THE PAST WEEK
The RSGB NFD took place last weekend, with a lot of activity throughout the HF bands. Unfortunately there was no Club interest in taking part in the event, so Graham, G4FNL and his friend Peter G4BVH took part in the restricted section and report that they may have won it. Well done guys. Some club members reported finding G4FNL and giving away a few points, whilst others like myself did try to find the station and failed.
Wednesday evening saw the move into the Jubilee Hall at LPH. Fortunately we did some preparation the day before, so there were no nasty surprises and we knew where everything was. The acoustic in the main part of the hall was a bit lively, but it’s envisaged that we would only use that section when the projector screen’s in use. If we find that the acoustic is too objectionable, we still have our own projector screen, which can be setup in the bar area, with its carpeted floor. It’s just a shame that a few more members didn’t bother to turn up to support the club; it wasn’t as if the weather was bad!
Chris, M0VUE gave his final demonstration in his filters and baluns series, with diagrams and charts on the ‘big screen’ and members set about constructing some test filters. Although the high-pass filter didn’t work as expected, we think that some components were either u/s or marked incorrectly. However, members said that they enjoyed it and that it was a very successful evening.
We now have the go-ahead from the Parish Council to have our aerials and cables moved to the Jubilee Hall and this is being paid for by the Council. We envisage the work being carried out in the next couple of weeks or so.
Andrew reported that we are heading closer to the AGM and although we have prospective volunteers for Chairman and Treasurer, we are desperately looking for a candidate for Secretary. If this position is not filled at the AGM, the club will cease to function. Roger, G7VBR has been acting as temporary Secretary, but will definitely NOT be standing for this office next year. Of course officers have to be voted in, but we really do need at least one volunteer for Secretary, so please think about it yourself and consider that you could become an ordinary committee member.
CLUB MEETINGS & EVENTS
Band III – a talk by Ron, G3SKI – Wed 13th September – 8.00pm – 10.00pm.
Intermediate Training – email training@wadarc.org.uk to book – Sat 16th and Sat 23rd September – 9:00 am – 5:30 pm.
Intermediate Exam – Monday 25th 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.
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
10 September 2017 Andover ARC’s Wildhern Rally
Village Hall, Wildhern, just north of Andover, SP11 0JE. Map reference: SU350510
Open 10:00/Sellers 09:00. Admission £2. Tables in the hall £10, £8 per boot.
Free Raffle.
Details: arac@arac.org.uk Club Website http://www.arac.org.uk
10 September 2017 Torbay Annual Communications Fair
Newton Abbot Racecourse, Devon, TQ12 3AF.
Open 10:00/09:30. Admission £2. B&B. RSGB books. Raffle. On-site parking
and catering.
Bookings: Pete, G4VTO, 01803-864528 or Mike, G1TUU, 01803-557941
rally@tars.org.uk
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
NEW Summer 2017 edition published – http://www.wadarc.org.uk/ragchew/summer-2017-ragchew
PROPAGATION
HF:
LATEST SOLAR NEWS (Courtesy of Spaceweather News):
GEOMAGNETIC STORM WARNING: A CME has just hit Earth’s magnetic field (Sept. 7th at ~2300 UT). This is the debris from Wednesday’s decade-class X9 solar flare. It arrived earlier than expected, confirming that the solar storm cloud is both fast and potent. The CME appears to contain strong south-pointing magnetic fields that typically do a good job of igniting geomagnetic storms. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras in bright moonlight.
For further info please visit: http://spaceweathernews.com/
40 metre UK propagation on Thursday was particularly fickle with stations popping up out of the noise with 9+20 signals, then disappearing again in as many minutes. Hack Green SDR was showing the same symptoms and was more noisy than usual. Even ground wave between Shoreham and Sompting was degraded at times.
VHF/UHF:
The past week has shown variable propagation as usual. The weekend contests produced distant stations into PA, OZ, HB9, EA, DK, F etc., but QSB was a constant problem making QSOs very difficult. In view of recent solar storms, auroral activity has been reported over the USA and it’s highly likely that we could see enhanced auroral propagation from Sussex to the extreme north of UK and Scandinavia.
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.
SENEGAL, 6W. Ronald, VE3REV is QRV as 6W1SU from Dakar and is here for the next 2 to 3 years. Activity is on 80 to 6 meters using SSB. QSL direct to M0URX.
ALGERIA, 7Y. Bodo, DF8DX will be QRV as 7Y0A from Bechar from September 11 to 22. Activity will be on the various HF bands using CW and SSB. QSL via operator’s instructions.
BOTSWANA, A2. Alex, IW5ELA is QRV as A25AL from various locations until September 15. Activity is holiday style on the HF bands using mostly CW. QSL direct to home call.
MOROCCO, CN. Tev, TA1HZ and Golkem, TA7AZC are QRV as CN2HZ and CN2ZC, respectively, until September 13. Activity is on the HF bands. This includes being active in the Worked All Europe SSB DX contest. QSL CN2HZ via LZ3HI, and CN2ZC direct to home call.
NIUE, E6. Grant, VK5GR will be QRV as E6AG from September 13 to 25. Activity will be on 40 to 6 meters. This includes being an entry in the upcoming CQ World Wide RTTY contest. QSL via M0OXO.
CANARY ISLANDS, EA8. Emanuele, IZ1UKX is QRV as EA8/IZ1UKX from Lanzarote Island, IOTA AF-004, until September 17. Activity is holiday style on 30 to 10 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK. QSL to home call.
FRENCH POLYNESIA, FO. Heinz, DF1YP is QRV as FO/DF1YP from Moorea, IOTA OC-046, until October 1. Activity is on 20, 17 and 15 meters using SSB and various digital modes. QSL to home call.
LIECHTENSTEIN, HB0. Kasimir, DL2SBY will be QRV as HB0/DL2SBY from September 9 to 15. Activity will be on 80 to 10 meters using CW and SSB with a concentration on RTTY. QSL direct to home call.
DENMARK, OZ. Jens, OZ0JD will be QRV as OZ0JD/p from Laesoe Island, IOTA EU-088, from September 10 to 15. Activity will be on the HF bands using RTTY and FT8. QSL to home call.
SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS. Sebastian, SQ1SGB is QRV as HF0ARC from the Polish Antarctic Station H. Arctowski on King George Island, IOTA AN-010, until October 10. Activity is on 40 and 10 meters at various times using JT9/65 and some SSB. QSL direct to home call.
DODECANESE, SV5. Claudio, HB9OAU will be QRV as SV5/HB9OAU from Karpathos Island, IOTA EU-001, from September 9 to 22. Activity will be on 40 to 10 meters using SSB, RTTY and PSK. QSL to home call.
ANTIGUA, V2. Bud, AA3B will be QRV as V26K from September 14 to 19. Activity will be on the HF bands using CW and possibly RTTY and FT8. QSL direct to home call.
COCOS (KEELING) ISLAND, VK9C. Lance, W7GJ will be QRV as VK9CGJ from September 12 to 30. This is a 6-Meter EME operation. QSL direct to home call.
VANUATU, YJ. Rod, YJ8RN will be QRV as YJ8RN/p from Loh Island, IOTA OC-110, from September 11 to 29. Activity will be in his spare time on 80, 40 and 20 meters using SSB. He may be active from IOTAs OC-035 and OC-104 as well. QSL via NZ4DX.
ZIMBABWE, Z2. David, G4NRT will be QRV as Z21NRT from Harare from September 9 to 29. Activity will be during his spare time on 80 to 6 meters, and 2 meters FM, using CW, SSB, PSK, JT9/65 and FT8. QSL direct to home call.
MACEDONIA, Z3. Arno, DL1CW will be QRV as Z38/DL1CW from Orhid from September 11 to 13. Activity will be on 40 to 10 meters using only CW. QSL to home call.
ALBANIA, ZA. Arno, DL1CW will be QRV as ZA/DL1CW from Pogradec on September 9 and 10. Activity will be on 40 to 10 meters using only CW. QSL to home call.
THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO
The ARRL September VHF Contest, ARRL EME Contest, North American CW Sprint, NCCC Sprint CW Ladder, Worked All Europe SSB DX Contest, Kulikovo Polye 20-Meter CW Contest, FOC CW QSO Party, SARL Field Day Contest, SKCC Weekend CW Sprintathon, Ohio State Parks on the Air, Russian Cup Digital Contest and the Classic CW Exchange will certainly keep contesters busy this weekend.
The RSGB 80m Autumn SSB Series and 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint are scheduled for September 11.
The Phone Fray and CWops Mini-CWT CW Test are scheduled for September 13.
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
Scenario: Middle of NFD – 40 metres:
Zeekew contest, Zeekew contest, Zeekew contest, Zeekew DeeExa, eeesa EetalyWunaXYZ….
UA2ABC yoooah fifeah ninah, 73….
Zeekew contest, Zeekew contest, Zeekew contest, Zeekew DeeExa, eeesa EetalyWunaXYZ….
G3XYZ….
Zeekew contest, Zeekew contest, Zeekew contest, Zeekew DeeExa, eeesa EetalyWunaXYZ….
G3XYZ…..
No Europah, only Asia contestah, I callah DeeExah….
G3XYZ – then you really need to state which contest when you call CQ, 73….
Zeekew contest, Zeekew contest, Zeekew contest, Zeekew DeeExa, eeesa EetalyWunaXYZ….
Zeekew contest, Zeekew contest, Zeekew contest, Zeekew DeeExa, eeesa EetalyWunaXYZ….
G4GNX rapidly loses interest and QSYs up the band!
————————————————————————————————————-
73,
Alan. G4GNX
