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

Weekly Bulletin – June 23 2017

June 23, 2017
Categories: Weekly Updates

 

THE PAST WEEK

Last Wednesday Graham, G4FNL gave a most interesting talk on his recent Botswana DXpedition, callsign A25UK. In particular, in excess of 44,000 QSOs in 10 days is quite remarkable and the group are to be congratulated. Follow up/QSL information can be obtained on the A25UK website: www.A25UK.com

 Chris, M0VUE has been busy arranging events for our weekly meetings and there are some interesting talks to come. See the WADARC website for continuing updates. www.wadarc.org.uk

Chris has also submitted a Doodle Poll to gauge interest for a variety of subjects presented on DVD. Please support Chris’ efforts by visiting the poll – http://doodle.com/poll/ygzeik2arccg92vp#table

Following the recent EGM and the Committee’s decision to pursue shack premises for the club, we have hit a major snag, where the Parish Council will only allow severely restricted access. We have therefore decided not to follow up on the LPH room and we’re now actively seeking an alternative, with 24/7 access and hopefully more favourable terms.

The bands have been quite lively, with good DX to be had for those dedicated to chasing it. 6 metres has been very good from time to time and even 40 metres has had its moments, usually in the early evening. Also, 80 metres suddenly came alive on Thursday with many stations taking part in the RSGB 80m Club Championship, on SSB. Perhaps the club could consider entering this contest next year?

 Waters and Stanton have announced that F9FT/Tonna have quit the Amateur Radio side of their business. If you need spares, probably a good idea to make a list and approach any of the UK dealers who may have some stock.

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, 8.00am (local)

RALLIES
June 2017

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

July 2017

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/

August 2017

13 August 2017 Flight Refuelling ARS Hamfest
Cobham Sports & Social Club Ground, Merley, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 3DA.
Open 10:00. Admission £3.50. Free parking. Talk-in S22. Car boot sale. Trade
at Indoor and outdoor pitches. Lectures. Catering with bar. Adjacent camping
available Saturday night only.
Details: http://hamfest@frars.org.uk

Details of other UK rallies can be found on this excellent website: http://www.g4rga.org.uk/All.html

 

CLUB MEETINGS & EVENTS

Some evening meetings may be subject to change. Please see the club’s website for up-to-date info. www.wadarc.org.uk
Lancing Parish Hall meeting times: 8.00pm – 10.00pm – doors open after 7.00pm
  • Practical Evening – Wed 28th June – 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.
  • Outside on the air event – Wed 19th July – Venue to be announced shortly. How about Devil’s Dyke, specially for the VHF/UHF DXers, with HF thrown in?

RAGCHEW

Roger, G4TNT is now looking for articles to help fill the Summer edition of Ragchew, which is due to be published soon. If you have something that you’d like published or would like to write something specially, please contact Roger: ragchew@wadarc.org.uk

PROPAGATION

HF:

Conditions continue to be variable with 80 and 40 metres favouring Europe during the mornings and inter-G in mid-evenings, although 40 has been quite good towards the middle of the UK, during the Club’s Thursday net. Occasional openings on 10 and 15 metres, with some quite strong DX on 17 and 20 metres using digi-modes.

VHF/UHF:

2 metre/70 cm conditions have been variable with a few enhancements, despite the heatwave and possible temperature inversions. Although they don’t transmit continuously, with a little patience, repeaters can also be useful as a propagation indicator.
6 metres continues to bring in good DX due to Sporadic E. Still worth a check as often as possible.
Don’t just tune around and listen. If nobody calls ‘CQ’ everyone will think that the band is dead!
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.

VIET NAM, 3W.  Megumu, JA6QGF, is now active as 3W9A from Ho Chi
Minh City.  His length of stay is currently unknown.  Activity has
been on 17 and 6 meters SSB.  QSL via his home call sign.

AZERBAIJAN, 4J.  Alex, 4J3DJ is QRV as 4JF1EU until June 25 during
the context of the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Baku.  QSL direct to home
call.

MONTENEGRO, 4O.  Giuseppe, IK5WWA is QRV as 4O7GD until June 28.
Activity is on 80 to 6 meters using SSB.  QSL to home call.

CYPRUS, 5B.  Felix, DL6JF, Jaroslav, OK4MM and Dieter, DL1AWD are
QRV as 5B/home calls until June 25.  Activity is on the HF bands
using only CW.  QSL to home call.

JAMAICA, 6Y.  Ali, EP3CQ is now licensed as 6Y5CQ.  He plans to be
QRV in the Jamaica Amateur Radio Association annual Field Day
exercise.  QSL to home call.

WEST MALAYSIA, 9M2.  Tak, JE1SCJ and Tex, 9M2TO will be QRV as
9M4DXX/p from Pulau Perhentian Kecil, IOTA AS-073, from June 24 to
26.  Activity will be on 40 to 10 meters using CW and JT65.  QSL via
9M2TO.

CHINA, BY.  Members of the Chinese Radio Amateur Club will be QRV as
B7CRA from Yongxing Island, IOTA AS-143, from June 26 to July 2.
Activity will be on 80 to 6 meters using CW, SSB and various digital
modes with two to three stations active.  QSL via BA4TB.

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY, DA.  Special event station DB125PTB
celebrates the 125th anniversary of the Pressnitz Valley Narrow
Gauge Railway running between Steinbach and Joehstadt.  QSL via
bureau.

SVALBARD, JW.  Peter, LA7QIA will be QRV as JW7QIA from Spitsbergen
Island, IOTA EU-026, from June 24 to July 1.  Activity will be on
the HF bands and 6 meters using CW, SSB and various digital modes.
QSL to home call.

SLOVAK REPUBLIC, OM.  Special event station OM2017WYAC will be QRV
from June 26 to July 9 during the 1st World Youth ARDF Championship.
QSL via OM3CND.

ST. MAARTEN, PJ7.  Operators David, W9DR, John, W9KXQ, Kenneth,
KK9N, David, K9UK and Thomas, W9AEB are QRV as PJ7/home calls until
June 28.  Activity is on 80 to 6 meters using CW and SSB.  QSL to
home calls.

GREECE, SV.  Dave, GM0LVI is QRV as SV8/GM0LVI from Zakynthos, IOTA
EU-052, until July 6.  Activity is holiday style on the HF bands
using QRP power.  QSL to home call.

PALAU, T8.  Yutuka, JH1MLO and Chusuke, JR1FKR will be QRV as T88HR
and T88TJ, respectively, from Koror Island, IOTA OC-009, from June
28 to July 2.  Activity will be on 80 to 6 meters using SSB and
RTTY.  QSL to home calls.

EUROPEAN RUSSIA, UA.  During the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup being
held in Russia, special event stations R17RUS, R17DEU, R17AUS,
R17CHL, R17MEX, R17NZL, R17PRT and R17CMR are QRV until July 2.  QSL
via operators’ instructions.

KALININGRAD, UA2.  Special event station UE08F is QRV during the
2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.  QSL via UF2F.

BELIZE, V3.  David, KG5CI is QRV as V31CI from San Pedro on
Ambergris Caye Island, IOTA NA-073, until June 27.  Activity is
holiday style on the HF bands, including 6 meters and various
satellites.  He will also be active during ARRL Field Day.  QSL to
home call.

MICRONESIA, V6.  Hid, JA3KGF, Tosy, JA3FGJ, Sanny, JJ3CIG and Mami,
JP3AYQ will be QRV as V6J from Mwoki Island, IOTA OC-226, from June
24 to 29.  Activity will be on 40 to 15 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY,
PSK and JT65.  QSL direct to JP3AYQ.

CHRISTMAS ISLAND, VK9X.  Operator HL1AHS will be QRV as VK9AA from
June 24 to July 1.  Activity will be on 80 to 6 meters using CW, SSB
and various digital modes.  QSL via HL2UVH.

OPERATIONS APPROVED FOR DXCC CREDIT.  The following operations are
approved for DXCC credit:  Libya, 5A5A, April 2017 operation; Andaman
Islands, VU4YC, 2017 operation.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO.  ARRL Field Day, NCCC RTTY Sprint, NCCC
CW Sprint, Battle of Carabobo International Contest, UFT QRP CW
Contest, Ukrainian DX DIGI Contest and His Majesty King of Spain SSB
Contest will certainly keep contesters busy this upcoming weekend.

The CWops Mini-CWT CW Test, Phone Fray and SKCC CW Sprint are
scheduled for June 28.

Please see June 2017 QST, page 87, and the ARRL and WA7BNM Contest
web site for details.

VHF/UHF:

All times are local:
22nd June – 70 MHz UKAC Contest – 20.00-22.30
25th June – 70 MHz Cumulatives #4 – 14.00-16.00
25th June – 50 MHz CW Contest – 09.00-12.00
1st/2nd July – VHF NFD – 14.00-14.00
2nd July – 3rd 144 MHz Backpackers – 11.00-15.00
16th July – 70 MHz Trophy Contest – 10.00-16.00
5th August – 4th 144 MHz Backpackers – 13.00-17.00
5th August – 144 MHz QRP Contest – 14.00-20.00
6th August – 432 MHz QRP Contest – 08.00-12.00

FINALÉ

For those interested in keeping a weather-eye (pun intended) on the likelihood of electrical storms in our area and elsewhere, here are links to two different sites:

http://www.isleofwightweather.co.uk/live_storm_data.htm is situated on the Isle of Wight, so in terms of storms, it’s close enough to be useful to us and you can sign up for email storm alerts.

https://www.lightningmaps.org/ This site uses sensors all over the World, but allows ‘zooming-in’ with enough detail to get right down to street level.

 

73,

Alan. G4GNX
 
© Worthing and District Amateur Radio Club