8. QSL via M0OXO.

INDONESIA, YB. Special event station YE72JB marks the 72nd
anniversary of the West Java Province. They will be QRV on
September 29 and 30 on the HF bands using SSB, CW and digital modes.
QSL via LoTW, eQSL or ClubLog.

PALESTINE, E4. SP9FIH will be QRV at E44WE from October 18 to 29.
This will include a single-op single band 15 meter assisted low
power effort in the CQ WW DX Phone Contest. Outside the contest
activity he will be on 30, 15, 12 and 10 meters using SSB, PSK and
possibly RTTY. QSL via SP9FIH.

NEPAL, 9N. Gerhard, OE3GEA is now active as 9N7GE. His length of
his stay is unknown. His activity has been on various HF bands
using CW. QSL via his home call sign, direct or by the Bureau.

FERNANDO DE NORONHA, PY0F. Leo, PP1CZ will be active as PY0FW from
October 22 to 27. Activity will be holiday style on 80 to 10 meters
with some tries on 6 meters if he has propagation, using CW, RTTY,
some SSB, and possibly JT65 and FT8. QSL direct or to ClubLog’s
OQRS.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO. The NCCC RTTY Sprint, NCCC Sprint CW
Ladder, Feld Hell Sprint, UK/EI SSB DX Contest, Russian World Wide
MultiMode Contest, UBA ON 80-Meter SSB Contest, Classic Phone
Exchange and the Peanut Power QRP Sprint are all on tap for this
weekend.

The IQRP Quarterly Marathon runs from October 2 to 8. The German
Telegraphy Contest and ARS Spartan CW Sprint are scheduled for
October 3. The CWops Mini-CWT CW Test, 432 MHz Fall Sprint, UKEICC
80-Meter SSB Contest and Phone Fray are all scheduled for October 4.

Please see September 2017 QST, page 84, October QST, page 94, and
the ARRL and WA7BNM Contest Web Sites for details.

VHF/UHF:

All times – Local

7th – 8th October – 432MHz/2.45GHz Contest – 14.00-14.00

7th October – 1.2GHz/2.3GHz Trophy – 14.00-22.00

22nd October – 50MHz AFS Contest – 09.00-13.00

FINALÉ

Membership fees continue to trickle in. Thanks to all who have re-joined. For those who haven’t quite got round to it, or have been away, please try to re-join before next week’s AGM or at least let Ian, M0IAD know that you intend to do so when you return.

Where is everybody??? Although there were an increased number at last Wednesday’s meeting, the meetings are not being as well attended as several months ago. Also, the Club nets are dwindling out of existence. Whilst there are obvious issues with HF propagation affecting 80m and 40m, 2 metres is as good as it ever was, but lately very few people contribute.

Whilst it’s impossible to please all of the people all of the time, is the Club format to blame as well as the way the nets are run? Can all members bear this in mind when attending next week’s AGM, so that perhaps we can discuss it after the main AGM business is completed. If you prefer to make your comments anonymously, please contact Roger, G7VBR who will pass comments to the Committee, but without revealing your name if that’s what you want.

Apart from thinking what the Club can do for you, please think about what you can do for the Club. The Committee needs new members, especially from the younger generation and most of all we need new ideas.

73,

Alan. G4GNX