Podcasts about Next Sunday

Today is the last Sunday after Pentecost or the last Sunday or Ordinary Time, also known as Christ the King Sunday. Next Sunday begins Advent. Today, however, is a day to recognize the authority of Christ over all dominion, i.e. all principalities and powers, human and otherwise. He is certainly the King whether people realize it or not; one day, however, all will recognize his kingship and bow to him. Believers should consider him King far above any king or ruler. In the United States, we just went through an important election. In considering Christ the King, the recent election has caused many to wonder if Christ truly is the King even in the lives of professing Christians. I believe the recent US election has exposed hard truths about American society with which we must grapple. For the scope here, I will point to three hard truths the recent US election has exposed in American society.

0 (0s): Good morning. Welcome everybody. Let's all stand together, Lord. We thank you for this morning. We thank you for providing us reign. We pray that you'd be here with us, that our worship would be pleasing to you. 1 (31s): for all that you've done. 1 (3m 15s): gray. 1 (4m 5s): for all that you done for me? Jesus. 1 (4m 46s): For all that, you've done. Fool. Oh, razor razor, razor. 1 (5m 31s): me. humble ourselves worthy of 0 (14m 52s): Praise and honor, we worship you this morning. Pray in Jesus name. Amen. So like for the past eight weeks Charlene's been here and she's really polished at getting you guys to talk to one another, but I'm back. And so it's okay to be awkward. You just got to turn around and make friends, you know, it's a time to fellowship. Amen. 0 (15m 32s): Amen. All right. Good morning. Harvest Church good morning. It's a rowdy bunch this morning. 2 (15m 44s): It has it's. It's nice. It's a little chilly outside, but nice and warm in here. Hey, just want to say welcome. Glad you're here each and every one of you. Thanks for joining us online as well. Hey, if it's your first time joining us, I just wanted to let you know that we have a gift for you. If you go over to the info center right here in the breezeway between the lofts and sanctuary, we have a gift for you. We would love for you to fill out info cards. Find out more about you, just ways to plug in and just got a couple announcements. First one is the Thanksgiving baskets. Food baskets are being collected by next Sunday. Next Sunday is your last day to turn those in. So there's a list where we're just trying to love on the community of the families in our community that, you know, need a little extra help this Thanksgiving. 2 (16m 30s): So if, if, if, if you've got, if you're willing, there's a, there's a list of different food items that we're trying to collect, and that will be due by next Sunday, November 20, November 15th, next announcement. And we have this sisterhood night of worship, and that will be just Friday, November 13th at six 30 here in the sanctuary. And that is for women of all ages all the way from they said grade school to grandma's are invited to come for that. It's going to be worship sharing a fellowship and fun details can be found at AGU harvest.org/sisterhood. And it's, it's gonna be a great night. I'm excited for you. Gals. 2 (17m 11s): Next is just a few opportunities to plug in and we have some, we have a welcome team, cleaning team, kids, ministry, team safety team, and then, and then a group host or facilitator. There's all different ways to plug into Harvest Church and to get connected, you can, you can find out how to connect by going to our app or a website and plug it in that way. Dave gave me this little sheet. There is a volunteer for holiday wind ensemble as well. Dave has all the details on that. I just have a simple slip of paper. So talk to Dave, if you're interested or do you have the skills to play in the wind ensemble? I do not. So I should not talk to Dave about that. And then lastly, we Wednesday is the veteran's day. 2 (17m 53s): So we want to honor those who have served in our country. And so if you have served, we actually asked you at this time to stand up both in the loft and here in the sanctuary, just come on, keep standing up, standing, remain, standing, remain standing. We want to just take this time. We want to take this time to honor you and thank you for your service. And let's, let's just say a moment of prayer, all right, for them, Lord, we thank you for those who have served, who have put their lives at risk to protect the freedoms of those. They, they, they haven't even known Lord. 2 (18m 33s): We thank you for all those in, in this room, at home, in a line and, and throughout this country, Lord, and what do we do? We lift up this country to you at this time, Lord, with all the craziness in our, in our nation. Lord, we just ask for wisdom and direction. Lord God, thank you for those who have served in jesus' name, we pray. Amen. Thanks. You all. That's all. That's all I got. Thank you, brother. Appreciate it. 3 (19m 2s): There are flannels all over the building today, all over the campus. It's a flannel Sunday. Isn't it? It's it's been kind of cold. Hey, you notice we got some of our plumbing back in place, so that's good, right? It's good to good to have plumbing in a developed nation. It's good to have money. So we have one of the think Mike Apadaca for coming in and making sure that the black top was all fixed for us so we could drive in and out and here. So thanks to Mike and thanks to rich Brown and his crew for getting the plumbing done. They're still working on it, but we have plumbing in this building and in the loft and in the U building, we do not have plumbing yet in the parsonage, but we're getting there. So be patient with us. We we're, we're just, it's just a slow process, but the water main is fixed and the sewage line is fixed. 3 (19m 48s): And so things are getting better. We'll get rid of the port-a-potties this week. So that'll be good. Porta-potties are great if you're at a fair, but they're not growing or a carnival or something. Hey, since we've had such a wonderful time with our plumbers recently, I've got a plumbers joke. You guys ready for a plumber's joke. So this guy hires a plumber. He's got a leak under a Sikh under his sink and the guy the plumber shows up and he's underneath the sink and comes out after about an hour. And he hands the guy that hired him, a bill for $400. And the guy said, man, I'm an attorney. And I don't make that kind of money. You've been here for less than an hour. The plumber said, yeah, when I was an attorney, I didn't make that kind of money either. 3 (20m 33s): Do you guys get that? It's it's bad. Right? Okay. Good. Somebody gave that to me. I did not pay them for that joke though. So that was, that was good. We had the title of the message today as we get into Colossians, chapter three is how do we 4 (20m 48s): Follow God's word? How do we, how do we follow God's word? That's the, that's the, the million dollar question as we open up, God's word, how do we follow it? How do we do that? So let's go ahead and stand up. But we're going to pray and ask the Lord for gifts to give us wisdom as we open up the scripture. And so Laura, we want to know, we want to know how do we follow your Word as we open it up on a regular basis and try to find instruction, therefore, our lives. So often, it's just hard to walk it out. Lord, easy to read about things, hard to live it out Lord. And so I know it's my desire, and I know that it's our desire as a church to want to be able to live it out. We want to know what it means to follow and how to do that. 4 (21m 30s): So Lord, I pray that there would be really practical tools given to us today, practical and helpful tools that will give us the ability that capacity, the understanding how to, how to actually follow your Word. So God as we open our hearts and minds to that, I pray that there would just be a download from heaven God that whatever blinders we have on would be, would be would, they would just fall off Lord like cataracts. They would just fall off our eyes, Lord, whatever hardness we have in our heart around the word. And just maybe our lack of understanding about how to walk it out or our frustration with it. Lord, I pray that that would just go away as well. 4 (22m 10s): That would just melt away in jesus' name. And our hearts will be tender and ready in our minds to be excited. And we'd be hungry Lord for the things for the word of God, for the things of God. And so help us, Lord, we pray. Thank you for your presence here today. God we've already felt it in worship, Holly. That was just so powerful and so good. And, and I am praying that the balance of the service has we open up your word would be, would be the same, would just be powerful and good. And then as we wrap up with more song God that it would just, it would just put a big old exclamation Mark on this day and give us the grace to follow you and to trust you wholeheartedly. So bless us. We pray, help us. We ask Lord in Jesus name, amen. 4 (22m 51s): You can be seated and you can be, 3 (22m 53s): How do we follow God's word, number one, we're going to get right to the first point. We have to understand what the word says. When I say the word it's capital w God's word. We have to understand what the Bible says. That's, that's kind of where we, we have to start. We have to understand what it says. We're going to get into some pretty tough texts today. If you've read ahead, you, you know that it's, it's difficult stuff that we're going to be talking about today, but it's not impossible stuff. It just requires that we understand what the word says so that we can do what the word says. So we're going to do our best to explain what the Bible says about these areas of submission 4 (23m 34s): And that this text is talking about today. Nobody likes submission really. I mean, it's difficult. I kind of grates against our flesh. When we have to submit to one another, whether it be to a boss or to an 3 (23m 46s): Elder or to a spouse, we don't really run toward the idea of submission, but it is God's 4 (23m 55s): Best plan for us. 3 (23m 57s): It is absolutely God's best plan for us when we understand what God means when he tells us to do certain things. So out of the gate, I'm just going to jump into Colossians chapter three, verse 18. We're going to take a few minutes to talk about 18 and then 19, and just, and just unpack the whole chapter all the way to chapter four, verse one. That's what we're going to end up today. It says this 4 (24m 21s): Wives, you know where I'm going, right? 3 (24m 25s): Submit to your 4 (24m 27s): Husbands. 3 (24m 31s): So no tomatoes. That was wonderful. Thank you for not throwing tomatoes at me. Cause I didn't write this. I'm just happened to be preaching it today. Wives submit to your husbands as is fitting for those who belong to 4 (24m 45s): The Lord. 3 (24m 47s): I'm just going to say, and I wrote out some things because I wanted to make sure that I say that I say them properly. This is the proper order. Two things. When it comes to husbands and wives, we can't apologize for that. And we don't actually have to apologize for it. When we do, when we do what God asks us to do the right way, he's actually got a plan. He didn't just throw this out there, spitballing some, some random idea about marriage relationship. He actually has a plan that he wants us to understand for our marriage relationships. So this is the proper order to things. When it comes to husbands and wives, we can't apologize for that because when done right, there is nothing to apologize for. 3 (25m 33s): So wives submits, she submits not as one who is inferior to him. So we're not talking about superiority versus inferiority. We're not taking, talking about position. We're just talking about order of things, the order of things. So she submits not as one who is inferior. So I want us to understand that that women are not inferior to men. 4 (25m 56s): And anyway, do you hear me? 3 (25m 59s): Women are not inferior to men in any way 4 (26m 3s): Way. 3 (26m 6s): So she submits that as one who is inferior to him, nor in violation of a Christian ethics, but honoring her husband's responsibility and authority as head of the household. So God has actually placed men in charge of the household. And so that's the order of things. And we're going to understand more about what that looks like as we unpack this text, the amplified Bible says, wives, be subject to your husbands out of respect for their position as protector and their accountability to God. So men are actually what will be held accountable for our relationship with our spouse in way that we lead our wives. So wives be subject to your husbands out of respect for their position as protector and their accountability, accountability to God as is proper and fitting in the Lord. 3 (26m 57s): So God has made the man head of his wife. We don't have a slide for this next verse, but it says this first Corinthians 11 three says, but I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ. So men have a head who is Christ. The head of why of a wife is her husband. And the head of Christ is God, is there is there is God superior to the son. No they're equal. They're equal in God, they're equal in the Godhead, but yet there's an order of things. There's a submission there where Christ is submitted to the father. And we see that throughout his whole earthly life in ministry, we see him constantly submitted. 3 (27m 40s): He said, I only do what the father tells me to do. I only say what the father tells me to say. He is completely submitted, even though there's total equality at the Godhead totally equality between the father, son and the Holy spirit. How do we follow God's word? We have to understand what the word says. This is the order of things so that there can be peace and leadership, proper leadership in the home. If there's no clear leadership, strife and unrest is the result. I've seen this over and over again where there's a weather where there's a lack of leadership. There is always strife in the home. There's strife and unrest in the home when there's a lack of proper leadership, but where there is godly, loving, humble leadership, there is peace. 3 (28m 30s): So when I think of healthy male leadership and marriage, I think of pastor Ron D I do. You guys have been married for 40 years. He's got a great marriage after 40 years of being married. And if you look at Ron's life, so I've been working with Ron for about 12 or 14 years, pretty full time here at the church. And so I have a, I've had a chance to watch his life for more than a decade. And I've been so impressed with his leadership. So while Ron is the head of his household, he is so incredibly gentle. He's gentle and strong at the same time, his gentleness and his strength makes it easy for his wife DJ to submit to him most of the time. 3 (29m 14s): I'm sure even DJ has a hard time submitting at times, but because Ron is gentle and strong at the same time, it makes it easier for his wife to submit to him. Ron is also gracious. He is humble, he's loving and he's fun. And Ron is the same person in the office that he isn't at his home. He's, he's just, he's just faithful through and through. He's a godly man full of grace. That means he extends grace. And so because all of these things are true, it makes it easier for his wife to submit to him. I would say that Ron is a great model for us as men, as husbands, man, we will do well to model our leadership after pastor Ron. 3 (30m 2s): I think it's just helpful to have a real life person that we can look to and model our leadership after our role, as leader of the home. 4 (30m 12s): All right. What does submission look like? 3 (30m 16s): And what does submission look like? Wives are to submit to their husbands as long as submission, as long as submission doesn't cause disobedience or compromise to God and his word. So women have a responsibility to submit to their husbands. As long as that submission doesn't violate their submission, their ultimate submission, 4 (30m 34s): Two God 3 (30m 38s): Wives are to submit to their husbands voluntarily. It should be done as, as an active obedience to the word of God, to the person of God. And I also want to say that even as wives submit volunteer voluntarily to their husbands, they're not to submit to men in general that that's not what the Bible says. It doesn't say that women are to submit to men in general. Now, if there's a leadership thing that requires a woman to submit to a man, that's fine. But there's also times when there's there's men who need to submit to the leadership of a woman. What the scripture is talking about here in Colassians. It's not saying, Hey, women are submitted to, or to be submitted to all men. 3 (31m 21s): It says that women are to be submitted to their husbands. That's what the scripture says. So the wife is to submit volunteer voluntarily to her husband, not to men in general. This is kind of what submission looks like. Submission is not to be abandoned when the husband makes a mistake. In other words, per perfection is not the make or break factor. When deciding to submit, sometimes women will submit as long as their husband is doing well or making wise choices, your husband is not going to be perfect. I'm a husband for the last 30 years. I can, I can tell you that we're not going to be perfect across the board, but even when in our imperfection, it's important that wives submit to their husbands, trusting that the Lord is leading the man. 3 (32m 3s): Even if he's making mistakes, there's ultimately God's plan we'll we'll we'll come to fruition or we can trust that God will will help. Even when our husbands are making mistakes, even when men are making misses. 4 (32m 16s): I hope I said that correctly. All right, husbands, you're next? You thought you were getting off the hook today, right? You were so on the hook today. So 3 (32m 28s): Even as I talked about the role of a godly husband and, and, and pointing to Ron, as an example, husbands verse 19 says you're to love your wives and never them harshly. What if you love your wife as Christ loved the church and never treat her harshly, she won't have much problem submitting 4 (32m 48s): To you. She just won't. 3 (32m 51s): She is won't most, most women want to submit to a godly man who loves them and treats them well. The amplified Bible says this in Colossians three 19, husbands love your wives with an affectionate sympathetic, selfless love. That always seeks the best for them, Then that good man, we have this huge responsibility as leaders of our home to make sure that we're leading the way that God would have us to leave and do not be in a lead in the way that God would have us to lead and do not be in bittered. The amplified continues do not be in bittered or resentful toward them towards your wife. 3 (33m 34s): Because of the responsibility 4 (33m 35s): Marriage, we have a huge responsibility is as husband. 3 (33m 42s): How do we follow God's word? We have to understand what the word says. Number one, number two, we have to approach the word with humility and teachability. As we rely on the power of the Holy spirit to give us the grace to follow. This is part of the deal. We will never effectively follow God's word. If we don't approach the word of God with humility, with teachability, relying on the power of the Holy spirit to give us the grace 4 (34m 8s): To follow. So husbands, if you're having a hard time, loving your wife, pray, pray, and then obey. 3 (34m 19s): I'm going to give you a 14 different ways that you can love your wife. 14 tangible ways that you can love your wife. So get out your pen. 4 (34m 29s): So I write this down and I, 3 (34m 35s): We should've put your name in the, in the place of love. So I put love is love is love is 14 times. And so I'm going to say for me, I'm going to put the, my name in there. So where it says love is patient. 4 (34m 49s): I'm going to say Steve is patient. Alright. Mike is patient. Rod is patient. Larry is patient. Love is patient. Love is patient love is patience. It requires a great deal of patience to express the kind of love that God would have us love our wives with we, we have to be patient. Yeah. 3 (35m 17s): With our spouses. They're different people than we are. They think differently. Not worse, not better, just different 4 (35m 24s): Love is patient. So put your name in there. I will be patient love is kind. Steve is kind, that's my, that's my directive, the Lord that I will be patient. And I will be kind. When you figure out how to be kind to your wife, the sky's the limit, your, your marriage will be amazing. Some men are just jerks to their wives. We don't treat our wives the way that they deserve to be treated. We must be kind to them. 4 (36m 6s): We must absolutely be kind to our wives. So Steve is kind, love is not jealous. Love is not boastful. Love is not proud. Love is not rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable as guys, sometimes we give ourselves permission to do all of these things. We've had a rough day, so I'm irritable. 4 (36m 47s): You don't have permission to be irritable. So when you're irritable, acknowledge the fact that you're irritable and get over yourself because God is bigger than your irritability. I'm telling you from experience. I used to be more irritable than I am now. I'm not perfect, but I'm not quietly. Quite as irritable as I used to be right, is I recognize that I can't be irritable to my wife and expect her to lovingly submit to me. And I can't be irritable to my wife and expect to have a good marriage. She's not, it's just may have an okay marriage. We may get by and not go through a divorce. 4 (37m 29s): But as that though, the high water Mark that we want is that we, we just want to not divorce. Holy cow, their marriage is meant to be delightful and wonderful and life giving your spouse is actually meant to be your very best friend, the person that you want to be with more than any other person. 0 (37m 57s): Yeah. 4 (37m 57s): And yet we're irritable and rude and proud at times. If you catch yourself in that place, catch yourself and don't give yourself permission to be in that place any longer. Maybe you need to take a longer path home, but drive home so that you can kind of get all of the junk from the Workday out of your system. Pray through, say, Lord, I'm going to, I'm getting ready to go home. And I don't want to be irritable. When I get home, I've had a terrible day. I don't want to carry this into my, my home life. So you pray on your way home, turn off the radio. When you pray or turn on Christian worship music and you worship, but out of your system, but you can't go home irritable 0 (38m 39s): Or rude and expect your marriage to be good. You want your, 4 (38m 44s): We should be good. Do you want your sex life to be good? Fix 0 (38m 46s): All that stuff. I'm telling you, 4 (38m 49s): Everything gets fixed. When you go home with the right attitude, 0 (38m 56s): It's not irritable. 4 (38m 57s): It keeps no record of being wronged. Keeping a ledger, mentally, emotionally in your hearts, 0 (39m 7s): Keeping 4 (39m 7s): A ledger of all the time did you've been wrong? Burned that thing. It is. It is like a cancer in your relationship. Love keeps no record of being wrong. Love does not rejoice about injustice, but rejoices when the truth wins out. So love does not say I told you 0 (39m 28s): So 4 (39m 31s): There's no room for that kind of garbage in our relationship. That kind of ah, love rejoices. When the truth wins out, we're not trying to catch each other misstepping or making a mistake. We're not trying to catch each other, doing the wrong thing. We're trying to catch each other, doing the right thing and celebrate that leverage choices when the truth wins out. So when you see your spouse doing something, that's great. Thank them. And praise them for that. 0 (39m 59s): Spouse makes you breakfast. Say thank you, 4 (40m 6s): Your spouse, presses your underwear. Say thank you. Say thank you. Just be grateful, 0 (40m 19s): Right? Have 4 (40m 19s): An attitude of gratitude with everything in your relationship. Just say, just say, thank you. Thank you. Goes a long way. Hey, thanks babe. For making me a lunch. 0 (40m 29s): Right? Thanks 4 (40m 31s): For irony. My shirt. Thanks for keeping the house clean. I noticed you. You cleaned the house today. Thank you. Hey, thanks for taking such good care of our kids by really appreciate how you love our grandkids, 0 (40m 47s): How you invest 4 (40m 48s): In them. That just means so much to me. 0 (40m 49s): Thank you for that. Acknowledge out loud, 4 (40m 54s): The wonderful parts of your partner acknowledge out loud to them and let them know how much you value them and care for them. Love never gives up. You say I've tried all of this stuff and it just keeps backfiring. Keep going, keep going. Pray for a tender heart for your spouse and women wives. When you, when you begin to see your husband change and begin to adopt some of this truth, this revelation from the, from God's word, man, run to it. The ways that I'm asking men to love their wives, wives, I'm asking you to love your husbands the same way. So while I'm putting them in on the hook here, I'm also putting you on the hook. 4 (41m 37s): Your marriage will be amazing. It will be better than it's ever been. 0 (41m 44s): 4 (41m 50s): 30 years of marriage. I tell you, our marriage is better than it's ever been. 30 years. Sometimes we think it just kind of winds down till we die. Just kind of like, Hey, it started out good. It's this kind of white, white wine itself down. No, man, it can be ramping up. Never gives up. Never loses. Faith is always hopeful. Love endures through every circumstance. I wish I could say I made all these up, but they're right in first Corinthians 13, first Corinthians 13 helps us to understand what it means to love one another. 4 (42m 31s): This is the way that God loves us. And he said, I love you this way. Go and love others this way. How do we follow God's word? We have to understand what the word says. It means we have to crack it open. We have to get that Bible opened up every day and understand what it says. And even if you're only reading a little bit, get it in your heart, get it in your mind. We have to approach it. We have to open up God's word. We have to get into it with humility and teachability, not checking a box saying, Hey, I read my proverb of the day or my Psalm of the day. I check the box. What did it say? And what did it speak to your soul? 4 (43m 12s): What does it speak to your spirit? Approach it with humility and teachability is we rely on the power of the Holy spirit to give us the grace to follow. I say this all the time. Everything that God asks us to do in his word requires the supernatural power of the Holy spirit at work in us to get it done. I can't love my wife this way, this way, unless God's loving through me. And last I'm also experiencing the love of God this way and acknowledging and recognizing it that his, he is so patient with me. God, God has never been rude or irritable with me. 4 (43m 53s): He just isn't. He's just not that way. He challenges me through the Word and through the spirit, he'll convict my, my, my life of sin of bad judgment. He'll he'll challenge me, but I never feel beat up by the process. I'm always like Lord. Yes. Thank you. Right? That's that's we don't have to roll over with our spouses, but man, when we, when there's time to bring correction or challenge or a hard conversation, but it needs to be done with love. Don't be irritable. Won't serve your purposes. It won't won't help your marriage. Next first we're done with husbands and wives. 4 (44m 37s): Can we all breathe? There's enough there to last us for the rest for the next 30 years. Amen. Children obey your parents for this pleases, the Lord children obey, always obey your parents for this pleases, the Lord. And then the kids are like, God got it. I thought I was going to get out of this and not have to be held, held accountable here. What does obedience look like? As far as it pleases the Lord children always obey your parents as far as long as it pleases the Lord. If a parent is asking a child to do something immoral, illegal, the child has absolutely has absolutely has the responsibility to disobey, to not do what their parents are asking him to do to do this is God's design. 4 (45m 26s): This is what I think God's design is. God's design is that godly parents would lead well. Their children with integrity, humility, kindness, and good boundaries. And by the way, those 14 things, you can love your kids the same way you love your kids the same way. Let me read that again. God's design is that godly parents would lead well, their children with integrity, humility, kindness, and good boundaries so that children will grow up understanding godliness and the biblical difference between right and wrong parents. You want to lead in such a way that you parents, you want to lead in such a way that you would want your kids to grow up and treat and raise your grandchildren the same way. 4 (46m 12s): I've got five grandkids. And I want my kids to raise my grandkids really well. And they're doing a great job by the way. 0 (46m 20s): 4 (46m 27s): Parents in such a way that your kids though, they may disagree or not understand. Now we'll be able to one day see that you were right. So right now they don't have the capacity to, to see the reasons for the decisions that are made. They just don't. They don't, they don't see any more than, than we understand all of God's ways for, for the way that he parents us. We just don't understand. We don't have the capacity. So don't parent haphazardly. Don't love conditionally don't have favorites or show favoritism, be consistent, be humble, be loving, be gracious. 4 (47m 9s): Verse 21 says, fathers do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged. It's tough to parent. It's tough to figure out how to parent kids who are going through adolescents and going through hard stuff. It's tough to parent, little toddlers who were getting into everything. It's tough to parents, kids through all of their stages of life, but God's grace will give us the ability to do it in such a way that they won't be discouraged. They can get corrected, but not be discouraged. They can, they can have boundaries, but not be discouraged. They can understand, even as a, as a young child, they can understand. 4 (47m 53s): And through adolescents that they're being disciplined because they are loved. They're being raised in a, in a loving atmosphere, Ephesians six, four in the amplified, it says fathers do not provoke your children to anger. Do not exasperate them to the point of resentment with demands that are trivial or unreasonable or humiliating or abusive, nor by showing favoritism or indifference to any of them in difference, but bring them up tenderly with loving kindness in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 0 (48m 28s): Okay, 4 (48m 28s): This is heavy stuff. Isn't it? It's like really strong directives for us in our relationships. It's not easy stuff, but it's what the Bible says. And if we give it an opportunity, we'll have great families. And maybe you're here today. And you say, man, I've already blown it. It's too late. Start doing all of this stuff now with your adult kids, with your, with your grown kids. And if it's too late and they just don't want to have anything to do, we do with you just let the grace of God wash over you. Just repent of it. We've all sinned and fall short of God's glorious standard. So just say, Lord, I, man, I wish I would have, I I've. I limit some of the things that I did as a young parent Lord. I wish I would have raised my kids differently. 4 (49m 8s): In some areas I do God's grace was sufficient and they turned out really well, but I'm wishing, I wish I would've done some things differently, but God's grace is sufficient and I've had to go back and apologize to my kids. For some things. My daughter brought it up recently a few years ago, we, we all sat our kids, my wife and I, we sat our kids down. I forgot we had done this, but she brought it up to me and we sat and they were all adults at that point. And we just apologize for any pressure that we, we might've put them put on them as, as pastors, kids, kids have enough pressures without having pressure from because of what their parents do. Holy cow. 4 (49m 49s): And so we, we weren't sure if we had put any undue pressure on them, but we want to make sure that we apologize in case we had. So we said, well, we don't, we don't know if we did a great job with you guys. Well, I'm sure we made some mistakes. And so we just want, we just want to say, sorry, will you forgive us? And, and there was grace extended there and, and health restored, maybe in areas where health needed to be restored. So maybe you've made mistakes. You have, if you're human, you made mistakes. You do, you have a pulse. Yeah, you do. You've made a mistake. So, so just be humble and apologize for that and watch what the Lord will do to restore relationships. 4 (50m 32s): Maybe you've got a broken relationship with adult kids that have been going on for, for decades. I grew up with an absentee father, absentee father, and he was just, he was gone my whole life, some, a couple of times growing up and, and he's, he's kind of in his own way. Apologize. It has been helpful. It's kind of acknowledged, you know, and he made some knucklehead moves along the way and, and in his own way, he's kind of apologized and that has to be good enough. Right. And he's listening in dads. So that's, Hey dad, that's good enough. He always listens to my sermons, talk about him. 4 (51m 16s): And he's like, Hey, you probably didn't want me listening in today. Did you? I said, no, I want you to listening in dad. So in his own ways, he apologized for his own past mistakes. And that's good enough. We need to extend grace because even some of the policy, some even sometimes we don't even know how to apologize. Well, but if we can just get to the heart of what's being tried, we have, what is being said is just extended grace, your relationships with your parents and your grandparents and your kids and your grandkids will just be better. Children will have a much easier time obeying if they're obeying good and godly parents, not perfect parents, but good and godly parents. And they'll know the difference. They may not understand it now, but as they get older, they will understand the difference. 4 (52m 1s): Children. Even if your parents aren't good and godly, you still need to obey them. 0 (52m 7s): I do 4 (52m 10s): Obey them with humility, with humility and trust as you obey God's direction for your life. No perfect parents. So trust the Lord as you do his will. All right, let's get off the family a little bit and talk about slaves. 0 (52m 29s): How much time we have, we got time. 4 (52m 32s): 22 Colossians three says slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything that you do, try to please them all the time. Not just when they are watching you serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. So slavery in our culture is not really a thing. Although in the, in the world, it's a thing. It's a, it's a very real thing. One commentator wrote while slavery is certainly undesirable. And I would S I would add slavery is not just undesirable. Slavery is it's it's deplorable. No person should own another person. The commentator wrote while slavery is certainly undesirable undesirable. 4 (53m 14s): Paul goes, Paul's goals did not include restructuring social institutions. So we often wonder why didn't Paul directly attack the institution of slavery. Well, God had other goals for him. This is what I wrote. 3 (53m 30s): God's goal. Isn't always to restructure social institutions. His goal is to make disciples who will through their godliness point, people to a better way of living. And in that call some to the work of restructuring social institutions. 4 (53m 44s): Well, my thoughts go to William Wilberforce, 3 (53m 49s): William Wilberforce, as a British politician, philanthropists, and leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade and native of York Shire. He began his political career in 1780, eventually becoming an independent member of parliaments in 1785. He became an evangelical Christian, 4 (54m 9s): Which 3 (54m 9s): Resulted in major changes to his lifestyle and a lifelong concern 4 (54m 13s): For reform. Yes, 3 (54m 17s): God is first and foremost concerned for the reform of individually 4 (54m 23s): God 3 (54m 24s): God is concerned for the reform of individuals. And he knows that the reform of culture can follow. As individuals are reformed. Paul's major concern was not restructuring social institutions. His major concern was the discipleship of 4 (54m 38s): Men and women. And 3 (54m 40s): Out of that, out of that, God would call people to reform social 4 (54m 45s): S social issues. And so 3 (54m 51s): Some of you are called to reform social injustices, and some are called to other things. And I would just ask you to figure out what you're called to Paul understood what he was called to. And he kept that in his sights, 4 (55m 6s): Listen to what he wrote 3 (55m 7s): In first Corinthians seven, seven through 24, 4 (55m 11s): He said, 3 (55m 12s): Verse 17, excuse me. He said, each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you and remain as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all of them 4 (55m 24s): Churches, for instance, a man who was circumcised 3 (55m 27s): Before he became a believer, should not try to reverse it. And the man who was uncircumcised when he became a believer should not be circumcised 4 (55m 35s): Now 3 (55m 37s): For it makes no difference whether or not a man has been circumcised. The important thing is that he keeps God's commandments. Yes. Each of you should remain as you were, when God called you, 4 (55m 47s): Are you a slave? Don't let that worry you. But if you get a chance to be free, take it. 3 (55m 55s): And remember, if you were a slave, when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you are free, when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ. God paid a high price for, you said, don't be enslaved by the world. Each of you, dear brothers and sisters should remain. As you were when God has called, when God first called, 4 (56m 14s): How do we follow God's word? We have 3 (56m 16s): To understand what the word says. We have to invest our heart and mind in the word, and we have to do it. We have to approach that Word word of God with humility and teachability is we rely on the power of the Holy spirit to give us the grace to follow it. Number three, we have to believe the Word that we have a master in heaven. Often. We don't believe that this is true. We're going to see this in the text. We have a master in heaven, and we have a Lord in heaven. We come to faith in Jesus. If we confess that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart, that God has raised him from the dead. We shall be saved. If we confess the Lordship of Jesus Christ, that's the first step of being saved. Confessing the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We have a master in heaven. Who's, who's telling us how to live our lives, and it's not negotiable. 3 (57m 2s): It's not a pick and choose scenario. We read the Bible, we understand it. We do what it tells us to do. That's just the way God designed the scripture for us sees everything. And he knows everything. And he's just in fare. And he's given us things to do hard things to do. These are, these are not these. This has not been an easy text to preach through. These are hard things that God asks us to do, and they require real heart change, real transformational change so that we can align our lives with his word back to Colossians. Paul wrote work willingly at whatever you do as though you were working for the Lord, rather than for people. 3 (57m 48s): And so we're not in a slavery economy of slavery situation in our culture, but we all have employers. Most of us are working and we have people that we work for. So we can overlay this verse in our risk, in our responsibility to our employers, work willingly at whatever you do as though you were working for the Lord often, we're like, I'm not, I'm not doing a good job because I don't like my boss as a Christian. That's not, that's not even an option as a Christian. That is not even an option. You have to work as though you're working for the Lord. Christians should be the best possible employees in a, in a workplace often. 3 (58m 33s): It's not the case though. Christians aren't having good erect. We don't have a good reputation in the workplace because sometimes we can be lazy or we, we excuse our behavior because we don't like our boss or the circumstances. Listen, we need to work as though we're working for the Lord, rather than for people remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward and that the master you are serving as Christ. So it's not just a Sunday morning. I submit to God scenario. It's a 24 seven. I submit to God scenario. It's 24 seven. Like I always submit to God, that's the goal like the Lord I'm going to submit to you no matter what. So whoever I'm working for, I'm going to submit to that person and work for them as though I'm working for you, Lord, because you're my, you're 0 (59m 22s): My master. First one, 4 (59m 25s): If I, but if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you've done for God has no favorites. And then our last verse, Colossians four, one masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a master in heaven. So there's two sides to every coin wives. You gotta submit to your husbands husbands. You have to love your wives. Following those 14 things that I talked about in first Corinthians from first Corinthians 13, 0 (1h 0m 3s): 4 (1h 0m 7s): We have this powerful responsibility and powerful opportunity to align our relationships in such a way that God has honored in such a way that divorce isn't an option divorce isn't even on the table because we're so in love with each other, that it's not even something that we would consider. It's not always easy to follow God's word, 0 (1h 0m 33s): But 4 (1h 0m 33s): If you will try to understand it and approach it with humility and teachability, while relying on the power of the Holy spirit, to give you the grace to follow, we can trust that our master in heaven will take care of all of our needs. So some of us are married to hard people. 0 (1h 0m 55s): So this stuff isn't easy. 4 (1h 0m 58s): I don't pretend that it's easy. Everything that God asks us to do requires the power of the Holy spirit at work in our lives. It's doable when we've got the power of God at work in us and with us and through us, it's doable. It's doable. All of the impossible things or the seemingly impossible things that we read in scripture are doable. When the power of the Holy Spirit's at work in our lives, all of these things are possible. All of the things that God leads us to do in his word from Genesis to revelation are doable and possible. When we rely on the power of the Holy spirit, when we're approaching the word of God with humility and teachability filled with the Holy spirit. 4 (1h 1m 40s): So maybe you're here today and you just need a fresh infilling of the Holy spirit. I'm just going to pray that over us, that we'll be freshly filled Ephesians five talks about our need to be constantly filled with the Holy spirit. Somehow we leak, I guess we leak and we need to be refilled. So I'm going to pray that the Holy spirit will fill us to overflowing so that we can have the capacity to believe God for the things that he's instructed us in his word. Does that sound good? Go ahead and stand up. And if you're here and you need a new filling of the Holy spirit, just raise your hand. I'm not gonna make you come forward, but if you're here and you just say, Lord, I pray for those whose hands are up. God my hands are up. 4 (1h 2m 23s): God I, I feel like I need it like multiple times throughout the day. I just need to be refilled. Somebody cuts me off on the freeway and I'm angry and I need to be refilled. Lord, forgive me for that. Lord does have a bad thought, Lord, forgive me for that Lord. I'm up against a hard situation. I need to be refilled with the Holy spirit. God, do you know the scenario of everybody's life here? The relationships that they're in, the problems that they're face, the difficulties that they, that they're up against Lord. I just pray that each, each person would just feel in a real, tangible it, if possible, just physically and spiritually, that we would feel your presence. 4 (1h 3m 8s): Just filling us with grace and power to do what you've asked us to do. Lord and, and belief and confidence and faith Lord in the things that you've asked us to do, believing God that ultimately it will, it will, it will be good for us Lord. So God, each of us, we, we have our hands up and we just ask God that as we stand here, prayerful Lord, that you would fill us and that's, you would continue to fill us daily as often as we need it. Lord God for the task, for the responsibilities in front of us, God help us to be great husbands and great wives and great employees. 4 (1h 3m 53s): Great employers, Lord, help us to be just incredible Lord. And as we trust you with our lives, Lord God, as we worship, help us to worship Lord in spirit and in truth. And I there's just something powerful that happens when we worship, when there's just, there's just an anointing, a filling that happens, Lord, I just pray God that you would fill us and anoint us for your good works. The good works that you've called us to today. Pray that none of us would be overwhelmed, but we just have the strength to do it. We'd have the faith to do it. So help us, Lord. We pray. Thank you for this time. Lord in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Let's worship 1 (1h 4m 36s): was ballroom God has the with the melody, with deliverance from me. 1 (1h 11m 13s): I'm no, Lord. 1 (1h 15m 19s): It's only by some crazy miracle. It's hard for us. We receive Steve Bray. We asked for your power to walk in your ways to live. As you want us to live to love people. As you want us to look, we asked for your power this morning. We thank you. We praise you Jesus name. Amen. 1 (1h 16m 0s): Thank you guys for coming to church today for tuning in online, have a great week.

Nashville reporter Cameron Taylor joined the show to discuss the Pittsburgh Steelers' victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 7 of the 2020 NFL season.Taylor talked about what Nissan Stadium and Nashville have been like throughout the COVID-19 pandemic."Bleav in Steelers" hosts Ike Taylor and Mark Bergin spoke about the keys to the Steelers' 6-0 start.The guys think the Steelers and Titans could play again in the playoffs.Next Sunday, the Steelers play on the road against the Baltimore Ravens.Follow Ike Taylor on social media: Facebook, Twitter, InstagramFollow Mark Bergin on social media: Facebook, Twitter, InstagramIntro Music: Louie Kaczmarek

Episode 109 Features: Last week I went 10-5 on my picks which landed me a record of 38-24-1. This week we look at all Week 5 matchups and one game is postponed due to Covid-19. Patriots and Broncos has been moved to Next Sunday. Also, we have NBA Finals Game 6 Lakers vs. Heat. Do the Lakers close or do the Heat force a game 7. 

Here we are continuing in our study series through the book of 1 Corinthians. This is the fifth part looking closely at chapter 2 verses 6-10. Next Sunday, we'll pick back up from verse 10 to the end of the chapter and get ready for chapter 3!Please let us know your thoughts. You can find our Instagram account here: https://www.instagram.com/intothepray/Come, Lord JesusLove in Jesus, N&M x

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 11th of October 2020 The news headlines: New field strength licence condition proposed by Ofcom RSGB YouTube Convention catch-up Jamboree on the Air to go ahead Ofcom received 400 responses to their EMF consultation, 255 of which were from radio amateurs. Ofcom has addressed some respondent’s concerns, revised their proposals and requested feedback. The RSGB will reply to Ofcom’s revised proposals and keep you updated via www.rsgb.org/emf. Ofcom intends to add a condition to all licences that allow more than 10W EIRP, requiring compliance with the ICNIRP general public limits on EMF exposure. Ofcom has provided a basic EMF calculator that will provide a conservative estimate of the required separation distances between the radio equipment and the public. RSGB and ARRL experts are working on detailed modelling of near-field EMF levels to demonstrate compliance where the Ofcom calculator is too conservative. Our aim is that Ofcom will approve such an approach. The RSGB is continuing discussions with Ofcom about the new condition, including what amateurs will actually be expected to do to operate safely within ICNIRP reference levels, and any need for extra advice and training. Following on from the online RSGB Convention for 2020 that took place yesterday, the 10th of October, the AMSAT-UK Colloquium 2020 is online today, the 11th. There will be a lecture stream from 11 am to 4 pm. You can find out more at www.amsat-uk.org/colloquium. You may be interested to know that the two live streams from the RSGB Convention online will be available to watch again on the RSGB YouTube channel from today, the 11th. The results of the annual RSGB Construction Competition were announced during the online Convention and will be on the RSGB website from today, the 11th, at www.rsgb.org/construction-compeition. The IARU Region 1 General Conference, originally scheduled to take place in Serbia, is taking place online, starting today, the 11th. Taking advantage of online access, well over 200 delegates and observers have registered from nearly 50 national societies. Nearly 90 papers are scheduled for discussion, several from the RSGB. The conference will be formally opened by IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH. A day-by-day report of the proceedings at the Conference will be published throughout the coming week on the IARU Region 1 website, www.iaru-r1.org, beginning Sunday evening. Jamboree On The Air, the world’s largest and radio Scout event promoting friendship and global citizenship takes place over the weekend of the 16th to the 18th of October. There are of course a few difficulties this year due to the pandemic. However, the event is going ahead – often with creative ways of operating. Please listen out for the JOTA stations and do give them a call. On United Nations Day, the 24th of October, the SAQ Very Low Frequency transmitter in Grimeton, Sweden, will again send out a message. Startup and tuning of the Alexanderson Alternator will be from 1430UTC. The message will be transmitted from SAQ on 17.2kHz CW at 1500UTC. Live streaming can be seen at www.youtube.com/c/AlexanderSAQ/videos. The RSGB will once again be participating in the annual YOTA Month activities in December. Normally we would encourage large youth groups, schools, Scouting associations and amateur radio clubs to participate. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we will not be encouraging large group events. We do hope that smaller groups will be able to participate in the event, whilst remaining within national and local guidelines. GB20YOTA will be available for Full licence holders to book an appointment slot within a set calendar. This calendar will be available on the GB20YOTA QRZ.com page for you to choose when you want to operate. All operations should be focused with the intention to get young people on the air. To register your interest or to reserve an operating slot contact Jamie, M0SDV, via email to yota.month@rsgb.org.uk. According to a Spaceweather.com report on the 6th of October, Canadian amateur Scott Tilley, VE7TIL received a signal from the NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter as it flew just 274km above the Red Planet’s surface. The signal was an X-band carrier containing no data or telemetry. Such detection is possible because, right now, Mars is unusually close to Earth. Visit www.Spaceweather.com and look at the archive for the 6th of October for more information. Now the special event news Since the change of regulations applying to special event stations in the UK, many activations are now able to go ahead. UK amateurs would like to thank Ofcom for their help in making this happen. PJ4TEN will be active during October to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Bonaire becoming a Special Municipality of the Netherlands and a new DXCC entity. The rules for the award can be found on the PJ4TEN QRZ.com page. Hannes, OE1SGU will be active as OE1990SGU between the 1st and the 31st of October to celebrate his 30th anniversary in amateur radio. QSL via LoTW, eQSL, or via OE1SGU either direct or via the bureau. Now the DX news Jerry, F4HJO will be active as F4HJO/p from Brehat Island, IOTA reference EU-074, between the 17th and 24th of October. He will operate mainly SSB on the 80, 40, 20 and 17m bands. QSL via Club Log’s OQRS, Logbook of The World or via his home call, either direct or via the bureau. Take, JG8NQJ will be back to the weather station on Minami Torishima, OC-073, from the 14th of October until mid-January 2021, his QSL manager reports. Take will operate CW as JG8NQJ/JD1 in his spare time. QSL via JA8CJY direct or JG8NQJ via the bureau. Now the contest news Please remember to check before the contest for new rules due to lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world. The RSGB strongly advises obeying your own national and local government’s advice first and foremost, especially in the instance of local lockdowns. The Oceania DX CW contest ends its 24-hour run at 0800UTC today, the 11th. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Today, the 11th, the IRTS 40m Counties contest runs from 1200 to 1400UTC. Using CW and SSB, the exchange is signal report and serial number, with GI and EI stations, also sending their County. On Tuesday, the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. It is followed by the all-mode UK Activity Contest from 1900 to 2130UTC. The exchange for both is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 80m Autumn Series runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using data only, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Thursday sees the 70MHz UK Activity Contest from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Next weekend, from 1500UTC on the 17th to 1500UTC on the 18th, it’s the Worked All Germany Contest. Using CW and SSB on the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number, with German stations sending DOK. Next Sunday, the 18th, the 50MHz AFS contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also next Sunday, the 18th, the second RoLo contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. This is CW only on the 80m band and the exchange is signal report and a rolling locator. Next Sunday, the 18th, the UK Microwave group’s 24-76GHz contest runs from 0900 to 1700UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 9th of October. We had another week without a single sunspot appearing on the solar surface. The only upside was that the solar wind was largely calm, which resulted in a settled ionosphere. The solar flux index remained pegged at 71 or 72, reminding us that although NASA says that solar cycle 25 has started, we are still a long way from the glory days of solar maximum. Having said that, on Thursday morning there were signs of some activity on the Sun’s south-eastern limb that may or may not result in a spot forming in due course. There were numerous warnings this week for spacecraft operators about high levels of the 2MeV electron integral flux. This can result in charging occurring on satellite solar panels and other electronics. It can also have a detrimental impact on HF radio in the polar regions, while North-South paths remain relatively unaffected. However, after a brief geomagnetic disturbance when the Kp index rose to four on Monday the 5th, conditions remained settled, with the Kp index mainly being one throughout the week. This no doubt helped the ionosphere, with numerous reports of 15 and even 10 metres opening up. This time of year usually supports North-South paths as witnessed by Adrian, G0KOM logging on 15m Cyril, FR4NT on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. An F2-layer opening also brought in Carlos, CX7CO in Uruguay on 28MHz CW, who was logged by Chris, G3SJJ. An unseasonal Sporadic-E opening saw France and Italy being worked on 10 and 12 metres on Tuesday. So it is rather good news for HF at the moment, despite the lack of sunspots. NOAA predicts more of the same next week with the solar flux index predicted to remain around 70. Geomagnetic conditions are also expected to remain settled with the Kp index at two or three. And now the VHF and up propagation news. Last Tuesday saw a surprise widespread Sporadic-E opening on 50MHz, with stations working into Italy and Spain. This was quite possibly a direct result of the current spate of meteor showers. We should always be alert to the unexpected, especially during very unsettled weather with strong jet streams and meteor showers in attendance. These are though, truly rare events. It looks very much like another “bust” for the autumn season Tropo mode this week. Low pressure will predominate and give another week of options to the microwave operators using rain scatter. A brief period with a ridge nearby is a slight possibility in the second half of the week, but not looking too strong at this range. Next Sunday sees the peak of the Epsilon Geminids meteor shower. Not to be confused with the much bigger Geminids shower in mid-December, this one has a zenithal hourly rate of just three. Keep looking around local dawn for the best random meteors. The Moon is at positive declination until Friday this week and path losses are falling as we approach perigee on Friday night. 144MHz sky noise is low this week until the Sun and Moon appear close in the sky on Friday lunchtime. As mentioned before, we are now well and truly into the period where perigee and lowest EME path losses begin to coincide with low declination and subsequent low peak moon elevation. This trend will not start to reverse until July 2022. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 4th of October 2020 The news headlines: RSGB releases video series Latest Online Convention & Colloquium news Exercise Blue Ham cancelled   The RSGB has just launched a series of videos to help the thousands of people who have taken their Foundation exam via remote invigilation whilst being unable to take the practical assessments. The full 30-minute video highlights six practical skills and each segment stands alone rather than being part of a single ‘story’ through the video. As well as this whole video, the Society has published the different segments as separate short videos to make it easier to go back to just one or two parts again. The RSGB is grateful to the clubs and individual radio amateurs who have created other available online training resources. With the launch of these videos, the Society is now pleased to add to the resources that new licensees have available to them. The RSGB would also like to thank Bob and Nick from TX Factor who worked with the Society on these videos. You can watch the videos on the Society’s website at www.rsgb.org/foundation-practicals. During the online RSGB Convention for 2020, you will be able to enjoy some excellent lectures. On Saturday the 10th of October, the RSGB will be presenting two online streams for everyone to enjoy. Whether you are new to the hobby, just returning or experienced there will be something to interest you. We start the day with a message from the RSGB President, Dave Wilson, M0OBW, followed by a talk from Eric Swartz, WA6HHQ from Elecraft before splitting into two streams, An introduction to… and Learn more about…. There’s the opportunity to ask questions and details of how to do this is on the website. You can find out more about the whole day of lectures at www.rsgb.org.uk/convention. We look forward to seeing you next Saturday, the 10th, whether you can join us for the whole day or just parts of it. Like the RSGB Convention, the AMSAT-UK Colloquium 2020 will also be online this year. Taking place on Sunday the 11th of October, there will be a lecture stream from 11 am to 4 pm. You can find out more at www.amsat-uk.org/colloquium. The registration URL is https://tinyurl.com/amsatukreg2020. In line with the latest government guidelines and to protect the health of the Cadets and adult volunteers, all Cadet face-to-face activity is still currently suspended, therefore the organisers have had to make the decision to cancel Exercise Blue Ham-3 that was programmed for mid-October. They appreciate the effort and support that all the amateurs give the exercise and say that as soon as they can return to some form of face to face activity, they will organise another Blue Ham. The Bath Based Distance Learning team are restarting their courses. The first new BBDL course will be for the Intermediate level, running from November 2020 to March 2021. To register your interest, contact the Team Leader, Steve, G0FUW, via email to g0fuw@tiscali.co.uk. The new BBDL Full level course will follow on from the Intermediate course running from March to July. A further announcement will be made in the New Year when that course is ready for enrolment. Chippenham & District ARC is now running an online Foundation course. Since the Covid-19 outbreak, they have switched to online training via live hosted training sessions. If you are interested in future courses, you can contact the club via their website at www.chippenhamradio.club. The W4CHA/B beacon in locator square EL88 is active again and on 50.0796MHz. The beacon outputs 2W to a dipole 53 metres above sea level. Now the special event news Since the change of regulations applying to special event stations in the UK, many activations are now able to go ahead. UK amateurs would like to thank Ofcom for their help in making this happen. PJ4TEN will be active during October to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Bonaire becoming a special municipality of the Netherlands and a new DXCC entity. The rules for the award can be found on the PJ4TEN QRZ.com page. Hannes, OE1SGU will be active as OE1990SGU between the 1st and the 31st of October to celebrate his 30th anniversary in amateur radio. QSL via LoTW, eQSL, or via OE1SGU either direct or via the bureau. Now the DX news A team will be active as JW4O from the JW5E club station in Svalbard, EU-026, from the 8th to the 12th of October. The main goal of the operators is to participate in the SSB leg of the Scandinavian Activity Contest on the 10th and 11th of October. Now the contest news Please remember to check before the contest for new rules due to lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world. The RSGB strongly advises obeying your own national and local government’s advice first and foremost, especially in the instance of local lockdowns. This weekend the IARU 432-245GHz contest ends its 24-hour run at 1400UTC today, the 4th of October. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The Oceania DX SSB contest ends its 24-hour run at 0800UTC today, the 4th of October. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number. The Worked All Britain DX Contest takes place today, the 4th of October, from 0500 to 2300UTC. Using SSB only on the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and WAB area. The DX Contest takes place today, the 4th, from 0500 to 2300UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number. The Portable Operations Challenge ends at 2359UTC today, the 4th of October. Participants choose their own 8-hour window within the 48-hour weekend. Details can be found at foxmikehotel.com/challenge. On Monday, the 80m Autumn Series runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. It’s CW only and the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Tuesday the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC, followed by the all-mode 144MHz UK Activity Contest from 1900 to 2130UTC. The exchange for both is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday, the UK EI Contest Club 80m contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. It’s SSB only and the exchange is your 6-character locator. Thursday sees the 50MHz UK Activity Contest run from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The Oceania DX CW contest runs for 24 hours next weekend from 0800UTC on the 10th to 0800UTC on the 11th. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Next Sunday, the 11th, the IRTS 40m Counties contest runs from 1200 to 1400UTC. Using CW and SSB the exchange is signal report and serial number, with GI and EI stations, also sending their County. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 2nd of October. We had yet another week with zero sunspots and poor conditions. Matter from a solar coronal hole pushed the Kp index to six late on Sunday the 27th with corresponding detrimental effects on the ionosphere. The solar wind stream climbed to above 600km/s with the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field periodically pointing south. This meant that the solar wind could more easily couple with the Earth’s magnetic field, allowing matter to enter the ionosphere. Maximum useable frequencies struggled to get past 14MHz on Monday while the geomagnetic storm continued. In fact, it took until Thursday for conditions to subside and even then the Kp index fluctuated between two and three. But there was DX to be had, especially for paths that didn’t pass through the poles. Laurie, G3UML reported working Kamil, S79KW and Ravi, S79VU in the Seychelles on 20m SSB on Tuesday afternoon. And Carl, HS0ZOA in Thailand was also heard on 20m around the same time. This bodes well for HF over the coming month, which should see HF conditions improve thanks to a change in the ionospheric chemistry as we move from summer to autumn. Next week NOAA predicts a solar flux index of 70, representing zero sunspots. There is always a chance that something could appear over the next seven days, but activity still remains quiet. Geomagnetic conditions are predicted to be quiet, with very little coronal hole activity. A maximum Kp index of two is indicated, at least until Sunday the 11th when it could climb to three. And now the VHF and up propagation news. We have another week of predominantly unsettled and, at times, wet and windy weather coming up, so Tropo will be hard to find. The weekend offers a slow-moving area of low pressure over the country and although it eventually edges away to the east by midweek, it could give some very windy weather and certainly periods of heavy rain. So rain scatter on the GHz bands is the mode of choice once again. A brief ridge of high pressure may transit the country on Wednesday and Thursday for a touch of Tropo, but will soon be replaced by another slow-moving low over the country by the end of the week and a return of rain scatter conditions. Time to fire up the EME kit again as we have positive Moon declination peaking on Friday giving long Moon visibility windows. Path losses are high and we are more than a week from perigee, but 144MHz sky temperatures are low to moderate all week. October is a busy month for meteor scatter enthusiasts, with three meteor showers this week alone. The largest, the Draconids with a zenithal hourly rate of 10 on Thursday, the Southern Taurids with a ZHR of five on Saturday and the Delta Aurigids with a ZHR of two next Sunday. For more details of these showers, and other VHF related information look at the excellent Make more miles on VHF website, www.mmmonvhf.de. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 13th of September 2020 The news headlines: RSGB Online Convention announces two more great talks AMSAT-UK Colloquium news Six Metre Group AGM goes online During the online RSGB Convention for 2020, you will be able to enjoy some excellent lectures. On Saturday the 10th of October, the RSGB will be putting on two streams online for everyone to enjoy. In An introduction to… we will have a pictorial introduction to data modes by Mike Richards, G4WNC. He will guide viewers through the basics of data modes operation, explaining the commonly used terms and the development of the modes in general use today. In the Learn more about… stream, Alwyn Seeds, G8DOH will look at VHF/UHF radios for contesting and DXing. The talk will discuss the important specifications for high-performance VHF and UHF radios and how these can most easily be achieved. For transmitters, the importance of achieving low radiated noise will be explained. The talk will be illustrated with measurements for a variety of radios based on both conventional and software-defined radio design approaches. You can find out more at www.rsgb.org.uk/convention. The AMSAT-UK Colloquium 2020 will also be online this year. Taking place on Sunday the 11th of October, there will be one lecture stream from 11 am to 4 pm. You can find out more at www.amsat-uk.org/colloquium. The registration URL is https://tinyurl.com/amsatukreg2020. The UK Six Metre Group will hold its Annual General Meeting by videoconference on Sunday the 27th of September at 1700UTC, that’s 6 pm UK time. The brief formal part of the meeting will be followed by a talk from Peter Lund, JW7QIA on his recent 50 and 70MHz operations from Svalbard, which is the northernmost year-round settlement on Earth and only 1000km from the North Pole. Non-members of the Group will be welcome to join the call, but will not be able to vote. Connection instructions will be issued the week before the meeting via the group website, www.uksmg.org. The RSGB administers a number of award programmes for HF and VHF, including the enhanced special awards for Foundation and Intermediate licence holders. A vacancy has arisen for a volunteer to promote and manage these programmes. For further information about the role, including how to apply, visit the Society’s volunteer web page at www.rsgb.org/volunteers. The IARU R1 has just published a further news release following the online CEPT-PTC and CEPT-PTA meetings for WRC-23 prep. The RSGB Spectrum Forum Chair and the RSGB Microwave Manager have been closely engaged at these meetings. Details at www.iaru-r1.org. Details of the Portable Operations Challenge given in last week’s news should have read the 3rd and 4th October. Find out all you need to know at foxmikehotel.com/challenge. The RSGB 2020 Construction Competition is open for entries. There are four categories, including one specifically for people who are new to amateur radio. The deadline for entries is the 25th of September. For more details, including how to enter, see www.rsgb.org/construction-competition. Mark, G0KZZ, has started a new internet forum for CW enthusiasts. It is wide-ranging, covering amateur CW operating to radiotelegraphy history and key collecting to internet-based CW contacts. In the UK, the 5MHz, or 60m band, has been available to Full UK licensees since August 2002. This we owe to the initiative of the late Gordon Adams, G3LEQ, who at the time was Spectrum Director of the Radio Society of Great Britain. He was central to negotiations with the Regulator and the UK Ministry of Defence, the Primary User of the band. One of the elements of Gordon’s proposals was a country-wide news reading of the GB2RS. This has taken place regularly on a Sunday since the band’s inception by a team of newsreaders. Gordon became a Silent Key in February 2018 and the GB2RS 5MHz newsreading team, as The 5MHz Pioneers Group, applied for and received the call G5MHZ. The call will be on the air in recognition and remembrance of the work done by Gordon at 5MHz for UK radio amateurs. Now the special event news Since the change of regulations applying to special event stations in the UK, many activations are now able to go ahead. UK amateurs would like to thank Ofcom for their help in making this happen. Members of the Royal Air Force ARS will be operating GB80BOB from the 1st to the 28th of September to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Due to Covid-19, Ofcom are allowing this call to be operated from homes. A list of operators and postcode locations will be displayed on the RAFARS website. A special QSL card is available. Details are at www.rafars.org/GB80BOB/ and QRZ.com. Now the contest news Please remember to check before the contest for new rules due to lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world. The RSGB strongly advises obeying your own national and local government’s advice first and foremost, especially in the instance of local lockdowns. The WAE DX SSB contest runs for 48 hours ending 2359UTC today, the 13th. Using SSB on the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Note the EU stations only work non-EU stations. The UK Microwave Group contest runs from 0900 to 1700UTC today, the 13th. Using all modes on the 24 to 248GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also today, the 13th, the IRTS 70cm Counties contest runs from 1300 to 1330UTC. This is followed by the IRTS 2m Counties contest from 1330 to 1500UTC. Both use SSB and FM only and the exchange is signal report and serial number, with EI and GI stations also giving their county. On Tuesday the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the CW leg of the 80m Autumn Series runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number. On Thursday it’s the turn of the 70MHz UK Activity Contest, running from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Next Sunday, the 20th, the 70MHz AFS Contest runs from 0900 to 1200UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The BARTG Sprint 75 contest takes place next Sunday, the 20th, from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is serial number. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 11th of September. It was another week with zero sunspots, but the upside was that we had settled geomagnetic conditions. The maximum Kp index of two, but more often than not just one, was brought about by an absence of coronal holes last week. This meant that the ionosphere was pretty stable, with Maximum Useable Frequencies over a 3,000km path heading towards 18MHz at times. Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index to be 70 and the largest Kp index to be two, so expect similar conditions. NOAA also predicts the Kp index could rise to a maximum of three on the 18th and 19th, due to a high-speed stream from a returning coronal hole. Due to seasonal changes we do expect ionospheric conditions to improve slightly as we head towards the end of the month. We also expect to see transatlantic paths and openings to South Africa and South America improving around the time of the Autumnal equinox. There will also be a gradual improvement in daytime maximum useable frequencies as we head towards Autumn, but night-time MUFs will decline. Expect October to probably be the best month all round for HF propagation. And now the VHF and up propagation news. It seems like the main Sporadic-E season is over for the summer. With even FT8 paths hard to spot on the DX clusters. So, unless something exceptional turns up you’ll have to wait at least until the small secondary December Sporadic-E peak for that DX mode again. The basic weather pattern to end the current week and take us into early next week has high pressure over southern areas of the UK and cloudy unsettled weather over the north-western areas with wind and rain. This means that there is likely to be Tropo on offer over the next few days, with paths to the south across Biscay initially and later biased more towards northern Europe. There could be an unsettled showery period of weather in the south as the high weakens by midweek and, typically after a few hot days, there may be thundery showers, which is great news for the GHz rain scatter operators. A temporary return of high pressure later will probably put Tropo back into play again, but with a further return of unsettled weather after a day or two. Expect a good week for EME, with the Moon at maximum declination this weekend followed by shortening Moon windows as the week progresses. Declination goes negative on Friday and this coincides with perigee where losses are at their lowest. 144MHz sky temperatures are low apart from next Thursday morning when the Sun and Moon are very close in the sky. No meteor showers this week, so look for the best random meteors around local dawn while the Earth is rotating towards the orbital random meteor flux. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

With our final episode (for now) of PXrn Princess coming to an end, we are left with questions and more irritation. I don't think I've hated a character more, considering this is all original and just blah. We will return when we've gathered out wits and unlocked more...since I ain't paying no cash for this pile of trash. Next Sunday we'll be diving into a whole new story, of zombies and wands. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Discuss 8/23/2020, we have an announcement that the Dot has been mover over to Trading View and can be used in over 50 different countries' exchanges. Next Sunday have an interview with the GM of Trading View and the next Sunday interview with the GM of Webull. Send questions to questions@safedaytrading.org

ROMANS: THE FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH“Unashamed”(Romans 1:1-17)For digital bulletin click here.Message SlidesRomans Introduction - SwindollRomans Introduction - SchreinerMaking the Good News Great - SwindollIntroduction: Profile of a Committed Christian • “I am obligated.” (1:14) - I owe a debt. • “I am eager.” (1:15) - I have a passion. • “I am not ashamed.” (1:16) - I know the power. The Man: A Set-apart ServantChristians are set apart to serve God and proclaim the gospel.(1:1) The Ministry: A Controlling CallingThe gospel of grace is the culmination of God’s planto reconcile people to God through faith in Jesus Christ.(1:2-7) The Mission: A Consuming CommitmentThe gospel is a message for all people.(1:8-15) The Message: A Compelling ContentThe exciting good news we proclaim is thatsalvation comes through faith resulting in righteousness.(1:16-17) The transforming reality of the gospel is worthy of our lives.Next Steps • Accept the gospel. • Live the gospel. • Share the gospel.This Week’s Growth GuideGod’s Word is both central and critical to your spiritual growth. We invite you to utilize the Growth Guide during the week to further your application of the Truth from the message.• Monday - Romans 1:1-17• Tuesday - 1 Corinthians 1:1-9• Wednesday - 2 Corinthians 1:1-11• Thursday - Galatians 1:1-10• Friday - Romans 1:18-32 Home ChurchOur Home Churches meet weekly to facilitate quicker relational depth, study the same passage taught Sunday to help apply Scripture in the context of community, and pray with one another. Home Church helps our body seek God’s best for one another. • How is everyone really doing this week?• How have you weathered the last five months? • Are you excited about the study of Romans? Why or why not?• Read Romans 1:1-17. • What was your main takeaway from this week’s message? • Paul praises the Roman church for their reputation in his introduction. What qualities of the church are highlighted? What reputation does Fellowship have? What would you like it to be? How can you make it more like it should be?Finances Weekly Budget 25,962Giving For 08/09 23,567Gingin For 08/16 19,737 YTD Budget 181,731YTD Giving 169,260 (under) (12,471) Generations CampaignTotal Pledge 1,615,371Received-to-date 1,440,623Click Here if you would like to give a gift.To make a gift or a commitment to Generations, you can click Here. Special Offering for OCC special pack | August 30 God is giving us the opportunity to be His hands and feet and to share the hope and Good News of the gospel through sending OCC shoe boxes. This year Fellowship has an opportunity to pack 2400 shoeboxes during our church wide packing party in October. These shoeboxes will go to hard to reach areas all around the world. In light of the pandemic, this may be one of the only ways you can be directly involved in sending the gospel around the world this year. Next Sunday we will be taking a special offering for the October packing party. To cover the cost of all boxes, including shipping, it will take $38,400.AT FELLOWSHIP Home Church |Launching this weekIn a Home Church you will build deep relationships with other believers because of your mutual bond to Jesus Christ. You will grow in community as you study God’s Word, pray, and serve with one another. We believe that God intended for people to live in community and we want to encourage you to be a part of our Home Church ministry. If you have any questions about joining a Home Church or need more information, please contact Michael Harrison mharrison@fellowshipconway.org or go to www.fellowshipconway.org/homechurch. We are so excited about growing together as a church community!NEXT | Kick Off Tonight | 6:00 p.m.Fellowship’s College and Young Adults Ministry, “NEXT”, kicks off this Sunday! Food, worship, teaching, and discussion are all part of these exciting gatherings. If you know a college student who is looking for community, this is great place to make those connections! Gatherings will be Sunday evenings starting tonight at 6:00 p.m. here at Fellowship. For more information contact Shane at swanamaker@fellowship.conway.org. Fellowship 101 | September 13 | 9:00 a.m.Get to know Fellowship better by understanding our mission, values, and ministries. Join us Sunday, September 13, 9:00 a.m. in the conference room during 1st service, to hear about what God is doing and where He is taking us. During the hour and a half, you will get a chance to ask questions and meet some of our ministry leaders. Text ‘101’ to 501-434-4449 for more information. Downline Conway | September 15 | FEllowship Bible Church Nine months that will change your life! Do you want to know God’s Word better and be equipped to share it with others? Fellowship partners with Downline to equip people like you, to make disciples wherever God has you in life. Downline is now taking applications for the next “in person” Downline Institute that kicks off on September 15th. For more informtation, or to apply go to https://conway.downlineministries.com/. Teachers, staff, students and families We are praying for all of you as you start a new school.

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 23rd of August 2020 The news headlines: Nominate a new DXer for G5RP Trophy Latest Online RSGB Convention news Vacancies on important RSGB committees The G5RP Trophy is an annual award to encourage newcomers to HF DXing. The award is not limited to youngsters or the newly-licensed; it is open to anyone who has recently discovered and made significant progress in HF DXing. If you are an established HF DXer and want to recommend someone to be awarded the G5RP Trophy for 2020, now is the time to send in your nomination. Your nominee should be an up-and-coming HF DXer who has made rapid progress in the last year and has some real achievements to show, for example, a good total of new countries worked or some serious HF DXpedition activity. Please send your nominations to Ian Greenshields, G4FSU by email to hf.manager@rsgb.org.uk to arrive no later than the 25th of September. During the online RSGB Convention for 2020, you will be able to enjoy some excellent lectures. On Saturday the 10th of October, the RSGB will be putting on two streams online for everyone to enjoy. In An introduction to… we will have Kevin, G0PEK and Lauren, 2E0HLR talk about youngsters using amateur radio and combining it with other activities such as cycling, hiking, canoeing and kayaking. In the Learn more about.... stream, the popular RSGB Convention lecturer Jim Bacon, G3YLA will talk about VHF propagation and weather. Jim will describe the processes behind compiling the GB2RS propagation bulletin. He’ll look at weather forecasting, tropospheric propagation, rain scatter and how to identify suitable candidates from forecast charts as well as Sporadic-E and its relationship to weather. We’ll highlight more lectures in the coming weeks, but you can find out more at www.rsgb.org.uk/convention. The RSGB is looking for two people to fill the important volunteer roles of Legacy Committee Chair and Nominations Committee Chair. Full details of the roles and the committees can be found on the Society’s website at www.rsgb.org/volunteers. The CW Open for 2020 takes place over the first weekend of September and is sponsored by The CW Operators’ Club. The three sessions are all on the 5th of September, from 0000 to 0359UTC, then 1200 to 1559UTC and finally 2000 to 2359UTC. See https://cwops.org/cwops-tests/cw-open/ for full details. Tim, G4YBU and Richard, G8ITB have planned a Summits on the Air activity weekend ending today, the 23rd. The objective is to activate as many of the 15 summits in the Southern SOTA region of England. The event is for everyone and it is suggested that the popular 2m and 40m bands are used, on FM and SSB. For a detailed summit list see www.sotadata.org.uk. International Lighthouses and Lightships Weekend is still going ahead this weekend. Participation will depend on local circumstances and government rulings regarding Covid-19 restrictions, see https://illw.net. Wirral ARS will be operating using GB2BHL from the club premises. Moray Firth ARS will be using GB0CSL from individual club members homes. The RSGB has released two more 2019 Convention presentations to its YouTube channel. In the first one, Don Field, G3XTT talks about the fun and experience you can have by ‘Guest Operating’ as part of a multi-operator contest or DXpedition. In the second presentation, Nobby Styles, G0VJG builds on that by giving details of the DXpedition to Wallis Island. You can watch both on the RSGB YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/theRSGB The Grid and Prefix Award Program has announced a comprehensive Digital Awards Program. Awards are available for radio amateurs and short wave listeners for confirmed grids and prefixes worked or heard using digital modes. Contacts made under any callsign you may have used in the past are valid for confirmations; there is no start time, so all confirmed digital contacts are acceptable. The program accepts electronic confirmations. See www.gapawards.com. The RSGB 2020 Construction Competition is open for entries. There are four categories, including one specifically for people who are new to amateur radio. Deadline for entries is the 25th of September. For more details, including how to enter, see www.rsgb.org/construction-competition. Now the special event news Since the change of regulations applying to special event stations in the UK, many activations are now able to go ahead. UK amateurs would like to thank Ofcom for their help in making this happen. To commemorate the 75th anniversary of VJ Day, the RSGB has organised a VJ Day amateur radio marathon on the HF bands and 6m using SSB, CW and digital modes. Three special UK callsigns GB75PEACE, GB1945PE, GB1945PJ will be on the air until the 31st of August. See www.rsgb.org/ve-vj-marathon. August sees two GB80 special event stations on the air, marking the critical role that radar played in the Battle of Britain 80 years ago. GB80BRS will be operated to commemorate Bawdsey Radar Station in Suffolk, where radar was developed in the late 1930s. This was the location of the world’s first operational radar station. Activity will be on 80 to 10m using SSB, CW and FT8. GB80CH, Chain Home, will be operated from Chelmsford in Essex. And now the DX news Many stations will be on the air this weekend from lighthouses around Europe and beyond. Listen out for T45FM, CQ0ODX/P, TM2LW, GB9UL and OV1LH amongst many others. A full list can be found at https://illw.net. Giorgio, YI/IU5HWS is with the military in Iraq and will be operating on 40, 20 and 10 metres until the end of November. Now the contest news There are no RSGB HF contests this month, as August is the month of the traditional summer holiday. Please remember to check before the contest for new rules due to lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world. The RSGB strongly advises obeying your own national and local government’s advice first and foremost, especially in the instance of local lockdowns. On Tuesday the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3 to 10GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Next Sunday, the 30th, The UK Microwave group’s High Band contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on the 5.7 to 10GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Over the weekend of the 5th and 6th September, three RSGB contests occur. On Saturday the 5th, there is SSB Field Day that starts at 1300UTC and the 144MHz Trophy Contest that starts at 1400UTC. On Sunday the 6th, there is the fifth 144MHz Backpackers Contest, which starts at 1100UTC. Sadly, the HF and VHF Contest Committees have come to the conclusion that the Government guidance on Covid-19 does not yet allow the restart multi-operator sections in RSGB contests. As a result, the multi-operator sections in the 144MHz Trophy Contest have been removed. The single operator sections will continue as normal. For the 5th 144MHz Backpackers Contest and SSB Field Day, all sections are being restricted to single-operator entries only. The committees realise this announcement will disappoint some people, but they do hope that many will be able to enter the contests as single operators, whether from home or as portable stations. These contests normally bring exciting DX and weekend contest activity levels have been high this year, so please do come on and have some fun. The rules for all RSGB Contests are at www.rsgbcc.org. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 21st of August. Sunspot region 2772 was rotating off the Sun’s limb at the end of the week. As a result, the solar flux index declined from 74 down to 71 as the Sun’s surface cleared. There was some activity though. A solar storm cloud was hurled into space on the 16th of August by a slow-motion solar flare in the Sun’s southern hemisphere. The coronal mass ejection was due to sweep past Earth on the 20th. A group of three smaller coronal holes passed the Sun’s central meridian on Wednesday and Thursday, which could spell unsettled conditions at the weekend due to the solar wind emanating from them. NOAA predicts that the Kp index will rise to three until the threat passes. This is not really high enough to cause big problems, but keep an eye on the Kp index at solarham.com as a guide. Next week, NOAA has the SFI pegged at 71 to 72 reflecting a lack of sunspots. The Kp index should also be pegged at two, at least until Sunday the 30th of August when it could climb to four. Look out for a potential positive pre-auroral phase enhancement, followed by a decline in maximum usable frequencies as any potential geomagnetic storm progresses. Current daytime MUFs over a 3,000km path are still in the 14-18MHz range, with night-time MUFs covering 10-14MHz according to Propquest.co.uk. And now the VHF and up propagation news. A deep low and gales over the northern and western part of the British Isles is not ideal summer holiday weather and not good for antennas either. In fact, this unsettled pattern will stay with us through to Thursday, when some models show temporary high pressure over the country to end the week. It’s fair to say that not all models do this and instead of a high, it’s no more than a one-day weak ridge before further lows arrive. In terms of propagation, it’s looking like another period of weather more suitable for GHz bands rain scatter. Tropo may put in an appearance later in the week, but it might only be a brief visit and perhaps not with a well-developed inversion if it’s a temporary visit. As an aside, it’s a particularly good period of summer Tropo over the Mediterranean at the moment, with potential for east to west paths, say from EA to IT9 or IT9 to SV or 5B4. The Sporadic-E season is hanging on, particularly for digital modes, and next week should continue to offer several nicely placed jet streams for paths into Europe. Note that the propquest.co.uk website, which contains a daily blog on where the weather triggers may be more active, now contains a single Sporadic-E probability index, EPI. This combines many of the contributory factors into one experimental index on a map showing where the chance of Sporadic-E is highest. Click on the map or enter your locator to overlay the ideal distance rings for Sporadic-E from your QTH. Moon declination is now negative and falling all week, and, as perigee was Friday, EME path losses are low but rising. Moon windows will shorten as the week progresses. 144MHz sky temperatures are rising, peaking at over 3000K on Thursday, so your masthead preamps won’t help you! Read G4BAO’s GHz bands column from the April 2020 RadCom for an explanation of why. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 2nd of August 2020 The news headlines: Intermediate Exam practical assessment abolished RSGB creates Facebook group for new licensees Australia increases amateur licence flexibility The Examination Standards Committee is pleased to announce the latest syllabus revision for the amateur radio licence examinations. Following the valuable feedback from the tutor community, certain points have been clarified. There are no new learning points with this revision, version 1.4, but one very significant change is that the Intermediate practical assessment is to be discontinued with immediate effect. Some of the feedback has indicated a further syllabus revision that will involve new learning points. Further consultations will commence regarding this in the autumn with an expected publication date of January 2021, and the content examinable from July 2021. All the documents are on the Society’s website at www.rsgb.org/syllabus2019 As part of its continuing Get on the air to care initiative, the RSGB has created a Facebook group to support new Foundation licensees who have taken their exam this year via remote invigilation, plus those returning to amateur radio after a number of years. For details on how to join the group, see www.rsgb.org/beyond-exams. The Australian comms regulator ACMA has announced a series of changes to give Australian amateurs more options and flexibility. Digital modes and shorter three-letter callsigns will now be available to Australian Foundation Licensees. In addition, regional identifiers that indicate which State any amateur is located no longer need be changed when travelling across the country. Further details are available from the Wireless Institute of Australia at https://tinyurl.com/gb2rs-au. To commemorate the 75th anniversary of VJ Day, the RSGB has organised a VJ Day amateur radio marathon on the HF bands and 6m using SSB, CW and digital modes. Three special UK callsigns GB75PEACE, GB1945PE, GB1945PJ will be on the air from the 1st to the 31st of August. The special stations have their own QRZ.com pages with details of the activation schedule. If you wish to participate and transmit using a VJ Day radio marathon callsign, contact Ian, G0FCT via email to csc.chair@rsgb.org.uk. Full details of the radio marathon and the five awards are on the Society’s radio marathon web page, www.rsgb.org/ve-vj-marathon. Around 80 papers are now available online for the IARU Region 1 Virtual General Conference that will be held in October. Several inputs on a variety of topics are by a team of RSGB volunteers, covering HF-UHF Modernisation, support for innovation and the WRC-23 challenge in the 23cm band. The RSGB band plans may also be updated to take account of the outcome in January 2021. Full information can be found at https://rsgb.org/main/rsgb-consultations/iaru-consultations. A Facebook group promoting Special Event Stations within the UK now has over 1000 members. Any radio amateur or SWL with an interest in organising, operating or working special event stations is welcome. The group is run by Mark, G1PIE, Martyn, MM0XXW and Pam, 2E1HQY. See www.facebook.com/groups/SESUk. Milton Keynes ARS tells us that their training team has been part of the remote invigilating of exams. Over 300 candidates have been invigilated by Francis, M0UKF and Nigel, M0NYG since the online scheme started in April. The club thanks them for their efforts. Francis is taking a well-earned break to focus on other projects. The objective of the AMSAT-UK OSCAR Satellite QSO Party is to encourage all radio amateurs to make contacts via satellites during northern hemisphere summer. The event runs until 2359UTC on the 22nd of September. Prizes will be awarded to the leading entries. Full details are at https://amsat-uk.org. Now the special event news Since the change of regulations applying to special event stations in the UK, many activations are now able to go ahead. UK amateurs would like to thank Ofcom for their help in making this happen. August sees two GB80 Special Event Stations on the air to mark the critical role that radar played in the Battle of Britain 80 years ago. GB80BRS will be operated to commemorate Bawdsey Radar Station in Suffolk, which was where radar was developed in the late 1930s and was the location of the world’s first operational radar station. Activity will be on 80m to 10m bands using SSB, CW and FT8. GB80CH will be operated from Chelmsford in Essex, which has the most complete surviving radar tower from the Battle of Britain. The BAE Systems Great Baddow Amateur Radio, club with amateur colleagues in local clubs, will be operating across the HF and 6m bands. And now the DX news Tony, OH1TD is active again from his summer QTH on Korpo Island, IOTA reference EU-096, until September. QSL via his home callsign, either direct or via the bureau. Mike, XW2DX is currently active as XW2DX from Vientiane and will be staying in Laos for the next few years. He is allowed to operate on the 20, 15 and 10m bands. QSL via RM0L. Now the contest news Please remember to check before the events for new rules due to lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world. The RSGB strongly advises obeying your own government’s advice first and foremost. Today, the 2nd, the 432MHz Low Power Contest is single operator only from 0800 to 1200UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and first two letters of your postcode. On Tuesday the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. It is followed by the 144MHz UK Activity Contest from 1900 to 2130UTC. The exchange for both is signal report, serial number and locator. Next weekend is the WAE DX CW contest from 0000UTC on the 8th to 2359UTC on the 9th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, European stations work non-Europeans only. The exchange is signal report and serial number. Next Sunday, the 9th, it’s the 5th 70MHz Cumulative contest from 1400 to 1600UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 31st of July. The Sun showed signs of coming back to life this week with not one but two sunspot groups. The sunspot number climbed to 22, representing two spots in two separate groups, and the solar flux index rose to 73. This wasn’t really enough to make much of a difference to HF propagation though, but it is a step in the right direction. The Kp index was pegged pretty much at one or two due to a lack of coronal hole activity. Propagation-wise, we continued to have a good run of Sporadic-E, with openings to the USA and Canada on 10m SSB and FT8, and China was reported on SSB in last weekend’s IOTA contest. Even Nand, VU2NKS in India has been reported in the UK via 10m FT8. Next week NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will decline from 72 down to 68 as the two sunspots rotate out of view. The Kp index should remain low all week as well due to a lack of coronal hole activity. Propagation will remain at seasonal lows as we enter August, with daytime F2 maximum usable frequencies grazing 17-18MHz, with Sporadic-E bringing openings up to 30MHz and beyond. Night-time maximum usable frequencies are likely to exceed 10MHz over 3,000km paths, but keep an eye on Propquest.co.uk for the odd surprise. We can’t really expect F2 layer openings to improve until September, so make the most of the Sporadic-E openings for now. And now the VHF and up propagation news. The next week or so looks to be a mix of brief spells when high pressure might present us with some Tropo, as seen just recently at the end of the last week, due to a temporary high over the near continent. The longer-range part of the forecast also picks up another high at the end of the coming week, although for both these highs, the main areas of enhanced Tropo are for central and southern Britain across the Channel and North Sea into the continent and Baltic region. The period in between the two high-pressure ‘bookends’ is occupied by low-pressure systems with fronts and showery troughs adding a good chance of rain scatter again on the GHz bands. The summer months are particularly good for strong thundery shower-cloud development with plenty of high-intensity rainfall or hail. Sporadic-E has performed fairly well in the last week, particularly for FT8, but with a smattering of more traditional modes. The general advice still holds – check the bands mid-morning, late afternoon and early evening for signs of Sporadic-E. It's never too late for Sporadic-E until maybe the end of the first week in September, so it's still well worth a look. The Moon is at minimum declination today so there will be very low peak Moon elevations and short visibility windows early in the week. This means that, despite 144MHz sky noise being low, the man-made noise from the horizon will be in the main beam of all but the largest antennas. There are no significant meteor showers this week. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 26th of July 2020 The news headlines: Over 400 remote-invigilation Intermediate exams booked July’s RadCom Basic’s free to all Tokyo Ham Fair cancelled Since bookings opened on the 13th of July, the RSGB is delighted that over 400 people have booked a remote-invigilation Intermediate exam, with over 250 registering on the first day! These exams take place from the 12th of August and we wish the candidates well with their studying and the exam. With more than 1000 remote-invigilation Foundation licence students having passed, the RSGB is making the July edition of RadCom Basics a special free-to-everyone edition. With many radio amateurs world-wide still affected by national lockdown restrictions, RadCom Basics is an opportunity to introduce elements of the hobby to newcomers in bite-sized pieces. To read the July copy of this bi-monthly online publication, go to www.rsgb.org/radcom-basics. The Japanese national society, JARL, has announced that the Tokyo Ham Fair, due to be held on the 31st of October and the 1st of November has been cancelled due to coronavirus. In 2019, 42,000 people are reported to have visited the event that usually takes place in August, it was moved to later in 2020 because of the expected Olympic and Paralympic Games during the summer. The objective of the AMSAT-UK OSCAR Satellite QSO Party is to encourage all radio amateurs to make contacts via satellites during northern hemisphere summer. Whether you are a seasoned operator or a newcomer, all are welcome. Although points are given per QSO, this isn’t a contest. The QSO Party will be supported by an online leader-board that will be available from the start of the event, which runs from 0000UTC on the 1st of August until 2359UTC on the 22nd of September. Prizes will be awarded to the leading entries, full details at https://amsat-uk.org. The RSGB’s Tonight @ 8 webinars continue on Monday the 27th of July with a presentation by Dom Smith, M0BLF on Getting started on QO-100. You can watch the livestream and ask questions on both the RSGB YouTube channel or the special Tonight @ 8 channel on the BATC website. The webinar series takes a break in August then will be back on the 7th of September with James Stevens, M0JCQ who will be talking about Portable adventures with Summits on the Air. You can find out more about all the webinars via the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/webinars. NZART, the New Zealand National Amateur Radio Society, has published an update on its 60m band page indicating that the current New Zealand 60m trial period, which was due to have been concluded on the 24th of July has been extended for a further three months until the 24th of October. Go to www.nzart.org.nz/info/60m/ for more information. The European Space Agency has released a new video ‘How to get pictures from the International Space Station via Amateur Radio’ that features radio amateur David Honess, 2E0XDO. It also has a collection of tutorial videos explaining how to receive ISS Slow Scan TV pictures for different computers and mobile devices. Go to https://tinyurl.com/gb2rs-iss to find out more. The RSGB has uploaded two more 2019 Convention lecture videos to its YouTube channel. In the first one, Richard Banester, G4CDN talks about 2m Ionoscatter and using digital modes to open up paths that are usually unworkable. The second presentation is by Dean Pesnell from the Solar Dynamics Observatory who explains more about the Observatory and how studying the Sun helps us understand the Earth and amateur radio. Go to www.youtube.com/theRSGB to watch these presentations. Now the special event news Since the change of regulations applying to special event stations in the UK, many activations are now able to go ahead. UK amateurs would like to thank Ofcom for their help in making this happen. August sees two GB80 Special Event Stations come on air marking the critical role that radar played in the Battle of Britain 80 years ago. GB80BRS will be operated to commemorate Bawdsey Radar Station in Suffolk, which was where radar was developed in the late 1930s and was the location of the world’s first operational radar station. Operation will be on 10m to 80m bands, SSB, CW and FT8. GB80CH will be operated from Chelmsford in Essex, which has the most complete surviving radar tower from the Battle of Britain. The BAE Systems Great Baddow Amateur Radio, club with amateur colleagues in local clubs will be operating across the HF+6m bands. And now the DX news Tony, OH1TD is active again from his summer QTH on Korpo Island, EU-096, until September. QSL via his home callsign either direct or via the bureau. Now the contest news Please remember to check before the events for new rules due to lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world. The RSGB strongly advises obeying your own government’s advice first and foremost. Today, the 26th, the UK Microwave Group contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes in the 5.7 and 10GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The RSGB’s Islands On The Air contest ends its 24-hour run at 1200UTC today, the 26th. It’s CW and SSB only on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands and the exchange is signal report, serial number and your IOTA reference. Mainland Britain is EU-005, mainland Ireland is EU-115, while smaller islands have differing references. A full list can be found at www.qrz.com/i/iota.html. The IOTA contest has been scaled back this year, with no portable entries being accepted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. On Monday the sixth FT4 series contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using the 3.5MHz band only the exchange is your 4-character locator. On Tuesday the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830 to 2200UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3GHz and Up bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The fourth 144MHz Backpacker contest takes place on Saturday the 1st of August but with single operator entries only. Running from 1400 to 1800UTC, it’s all mode with the exchange of signal report, serial number and locator. Also on the 1st of August, the 144MHz Low Power Contest runs from 1400 to 2000UTC. Again this is single operator only entries. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and first two letters of your postcode. The Worked All Britain 144MHz Low power phone contest takes place next Saturday, the 1st of August from 1400 to 1800UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial number and WAB square for UK stations. Entries need to be with the contest manager by the 11th of August. The maximum power for this contest is 10 watts input to the antenna. Mobile and portable entries are allowed but no club or multi-operator entries. Full details from www.worked-all-britain.org.uk. Next Sunday, the 2nd, the 432MHz Low Power Contest is single operator only from 0800 to 1200UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and first two letters of your postcode. The UK Six Metre Group’s Summer Marathon runs until the 2nd of August. Using all modes on the 50MHz band, the exchange is your 4-character locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 24th of July. We had quite a quiet week with the Sun with zero sunspots and a settled geomagnetic field. The solar wind speed was slow, between 280 and 330km per second, and its magnetic field was weak, with no significant negative deflections in its important North-South Bz direction. Therefore, the resultant geomagnetic activity was settled. On the 21st a sunspot appeared around the Sun’s limb. Now classified as sunspot group 2767, on Thursday it contained one sunspot, but its simple uni-polar magnetic signature suggests it is non threatening. We do expect the Kp index to rise on Friday the 24th due to the arrival of a coronal hole high speed stream. Modest magnetic enhancement is also forecast for the 25th of July with the possible arrival of a slow CME from the 19th. Expect a possible pre-aurora enhancement followed by the potential for suppressed maximum usable frequencies over the weekend and into early next week. HF conditions have been generally lacklustre, but Laurie, G3UML reports that WH6FXL and WA6QDQ/KH6, both in Hawaii, were both quite readable signals on 20m SSB at 0800 on Wednesday. Tom, GM4FDM reports working two JAs on 17m using his newly-erected dipole. The 10m UK Net group on Facebook also reported an FT8 opening to Japan on Monday as well. This just goes to show that you shouldn’t just write off the Summer as being no good for DX. Next week NOAA predicts the solar flux index will remain in the high 60s with the Kp index between two and three. This generally suggests that HF conditions will remain similar to last week. Expect Sporadic-E openings on 10 metres to continue, although not at the rate that we had earlier in the month. And now the VHF and up propagation news. A series of low-pressure systems passing close by northern Scotland and various fronts crossing the country mean that there are likely to be few opportunities for Tropo this week. High pressure is displaced to the south over France so any Tropo will be mostly likely from southern England into the continent or across Biscay to Spain. That brings rain scatter on the GHz bands onto the agenda for many regions of the UK at some time or other during the coming week. Sporadic-E still warrants a mention, but it is becoming more elusive as we move towards August. It's not a 'no chance', but it will need some strategy for being in the right place at the right time. The best options will be to monitor 10m or 6m mid-morning and again late afternoon or early evening. Paths on FT8 will prove good indicators of which direction might deliver as the Es develops. With the Moon declination negative and falling further as the week progresses, Moon visibility windows will shorten and peak elevation will be just 32 degrees today and falling, leading up to minimum declination a week today. Perigee was yesterday, Saturday the 1st, so path losses are now increasing. 144MHz sky noise peaks at 2,500 Kelvin on Friday, so low noise preamps won’t help you that day. The Southern Delta Aquarids meteor shower has a broad peak from the 26th to the 31st with a Zenithal Hourly Rate of 25, so look for enhanced meteor scatter activity in the coming week. In Europe, the shower radiant is above the horizon at night or in the early mornings. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 12th of July 2020 The news headlines: RSGB online Convention streams announced Latest news on ‘Get on the air to care’ RSGB expands Remote Invigilation to Intermediate exams The RSGB online Convention will consist of two streams. The first is called “An introduction to…” and will include a wide range of topics to support new and returning radio amateurs as well as existing amateurs who’d like to try something new. The second is “Learn more about…”, where speakers will dig deeper into the details of the subjects. We’re also pleased to announce that Eric Swartz, WA6HHQ, who is the co-founder of Elecraft, will be our keynote speaker. We’ll be releasing more details of the presentations over the next few weeks. The RSGB and NHS ‘Get on the air to care’ campaign continues to gain coverage in the national and amateur radio media as well as being supported by clubs and radio amateurs. There are some great stories to read on the Society’s website that feature clubs like Denby Dale ARS, individuals such as remote exam invigilator Donna, M7DON and publications ranging from the Emergency Services Times to ‘Third Age Matters’, which is the magazine of U3A. Go to www.rsgb.org/gota2c to find out more. Following on from the success of remote invigilation of Foundation exams, the RSGB is pleased to expand that to include Intermediate exams. From this Monday, the 13th of July, the automated exam booking system will accept bookings for both Foundation and Intermediate level exams. Please note that the earliest available bookings for exams at either level are during the second week in August. The requirement for Intermediate practical assessments is waived until further notice, but this will be reviewed at a later stage. An article has just been published in Nature about the first amateur radio communication system in lunar orbit, Longjiang-2, also known as Lunar-OSCAR 94 or LO-94. It was built by students at the Harbin Institute of Technology. Read the Nature article at www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17272-8. Thanks to the Spectrum Forum for this information. Despite the closure of many amateur radio events, you can still visit the online QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo on the 8th and 9th of August. Attendance is free and registration is now open. There will be around 70 speakers over the weekend including Ward Silver, N0AX speaking on Grounding and Bonding; Glen Johnson, W0GJ talking DXpeditions and John Portune, W6NBC on building slot antennas. Go to www.qsotodayhamexpo.com to learn more and register. John Armstrong, GW3EJR will be celebrating his 100th birthday on the 18th of July. He told us that, “It has been a long journey since 1920, although a rather shorter one from when I got my callsign, G3EJR, in 1948. I am still active, using a very ancient Icom IC-706, with a full size G5RV on HF and a Yagi on the 2m band. When I go out and about, I go on 2m with a Baofeng UV-5R5.” Many happy returns John. Ofcom have advised the RSGB that their online portal was due to be down between 4.30am and 11.30am on Saturday the 11th of July. Mid Ulster ARC have been holding online talks during the Covid-19 pandemic. These talks are available for everyone to view on the club’s YouTube channel. Last week RSGB Region 8 representative Philip Hosey, MI0MSO made a presentation, which was followed by a Q&A session with RSGB General Manager Steve Thomas, M1ACB. They have also had talks by Dom, M0BLF on QO-100, George, GI4SJQ on coaxial cable and connectors and Tony, G2NF speaking about urban QRM, amongst several others. The MUARC YouTube channel is at https://tinyurl.com/GB2RS-07-12. Now the special event news Since the change of regulations applying to special event stations in the UK, many activations are now able to go ahead. UK amateurs would like to thank Ofcom for their help in making this happen. To commemorate the 3rd anniversary of the FT8 Digital Mode Club, special event stations will be on air during the FT8DMC Activity Days until the 31st of July. All stations will bear the FTDMC or FTDM suffix. An FTDMC Anniversary Award can be earned by working the FTDMC and FTDM stations and collecting points applicable for various award classes. See www.ft8dmc.eu for more details. 9A164T is the special callsign to commemorate the birth of Nikola Tesla, who was born on 10 July 1856. QSL via the bureau and eQSL. VC3STYWELL is the third Covid-19 special callsign to be operated by The Seven Thirty Social Distancing Nets in Ontario. It is on the air until the 19th of July. QSLs via VE3ES. Now the contest news Please remember to check before the events for new rules due to lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world. The RSGB strongly advises obeying your own government’s advice first and foremost. The IARU HF Championship runs for 24 hours until 1200UTC today, the 12th. Using SSB only on the 1.8 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is signal report and ITU Zone, which is 27 for the UK. On Tuesday the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Then from 1900 to 2130UTC it’s the all-mode 432MHz UK Activity Contest. The exchange for both is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday it is the SSB leg of the 80m Club Championships, running from 1900 to 2030UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number. The 70MHz UK Activity contest takes place on Thursday from 1900 to 2130UTC. It’s all mode and the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Next Sunday, the 19th, the Low Power Contest runs from 0900 to 1600UTC. This is CW only on the 3.5 to 14MHz contest bands, with an exchange of signal report, serial number and power. This is the only RSGB contest with a lunch break, so please check the rules. The 70MHz Trophy contest also takes place on Sunday the 19th. It runs from 1000 to 1600UTC. It’s all mode and the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and postcode. The UK Six Metre Group’s Summer Marathon runs until the 2nd of August. Using all modes on the 50MHz band, the exchange is your 4-character locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 10th of July. An elevated solar wind stream moved past Earth late on the 4th of July and early on the 5th, sending the Kp index to three. This was the most significant solar event of the last week as otherwise the Sun remained calm. The Kp index remained at one or zero for the rest of the week, which no doubt helped boost propagation. There were no sunspots this week after the minor group, region 2766, which pushed the sunspot number to 12, vanished on Monday. Note that the number 12 represents two sunspots (2) in one group (+10), so it wasn’t quite as exciting as it sounds. Otherwise there was little to write home about. Sporadic-E continues to be the major mode of propagation, although there were days when it was more sporadic than the previous week! We have probably seen the best of the Sporadic-E season now although it should keep running until late August, albeit at lower levels. If previous experience is anything to go by, we can expect a few bigger openings yet so please don’t write off 10 metres completely. The NOAA space weather prediction for next week doesn’t exactly inspire either. It has the solar flux index pegged at 68-69, with a maximum planetary Kp index of two. The STEREO Ahead spacecraft view shows very little in the way of forthcoming activity, other than a few bright spots in the extreme ultraviolet view that may or may not come to something as the Sun rotates. Looking for some good news, according to the Chilton ionosonde data, 20 metres is generally staying open on 3,000km paths until around midnight on most nights, although you may find 30 metres more reliable. And now the VHF and up propagation news. It’s looking like another week of changes with last week’s unsettled weather making way for a new ridge of high pressure over this weekend. This means that, after a period of potential GHz bands rain scatter, we are now heading into some Tropo prospects, especially in the south for paths into France and across Biscay to Spain. But low pressure is never far away to the north, particularly after mid-week when a low passes close to Scotland and showery fronts are driven across the country to give a few rain scatter options again. The Sporadic-E season is still out there and as usual the best advice is to check the bands and clusters for activity mid-morning and again late afternoon and early evening. Moon declination goes positive today and 144MHz sky noise is low but rising as the week progresses. Apogee is tonight so path losses will be falling throughout the week. Peak Moon declination is just a week away, meaning longer Moon windows – time to get that EME system up and running again. There are no major meteor showers this week, so continue to operate around local dawn for the best chance of random meteor scatter contacts. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

Rev Stephen Haward recorded this service at Market Harborough Congregational Church for Sunday 5th July, the theme is Everything is now ready and the Bible Readings are Isaiah 25:1-9 and Luke 14:12-24.While we are unable to meet in our building our weekly services are available on our website.Next Sunday 12th July there will not be a new recording but you are invited to listen to previous weeks, and to join us again on 19th July.

FLIPPING THE SCRIPTSUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2020If we follow the script we hear through the media and various cultural lenses, we will miss the power and promise of the Kingdom.John 12:49-50In Matthew 5,6, and 7 we find the Sermon on the Mount; a message that would push people towards a relationship rather than religion. Over and over Jesus said, “You have heard it said... but I say...”Jesus FLIPPED THE SCRIPT on:Money: From minimal giving to abundant, joyful giving.Justice: Not an eye for eye, but turn the other cheek.Discipleship: God is not on your list He is your priority.Treasures: It’s not about this world and materialism, but an unseen Kingdom. Anxiety: Don’t worry; seek the Kingdom and His righteousness. Spirituality: From a legal system to a thing called grace. Temple: Not a place to go, but a place to be. Eternal Hope: “You say, Lord, Lord, but Jesus says He doesn’t know you.” 1 John 2 reminds us we are in this world, not of it!Galatians 5:16-18Throughout Scripture we are called to come out and be separate! Romans 12:1-2 COMMUNITY GROUP QUESTIONS1. What is the one topic you hate to hear about from people who flip the script?2. Who or what established your worldview growing up?3. What did God say to you during this message that made you pause and process?ANNOUNCEMENTSHave a safe and happy 4th of July weekend! Next Sunday is the Kids Chapel Outdoor Celebration! This will be held during our 10:45am gathering for ages 4-11. Nursery will be provided for this event. Children age 2-3 are welcome to participate with one parent to supervise.

Next Sunday, FITE.tv will be hosting Rumble on the Rooftop. Some of the best wrestlers in the world competing in the name of glory. I have Jordan Oliver with me as a guest today. Mr. Oliver will be wrestling Jason Nolf in the main event. Get a look inside the mind of an elite level athlete. See how he has kept his competitive focus during uncertain circumstances. linktr.ee/boilerbrawn

21 June 2020 Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time NOTE that public Masses in Manhattan will resume on Monday, 22 June 2020. There are various health precautions. For details, please see the homepage of the parish website: https://www.stmichaelnyc.org. Next Sunday, 28 June 2020, St Michael’s parish will resume its regular Mass Schedule: 10:00, 11:15 (Spanish), and 12:15. Since no public Masses were permitted today due to the Covid19 / Coronavirus Emergency the homily attached hereto was the homily given on 25 June 2017, the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, using the same Readings as for today, 21 June 2020. Matthew 10:26-33 + Homily 13 Minutes 33 Seconds Link to the Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/062120.cfm (New American Bible, Revised Edition) From the parish bulletin of Sunday 21 June 2020:   After the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem in 70 AD, the Jews relied on literacy to preserve their culture, with the Mishna as the written record of what until then had been an oral tradition of rabbinic commentaries. While functional illiteracy seems to have been common, our Lord asked his listeners at least four times: “Have you not read . . . ?” (Matthew 12:3, 12:5, 19:4 and Mark 12:26). On the very day of the Resurrection, he explained the prophetic writings to the two men on the Emmaus road, just as Philip later would baptize the obviously well lettered official of the Ethiopian royal household.    Romans often had Greek slaves as teachers, because they were better educated than themselves. King Malcolm of Scotland did not bother to learn how to read, but was charmed by the way his wife, Saint Margaret, could read to him, and the subjects she chose gave her much influence.     The first part of the Eucharistic Liturgy is the “synagogue part” because it teaches from the Sacred Books. “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures . . .” (1 Corinthians 15:3). Since the transmission of knowledge and its ancillary wisdom is fragile and dependent upon faithful stewards, civilizations require civilized people.    Many were surprised in 1953 when President Eisenhower warned in a commencement speech at Dartmouth, without notes or teleprompter: “Don’t join the book burners. Don’t think you are going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don’t be afraid to go in your library and read every book, as long as any document does not offend our own ideas of decency. That should be the only censorship.” Having considerable experience of war, he had seen the consequences of thought control.    Back in 1821 Heinrich Heine wrote: “Where they burn books, they will, in the end, burn people too.” The destruction of the libraries of Alexandria by Muslims in 640 and Cluny by Huguenots in 1562 had irreparable consequences. This also applies to the mutilation of art in all its forms. This is not a question of taste or optional aesthetic judgment. It is simply the fact that to rewrite history is eventually to resent history altogether, to live in the present without past or future.    The cruelest illiteracy consists in a pantomime education that commands what to think rather than how to think, and that erases from a culture any memory of its tested and vindicated truths. In George Orwell’s “1984” dystopia: “Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.”

The first day of summer. Good old summertime is very near! Next Sunday is not only the first day of summer, but it is also Father's Day. In our own special way, we honor our fathers on this day. We have very special memories, many memories touched my heart as I read about the “Old Fashioned Daddy.”Daddy was from the old school.He learned his lessons well,He passed them on to me,I'm not ashamed to tell.Daddy was from the old school.He worked hard every day,He didn't want a handout,With dignity, he earned his pay.Daddy was from the old school,A mixture of the “right stuff.”He knew how to be tender,And he knew how to be tough.Daddy was from the old school,Big boys weren't supposed to cry,Sometimes he would slip,I'd see tears and his eyes.Daddy was from the old school.He never took the last piece of cake.He was always nod at me,And I knew it was my piece to take.Daddy was from the old school.His clothes lasted a long time.He bought me the latest,sometimes spending his last dime.Daddy was from the old school.He loved the American way,He believed in freedomAnd guarded it every day.Daddy was from the old school.I didn't understand it back then,But now I fully see,He was teaching me how to win.Daddy was from the old school.I guess I am too.Daddy, thank you for the lessons.I owe so much to you.There may be tears in your eyes, as you too, read about the “Daddy from the Old School.”“It takes a man to cry,” is a thought not often expressed. Children are truly blessed by the wise actions of their fathers. Blessed be the fathers who honor their responsibilities in guiding their families.A salute to fathers on Father's Day!Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Luetta G. Werner June 18th, 1998Published in the Marion RecordDownload the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, and Overcast. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.Till next time,Trina

RSGB NEWS Sunday the 14th of June 2020 The news headlines: Join Tonight @ 8 on Monday Lockdown VHF NFD rules announced Listen to ARISS contact on Tuesday Don’t forget the RSGB’s new series of webinars begins on Monday the 15th of June. The first “Tonight @ 8” features a presentation on the Raspberry Pi by Mike Richards, G4WNC. You can watch the live stream on the RSGB YouTube channel or you can watch and ask questions via the special Tonight @ 8 channel on the BATC website, https://batc.org.uk/live/RSGB. You can find out more about all the webinars at www.rsgb.org/webinars. VHF NFD is the next big event on the RSGB contest calendar, scheduled for the 4th and 5th of July. It can’t be run in its normal multi-operator format, so the RSGB Contest Committee has designed an interesting alternative for single operator stations. The rules have been set for fixed stations only. If within 2 weeks of the event the Government guidance changes sufficiently, the rules to allow portable operation may be changed. The format of the Lockdown VHF NFD is a five-band club-based event, loosely based around the AFS rules and UK Activity Contest sections. Each band has its own two or three-hour operating slot during the weekend, with time between them to allow for equipment changes to take place. Full rules are at www.rsgbcc.org/vhf/rules/20rules/ldvhfnfd.shtml. An ARISS educational school contact is planned between Chris, KF5KDR and students in Spain. The students will be talking with the ISS from their homes over phone lines. The link to the ISS will be operated by the amateur radio ground station ON4ISS, located in Belgium. The contact is scheduled on the 16th of June at approximately 1225UTC. Downlink signals will be audible over Western Europe on 145.800MHz narrowband FM. The RSGB has released two more 2019 Convention lecture videos to its YouTube channel www.youtube.com/theRSGB. Chris Duckling, G3SVL talks about Lessons from the 6Gs VK9XG DXpedition whilst Tony Canning, G2NF discusses Urban QRM; What can I do? Region 1 of the IARU attended the virtual meeting of one of the high-level CEPT Frequency Management Working Groups in the past week. Amongst the topics discussed were Ukraine joining the T/R-61-02 HAREC reciprocal licensing scheme, as well as the next steps for updating the European Common Allocation table and Wireless Power regulatory framework. More information is on the Region 1 website at www.iaru-r1.org. The Software Defined Radio Academy, supported by the German National Society, is taking place as an online conference spanning two days, the 26th and 27th of June. The stream is starting in the afternoon. The talks are pre-recorded, but the speakers will be available via the video conferencing system with time for the speakers to respond to questions. The organisers look forward to welcoming amateurs at https://youtube.sdra.io. The IARU Monitoring System Region 1 monthly newsletter is now available. It includes reports from RSGB Intruder Watch Coordinator, Richard Lamont, G4DYA, on pages 6, 7 and 8. The newsletter summarises that May 2020 was similar to the previous months, but now also in the higher bands, some intruders were observed due to the somewhat better conditions at times. Most of the coordinators reported intruders predominantly in the 20m and 40m band. Read more at www.iaru-r1.org. It is great to see amateur radio still being profiled on the wider media as the momentum of our ‘Get on the air to care’ campaign with the NHS continues to grow. Thank you to everyone who is showing their support by getting on the air, caring for other radio amateurs and trying new aspects of amateur radio. More details can be seen at www.rsgb.org/gota2c. Now the special event news Since the change of regulations applying to special event stations in the UK, many activations are now able to go ahead. UK amateurs would like to thank Ofcom for their help in making this happen. GB100MZX will be operated by Chelmsford ARS to celebrate the landmark broadcast made by Dame Nellie Melba on the 15th of June 1920 and will be on air until the 20th of June. MZX was the callsign of the 1920 15kW transmitter at Marconi New Street Works in Chelmsford, Essex where it happened. The 28th of June is the Centenary of the Royal Corps of Signals. The Royal Signals Museum has a permanent special event callsign, GB100RSM, but due to the Covid-19 restrictions, they cannot run the station from the museum. The station will instead run from the home QTH of G3WZP in IO90BR. Activity will be until the end of June on the 40, 20 and 17m bands, using SSB and CW. Skeds are welcome. Now the contest news Please remember to check before the events for new rules due to lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world. RSGB strongly advises obeying your own government’s advice first and foremost. The 144MHz Backpackers contest scheduled for today, the 14th, is cancelled. The IARU ATV contest ends its 30-hour run at 1800UTC today. Activity is on the 432MHz and up bands. The exchange is a picture report, serial number, your four-digit code and locator. The World Wide South America Contest ends its 24 hour run at 1500UTC today, the 14th. It’s CW only on the 80 to 10m contest bands. Full rules are at http://contest.com.ar/gacw-wwsa The Practical Wireless 2m QRP contest runs from 0900 to 1600UTC today, the 14th. It’s phone only on the 2m band, with an exchange of signal report, serial number and locator. On Monday the fifth FT4 contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC on the 3.5MHz band. The exchange is your 4-character locator. On Tuesday it’s the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The UK EI Contest Club Summer Series runs from 1800 to 1900UTC on Wednesday. Using SSB only on the 3.5MHz band, the exchange is your 6-character locator. On Thursday the 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC using all modes. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Next weekend the 50MHz Trophy contest runs from 1400UTC on the 20th to 1400UTC on the 21st. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The All Asian DX contest runs from 0000UTC on the 20th to 2359UTC on the 21st. It’s CW only on the 1.8 to 28MHz contest bands, with the exchange being signal report and your age. The Worked All Britain 50MHz phone contest takes place next Sunday, the 21st of June, from 0800 to 1400UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial number and WAB square for UK stations. Entries need to be with the contest manager by the 1st of July. Full details at www.worked-all-britain.org.uk. Please note that due to Covid-19 there will be no mobile or portable categories in this contest and entries cannot be accepted from portable or mobile stations. Next Sunday, the 21st, the UK Microwave Group contest takes place on the 24 to 248GHz bands. Running from 0900 to 1700UTC, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The UK Six Metre Group’s Summer Marathon runs until the 2nd of August. Using all modes on the 50MHz band, the exchange is your 4-character locator. And finally, join the fun of the next round of RSGB Hope QSO Party on weekdays. See www.rsgbcc.org/hf. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 12th of June. Well, we’ve finally got a good Solar Cycle 25 sunspot to talk about! Region 2765 was a big one with a number of spots appearing, taking the sunspot number to 17 at one point. But by the time it had rotated into the centre of the Sun, the spot had started to decline a little. While the sunspot had little effect on HF propagation, it is a good sign that we are moving in the right direction. Meanwhile, HF propagation continued to be dominated by Sporadic-E, often with good multi-hop paths bringing in DX. J69DS and J68HZ in St Lucia were both on 10m FT8 at 1430UTC on Tuesday the 9th, and other Caribbean contacts were also reported. An elevated solar wind stream helped to disturb our geomagnetic field with the Kp index rising to three at times. Next week NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will remain around 70, with geomagnetic conditions remaining calm. The Kp index is predicted as being around two all week. Finally, do make the most of the Sporadic-E season as conditions are likely to decline a little once we leave June. And now the VHF and up propagation news The weekend’s unsettled weather should be followed briefly by a weak high from Sunday to Tuesday, then back to largely unsettled weather for the rest of the week. This means only a brief period of Tropo is possible early next week, particularly for paths across the North Sea and the Channel into Biscay. Otherwise, the weather patterns suggest that rain scatter will feature strongly and hopefully produce some good conditions on the microwave bands. The ‘go-to’ mode is, of course, Sporadic-E at this time of year. This has been good at times, but mostly for digital modes where the bulk of the activity now lies. Let’s hope that in this peak part of the Sporadic-E season we can get some good openings to encourage CW and SSB operation. Certainly the jet stream pattern looks favourable as we ended this week, but it is not clear if it lasts into next week. Regardless, remember to check mid-morning and late afternoon/early evening for signs of activity. Moon declination goes positive again tomorrow, the 15th, but with apogee on the same day, path losses are at their highest. 144MHz sky temperatures are low, so combined with lengthening Moon windows, EME conditions will improve as the week progresses. June continues to be an active time for meteor scatter operations. The high on-air activity levels due to lockdowns mean that meteor scatter QSOs have been plenty, despite no major showers until the June Bootids on the 27th. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

May 24, 2020 After studying Leviticus this morning, I thought it would be a good time to think about our worship. What is worship, and how do Christians worship God? As we study Hebrews 10 and 11 this evening, we will see a few similarities to the Leviticus worship. But we will also notice that worshipping is not just about the activities. We like to focus on activities, but activities and methodologies are only worth mentioning once we have a few other things in place. Atonement The first thing that must be in place to worship God pleasingly is holiness. That means all of our sins and uncleanness must be wiped away. Is it easy to pursue holiness? To be holy is to be like God. It is to be perfect, doing the will of God, sanctified, and set apart from the world. How do we get there? We need atonement for sins. The book of Leviticus shows us is that the Israelites needed a sacrifice to approach the entrance of God's Tabernacle. Mankind is utterly unworthy and unholy in God's sight without sacrifice to atone for our sins. But, according to Hebrews 10, Jesus has given us the ultimate atoning sacrifice that gives Christians access into the holiest place of all, heaven itself. We have access to the presence of God any time we want it, thanks to this sacrifice. How do we take advantage of that great blessing? Hebrews 10:19--25 (ESV) --- 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Notice that he encourages us to enter the holiest place. We can go through the veil and draw near to God because of the sacrifice of Jesus. What do we need to bring? He says for us to draw near with true hearts and clean hearts, washed bodies, mouths that confession our hope without wavering, and minds that consider how to stir up our brothers to love and good works. This is our Leviticus. These are the requirements for pleasing worship. He is telling us that we have to show a love for God in our hearts, souls, strength, and mind. Do we notice the difference between this and Leviticus? We aren't just bringing an animal with us to worship. We are bringing a holy version of ourselves. God wants our inside and outside to be pure and holy for him when we draw near. So, to worship God is to pursue a greater love for God in every aspect of our lives. How do we do that? Notice the words of the text give us a hint. Three phrases will be expounded on in the next three chapters: "Full assurance of faith," "Confession of our hope," and "Love and good works." Faith, hope, and love are essential for pleasing worship. If we read a little farther, we see that they once had these three things. Hebrews 10:32--36 (ESV) --- 32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. They were once struggling and suffering with great faith. They once had compassion for others, and they knew that they had a better possession waiting for them. Now they need to get back to that so that they can worship God by doing his will. Is this a description of us? Were we once full of faith, love, and hope? What happened, and how do we get that back? Let's talk about each of these individually and understand how they can be developed. We will talk about needing great faith tonight. Next Sunday morning, we will see our need for greater hope and love. Keeping Faith (11) We can say that faith is covered in Chapter 11, though I do not appreciate these chapter divisions. Many people go directly to 11:1 while leaving out Chapter 10:39, which is the critical verse in understanding faith. Hebrews 10:39--11:3 (ESV) --- 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. 1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. When we think about faith and how important faith is to our worship, it's important to note what faith is. Faith is standing firm amid trials. It means we don't shrink back when things get tough because we have an assurance and a conviction. Notice that the writer talks about our assurance of things that are hoped for. We believe that God will deliver his promises. It is also a conviction of things not seen. We believe that God has done what the word of God says he did. That assurance and conviction are displayed throughout chapter 11 as he describes all of God's working for those who have faith. Notice what he starts with. Hebrews 11:4 (ESV) --- 4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. He starts with the worship of Abel. Why does he do that? Why doesn't he just start with Abraham? The point is that faith makes us acceptable. Faith is what God counts as righteousness. Are we convicted that Abel was considered righteous through faith? Abel killed an animal to worship God. He spilled blood because he knew that God was holy, and he was sinful. Then he talks about Enoch. Hebrews 11:5--6 (ESV) --- 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Enoch was this great character in Genesis who walked with God and was not, for God took him. How did he do that? He was pleasing to God because he had faith. He had a conviction of things not seen, and assurance of things hoped for. In other words, he believed that God created everything for man's good, that God was good, and that he would do good to man in the end. Do we believe that? That is faith. Look again at verse 6, "Whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." If we want to draw near and worship God, we cannot doubt his existence. We may go through periods of doubt in our life, but we cannot draw near to God with that doubt in our hearts. We need a true heart that has the full assurance of faith in God's existence. Then, we need faith in God's goodness. We have to believe that he rewards those who seek him. It does not say he rewards those who are perfect. He rewards those who seek him. We must be in a state of seeking God and wanting to draw near to him with holiness. Verses 8-16 talk about the most significant examples of faith in the Old Testament, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob. Hebrews 11:8--16 (ESV) --- 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. 13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. These men and woman had an assurance of things hoped for. They were looking forward to God providing them a city and making them into a great nation. They did not shrink back or long for their previous home. They did not abandon the promises of God. They were steadfast and faithful to God. That faith made God so happy to be with them, that he prepared a city for them to live in with God for eternity! Look throughout this chapter and see that theme over and over again. The Pioneer of Faith (12:1-4) Hebrews 12:1--4 (ESV) --- 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. He ends with a statement that encourages us to have faith. We must lay aside every weight and every sin to run the race with endurance and stand firm in our faith. The weights are everything that causes us to shrink back (pressures of society, the draw of a comfortable life, etc.). Sins can be things like idolatry, sexual immorality, lying, anger, etc. These pull us away from holiness and make us unfit to stand in the presence of God. Jesus will cleanse these things, but we must also have the faith to put them off. If we think it is too much or too difficult, his final example shows us that it is not. Jesus showed us how worthy God's promises are of our suffering. Do We Have Faith? Remember what we said at the beginning. “God wants our inside and outside to be pure and holy for him when we draw near. So, to worship God is to pursue a greater love for God in every aspect of our lives.” Faith is the first and foremost necessary element to draw near to the presence of God. If we lack faith, we lack a heart that truly desires to be with God. What a wonderful God we serve! He explains how we can draw near to him through the sacrifice of Jesus in Chapter 10, and he encourages us to do that over and over again in Chapter 11 by having faith. So, when things get bad, do we have faith or do we shrink back? We must not consider the trials and suffering of this life to be an indicator of God abandoning us. Instead, we must see it as an opportunity to show our faith. Faith shines brightest in moments of struggle and suffering. When we lose our jobs, when we have a chronic sickness, when our children are suffering, or when we lose someone we love unexpectedly, we are expected to have faith that God is still real, he is good, and promises future eternal blessings. When everything is going well, faith can be lost in the minutia of happiness present in everyone when times are good. But in times of trouble, our faith shows that our love and desire for God is unwavering. He is in control, and he is good no matter what happens to me. His promises are real. He wants to give them to his faithful people. We can count on him to deliver them to us if we believe and submit to his will. How do we get this kind of faith? We can find faith by reading the promises of God and being convicted that the things God's word says happened in the Old Testament really happened. We did not see them happen, but we believe because this is a story that is too good not to be true. It has to be true because we can see God’s signature throughout. This knowledge gives us confidence in God’s power and God’s goodness. Even when things look bleak, God is always working good and helping mankind find him. Warning Our only fear should be a fear of throwing away that confidence in God’s goodness. Hebrews 10:35 (ESV) --- 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. There is a great reward if we keep confident in the promises of God. But there is also a warning of destruction if we shrink back. Hebrews 10:37--39 (ESV) --- 37 For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; 38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. If we refuse to show faith and return to a life of selfish living, the sacrifice of Christ can be removed. Faith is the primary characteristic that God finds redeemable in us. We cannot let it go and return to the ways of the world. Hebrews 10:26--30 (ESV) --- 26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” These verses warn us that if we reject God's will and decide to live a rebellious life without faith, we will lose the sacrifice that makes up for our shortcomings. We will not be able to draw near to God's presence and receive the blessings he offers. They warn against returning to a sinful, unholy way of life. If we do that, he says that there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment. Friends, I do not want that to be the case with anyone here. Do not shrink back to the ways of this world and lose your confident, full assurance of faith. God allows faith, what the world calls foolishness, to make up for all of our shortcomings. He counts us as righteous and lets us draw near to him through it. Conclusion Next time we will look at developing hope and love in the chapters that follow. If you would like to draw near to the throne of God, you can come near. You need faith, hope, and love. Do not shrink back. Don't let the weight of the world crush your faith and prevent you from fully trusting the God of the universe. Don't let the sin that clings so closely become a part of your life. If it is, scrape it off. Romans 10:17 (ESV) --- 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Hear God's word and believe it with all your heart. Then love God with all your heart and trust him. He wants to be your God and give you an eternal home with him.

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 24th of May 2020 The news headlines: YOTA Online programme launched SARL celebrates 95 years Change to the exam booking system As all planned YOTA 2020 events have been cancelled until September, a new programme called YOTA Online has been developed. This will be a monthly Livestream gathering, free to all participants and available afterwards as a recorded version. In each meeting, the YOTA team will present different topics and answer questions from the YOTA community. There will also be opportunities to share stories of recent YOTA events. The first meeting will be on the 28th of May. Details of the Livestream link will be publicised on the YOTA website and social media channels the day before Last Wednesday, the 20th, the South African Radio Relay League celebrated its 95th anniversary. It was formed on Wednesday the 20th of May 1925, just a month after the world’s radio amateurs met in Paris to form the world body, the International Amateur Radio Union. In 1947 the word Relay was dropped from the name. Their message is that amateur radio has withstood the test of time because it is based on three major guiding principles: communication between people, continuous technology development and self-education and training. In response to the demand for remote invigilated exams, the RSGB is launching a new, automated booking system. It will make each part of the process smoother for applicants and HQ staff. As all 600 exam slots in June have now been filled, the new booking system will go live on 1 June in readiness for booking July exam slots. Over the next ten days, the Society will share more details about the system and how to use it. In the meantime, please note that the RSGB is not accepting any new bookings via the old application form. The RSGB’s national ‘Get on the air to care’ campaign in partnership with the NHS has received more media coverage this week, including a BBC radio interview with 11-year-old Anne-Marie who was nominated by her primary school headteacher as the local hero of the week for the two weekly nets she has been running during the lockdown. Telford and District Amateur Radio Society were featured in their local paper and other radio amateurs have been sharing their stories with us. Thank you to everyone who is showing their support by getting on the air, caring for other radio amateurs and trying new aspects of amateur radio. More details about the campaign, media coverage and stories from clubs and radio amateurs can be seen on the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/gota2c. Users of the Islands on the Air programme may now obtain contact credits via the ARRL’s Logbook of The World. A similar arrangement is already in place with Club Log. To claim a new island group from matched Logbook of The World contacts, users should click on Retrieve QSOs from LoTW to retrieve matching records. Within 30 minutes, IOTA users will receive an email listing the matches added to a list of pending contacts. Joe Taylor, K1JT reports what is possibly the first FT8 contact via Moonbounce that took place on the 21st of May between Paul, W2HRO and Peter, PA2V. They used WSJT-X 2.2.0-rc1, a beta-release candidate for version 2.2 of the program WSJT-X. Both stations have moderate 4-Yagi setups on 432MHz. Conditions were not particularly good, with degradation around 3dB and the Sun only 20 degrees from the Moon. The Royal Air Force Air Cadets are pleased to announce that the next Exercise Blue Ham will be held on the MoD 5MHz shared band over the weekend of the 6th and 7th of June. There are plenty of call signs available for Cadets over the period of the exercise using both SSB voice and data modes. Details can be found at https://alphacharlie.org.uk/exercise-blue-ham Now the special event news Since the change of regulations applying to special event stations in the UK, many activations are now able to go ahead. UK amateurs would like to thank Ofcom for their help in making this happen. The RAF Amateur Radio Society will be activating the special event GB75VED until the 28th of May. Operations will be from members’ homes. Details are at www.rafars.org/GB75VED and on QRZ.com. Dragon Amateur Radio Club and North Wales Radio Society are operating GB0GIG throughout May, named after the National Health Service in the Welsh language. The station will be active on HF, VHF and UHF using as many modes as possible. An award certificate is available and full details can be found on QRZ.com. Durham and District Amateur Radio Society is participating as one of the bonus stations in the popular 13 Colonies special event. The special callsign GB13COL has been issued for this event and will run from 1300 UTC on the 1st of July to 0400 UTC on the 8th. The primary focus of the event will be the HF bands, including VHF & UHF for QSOs using SSB, CW, FM and various digital modes. Now the contest news Please remember to check before the events for new rules due to lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world. RSGB strongly advises obeying your own government’s advice first and foremost. Today, the 24th, the third 70MHz Cumulative contest runs from 1400 to 1600UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Tuesday the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3 to 10GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Thursday it’s the CW leg of the 80m Club Championships. Running from 1900 to 2030UTC, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Next weekend is the CQ World Wide WPX CW contest. It runs for 48 hours from 0000UTC on the 30th to 2359UTC on the 31st. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Next Sunday, the 31st, the UK Microwave group High Band Contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on the 5.7 to 10GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The UK Six Metre Group’s Summer Marathon runs until the 2nd of August. Using all modes on the 50MHz band, the exchange is your 4-character locator. And finally, join the fun of the next round of RSGB Hope QSO Party on weekdays. See www.rsgbcc.org/hf. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 22nd of May. Last week was dominated by extensive Sporadic-E openings that made 10 metres sound like 20 metres on a good day. The openings were steady and stable, with lots of stations around Europe being very workable. These openings extended to multi-hop as well, with Chris, VO1CH being heard on 10m FT8 at 1240UTC on Monday the 18th for example. Low-power beacons have also been heard – the IW4EIR beacon, running just 1.5W, was heard on 28.195MHz at 1600UTC on Monday as well. If you are interested in monitoring 10m beacons, Martin, G3USF has updated his 10 metre beacon list. It is available on the RSGB website under the Propagation section, using the link on the right-hand side, Propagation Beacons. Hopefully, the Sporadic-E season will continue to improve over the next few weeks. Other than Sporadic-E, HF conditions have been average for this time of year. Late Spring and Summer are traditionally times when maximum usable frequencies decline during the day due to a change in ionospheric chemistry. However, the good news is that night-time MUFs are higher, with bands like 20 metres remaining open long after sunset if there is sufficient ionisation. The Sun remains very quiet. Two lighter plage areas – bright regions in the Sun’s chromosphere – have moved into view, but are unlikely to turn into sunspots. As a result, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will remain around 70. It also predicts that the Sun will remain stable geomagnetically, bringing a maximum Kp index of two. So it looks like Sporadic-E will continue to provide the HF fun on the higher HF bands. And now the VHF and up propagation news. Most of next week will be dominated by high pressure just south of the UK and hence Tropo will be a good mode to try. At this time of the year, the strong sunshine makes any nocturnal enhancement of conditions temporary and soon disappears after sunrise and the new thermals destroy the night-time cooling inversion. However, the main high-pressure subsidence inversion is a different case and extends across the same region as the area of high pressure and will be present throughout. This will mean paths across the North Sea, English Channel or Bay of Biscay should do well. Unlike Sporadic-E, Tropo contacts need not be rushed. A fairly strong Atlantic jet stream will push across the UK this weekend and when it reaches the near continent it will be in a good place for Sporadic-E in a broad direction range from Scandinavia round through the Balkans to Italy and Spain. Meanwhile, the Atlantic will continue to provide jet stream segments for openings across the pond. The association of Sporadic-E with jet streams is useful since the charts show the meandering jet stream extending well east over Russia and could be used for paths to the Far East. There is a hint that a region of showers may develop around the middle of next week to give an opportunity for some GHz rain scatter propagation. The Moon’s reaches peak declination on Tuesday and path losses are falling all week. 144MHz sky noise is low. A number of small showers keep May and June an active time for meteor scatter operations, so keep looking for early morning opportunities before the Sporadic-E. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

Next Sunday, May 31, is the International Day for the Unreached (IDU). Greg Kelley is co-hosting a live IDU Video Webcast. Get the details on this episode of Gateway to the Unreached. This week on the podcast, Greg interviews Jeff McLinden from Bibles for the World.  Having been in ministry for 40 years, Jeff has a lot of good insight to share on the cause of the unreached.  Bibles for the World is a founding member of the Alliance for the Unreached. This ministry works diligently to reach those who have never heard of Jesus. In many nations Bibles are dangerous to have but people all over the world still desperately want them and because of this they have distributed Bibles in 124 nations.  This ministry is also excited to take part in the International Day for the Unreached.  Make sure to listen so you can learn how to participate.  Links: Download the Great Commission Action Guide Follow us on Facebook   Register for our May 31. 2020  Special Webcast Event  Learn more about the ministry of Bibles for the World  

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 17th of May 2020 The news headlines: More media coverage for #GOTA2C 2nd Hope QSO Party starts tomorrow New beta of WSJT-X updates FT4 & FT8 The RSGB’s national campaign ‘Get on the air to care’ in partnership with the NHS has received more media coverage this week, including two BBC radio interviews with local radio clubs and a video message from the NHS. Thank you to everyone who is showing their support by getting on the air, caring for other radio amateurs and trying new aspects of amateur radio. More details about the campaign, media coverage and stories from clubs and radio amateurs can be seen on the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/gota2c. The RSGB Contest Committee is running a second Hope QSO Party event, starting on Monday the 18th of May. The rules are at tinyurl.com/Hope-QSO – please note that there are two rule changes for this second event. The calendar is at www.rsgbcc.org/hf. A new beta version of the WSJT-X software suite has been released. It includes the first updates since last autumn to the popular FT8 and FT4 protocols. Installation packages for Windows, Linux, and Macintosh are available on the WSJT-X Development Group web page. Scroll to Candidate Release WSJT-X 2.2.0-rc1. The WSJT-X Development Group request those using the new beta version to alert the developers and to report any bugs or improvements they have implemented, using instructions included in the User Guide. The transponder on HuskySat-OSCAR 107 has been activated and is open for use and testing. It’s fairly sensitive, and 5 to 10W of uplink power is plenty most of the time. The linear transponder is inverting, with an uplink passband of 145.910 to 145.940MHz and a downlink passband of 435.810 to 435.840MHz. The 1200-baud BPSK telemetry beacon is at 435.800MHz. The Air Defence Radar Museum at RAF Neatishead usually runs the permanent special event station GB2RAF. But, with the museum closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, G4PSH has obtained permission to operate the callsign from his home under a temporary licence. This will continue until the museum is able to open to the public again. QSL cards are available via the RSGB or RAFARS bureau, EQSL.com or direct to G4PSH with a SAE. The Radio Amateur Society of Australia has conducted a 60 metre band monitoring program over the past few months to build a picture of 60m activity during daylight and evening hours. The information will be used in a response to the latest Australian radio authority’s paper that proposes various options for sharing of the band between amateur and commercial users. Now the special event news Since the change of regulations applying to special event stations in the UK, many activations are now able to go ahead. UK amateurs would like to thank Ofcom for their help in making this happen. GB2SHS for STAY HOME SAFE will be on air until the 24th of May in support of the NHS and care workers. It will operate from the QTH of G4ISN, a member of Welland Valley ARS, on the HF bands. QSL via e-QSL. The RAF Amateur Radio Society will be activating the special event GB75VED until the 28th May. Operations will be from members’ homes. Details are at www.rafars.org/GB75VED and on QRZ.com. Dragon Amateur Radio Club and North Wales Radio Society are operating GB0GIG throughout May, named after the National Health Service in the Welsh language. The station will be active on HF, VHF and UHF using as many modes as possible. An award certificate is available and full details can be found on QRZ.com. To commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day and VJ Day, the RSGB has organised the VE/VJ Day amateur radio marathon on the HF bands and 6m using SSB, CW and digital modes. Three special UK callsigns, GB75PEACE, GB1945PE and GB1945PJ, will be on the air throughout May and again between the 1st and the 31st of August. If you wish to operate one of these stations, please email csc.chair@rsgb.org.uk. Full details are at www.rsgb.org/ve-vj-marathon. Kent Active Radio Amateurs will run GB80MQ on the 22nd and 23rd of May. This station is usually run from the vessel Medway Queen, but will be operational from operator’s home addresses instead this time. Durham and District Amateur Radio Society is participating as one of the bonus stations in the hugely popular 13 Colonies Special Event. The special callsign GB13COL has been issued for this event and will run from July 1, 2020 1300 UTC to July 8, 0400 UTC. The primary focus of the event will be the HF bands, including VHF & UHF for QSOs using SSB, CW, FM and various digital modes. Now the contest news Please remember to check before the events for new rules due to lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world. RSGB strongly advises obeying your own government’s advice first and foremost. This weekend, the 144MHz May Contest ends it 24 hour run at 1400UTC today, the 17th. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and postcode. Today, the 17th, is the UK Microwave Group millimetre-wave contest, running from 0900 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on the 24 to 76GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Monday the fourth FT4 series contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC on the 80m band. The exchange is your 4-character locator. On Tuesday the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Thursday it’s the 70MHz UK Activity Contest from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Next Sunday, the 24th, the third 70MHz Cumulative contest runs from 1400 to 1600UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The UK Six Metre Group’s Summer Marathon runs until the 2nd of August. Using all modes on the 50MHz band, the exchange is you 4-character locator. And finally, join the fun of the next round of RSGB Hope QSO Party on weekdays. See www.rsgbcc.org/hf. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 15th of May. We had another week dominated by Sporadic-E openings. While the Sun remained quiet with zero sunspots, Sporadic-E proved to be the major mode of propagation. It offered both single and multi-hop openings, with 10m being open to Spain, Portugal and beyond on most days. Likely multi-hop paths have seen openings to Chad, Mauritania, St Lucia and further afield. On 20m and 15m there have been F2-layer openings to the Far East, Hawaii, Alaska and South America reported, although most of these have been on FT8 by well-equipped stations. An easier catch for Chris, G3SJJ was C31CT in Andorra who “popped out of the noise” on 17m. This shows the importance of monitoring the bands and watching the cluster for those elusive short HF openings. Next week NOAA predicts that the Sun will likely remain spotless with a solar flux index of 68-70. On Thursday a polar coronal hole with a long finger pointing towards the solar equator was likely releasing a high-speed solar wind stream. This could result in unsettled geomagnetic conditions over the weekend. NOAA predicts the Kp index could rise to three on Monday the 18th. And now the VHF and up propagation news. The weather models are showing a mainly high-pressure week and therefore there should be some good prospects for Tropo. Since the high does not have a great source of moist air underneath the inversion, the Tropo may be less than ideal. However, the position of the high over this weekend may allow better Tropo conditions across southern Britain and across the Channel into France. The north and west of the UK are going to be close to fronts on several occasions next week, and on Monday a weakness in the high may allow a few showers to develop and bring some rain scatter on the GHz bands. One of the models does break the high-pressure trend and bring a deepening low past northwest Britain in the second half of next week with further rain scatter possibilities. We have seen a good number of Sporadic-E days in the last week, especially for digital modes, but CW and SSB have produced results too. The position of the jet streams suggests that Scandinavia, the Baltic and northern Europe may be the preferred regions of interest next week. Check the beacons and clusters for signs of activity, and keep QSOs short, since conditions can change suddenly from an easy 5/9 to lost in the noise. We should see the start of the Arietids meteor shower this week lasting from the 22nd of May until the 2nd of July, peaking on the 7th of June. Moon declination is increasing again, going positive on Monday but this coincides with apogee, so path losses are at their highest. 144MHz sky noise is low apart from Friday afternoon where the Sun and Moon are close to eclipse. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 10th of May 2020 The news headlines: BBC features RSGB Get on the air to care campaign VDSL call to action in new online RadCom RCF Arkwright Scholar 3D prints PPE The RSGB’s national campaign ‘Get on the air to care’ in partnership with the NHS has received widespread media coverage this week, including a prominent feature on BBC online news, an interview on the British Forces Broadcasting Service and mentions on radio stations, newspapers and blogs across the UK and, indeed, the world. Thank you to everyone who is showing their support by getting on the air, caring for other radio amateurs and trying new aspects of amateur radio. More details about the campaign, media coverage and stories from clubs and radio amateurs can be seen on the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/gota2c The May RadCom carried a call to action from the RSGB President, asking everyone who is suffering from HF interference due to broadband VDSL to submit a complaint to Ofcom. This edition of RadCom is now on the RSGB website as a sample issue for all radio amateurs. Find it at www.rsgb.org/sampleradcom. We urge all who are suffering from VDSL interference to submit complaints to Ofcom. Details of how to report interference can be found in the May edition of RadCom and on the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/vdsl-reporting. Many amateurs have already submitted complaints to Ofcom and we would like to thank those for doing so. But we would like yet more people to submit complaints. We have to persuade Ofcom to take action against this threat to our hobby. Jake Howarth, M0JKE, is doing his bit to help out the NHS in lockdown. The RCF Trustees were delighted to hear that the 3D printer he purchased using his Arkwright Engineering Scholarship funds has been put to great use. Not only has it helped him in pursuing his own projects, but it is also enabling him to contribute to society by producing personal protective equipment as part of the 3D-Crowd initiative. The RCF sponsors two or three Arkwright Scholars each year and many have taken up amateur radio as a result. Jake was already licensed when he was selected and he was a UK representative at the 2019 IARU YOTA event. The RSGB Contest Committee is running a second Hope QSO Party event, starting on Monday the 18th of May. The format will be the same as the first, with ten phone, ten CW, five RTTY and five FT4 events. All of these are 90-minute contests, and they start at different times each weekday. The rules are at tinyurl.com/Hope-QSO – please note that there are are two rule changes for this second event. The calendar is at www.rsgbcc.org/hf, where new series is shown in orange and the first series in yellow. Over 400 UK and non-UK stations have entered the first series so far. Following the success of WRC-19, the German regulator has expanded the frequency band and power available to their amateurs. The full 50 to 52MHz band is now available to all German amateurs on a secondary basis. Up to 750W is permitted in the 50.0 to 50.4MHz narrowband DX segment. Contest operation is now also permitted. As part of its Get on the air to care initiative, the RSGB would like to remind clubs that their nets form a valuable part of ensuring that radio amateurs don’t feel so isolated at this time. Ideas such as creating and distributing, via email, a calendar invitation to local amateurs provides a helpful reminder that these nets are taking place. Local nets are also a great way to check on the health or other needs of local amateurs. In the USA, the ARRL has a Stay Safe and Stay On The Air initiative running during the Covid-19 pandemic. Beginning with a message shared with its members in March, the ARRL has encouraged radio amateurs who are healthy and safe at home to get or stay, on the air. The message is that as online fatigue and a feeling of isolation will inevitably creep into our ‘new normal’, being on-air will introduce variety into our communication practices. Read more at www.arrl.org/read-a-message-for-member-volunteers To commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day and VJ Day, the RSGB has organised the VE/VJ Day amateur radio marathon on the HF bands and 6m using SSB, CW and digital modes. Three special UK callsigns, GB75PEACE, GB1945PE and GB1945PJ, will be on the air throughout May and again between the 1st and the 31st of August. If you wish to operate one of these stations, please email csc.chair@rsgb.org.uk. Full details are at www.rsgb.org/ve-vj-marathon. The Dayton Hamvention for 2020 has been cancelled. The Hamvention QSO Party a 12-hour fun event on Saturday the 16th of May to celebrate the Dayton Hamvention. Work as many amateur stations as possible between 1200 to 2359UTC on the 16th on the 160 to 10m bands using CW and SSB. You can work the same station once per band mode, that’s 12 QSOs possible with the same station. Exchange signal report and the first year you attended Hamvention, or 2020 if you have never attended. Only single operator entries are allowed. There are three power categories. QRP is for no more than 5 watts. Low Power is up to 100 watts, and the High Power section allows up to 1500 watts, or your licence maximum if that’s lower than 1500W. Special bonus points are available for working W8BI, the club call of the Dayton Amateur Radio Association. Scoring is simply the number of QSOs plus bonus points. There are no multipliers. Go to wwrof.org for full rules and details of the awards available. Now the special event news Since the change of regulations applying to special event stations in the UK, many activations are now able to go ahead. UK amateurs would like to thank Ofcom for their help in making this happen. GB2SHS for STAY HOME SAFE will be on air until the 24th of May in support of the NHS and care workers. It will operate from the QTH of G4ISN, a member of Welland Valley ARS, on the HF bands. QSL via e-QSL. Thurrock Acorns Amateur Radio Club will be operating GB6VED for the 75th anniversary of VE Day until the 11th of May. The members will operate on various HF and VHF bands from their homes around Essex. For further information, email acorns@taarc.co.uk Three members of Macclesfield ARS are doing their bit in supporting key workers in the UK. Greg, M0TXX will be transmitting until mid-May using GB5KW, as will Adie as GB9KW and Chris as GB4KW. They will be transmitting on all modes HF, 2m and FT8. All details can be found on QRZ.com. Fort Purbrook Amateur Radio Club is activating GB1VE over this weekend, ending today, the 10th of May. Activity is from six different members’ homes. Two are on HF voice, always on different bands, another on HF CW, one on HF data modes, one on 6m or 2m or 70cm and, finally, one on 4m and Oscar-100. Full details are on QRZ.com. GB75BVE is being hosted from homes in and around Bournemouth until today, the 10th of May. Operators will be G3YUZ, G3XBZ, G4XEE and G3WZP, using all modes and the 160 through to 2m bands. They hope to share the VE Day commemorations on the air. The RAF Amateur Radio Society will be activating the special event GB75VED until the 28th of May. Operations will be from members’ homes. Details are at www.rafars.org/GB75VED and on QRZ.com. Dragon Amateur Radio Club and North Wales Radio Society are operating GB0GIG throughout May, named after the National Health Service in the Welsh language. The station will be active on HF, VHF and UHF using as many modes as possible. An award certificate is available and full details can be found on QRZ.com. Although the Mills On The Air event has been cancelled, Chesham and District Amateur Radio Society will be operating GB0BWM for Brill Windmill from members’ homes over the weekend, ending today, the 10th of May. The operation will be on 3.5, 7, 14, 50 and 144MHz, mainly SSB, but with some CW and FM. GU75LIB will operate at varying times until the 13th of May, to commemorate Liberation Day on the 9th of May. They will be operating from home, each taking turns on band and mode. Braintree & District ARS is operating GB5VED from several members home stations, ending today, the 10th of May, commemorating the 75th Anniversary of VE Day. Operators will include some of the senior club members who were present at the original celebrations. Contacts will be sought on HF, VHF, UHF. Listen out on HF for GB4 V V V, the distinctive dit-dit-dit-DAH of wartime broadcasting, sent by the special event station managed by Andy, G0SFJ, until the 11th of May. He prefers eQSL; SWL reports are welcome. Now the contest news This weekend is busy for contests, but please remember to check before the events for new rules due to lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world. RSGB strongly advises obeying your own government’s advice first and foremost. Today, the 10th sees the 70MHz CW contest run from 0900 to 1200UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and postcode. Also today, the 10th is the IRTS 40m Counties Contest from 1200 to 1400UTC. Using SSB and CW, the exchange is signal report and serial number, with EI, GI, 2I and MI stations also sending their County. The Worked All Britain 70MHz contest takes place today, the 10th, from 1000 to 1400UTC. Entries need to be with the contest manager by the 20th of May. The exchange is signal report, serial number and WAB square. Full details of the rules and entry methods are at www.worked-all-britain.org.uk. Please note that no club or multiple operator entries will be accepted from mobile or portable stations. On Tuesday the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC, using FM only. It is immediately followed by the all-mode 432MHz UK Activity Contest from 1900 to 2130UTC. The exchange for both contests is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 80m Club Championships takes place from 1900 to 2030UTC, using data only. The exchange is signal report and serial number. On Thursday, the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Next weekend, the 144MHz May Contest will run from 1400UTC on the 16th to 1400UTC on the 17th. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and postcode. Next Sunday, the 17th, is the UK Microwave Group millimetre-wave contest, running from 0900 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on the 24 to 76GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The UK Six Metre Group’s Summer Marathon runs until the 2nd of August. Using all modes on the 50MHz band, the exchange is your 4-character locator. And finally, don’t forget the next round of RSGB Hope QSO Party on weekdays, see www.rsgbcc.org/hf for further details. Hundreds of participants have taken part, and for some, it has been their first attempt at an HF contest. One participant told us that it was their first-ever attempt at CW in 36 years! Come and join in the fun. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 7th of May. It was a case of more of the same HF-wise last week. Zero sunspots and no geomagnetic disturbances meant that conditions were average for this point in late spring. The good news is that the Sporadic-E season has now officially started, and it is living up to its name. That is, it is sporadic! Either there is either good propagation or nothing! Openings on 10 metres have included multi-hop to the Caribbean, with Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago being workable on FT8. Other more general Sporadic-E openings have favoured Spain and Portugal one day, and Bulgaria, Romania and Algeria on another. Some amateurs have been heard to comment that the openings must mean that the new sunspot cycle has started. But this is not so. Sporadic-E is a seasonal phenomenon not related to sunspots and when this season finishes in late August or early September, we can probably expect the 10 metre band to go back to sleep. So the message is to get on 10 metres right now and work whatever you can while the Sporadic-E lasts! Other than 10 metres, 40 metres continues to be a very workable band, with openings occurring during the day and into the evening. As we head towards Summer, we can also expect 20m to stay open later, and even after sunset, due to the changing chemical make-up of the ionosphere. Next week, NOAA is predicting more of the same, with a solar flux index of around 70 all week and settled geomagnetic conditions, with an average Kp index of two. But, as we know, conditions can change quite quickly and there is always the chance of a disturbed ionosphere due to an enhanced solar wind from coronal holes. And now the VHF and up propagation news. We have a high-pressure week coming up, but getting there involves some low pressure and unsettled weather for some areas. The present high that is over, and just to the east, of the country will decline and drift away, so any Tropo will not last long. In addition to the showery weather over the south, a very marked cold front will move south across the country over this weekend, giving further opportunities for rain scatter. Any following showers will not last long as a new high builds in cold air to the northwest of the country. This drifts southeast to be over the UK by Tuesday and edges east during the second half of the week. All this means that Tropo should be the dominant mode, although it will take a while to develop a decent inversion, so it may be rather patchy in quality. The Sporadic-E season is having the odd flicker of enthusiasm but is obviously much better for digital modes than CW or SSB. Their time will come as the season builds. At the moment we seem to be transitioning from a broader period around the middle of the day to the more familiar two peaked distribution of late morning and late afternoon/early evening; it's well worth keeping a check on the 10m and 6m beacons. There are no significant meteor showers this week, so stick to the early mornings for the best random meteor scatter. The Moon is at minimum declination tomorrow so will be low in the sky. With increasing path losses and high 144MHz sky noise until Friday it’s a poor week for EME. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

Next Sunday, a dozen men and women are fighting each other as they make their way to the rooftop where a briefcase lies, emblazoned with the logo of the ordeal they are taking part in. Doug tries to make sense of it all at the expense of his liver.

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 3rd of May 2020 The news headlines: Get on the air to care campaign succeeding May RadCom made available to all online Repeater and Beacon insurance renewed The RSGB is delighted with the support from radio amateurs and clubs for its ‘Get on the air to care’ campaign with the NHS. You can find out more at www.rsgb.org/gota2c. There we will also be highlighting stories and photos from clubs and individuals. If you have a story to tell about how you are getting on the air to care during these times of social isolation, please send it to comms@rsgb.org.uk. As another part of the RSGB Get on the air to care campaign, the May edition of RadCom has been made available to radio amateurs around the world to read online as a sample edition. A number of IARU national societies have taken a similar step and the RSGB is happy to join those societies in supporting the worldwide amateur radio community during these difficult times. You can find it at www.rsgb.org/sampleradcom. RSGB Club Insurance and Beacon and Repeater Insurance has now been renewed for the year to April 2021. Club Insurance Certificates can be downloaded from the RSGB website; please use your Membership Services login to obtain a copy of your Certificate. To ensure that your beacon and repeater is covered under our Insurance we require a £10 admin fee and you may renew this on the RSGB shop at www.rsgb.org/repeaterinsurance. Please allow a couple of days after renewal for your certificate to be dispatched. The latest figures for the RSGB’s remote invigilation of amateur radio exams shows that 116 exams have been run as of Friday the 1st of May. Of these, 109 candidates have passed and a total of 997 different questions have been asked. There are currently 80 exams booked and ready to be taken up until the 8th of May. A total of 300 more are scheduled to take place in May, with a further 187 so far scheduled to take place in June and there are more in the pipeline. The RSGB is grateful to all those working to make this possible during the Covid-19 pandemic. To commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day and VJ Day, the RSGB has organised the VE/VJ Day amateur radio marathon on the HF bands and 6m using SSB, CW and digital modes. Three special UK callsigns GB75PEACE, GB1945PE, GB1945PJ will be on the air from the 1st to the 31st of May and again between the 1st and the 31st of August. The special stations have their own QRZ.com pages that give details of the activation schedule. If you wish to participate and transmit using a VE/VJ Day radio marathon callsign, please contact Ian, G0FCT via email to csc.chair@rsgb.org.uk. Full details of radio marathon and the five awards are on the Society’s radio marathon web page www.rsgb.org/ve-vj-marathon. As part of its Strategy 2022, the RSGB has just launched Beyond Exams, which is a group of resources to encourage participation and highlight the diversity of amateur radio. Beyond Exams includes awards and schemes to help amateur radio licence holders and clubs get the most from the hobby. During these challenging times of the global pandemic, Beyond Exams is an important part of the Society’s ‘Get on the air to care’ campaign in partnership with the NHS. Through Beyond Exams you can get on the air for the first time or try something new, a contest or CW, for example. Some of the activities won’t be available for radio amateurs to try due to the current social distancing regulations but there are plenty of others that can be done from the safety of your own home. For more information about how you can get involved in the scheme as a radio amateur or a club, see the RSGB website www.rsgb.org/beyond-exams. The 93rd Annual General Meeting of the Radio Society of Great Britain due to be held on the 25th of April in Birmingham was cancelled because of government restrictions on travel and public meetings due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Board convened an online meeting to receive the results of the votes submitted by the Society’s Members on the resolutions and elections they were asked to consider in the Calling Notice. Members of the Board, other RSGB officials, those standing for election and senior members of RSGB staff were online to follow proceedings. At the close of the meeting the results on the various Resolutions and annual trophy winners were announced online. As a result of voting by the Society’s Members, Dr Stewart Bryant, G3YSX was endorsed as a Nominated Director. Andy Mace, M0MUX and Len Paget, GM0ONX were elected as Board Directors. During the first meeting of the new Board, Ian Shepherd, G4EVK was elected as the Board Chair until the AGM in 2021. Following the AGM, the Nominations Committee met and John Rogers, M0JAV, John Spurgeon, G4LKD and Philip Willis, M0PHI were co-opted to join the Board of Directors until the 2021 AGM. To read more about the areas of responsibility for all of Board members, go to wwww.rsgb.org/board. Contest University, a staple of Dayton Hamvention, will take place online this year through the Zoom video platform, and all sessions will be free. You can register at www.contestuniversity.com. Live Contest University sessions via Zoom will get under way on the 14th of May at 1245UTC; these will be recorded and archived. Now the special event news Since the change of regulations applying to special event stations in the UK, many activations are now able to go ahead. UK amateurs would like to thank Ofcom for their help in making this happen. Fort Purbrook Amateur Radio Club will be activating GB1VE on the 8th, 9th and 10th of May from six different members’ homes. Two members on HF voice, always on different bands, another on HF CW, one on HF data modes, one on 6m or 2m or 70cm and, finally, one on 4m and Oscar-100. Full details are on QRZ.com. GB75BVE is now being hosted from homes in and around Bournemouth until the 10th of May. Operators will be G3YUZ, G3XBZ, G4XEE and G3WZP, using all modes and the 160 through to 2m bands. They hope to share the VE Day commemorations on the air. The RAF Amateur Radio Society will be activating the special event GB75VED from the 1st to the 28th May from members’ homes. Details are at www.rafars.org/GB75VED and QRZ.com. Dragon Amateur Radio Club and North Wales Radio Society are operating GB0GIG, named after the National Health Service in the Welsh language, throughout May. The station will be active on HF, VHF and UHF using as many modes as possible. Award certificate is available and full details can be found on QRZ.com. Kent Active Radio Amateurs will be running GB0HVE on the 8th of May as part of the anniversary of VE day. All operations will be from members’ homes. Tokyo-based 7-CALL Amateur Radio Club will operate 8J17CALL for a year to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Japanese 7-series callsigns, for example 7K1AAA. Although the Mills On The Air event has been cancelled, Chesham and District Amateur Radio Society will be operating GB0BWM for Brill Windmill from members’ homes on 9th and 10th of May. The idea is to celebrate the hope for the event next year and to give publicity to the windmill that will need to attract visitors once restrictions permit. Operation will be on 3.5, 7, 14, 50 and 144MHz, mainly SSB but with some CW and FM. It is expected that stations will be on the air from around 10am on Saturday, but a schedule of times and frequencies will be available online. XN1BOA is on the air until the 15th of May commemorating the end of the Battle of the Atlantic. This event is being run by the Grass Roots Ham Radio Club, whose operators will be active from their homes. Details are on QRZ.com. GU75LIB will operate at varying time between the 6th and 13th of May, to commemorate Liberation Day on the 9th of May. They will be operating from home, each taking turns on band and mode. Braintree & District ARS will operate GB5VED with several club members using their home stations. These will be active over the weekend of the 7th to the 10th of May to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of VE Day. Operators will include some of the senior club members who were present at the original celebrations. Contacts will be sought on HF, VHF, UHF. Listen out on HF for GB4 V V V, the distinctive dit-dit-dit-DAH of wartime broadcasting, sent by the special event station managed by Andy, G0SFJ, until the 11th of May. He would prefer eQSL; SWL reports are very welcome. Now the contest news This weekend is busy for contests, but please remember to check before the events for new rules due to lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world. RSGB strongly advises obeying your own government’s advice first and foremost. The 432MHz to 248MHz Trophy contest ends its 24-hour run at 1400UTC today, the 3rd. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Another 24-hour contest is the ARL International DX event that ends at 1200UTC today, the 3rd. Using phone and RTTY on the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number, with Italian stations also giving their Province code. Today, the 3rd of May, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 0800 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3 to 3.4GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. A one-off independent 2m contest is being held on the 4th of May, to promote 2m usage during the COVID-19 lockdown. From 2pm to 3pm there will be an FM contest, where operators should exchange signal reports, serial number and 4-character grid squares. From 3pm to 4pm there will be an FT8 contest using the standard FT8 messages to exchange signal reports and grid squares. The contests are open to all licensed amateur radio operators and short wave listeners but due to the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions no portable or mobile operation is permitted. Further details can be found at www.vhflockdown.fun. On Tuesday the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. This is immediately followed by the UK Activity Contest from 1900 to 2130UTC using all modes. The exchange is the same for both, signal report, serial number and locator. Next Sunday, the 10th, sees the 70MHz CW contest run from 0900 to 1200UTX. The exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and postcode. Also next Sunday is the IRTS 40m Counties Contest from 1200 to 1400UTC. Using SSB and CW, the exchange is signal report and serial number, with EI, GI, 2I and MI stations also sending their County. The Worked All Britain 70MHz contest takes place next Sunday, the 10th, from 1000 to 1400UTC. Entries need to be with the contest manager by the 20th of May. The exchange is signal report, serial number and WAB square. Full details of the rules and methods of entry may be obtained from the WAB website www.worked-all-britain.org.uk. Please note that no club or multiple operator entries will be accepted from mobile or portable stations. The UK Six Metre Group’s Summer Marathon runs from the 2nd of May to the 2nd of August. Using all modes in the 50MHz band, the exchange is you 4-character locator. And finally, don’t forget the RSGB Hope QSO Party on weekdays, see www.rsgbcc.org/hf for further details. So far around 300 UK and non-UK participants have taken part, and for some it has been their first attempt at an HF contest. One participant told us that it was their first ever attempt at CW in 36 years. Come and join in the fun. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 1st of May. Sunspots are like buses – you wait all month and two turn up at once! Even more interesting is that the sunspot groups are from two different cycles. The first group, AR2760, was from the outgoing Solar Cycle 24 and the second sunspot, AR2762, is from the new Solar Cycle 25. We know this due to their magnetic signatures and the relative location of the spots on the Sun’s surface. AR2762 was a high-latitude spot, while AR2760 was almost on the solar equator. In any event, both spots were very minor and had little or no effect on the solar flux index, which hovered around 69-71. Geomagnetic conditions were more settled, with the Kp index remaining at zero or one towards the end of the week. The highlight for the week was the 2020 Summer Sporadic-E season on 10m, which is growing in strength. Stations in Gibraltar, Spain, Romania, Finland, Norway and others were all workable on 10m FT8 on Thursday morning, although it would have been nice to see a little more activity on CW and SSB, but more on that later. We expect solar activity to remain at very low levels in the short term, with the Solar Flux Index remaining at around 68-70. Geomagnetic conditions are likely to remain settled, other than this weekend when SWPC predicts the impact of particles from a solar coronal hole. NOAA disagrees and predicts that geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach active levels on Tuesday 5th May in response to a high-speed solar wind stream. It will be interesting to see who is correct. And now the VHF and up propagation news A small high crosses the country today and pauses over the North Sea on Monday, giving a Tropo option for most areas. This is soon followed by a further spell of unsettled weather with a good potential for rain scatter in the south over the middle of the week. Other weather models retain the high pressure, and even the unsettled model relents and brings another high to the northwest of Scotland, which will start to build across the country from the west to bring a fine, Tropo end to the week. As for Sporadic-E prospects, the next week does have some useful jet streams in good positions for paths from the UK. Early in the season paths can be fleeting, but keep a watch on 10m activity and then follow the opening higher in frequency as it develops on 6m, 4m and eventually 2m if we are very lucky. There is a big difference between FT8 and CW/SSB performance, but follow the many wonderful clusters and logging sites to see where the openings are. Try the daily Sporadic-E blog on www.propquest.co.uk to get an idea of the significant jet streams. It will have changes to the charts and a trial of the Sporadic-E Probability Index, or EPI. There is plenty to investigate in the 2020 Sporadic-E season. There are two meteor showers upcoming this week. The larger eta-Aquarids is on Tuesday and the eta-Lyrids occur on Thursday. Moon declination goes negative on Tuesday followed by perigee on Wednesday with lowest EME path losses. 144 MHz sky noise is very high today and for the early part of next week. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 26th of April 2020 The news headlines: First, remotely-invigilated exam callsigns issued Download latest 5MHz Newsletter Japanese amateurs get new privileges The RSGB is pleased to announce that the first successful candidates in the online, remotely invigilated amateur radio exams have now received their callsigns. At the close of play on the 24th of April, 29 remotely invigilated exams had taken place. Around 10 candidates per day are scheduled, with the aim to increase this number as more invigilators join the team. Dave Wilson, M0OBW, the RSGB President and Exam Quality Manager, has expressed his thanks to the invigilators that are making this work and the HQ exams staff who are doing an outstanding job under very difficult circumstances. We look forward to hearing the new amateurs on the bands. The latest edition of The 5MHz Newsletter is now available for free pdf download from the RSGB 5MHz page at http://rsgb.org/main/operating/band-plans/hf/5mhz/. This edition includes 5MHz news from seven countries, the GB3WES beacon closedown, a 5MHz controlled feeder radiation dipole, plus features the latest World of 5MHz map and an article on two Blue Ham Exercises. Japanese radio amateurs now have new privileges on the 160 and 80m bands. The new allocations are 1800 – 1810, 1825 – 1875, 3575 – 3580 and 3662 – 3680kHz. The new regime allows Japanese radio amateurs to operate FT8 on the 160m and 80m bands, as well as WSPR on 1836.6kHz. Additional details are on the Japan Amateur Radio League website, www.jarl.org Tim Duffy, K3LR has announced that Contest University USA 2020, usually held at the Dayton Hamvention, will be held online via Zoom on Thursday the 14th of May, starting at 1245UTC. CTU 2020 is free. The CTU course outline has been posted online. Connection details to the CTU Zoom bridge will be posted on the Contest University site one week prior to the event. Sessions will be recorded for viewing any time after the 14th of May. Slides will be posted on the CTU website as well. At the end of CTU 2020, Dave Siddall, K3ZJ, will present the 2020 CQ Contest Hall of Fame awards. RSGB President Dave Wilson, M0OBW, was interviewed recently on NARC Live! where he talked about the Society’s introduction of remote invigilation for Foundation exams. This new initiative is enabling people to join amateur radio during these times of social isolation. Dave’s piece starts at 27:50 and you see it on the Norfolk Amateur Radio Club Facebook page, which can be accessed via tinyurl.com/y7kslekf The November and December 2019 RSGB Board Proceedings have been published on the RSGB website today and can be found at tinyurl.com/RSGB-boardproc-2019 The RSGB’s campaign in partnership with the NHS – Get on the air to care – has been publicised across the world over the last week, both on the airwaves and through the UK media. The Society even received a video message of support from Tony Hadley, lead singer of 1980s group Spandau Ballet! To see this coverage, head over to www.rsgb.org/gota2c and click on the media coverage link at the bottom of the page. The RSGB is grateful to all radio amateurs who are taking to the airwaves to support other radio amateurs during these times of social isolation. If you use social media, add the hashtag #GOTA2C and send any photos or video clips of you on the air to comms@rsgb.org.uk Peter Valentine, a 96-year-old radio amateur from Eastbourne, is celebrating his birthday by aiming to contact 96 amateurs over the airwaves and walk 96 miles over the coming weeks. As thanks to the NHS which has given him good care recently, he is using the special call sign GB0EDH to represent Eastbourne District General Hospital. He is active on D-Star, 2m, 4m and 80m, so listen out for him on the air and help him to achieve his target! The RSGB has been adding updates to the ‘Sharing ideas’ section of its Coronavirus updates page, which you can find at www.rsgb.org/coronavirus-updates There are reports from Colchester Radio Amateurs amongst other clubs and Lockdown Morse to learn something new during this lockdown. Find out what others are doing, be inspired and then email comms@rsgb.org.uk to share how your club is adapting to the current challenges. Now the special event news Peter, G4XEX will be active as GB4SAH for Stay At Home until the 30th of April to help amateurs pass the time during the lockdown. Euan, MM0VIK is active as GB1COR from his home QTH in the Shetland Islands, EU-012, until the end of April in recognition and support for the health professionals and essential key workers during the coronavirus emergency. QSL cards will not be available for this special callsign. The RAF Amateur Radio Society will be activating the special event GB75VED from the 1st to the 28th May from members’ homes. On the 2nd of May, Reg, G8VHI will operate mostly on 6 and 2m as well as 70cm from Nuneaton using FM, SSB and maybe digital modes. Details are at www.rafars.org/GB75VED/ and QRZ.com SOS Radio Week will go ahead from 0000UTC on the 1st of May and concludes at 2359UTC on the 31st May. During that period participants should make as many contacts as possible with stations at home and around the world. For further details, and to register, please visit www.sosradioweek.org.uk. The Hungarian amateur radio society, MRASZ, will hold a special radio activity for the period during the Covid-19 virus threat. Their aim is to raise awareness of the threat of the epidemic and to promote the importance of staying at home. Look for the following 5 stations, of which the last two letters add up the words STAY AT HOME: HG20ST, HG20AY, HG20AT, HG20HO and HG20ME. Each station must be contacted in two different modes on any band to qualify for a downloadable commemorative award. The activity ends on the 15th of May at 2359UTC. Details are at www.mrasz.org. Several Brazilian amateurs are using the special event callsign ZW8THANKS as a tribute to health care professionals fighting Covid-19. Activity will be on all bands and modes including the satellites. QSL direct, eQSL or Logbook of The World. The Tokyo-based 7-CALL Amateur Radio Club will operate 8J17CALL for a year to celebrate the club’s 30th anniversary. Now the contest news Due to social distancing and movement precautions around the world, most contest organisers are not accepting entries from multi-operator groups or from portable stations. Check the rules before taking part. The SP DX RTTY contest ends it 24-hour run at 1200UTC today, the 26th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands the exchange is signal report and serial number, with SP stations also sending their Province code. Today, the 26th, the BARTG Sprint 75 contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is your serial number only. On Monday the third FT4 series contest will run from 1900 to 2030UTC using the 3.5MHz band. The exchange is your 4-character locator. Tuesday sees the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1830 to 2130UTC using all modes on the 2.3GHz and up bands. The exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The UK and Ireland Contest Club 80m CW contest runs for an hour on Wednesday between 1900 and 2000UTC. The exchange is your 4-character locator. Next weekend is busy for contests, but please remember to check before the events for new rules due to lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world. RSGB strongly advises obeying your own government’s advice first and foremost. The 432MHz Trophy contest and the 10GHz Trophy contest are both on Saturday between 1400 and 2200UTC. Using all modes in the respective bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The 432MHz to 248MHz Trophy contest runs for 24 hours over next weekend from 1400 on the 2nd to 1400UTC on the 3rd. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Another 24-hour contest is the ARL International DX event from 1200UTC on the 2nd to 1200UTC on the 3rd. Using phone and RTTY on the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number, with Italian stations also giving their Province code. Next Sunday, the 3rd of May, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 0800 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3 to 3.4GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The UK Six Metre Group’s Summer Marathon runs from the 2nd of May to the 2nd of August. Using all modes in the 50MHz band, the exchange is your 4-character locator. A one-off independent 2m contest is being held on Bank holiday Monday, the 4th of May, to promote 2m usage during the COVID-19 lockdown. From 2 pm to 3 pm, there will be an FM contest, where operators should exchange signal reports, serial number and 4 character Grid Squares. From 3 pm to 4 pm, there will be an FT8 contest using the standard FT8 messages to exchange signal reports and grid squares. The contests are open to all licensed amateur radio operators and short wave listeners but due to the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, no portable or mobile operation is permitted. Further details can be found at www.vhflockdown.fun. And finally, don’t forget the RSGB Hope QSO Party on weekdays, see www.rsgbcc.org/hf for further details. So far around 300 UK and non-UK participants have taken part, and for some, it has been their first attempt at an HF contest. One participant told us that it was their first-ever attempt at CW in 36 years. Come and join in the fun. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 24th of April. Last week showed how difficult it can be to prepare HF propagation predictions. We said that we expected the Sun to remain settled throughout the week. But on Wednesday the 15th there was a stealthy slow-moving coronal mass ejection off the Sun that barely appeared in the SOHO spacecraft imagery. However, this CME was Earth-directed and around midday on Monday the 20th it hit. The net result was the Kp index rose to five and MUFs were adversely affected, after an initial positive phase that saw MUFs over a 3,000km path rise above 18MHz. HF conditions were still down on Tuesday, with bands above 20 metres pretty much closed. But luckily, by Wednesday things were pretty much back to normal. The highlight of the week has been a gradual increase in Sporadic-E on 10 metres. There have been numerous openings, mainly into Spain and the Canary Islands, with other fleeting openings into Sweden and Germany. While signal strengths haven’t been too strong so far, it bodes well for the Sporadic-E season, which is likely to ramp up over the next week or so. The message is - keep an eye on 10 metres. Next week NOAA predicts a continued quiet Sun with a solar flux index around 69. With zero sunspots predicted again it does begin to look like we are close to the sun spot minimum. Geomagnetic conditions are predicted to be settled, with a Kp index of around two to three, other than on Monday the 27th when it could rise to four. And now the VHF and up propagation news. We have a hybrid of weather types during the coming week, with the last of any Tropo fading as this bulletin goes out. Thereafter, it looks more unsettled with a chance of showery rain, initially in the southwest, but more generally as we run into next week. This is because an Atlantic low should develop south of Iceland and a cold front becomes slow-moving over western Britain at the end of next week. In this latter part of the week, high pressure builds from Biscay across northern France. So, expect some Tropo at first, but ending this weekend and perhaps in south-eastern areas late next week. Rain scatter looks more favourable again with several areas of showery rain or fronts involved from this weekend onwards. In view of the approaching start of the Sporadic-E season we would expect to find some openings, but as we said earlier any have been brief so far. It would seem that nobody has told the jet streams to get into line! I cannot say that this looks like a strong lead this week. The peak of the ongoing Lyrids meteor shower is over, so expect declining meteor scatter activity this week. Moon declination is positive all week and reaches its maximum on Tuesday. We are past apogee, so EME path losses will continue to fall. 144MHz sky noise is low all week. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

Mary's mother-in-law is Ill. She is on a diet. Mary's going to the supermarket to buy fruits and vegetables for her. She's going to buy some apples, pears, peaches, figs plums and bananas. She isn't going to buy any grape because they are too expensive. She's going to buy fish and chicken. Mary is going to be at the supermarket until 11 o'clock. Then she's going home to cook lunch. She's a good cook and so is her husband. Next Sunday they're going to prepare a good meal for the whole family. They're going to celebrate Mary's birthday. Mary's mother-in-law is Ill. A sogra de Mary está doente. She is on a diet. Ela está de dieta. Mary's going to the supermarket to buy fruits and vegetables for her. Mary está ido ao supermercado para comprar frutas e legumes (vegetais) para ela. She's going to buy some apples, pears, peaches, figs plums and bananas. Ela vai comprar algumas maçãs, peras, pêssegos, figos, ameixas e bananas. She isn't going to buy any grape because they are too expensive Ela não vai comprar nenhuma uva porque elas estão (são) caras. She's going to buy fish and chicken. Ela vai comprar peixe e frango. Mary is going to be at the supermarket until 11 o'clock. Mary vai estar no supermercado até as 11 horas. Then she's going home to cook lunch. Depois ela "vai estar indo para casa" para fazer o almoço. She's a good cook and so is her husband. Ela é uma boa cozinheira e o marido dela também. Next Sunday they're going to prepare a good meal for the whole family. Próximo domingo "eles vão estar preparando uma boa refeição" para toda a família. They're going to celebrate Mary's birthday. Eles "estão indo" comemorar o aniversário de Mary. Is it your first time here? É esta sua primeira vez aqui? Do you know the service here? Você conhece o serviço aqui? You can help yourself anytime. Você pode se servir (a qualquer hora)sempre que quiser. This is an all-you-can-eat-buffet. Este é um buffet onde você come à vontade. For the meat service, turn this card green. Para o serviço de carnes vire este cartão para verde. To stop the meat service, turn it red anytime. Para interromper o serviço de carnes vire para vermelho a qualquer hora. For the meat service, turn this card green. Para o serviço de carnes vire este cartão para verde. To stop the meat service, turn it red. Para interromper o serviço de carnes vire este cartão para vermelho. Would you like another plate? Você gostaria de outro prato? May I change your plate? Me permite trocar o seu prato? Can I change your plate? Posso trocar o seu prato? Can I bring you something special? Posso trazer lhe algo especial? Would you like something special? Gostaria de algo especial? We have French fries, fried banana, fried polenta, white rice, onion rings and farofa (as side dishes). Nós temos batatas fritas, banana frita, polenta frita, arroz branco, rodelas de cebola e farofa (como acompanhamentos) Picking Up a Car Pegando o carro Conversation A Hello. Do you have a pre-reservation? Olá. Você tem uma pré reserva? Yes. Young. Edgar Young. Sim. Young. Edgar Young. OK, Mr. Young, I have it right here. May I see your drivers license? OK, Sr. Young, eu a tenho aqui. Posso ver sua carteira de motorista? There you go. Aqui está. And this is your current home address? E este é o seu atual endereço residencial? That's right. Está certo. May I have a contact telephone number? Posso saber um numero de telefone de contato? My home number or my hotel in San Diego? Meu número de casa ou meu hotel em San Diego? Whatever. Qualquer um. Home. 604-559-4173. Residencial - 604-559-4173. Are there any other drivers? Há outros motoristas? No. Just me. Não. Apenas eu. How are you paying for this? Como você vai pagar por isso? Credit card. Visa. There you go. Credit card. Visa. Aqui está. Thank you. What about collision damage waiver and personal accident insurance? Obrigado. E que tal apólice de seguro contra danos por colisão e seguro de acidentes pes

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 19th of April 2020 The news headlines: Get on the air to care Cast your RSGB election vote SOS Radio Week to go-ahead The Radio Society of Great Britain, working in partnership with the NHS, has launched a campaign called “Get on the air to care” to support the emotional health and wellbeing of 75,000 licensed UK radio amateurs – just some of the 3,000,000 worldwide. It linked with World Amateur Radio Day yesterday, Saturday 18 April, which also celebrates this innovative, global community. Steve Thomas, M1ACB, General Manager of the RSGB explains: “Please help to increase amateur radio activity through club and repeater group nets, chatting with your friends or just by calling CQ. If you’d like to show your support for the NHS at the same time, Ofcom is happy for radio amateurs to add “/NHS” to the end of their callsigns.” GB1NHS, the UK’s National Health Service radio communications station will be on the air as part of this campaign so listen out for it! The Society’s new “Get on the air to care” web page includes the launch video, so go to www.rsgb.org/gota2c and take a look. Are you an RSGB Member? Have you used your vote yet? Don’t forget that voting for the RSGB elections is still open, although it closes at 9am on Thursday the 23rd of April. This is your opportunity to choose who you want to be part of the RSGB Board and help lead the Society over the next few years. The special web pages at www.rsgb.org/agm have details of the Calling Notice, Resolutions, candidate statements and information about how to vote. The voting results and trophy winners will be announced on the RSGB website on the 25th of April, when the AGM was due to be held. SOS Radio Week will go ahead, with all participants able to operate from home using either a special event callsign issued by Ofcom, a club callsign, or an individual’s own personal callsign. The event starts at 0000UTC on the 1st of May and concludes at 2359UTC on the 31st of May. During that period, participants should make as many contacts as possible with stations at home and around the world. For further details, and to register, please visit www.sosradioweek.org.uk. In many areas of the UK, all the HF amateur bands up to and including 20m are being blighted by interference from VDSL. This is the most widespread means of providing residential broadband internet services in the UK. Ofcom, which is responsible for investigating radio interference, says that it receives, on average, only six complaints per year on the topic and won’t take any significant action. The RSGB President has written a letter in the May edition of RadCom asking every radio amateur who suffers from VDSL interference to submit a complaint to Ofcom so that we can demonstrate the size of the problem. Please read the full RadCom feature and then look at the Society’s special web page, which outlines the process for reporting VDSL interference and offers you guidance and software to help you: it’s at www.rsgb.org/vdsl-reporting CQ-Serenade is a weekly programme for Northern European radio amateurs transmitted in the short wave AM broadcast bands. From the UK it is recommended to listen on 6160kHz during the daytime and 3975kHz at night. The weekly English language amateur radio programme has a new summer schedule and the program is transmitted at the times listed at tinyurl.com/CQ-Serenade. If you want to get your story or information on the air there, send your submissions to studio@shortwaveradio.de. ARISS has postponed school/group contacts in the USA as well as in South Africa and Romania. At least one contact in the UK has been cancelled altogether. In the short term, ARISS mentors will work with each school or organisation in the amateur radio contact queue to determine the way forward. It would rely on local government COVID-19 policy for guidance in deciding whether to cancel or postpone a contact or to modify the contact schedule. Several initiatives are in the works over the longer term to transform how they interact with students and host educational institutions in light of COVID-19 by engaging virtually with students and educational institutions. ARISS also is planning several slow-scan television sessions, during which images from the ISS would be transmitted to at-home students. Some sad news now. Marc Litchman, G0TOC passed away on the 29th of March. He had been in poor health for several months. He was a well-known RSGB volunteer who had supported the Society for a number of years. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. Bob King, G3ASE has also become a Silent Key. In 1941, Bob was recruited as a Voluntary Interceptor at the age of 16, followed by four and half years in the Radio Security Service stationed at Box 25, Arkley View, Barnet. There he examined logs from our intercept stations to determine which transmissions were German Abwehr and thus wanted. His work amongst the surviving VIs is legendary, including the annual reunions at Bletchley Park. Condolences to his family at this difficult time. Another Silent Key, Henry Pinchin, G3VPE, was the RSGB Regional Representative for Region 3 from July 1975 to December 1981. He served on the RSGB council from January 1982 to December 1987. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family. Obituaries for these well-known and admired amateurs appear on the RSGB website at. The RSGB has been adding updates to the ‘Sharing ideas’ section of its Coronavirus updates page, which you can find at www.rsgb.org/coronavirus-updates There are reports from Denby Dale ARC, Spalding ARC and Norfolk ARC, as well as news of two new technical videos on ATV and Microwave operations that the Society has added to its website. Find out what others are doing, be inspired and then email comms@rsgb.org.uk to share how your club is adapting to the current challenges. Now the special event news Peter, G4XEX will be active as GB4SAH for Stay At Home until the 30th of April to help amateurs pass the time during the lockdown. Euan, MM0VIK is active as GB1COR from his home QTH in the Shetland Islands, EU-012, until the end of April in recognition and support for the health professionals and essential key workers during the coronavirus emergency. QSL cards will not be available for this special callsign. Ten OH0 to OH9 special callsigns with the suffix PYSYKOTONA, which is Finnish for stay at home, are active until the 3rd of July. They’re to raise awareness for social distancing and remaining at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. QSL via Logbook of The World, eQSL, or via OH3AC. The RAF Amateur Radio Society will be activating the special event GB75VED from the 1st to the 28th May from members’ homes. Now the contest news Due to social distancing and movement precautions around the world, most contest organisers are not accepting entries from multi-operator groups or from portable stations. Check the rules before taking part. The First Machine Generated Modes contest ends its 24-hour run at 1400UTC today, the 19th. Using the 50 and 144MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and your four-character locator. The YU DX contest ends its 24-hour run at 0659UTC today the 19th. More information can be found at http://yudx.yu1srs.org.rs/2020. On Tuesday, the 1.3GHx UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Thursday, the 80m Club Championships takes place from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using RTTY and PSK only, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Next weekend the SP DX RTTY contest runs from 1200UTC on the 25th to 1200UTC on the 26th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands the exchange is signal report and serial number, with SP stations also sending their Province code. Next Sunday, the 26th, the BARTG Sprint 75 contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is your serial number only. And finally, don’t forget the RSGB Hope QSO Party on weekdays, see www.rsgbcc.org/hf for further details. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 17th of April. Last week we said that we expected the Kp index to rise over the weekend due to incoming solar particles from an Earth-facing coronal hole. But we did warn that it was impossible to tell how severe it might be. In the end, it didn’t amount to much, as although the stream was travelling at up to 450km per second, its density was actually quite low and the Kp index topped out at a fairly low three. The Sun remained spotless all week and the solar flux index remained pegged below 70. The only good news was that we have begun to see signs of the impending Sporadic-E season, with one or two days showing short-skip openings on 10 metres into Germany and Spain, and a probable F2 layer or multi-hop Sporadic-E opening into Paraguay and Brazil on Thursday. We expect these to increase as we head towards May, so do keep an eye on 28MHz. The FT8 frequency of 28.074MHz will likely be the first to show signs of activity but don’t rule out the CW and SSB parts of the band. Next week NOAA has the solar flux index at or about 68-70. Conditions should remain settled until the 26th when the Kp index is predicted to rise to four, due to the return of a solar coronal hole. Propquest.co.uk shows that the daytime critical frequency (F0F2) is often exceeding 4MHz, so 80m and perhaps 60m are still best for inter-UK contacts. Twenty metres still remains the optimum DX band during daylight, with occasional openings on 17 and even 15 metres at times. Ten-metre propagation, when it occurs, is still likely to be via short-skip Sporadic-E, with very rare F2 openings bringing DX. And now the VHF and up propagation news. As high pressure tends to favour cooler areas at this time the year, it’s common to find highs over Scandinavia. Conversely, as the continent slowly warms, there is a tendency for low pressure to form, say, over France or Biscay. That is pretty much the typical pattern we find through next week. What this means for propagation is that the southern half of the country starts with showery rain or thunderstorms and the prospect of some rain scatter. This rain scatter option appears to last until about Tuesday. Northern areas nearer the high over Shetland and Norway could see some Tropo. This is because another typical feature of spring is that the North Sea is often covered by a layer of misty low cloud, and that makes good conditions for Tropo. So, look for paths along the east coast from East Anglia to northeast Scotland or across the North Sea to Denmark and Germany. Most areas see some Tropo benefit in the second half of the week. We are heading rapidly towards May, the nominal start of the Sporadic-E season. The position of the jet stream’s upper air patterns suggests that paths towards Spain and Portugal are more favoured, especially at first, with the second option of paths towards Scandinavia. Wednesday sees the peak of the ongoing Lyrids meteor so look out for increased meteor scatter activity this week. Moon declination goes positive on Tuesday but with apogee on Tuesday, EME path losses are at their highest this week. 144MHz sky noise is low. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

April 12, 2020 Why doesn’t God answer our prayers? Today we are going to be looking at the most famous story of Elijah’s. This is an epic showdown between Baal and Yahweh found in 1 Kings 18. This battle answers the question, “Why doesn’t God answer our prayers?” It doesn't totally answer that question, but it begins to answer it. Next Sunday, we will see how Chapter 19 continues to answer this question, but today we are going to see the first reason. In 1 Kings 18:1, Elijah is told by God that it is time for the drought to end. So God commands Elijah to go and speak to Ahab. Elijah goes to the servant of Ahab, Obadiah, who is a devout man and tells him to bring Ahab to him. After some reluctance, Obadiah agrees to bring Ahab to this place and they meet in 18:17. Listen to the conversation... 1 Kings 18:17--20 (ESV) --- 17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” 18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. 19 Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” 20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. Troubler of Israel Notice how Ahab is accusing Elijah of bringing about all of this trouble for Israel. This is typical of how people react when things don’t work out the way they think that it should. We start to cast blame. It’s what we do. Elijah is the trouble maker because he pronounced a curse against Ahab and Israel. It is all Elijah’s fault. He has offended Baal, and now Baal won’t send anymore rain down. This is why Ahab has been trying to kill Elijah. He thought that the death of the offender would result in the return of Baal and her rain. This is the scenario that Ahab has worked out in his head. But this is not nearly the truth. Elijah looks at Ahab and tells him the truth. He says, “You are the trouble maker. You are the one who has abandoned the commandments of the Lord to follow the Baals.” Elijah calls Ahab out for his apostasy. It is interesting that Elijah did not say this back in Chapter 17. He just let Ahab stew over the curse for 3.5 years. Now, he approaches him and they each share their point of view. Which one is true? Which god has caused this drought? Elijah tells Ahab to gather the prophets together at Carmel so that they can find out. The Battle Of “gods” This is going to be the closest thing to a blockbuster fight that we have seen since David and Goliath. In this corner we have 850 prophets belonging to Baal and Asherah and in the other corner we have Elijah and the Lord, Yahweh. All of Israel comes to witness this event, so there are literally thousands in attendance. Everyone is invested in this. They are ready for the death of those responsible for this drought. Elijah comes near to Israel and makes a speech. 1 Kings 18:21--24 (ESV) --- 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” Elijah is extremely outnumbered, but he challenges them to a match to see whose God can bring down fire and consume the sacrifices. This sounds good to them. Elijah even gives them first crack at it since they have so many people. The assumption is that this should be easy and quick for you to do, if your god is able. This seems to be a sudden death match up, with the first god to produce fire being called the ultimate god everyone should worship. Crying For Baal So they start to set up their sacrifice and they build their alter. Then, they call on the name of Baal from morning until noon that day saying, “O Baal, answer us.” 1 Kings 18:27 (ESV) --- 27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” This has to be one of the funniest passages in scripture. You can just imagine these 850 men spending hours calling out to Baal expecting him to answer and prove himself before all of Israel. This shows that they are not trying to pull one over on the people or that they know Ahab will kill them if they don’t try. But it seems like they really believe that Baal will set that sacrifice on fire. Then, Elijah starts taunting them by coming up with excuses for them. If he really is a god, he must be busy. If he is a god, he must be on a journey, asleep, or relieving himself. Not all translations put that in there, but that is what the Hebrew idiom meant. Elijah tells them to cry louder and they respond by crying louder and cutting themselves so that blood runs down them. It starts to get graphic and they start to get desperate. Nothing happens. There is no sound. There is no voice. There is no fire. Calling On The Lord Elijah calls all of the people to him and repairs the altar of the Lord in front of them with the 12 stones that represented Israel. Then, he added the wood and made a trench around the altar. He had men bring in 12 jars of water to pour on the sacrifice and fill the trench. 1 Kings 18:36--40 (ESV) --- 36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” 40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there. God is responding to this prayer battle to show his ability to everyone. After this, Elijah prays for rain and it rains. The drought is ended. What Do We Learn? Understanding the purpose behind this story is not difficult. This is a prayer battle. This is an attempt to settle once and for all time the challenge of God’s opponents. Elijah starts by asking the people, “How long will you ride the fence?” They are assuming that it is better to be neutral than to make up their mind and pick a god to worship. This is the story of our society today. America has returned to an idea that is centuries old, thinking that it is a modern idea. Our society says, “We can worship all of the gods out there. Just pick whichever one you like and worship it. They are all the same and we are all going to the same place by worshipping them.” They don’t realize that they are actually delusional. All religions cannot be true because all religions profess different theologies and different ideologies. Someone who says that all of the religions are basically the same is lazy, disrespectful, and emotionally violent. They are trying to say that they know better than everyone else and that their religion, which blends the things they like in all religions, is the only one that makes sense. They are acting like choosing a religion is just like choosing your favorite flavor of ice cream because there is no absolute truth. It’s all relative. So many people believe in relativism without even realizing it. But relativism contradicts itself. Saying that all truth is relative and that there is no absolute truths is an absolute statement professing to be true. Saying that all religions are true can’t hold up because my religion says all religions aren’t true. Being neutral and accepting all is neglecting to get into the details of religion. It is lazy, disrespectful, and emotionally violent. We are not doing the dirty work of finding out what is true and what is false. So, Elijah is calling for the people of Israel to make up their mind on who to serve. He wants them to stop being lazy, disrespectful, and emotionally violent. They need to recognize that God is not malleable and able to fit into whatever we want him to fit into. We must conform to his ways, he does not conform to ours. But they are unwilling to do that. Why? Why did they ever leave the Lord to worship ba’al in the first place? Ba’al Is A Spiritual Lord The word ba’al is a word that actually means spiritual lord. There was a beauty ba’al, a military ba’al, a rain ba’al, a party ba’al, a fortress ba’al (Asherah) and many others. The people would worship anything and call it their god. We might think this is primitive, but they were just willing to recognize and describe what they were doing. We don’t call anything our spiritual lord. We do not call anything our ba’al. But do we have any spiritual lords? Do we cry out for those ba’als to provide us with what we desire most? I think we all do this. What are we are praying for and why are we praying for it? When we want something really badly we pray for it. We call out to God with faith, confessing our sins, remembering his promises, and we may even thank him ahead of time because we are so sure that he will give us what we want. We follow all of the rules to have an acceptable prayer. We may even make promises to stop sinning in this area or that if he will just give us what we want. We do our little dance expecting God to hear our prayers and give us whatever we ask of him. But that god is on a journey. He must be distracted, asleep, or relieving himself. He does not give us what we want so badly. We have to have whatever this is. We have to have good health, we have to have a marriage partner, we have to have children, or we have to have a successful job. We have to have enough rain to fill our land and make us wealthy. Fill in the blank. If we do not have this one thing, our god has failed us. We are dancing for those lords to give us what we want. We are not focused on God’s glory. I think we do this little dance to our destruction. We try to follow all of rules on raising children, but our children do not turn our right. We try to follow all of the rules on marriage and our marriages don’t turn out right. We try to follow all of the rules on our job and we still do not succeed. We are dancing for our god to hear us. Dancing is a way to get our god to do what we want him to do. But our dancing does not work. When dancing doesn’t work, we start cutting ourselves. We can’t seem to get over our prayers not being answered. So what do we do? We hate ourselves. We do things to hurt ourselves. Losing a boyfriend or a girlfriend should not result in suicide. Losing a child should not result in abandoning your spouse. When we can’t seem to get over our prayers not being answered, we let it have the spiritual authority over our life. It is not just a good thing that I would enjoy and look forward to, it is the ultimate thing. It is my ba’al. If it fails, we hate ourselves and we slash ourselves. Whether God gives these things to us or not, he is still in control and he still loves us. We have to see this, admit that we are doing this, and get passed loving these spiritual lords. We have to determine that we are going to worship God and find satisfaction in him whether these prayers come true or not. God Is The Spiritual Lord At the end of this story we see that God sends down fire, but he doesn’t send down fire to destroy the people. He could have. He could have roasted them because we all know that they deserved it for their idolatry. But God doesn’t send the fire down on the people. He accepts the sacrifice. He doesn’t ask for the blood of his prophet or the blood of the people. He accepts the blood of the bull. In the New Testament we read that the blood of bulls and goats has never been sufficient to take away sins (Heb 10:4). But there was blood that was offered on their behalf and ours 800 years later. We have all fallen into the same kinds of traps as these Israelites, but God has given an ultimate sacrifice that is supposed to turn our hearts to him. God is now expecting us to make him our ultimate. We don’t need a wife, husband, children, successful careers, good health, or even freedom to be content and blessed in this life. We can suffer the loss of everything and still be blessed because the love of God fills us. How Do We Serve God Alone? So when we pray and we find that God has not given us what we ask for, we need to evaluate who is our spiritual lord as we pray. This story says that when we pray to God and also worship ba’al we are making a grave mistake and we need to choose the Lord because He is God. That is what the people conclude at the end of the battle and that is what we must conclude as well. We must evaluate our hearts greatest desire. What kind of man was Elijah? Elijah was a man who was single minded. He was solely focused on the Lord and his glory. Listen to another thing that James said... James 4:1--7 (ESV) --- 1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. The problem James points out throughout his letter is being double minded. We don’t feel like we are worshipping other gods, but we are. We have passions at war within us and we get upset about unanswered prayers so we pursue those passions more. We hurt ourselves and those around us while being unfaithful to God. God is jealous over our hearts. We have been focusing in on James 5 where James says that Elijah was a man like us and God heard his prayers. Now we start to get a little insight into what he means. Elijah put his faith, his hope, and his trust in the Lord for all that he needed to survive. Conclusion The point of Elijah’s drought and his contest was to turn the heart of the people back to God and it seems to work, but not for long. They will return to pursuing beauty, success, security, fulfillment, and happiness as their spiritual lords once things go back to normal. It is what they always do. They will continue in spiritual adultery and double mindedness. But the fact remains, only one god is living and active and able to bring down fire from heaven or come to earth to suffer and die for us all. Ba’al couldn’t do that and neither can anything else we put our trust in today. Our spouses cannot provide us with what we need in this life or in the life to come. Our children, our jobs, and our possessions are all just as temporary as we are. Don’t worship them or rely on them for satisfaction. Rely on God. How long will we ride the fence? Put your trust in God.

I. “Therefore” – the context. A. Unity through humility (Philippians 2:1-4) B. The mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5) C. The humility of Christ (Philippians 2:6-8) II. The exaltation of Christ. A. Jesus is highly exalted Ephesians 4:9-10 - [9](Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? [10]He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) Hebrews 7:26 - For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. (ESV) B. Exalted to the right hand of God Psalm 110:1 - The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” Acts 5:30-31 - [30]The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. [31]Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Romans 8:34 - Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. III. His exalted name. A. The biblical significance of God’s name. Biblically, a name is intimately associated with the person who bears it. It expresses the person’s character, dignity, reputation, power, or position. Psalm 113:1-3 - [1]Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! [2]Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! [3]From the rising of the sun to its going down the Lord’s name is to be praised. Matthew 6:9 - In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 1 John 3:23 - And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. B. Jesus Christ is Lord Acts 2:36 - Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. Revelation 19:16 - And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. C. Universal homage to the exalted Lord Romans 14:11 - For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” Revelation 5:13 - And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” D. To the glory of the Father John 13:31 - So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.” Next Sunday’s Sermon Text: Philippians 2:12-13

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 5th of April 2020   The news headlines: G2HCG becomes centenarian this week Remember to vote in RSGB elections Foundation exams online during the pandemic A good news story to start this week’s news. The RSGB would like to wish Bill Sykes, G2HCG a happy 100th birthday for Wednesday, the 8th of April. Bill is well-known for his involvement with JBeam aerials and for his in-depth knowledge of aerials in general. He is still active, mostly on 80m slow-scan television. Don’t forget that voting for the RSGB elections is still open. If you’ve struggled to find your Membership number, the Society has made it easier for you by adding it to the righthand sidebar of your Members’ page when you log into the website. This is your opportunity to choose who you want to be part of the RSGB Board and help lead the Society over the next few years. The special web pages at www.rsgb.org/agm have details of the Calling Notice, Resolutions, candidate statements and information about how to vote. Internet voting closes at 9am on Thursday the 23rd of April. On the 20th of March, the RSGB stopped accepting new exam bookings as part of its response to the government’s guidance concerning Coronavirus. Since then, it has been exploring ways in which it can use the online exams platform to enable new people to access amateur radio and obtain their licence. Following rigorous tests, the RSGB is now able to offer remote invigilation for online Foundation examinations. The Exams Department will be ready to receive online bookings from Monday the 6th of April. Further information, including an update on practical assessments, is at www.rsgb.org/syllabus-updates. The RSGB has also published a FAQ about the new process for candidates and tutors, which is at www.rsgb.org/exam-faq. To help and support radio amateurs who are isolated at home and would appreciate contact with other people, the RSGB Contest Committees are launching a new six-week initiative: the Hope QSO Party. Starting on the 6th of April and open to every radio amateur, not just RSGB Members, this contest will also welcome international participation. Scoring is on an Anyone works Anyone basis. The format is a series of 90-minute weekday events for single operators. It commences on Mondays at 0830UTC, starting 90 minutes later each day to begin on Fridays at 1430UTC. A single-mode will be used each day, repeating over a 6-day cycle. The series will use defined frequency ranges; QSOs are encouraged before and after the contest periods. The series rules are at tinyurl.com/rsgb-hope. During the COVID-19 pandemic, with European national societies working remotely, several have said that their outgoing and in-coming QSL bureau can no longer provide services. Amongst those countries that have requested no QSLs be sent are Italy, Spain and Greece. The RSGB has released to its YouTube channel three more presentations from its 2019 Annual Convention. Board Director Kamal Singh, M0IOV explores The future and growth of Amateur Radio; Derek Kozel, MW0LNA talks about Digital Homebrewing and the Schematics of SDR; whilst Roger Balister, G3KMA and Igor, UA9KDF report on the Arctic Legends expedition by RI0B to the Russian Polar Arctic. Each of these presentations are not only interesting to watch on your own but could also form the basis for lively on-air club night chats during this time of virtual club meetings. The RSGB has a Coronavirus Updates page that brings together some great ideas as well as its important announcements. Take a look at www.rsgb.org/coronavirus-updates. Now the contest news Due to social distancing and movement precautions around the world, most contest organisers are not accepting entries from multi-operator groups or from portable stations. Check the rules before taking part. The First 70MHz contest runs from 0900 to 1200UTC today, the 5th. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The UK Microwave Group second contest runs today, the 5th, from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using 1.3 to 3.4GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also today, the 5th, the first RoLo, Rolling Locator, contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using SSB, the exchange is signal report and the locator received. The SP DX contest ends its 24-hour run at 1500UTC today, the 5th. Using CW and SSB on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number, with SP stations sending their Province code. On Monday the 80m Club Championship CW contest runs from 1900 to 2030UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number. On Tuesday the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. It is followed by the all-mode 144MHz UK Activity Contest from 1900 to 2130UTC. The exchange is the same for both, comprising signal report, serial number and locator. Thursday sees the 50MHz UK Activity Contest running from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Next Sunday, the 12th, the First 50MHz contest takes place from 0900 to 1200UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number, locator and postcode. The Worked All Britain Data contest takes place from 1000 to 1400 and 1700 to 2100UTC on Sunday the 12th of April. All data modes except machine-generated CW may be used, but it is expected that most contacts will be by RTTY, PSK or FT8. The exchange is signal report, serial number and WAB square. Entries need to be with the contest manager by the 22nd of April. See www.worked-all-britain.org.uk. And finally, don’t forget the RSGB Hope QSO Party on weekdays, as mentioned earlier in this bulletin. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 3rd of March. The high-speed stream of solar particles from a coronal hole on the Sun last week wasn’t moving as fast as we initially thought. As a result, its impact on Earth, and the subsequent rise in the Kp index to four, happened in the early hours of Tuesday morning and not the weekend as we predicted. The impact though was relatively short-lived and by late Tuesday the Kp index was back down to two. The bands were affected though, with the critical frequency as measured at Chilton struggling to reach 5MHz until midday Tuesday. The predicted MUF over a 3,000km path, according to Propquest.co.uk, looked like a roller coaster ride, often exceeding 18MHz, but then crashing down to below 14MHz. A smaller coronal hole is now facing Earth, which could mean a higher Kp index over the weekend, although NOAA isn’t indicating this. There is some good news though. A small sunspot group numbered 2759, appeared on the Sun’s surface, pushing the sunspot number to 12. This represents two sunspots, which accounts for the 2, in one group, which accounts for the 10. The spot’s high latitude suggests it is from the upcoming Solar Cycle 25. But on Thursday the SFI was still at a modest 69. NOAA predicts that next week the solar flux index will remain at about 68-70 and geomagnetically the Kp index will remain at about two. The good news is there are signs that the higher HF bands are remaining open longer. As the season progresses this should improve, with 30m and even 20m eventually remaining open until very late. We are also heading towards the 2020 Sporadic-E season, which should bring strong short-skip signals on 10m, but more of that in the VHF section. And now the VHF propagation news. The weather produced some half-hearted attempts at Tropo in the past week and even some weak Sporadic-E opportunities appeared on 10m and 6m. This week looks to be rather mixed in a weather sense. The high will weaken and drift east allowing low pressure to move towards northwest Britain from the Atlantic with a series of fronts crossing the country next week. This will offer the chance of April shower rain scatter at times and then, by next weekend, there may be a rebuilding of high pressure to the east with a hint of Tropo and warmth to end the week. The month of April is traditionally the start of early Sporadic-E on 10m and 6m via traditional modes like CW and SSB. For example, a weak jet stream over the Pyrenees mid-week could favour paths to IS0, EA6, EA5 etc. Remember that springtime is also a good chance to get some auroral activity, so check those Kp values: anything above four or five is interesting. Moon declination is positive until Tuesday, as is the perigee, so losses will be at their lowest. Moon windows will shorten as the week goes on. 144MHz sky noise is low, so in all, it’s a good week for EME. We are still in the annual low activity period for shower meteors until the Lyrids, which should start on the 16th of this month. Keep checking around dawn for the best random meteor contacts. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

Next Sunday, the 22nd of March 2020, we are privileged to have David Robertson preaching on the topic of ‘What is your hope?’ David Robertson is a Christian author, prolific blogger, podcaster and director of Third Space at City Bible Forum. He and his wife Annabel are also beloved members of St Thomas’. We’ve set the 22nd of March apart as a special week to invite family and friends who don’t yet know Jesus to church. Of course, we always welcome people who don’t yet trust in Jesus, but this week is especially for them to hear the good news. Gerard O'Brien sat down with David and had a conversation about how to invite people to church. We hope you find it helpful. St Thomas' Invitation Week - 22 March, 2020 8am - in St Thomas' Church 10am - in St Thomas' Church - Facebook event here (invite your friends!) 5pm - 'Pop-Up Church' in Civic Park - Facebook event here (invite your friends!) We have also created a web page on the CEC website to help train you for inviting people to invitation weeks. You can check it out here. Christians Engaging Culture exists to equip the Christians to give faithful answers in everyday cultural conversations and to turn those conversations to the gospel. Please tell others about this podcast and show them how to subscribe. You can find the Christians Engaging Culture website here. If you are not a member of St Thomas', we invite you to look at the 'About Us' page of our website here.

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 8th of March 2020 The news headlines: RAYNET helps in flooding emergency Blue Ham this weekend 6,873 February visitors to NRC   North Humber RAYNET were recently activated during the widespread flooding that occurred on the 27th of February in Snaith, East Yorkshire. A temporary control station was first established at the ‘washlands’ near the village of the East Cowick during the afternoon of the 26th, with thirteen members attending the developing situation over three days. Members were positioned at Vehicle Check Points, flooded roads and worked alongside Yorkshire 4x4 Response vehicles as well as being co-located in the local Town Council emergency control centre and Bronze Command. Most of the radio traffic was carried over 144MHz, with some on 70MHz. A VHF/UHF talk-through was located in a vehicle outside Snaith Fire Station to provide local access and an increased range as the 4G mobile phone coverage was patchy in some areas and there were issues with access at times. The group were finally stood down late in the evening of Saturday the 29th of February as the flooding and the situation stabilised. The RAFAC tell us that the next Blue Ham Radio Communications Exercise will be this weekend, the 7th and 8th of March, using the 5MHz band. Details of the exchange of information to count as a QSO is at https://alphacharlie.org.uk/exercise-blue-ham. A Blue Ham Certificate is available if you contact 10 or more special MRE callsigns during the exercise with the Cadets. No fewer than 6,873 visitors were welcomed to the RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park during February. As part of the on-going recruitment campaign, two new volunteers joined the NRC team: Mike, G0RBB and Nick, M0NPH. The RSGB would like to thank them and the other NRC volunteers for their time. Yves F5PRU / 6W1TA in Senegal has been informed by the Senegalese Telecom Regulatory Authority that the new WRC-15 Amateur Secondary Allocation 5351.5 – 5366.5kHz is now allowed in the country. The IARU Region 1 band plan should be used with a maximum power limit available of 15W EIRP. Yves has been living in Senegal for 18 months. He is mainly on the air around 5354kHz on CW and sometimes on 5357kHz FT8. Venues and dates for the 2020 series of Train the Trainers courses can be found on the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/train-the-trainers. In order for the organisers to ensure that courses are run as cost-effectively as possible, between 20 and 25 candidates are required for each venue. To reserve a place on any course please email trainthetrainers@rsgb.org.uk with your name and telephone number. The first course to run will be held in Telford on the 21st of March; it now only has two places available. Following Telford will be Cardiff on the 18th of April. This course needs more candidates, so if you want to attend this event please book as soon as possible. Details of other courses available are on the website. The RSGB is delighted to announce that Tony Jones, G7ETW has been appointed as Amateur Radio Development Chair and Chris Colclough, G1VDP has been appointed to the role of Beyond Exams Coordinator. Both were licensed in the 1980s, have been active in a range of amateur radio activities and are looking forward to being part of these initiatives. The first lecture as part of the Marconi Centenary 2020 has been announced by the Chelmsford Civic Society. Professor Danielle George has kindly agreed to speak at Anglia Ruskin University, Bishop Hall Lane, Chelmsford, CM1 1SQ on Tuesday the 31st of March at 2 pm. The lecture is free to everyone but must be pre-booked. Go to https://tinyurl.com/eventbrite-marconi. The RSGB has created a new policies page where you will find all the Society’s main policies in one place: www.rsgb.org/policies. Where relevant you can also still find them on the appropriate sections of its website. The policy documents have been updated into the RSGB’s current branding so please make sure you refer to the most recent versions. And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week The Pencoed ARC Table-Top Sale scheduled to take place on the 8th of March has been cancelled. Due to concerns raised over the Covoid-19 virus, the committee of Wythall Radio Club have decided to cancel this year’s Wythall Hamfest, originally planned for next Sunday the 15th of March. They would like to thank the traders for their support for this year’s event and hope to see everyone next year. On the 22nd of March, Stirling & District ARS is holding a CW Boot Camp in conjunction with GMDX. Further information is at www.gmdx.org.uk/cwbootcamp Please send details of your rally and event plans as soon as possible to radcom@rsgb.org.uk – we give you valuable publicity online, in RadCom and on GB2RS, all for free. And now the DX news from 425 DX News and other sources David, F8AAN will be active holiday style as 3B9AN from Rodrigues Island, IOTA reference AF-017, between the 10th and 19th of March. He will operate CW on the 80 to 17m bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, or direct to his home call. Richard, G3RWL will be active as 8P6DR from Barbados, NA-021, from the 8th of March to the 9th of April. He will operate CW and possibly some RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, Logbook of The World or via his home call, either direct or via the bureau. Noel, F6BGC will be active as 8Q7NC from the Maldives, AS-013, between the 12th and the 21st of March. He will be operating holiday-style on the 80 to10m bands using SSB, CW and digital modes. QSL via Logbook of The World, or direct to his home call. 9K2HQ and other members of the Kuwait ARS will be active as 9K2F from Faylakah Island, AS-118, between the 11th and the 15th of March. They will operate SSB, CW and FT8 on the 80 to 10m bands. QSL via 9K2RA and Logbook of The World. Thierry, F6CUK will be active as TM8C from the lighthouse on Cordouan Island, EU-159, between the 13th and the 15th of March. He will operate CW and SSB on the 40 and 20m bands. QSL via his home call. Now the special event news On the weekend of the 14th and 15th of March, the Shepparton & District ARC will connect amateur transceivers to the curtain array and rhombic antennas at the Broadcast Australia site in Shepparton, which is located in North Central Victoria, Australia. This site was previously a short wave Radio Australia location. VI3RA will be on the air from 2300UTC on Saturday the 14th of March until 2300UTC on the 16th using the 7, 10, 14, 18 and 21MHz bands. The Maine Bicentennial Special Event celebrates the 200th anniversary of Maine statehood between the 16th and the 22nd of March. Twelve special event callsigns will be active, each representing one of Maine’s nine original counties, plus three special locations that have historical significance, including K1B, K1J, K1P, W1C, W1H and W1Y amongst others. Certificates will be awarded to those who contact special event stations, with endorsements available for bands, modes, and a clean sweep for contacts with each of the Maine 200 Special Event call signs. See https://maine200specialevent.com/ for more information. Please send special event details to radcom@rsgb.org.uk as early as possible to get your event publicised here on GB2RS, in RadCom, and online. Now the contest news The ARRL International DX contest ends its 48 hour run at 2359UTC today, the 8th. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz bands, the exchange is signal report and transmitter power. US stations also send their State and Canadians their Province. The 144/432MHz contest ends its 24 hour run at 1400UTC today, the 8th. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The UK Microwave Group’s Low Band Contest takes place today, the 8th, from 1000 to 1600UTC. Using all modes on the 1.3 to 3.4GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The Worked All Britain 3.5MHz contest also takes place today, the 8th of March, from 1800 to 2200UTC. Entries need to be with the contest manager by the 18th of March. The exchange will be RS plus serial number plus WAB square. Full details of the rules and methods of entry may be obtained from the WAB website, www.worked-all-britain.org.uk. On Tuesday the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 1955UTC, using FM only. It is immediately followed by the all-mode 432MHz UK Activity Contest from 2000 to 2230UTC. The exchange for both contests is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 80m Club Championships CW leg runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number. On Thursday the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The longest-running RSGB contest of them all is the Commonwealth Contest, formerly known as BERU. It runs for 24 hours over the weekend of the 14th and 15th. There are always some travellers who fly off to activate Commonwealth countries that are not heard every day and they will all be pleased to work anyone in the UK, contester or not. The contest runs from 1000 to 1000UTC, it’s CW only on the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bans and the exchange is signal report and serial number. Next Sunday, the 15th, the 2nd 70MHz Cumulative contest runs from 1000 to 1200UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 6th of March. The VP8PJ DXpedition to the South Orkney Islands has now finished, with the last active day on the 5th of March. The DXpedition resulted in many UK stations putting South Orkney into their log, on all bands and modes from 160 to 15 metres, with a few reports even of 10m contacts. This was a good example of how ionospheric propagation can be hard to predict as some of the paths looked very difficult if not impossible. But over a week-long period, there were times when signals were able to get through, if only for short periods. It also showed how localised HF propagation can be, with some stations in the UK hearing them, while 100 miles away there was nothing. Solar figures wise, the week ended pretty much as it started with zero sunspots and a solar flux index of 69 to 70. The week was mainly settled geomagnetically, apart from the night of Saturday, February the 29th and Sunday the 1st of March when the Kp index rose to four. This was due to a solar wind stream from a coronal hole on the Sun, which we predicted last week. Luckily, this was pretty short-lived and after it struck the Kp index fell back again to one or two representing more settled geomagnetic conditions. NOAA predicts that next week will be pretty similar to last with zero sunspots and a solar flux index around 70 to 71. The US Air Force predicts fairly quiet geomagnetic conditions with a Kp index around one or two. At the time of writing a small coronal hole has appeared on the Sun’s equator, which should become geoeffective this weekend. Another polar coronal hole is also growing towards the solar equator. This means that any solar matter from these holes could impact the Earth sometime over the weekend or early next week. If it does, expect a possible short-lived pre-auroral enhancement followed by a general reduction in the MUF as the Kp index rises. Don’t forget that next weekend is the Commonwealth Contest with CW HF stations on from Australia, New Zealand and Canada, as well as exotic locations such as Mauritius, the Cayman Islands, Belize and the Turks and Caicos Islands. And now the VHF and up propagation news. March is usually a month of typical spring gales and storms with the main Atlantic jet stream across the British Isles. Next week’s forecast is therefore not unexpected, and the main theme is a very changeable one with quite strong winds at times and periods of rain. No surprise then, that there is little prospect of high pressure and Tropo for the VHF/UHF bands. What's left is a challenge for microwave operators to seek out some rain scatter from fast-moving scatter points in this train of lows and fronts crossing the country. Also, if you have heavy local rain between you and the QO-100 satellite, look out for a reduction in signal strength from the transponders. This is due to the scattering effect of the water droplets causing a blockage at the GHz band downlink frequency. The strong jet stream will also produce some small opportunity for out-of-season Sporadic-E, probably towards the south into Spain or Italy. Moon declination goes negative on Wednesday so the best peak Moon elevation will be in the early half of the week. Tuesday is perigee so, with path losses at their lowest, it’s still a good week for EME. 144MHz sky noise is low for the early part of the week but climbs slowly, reaching 750K a week today. The small Gamma-Normids meteor shower peaks next Saturday, but with a zenithal hourly rate of just six, it’s nothing to get excited about, so keep looking for random meteor scatter QSOs around dawn. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

We are about to enter into the season of Lent. Next Sunday is the first Sunday in Lent,And next Sunday we will talk about what that means from a Biblical perspective…Not a worldly perspective.And to prepare for this upcoming season of Lent, i want to look at God’s Saving Grace.And I want to start by looking at the Ten Commandments.Let’s dig in.The 10 Commandments…the Law of God.Where is the grace in the Law?Well, we heard in our reading this morning these Ten Commandments,And it would seem there is no grace in there.Just a list of what, and what not, to do.And that is true on the surface.Now, I am not going to go through each commandment this morning.Instead I want to look at the Spirit of the Law.What is the purpose of the Law?It is to show us our need for God’s Great Grace.We can’t live up to the letter of this Law.Let me ask you something…Have you ever lied?Then you are a liar.Have you ever stolen anything?Then you are a thief.Have you ever gossiped or been involved in rumors?Then you have borne false witness.Have you ever not honored your parents?Have you ever misused the Name of the Lord?You get the point?You and I cannot, and have not, lived up to the letter of the Law.We are sinners.And in the presence of a Holy and Just God, we cannot stand.Because of God being Holy and Just and Omniscient,God knows we cannot live up to the letter of the Law.Then why give it to us?Well, because without God’s Law, we sinners do not know we have sinned.Without something to measure against, we cannot know where we stand.And this Law of God is not just on a couple of tablets.It is written on our hearts and minds.You see, God has made known to each one of us the Law of God.And in this Law that is written on our hearts and minds, we find that we have a longing,To be made right with God…to worship God.We recognize there is a hole in who we are that needs to be made complete.And we will spend our lives trying to find that completeness in any variety of ways.God’s Law is in us, but to be fully realized, there is another component we need.See, this Law of God doesn’t save us, or show us grace in and of itself.Instead, it points us to Grace.The Law shows us where and why we need God’s Great Grace.It points out my need for a Savior…for Christ.Because of my sinful nature, the Law itself cannot save me.And that is why God used the Law to show my need for Him,And then gave himself TO save me!God told us, ‘here is what is required, and you cannot meet it.But do not lose hope because I have made a way for this requirement to be met!’God says to us that though we fail short, and cannot meet the Law’s requirements,He is faithful to us, even in our sin…our falling short!Hallelujah! Praise God!The Law shows us that our sinful nature leads to death, because not meeting the Law’s requirements leads to death!Our sinful nature cannot fulfill the Law, and failing to meet the Law’s requirements brings death.I hope you see the connection here.List

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 16th of February 2020   The news headlines: Storm Ciara prevents 40m GB2RS news reading Get involved in British Science Week Second mock Full licence exam available   Due to the awful weather conditions last weekend during Strom Ciara, Gunter, DJ2XB and Colin DJ0OK were unable to read the GB2RS news on 40m. Both readers had to take their antennas down for safety. They hope to resume a normal service today, the 16th, weather permitting. If you or your radio club want to get involved in British Science Week, which takes place between the 6th and the 15th of March, activity packs are now available to download from https://tinyurl.com/qvyqnr8  The pack contains tips on how to run British Science Week in school or at home, easy-to-run activities, and details of the annual poster competition. Whilst there’s no details of radio activities, there's a lot to get you started on this excellent initiative and can be adapted for amateur radio use. The RSGB has published a second mock exam paper for the Full licence this week so there are now two for each licence level. You can see all the mock exam papers on the Society’s website at www.rsgb.org/mock-exams Amateurs in all French territories now have access to the 60m 5351.5 to 5366.5kHz WRC allocation at a maximum power of 15WERP following the publication in the French official journal. The French national society, REF, advocates the use of the IARU 60m band plan. Mitsuo, JA1WQF successfully decoded a 47GHz signal bounced off the moon from Al, W5LUA on the 10th of February. Al posted news of the achievement on the Moon-Net email reflector saying these were only one-way tests that started out with sending single tones that were copied well. Then Al sent several sequences of calls and grid that Mitsuo was able to decode at 1146 and 1234UTC. Signal levels were -23 and -25dB. More tests are planned. The Leicester Mercury has a story on the top-secret wartime listening station Beaumanor Hall’s crucial role in the Second World War. It was a Y station and you can read the full story at https://tinyurl.com/rhtb8tl The IARU Monitoring System Region 1 Newsletter January 2020 is now available at www.iaru-r1.org. Richard, G4DYA is the Intruder Watch Coordinator runs the RSGB Monitoring System, part of the IARU Monitoring System. His report contains several instances of the Container over-the-horizon radar. The RSGB Build a Radio workshop at the National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park on the 14th of March is now sold out. Details of the next event will be in a forthcoming GB2RS.   And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week Today, the 16th, the RadioActive Rally will be held at Nantwich Civic Hall, Cheshire, CW5 5DG. There is free car parking and doors open at 10.30am. There will be a Bring & Buy, as well as traders and an RSGB book stall. A single raffle ticket is included with the entrance programme; additional tickets available. Catering is provided on site. Contact Stuart Jackson on 0788 073 2534. Also today, the 16th, the Lomond Radio Club Bring & Buy event takes place at John Connolly Centre, Main Street, Renton G82 4LY. Doors open at 10am. There will be a Bring & Buy, traders and refreshments will be available. Contact Bill at mm0elf@blueyonder.co.uk Next Sunday, the 23rd, the Rainham Radio Rally takes place at The Victory Academy, Magpie Hall Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 5JB. Doors open from 10am to 4pm and admission is £3 with children attending free of charge. Talk in will be on 145.550MHz using GB4RRR. Local and national traders will be in attendance. The BRATS Interactive Zone for Kids will be available as will the BRATS Junk stand. Refreshments from the BRATS Kitchen. Contact 0782 583 8877 if you need more information. Also next Sunday, the 23rd, is the Red Rose Winter Rally at St Joseph’s Hall, Chapel Street, Leigh WN7 2PQ. Doors open at 11am. There will be trade, individual and Club stands as well as a Bring & Buy. Details at www.wmrc.co.uk Please send details of your rally and event plans as soon as possible to radcom@rsgb.org.uk – we give you valuable publicity online, in RadCom and on GB2RS, all for free.   And now the DX news from 425 DX News and other sources Chas, NK8O will be active as 5H3DX from Zinga in Tanzania between the 16th of February and 16th of March. In his spare time, he will operate CW, PSK31, FT8 and possibly SSB on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via NK8O direct only, see qrz.com for instructions, Logbook of The World and eQSL. Hiro, JG1SXP will be active as 8Q7HK from the Maldives, AS-013, between the 19th and 24th of February. He will operate FT8, CW and some SSB on the 80 to15m bands, possibly also on 160m depending on local conditions. QSL via Logbook of The World, Club Log's OQRS, or direct to home call. Brian, ND3F will be active as KP2/ND3F from St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, NA-106, until the18th of February. QSL via EA5GL. Mike, TI5/W1USN and Bob, TI5/AA1M will be active from Costa Rica from the 20th of February to the 4th of March. They will operate CW, SSB and FT8 on the 160 to 10m bands. QSLs via Logbook of The World, or via their home calls either direct or via the bureau. Rick, N1DC is active holiday style as N1DC/4 from Hutchinson Island, NA-141, until the 25th of February. He operates CW, FT8 and SSB on the 40, 30 and 20m bands. QSL direct to his home call and Logbook of The World. Wolfgang, DL5MAE will be paying another visit to Laos until the 20th of February. In his spare time, he will reactivate his 3W2MAE callsign. He suffers from heavy local QRM and requests that callers bear this in mind when trying to contact him. His preferred QSL route is via the German QSL bureau.   Now the special event news Members of the Bruneck section of the ARI, the Italian national society, will be using II3BIA until the 23rd of February to celebrate the Biathlon World Championships in Italy. Operations will be on all bands between 160 and 10m as well as 2m and 70cm using CW, SSB, digital modes and QO-100 satellite. QSL via IN3ZWF, by the Bureau, direct, eQSL or OQRS. Please send special event details to radcom@rsgb.org.uk as early as possible to get your event publicised here on GB2RS, in RadCom, and online.   Now the contest news This weekend the ARRL International DX Contest ends its 48-hour run at 2359UTC today, the 16th. Using CW only on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands the exchange is signal report and transmit power, with US stations also sending their State and Canadians their Province. On Monday the first FT4 contest runs from 2000 to 230UTC on the 80m band. The exchange is your 4-character locator. On Tuesday, the 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Thursday the 70MHz UK Activity Contest also runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Next Sunday, the 23rd, is the first 70MHz Cumulative Contest. Running from 1000 to 1200UTC and using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. For 48 hours next weekend the CQ 160m DX contest take place. Starting at 2200UTC on the 21st, it ends at the same time on the 23rd. Using SSB only the exchange is signal report and CQ Zone with American stations also sending their State and Canadians their Province. From 0600UTC on the 22nd to 1800UTC on the 23rd, the REF Contest is SSB only on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands. The exchange is signal report and serial number with French stations sending their Department number or overseas prefix. For 24 hours from 1200UTC on the 22nd, the UK EI Contest Club DX contest is CW only on the 3.5 to 28MHz bands. The exchange is signal report and District Code.   Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 14th of February. Last week saw reasonably-settled HF conditions after the effects of a geomagnetic disturbance passed. But the Sun remained spotless again with a solar flux index of about 70-72 all week. Wednesday’s 80m Club Championship contest left many amateurs feeling disappointed and with fairly empty logs after the critical frequency let them down. At the start of the contest the f0F2 as measured at RAL in Chilton was 3.5MHz, but it then declined before finishing at 3.45MHz at 21:30hrs. As a result, long skip was the order of the day with the highest scorers being in Scotland, the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden. With a few exceptions, there were few inter-G contacts as the high-angle signals were just not being returned by the ionosphere. Hopefully, this will improve over the next few months as the series continues and the evening critical frequency or f0F2 rises. Barring any dramatic changes, NOAA has the solar flux index at 71 this coming week. A large coronal hole should become Earth-facing on Friday the 14th, which means we may see its associated high speed solar wind impact the Earth around Sunday or Monday the 16th/17th. This could see the Kp index rise to four with characteristic disturbed conditions after a potential initial positive phase. There are some DX nuggets to be had this week. Mike TI7/G3WPH and John TI7/G4IRN are both active in Costa Rica until 17th February. They have already been spotted on 160m and 40m, and should be taking part in this weekend’s ARRL International DX Contest. See www.rsgb.org/predtest for prediction details to Costa Rica   And now the VHF and up propagation news.   Next week’s weather is likely to continue the unsettled theme, so more strong winds at times and little real chance of significant Tropo paying a visit. There may just be a brief weak ridge close to southern England midweek, but not looking too useful for developing the inversions needed for Tropo. In propagation terms, that leaves us with some potential for rain scatter as active fronts and showers bring useful scatter points regions for the GHz fraternity. The shower examples may be quite a challenge since the rate of movement can be quite high in such windy weather; imagine trying to follow a target moving at 40mph! Radar displays are your friend here and can make a big difference to the outcomes. Moon declination reaches its minimum for the lunar month on Wednesday, with the Moon appearing above the horizon for seven hours and reaching just 13 degrees elevation. Path losses are rising all week and 144 MHz sky noise is very high, peaking at around 3000 Kelvin on Tuesday. Keep looking for random meteor scatter QSOs around dawn when the Earth is rotating towards the main meteor flux to keep the VHF DX coming. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.  

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 9th of February 2020   The news headlines: Build a radio at Bletchley Park Voting for RSGB AGM opens in around 4 weeks GB3GV ATV repeater back to full power   The RSGB invites young people, and an accompanying adult if the child is under 16 years, to join them at the National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park for a fun and hands-on workshop where they can learn more about radio and electronics on the 14th of March. The workshop offers a short introduction to wireless communications, radio propagation and electronic construction, before moving on to the construction of a medium wave radio receiver provided free of charge for each registered student by the Radio Communications Foundation. Attendees will also be able to visit Bletchley Park, including the National Radio Centre. Places are limited to eight young persons, tickets cost £7 and accompanying adults if child is under 16 £8. The ticket includes access to Bletchley Park for the purposes of this workshop on the specified date only. Bookings are available via the Bletchley Park website at www.bletchleypark.org.uk/ under the what’s on tab. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered for the RSGB Board Director and Regional Representative roles as part of the forthcoming elections. The nomination period has now ended. Voting will begin on the 11th of March and will end on the 23rd of April. All the information on candidates and how to vote will appear in the April edition of RadCom. GB3GV, the Leicestershire Repeater Group 23cm ATV repeater, has now been restored to full ERP following a site visit on the 1st of February. Further info from www.leicestershirerepeatergroup.org.uk. Venues and dates for the 2020 series of Train the Trainers courses can be found on the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/train-the-trainers. In order to ensure that courses are run as cost-effectively as possible between twenty and twenty-five candidates are needed for each course. To reserve a place on any of the courses please email trainthetrainers@rsgb.org.uk with your name and telephone number. The first course to run will be held in Telford on the 21st of March; it currently has eight places available. Following Telford will be Cardiff on the 18th of April. This course currently still has space so please book as soon as possible. Details of other courses available are on the website. The RSGB’s Examinations and Syllabus Review Group is delighted to announce the appointment of Greg Fenton, M0ODZ to the group. Greg has had a life-long interest in amateur radio and in more recent years he also became involved with Makerspace in Newcastle. After gaining his Full licence he started to take part in amateur radio teaching, including to his youngest daughter who is now also a licensed radio amateur. Like Tony, G7ETW who also joined the group recently, Greg has already brought fresh enthusiasm and ideas to the group and the RSGB looks forward to his continued participation. Due to essential maintenance, the Radio Room at the RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed to visitors on Tuesday the 11th of February. Whilst the NRC itself will remain open to visitors, it means that the station GB3RS will be ‘off-air’ and hence will be unavailable for any visiting radio amateurs to operate. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. The work should be completed by mid-afternoon and hence GB3RS may be on-air later in the day but, by closing for the day, we are allowing for any over-run needed to complete the work. Provisional results for the last IARU R1 VHF Contest are available on IARU Region 1 website www.iaru-r1.org. Congratulations to GM4ZUK/P who was the highest placed UK station in the single operation 145MHz section and G8P who were the highest placed team in the multi operatior 145MHz section. G3XDY was the highest placed UK station in the 6 hour 145MHz section   And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week Today, the 9th of February the Harwell Radio and Electronics Rally will be held at Didcot Leisure Centre, Mereland Road, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 8AY, that’s about 3 miles from the A34 Milton Interchange. Doors open 10am to 3pm and admittance is £3 with under 12s free. Talk in will be on 145.550MHz, using G3PIA and there is free car parking. Local and national traders as well as Special Interest Groups and an RSGB Bookstand will be in attendance. Home-made refreshments are available all day. Details from rally@g3pia.net or 01235 816379. Next Saturday, the 15th the Ballymena ARC Rally will be held in Ahoghill Community Centre, 80 Cullybackey Road, Ahoghill BT42 1LA. Doors open at 10.30am and admission is £3. There is free parking on site. There will be traders, a Bring & Buy and a prize draw will operate. Light refreshments will be available. Tables are free but must be pre-booked by email to HKernohan@aol.com. More details from Hugh, GI0JEV on 0282 587 1481. Next Sunday, the 16th, the RadioActive Rally will be held at Nantwich Civic Hall, Cheshire, CW5 5DG. There is free car parking and doors open at 10.30am. There will be a Bring & Buy, as well as traders and an RSGB book stall. A single raffle ticket is included with the entrance programme; additional tickets available. Catering is provided on site. Contact Stuart Jackson on 0788 073 2534. Also, next Sunday, the 16th, the Lomond Radio Club Bring & Buy event takes place at John Connolly Centre, Main Street, Renton G82 4LY. Doors open at 10am. There will be a Bring & Buy, traders and refreshments will be available. Contact Bill at mm0elf@blueyonder.co.uk. Please send details of your rally and event plans as soon as possible to radcom@rsgb.org.uk – we give you valuable publicity online, in RadCom and on GB2RS, all for free.   And now the DX news from 425 DX News and other sources Andre, PP6ZZ will be active as PY0FF from Fernando de Noronha, SA-003, until the 18th of February. He plans to operate all modes, including FT8 and FT4, in his spare time. QSL via Logbook of The World, or via W9VA. RI1ANC, the club station at Vostok Station in Antarctica, is active. Look for activity on the HF bands, mainly FT8 with some CW and SSB. QSL via RN1ON. Ed, K1EP will be active as VP2MEP from Montserrat, NA-103, between the 11th and 17th of February. He will operate CW, SSB and some FT8. QSL via Logbook of The World or direct to K1EP. Rob, G4WXJ will be active as ZC4RH from the UK Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus until the 13th of February. He expects to operate SSB, CW and FT8 on the 40, 30, 20, 15 and 10m bands. QSL via his home call, direct or via the bureau. He does not use Logbook of The World or Club Log. Dave, VE3VSM will be active as VE3VSM/HR9 from Roatan Island, NA-057, between the 11th and 23rd of February. He will be operating on the 20 and 15m bands using CW in his spare time and during some contests. QSL via Logbook of The World, or direct.   Now the special event news Heiko, DK3DM and others are active as DL2020R until the end of the year to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the German reunification process. QSL via Club Log's OQRS or direct only to M0SDV. DL250BEETH is another special callsign commemorating Ludwig van Beethoven's 250th anniversary. It will be used by the Kerpen local branch of DARC until the end of the year. QSL via DJ6SI. Please send special event details to radcom@rsgb.org.uk as early as possible to get your event publicised here on GB2RS, in RadCom, and online.   Now the contest news The CQ WW WPX Party ends its 48-hour run at 2359UTC today, the 9th. It’s RTTY only on the 3.8 to 28MHz bands. The exchange is signal report and serial number. The PACC Contest ends its 24-hour run at 1200UTC today, the 9th. Using CW and SSB on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands the exchange is signal report serial number with PA stations also sending their Province. On Tuesday the 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 1955UTC. The 432MHz UK Activity Contest follows at 2000 to 2230UTC using all modes. The exchange is the same for both, signal report serial number and locator. On Wednesday the 80m Club Championships holds a datamodes leg from 2000 to 2130UTC. The exchange is signal report and serial number. On Thursday the 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Next weekend the ARRL International DX Contest runs from 0000UTC on the 15th to 2359UTC on the 16th. Using CW only on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands the exchange is signal report and transmit power, with US stations also sending their State and Canadians their Province.   Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 7th of February. After sunspot group 2757 rotated out of view the Sun remained spotless with a solar flux index around 70. We had periods of geomagnetic disruption thanks to the effects of coronal holes, the worst seeing the Kp index hit four on Thursday morning. These storms resulted in visible aurora being reported at higher latitudes. Monday saw the first of the RSGB’s 80m Club Championship events with an SSB contest. Participants complained about the poor propagation, with continental stations being stronger than locals. This was reflected in the ionosonde data at propquest.co.uk, that showed the f0F2 critical frequency, as measured at RAF Fairford, as 2.875MHz at the start of the contest and only 3.175MHz at the end. Meanwhile, Chilton recorded 3.7MHz at the start of the contest and 3.5MHz at the end. So, you can see that short-range propagation on 80m was marginal and favoured different parts of the country. Next week, there is the possibility that strong jet streams may provide some low-band Sporadic-E enhancement for evening nets when the foF2 has deserted us. Thursday saw an HF enhancement, possibly linked to the raised Kp index, with maximum usable frequencies creeping above 21MHz and 15m FT8 openings into the Canary Islands, the Azores, Greece and European Russia. There were also 15m FT8 openings to South America later in the afternoon. CDXC members have also reported contacts last week with TI9A, Cocos Island, off Costa Rica, and HU1DL in El Salvador. Excitement is also building for the VP8PJ South Orkney DXpedition that should start later this month. Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will remain around 70 with more settled geomagnetic conditions after the effects of the current high-speed solar wind diminish.   And now the VHF and up propagation news.   After a brief period of Tropo in the second half of last week, we are now about to enter a period of very unsettled weather with deep lows passing by the far north of Britain. This means that Tropo will not be a feature this coming week and time may be better spent making sure the antenna ropes are secure and towers lowered if the forecast looks severe. At present, the strongest winds are likely in northern and western areas, but with such a strong Atlantic jet stream there is a huge amount of energy available to spin up very deep lows in less than 24 hours. The message therefore is to keep up to date with the latest forecasts, because the track of such lows can change markedly over a few hours. There is one propagation silver lining to this type of weather, which is possible microwave rain scatter as squally fronts or showers pass by. One of the models does build a high over the continent at the end of next week with a possibility of some Tropo into France, but only from the southeastern corner of the country. Moon declination goes negative on Wednesday, but with perigee on Monday, it's still a good week for EME. Path losses are at their lowest and 144 MHz sky noise is low all week. There are no major meteor showers this week, and we are now well into the Winter minimum for random meteors. The best time for random meteor scatter QSOs is always around dawn when the Earth is rotating towards the main meteor flux. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.  

Joey of horror blog Camera Viscera and shot-on-video screening series Movie Time joins us in the study group to discuss Christian horror film "Pray." (2007). It's a parable featuring jump scares that will scare you to death...but take you to Heaven. Next Sunday, Feb. 9th in Los Angeles, Movie Time (Joey and Scott) present public access thriller ALONG CAME SPIDER followed by VENUS FLYTRAP! Find details at  https://www.facebook.com/movietimeLA Check out Camera Viscera at https://cameraviscera.com/  

GB2RS NEWS Sunday 2nd February 2020 The news headlines: New IARU Region 1 website live RSGB Operating Awards QSL Checking Service GB3RS at the NRC due for maintenance on the 11th Earlier this week the new IARU website went live with new material added. Also live is the new IARU Region 1 website at its normal address of iaru-r1.org. Please take a moment to explore the new Region 1 site and also remember that if you link to that site from your own website, you will need to update the hyperlinks to reflect the new page addresses. Don, G3BJ, IARU Region 1 President, said, “Thanks go to the many content owners in Region 1 who have reviewed and updated their content as part of the process and to Marko, 9A8MM, the webmaster”. The RSGB is now offering a QSL card checking service for RSGB award applicants. When submitting your award application, you will have the option to request a QSL card check. The RSGB Awards Manager will arrange for your cards to be checked in person, please do not send cards to RSGB HQ. Did you know that clubs can apply for the RSGB HF and VHF/UHF awards? Your club may apply under its club callsign for any award for which it has met the criteria. For more information, see www.rsgb.org/awards Due to essential maintenance, the Radio Room at the RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed to visitors on Tuesday the 11th of February. Whilst the NRC itself will remain open to visitors, it means that the station GB3RS will be ‘off-air’ and hence will be unavailable for any visiting radio amateurs to operate. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. The work should be completed by mid-afternoon and hence GB3RS may be on-air later in the day but, by closing for the day, we are allowing for any over-run needed to complete the work. On the 30th of January at 1400UTC, AMSAT Argentina deployed a WSPR / APRS drifting Buoy on the South Atlantic Seas. The WSPR beacon will run 900mW on 14095.6kHz with the callsign LU7AA. The APRS beacon, callsign LU7AA-11, will initially be on Argentina's APRS frequency of 144.930MHz but will change frequency to 145.825MHz so that it can be digipeated by the amateur packet radio satellites. The release was 100km offshore Mar del Plata coast, seeking east aiming currents and winds. The objective is to track Sea currents and conduct HF, VHF and satellite ultra-QRP propagation tests. AMSAT Argentina, LU7AA, would appreciate WSPR stations receiving and reporting of the 20m beacon. Further information and pictures at http://amsat.org.ar?f=buoy The RSGB has released another selection of lectures from the 2019 RSGB Convention for Members to enjoy. Ian White, GM3SEK revisits and updates his popular 2015 Convention lecture Clean up your shack; Richard Banester, G4CDN looks at 2m weak signal ionosphere scatter and Tony Canning, G2NF asks Urban QRM; What can I do? Head to www.rsgb.org/videos to view them. During the month of February, the Polish national society PZK will have 14 different special event stations on the air to mark the 90th anniversary of PZK and the 95th anniversary of the International Amateur Radio Union. Six of the stations will have 90PZK in their callsigns, two stations will have 2020PZK and six stations will have 95IARU in their callsigns. Prefixes will be 3Z, HF, SN, SP, SQ and SO. A free downloadable award will be available to European station who make seven QSOs on either phone, CW or digital modes. Full details available on 90.pzk.org.pl And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week Today, Sunday the 2nd of February, the 36th Canvey Radio & Electronics Rally will take place at Cornelius Vermuyden School, Dinant Avenue, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 9QS. Talk in will be on 145.550MHz. There is free car parking and easy level ground floor access to two large halls. Doors open at 10 am, or 9.45 am for disabled visitors. Admission is £3, with children under 10 free. Tea, coffee and soft drinks will be available, as well as bacon butties. There will be radio, computing and electronics traders. More details from Tony, G0JYI, via email to tony@tonystreet.net. If you happen to be holidaying in Florida soon you may be interested in the 74th Orlando Hamcation on the 7th to the 9th of February. Held at the Central Florida Fairgrounds and Expo Park, in Orlando, there will be trade stands, a flea market, a swapmeet, US Licence exams & more. Go to www.hamcation.com for details. Next Sunday, the 9th of February the Harwell Radio and Electronics Rally will be held at Didcot Leisure Centre, Mereland Road, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 8AY, that’s about 3 miles from the A34 Milton Interchange. Doors open 10 am to 3 pm and admittance is £3 with under 12s free. Talk in will be on 145.550MHz, using G3PIA and there is free car parking. Local and national traders, as well as Special Interest Groups and an RSGB Bookstand, will be in attendance. Home-made refreshments are available all day. Details from rally@g3pia.net or 01235 816379. Please send details of your rally and event plans as soon as possible to radcom@rsgb.org.uk – we give you valuable publicity online, in RadCom and on GB2RS, all for free. And now the DX news from 425 DX News and other sources Nando, IT9YRE and Mike, K9AJ will be on the air as CB0Z from the 3rd to the 5th of February to activate the new IOTA reference Alejandro Selkirk Island, IOTA SA-101. Activity will be on the 40, 30, 20, 17 and 15m bands using CW, SSB and possibly FT8. QSL via IT9YRE. A DXpedition to Cocos Island will take place until the 9th of February using the callsign TI9C. The operators will be Mark, XE1B and Frank, HK5OKY and they plan to be on all bands from 160 to 6m on SSB and FT8. QSL via Club Log OQRS. A large group of operators will be operating as 5I5TT from Zanzibar Island, IOTA AF-032, from the 4th to the 18th of February. Activity will be on the HF bands using CW, SSB and RTTY with four stations active. QSL via I2YSB. A German DXpedition team will be on the air from El Salvador until the 13th of February. They will be using the callsign HU1DL. The usual prefix for El Salvador is YS so the HU prefix will attract added attention to the expedition. They will be active on all bands from 160 to 6m on CW, SSB, RTTY and FT8. QSL via Club Log OQRS. Matteo, IZ4YGS will be operating as 9G5GS from Sanzule in Ghana from the 1st to the 26th of February. Activity will be on the 160 to 20m bands using FT8 and SSB. He also plans some activity on QO-100. QSL direct to home call. Russell, G5XW will be operating holiday-style as C5XW in the Gambia until the 7th of February. Activity will be mainly SSB on the 40 to 17m bands and possibly some CW. QSLs go via the RSGB bureau Now the special event news On Wednesday the 5th of February GB0GLS will be on the air from Gilnahirk Listening Station, BT5 7SL. Operations run from 10 am to 6 pm. There is no parking on Gilnahirk Road, but the organisers plan to have a field available for parking. Details on qrz.com Members of the Kuwait Amateur Radio Society are operating as 9K59NLD during February to mark Kuwait's National and Liberation Day. QSL via 9K2RA. Please send special event details to radcom@rsgb.org.uk as early as possible to get your event publicised here on GB2RS, in RadCom, and online. Now the contest news Today, Sunday, the 2nd of February, the 432MHz AFS contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Monday the 80m Club Championships runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using SSB only the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Tuesday the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 1955UTC, it is followed from 2000 to 2230 by the 144MHz UK Activity Contest where all modes may be used. The exchange for both contests is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday, the UK EI Contest Club 80m contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using SSB only the exchange is your 4-character locator. Next weekend the CQ WW WPX Party runs from 0000UTC on the 8th to 2359UTC on the 9th. It’s RTTY only on the 3.8 to 28MHz bands. The exchange is signal report and serial number. The PACC Contest runs from 1200UTC on the 8th to 1200UTC on the 9th. Using CW and SSB on the 1.8 to 28MHz bands the exchange is signal report serial number with PA stations also sending their Province. On Saturday the 8th the 1st 1.8MHz contest of the year runs from 1900 to 2300UTC. The exchange is signal report, serial number and District. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 31st of January. We had a new sunspot group last week, but don’t get too excited – region 2757 was from the old Cycle 24. We know this because it was close to the Sun’s equator and had the older magnetic configuration. As you read or hear this, the spot will be rotating out of view off of the Sun’s eastern limb. A new plage region belonging to upcoming Cycle 25 also appeared high in latitude on the southwest limb but didn’t amount to anything. The Kp index peaked at three last week, possibly due to a minor geomagnetic storm triggered by a coronal mass ejection from sunspot group 2757. But otherwise, with the solar flux at 74, it was business as usual! There was DX to be had. Andy, M0NKR reports working 7Z Saudi Arabia, 9W West Malaysia, HS0 Thailand and 4S7 Sri Lanka on 40 metres. He also reports working 8P Barbados, SO Western Sahara and FJ Saint Barthelemy on 17 metres. SO1WS at the Sahrawi Amateur Radio Club has been very active on 17m, so keep an eye on the cluster for their current operating frequency. Next week NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will be around 74, declining to 71 as sunspot 2757 disappears from the Earth-facing solar surface. Geomagnetic conditions will be mainly settled with a maximum Kp index of three. Expect to see openings up to the 18MHz band, with the 14MHz band being more reliable. The 21MHz band and higher are still not really playing ball, other than for FT8 contacts with Germany being spotted on 10 metres on Thursday. And now the VHF and up propagation news. The coming week’s weather has a continuing unsettled flavour, especially in the north, but with a hint of a brief ridge of high pressure passing across southern areas around mid-week. This means that it's mostly GHz Bands rain scatter on offer this weekend and into the beginning of next week, but again this appears to be mostly for northern parts of the country. As the high builds later on Tuesday and through Wednesday we could see some Tropo conditions extending to the south into the continent and across Biscay towards Spain, perhaps. This is a relatively brief period of high pressure and may not have enough time to build a strong inversion with moisture trapped beneath the inversion as required for a good lift. The upper air charts for the coming week provide a significant chance of a strong jet stream in the upper atmosphere over or near the UK. This is the sort of pattern that can produce Sporadic-E in the summer season and may just tip the balance in winter if it goes in our favour. Take a look for digital mode activity on 10m for a “heads up.” With Moon declination still rising, reaching maximum on Thursday, it's a good week for EME. With just over a week to perigee, path losses are falling. 144MHz sky noise is highest on Wednesday, falling to its lowest on Saturday. There’s a small meteor shower in progress, the Alpha-Centaurids, reaching its peak on Saturday. Due to the southern declination of its radiant, the best time is before dawn when the radiant lies highest above the horizon. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS NEWS Sunday 26th January 2020   The news headlines: RSGB Board application deadline looms British Science Week info available now Why GB3GV is QRP   The deadline for applications for the two elected RSGB Board Director positions is Friday the 31st of January. This is your opportunity to take an important and interesting role in leading the Society into the next decade. You'll find guidance and candidate forms on the RSGB elections web page, but if you’d like an informal chat to find out more, contact the Board Chair, Ian Shepherd, G4EVK, via email to g4evk@rsgb.org.uk. If you or your radio club want to get involved in British Science Week, which takes place between the 6th and the 15th of March, activity packs are now available to download from https://tinyurl.com/qvyqnr8. The pack contains tips on how to run British Science Week in school or at home, easy-to-run activities, and details of the annual poster competition. There's a lot to get you started on this excellent initiative. Leicestershire digital ATV repeater GB3GV has been significantly down on power for the last couple of weeks. Due to failure of one of the transmitter stages it has only been running about 1W to the antenna. Repairs will hopefully be carried out soon, which will bring the signal back to full strength. Further info is online at www.leicestershirerepeatergroup.org.uk. Regulators in Spain are allowing radio amateurs there to exchange their current longer-format callsigns for permanent 2 x 1 callsigns. To be eligible, applicants must have held a licence issued by Spanish authorities without any sanctions and have at least 15 years of experience in international amateur radio. Germany is again permitting amateurs to use the 70.150-70.200MHz segment of the 4m band until the end of 2020. All conditions are the same as last year. If you would like to support the RSGB at a senior level but are unable to commit to a full three years as a Board Director, please contact the Nominations Committee with an outline of your skills. This Committee can suggest Members for co-option to the RSGB Board or to act as a Board adviser for a certain period and for specific projects. If this fits your skills and time, please email the Company Secretary, who is also the Nominations Committee Chair, via company.secretary@rsgb.org.uk. In New Zealand, the trial licence scheme for the 5MHz band has been extended for a further six months. It will now continue until 24 July, during which time the authorities hope to work out a more permanent solution. Conditions of use remain unchanged from earlier in the trial. And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week On Saturday the 1st of February, the Barry ARS Table Top Rally takes place at The Wilton Lounge, Sully Sports & Leisure Club, South Road, Sully CF64 5SP. Doors open from 10am and entry is £2, with under 18s free. There is ample parking. Items on offer will include new and second-hand radio, computer and electronics. Catering and a bar will be available. More details from Nigel, GW1CUQ, via gw1cuq@gmail.com. On Sunday the 2nd of February, the 36th Canvey Radio & Electronics Rally will take place at Cornelius Vermuyden School, Dinant Avenue, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 9QS. Talk in will be on 145.550MHz. There is free car parking and easy level ground floor access to two large halls. Doors open at 10am, or 9.45am for disabled visitors. Admission is £3, with children under 10 free. Tea, coffee and soft drinks will be available, as well as bacon butties. There will be radio, computing and electronics traders. More details from Tony, G0JYI, via email to tony@tonystreet.net. Please send details of your rally and event plans as soon as possible to radcom@rsgb.org.uk – we give you valuable publicity online, in RadCom and on GB2RS, all for free. And now the DX news from 425 DX News and other sources Dirk, WA4DT will operate until the 2nd of February as HR9/WA4DT from Roatan Island, off the coast of Honduras, IOTA reference NA-057. He will be on CW and FT8. Melvin, W8MV will be active from the Caribbean island of Montserrat, NA-103, from the 26th January to the 2nd of February. He will be using CW on the HF bands using the callsign VP2MCV. Logs will be uploaded to Logbook of The World. Russell, G5XW will be on the air holiday-style as C5XW in The Gambia from the 28th of January to the 7th of February. Activity will be mainly SSB and possibly some CW on 40 to 17m. QSL via the RSGB bureau. Matteo, IZ4YGS will be active as 9G5GS from Sanzule, Ghana from the 1st to the 26th of February. In his spare time he will operate FT8 and SSB on the 160 to 20m bands. He also plans some USB activity on the QO-100 satellite. QSL via Logbook of The World, eQSL or direct to his home call. Nando, IT9YRE and Mike, K9AJ will be active as CB0Z from Selkirk Island, SA-101, between the 3rd and the 5th of February. They will operate SSB and CW on the 40, 30, 20, 17 and 15m bands, using vertical antennas and two stations. QSL via Club Log’s OQRS, or via IT9YRE. Don, VE7DS will be active as E51DDG from Rarotonga in the South Cook Islands, OC-013, between the 2nd and the 14th of February. He will operate CW only on the 40, 30, 20 and 17m bands. QSL via Logbook of The World, or via his home call. Now the special event news We’ve received no news of special event stations taking place this week. Please send special event details to radcom@rsgb.org.uk as early as possible to get your event publicised here on GB2RS, in RadCom, and online. Now the contest news The CQ 160m DX contest ends its 48 hour run at 2200UTC today, the 26th. It’s CW only on the 1.8MHz band, and the exchange is signal report and CQ Zone. Note that US stations also send their State, and Canadians send their Province. The BARTG RTTY Sprint contest ends its 24 hour run at 1200UTC today, the 26th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is simple the serial number of the contact. On Tuesday the SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1930 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 2.3 to 10GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday the UK EI Contest Club 80m contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW only, the exchange is your 4-character locator. Next Sunday, the 2nd of February, the 432MHz AFS contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Don’t forget that the UK Six Metre Group’s Winter Marathon runs until the end of January, so you have a few days left. There are no specific operating modes or periods. Just work as many locator squares as you can on the 50MHz band. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Friday the 24th of January. This week saw a decline in Sporadic-E conditions on 10m. This may be due to a repositioning of the jet stream or just the end of the winter Sporadic-E season, but more of that in the VHF section. On the face of it, last week saw the Sun behaving itself, with zero sunspots. But look a little closer and it has actually been quite active. Two solar events were launched off the Sun’s surface, one on Sunday the 19th, which was preceded by an X-ray solar flare, the other from a coronal hole on Monday the 21st. There was a slight increase in the solar wind at times this week due to the coronal hole’s solar wind stream. This pushed the Kp index to three. Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will remain around 72, with mainly settled geomagnetic conditions. The Kp index is predicted to remain around two, at least until the first of February when an unsettled region of the Sun rotates back into view. The most interesting propagation this week has been on the low bands, notably Top Band and 80 metres. Derek, G3RAU reports on the CDXC reflector that he worked Mexico on 80m at 0900UTC, while Chris, G3SJJ worked NA5G in Louisiana on 160m at 0745UTC. Victor, G3JNB reports working JT5DX in Mongolia on 80m in the late evening. The JT5 station has also been active on 160 metres. This really is an optimum time of year for low band DXing, so keep an eye on 160, 80 and 40 metres, especially around dawn for DX from the west. The DX net around 3.795MHz every morning is always a good test of your station’s 80m DX capabilities. And now the VHF and up propagation news. It’s goodbye to the high pressure as we go through this weekend and the Atlantic weather systems start to move in from the west. This will set up a very unsettled period of weather again during most of the week with strong winds, especially in the north, but also in southern areas at times. As for propagation, there should be some GHz bands rain scatter options as squally fronts cross the country, and from scattered showers in the unstable westerly flow which follows the cold fronts. Although high pressure remains over the southern half of the continent, it will be well out of reach from most of the UK and Tropo is unlikely to be a feature of propagation this week. It’s always just possible for out of season Sporadic-E, and the jet stream over the UK is likely to strengthen again next week. If this were high summer it would be a very positive steer, but in mid-winter it’s not a good prospect, except perhaps for paths to Scandinavia and the Baltic if you are really lucky. Moon declination is rising this week, going positive on Thursday. Apogee is on Thursday, so it is not a great week for EME due to high path losses. 144MHz sky noise is low. There are no major meteor showers this week so continue to look for random QSOs in the early morning around dawn. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

Jesus Remember MeMay you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.Today is Christ the King Sunday, the end of the church year. Next Sunday, will be Advent 1 and we will once again start a journey of waiting for the promised Messiah. But today we remember, we hold fast, we celebrate as though all that is to come has and is made known."Be still, then, and know that (He is) I am God; * When we stop, when we confess, when we reflect that Christ is King in and over all things. We begin see things differently. We begin to hear his heartbeat and know that though the challenges of life may not fade, God is near, we are his, and He can be trusted. All we have is his and all we are is found only by being with him. If you were to describe your faith as a child running into the arms of your heavenly Father: what would your life, what would the picture of your faith reveal?There is more. God has more for you know, love, and enjoy today than yesterday and still even more for tomorrow. Will you, will you dare believe and confess Christ as King and run into the arms of your heavenly Father and encounter that which only God can give. Will you, will you dare not just to run for a moment, but would be still and know? Would you rest in His arms of mercy and begin to hear His heartbeat and adjust your rhythm of life to his that you would indeed experience His presence, His power, and His purposes in and through your life? Those who do will find that Jesus whispers into your heart and soul: today you will be with me in Paradise. Support the show (http://www.easytithe.com/stbdeland)

Today I’m giving you an overview of my training cycle for the Rock n Roll Las Vegas Strip at night Half Marathon taking place NEXT SUNDAY. We're discussing the cadence of my runs, the gear I’ve been using, some things I'm packing and much more. Be sure to pound that subscribe button if you listen on Apple Podcasts.If you want to support the podcast, swing by the MixGym at mixer.com/trubros and donate some embers or give me a cup of coffee at https://ko-fi.com/trubrosIf you're a real psychomaniac and want to support your fellow runners, get yourself a shirt at http://bit.ly/ACRMerch or trubros.com and click "store" ) and show the world what we all know: ANYONE CAN RUN!Support the show (https://www.mixer.com/TruBros)

John 16:33 It does not matter what life hands you; rather, how you handle what life hands you. We must learn how to deal with the negative side of life. Micah 7:8- When I fall I shall rise. Proverbs 24:16• SELF – Prodigal son• FAMILY – Joseph• FRIENDS – Job• ENEMIES – David• RELIGION – Jesus In spite of who or what has knocked you down, you can get back up! Community Group Questions:1. How do you handle the negative that life can sometimes bring?2. What choices (now or in the future) can you make that will help you get back up from being knocked down? ANNOUNCEMENTSRake + Leave Day– Young Chapel wants to bless your neighborhood on Saturday, November 16that 8:30AM. Here’s how this works: Meet Pastors Joel and Kyesha in the front foyer after church to enter your name into a drawing. The name drawn is the person who’s neighborhood will be raked and cleaned up for the fall. The winner will be drawn and notified at the end of the day NEXT Sunday, November 10th. Christmas Celebration– Save the date for Sunday, Dec. 15th! We will have a great time of coming together and celebrating Christmas as a chapel family, honoring SERVE teams, and previewing Kids Chapel’s Out of the Box Christmas Drama.

No understanding of how God and humans interact in the Bible is complete without studying the life of King David. As Rev. Tom describes, David was a person of faith unlike any who had come before. Here was a leader confident in his abilities and his connection with God. When David inquired of God, God responded. However, this self-assurance of David's came crashing down, right at the threshold of his greatest accomplishment - the recovery of the Ark of the Covenant and the establishing of Jerusalem as the City of David. The seemingly arbitrary death of Uzzah made David question the benevolence of God. But Rev. Tom explains that David came to realize that it's not all about David. We - like David - can give our abilities for God's work, without our abilities being the one key needed for God's work to flourish. Our work is a single link, included in a tapestry of love, far greater than we can see within our own lives. And it is within the Church where this love can be expressed across generations. (Bible reading - 2 Samuel 5:1-13,17-21;6:5-16) Next Sunday, Second Presbyterian will have one combined service at 10:00 AM, followed by our annual Fall Festival at 11:00 AM. The festival will have trunk-or-treating, food trucks, musical entertainment, and creative car trunks decked out in Halloween finery! Find our more at our webpage or by contacting Rev. Amy Carlson at acarlson@secondpresby.org!

War Stories # 5 Who’s In Charge Here?- 2 Chron 20:1-30 By Louie Marsh, 9-25-2019 2  Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, Engedi). 2 Chronicles 20:2 (ESV)   To Keep Christ 1st in My Life I need too…   1) Go to God and..   4  And Judah assembled to seek help from the LORD; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. 5  And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, 2 Chronicles 20:4-5 (ESV)   REMEMBER who God is!   6  and said, “O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. 2 Chronicles 20:6 (ESV)   24  And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, Acts 4:24 (ESV)    REVIEW my spiritual history.   7  Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8  And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, 2 Chronicles 20:7-8 (ESV)   25  who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? Acts 4:25 (ESV)   RENEW my commitment to Christ!   9  ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ 2 Chronicles 20:9 (ESV)   Has the heaviness of you old fashioned church got you weighted down? Try us! We are the New and Improved Lite Church on the River. We feature a 7.5% tithe, a 35 minute worship service with 7 minute sermons. Next Sunday's sermon is on the Feeding of 500.   29  And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, Acts 4:29 (ESV)   2) ASK & CONFESS at the same time.   12  O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” 2 Chronicles 20:12 (ESV)   3) HEAR & RESPOND to God’s Word.   14  And the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. 15  And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the LORD to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s. 16  Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17  You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the LORD will be with you.” 2 Chronicles 20:14-17 (ESV)     4) When the going gets tough, the tough WORSHIP!   18  Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD. 19  And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice… 21  And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, “Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever.” 22  And when they began to sing and praise, the LORD set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. 2 Chronicles 20:18-22 (ESV)   5) UNDERSTAND that God blesses UNITY.  3  Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4  And Judah assembled to seek help from the LORD; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. 5  And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, 2 Chronicles 20:3-5 (ESV)  This lyrics to this hymn were written by Isaac Watts in 1777. Robert Lowery wrote the music that we now use in 1867. Watts wrote this hymn as an answer to his critics who had actually split from churches who sang his "human composed" hymns. Prior to this time, churches only sang hymns from the Psalms. Because of the controversy between singing of Psalms and the singing of hymns, the church decided to sing Psalms at the beginning of their service and then after the preaching, they would sing hymns. Many people who were still against the hymns would get up and leave the service at this time.   Let those refuse to sing who never knew our God  

We can ENCOUNTER God through healing because: 1. He has and continues to heal. Hebrews 13:82. It’s in His name. Exodus 15:263. Jesus is compassionate. Matthew 9:35-364. Jesus is willing to heal the Spirit, Soul and Body. Matthew 8:2-3 Lessons from a leper: 1. He Came 2. He worshiped5. Healing is part of the reason Jesus came. Isaiah 61:1-3A Plan of Action:1. Ask, in the Name of Jesus. John 14:132. Believe that You Will Receive. Mark 11:24 3. Continue, Earnestly in Prayer. Colossians 4:2P.U.S.H. - Pray Until Something Happens Community Group Questions: 1. Have you ever experienced a healing ENCOUNTER?2. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being the lowest), where is your faith to believe God for a healing ENCOUNTER?3. What can you do to boost your faith? ANNOUNCEMENTSYoung Chapel- There will be a parent meeting for all young chapel parents directly after service NEXT Sunday, September 15th, upstairs in the youth room. Marriage Retreat– Our annual marriage retreat is Friday, September 20th from 6-9:30pm. This night is sure to be full of laughter as we hear from guest speakers Jared and Loida Howell. Text “chapelevents” to 97000 to sign up. Baby Dedication- Our annual baby dedication will be on Sunday September 29th. Text “chapelevents” to 97000 to register your child by next Sunday.5thSunday Family Worship– September is 5thSunday Month! On the 29ththere will be no classes as all kids are encouraged to sit in service with their families!

It can be difficult to be part of a religion that has no creed. What connects us? Inspires us? Guides us? I think it is a set of ideas and principles based on a common theology. The Unitarian Church of Edmonton is a liberal, multi-generational, religious community. We celebrate a rich mosaic of free-thinking, spiritually-questing individuals joined in common support and action. We welcome diversity including diversity of beliefs from divine believers to humanists, from pagans to atheists and agnostics. We believe in the compassion of the human heart, the warmth of community, the pursuit of justice and the search of meaning in our lives. We gather with gratitude on traditional Cree lands that are now a part of Treaty Six and shared by many nations. A treaty is an inheritance, a responsibility and a relationship. May we be good neighbours to one another, good stewards to our planet and good ancestors to our children. Responsive Reading “Reflection on Our Seven Principles” By Michael E. Sallwasser: https://www.uua.org/worship/words/opening/reflection-7-principles 1 Welcome by Rev. Brian Kiely 0:00 2 Prelude “On the Lakes (Flutes & Bird Sounds)”, Native American World Drums 2:43 3 Kindling of the Chalice 4:31 4 Hymn #113 “Where Is Our Holy Church” 5:55 5 Responsive reading “Reflection on Our Seven Principles” by Michael Sallwasser 10:01 6 Sharing Our Abundance 13:21 7 “Native American Flute I” 14:49 8 Receiving the Offering 16:47 9 Reading “Experience Connection” by Peter Morales 17:21 10 Hymn #358 “Rank by Rank” 19:26 11 Sermon “On Unitarian Ground” by Rev. Brian J. Kiely 22:54 12 Meditation, Hymn #380 “Rejoice in Love We Know and Share” 38:53 13 Meditation in words “We Need a Religion” by Scott Alexander 40:10 14 Meditation in music “When I Fall in Love (feat. Christoph Both, Jeff Reilly, Peter-Anthony Togni)”, Sanctuary 42:00 15 Next Sunday's music 44:57 16 Closing Hymn #1028 “The Fire of Commitment” 45:19 17 Closing Words 48:47 18 “Carry the Flame” 49:05 The End 49:44 UCE - https://www.uce.ca/ Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/41659071349/ Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/UnitarianChurch/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/EdmUnitarian Twitter - https://twitter.com/UnitarianUCE Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/unitarianuce/ SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/user-189401827/

Last Sunday's Metro Bicycle Education Safety Training (BEST) Program Street Skills Class previewed the route of Next Sunday’s Meet the Hollywoods Ciclavia. Interviews with American League of Cyclists Certified instructors Dorothy Wong and Nathalie Winiarski, as well as Ciclavia Chief Strategist Tafari Bayne and Co- founder of the West Hollywood bike Coalition, Kevin Burton.

Come to the Table starts NEXT SUNDAY! Check out our website with the NEW SERVICE TIMES and information about how to get involved. https://www.standrews09.org/come-to-the-table/ Rev. Michael Crocker preaching on Lydia, and what she can teach us about living out our faith in everyday life.