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G4FVG > NEWS 03.08.25 08:27l 243 Lines 11310 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News 03 Aug 2025 [backup]
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It appears as though the forwarding has been interrupted today,
so here is a backup copy of the [same] RSGB news. This might be
duplicated later via the normal route, but at least two copies are
better than none!
So here is the GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 3rd of August 2025
The news headlines:
* Call for G5RP Trophy nominations
* Get involved with the RSGB National Radio Centre's Spy
Transmitter activities this summer
* The QSL Bureau has announced an update to the G4M to S series
card collection
The G5RP Trophy is an annual award to encourage newcomers to HF
DXing. The award is not limited to youngsters or the newly licensed
but 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 2025,
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, they have a good
total of new countries worked or some serious HF DXpedition activity.
Please email your nominations to Ian Greenshields, G4FSU via
hf.manager<at>rsgb.org.uk to arrive no later than Friday the 12th of
September.
The RSGB's National Radio Centre has confirmed that the first of its
Summer Spy Transmitter events is taking place on Tuesday the 5th of
August. This family-friendly activity will turn you into spy hunters
as you explore Bletchley Park looking for hidden transmitters. The
event starts at 10.30am and spaces are limited to 12 groups. If you
are unable to make this date, two further events have been confirmed
on the 14th and the 20th of August. Full details of the activity are
available via the ‘What's on' section of the Bletchley Park website
via bletchleypark.org.uk
Do you have a callsign in the G4M to S series? If so, the QSL Bureau
has announced a change to your card collection group. All cards and
envelopes are being transferred to the current G4T to Z manager
Peter, G4XEX to form a new enlarged G4M to Z group. The current
manager Cliff, G4MAR has retired, and the Bureau thanks him for his
service to members. Details of QSL sub-managers and addresses can be
found via rsgb.org/qsl and selecting ‘List of QSL sub-managers'
from the right-hand menu.
RSGB volunteers will be running Morse activities and operating using
DMR at the West Sussex International Jamboree on Thursday the 7th and
Friday the 8th of August. Listen out for youngsters operating as
GB0WSJ using DMR on RSGB Youth Talk Group 23554, Worldwide Talk Group
91 and UK Call Talk Group 2350. They'd appreciate a call between
9.30am and 5pm on the Thursday and 9.30am and 12pm on the Friday.
The July 2025 edition of RadCom Basics is now available. RadCom
Basics is aimed at new amateurs and those who are wishing to refresh
their skills and knowledge. Among others, this edition contains
articles to help you learn about spectrum analysers, Near Vertical
Incidence Skywave propagation and using a doublet as a multi-band
antenna. To access all RadCom publications visit rsgb.org/radcom
HamSCI – The Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation – is
preparing for a series of upcoming meteor scatter experiments.
Operating will take place during two well-known meteor showers: The
Perseids on the 12th and 13th of August and the Geminids on the 12th
and 13th of December. The aim is to collect data during meteor
scatter events using the 10 and 6m bands. For more information visit
hamsci.org/msqp
Please send details of all your news and events to
radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk The deadline for submissions is 10am on
Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.
And now for details of rallies and events
Part 1 of the BATC Convention for Amateur TV 2025 is taking place
today, the 3rd, at Midland Air Museum in Coventry. The doors are open
from 10am to 4pm. The Convention includes show and tell, test and
fix-it, and bring and buy.
Kings Lynn Amateur Radio Club Rally is also taking place today, the
3rd, at Gaywood Community Centre, PE30 4EL. The doors are open from
9am and the entrance fee is GBP 2.50. For more information email
rally.klarc<at>gmail.com or call 07709 074 951.
Cockenzie And Port Seaton Amateur Radio Club's Annual Mini Rally and
Junk Night will take place on Friday the 8th of August. The venue
will be Port Seaton Community Centre, South Seaton Park, Port Seaton
EH32 0BG. The doors will be open to the public from 6 to 8.30pm.
Now the Special Event news
Members of the Radio Amateur Association of Western Greece, SZ1A are
operating special event station SX17ASTRO until the 8th of August.
The station is active to celebrate the 17th Panhellenic Expedition of
Amateur Astronomers. A number of certificates are available for
working the station. For details of these and more information about
the station, visit tinyurl.com/SZ1A2025
Special event station 8K3EXPO is active from the 2025 Expo in Osaka,
Japan until the 13th of October. Recently, the station was spotted
using FT8 on the HF bands. More information is available at QRZ.com
Now the DX news
Michel [ME-SHELL], F5LRL is active as CN2DX from near Kenitra
[KEN-EE-TRA], Morocco until the 20th of August. He is operating CW,
SSB and FT8 on the 40 to 6m bands. QSL via Michel's home call.
Special callsign LA100A is active throughout 2025 to mark the 100th
anniversary of the first amateur radio two-way contact between
Norway and the USA in November 1925. QSL directly, via the Bureau or
QRZ.com.
Now the contest news
The UK Six Metre Group Summer Marathon started on Saturday the 3rd of
May and ends today, the 3rd of August. Using all modes on the 6m
band, the exchange is your four-character locator.
Today, the 3rd, the RSGB 432MHz Low Power Contest runs from 0800 to
1200UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal
report, serial number, locator and two-letter postcode.
On Tuesday the 5th, the RSGB 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from
1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and locator.
Also on Tuesday the 5th, the RSGB 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs
from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday the 6th, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest
runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is
report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 6th, the
RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC.
Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is report and four-character
locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the
two-hour contest.
The RSGB Machine Generated Modes Contest starts at 1400UTC on
Saturday the 9th and ends at 1400UTC on Sunday the 10th of August.
Using machine generated modes on the 6 and 2m bands, the exchange is
your report and four-character locator.
The Worked All Europe DX CW Contest starts at 0000UTC on Saturday the
9th and ends at 2359UTC on Sunday the 10th of August. Using CW on the
80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal
report and serial number.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Thursday the 31st of July 2025
Last week was very much a repeat performance of the week before. We
had relatively calm geomagnetic conditions and few solar flares to
contend with. The only flares were minor C-class events.
The Kp index never got above 3 and the solar flux index was in the
140s to 150s.
The F2-layer maximum usable frequency over a 3,000km path rose to
21MHz but didn't really get much higher, which is normal for the
summer period.
A team from Norfolk Amateur Radio Club was active as GM0FRT/P from
the Shetland Islands for the IOTA contest. They were workable from
JO02NN on 14 and 21MHz for much of the contest period. The distance
to Shetland from central UK is about 887km, or 551 miles. Given the
distance involved, the 21MHz openings were probably Sporadic-E, but
they were loud for hours on end.
Other DX worked last week included T30TTT from Western Kiribati
[KIRIB-ASS] on the 10m band using FT8 over the North Pole. 9M8A from
East Malaysia was also on the 10m band using FT8. XW4KV from Laos was
on the 12m band operating FT8. 3B9SP on Rodriguez Island put in an
appearance on the 17 and 12m bands using FT8. The station was also
worked using CW on the 40, 30, 20 and 15m bands.
That's not a bad haul for summer DX and, if the Kp index can stay
low, we could get similar next week.
Speaking of which, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will be in
the range of 150 to 160 next week. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions
are forecast for the period of the 7th to the 14th of August, with a
maximum predicted Kp index of 5.
And finally, there is talk of a possible large sunspot group on the
far side of the Sun.
The region in question actually belongs to a cluster of spots
including AR 4136, 4139 and 4143, last seen earlier this month. Solar
rotation will carry what remains of these regions back into view next
week. So, keep an eye on solarham.com for up-to-date details.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The slightly unsettled theme to the weather will remain into next
week, although there are signs that high pressure will try to return
in the middle of the week for a time.
Models are disagreeing on detail with some bringing another thundery
low into the south later. This means that there will be some Tropo at
times and, in high summer, this tends to be generally strongest
around the coasts. To benefit from these conditions inland it's
better to wait for night cooling.
As usual with thundery weather, it's a good chance to listen for rain
scatter on the GHz bands. Another mode that still deserves attention
is meteor scatter. Look out for the early stirrings of the August
Perseids which peak around the 12th and 13th of the month.
Surprisingly, Aurora is staying in the limelight. Periodic alerts are
suggesting it's worth turning your VHF beams north if you notice any
signs of fluttery HF signals or discover the Kp index has risen to 5
or above. If auroral activity appears on the 10 or 6m bands, then
check the higher bands as the event develops.
Sporadic-E is now in its occasional phase as we move into August. It
is less common than in June, but still worth considering. Check the
usual cluster maps and Propquest to see how the day is unfolding.
Moon declination is negative, falling to minimum on Tuesday the 5th.
So, Moon windows and peak elevation will also decline. Path losses
reached maximum at apogee on the 1st of August so are starting to
fall again. 144MHz sky noise starts the coming week moderately but
rising to high by Monday. It will reach over 300 Kelvin by Tuesday
evening before falling back.
And that's all from the propagation team this week.
And that's the end of the main news for this week prepared by the
Radio Society of Great Britain. Items for inclusion in subsequent
bulletins can be emailed to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk to arrive by
10:00 on the Thursday before transmission.
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