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Welcome to episode 87 of The Premier League Cricket Show, the ultimate cricket destination for dynamic discussions, exclusive guests, and unmatched insights from around the peak of the club cricket pyramid where we follow, report on and talk about all of the 33 ECB Premier Leagues action. In this episode as the Premier Leagues returns this weekend, Livo chats with Joe White of Callington to preview the Cornwall Premier League ahead of the season including the names to look out for and predictions! Thanks for listening and if you enjoy the show, why not show us some love and leave us a 5-star review on your favourite podcast platform as it helps other potential listeners to find us when they are searching for cricketing podcasts. And don't forget to follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram on both to join the conversation, share your thoughts, and connect with us & fellow premier league cricket fans. Website: PremierLeagueCricket.co.uk Twitter: @TPLCricketClub Instagram: @TPLCricketClub Email: TPLCricketShow@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
GB2RS News Sunday the 16th of March 2025 The news headlines: Final chance to get involved in British Science Week and share your activities Advance notice of how to ask the Board questions at the RSGB AGM The RSGB has launched new National Radio Centre web pages Today, Sunday the 16th of March is the last day of British Science Week 2025. If you live in the Derbyshire or Leicestershire area, pop along to the open day being held by South Derbyshire and Ashby Woulds Amateur Radio Group. The group is hosting the final day of its family-friendly open weekend. Members will be showcasing all that amateur radio has to offer, from kit building to operating under supervision. Details of the event can be found on the “Events happening near you” section of rsgb.org/bsw There is also still time to get involved with the official RSGB British Science Week activity, which is featured in the British Science Week Community Activity Pack. This can be done at home on DMR or any other radio. If you've been involved in amateur radio activities as part of the annual celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, the Society would love to hear from you. Whether you've run an event at your local club, set up and operated a radio station in a school, or introduced the hobby to a community group, get in touch. Please send your reports, with separate high-resolution photographs, to comms@rsgb.org.uk by the 18th of April. The RSGB would like to thank everyone who has contributed ideas and resources, sharing your passion and expertise with others. It is also welcoming feedback about the British Science Week campaign. Let the RSGB know what worked well, what you learnt, and how the Society could develop its activities for next year. Please email the RSGB British Science Week Coordinator Ian Neal, M0KEO at bsw@rsgb.org.uk to share your thoughts. Over the last few years, the RSGB has been developing how the Board can be asked questions at its online AGMs. This year, the AGM will be held on Saturday the 12th of April and you have three ways to get involved. To ask a question via video on Zoom you'll need to register in advance and give the topic of your question. You'll have the chance to ask your question live with one follow-up question on the same topic. If you'd prefer to submit a written question in advance, you can do so via a form on the RSGB website. The third way to ask Board members a question is via the Live Chat function on the day. Whilst the Board will take as many questions as possible during the second part of the AGM, if you would like to ask a question about the formal part of the meeting, please submit a written question in advance or register to ask a question via Zoom. Full details of how to take part in the RSGB AGM, along with closing dates to submit a question, will be available from Wednesday the 19th of March via rsgb.org/agm Have you ever wondered what you'll discover during a visit to the RSGB National Radio Centre? Or perhaps you're interested in operating GB3RS during your visit? Maybe you are a group who'd like to arrange a visit. All these topics, plus much more, have been answered in the newly updated RSGB National Radio Centre web pages. Other topics include the RSGB's involvement in the Voluntary Interceptors, as well as organising your visit and how to volunteer at the Centre. Go to rsgb.org/nrc to discover more. The team of volunteers looks forward to welcoming you soon. Bletchley Park will be hosting one of its infamous 1940s weekends in May to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE day. In tribute to the event, the RSGB National Radio Centre will be operating a special event station GB2BP from the 3rd to the 5th of May. Put the date in your diary and make sure you get this callsign in your logbook. The next event in the popular 145 Alive series takes place on Saturday the 12th of April between 12 noon and 3 pm. If you'd like to be a net controller for the event please email masenville@gmail.com with the callsign you intend to use on the day and your intended six-digit maidenhead locator. For more information visit the 145 Alive Facebook page. The South Yorkshire ATV Group is pleased to announce that the GB3YT television repeater on 23cm has completed its move from Mirfield in West Yorkshire to its new site at Birdwell near Barnsley, adjacent to junction 36 on the M1. The repeater receives on 1276MHz DVB-S or DVB-S2 using 1000 or 333 kilo-symbols per second and transmits on 1316MHz DVB-S at 1000 kilo symbols per second. The repeater is switched on between 6 pm and 9 pm on weekdays and 3 pm and 9 pm at weekends. This will be reviewed when activity increases. Further information about GB3YT and membership in the Group can be found via gb3yt.co.uk or by emailing info@gb3yt.co.uk Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week. And now for details of rallies and events The Biggleswade Swap meet, organised by the British Vintage Wireless Society, is taking place on Sunday the 23rd of March at The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, SG18 8JH. Doors open to stallholders from 9 am, with general entry from 9.30 am. Admission is £8. Hot and cold refreshments are available all day. There will be vintage technology of varying sorts, as well as a bring-and-buy stall run by the British Wireless and Television Museum. For enquiries, including stall bookings, please email Jeremy Owen, G8MLK via secretary@bvws.org.uk More details can also be found via BVWS.org.uk The Callington Radio and Electronics Rally will be held in the Town Hall, New Road, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7BD on Sunday the 23rd of March. Public access to the event is from 10 am until 1 pm. Entry is £2 each with no charge for those under the age of 16. A comprehensive selection of traders, clubs and societies from the southwest will be present along with a bring-and-buy stall and the usual excellent catering service. As an improvement from last year, the bring-and-buy stall now accepts payment by all major debit and credit cards using contactless, chip and pin or by phone. The venue has disabled access and toilet facilities with ample parking in a nearby car park. Although the main hall is now fully booked, tables are still available in an adjacent room at £5 for the large size and £3 for the smaller one. Pre-booking is essential, so please contact Alastair, M0KRR at alastair.kerr1@btinternet.com or by phone at 01503 262 755 with your requirements as soon as possible. Also on Sunday the 23rd of March is The Dover Amateur Radio Club 2025 Rally which is taking place at the St Radigunds Community Centre, Poulton Close, Dover, CT17 0HL. The doors are open between 10 am and 2 pm and entry is £3. Tea, coffee and bacon rolls will be available on-site. Tables are available at £15 each, with a maximum of two tables per vendor. For table bookings and the latest news go to darc.online/rally The Pencoed and District Amateur Radio Club Rally is on Sunday the 30th of March at Sarn and Bryncwils Social Club, Bryncoch Road, Sarn near Bridgend, CF32 9NY. Entrance is £2.50. Tables are available at £10 each. Refreshments will be available. Public access to the event is from 10am, with trader access from 8 am. Please contact Ieuan Jones via 07791 709 691 for further information. Now the Special Event news In celebration of its 60th anniversary, the Mid Ulster Amateur Radio Club will be operating the club's call sign GI3VFW on Monday the 17th of March for one week. Members will be operating on all bands on HF, VHF and UHF from Tandragee, County Armagh. The club will also be operating GI3VFW from the 25th to the 27th of April from Navan Fort Armagh using all bands and modes. Radio amateurs in Scotland will be on the air throughout March using the special callsign GB1KBR. This is to celebrate the start of the official handover of the Commonwealth Games Kings Baton by His Royal Highness King Charles the Third at Buckingham Palace for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Activity will be on HF, SSB, CW and digital modes. QSL via Logbook of The World, eQSL and QRZ.com There will also be an award programme available via the Ham Award platform. For further information on the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games please visit glasgow2026.com Dennis Spratt, G7AGZ will be operating as a special event station GB0CHC in aid of Cornwall Hospice Care. This marks his 34th year since his first project for the hospices in 1991. Dennis will be active from near St. Agnes, Cornwall on most bands and modes. The station will be on air from the 1st of April for 28 days. He hopes to beat his target of 912 QSOs from 2024. See QRZ.com for further details, as well as how to donate. Now the DX news Heath, VK3TWO is active from Fiji as 3D2TWO until the 27th of March. The station will be active on the 40 to 10m bands using SSB and FT8. More information can be found at QRZ.com Aldir, PY1SAD will be active again from Georgetown in Guyana as 8R1TM from the 11th of March to the 26th of April. Aldir will be operating on all bands using CW, SSB, digital and satellite. QSL via eQSL and Logbook of The World. A team of 12 operators are active as VU4AX from the South Andaman Islands, IOTA reference AS-001, until Thursday the 20th of March. The group is operating six stations around the clock, on bands from 10m to 160m, including WARC and 60m, using CW, SSB, and digital. Full details, including QSL information, are available via dx-adventure.com Looking ahead, DA1DX, DK9IP, DM6EE and DL8LAS will be active from Anegada Island in the British Virgin Islands as VP2VI from the 10th to the 27th of April. Now the contest news The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group HF RTTY Contest started on Saturday the 15th of March and ends at 0159UTC on Monday the 17th of March. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and time. On Monday the 17th of March, the FT4 Series Contest runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using FT4 on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report. On Tuesday the 18th of March, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 23cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 18th of March, the IRTS 80m Evening Counties Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and county code. On Thursday the 20th of March, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 13th of March 2025 We've had another week of disturbed geomagnetic conditions with the Kp index at four or five for long periods. On the evening of the 12th of March, Kp was five and, at the time of writing, has stayed there for a total of five three-hour periods. This has taken its toll on the ionosphere with MUFs over a 3,000km path down to less than 24.7MHz during daylight. Meanwhile, the solar flux index rose to 160 on Thursday the 13th after hitting a low of 147 on the 7th. The best HF propagation was last weekend, the 8th and 9th of March, just in time for the Commonwealth Contest. This saw stations around the world romping into the UK, including signals from Australia, New Zealand, the Falkland Islands, Barbados, and many others. As contacts were limited to Commonwealth countries, it meant the UK had little QRM to contend with and it was fairly easy to fill the log book on 40m to 10m. Australia was still coming in at 59 after dark, and even British Columbia on the west coast of Canada could be worked with simple wire antennas and low power. This may have been caused by a pre-auroral enhancement, as the Kp index rose late on the first day of the contest. Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index may rise to 195 by the 21st. It also suggests that we may be back into calmer geomagnetic conditions with a maximum Kp index of two. This will be a welcome change and, if it happens, will no doubt result in better HF conditions. And remember, March is a good month for north-south contacts, such as the UK to South Africa and the UK to South America. But with the equinox just around the corner, auroras are twice as common due to the Russell-McPherron effect. Just as when two bar magnets attract one another when they are oriented oppositely, so opposite Bz components attract. During the autumn and spring equinox, this orientation enables a 'connection' to the Sun, thereby allowing the solar wind to stream in. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The recent change to colder weather brought showers and potential rain scatter to the second half of last week. But this weekend we have lost the showers and gained a large region of high pressure to bring a hint of Tropo. It's not perfect, since in cold air highs like this, conditions are usually less than ideal, so don't expect too much from this particular area of high pressure. The high will last until midweek before it slips away into eastern Europe and, on its parting, may allow some moisture below the inversion and will improve the Tropo prospects briefly. The second half of the coming week will be dominated by low pressure and back to rain-scatter as an option on the GHz bands. The solar conditions have continued to provide a few weak auroral alerts and it's worth continuing a watching brief on the Kp index for hints of activity; anything greater than a Kp of five is worth our interest. Listen out for watery-sounding signals on the LF bands and then check out the 10m and 6m bands for auroral signals. The next important meteor shower is the April Lyrids, but there's always the chance of random meteor scatter activity, particularly in the pre-dawn hours. It's still a little early to mention Sporadic-E, but it's always worth looking at the lower frequencies first, which means 10m and 6m. Check the graphs on Propquest for signs of spikes in the foEs, which is the critical frequency of the Es-layer. EME path losses continue to rise until apogee on Monday evening. Moon declination is still falling, reaching a minimum on Saturday the 22nd. So again, we have short Moon windows and reduced peak Moon elevation. 144MHz sky noise is moderate and rising to high by Friday the 21st. And that's all from the propagation team this week.
GB2RS News Sunday the 9th of March 2025 The news headlines: RSGB members celebrate IARU Centenary with a special callsign British Science Week events you can be part of RSGB Propagation Studies Committee members give talks at HamSCI event As part of the celebrations of the centenary of the International Amateur Radio Union, the RSGB will be activating the callsign GB0IARU in April 2025. If you would like to be an activator, you need to be an RSGB member with a Full licence, as UK licence conditions only allow Full licensees to operate club callsigns. If you would like to take part, please send an email to contestclub@rsgbcc.org You will be invited to join a discussion group which will be used to provide you with all the information that you will need. You will have to join the RSGB Contest Club to use the callsign, as GB0IARU is linked to the Contest Club's callsign G6XX. Foundation and Intermediate licensees will be able to take part under supervision. You can find detailed instructions about operating with GB0IARU on the RSGB website at tinyurl.com/GB0IARU For QSL information please see the QRZ.com page for GB0IARU. British Science Week began on Friday the 7th of March and will continue until Sunday the 16th of March. The annual celebration presents radio amateurs with the opportunity to showcase their hobby to new audiences. Crowthorne and Wokingham Men's Shed will be operating as G8EYM during the forthcoming week. Organisers who would like to set up skeds with other groups, particularly other Men's Sheds groups, should get in touch via info@nmishedww.co.uk if you'd like to be involved. Some events are also open to the public. South Derbyshire and Ashby Woulds Amateur Radio Group will be hosting a family-friendly open weekend on the 15th and 16th of March. The event will include opportunities for kit building, details of training, as well as an opportunity to operate under supervision. Norfolk Amateur Radio Club intends to support the City of Norwich School with its Super Science Saturday on the 15th of March. To get involved with these events, plus more, go to rsgb.org/bsw and choose the “Events happening near you” tab on the righthand menu. The Society has also shared several fun ideas that you can take part in, from giving your friends and family a tour of your shack to observing the Sun's cycles and understanding the aurora. And of course, don't forget to get involved with the official RSGB British Science Week activity, which is featured in the Community Activity Pack. This can be done at home on DMR or any other radio. Whatever inspires you, be part of this fantastic celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths and show the very best that amateur radio has to offer. Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation, also known as HamSCI, is holding its 8th annual workshop in New Jersey on the 14th and 15th of March. This year's workshop features nearly 50 presentations, four tutorials, as well as a keynote address by the ARRL's Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R. RSGB Propagation Studies Committee associate member Professor Gwyn Griffiths, G3ZIL will be delivering several sessions at the two-day event, including one on post-sunset Sporadic-F propagation. The RSGB Propagation Studies Committee Secretary Doctor Chris Deacon, G4IFX, is also attending and will be delivering a session on The Physical Nature of Sporadic-E. You'll be able to watch these sessions, plus more from the workshop agenda online. Details of how to access the event virtually, as well as more information about the event can be found at hamsci.org/hamsci2025 The RSGB remote invigilation team will be taking a break over the Easter weekend. You will be able to book to take an exam on Friday the 18th of April or Saturday the 19th of April, but no exam slots will be available on Sunday the 20th of April, or Monday the 21st of April. Exam bookings will resume as normal after that. Amateur Radio Clubs On The Air is getting ready for a second weekend of operating on the 22nd and 23rd of March. It is a chance for amateurs to promote their club, have some fun and collect points for an award. All bands may be used, using any mode including SSB, CW, FM, RTTY, FT8, FT4 and other digital modes. This is an ongoing award, and contacts may be claimed from the 23rd of March 2025 onwards. You can find full details on the Leicester Radio Society website at g3lrs.org.uk, via the G3LRS page at QRZ.com or by emailing arcota@g3lrs.org.uk Cray Valley Radio Society is running a two-day, face-to-face Foundation licence course on the 5th and the 12th of April, near Greenwich in southeast London. The Foundation training package costs £65 and this includes the online exam at the end of the course. Please apply or contact Cray Valley Radio Society via its temporary website at cvrs.uk Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week. And now for details of rallies and events On Sunday the 16th of March, the Ripon and District Amateur Radio Society Rally will take place at Great Ouseburn Village Hall, Lightmire Lane, Great Ouseburn, York YO26 9RL. Doors open for traders at 7.30 am and then to the public at 10 am for an admission price of £3. Free parking, refreshments and bacon butties will be available. The tables cost £10 each. For enquiries, or to book one or more tables, email radars.rally@gmail.com The Biggleswade Swapmeet, organised by the British Vintage Wireless Society, is taking place on Sunday the 23rd of March at The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, SG18 8JH. Doors open to stallholders from 9 am, with general entry from 9.30 am. Admission is £8. Hot and cold refreshments are available all day. There will be vintage technology of varying sorts including radio, TV, communications, audio, vinyl, computing, telephones and components. There will also be a bring-and-buy stall run by the British Wireless and Television Museum. For enquiries, including stall bookings, please email Jeremy Owen, G8MLK via secretary@bvws.org.uk More details can also be found via BVWS.org.uk The Callington Radio and Electronics Rally will be held in the Town Hall, New Road, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7BD on Sunday the 23rd of March. Public access to the event is from 10 am until 1 pm. Entry is £2 each with no charge for those under the age of 16. A comprehensive selection of traders, clubs and societies from the south-west will be present along with a bring-and-buy stall and the usual excellent catering service. As an improvement from last year, the bring-and-buy stall now accepts payment by all major debit and credit cards using contactless, chip and pin or by phone. The venue has disabled access and toilet facilities with ample parking in a nearby car park. Although the main hall is now fully booked, tables are still available in an adjacent room at £5 for the large size and £3 for the smaller one. Pre-booking is essential, so please contact Alastair, M0KRR at alastair.kerr1@btinternet.com or by phone at 01503 262 755 with your requirements as soon as possible. Also on Sunday the 23rd of March is The Dover Amateur Radio Club 2025 Rally which is taking place at the St Radigunds Community Centre, Poulton Close, Dover, CT17 0HL. The doors are open between 10 am and 2 pm and entry is £3. Tea, coffee and bacon rolls will be available on site. Tables are available at £15 each, with a maximum of two tables per vendor. For table bookings and the latest news go to darc.online/rally Now the Special Event news The British Railways Amateur Radio Society is running special event stations GB0LMR and GB2SDR during 2025 to celebrate 200 years of train travel since 1825. Starting from April, it will also be running GB2TT to celebrate the same anniversary. QSL will be via the Bureau. More information is available at QRZ.com and via webrars.info From the 1st to the 28th of March George, MM0JNL will once again be activating special event station GB0GTS. This year the station is active in support of the Great Tommy Sleepout. This national challenge aims to raise funds and awareness for all former UK service personnel who are living homeless. More details are available at QRZ.com and rbli.co.uk Now the DX news The VK9CU team will be active between the 4th and the 11th of March from Cocos Keeling Islands, IOTA reference OC-003. They will operate on the 160 to 6m bands using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT4 and FT8. QSL via DL2AWG, ClubLog and Logbook of the World. Elvira, IV3FSG is active as D68Z from Moroni in the Comoro Islands until the 18th of March. IOTA reference AF-007. She will operate on HF bands using CW, SSB and digital modes. Looking ahead, DA1DX, DK9IP, DM6EE and DL8LAS will be active from Anegada Island in the British Virgin Islands as VP2VI from the 10th to the 27th of April. Now the contest news The Commonwealth Contest started at 1000UTC on Saturday the 8th of March and ends at 1000UTC today, Sunday the 9th of March. Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. HQ stations also send ‘HQ'. On Tuesday the 11th of March, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs between 1900 to 1955UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 11th of March, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 12th of March, the 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 12th of March, the 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Wednesday the 12th of March, the 80m Club Championship Contest runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Thursday the 13th of March, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group HF RTTY Contest starts at 0200UTC on Saturday the 15th of March and ends at 0200UTC on Monday the 17th of March. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and time. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 6th of March 2025 We started last week with geomagnetic disturbances that saw the Kp index rise to a maximum of 5.67 on the 28th of February and then hover around the 4.5 mark for the next couple of days. As predicted, the rest of the week went quite well, with the Kp index in the range of one to four. The solar flux index fell from a maximum of 210 on the 23rd of February to a low of 140 on the 2nd of March. It then climbed back to 160 on the 4th. Over the past week, we have had no X-class and only one M-class solar flare which was on the 5th. As we head into next week, it looks like all the sunspots in the Sun's northern hemisphere have now departed. Nevertheless, the southern hemisphere is still supplying lots of spots so don't panic just yet! HF conditions have been quite good. VK6IF and VK6IA in Western Australia were booming in on 28MHz USB on the morning of Thursday the 6th, as was VK9CU on the Cocos-Keeling Islands. Nigel, VP8TXF and Ian, VP8CIW have been operating from the Falkland Islands ahead of this weekend's Commonwealth Contest and have been worked from the UK on 20m-10m. They are there until the 10th, so get in quick. Other DX to be worked this week includes VU4AX Andaman Islands, 6Y7EI Jamaica, PJ7AA Sint Maarten Island, 4S7KKG Sri Lanka, TY5C Benin, 6W7/ON4AVT Warang Senegal, RI1ANE Antarctica and H44MS Solomon Islands. Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will start off around 150 and may then climb to 185 by the 16th. A large coronal hole became Earth-facing on the 6th, which may result in unsettled geomagnetic conditions this weekend, the 8th and the 9th. It looks like we can expect unsettled geomagnetic conditions around the 10th to the 16th, with a maximum predicted Kp index of five. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The weather divides into two segments; the first, from the middle of last week through to the middle of next week, is rather changeable with low pressure nearby bringing rain or showers and potential for rain scatter on the GHz bands. Eventually, the unsettled weather ends with a cold northerly on Tuesday the 11th and this leads to a new high building from Wednesday into the weekend of the 15th and 16th March. This is good news for Tropo and could possibly be of benefit to those in the UK 70cm Activity Contest on Tuesday the 11th in the western UK, but more generally for the FT8 70cm Activity Contest on Wednesday and the 50MHz UK Activity Contest on Thursday evening. We are still between major meteor showers and therefore must rely upon random activity for now. The next shower of note is the Lyrids on the 21st and the 22nd of April, so we have a while to go yet. The solar activity has continued to produce a regular supply of auroral alerts and fluttery signals on the LF bands, but with a lot of clouds in northwestern areas and southern parts just marginally out of reach for any naked-eye auroras. A few digital camera pictures did surface on the web. Keep an eye open just in case though. Remember Kp equalling five or greater is where we need to be. Lastly, the Sporadic-E prospects are still relatively low with only the odd minor blip up to around a Sporadic-E critical frequency of 5 to 7MHz, often around the middle of the day. This contrasts with the morning and evening windows in the main season. It is enough to promote interest in the 10 or 6m bands, but almost certainly a fleeting moment. EME path losses rise all this coming week and moon declination falls with associated shortening Moon windows and reducing peak Moon elevation. The best results will therefore be early in the week. 144MHz sky noise is moderate this weekend, falling to low in the week commencing the 10th. And that's all from the propagation team this week.
GB2RS News Sunday the 1st of September The news headlines: RSGB collaborates on a special contact with the International Space Station The RSGB's Tonight@8 webinar autumn programme starts tomorrow, the 2nd The RSGB is getting ready for National Coding Week We are delighted to announce that the Radio Society of Great Britain and ARISS, in conjunction with Girlguiding Surrey West and Brooklands Museum including the Innovation Academy, have been collaborating on a special event due to take place on Saturday the 5th of October. Girlguiding President, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh will attend a planned contact with the International Space Station as part of a visit to promote the engagement and involvement of girls and young women in science, technology, engineering and maths. Further details of the contact and the event will be announced in late September. The RSGB's autumn Tonight@8 programme starts this Monday, the 2nd of September. Brian Coleman, G4NNS will give an update on the Meteor Beacon Project which is a cooperation between the worlds of amateur radio and astronomy. The first phase of this project was completed in May 2022 when the UK meteor beacon GB3MBA went on the air from the Sherwood Observatory of the Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society. It enabled studies of meteor events over the UK using simple equipment and made possible a range of STEM projects featuring radio and astronomy. The second phase of the project, which Brian will describe in the presentation, is to develop a network of receivers streaming their data via a central server for detailed studies of individual meteor events. You can watch and ask questions live on the RSGB YouTube channel or a special BATC channel. To find out more go to the RSGB website at rsgb.org/webinars The RSGB is getting ready for National Coding Week which begins on the 16th of September. This national event is in its 11th year and encourages people of all ages to try coding, or programming as it is also called. During the next few days, the RSGB's Outreach Team will release two new coding activities for you to try on your own, with members of your local club, or at a school or other youth group. These are in addition to the seven activities the Society shared last year. This is a great opportunity to see how coding can link with your usual amateur radio activities, or for you to try something new. If you are planning an activity or an event or would like some support, please email the RSGB National Coding Week Coordinator Nigel Thrower, G3YSW via ncw@rsgb.org.uk You can find the coding activities on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/coding The British Science Association has announced that applications for kick-start grants will open on the 17th of September 2024. The grants are provided to help schools in challenging circumstances to deliver events and activities as part of British Science Week. To find out more visit the British Science Week website and enter ‘Grant applications for British Science Week 2025' in the search box located in the top right-hand corner. If you need some inspiration on how to get involved, the RSGB is already planning for the March event. You can go to rsgb.org/bsw to find out more, as well as to view activity ideas and lesson plans from previous years. If you'd like to get involved or have any questions, you can email the RSGB British Science Week Coordinator, Ian Neal, M0KEO at bsw@rsgb.org.uk RSGB Members can ensure that they are the first to hear about the Society's online webinars and events by registering to receive updates by email. Simply log into the RSGB members' portal, select the ‘Manage Preferences' tab and click the online events option. By selecting this preference you'll be kept up to date on events such as the Tonight@8 webinars, which are already shaping up to have a brilliant programme for the Autumn. Keep an eye on your mailboxes for more news about these soon. Don't forget that the popular Churches and Chapels on the Air event, also known as CHOTA, is taking place on Saturday the 14th of September. Lots of stations will be on the air from 10 am to 4 pm so please give them a call. The operation will be focused on the 80, 40 and 20m bands. To see the list of churches and chapels taking part visit the ‘CHOTA' tab on the World Association of Christian Radio Amateurs and Listeners website at wacral.org The RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park, or NRC, will be closed for one day on Monday the 16th of September to allow time for some minor decorating and cleaning. Don't forget that RSGB members can gain free entry to Bletchley Park and the NRC by downloading a voucher from rsgb.org/bpvoucher And now for details of rallies and events Telford Hamfest is taking place today, Sunday the 1st of September at Harper Adams University near Newport, Shropshire. The doors open at 10.15 am and admission is £5. Children up to the age of 16 will be admitted free of charge. Free parking, catering, an RSGB bookstall, and a bring-and-buy area are available on site. For more details visit tdars.org.uk or email John, M0JZH at hamfest@tdars.org.uk The Caister Lifeboat Radio Rally is due to take place on Sunday the 8th of September at Caister Lifeboat station, Caister on Sea, NR30 5DJ. The doors will be open from 9 am to 8 pm and there is no admission fee. Sellers can gain access from 8 am. For more information email Zane, M1BFI via m1bfi@outlook.com or phone 07711 214 790. The Broadcast Engineering Museum near Gainsborough in Lincolnshire is new and a work in progress, so it only opens a few days each year. The next open days are coming up on Saturday the 14th and Sunday the 15th of September from 11 am to 4 pm. The Museum contains a vast collection of historic broadcasting equipment and memorabilia, some restored and working, on display in a former RAF sergeants' mess. Free parking is available on-site. For more information email contactus@becg.org.uk or visit becg.org.uk Now the Special Event news Carmarthen Amateur Radio Society is taking part in Churches and Chapels on the Air again this year with special event station GB2SCC. The station will be operating on Saturday the 14th of September from 0900 to 1500UTC on the 40 and 17m bands using SSB. Operators will also be available for VHF and UHF FM calls. For more information see QRZ.com Austin, M0MNE, who is a marine engineer in the Merchant Navy, will be operating special callsign GB0MND on the HF Bands and flying the British Red Ensign from the seafaring town of South Shields, home of the world's longest-operating marine training college. This is to commemorate Merchant Navy Day on the 3rd of September and the merchant seafarers all over the world who work tirelessly, day in and day out, keeping global trade afloat. The station will operate from the 3rd of September until World Maritime Day on the 26th of September. On the 3rd of September, Austin will be concentrating on SSB and CW on the 40, 20 and 15m bands. During the rest of the month, he will be working on all bands using SSB, CW, FT8, and digital modes such as Olivia, Domino, Hell and SSTV. More information about the station and Merchant Navy Day is available via QRZ.com Callington and District Amateur Radio Society will activate Special Event Station GB0EKF for the annual Esedhvos Kernow Festival of Cornish Culture which this year is being held in Callington, Cornwall on Saturday the 7th of September. Listen out for GB0EKF on the local repeaters, HF bands and via the QO-100 satellite. Now the DX news Domenico, IK1MNF is active as IK1MNF/IA5 from Isola d'Elba, EU-028, until the end of September. He is operating using SSB on the 20 to 6m bands. QSOs will be uploaded to Club Log and Logbook of the World. Yann, F1SMB is active as FO/F1SMB from French Polynesia until the 15th of September. His main QTH will be Tahiti, OC-046, with a side trip to Fakarava, OC-066. Usually, he operates FT8 and SSB on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL to F1SMB directly or via the Bureau, Logbook of the World or eQSL. Now the contest news The UK and Ireland Contest Club DX SSB Contest started at 1200UTC on Saturday the 31st of August and runs until 1200UTC today, the 1st of September. Using SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. UK and Ireland stations also send their district code. The Worked All Britain DX Contest started at 1200UTC on Saturday the 31st of August and ends at 1200UTC today, the 1st of September. The exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square, where applicable. Entries need to be with the contest manager by the 11th of September. Visit the Worked All Britain website for more information and to read more on the rules for the contest. Tomorrow, the 2nd, the Autumn Series SSB Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Tuesday the 3rd, the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also, on Tuesday the 3rd, the 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 4th, the 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also, on Wednesday the 4th, the 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. Also, on Wednesday the 4th of September, the UK and Ireland Contest Club 80m Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator. SSB Field Day runs from 1300UTC on Saturday the 7th to 1300UTC on Sunday the 8th of September. Using SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. The 144MHz Trophy Contest runs from 1400UTC on Saturday the 7th to 1400UTC on Sunday the 8th of September. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Saturday the 7th, the CWops CW Open takes place in three four-hour sessions between 0000 and 2359UTC. Using CW on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is serial number and name. The All Asian DX Contest starts at 0000UTC on Saturday the 7th and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday the 8th of September. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, the exchange is signal report and your age. On Sunday the 8th, the 5th 144MHz Backpackers Contest takes runs from 1100 to 1500UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Sunday the 8th, the Worked All Britain 2m QRO Phone Contest runs from 1000 to 1400UTC. Using AM, FM and SSB on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain square. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 29th of August 2024 We had a good week for HF propagation, at least until we had a Kp index of 5.67 on Wednesday the 28th. This was caused by the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field moving into a south-pointing position. Luckily, it didn't last long and geomagnetic conditions were back to normal by Thursday. The solar flux index remains above 200 with no sign of it dropping. But solar flare activity has not diminished either with 16 M-class flares over the past seven days and more than 60 C-class events. There remains a 55% chance of a further M-class flare and a 10% chance of an X-class event. Tuesday the 27th saw some good activity on the upper HF bands with the 10m band opening up at times. VK has been heard on 28MHz in the mornings, which bodes well for the coming months. The top DX choice this week has been CY9C on Saint Paul Island near Newfoundland. The team is active on all bands until the 5th of September using CW, SSB, FT8, Super Fox and RTTY. VOACAP Online shows that the 20 and 17m bands offer the best chance for a contact and are open from 0900 to 2000 UTC. The 30m band is another strong contender from 2000 to 1000 UTC. Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will start at around 250 but could end the week at 275. As always, it estimates the Kp index will be at 2 all week, but this will depend upon coronal mass ejections, so keep an eye on solarham.com for daily updates. If a solar flare and associated coronal mass ejections do occur, expect the Kp index to rise after about 48 hours, with a lowering of the maximum useable frequency. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The autumn season usually brings thoughts of Tropo since areas of high pressure can often be a feature of this time of year. Most models predict that there will be high pressure moving in to offer Tropo conditions today, the 1st. Thereafter, the models differ, and some bring low pressure over the country for much of the coming week, while others maintain a high-pressure story and the continuation of Tropo. This is potentially useful for the 144MHz UK Activity Contest on Tuesday and Wednesday and, if it lasts, the 144MHz Trophy Contest next weekend along with the Backpackers contest on Sunday the 8th. With the uncertain feel of the forecast at the moment, we may find rain scatter is the main option on the GHz bands. Meteor scatter is again reduced to non-shower random events with just a minor shower, the Aurigids, peaking on the 31st of August. This shower has produced brief unexpected outbursts with a zenithal hourly rate of around 30 to 50 per hour in 1935, 1986, 1994 and 2019. Random meteor flux is at its annual maximum in September with relatively good rates, especially during morning hours. Pre-dawn is the best time to try. The solar conditions continue to provide chance auroras. Keep one eye on the Kp index and lock the frequency of some northern European beacons into your rig's memory. Lastly, it's the nominal end of the 2024 summer Sporadic-E season and the daily blogs on Propquest have finished. However, some years can produce surprise Sporadic-E events during the first week of September. Moon declination starts the weekend still high but falling, going negative again on Thursday the 5th. So, Moon visibility windows will also fall, as will the peak Moon elevation. Moon apogee is also next Thursday so path losses are still increasing. 144MHz sky noise is low until Monday but, shortly after moonrise that day, the Sun and the Moon become close in the sky and continue to be until after moonset on Tuesday. This means sky noise will be very high, especially at VHF, due to wide antenna beamwidths. And that's all from the propagation team this week.
GB2RS News Sunday the 17th of March 2024 The news headlines: The RSGB's 2024 AGM is coming up British Science Week is drawing to a close Changes to examination fees are coming soon This year's RSGB AGM will take place at 10 am on Saturday the 13th of April and will be held online to ensure as many members as possible can watch and take part. The formal business of the meeting will include the results of members' votes on the resolutions, including the endorsement of three Nominated Directors. The President will give a video review of 2023 and the Society will announce the recipients of its annual awards and trophies, as well as the winners of its construction competition. At the end of the meeting, there will be a recorded presentation on “Making amateur radio licensing fit for the future” by Ofcom Group Director, Spectrum, David Willis. This will be followed by a live Q&A on the new licence conditions, with four senior RSGB representatives answering your questions: President, John McCullagh, GI4BWM; Board Chair, Stewart Bryant, G3YSX; General Manager, Steve Thomas, M1ACB; and Spectrum Forum Chair, Murray Niman, G6JYB. You can find more information about the candidates, voting and how to ask the Board a question on the RSGB AGM web pages at rsgb.org/agm British Science Week is drawing to a close and lots of exciting activities have been going on. Radio amateurs across the country have been encouraging young people to explore and understand our hobby and there have been some wonderful ways of incorporating the theme of “Time” into amateur radio activities. The RSGB would like to thank those who have shared ideas and resources, promoting the magic of radio communications with young people. There will be a report in the June issue of RadCom to showcase the activities that have happened and to inspire people to get involved next year! Perhaps you ran a construction day, set up and operated a radio station in a school or achieved a QSO with GB3RS at the RSGB National Radio Centre. Whatever you've been doing, please send your reports, with separate high-resolution photographs, to radcom@rsgb.org.uk by the 21st of April 2024. The RSGB would welcome feedback about what worked well, what you learned and how the Society could develop its British Science Week activities next year. Please email the RSGB British Science Week Coordinator Ian Neal, M0KEO at bsw@rsgb.org.uk to share your thoughts. Early in February the RSGB announced that the fees for Foundation, Intermediate and Full level examinations would increase from the 1st of May 2024. You can now use the online booking system to book an exam before the 1st of May at the current price or select exam dates from the 1st of May at the new prices. Please ensure you make the correct date selection, as booking errors that need to be changed may incur an administration fee as outlined in the exam terms and conditions. To book an exam, go to the Student Information section of the RSGB website and choose the option to book and pay for your exam from the right hand menu. The RadCom Contesting column has new editors! The RSGB Contest Committees will be overseeing the column and have planned a schedule of topics. Some will be written by members of the three contesting committees, and some by others who can share their experiences. As well as information about various aspects of contesting, the committees hope that the column will feature a contesting tip of the month, a featured UK contester, as well as a contest of the month. Once each issue is published, the column content will be shared on the RSGB website to provide a useful resource about contesting. You can see a list of the planned topics at rsgb.org/radcom-contesting The committees are keen to hear from people who would like to be involved, so if you would like to suggest a missing topic or offer to write something for the column, please email ContestClub@rsgbcc.org And now for details of rallies and events Callington Radio and Electronics Rally is taking place today, the 17th. The rally is being held in the Town Hall, New Road, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7BD. The doors will be open from 10 am. Entry is £2 each and there is no charge for those under the age of 16. A comprehensive selection of traders, clubs and societies are present along with a bring-and-buy stall and the usual catering service. The venue has excellent disabled access and toilets, and there is ample car parking nearby. More details, including a list of items currently registered for sale at the huge bring-and-buy stand, are available at callingtonradiosociety.org.uk Grantham Amateur Radio Club Radio and Electronics Rally is also taking place today, the 17th. The venue is Grantham West Community Centre, Trent Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire. The doors are open from 9 am to 1.30 pm and entry for buyers is £3. Those under the age of 16 will be admitted for free. Ample free parking is available. For more information visit garc.org.uk/rally In Wales, the Pencoed and District Amateur Radio Club Rally is taking place today, the 17th. The event is being held at Sarn and Bryncwils Social Club, Sarn, Bridgend, CF32 9NY. The entrance fee is £2 but there is no charge for those under the age of 16. Doors open to the public at 10 am and refreshments are available. Disabled access is available via a chair lift. For more information contact Leuan Jones at 07791 709 691. The Dover Amateur Radio Club Rally will take place on Sunday the 24th of March at Saint Radigunds Community Centre. The doors will be open from 10 am to 2 pm and the entrance fee will be £3. Tables cost £15 each with a maximum of two tables per vendor. For more information visit darc.online/rally The Ripon Rally will also take place on Sunday the 24th of March. The venue will be Great Ouseburn Village Hall, Lightmire Lane, Great Ouseburn, York, YO26 9RL. Lots of parking will be available adjacent to the venue. Traders are welcome from 7 am and tables cost £10 each. The doors open for visitors from 10 am and entrance is £3 per person. For more information visit radars-g4sjm.club Now the Special Event News HI180RD is on the air to celebrate the 180th anniversary of the Dominican Republic declaring its independence from Haiti in 1844. Listen for activity on all bands and modes until the 30th of April. Around 25 operators from five radio clubs will be part of the event. For details of an available certificate, visit QRZ.com A special event call sign EI80MB is active until the 31st of May 2024 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the rescue of 168 German seamen who were rescued from the waters of the Bay of Biscay after a battle between British and German naval forces in 1943. The men were carried out by a small Irish coaster called ‘Kerlogue' which had the callsign EIMB. The rescue took more than ten hours. QSL via Club Log's OQRS or via EI6AL. Now the DX news Nobby, G0VJG is active as 5H3VJG from Zanzibar Island, AF-032, in Tanzania until the 20th of March. He is operating mainly using SSB and with some CW and FT8. QSL via M0OXO's OQRS. QSOs will be uploaded to the Logbook of the World and Club Log. Gerard, F2JD is active as HR5/F2JD from Copan, Honduras until the 21st of March. He is operating CW, SSB, FT8 and FT4 on the HF bands. QSL via F6AJA directly or via the Bureau. Now the contest news On Monday the 18th, the FT4 Series Contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using FT4 on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report. The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group HF RTTY Contest started at 0200UTC on Saturday the 16th and ends at 0200UTC on Monday the 18th. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and time. On Tuesday the 19th, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using All modes on the 23cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Tuesday the 19th, the IRTS 80m Evening Counties Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and county code. On Thursday the 21st, the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 14th of March 2024 What a difference a month makes. We've gone from a solar flux index up to almost 200, to one that is down in the 120s. Over the past week, we have had only two M-class solar flares, which means we have had limited coronal mass ejection activity and therefore low Kp indices. Last weekend's Commonwealth Contest saw UK amateurs making plenty of HF contacts, some with Australia, but everyone agreed that HF propagation was a little lacklustre. There is a daily chance of moderate-class solar flares from AR 3607, the largest sunspot region, but all remaining spots remain mostly small and simple. The solar wind speed has been quite high with sporadic periods of a south-pointing Bz field. This is what has pushed the Kp index to three, but this isn't a big threat to HF. There is a slight chance of unsettled intervals caused by a weak coronal hole near the south centre of the solar disc coupled with the fast solar wind. NOAA reports that active region 3590 has been detected on the far side of the Sun using helioseismology. This may mean that it will still be active and a threat when it returns in a week or so. This region was the source of the X6 solar flare on the 22nd of February – the largest so far in solar cycle 25. Next week, commencing the 18th of March, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will remain in the 120 to 130 range, although the US Air Force predicts it could reach 150. Geomagnetic conditions are likely to be mainly settled with a maximum Kp index of two or three. So, this is a reasonable forecast for HF propagation, which should remain open up to 28MHz during daylight hours. This is also a good time for north-south paths, such as the UK to South Africa, and the UK to South America. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The continuing theme of unsettled weather will produce further spells of rain and heavy showers and once again provide some rain scatter options on the GHz bands. Another thing to mention is that, as we move towards the latter part of the month, the intensity of showers becomes greater due to the additional warmth improving the effectiveness of the rain scatter process. It is very hard to find any traditional Tropo until we get well into the coming week. It may occur on Thursday the 21st when a high will develop a ridge from Biscay across southern Britain and the near continent. This should provide a chance of Tropo for the final few days of the coming week. Unfortunately, this is not in time for the UK Activity Contest on 1.3GHz on Tuesday the 19th, but the 70MHz UK Activity Contest on Thursday the 21st may be luckier. The north of Britain may start to see the next low bringing rain over that weekend, so although it has an early exit from any Tropo, at least being well north gives Scottish stations a head start for any aurora, which tends to favour the spring months. Meteor scatter remains in the random territory – try just before sunrise for best results. But with the next major shower being the Lyrids in late April, we have a while to wait for an uptick in activity. Lastly, a brief mention of Sporadic-E. It has popped up with some weak events on the Dourbes plots on Propquest, but the main season is still a little way off. Maybe check next month for a heads-up on the lower bands like 28 and 50MHz. Of course, digital modes will get a head start, so best to check the clusters and chatrooms for signs of fleeting activity. Some UK stations reported 50MHz trans-equatorial propagation to Africa last week, so check for that. For EME operators, Moon declination reaches a maximum on Sunday, but path losses are starting to increase again. 144MHz sky noise is moderate, falling to low on Wednesday. And that's all from the propagation team this week.
GB2RS News Sunday the 10th of March 2024 The news headlines: New rules for HF contests are in place Applications are open for this year's YOTA camp Listen out for operators taking part in British Science Week The RSGB HF Contest Committee has introduced a couple of rules to address changes in licence conditions that came into effect on the 21st of February. It has also highlighted power changes to specific contests. The committee is introducing a section for Foundation licensees in some of its contests now that the power limit is increased to 25W. Before finalising the rules for 2025, the committee will consult widely on whether Regional Secondary Locators should remain mandatory in those contests for which the country in which the operator is situated has no bearing on the score. For more details see the RSGB Notices section on the RSGB website. Are you aged between 18 and 25 and passionate about all things radio? Are you ready for exciting experiences, making new friends and shaping the future of amateur radio? Why not apply to be part of the RSGB YOTA team going to the YOTA Czechia summer camp this year? You can find out more on the RSGB website. Go to rsgb.org/yota and click on the ‘YOTA Summer camps' link in the righthand menu. You'll be able to read about the experiences of previous teams and download an application form for the Czechia event. The closing date for applications is the 15th of April for the Team Leader and the 22nd April for Team Members. British Science Week started on Friday the 8th of March and continues until Friday the 17th of March. Please have a look at the list of times that participants will be on the air and try to respond to them. These will nearly all be students who will be making their very first QSOs working with local amateurs. Your contact will make their day and might lead to new radio amateurs! For those participating in British Science Week with stations, remember the offer for skeds from GB3RS at the RSGB National Radio Centre. To find out more, go to rsgb.org/bsw and choose the ‘List of events' tab on that web page. If you'd like to show what you're doing during the week, email comms@rsgb.org.uk and the RSGB Comms Team will share your photos on social media. Whether or not you're involved with this year's British Science Week, it's time to think ahead to next year's event! Make contact with your local school or youth group and use the activity suggestions and resources on the RSGB British Science Week web page. The Edinburgh 23cm microwave beacon GB3EDN is back on the air after a move to a new location on the south side of Edinburgh. It has moved about 1.5km south from its previous site in the University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings Campus. The operating frequency is 1296.990MHz. It sends its callsign and QRA locator in both FSK and JT4 once per minute. The new site is about 200m higher than the previous site and it is hoped that coverage is somewhat improved. It has a clear view from the northwest through to the east, giving good coverage up the east coast and across the North Sea to Scandinavia. It is also hoped that there will be better propagation to the south from the new site. More details are available via the ‘Beacons' link on the Lothians Radio Society's website at lothiansradiosociety.com And now for details of rallies and events The Hack Green Radio Surplus Hangar Sale is taking place today, the 10th. The venue is Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 8AL. The event includes the sale of electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio items and vehicle spares. For more information email coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk or visit hackgreen.co.uk Callington Radio and Electronics Rally will take place on Sunday the 17th of March. The rally will be held in the Town Hall, New Road, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7BD. The doors will be open from 10 am. Entry will be £2 each but there will be no charge for those under the age of 16. A comprehensive selection of traders, clubs and societies will be present along with a bring-and-buy stall and the usual catering service. The venue has excellent disabled access, toilets, and there is ample car parking nearby. More details, including a list of items currently registered for sale at the huge bring-and-buy stand, are available at callingtonradiosociety.org.uk Grantham Amateur Radio Club Radio and Electronics Rally will be held on Sunday the 17th of March. The venue will be Grantham West Community Centre, Trent Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire. The doors will be open from 9 am to 1.30 pm and entry for buyers will be £3. Those under the age of 16 will be admitted for free. There is a cost of £5 per table for sellers. Traders must book and pay in advance. The event will feature an RSGB book stall, hot and cold refreshments and a prize raffle. Ample free parking will be available. To reserve tables, contact rally@garc.org.uk For more information visit garc.org.uk/rally Pencoed and District Amateur Radio Club Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 17th of March. The venue will be Sarn and Bryncwils Social Club, Sarn, Bridgend, CF32 9NY. Doors open for traders at 8 am and tables cost £15. The entrance fee will be £2 but there will be no charge for those under the age of 16. Doors open to the public at 10 am and refreshments will be available. Disabled access is available via a chair lift. To book your tables please contact Leuan Jones at 07791 709 691. Now the Special Event News In celebration of International Women's Day, special callsign TM88YL will be active from France until the 15th of March and, simultaneously, DM88YLF will be operating from Germany. QSL via the Bureau. For more information, visit QRZ.com Special callsign IY9MM is active until the 31st of March to commemorate the experiments conducted by Guglielmo Marconi from the ship 'Regina Elena' in the port of Augusta in 1914. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL, or direct to IT9MRM. The station was recently spotted on the 40m band using FT8. Now the DX news Eric, F6ICX is active as 5R8IC from Sainte Marie Island, AF-090, until the 31st of March. He operates mainly using CW on the 40 to 10m bands and via the QO-100 satellite. QSL via Logbook of the World or his home call. Peter, DC0KK is active as 4S7KKG from Sri Lanka, AS-003, until the 30th of March. He operates FT8, FT4, RTTY and sometimes CW on the 20 to 6m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, Club Log's OQRS, or direct to his home call. Now the contest news The Commonwealth Contest started at 1000UTC on Saturday the 9th of March and ends at 1000UTC today, Sunday the 10th of March. Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. HQ stations also send ‘HQ'. On Tuesday the 12th, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs between 1900 to 1955UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 12th, the 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 13th, the 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70m band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 13th, the 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. On Wednesday the 13th, the 80m Club Championship Contest runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Thursday the 14th, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group HF RTTY Contest starts at 0200UTC on Saturday the 16th and ends at 0200UTC on Monday the 18th. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 7th of March 2024 As predicted, a coronal mass ejection, or CME for short, affected the ionosphere last weekend, the 2nd and 3rd of March, pushing maximum usable frequencies down and sparking auroral displays that were visible as far south as Cornwall. The plasma hit the Earth around midday on Sunday the 3rd, eventually pushing the Kp index to more than 5 for nine hours. It eventually started to settle again, dropping to 4 for six hours, before then moving back to background levels by the morning of the 4th. The solar wind speed was not that high, being around 350 kilometres per second, but the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field, or IMF, was pointing sharply south for a long period. This allowed the solar plasma to couple with the Earth's magnetic field more easily, and it flooded in. The maximum usable frequency was impacted, and it took until late morning on the 4th before the 10m band was usable again over a 3,000km path. This probably impacted northerly paths the most with southerly paths being relatively unscathed. The rest of the week was generally free from coronal mass ejection chaos with the Kp index remaining below 3. Attention is now turning to active region 3599, which has expanded in size. It may therefore be a threat for an M-class solar flare and potential CME. Next week, commencing Monday the 11th, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will be around 135, but may then increase to 170 by the 15th. We are heading towards the equinox, which means that geomagnetic disturbances are likely to be more common and harsher. They are almost twice as likely in spring and autumn versus the winter and summer. If the Kp index stays low, though, this can be a good time for HF. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO This weekend, the 9th and 10th, a strengthening southeasterly wind will develop over the country as low pressure moves into Biscay and a strong high builds over Scandinavia. Unfortunately, this may not be useful for Tropo since the high is a long way to the northeast and stronger winds usually prohibit the development of a quality inversion. All this changes again over this second weekend of March, the 9th and 10th, as low pressure pushes fronts into southern Britain. It won't last long though and a weak ridge will cross the country on Tuesday the 12th, which may bring some Tropo support for southeastern Britain into the continent for the 432MHz UK Activity Contest on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday, an Atlantic low will cross northern areas with rain and possible rain scatter options, but this will soon clear to leave a weak high over the country and it's a return to Tropo conditions for the remainder of the week. The upshot of all this is that Tropo will be an off-and-on affair, but worth a look. The other modes, not so much. Although, as we said in the HF section, spring is a good time of the year for auroral activity and, after the recent visible aurora, we should keep a watch for activity and a high Kp index. There has been the odd fleeting pulse of Sporadic-E showing on the Propquest graphs recently. This has been noticeable on the LF bands sometimes but is not yet a big player for the usual Sporadic-E bands of 10m, 6m and beyond. However, on digital modes, UK stations have seen 50MHz trans-equatorial propagation, or TEP, to Africa last week – so check for that. For EME operators, Moon declination is still negative but goes positive again on Monday. Path losses are approaching minimum with perigee today, Sunday the 10th. 144MHz sky noise is low all week except today, the 10th, when the Sun is close to the Moon and in the beamwidth of antennas. And that's all from the propagation team this week.
GB2RS News Sunday the 3rd of March 2024 The news headlines: The Calling Notice for the RSGB's 2024 AGM is now online New HF beacon list released by the RSGB's Propagation Studies Committee The next RSGB Tonight@8 webinar is coming up The Calling Notice for the RSGB's 2024 AGM is now online. The Notice includes the resolutions and information about the three Nominated Directors who are being put forward for endorsement by RSGB members. You can also read the minutes of last year's AGM. Voting opens on Wednesday the 13th of March. On that same day, you will be able to submit a question for the RSGB Board via a web form or register to ask a question via video on Zoom. For more information go to the Society's website at rsgb.org/agm The RSGB's Propagation Studies Committee has released a new HF beacon list, with the 10m band listings completely revamped. The old list, which was started by Martin Harrison, G3USF Silent Key, had been added to over the years but was getting out of date. The only way to make it more accurate was to start again. The Propagation Studies Committee made use of the Reverse Beacon Network which wasn't available when the list was originally created, plus listeners' contributions from around the world. The new beacon list can be found at rsgb.org/beacons Have you wondered what happens at a VHF National Field Day? Would you like to take part in one? In this month's Tonight@8 webinar, on Monday the 4th of March, the RSGB offers two different perspectives. Firstly, RSGB VHF Contest Committee member Richard, G4HGI will talk about how the RSGB VHF Contest Committee uses the VHF Survey and other tools to formulate the rules and calendar for all VHF Contests, with specific emphasis on VHF National Field Day. Secondly, three members of the Lothians Radio Society, GM3HAM will explain how they organise and operate these hilltop events within the Scottish borders. The club has made a short, professional film capturing their 2023 VHF National Field Day weekend. They will show clips of that and of an old cinema film to show how this looked from a technical standpoint at much earlier club competition events in the 1970s. This will be a great evening so put it in your diary and be inspired! You can watch and ask questions live on the RSGB YouTube channel or a special BATC channel. Go to rsgb.org/webinars to find out more. The RSGB has made two safeguarding announcements. Firstly, the Society's safeguarding policy has been revised in line with modern practices and you can find it on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/policies Secondly, if your club relies on the RSGB's affiliated club insurance for activities that may have a safeguarding requirement, it is important that you are aware of the conditions in Section 10 of that insurance. You can find the insurance details in your club portal on the RSGB website. The Radio Society of Harrow is running a one-day classroom-style Foundation course on Saturday the 23rd of March at its venue in Watford. If you know anyone who would like to join the course, please tell them to email Brian, G3YKB at g3ykb@yahoo.co.uk There will be an optional extra session on the morning of the 24th. Following complaints from some members, the RSGB has investigated a problem with the non-delivery of RadCom on Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It seems that following changes at Royal Mail, the labelling requirement for these copies was incorrectly applied by the printers and these copies didn't go through the postal system correctly. The Society is sorry that this error has occurred and apologises for any inconvenience caused. It has, of course, asked its printers to ensure that there is no repetition of this problem, and the printer has paid for the two missing copies to be sent to each RSGB member in those areas. If your RadCom doesn't arrive in future, please email the RSGB membership team via membership@rsgb.org.uk so they can send a replacement and track any wider problems. Those who enjoy constructing and operating with low-power devices will be interested to know that a QRP conference is taking part in Rennes in the northwest of France on the 18th of May 2024. The event will include lectures and demonstrations and will be an ideal opportunity for the exchange of information between like-minded amateurs. The organisers are putting together a programme of speakers and are looking for contributors on every aspect of low-power design, construction and operation. To read more about attending and contributing to the event, visit tinyurl.com/QRPCONF You may need to set your web browser to translate the web page from French to English. And now for details of rallies and events The Exeter Radio and Electronics Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 3rd of March from 10 am to 1 pm. The event is being held at America Hall, Pinhoe, EX4 8PX. For more information, contact Pete, G3ZVI on 07714 198 374 or email g3zvi@yahoo.co.uk The Hack Green Radio Surplus Hangar Sale will take place on Sunday the 10th of March. The venue will be Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 8AL. The event will include the sale of electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio items and vehicle spares. For more information email coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk or visit hackgreen.co.uk Callington Radio and Electronics Rally will take place on Sunday the 17th of March. The rally will be held in the Town Hall, New Road, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7BD from 7.30 am until 2 pm. The doors will be open from 10 am. Entry will be £2 each but there will be no charge for those under the age of 16. A comprehensive selection of traders, clubs and societies will be present along with a bring-and-buy stall and the usual excellent catering service. The venue has excellent disabled access, toilets and ample car parking nearby. Tables are still available at £5 for the large size and £3 for the smaller ones. Booking is essential, so please contact Alastair, M0KRR via email at alastair.kerr1@btinternet.com or by phone at 01503 262755. Grantham Amateur Radio Club Radio and Electronics Rally will be held on Sunday the 17th of March. The venue will be Grantham West Community Centre, Trent Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire. The doors will be open from 9 am to 1.30 pm and entry for buyers will be £3. Those under the age of 16 will be admitted for free. There is a cost of £5 per table for sellers. Traders must book and pay in advance. The event will feature an RSGB book stall, hot and cold refreshments and a prize raffle. Ample free parking will be available. To reserve tables, contact rally@garc.org.uk For more information visit garc.org.uk/rally Pencoed and District Amateur Radio Club Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 17th of March. The venue will be Sarn and Bryncwils Social Club, Sarn, Bridgend, CF32 9NY. Doors open for traders at 8 am and tables cost £15. The entrance fee will be £2 but there will be no charge for those under the age of 16. Doors open to the public at 10 am and refreshments will be available. Disabled access is available via a chair lift. To book your tables please contact Leuan Jones at 07791 709 691. Now the Special Event News Members of the Newfoundland-based Grassroots Amateur Radio Club, VO1GRC are active as VO1TAP until the 18th of March. QSL via Logbook of the World and eQSL. The callsign commemorates the anniversary of the USS Truxtun and USS Pollux naval disaster that occurred off the coast of Newfoundland on the 18th of February 1942. Members of the Zurich City Police Radio Amateur Club, HB9SP are active on the HF bands as HB20SP throughout 2024 to celebrate their club's 20th anniversary. QSOs will be uploaded to Logbook of the World, Club Log and QRZ.com Please do not send any cards via the Bureau. Now the DX news Uwe, DL8UD is active as V31KO from Belize, in Central America, until the 6th of March. He is operating using SSB, CW and FT8 on the 160 to 6m bands. QSL via DL8UD directly or via the Bureau. A group of intrepid amateurs is active as part of the H40WA DXpedition to Temotu Province, OC-065, in the Solomon Islands until the 7th of March. Listen for activity, from up to six stations, on the 160 to 6m bands using CW, SSB and FT8. QSL via M0URX's OQRS page. Now the contest news The 144 and 432MHz Contest started at 1400UTC on Saturday the 2nd of March and ends at 1400UTC today, Sunday the 3rd of March. Using all modes on the 2m and 70cm bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Today, the 3rd, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000UTC to 1600UTC. Using all modes on the microwave bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Today, the 3rd, The Worked All Britain 80m Contest runs from 1800 to 2200UTC. Please note that this is an SSB-only contest, and the exchange is signal report, serial number and Worked All Britain area. All entries need to be with the contest manager by the 13th of March. Full Contest rules are available on the Worked All Britain website at worked-all-britain.org.uk The ARRL International DX Contest started at 0000UTC on Saturday the 2nd of March and ends at 2359UTC today, Sunday the 3rd of March. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and transmitter power. American stations send their state and Canadian stations send their province. On Monday the 4th, the 80m Club Championship runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using PSK63 and RTTY on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number. The Commonwealth Contest starts at 1000UTC on Saturday the 9th of March and ends at 1000UTC on Sunday the 10th of March. Using CW on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. HQ stations also send ‘HQ'. On Tuesday the 5th, the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 1955UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also on Tuesday the 5th, the 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 6th, the 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 6th, the 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is report and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest. Also on Wednesday the 6th, the UK and Ireland Contest Club Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Thursday the 29th of February 2024 Active region 3590, which was the large sunspot group that threatened us with solar flares and coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, has now moved to the Sun's limb and is no longer a threat. Region 3590 was potentially dangerous but ultimately wasn't too bad. Yes, we had flares, but they were only minor C-class and M-class events. Three recent CMEs, which will all probably miss Earth, but with a risk of some glancing influence, are most likely to have arrived by this weekend, ending the 3rd of March. However, old active region 3576 will begin to turn into view off the southeast limb by the end of today, the 3rd. The Kp index rose to 4.67 during one three-hour period on Tuesday the 27th of February, but the disturbance was short-lived and HF propagation wasn't too badly affected. Speaking of which, there have been some good HF openings to the Pacific area over the last week. Spotted have been 3D2AG in Fiji on the 17m band, VK on the 10m band, and the H40WA Temotu DXpedition to the Solomon Islands. This latter DXpedition has mostly been spotted on FT8 Fox and Hounds mode in the UK. The maximum usable frequency, or MUF, over a 3,000km path still remains above 28MHz during daytime, with MUFs over 14 to 15MHz at night. So, as we head into March and towards the spring equinox, HF is still looking good. Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will be in the range of 165 to 170. The Kp index is predicted to be two all week, but that is suspect and dependent on coronal mass ejections – or a lack of them. At this point in the cycle, anything could happen. With six or seven active regions visible, the risk of a flare and CME remains relatively high. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO The overall weather pattern remains very unsettled with further active lows and weather fronts crossing the country. There will also be periods with stronger winds and it may be cold enough for some wintry weather, especially over northern hills. The upshot of all this is that Tropo will once again be a rarity, but rain scatter may offer some comfort to those on the GHz bands. Later in the coming week, high pressure will strengthen over Norway and this will produce quite strong winds over the North Sea and eastern UK and perhaps encourage paths to the east, but it's probably marginal at best in terms of Tropo. The prospects for aurora and meteor scatter are not especially reliable, but it was encouraging to hear of some digital activity on the 6m band earlier in the week to South Africa and Lesotho. This was probably the result of Trans Equatorial Propagation or TEP, as suggested in last week's news. The spring period is a fairly good time to listen for TEP, timed between the decay of the southern hemisphere summer Sporadic-E season and the start of the northern hemisphere summer Sporadic-E season. It's well worth checking for similar activity during March for paths to the southern hemisphere via TEP. Signals can be strong enough for SSB or CW modes, so it is not exclusively for digital modes. For EME operators, Moon declination drops to a minimum on Tuesday. Path losses are past their peak now and falling until perigee on Sunday the 10th. 144MHz sky noise is moderate to high, reaching a peak of over 2,500 Kelvin on Tuesday the 12th. And that's all from the propagation team this week.
The annual Callington Show has transformed over the years since its inception in 1942. Ahead of the upcoming event this Sunday 30 October, Assistant Secretary, Wendy Grundy joins Jennie Lenman for a chat about the history and what's in store this weekend. Find out more and book via this link: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/954095
In this episode of the Food & Farming podcast, independent specialist Liz Genever speaks to three of our AHDB Beef & Lamb Strategic Farmers located in different parts of the country to ask them how the dry summer has affected their farm business. Focusing on how farmers have dealt with the dry summer we find out what decisions they made and what they would do differently given the chance. It's all down to good management, tactical timing and a little bit of luck! Chris Elkington farms with wife Louise along with running a catering company, Gelston Lamb in Grantham, Lincolnshire. Read more https://ahdb.org.uk/farm-excellence/chestnut-farm Steve Lawson farms with his father, Alan, in Newcastle, Northumberland. Read more https://ahdb.org.uk/farm-excellence/south-farm Adrian Coombe farms with his wife, Lyn and father Peter, in Callington, Cornwall. Read more https://ahdb.org.uk/farm-excellence/dupath-farm Useful links: For more information on managing dry weather, visit https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/drought For more information on rotational grazing, visit https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/rotational-grazing-systems-for-cattle
Members of the Kanmantoo and Callington communities say they are still having issues with the "stench" of nearby fertiliser plant Neutrog, which has expanded in recent years. Spokesperson Peter Roberts joins Jennie Lenman in this podcast to discuss his concerns ahead of a community meeting on Monday 4 July at the Callington Recreation Community Centre from 6.30-8pm. For more details and to book for the event, see EventBrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-update-session-tickets-366149461897#search For further information from the EPA, including community updates, see the EPA Engage page at: https://engage.epa.sa.gov.au/neutrog
GB2RS News Sunday the 13th of March 2022 The news headlines: Saint Patrick's Day stations on the air Read about WRC-23 Looking ahead to international Marconi Day Saint Patrick's Day stations will be running from midday on the 16th of March to midday on the 18th of March. For further information and to register as a participating station go to stpatricksaward.com. The International Telecommunication Union, ITU, has released its World Radio Conference-23 booklet. It provides easy access to the WRC-23 agenda and pertinent resolutions. It can be freely downloaded in all 6 languages of the ITU via the IARU Region 1 website at iaru-r1.org. The Cornish Radio Amateur Club will be running this year's International Marconi Day on the 23rd of April. Anyone wishing to register as an official station should please email crac.imd@gmail.com. The QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo takes place this weekend. Saturday's lectures start at 1600 and Sunday's at 1500UTC. The Expo platform will remain open until the 10th of April for viewing presentations on-demand. Go to qsotodayhamexpo.com for more information. GB3YA in Cwmbran is now operational on 145.7125MHz with input 600kHz lower at 145.1125MHz. Initial tests show that stations as far away as Bath and Newbury are able to use the repeater. The repeater keeper says, ‘please, all feel free to use it'. And now for details of rallies and events Today, the 13th, the Hamzilla Radio Fest takes place at the Discovery Science Park, Gateway House, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9FF. Those who bought tickets and tables for 2021 will have had their bookings carried forward to Hamzilla 2022. Tickets from £3 and tables £12. More at www.hamzilla.uk. The Callington ARS Rally takes place on the 27th of March. It will be held in the Town Hall at Callington in Cornwall. Please send your rally and event news as soon as possible to radcom@rsgb.org.uk. We'll publicise your event for free in RadCom, on GB2RS, and online. Now the DX news Paul, G8AFC will be operational from Pereybere on the north coast of Mauritius island as 3B8HE until early April. He will principally use SSB on the 7, 14 and when propagation permits, the 28 and 50MHz bands. Operation will be mostly during the daytime as propagation dictates and occasionally in the evenings. QSL details are on QRZ.com Don, K6ZO will be operating as D60AB [ Pron: Dee Six Zero A B] from the 16th to the 18th of March from the Comoros islands. QSL direct to his home callsign. Diya, YI1DZ will be transmitting as Z81D from Juba in South Sudan until the 11th of September. Activity will be holiday style. QSL via OM3JW. Now the Special Event news On Tuesday and Wednesday, Humwick Primary School will be operating GB4HJS for Science Week. On Thursday and Friday, St Andrews Primary School also in Sunderland, will be operating GB2SPS for Science Week. Both stations will operate using data modes on HF as well as using the VHF & UHF bands. More on both of these special event stations from Ian, G7MFN by email to g7mfn@hotmail.co.uk. Two special event stations, GB1900HA and GB1900HW, will run throughout the year to commemorate 1900 years since the building of Hadrian's Wall. Austin, M0MNE in South Shields and Roy, M0TKF in Hexham will be operating the stations from near Hadrian's Wall and will be active on the HF and VHF bands in voice, CW and digital modes. QSL via Logbook of the World and Club Log's OQRS. See QRZ.com for more information. Now the contest news When operating in any contest, please keep yourself and fellow amateurs safe by following all relevant pandemic-related government rules. For RSGB Contests, until further notice, all logs received from stations located in the Russian Federation or Belarus will be treated as check logs. The second 70MHz Cumulative Contest takes place from 1000 to 1200UTC today, the 13th. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The RSGB Commonwealth Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1000UTC today, the 13th. This is one of the longest-running contests in the HF contesting world. It is CW only on the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands. The exchange is signal report and serial number. The 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest takes place on Tuesday from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the CW leg of the 80m Club Championships takes place between 2000 and 2130 UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number. Also on Wednesday, the 1296MHz FT8 Activity Contest runs between 1700 and 2100 UTC. The exchange is callsign and your 4-character Maidenhead locator. Thursday sees the all-mode 70MHz UK Activity Contest take place between 2000 and 2230UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Next weekend the BARTG HF RTTY Contest takes place from 0200UTC on the 19th to 0159UTC on the 21st. Using the 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m bands where contests are permitted, the exchange is serial number and time in UTC. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA, and G4BAO on Friday the 11th of March 2022. We may not have had a large number of sunspots this week, but at least the Sun was consistent. We started the week last Sunday with a sunspot number of 116, and by Thursday it was still at 115. This sounds worse than it actually was as there were six sunspot groups active on Thursday, including newly-assigned active region 2965, which is coming into view off the east limb. As we predicted, last weekend was characterised by unsettled geomagnetic conditions with a maximum Kp index of five across Saturday and Sunday. This affected HF a little, but there were still some good UK scores put in for the ARRL DX International SSB contest, with Andy, M0NKR making 812 contacts in just seven hours on 40, 20 and 15 metres. He also reports working many USA west coast stations on 15 metres, which appeared to be the money band. NOAA predicts that next week we will have a decline in solar activity with a predicted solar flux index of 110 falling to 100 by the end of the week. From a geomagnetic point of view, it may be a repeat of last weekend. NOAA says that it predicts a maximum Kp index of four this weekend, then we may have quieter conditions next week. But then it predicts an elevated Kp index the following weekend (19th to the 21st) of up to four again. Finally, don't forget we have the Commonwealth Contest this weekend, which is a great opportunity to work some choice DX stations with no competition from non-Commonwealth entities - this doesn't happen very often! And now the VHF and up propagation news. This first weekend sees a continuation of the unsettled weather type, especially in western areas, but there is a large area of high pressure just out of reach over central Europe. This looks as though it could edge towards the eastern side of the UK as we move into the new week and may give some Tropo to the east into the Baltic regions. The problem is that there is a chance of some, much colder, air moving in from the east with a chance of some wintry showers. Although the main feature is likely to be the strength of the winds, bitter cold is not really conducive to good Tropo. The other modes can still play a role, so check the solar data for high K indices, indicating a chance of aurora, as well as the usual early morning random meteor scatter. Perhaps start to dust down your techniques for Sporadic-E as we head into the second half of the month. We are not there yet, but maybe it is worth the occasional look at 10m. The Moon's declination is positive until next Saturday, and path losses are falling with perigee still more than a week away. 144MHz sky noise is low all week, creeping to just over 300 Kelvin next weekend. And that's all from the propagation team this week.
There's a lot to enjoy at the Callington Show this Sunday 31 October. The event between 10am and 4pm will be spread across both ovals, the brand new Recreation Community Centre and the Callington Hall. In this podcast Assistant Secretary of the Show, Mandy McPeake, joins Jennie Lenman for a chat about it. For details of all the competitions, a site map and entry forms, see Show book online in the competitions section of callingtonshow.com.au or pick up a copy from the Show Office or the local store The General at Cally. Tickets, including car parking tickets, can be purchased via trybooking.com/BTMCX.
Mount Barker District Councillors have voted to commence a user-pay hard waste collection service from mid-2022. At Monday's Council Meeting, members endorsed the provision of a district-wide hard waste service, costing Council $300,000 a year and up to $140 per person, per collection. Mayor Ann Ferguson joins Jennie Lenman to explain the decision in spite of some community opposition. The two also discuss the council's investigation into the death of three pet alpacas at Callington Family Day Care, and a funding boost for the Cudlee Creek bushfire affected Harrogate Road.
Hundreds of people gathered at the Callington Oval on Sunday evening to celebrate the new $980,000 Callington Recreation Community Centre. Community members joined local MPs, councillors and local mayors in an official opening ceremony on Sunday, enjoying a bonfire, fireworks and bouncing castles. Lauren Salter, Community and booking representative, joins Jennie Lenman in this podcast to tell her more. Listen here and read more on our local news page.
What did you fancy doing when you left school ? If your anything like me then you had no idea what so ever. This weeks guest took two years out and returned with ambition to succeed. It would have been so easy to get involved in his parent business right ? Not Louis Dykes. He decided to set up HIS OWN gym and not only that but he also did it through Covid Times.... What a Legend !! Louis Owns a gym called The Zone in Callington and is totally smashing it right now. On this episode we also talk Nutrition & Mental Health and Louis gives some sound advice on how to kick start your fitness journey. You can find out more about Louis and his gyn on insta @thezonecallington @louisdykes @I.d_coaching Can I also give a shoutout to this episodes show sponsor Howard Blend. Please find him on insta @howardsblend
Taylor Williams talks with Jake Libby, current Worcestershire CCC vice-captain and formerly of Nottinghamshire CCC, Cornwall and Callington. We discuss life as a professional cricketer, moving from Notts to Worcestershire, how he's transformed himself from red ball specialist to three-format player, his favourite memories in a Cornwall shirt, and the best things about playing cricket in and for Cornwall. *** Follow the show on: • Facebook: @thewhitefootcricketshow • Twitter: @Wcricketshow • Instagram: @thewhitefootcricketshow
Heywire winner Matthew from Callington, SA
A new walking trail between Murray Bridge and Callington will officially open this Saturday (news/local-news/40-local-news/105516-new-murray-bridge-to-callington-walking-trail-opens) 12 September. Callington Spur is a 27km trail connecting to the 325km Lavender Federation Trail which has been more than 20 years in the making thanks to the hard work of volunteers. The project is a joint initative of the Rural City of Murray Bridge and South Australian Recreation trails Incorporated (SARTI) (https://www.walkingsa.org.au/awards/winner/south-australian-recreation-trails-inc-sarti/) . Graham Hallandal from SARTI joins Jennie Lenman in this podcast to have a chat about it.
A 20 Year Township Plan (https://www.mountbarker.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0040/379876/Draft-Callington-Township-Plan.PDF) has been adopted by the Mt Barker Council to improve business and tourism opportunities in the historic riverside Hills town of Callington. The vision, which would be brought to life with co-council, the Rural City of Murray Bridge, includes improvements to the Callington Recreation Grounds, new walking trails along the Bremer River, cafes and gift shops. Joining Jennie Lenman to discuss is Luke Gray, Manager of Strategic Projects and Planning Policy at the District Council of Mt Barker.
RAPPO & DEACS, Series 2, Episode 5 Friday, August 30 2019 It’s a bulging with interviews episode this week! Last week we spoke to Andrew Bragg, the Kernow FA Director of Football with an exclusive, this week he’s back on again as he tells us they are working on a bid to stage the next CONIFA World Cup! We’ve got loads of interviews with managers from around the county – from Penzance across the Duchy to Callington and including one with Tony Howard of Storm FC. Tony tells us how the club "was an email away from folding" but has worked towards survival and hopefully the interview gives encouragement to those currently struggling. Rappo gives us his weekly detailed look at the new St Piran League – East and West, that’s after another sob story for his “Bet of the Week”. As usual Cam Weldon talks Truro City and Phil Hiscox keeps us up to date with the Kitchen Kit Ltd South West Peninsula League, this week it has a FA Vase flavour. We welcome former Truro City manager Leigh Robinson back into football as he takes on a role at Helston, while the Blues striker Mark Goldsworthy is our main man as he reaches a terrific goalscoring milestone – his 300th SWPL goal. As usual, get in touch by either email davedeacon@cornishsoccer.info or twitter @soccerpodcast if you have any ideas or suggestions as to what you would like to hear on the weekly podcast. Remember, the beauty of the podcast is that you can stop listening at any time and then return at a convenient time later, but most importantly make sure you subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so that you don’t ever miss a future episode. TIMINGS, APPROX - (2:51):- 2:40 – Cam Weldon talks Truro City 14:40 – Tony Howard (Storm FC) 30:22 – Paul Rowe (Wadebridge Town) 36:25 – Lee Mann (Callington Town) 49:10 - Rappo’s ‘Bet of the Week’ 56:10 – Anthony Reynolds (Penzance) 1:09:35 – Leigh Robinson (Helston Athletic) 1:25:46 –Rappo and the St Piran Football League EAST 1:30:25 – Mark Smith (AFC St Austell Reserves) 1:41:20 – Rappo and the St Piran Football League WEST 1:54:35 - Phil Hiscox (Secretary, South West Peninsula League) 2:10:12 – Predictions from across the leagues 2:21:48 – Andrew Bragg (Kernow FA) 2:27:10 – Mark Goldsworthy (Helston Athletic)
The second episode of the new RAPPO & DEACS FRIDAY FIXTURE is now available to download and enjoy. Guests include Sam Borthwick who not only talks about his club Callington, but also the great charity work going on in Saltash; there’s the regular slots from Cam and Josh on Truro City and the SWPL Secretary Phil Hiscox. Ace striker and hat-trick hero Liam Eddy recalls the epic 8-4 win last Saturday for St Austell in the Vase as well. We’re in the money so far (after 1 episode
Opener - Meat Tray Friday - what is your South Australian rite of passage?Meat Tray Friday callsMeat Tray Friday textsMeat Tray Friday calls/textsMatthew Pantelis at Callington structure firePhil CooreyMeat Tray Friday chatBlakeyBreaking at 8Ollie WinesJane Reilly at Wicks Estate wineryBlakey's Behind Closed Doors + Meat Tray Friday callsFitzy's Footy Friday See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
**Season 3 Episode 1** Anne Redman and Pirjo Kemppainen lived over 60 kms from each other. Their paths had never crossed. Anne lived in the seaside south Australian Suburb of Seacliff. Pirjo lived in the small town of Callington, in the Eastern slopes of the Adelaide Hills. Despite being complete strangers to each other, their names would soon be spoken regularly in the same breath for years to come…. **Vote for Felon in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards** https://australianpodcastawards.submittable.com/gallery/2829f195-1021-4d7c-853f-f0ce775f4fa4/9795253 **Felon Social Media** facebook.com/felontruecrime Instagram @felontruecrime Twitter @felontruecrime **True Crime Finland** https://truecrimefinland.squarespace.com/
PODCAST - Joy Paech of Inglebrae Holdings, Callington "Do things right the first time, so you do not have bigger problems down the track"