G4TNU > NEWS 08.06.25 00:30z 293 Lines 14326 Bytes #174 (0) @ EU BID : 18351G4TNU Subj: RSGB Main News - 08 Jun 2025 Path: ED1ZAC<ED1ZAC<GB7CIP<GB7CIP<GB7CIP Sent: 250608/0026Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO $:18351G4TNU T:From: G4TNU@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO <g4tnu@gb7ipf.ampr.org> T:Newsgroups: ampr.news.europe T:Message-Id: <E1_3723700_G4TNU@gb7ipf.ampr.org> GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 8th of June 2025 The news headlines: * The RSGB releases a video to celebrate Volunteers' Week * Get involved with the GR2HQ contest challenge * Join the RSGB Regional Team As Volunteers' Week comes to an end, the RSGB would like to thank its volunteers once more for all they do. As part of the week-long event, the Society released a video about the volunteer team at the RSGB National Radio Centre. These volunteers welcome over 80,000 visitors to the Centre every year and share amateur radio with them. Watch the video to discover the variety of things that they do as well as what they enjoy most about their role. You'll find the video at rsgb.org/volunteers-week and on that web page you'll also be able to read about several volunteers in other RSGB roles. If you've been inspired by their stories and you would like to give some time to support the RSGB and amateur radio, look at the vacancies on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/volunteers The RSGB Contest Committee is looking forward to the IARU HF Championship contest on the 12th and 13th of July. This is a great opportunity for both individuals and clubs to get involved. During the contest, Headquarters Stations represent their countries and the RSGB's station GR2HQ will be run by a network of about a dozen stations around the UK and islands. Building on the success of last year's GR2HQ Challenge, the RSGB Contest Committee has made some changes to encourage individual stations to work the GR2HQ station on each band-mode slot. Sharing your QSOs for scoring has also been made easier. The contest is open to both individuals and clubs so why not encourage your club members to take part whether they are regular contesters or not. Last year, thanks in part to those entering the GR2HQ Challenge, the RSGB Contest Committee improved its position from third to second and would like to improve that result even further. Could you take part and make a difference? For the full rules go to the GR2HQ Challenge page on the Contest Committee website via rsgbcc.org The RSGB has several volunteer vacancies within the Regional Team. If you are passionate about the future of amateur radio and support the work of the Society, then apply now. These rewarding roles are an opportunity to support fellow radio amateurs in your area. Vacancies include District Representative positions in Staffordshire, Oxfordshire and Dorset. To view the full list of regional team volunteering vacancies, go to rsgb.org/volunteers If you have questions about the District Representative roles, contact the Regional Representative in that region, or you can contact Board Liaison Nathan Nuttall, 2M0OCC for a chat via 2m0occ<at>rsgb.org.uk A special interactive spy event is taking place on Father's Day, Sunday the 15th of June, at the RSGB National Radio Centre. You'll have the opportunity to become a spy hunter and, using your special gadget, will be tasked with finding hidden transmitters located around Bletchley Park. You'll need to decode Morse signals and uncover the location of the secret spy base. Two time slots are available, however spaces are limited to 12 groups for each. Secure your place and treat your Dad, Grandad, or a father figure to a fascinating day out, by going to bletchleypark.org.uk and selecting the ‘What's on' option in the main menu. The activity is free to take part in, however entry to Bletchley Park is required. Don't forget that RSGB members get free access to the historic site as a membership benefit. Download your voucher via rsgb.org/bpvoucher BunkerFest 2025 is taking place on the 14th and 15th of June. This exciting international festival will bring together amateur radio operators from over 13 national Bunkers on the Air schemes. For rules and activation details visit wwbota.org/bunkerfest25 The British Inland Waterways on the Air event will take place between Saturday the 23rd and Monday the 25th of August. The event is open to amateurs who use canals, towpaths, rivers, lakes or reservoirs for work or recreation. Registration for the event is now open. To sign up, visit Nunsfield House Amateur Radio Group's website at nharg.org.uk and follow the ‘BIWOTA 2025' link. Are you called Nigel? If so, you can join other amateur Nigels who are making plans to operate a special event station at what is hoped to be the largest ever gathering of Nigels in the world. The event will run from the 20th to the 21st of September in Worcestershire. Details on how to get involved are on the GB1NN page at QRZ.com And now for details of rallies and events Mendips Radio Rally is taking place today, the 8th of June, at Farrington Gurney Memorial Hall, Church Lane, Farrington Gurney, BS39 6UA. The doors open at 9.30am and refreshments and free parking are available on site. For more details contact Luke on 07870 168 197 or email luke<at>mymixradio.co.uk On Saturday the 14th of June, Rochdale and District Amateur Radio Summer Rally will take place at St. Vincent de Paul's Hall, Norden, Rochdale, OL12 7QR. The doors open at 10am and entry costs GBP 3. The usual traders and caterers will be on site and plenty of free parking will be available. For more information contact Martin Shore on 07587 709 006, or email rally.radars<at>hotmail.com The East Suffolk Wireless Revival, also known as ‘The Ipswich Radio Rally', is due to take place on Sunday the 15th of June at Kirton Recreation Ground, Back Road, Kirton, IP10 0PW. The doors open at 9.30am and the entry fee for visitors is GBP 3. The venue has free car parking. Visitors will be able to enjoy trade stands, a car-boot sale, a bring-and-buy area and special interest groups. An HF station will be operating with the callsign GB4SWR. Catering and an RSGB bookstall will be available on site. For more details contact Kevin, G8MXV on 07710 046 846 and visit eswr.org.uk Now the Special Event news The A.R.I. Fidenza Radio Club is operating today, the 8th, as IY4RXO [INDIA-YANKEE-FOUR-ROMEO-XRAY-OSCAR]. The station is active to raise awareness of the historical value of Guglielmo Marconi's steam yacht ‘Elettra'. A number of important radio communication experiments were conducted on board the vessel. For more information visit IY4RXO at QRZ.com Members of The James Clerk Maxwell Radio Society will be active with special callsign GB2JCM, from Parton Kirk near Castle Douglas in Dumfriesshire, on the 14th and 15th of June. The station will be active to commemorate the birth of the Society's namesake. Operators will be waiting for your call on the 40 and 20m bands. For more information visit the GB2JCM page at QRZ.com Now the DX news Martin, MW0BRO is active again as ZC4GW from Dhekelia [DUH-KAY-LEE-UH] on Cyprus until tomorrow, the 9th. He is operating using CW and some SSB on the 40 to 6m bands. QSL via M0URX's OQRS. Remo, HB9SHD is active as V51/HB9SHD while touring Namibia until the 15th of June. He is using SSB and digital modes on the 40 to 6m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World. Now the contest news RSGB National Field Day started at 1500UTC on Saturday the 7th and ends at 1500UTC today, Sunday the 8th of June. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Today, the 8th, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 0900 to 1500UTC. Using all modes on the 23, 13 and 9cm bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Tuesday the 10th, the RSGB 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 10th, the RSGB 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 11th, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 11th, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Wednesday the 11th, the RSGB 80m CW Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Thursday the 12th, the RSGB 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The IARU ATV Contest starts at 1200UTC on Saturday the 14th and ends at 1800UTC on Sunday the 15th of June. Using TV on the 70cm band and up, the exchange is picture quality, serial number, four-digit code and locator. On Sunday the 15th, the 2nd 144MHz Backpackers Contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Sunday the 15th, the Practical Wireless 2m QRP Contest runs from 0900 to 1600UTC. Using AM, FM, SSB and CW on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Note that 5W is the maximum power allowed in this contest. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 5th of June Last week's HF propagation was heavily influenced by unsettled geomagnetic conditions. This was caused by a combination of coronal mass ejections and a strong solar wind from a coronal hole. The coronal mass ejection, or CME for short, followed a solar flare from sunspot 4100 on the 31st of May at 0005UTC. The explosion lasted more than three hours. Type 2 radio emissions from shock waves within the CME cloud suggested it was travelling at 1,938 kilometres per second, or 4.3 million miles per hour! Eventually the Bz swung south. This meant that the interplanetary magnetic field more easily coupled with the Earth's magnetic field. The result was that the Kp index got up to 7.67 on the 1st of June. The auroral effects were reported as being due to a co-rotating interaction region or CIR – a region in space where fast and slow solar wind streams collide, creating a compressed area with enhanced plasma and magnetic fields. The Kp index was 7 or more for four three-hour periods. This pushed the maximum usable frequency over a 3,000km path below 14MHz at times, which wasn't conducive to good DXing. On Thursday the 5th of June, it looked like we were past the worst and the Kp index was back to a more reasonable 2.33. Meanwhile, the solar flux index declined from a recent high of 164 on the 31st of May, to a low of 134 on the 5th of June. HF propagation was being driven by the geomagnetic conditions, with a general lowering of the maximum usable frequency. Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will start the week at around 155 and remain around 150. More worryingly, geomagnetic conditions are again predicted to be unsettled after this weekend, with a maximum Kp index of 6 on the 13th of June. So, unsettled geomagnetic conditions, plus the HF summer doldrums, means HF DX via F2-layer propagation may be hard to find. So, make the most of the 10m Sporadic-E short-skip openings instead! And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO Last week has offered an example of what a good Sporadic-E season should look like. On Tuesday the 3rd of June in particular, the 6m band sounded like the 20m band and, at its peak, activity extended all the way up to the 2m band. This coming week has an unsettled flavour with several areas of low pressure and weather fronts involved, together with heavy showers in between. This means rain scatter will be a supported mode on the GHz bands. There is a slight hint of a slow improvement during the week, but not really any high pressure showing up until right at the end of the coming week. So, there is a chance of Tropo propagation for the 2nd 144MHz Backpackers Contest on Sunday the 15th. Meteor scatter is always interesting in June with four showers to play with during the month. The early ones are the Arietids [A-REE-UH-TIDZ], which peaked on Saturday the 7th of June – good news for the 50MHz UK Activity Contest on Thursday the 12th. The Zeta Perseids peaks tomorrow, the 9th of June, and there will be a couple of other showers later in the month. This is probably also why the Sporadic-E prospects improve about now. Aurora has also been much in evidence recently. Despite the light summer evenings and short nights, the chances of radio aurora continue to be important, so monitor for high Kp values above about 5. The advice for some who have not yet worked Sporadic-E is to check the 6m band around teatime. There are, of course, usually two primary periods when Sporadic-E is more likely: one in the morning, and the second in late afternoon and evening. A morning opening may repeat in the afternoon in similar locations, although usually the weather trigger may have moved a little in the meantime. Check the jet stream charts at propquest.co.uk by following the Sporadic-E blog tab. The daily commentary will highlight the important directions each day. You can hopefully test out the system on Thursday the 12th of June in the 50MHz UK Activity Contest. EME path losses were at their maximum with apogee, when the Moon is at its furthest from the Earth, on Saturday the 7th of June. Declination reaches minimum on Wednesday the 11th so Moon windows are short and peak elevation low. 144MHz sky noise peaks around the 11th and 12th of June. EME conditions were classed as poor this weekend and are classed as poor-to-moderate on the 14th and 15th of June. And that's all from the propagation team this week. And that's the end of the main news for this week prepared by the Radio Society of Great Britain. Items for inclusion in subsequent bulletins can be emailed to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk to arrive by 10:00 on the Thursday before transmission.
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