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G4TNU > NEWS 20.07.25 23:08z 257 Lines 12587 Bytes #2 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 20 Jul 2025
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 20th of July 2025
The news headlines:
* The RSGB launches GB70RS awards to celebrate 70 years of GB2RS
* New volunteer RSGB STEM Champion announced
* Visit the RSGB National Radio Centre during the summer
holidays
The RSGB's weekly news broadcast, GB2RS, is celebrating its 70th
anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, the Society is inviting
you to collect awards for listening and logging GB2RS News broadcasts
between Friday the 1st of August and Tuesday the 30th of September.
There are four categories, including a basic listener award and a
regular listener award. Full details of the programme, the rules and
how to apply for your certificate are available by searching GB70RS
at QRZ.com To read about the awards and wider celebrations that are
taking place for the 70th anniversary of GB2RS, go to rsgb.org/gb70rs
RSGB Board Director, Ben Lloyd, GW4BML has appointed Ian Stevenson,
G3YNU as the volunteer RSGB STEM Champion. This new role fits with
the RSGB's strategy to bring amateur radio to new audiences and to
highlight the link between amateur radio and science, technology,
engineering and maths. Ian brings a wealth of experience to this role
having been a mathematics teacher for ten years, with a further 23
years in Higher Education as a Senior Lecturer in ICT and Education.
Ian also played a pivotal role in establishing the RSGB School Links
Project, which introduced classroom activities that connect amateur
radio with the school curricula. The project was established
following Tim Peake's Principia mission to the International Space
Station, which included ten UK ARISS school contacts during Tim's
time in space. In his new RSGB role, Ian is enthusiastic about
fostering close ties with STEM organisations and STEM ambassadors
across the UK, including those already engaged with the RSGB. If
you'd like to contact Ian to share suggestions that may enhance the
RSGB's STEM outreach programme, you can contact him via
stem.champion<at>rsgb.org.uk
If you are looking for an activity to keep the children busy during
the summer holidays, why not plan a visit to the RSGB National Radio
Centre at Bletchley Park? The knowledgeable and welcoming volunteers
will be on hand to give an introduction to radio technology, how it
works and why it is still relevant today. There are interactive
displays as well as the opportunity to get a certificate for sending
your name in Morse code. There will also be three more of the
successful Spy Transmitter events during the summer so keep an eye on
the Bletchley Park website and the RSGB comms channels if you'd like
to take part. Start planning your visit by going to rsgb.org/nrc
Don't forget that as a membership benefit, RSGB members can visit the
world-famous Bletchley Park estate, including the RSGB National Radio
Centre, for free. Download your voucher by going to rsgb.org/bpvoucher
Did you know that The Radio Communications Foundation offers funding
to young people who need help with the Foundation licence exam fee?
They need to be under the age of 21 and in full-time education. If
you know someone who may be eligible, help spread the word and
promote this programme. To find out more and submit an application go
to commsfoundation.co.uk and select ‘RCF Grants' from the
sub-menu.
This year marked the centenary of the unique mechanical Alexanderson
Alternator transmitter at Grimeton near Varberg in Sweden. GB2RS
Newsreader and NRC volunteer Brian Hardy, G4BIP travelled to Sweden
for a special 70th birthday trip with his partner Hilary, G7SOI. On
the 2nd of July they were able to watch SAQ being operated on a
frequency of 17.2kHz as part of the celebration. Brian was even
allowed to key up the station in advance of the formal transmission
and send some test messages. Despite SAQ having a power output of
80kW, nobody came back to his CQ call! However, it was a big tick on
his 'bucket list'! The station is usually fired up twice a year and
is well worth a visit. You can discover much more, including a
fascinating YouTube video of the centenary event, via alexander.n.se
The UK Six Metre Group's AGM will be held via Zoom on Sunday the 27th
of July 2025 at 1700UTC. The AGM will include receiving the Group's
financial report, presentation of officers' reports and elections.
For more information about the Group visit uksmg.org
Don't forget that 145 Alive is taking place today from 12 to 3pm.
According to the organisers, there will be 47 individual nets on the
air from diverse highpoints all over the UK and Ireland with over
1,000 participants! To take part, all you need to do is call into a
local net and make contact with others on the 2m band. You can find
more information on the 145 Alive Facebook page. Alternatively, you
can email 145aliveuk<at>gmail.com
And now for details of rallies and events
Bury St Edmunds Radio Rally is taking place today, the 20th, at
Rougham Tower Museum, IP32 7QB. The doors open at 7am for traders and
at 9.30am for visitors. Refreshments are available from the Museum's
cafeteria. Admission for visitors and car-booters costs GBP 3 and is
GBP 10 for traders. For more details email secretary<at>bsears.co.uk
The Lincoln Short Wave Club Summer Radio Rally is taking place today,
the 20th, at The Festival Hall, Caistor Road, Market Rasen, LN8 3HT.
The doors are open from 10am and admission costs GBP 3. This is an
indoor event and ample free parking is available. For more
information phone Steve, M5ZZZ on 07777 699 069 or email
m5zzz<at>outlook.com
Wiltshire Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 27th of July at
Kington Langley Village Hall, Church Road, Kington Langley, SN15 5NJ.
The doors open for traders at 7am and at 9am for visitors.
Refreshments will be available on site. You can find out more by
visiting chippenhamradio.club
Now the Special Event news
Special callsign DL0SOP is active until the 31st of July for the 67th
edition of the Sea of Peace Award. More details about the award are
available via tinyurl.com/seaofpeace QSL via Club Log's OQRS,
Logbook of the World and eQSL.
Celebrating the 60th anniversary of Singapore becoming an independent
republic on the 9th of August 1965, Singapore Amateur Radio
Transmitting Society's members are allowed to replace their normal
prefix, 9V1, with the special prefix S60 until the 9th of August. So
if you want to put some S60 calls in your log, now is the time!
Now the DX news
Michael, VE2XB is active as TF/VE2XB from Olafsvik [OH-LAFS-VIK],
Iceland, EU-021, until the 25th of July. He is operating CW and SSB
on the 80 to 10m bands. QSL via Michael's home call.
The IP1X team will be active from Gallinara Island, EU-083, on the
26th and 27th of July. The team will operate CW and SSB on the 80 to
10m bands. QSL via OQRS, via the Bureau or directly to IU1JCZ. More
information is available at QRZ.com.
Now the contest news
Today the 20th, the RSGB International Low Power Contest runs from
0900 to 1600UTC. Using CW on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange
is signal report, serial number and transmitter power.
On Tuesday the 22nd, the RSGB SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830
to 2130UTC. Using all modes on 2.3 to 10GHz frequencies, the exchange
is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Thursday the 24th, the RSGB 80m Club Championship Data Contest
runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using RTTY and PSK63 on the 80m band, the
exchange is signal report and serial number.
The RSGB IOTA Contest starts at 1200UTC on Saturday the 26th and ends
at 1200UTC on Sunday the 27th of July. Using CW and SSB on the 80 to
10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and IOTA reference.
On Sunday the 27th, the UK Microwave Group 5.7 and 10GHz Contest runs
from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on 5.7 and 10GHz frequencies,
the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Thursday the 17th of July.
Space weather has been a bit like our terrestrial weather this week.
We have had sunspots, some C-class solar flares, some coronal mass
ejections and a large coronal hole – unsettled, you could say!
Luckily, the coronal mass ejections were not Earth-directed, but the
Kp index did rise to 5 on the 15th of July and again late on the 16th
of July. The large coronal hole, which may have been responsible, is
well south on the Sun's surface and should rotate out of Earth's view
by the beginning of the coming week.
Meanwhile, the Sun appears to have woken up, spot-wise, with 11
groups on the 17th of July, four of which are classed as growing,
while two are stable and three are declining. Two groups are
unclassified at this time. This resulted in an increase in the solar
flux index to 152 on Thursday the 17th.
Overall, this means quite reasonable HF conditions considering the
time of year. Recent DX spotted includes the JW0V DXpedition to
Svalbard on both SSB and FT8, and C93RRC in Mozambique on 17m CW,
plus 30, 20 and 10m FT8.
Conditions have been up and down, with daytime maximum useable
frequencies, or MUFs, over a 3,000km path reaching 28MHz at times,
but then quickly declining to 18 or 19MHz ten minutes later. All we
can advise is to keep listening!
Nighttime MUFs over a 3,000km path have generally been exceeding
10MHz, and occasionally reaching 14MHz. We may start to see
nighttime 14MHz openings tailing off as we head into late July.
Next week, NOAA is a little pessimistic with a predicted solar flux
index in the range of 118 to 130. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions,
with a possible Kp of 4, are forecast for Tuesday 22nd of July.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The unsettled weather over this weekend will continue through the
first part of the coming week. Some of the rain will be heavy and
possibly thundery, so there is a good chance of rain scatter on the
GHz bands.
After mid-week, the pattern may change enough for a weak ridge of
high pressure to build close to the UK and this may offer some Tropo
opportunities. It may not be strong enough for it to persist through
the warmth of a July day. Thus most places will have better Tropo
prospects overnight.
The solar conditions have recently fired off a steady stream of
aurora alerts and we should probably expect similar in the coming
week.
Meteor scatter is often on peoples' minds during late summer since we
have two showers towards the end of this month and of course next
month's Perseids. This month both the Delta Aquariids and the Alpha
Capricornids peak around the 30th of July but we are already in the
broad spread of dates for activity.
Sporadic-E is still happening on most days somewhere within Europe,
but even UK stations can expect regular FT8 activity and a fair
chance of CW or SSB paths for stronger events.
Last Wednesday saw another early afternoon opening into the USA.
These stronger events need a low Kp index, below 3, and some jet
stream activity to generate turbulence that can spread upwards to the
E region.
In the coming week we will certainly have some jet stream activity,
so it should be worth monitoring your favourite beacons for activity.
In fact, it's always helpful to have a list of favourite beacons at
the ready to cover a range of directions. For example, one in
Finland, Poland, Hungary, Italy and Spain should cover it.
Moon declination is positive again, reaching maximum on Tuesday the
22nd with associated long Moon windows and high peak elevation. Path
losses continue to fall until perigee today, Sunday the 20th. 144MHz
sky noise is moderate, but Thursday the 24th sees the Moon and Sun
close in the sky until early the following day.
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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