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GB2RS NEWS

Sunday 30 March

The news headlines

* 70cm petition is disinformation

* Amateur radio on BBC Wales

* CQ Magazine recognises Kosovo for awards

An e-petition to the Prime Minister's office, originated just before
the Easter break and entitled "70cmsband", has generated what might be
described as a "lemming like" response from the amateur radio
community. Unfortunately the basis for the petition has no foundation
in truth. The RSGB currently enjoys a good working relationship in
negotiations with both Ofcom and the Ministry of Defence, where 70cms
and other shared bands are concerned. This type of disinformation could
undermine the relationship.

A concern to both the amateur radio services and the MoD is the growing
proliferation of Short Range Devices (SRDs) that are operating in the
70cm band and raising the noise floor. A recent trial that used 433MHz
channels as inputs for D-Star equipment tests proved to be unsuccessful
due to the high noise floor. According to an EU Directive the official
SRD sub-band within 70cms is 433.05-434.79 MHz using a maximum of 10mW
ERP. This includes handheld Low Power Devices (LPDs) permitted to use
FM voice on channels that include a number of repeater inputs.

We would advise members and non-members to check the facts with the
RSGB, your national society, before adding your name to such petitions.
This could avoid any embarrassment.

BBC Radio Wales is to visit Barry Amateur Radio Society to record a 30
minute radio show on the workings of an "Amateur Radio club in Wales".
The BBC will be recording a club natter night and on-the-air activity.
The thirty minute programme will go out on BBC Radio Wales in English
on a Saturday at the end of April or early May, and repeated the
following day.

The CQ DX Awards Manager has announced that Kosovo has been added to
the list of countries and territories recognised for CQ DX awards.
Verifications for contacts made on or after 17 February, 2008 are
acceptable for CQ DX Award credit. CQ DX Honor Roll members with 335 or
more credits should update by 31 May for highest placement in the
listings. The new 339 entity maximum will appear on CQ DX Honor Rolls
to be prepared in early June. Note that Kosovo has not yet been added
to the DXCC list.

The Poldhu 3597kHz beacon, GB3SSS, has now ceased operating. Reception
at St. John's, Newfoundland, has been continuously monitored by Joe,
VO1NA, and results will be analysed in the near future. The 2m beacon,
GB3SSS, on 144.406MHz, continues to operate and is currently beaming
towards the Caribbean.

Last week, we reported that the GB2RS 40 metre news reader Jimmy
Porter, GI3GGY, has suffered a failure of his huge antenna and would be
off the air for a while. In the meantime, we are pleased to announce
that Martyn Phillips, G3RFX, will be reading the GB2RS News at 10am on
7.150MHz from Clifton, Bristol. He runs 400W into a dipole at 50ft and,
although he does not put out such a good signal as GI3GGY, he has
already had good reports from Germany.

The first 10GHz FM voice repeater in the United Kingdom came on the air
on 14 March. GB3TC, co-sited with GB3CS in Lanarkshire, is operated and
funded by local radio amateurs with support from the Central

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Scotland FM Group and its technical team. The repeater operates on a
channel pair of 10371.1MHz in and 10471.1MHz out and requires a 103.5Hz
sub audible or 1750Hz burst access tone. It transmits an FM beacon
giving its call and locator every 60 seconds when not repeating. More
information from www.csfmg.com.

An RSGB Train the Trainers session takes place on Saturday 26 April at
the Crawley Amateur Radio Club. The Train the Trainers scheme helps
tutors enhance the standard of their Foundation, Intermediate and
Advanced licence courses. Alan Betts, G0HIQ, and Brian Reay, G8OSN,
will be presenting the all day course, which is free of charge to
instructors. For more information, and to register, contact Gavin
Keegan, G6DGK, telephone 01825 722045 or email .
Demand is expected to be high, so it is important to register as soon
as possible. Further Train the Trainer sessions are scheduled for:
Wythall on 18 May, Ramsgate on 31 May, and Chippenham on 7 June.
Further details are on the Train the Trainers calendar at
www.g8osn.org.uk.

And now the HF DX news compiled from 425 DX News and other sources.

Belgian operators and members of the Radio Club Secunda from South
Africa should be active until 3 April from Katse Dam in Lesotho. 7P8FC
will also be operational during the CQ WPX SSB contest. Activity is SSB
only on topband, SSB and RTTY on 80 metres and SSB, RTTY and PSK all HF
bands except 30 metres. They appear not to be using CW. Further
information can be obtained from www.7p8fc.be.

K4QD and AF4Z will be active portable HH4 from the Northwest Haiti
Christian Mission until 4 April. They will operate 80 to 10 meters on
CW, SSB and RTTY, but only as time permits. QSL via their home
callsigns, preferably using the ARRL's Logbook of the World QSO
confirmation service.

SP2JMB, will be active portable 3B9 from Rodrigues Island and then from
Mauritius Island portable 3B8. His activity is from 1 to 8 April,
mainly CW. QSL to his call book address.

Now for the news of special events

Special call GB1SUN will be active from 5 April until the end of the
year, promoting the use of solar energy in amateur radio. The station
will be powered by solar panels and will operate on the HF and VHF
bands. The location is Ossett, West Yorkshire, the QTH of Mary and
Robert Brown, M3XMW and M0JRB.

On Thursday 3 April, the radio club of Raismes in northern France will
use the callsign TM0FAC at the university of Valenciennes. They are
particularly keen to contact teachers and students. Club members will
operate on 20, 40 and 80 metres, and on VHF through local repeaters.
The locator is JO10SI. A special QSL card will be sent for each QSO.

And now for the details of rallies and events for the coming week

On the evening of Friday 4 April the Church Island Radio Rally takes
place at the Community Hall, Bellaghy, County Derry. Doors open at 8pm.
Details can be obtained from John, MI0MIO, telephone 07719 100595 or
email .

On Sunday 6 April the Northern Mobile Rally will be at St Francis
Xavier School, Richmond, North Yorkshire. Doors open at 10.30am.
Further information is available from Paul Hunt, email
, or at www.northernmobilerally.co.nr.

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On Sunday 6 April the West London Radio and Electronics Show is at
Kempton Park Racecourse. Among the attractions is the RSGB Top Ham
Competition. For more details contact Paul, M0CJX, on 0845 165 0351, or
email him at . The rally web site is
www.radiofairs.co.uk.

Also on Sunday 6 April, there is the Spring Militaria, Electronics and
Radio Amateur Hangar Sale. It is held at Hack Green secret Nuclear
Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW58AP. The sale is held concurrently with
the Ex-Military Landrover Association's large display of military
vehicles. Further information is from Rod Siebert, telephone 01270
623353 or email . Details of the secret bunker
and its history can be found at www.hackgreen.co.uk.

The last event on Sunday 6 April is the Cambridgeshire Repeater Group
Annual Rally at Bottisham Village College, six miles east of Cambridge.
Doors open at 10am. More information can be obtained from Paul, G2PA,
telephone 01462 683574, or email .

Now the contest news

The 48-hour CQ Worldwide WPX SSB contest ends at 2359 on Sunday 30
March. There are likely to be many exotic prefixes active in this
contest which uses the bands from 1.8 and 28MHz. The exchange is RST
and serial number.

On Tuesday 1 April there is the RSGB 144MHz activity event and Club
Championship between 2000 and 2130 local time. All modes are permitted
and the exchange is RST, serial number and locator.

Sunday 6 April sees the RSGB 70MHz contest, held between 0900 and
1200UTC. All modes are permitted and the exchange is RST, serial number
and locator.

And now the solar factual data for the period from 17 to 23 March,
compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS and Martin Harrison, G3USF.

The solar disc was spotless until the 23rd when a small group emerged,
this group grew rapidly in size and produced a couple of small sub
flares. Solar activity was very low. Solar flux levels declined
slightly to 68 units by the 20th and the 21st. With the emergence of
the sunspot group, levels increased to 72 on the 23rd. The average was
70 units. The 90 day solar flux average on the 23rd was 72 units.
That's the same level as last week. X-ray flux remained below the
minimum recording level throughout. Geomagnetic activity was quiet
everyday and the average was Ap 6 units. The ACE spacecraft saw solar
wind speeds decline from 580 kilometres per second to 410 by the 22nd.
Particle densities were low every day. Bz varied between minus 6 and
plus 7 nanoTeslas.

With lower geomagnetic activity the HF bands have been in better shape,
with mid-day F2 critical frequencies averaging around 5MHz. North-south
paths were particularly improved, with many stations able to contact
the 9X0R expedition. Short periods of sporadic-E were reported on
28MHz. Darkness hour critical frequencies fell to around 2.4MHz. There
were no reports of auroral activity, although March is traditionally a
good month for auroras.

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And finally the solar forecast. This week solar activity is expected to
continue at very low levels. Any increase in activity will be rather
sudden and brief. Without this increase solar flux levels should be
around the 70 mark. Geomagnetic activity should be quiet, however right
at the end of the week activity is expected to increase due to a
recurring coronal hole. MUFs during daylight hours at equal latitudes
should be around 19MHz for the south and 16MHz for the north. The
darkness hour lows should be about 9MHz. Rather than a path predication
this week we have the latest analysis from NASA, which suggests that
the solar flux will remain close to current bottom-of-cycle levels for
the rest of this year. A rapid rise towards the next peak in 2011 will
begin during the first quarter of 2009. There is as yet no consensus
among forecasters about how good cycle 24 will eventually prove to be.
Operators on the higher bands will have to be patient for a while
longer * but low-band operators should be able to look forward to
another winter comparable to the one just ending.

And that's all for this week from the propagation team.

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Next, the Local News:

Please note that details of all RSGB-affiliated clubs and societies

can be found on the RSGB website, including e-mail addresses

and website links where known.

[Note to newsreaders: Please read the local news items appropriate to
the service area of your

transmission.]

NEWS FOR THE SOUTH-EAST

and EAST ANGLIA On Monday 31 March Braintree and District Amateur Radio
Society is having the club net via GB3BZ. Contact John, M5AJB, on 01787
460 947. On Tuesday 1 April Cambridgeshire Repeater Group is having a
presentation on D-Star. Contact Paul, G2PA, 01462 683 574,
, or on the web at www.gb3pi.org.uk. On Tuesday 1
April Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society is having a talk on the GHz
bands by RadCom Microwave columnist Sam Jewell, G4DDK. Contact Martyn,
G1EFL, on 01245 469 008. On Tuesday 1 April Horndean and District
Amateur Radio Club is having a natter night and social evening. Contact
Stuart, G0FYX, on 023 9247 2846, or on the web at www.hdarc.co.uk. On
Tuesday 1 April Leiston Amateur Radio Club is meeting at Sizewell
sports and social club. Contact Dave, G4HUP, on 01473 737 717, or by
email to . On Tuesday 1 April North Kent Radio
Society is having a natter night and field day discussion. Contact
Dave, G4YIB, by email to . On Tuesday 1 April
Stevenage and District Amateur Radio Society is operating on VHF and
taking part in the 144MHz UK activity contest. Contact Neil, M0ARH, on
01438 217 077. On Wednesday 2 April Chesham and District Amateur Radio
Society is having a general meeting. Contact Terry, G0VFW, on 01442 506
344, or by email to . On Wednesday 2 April
Dover Radio Club is holding its AGM. Contact Brian, G4SAU, by email to
. On Wednesday 2 April Havering and District Amateur
Radio Club is having a business meeting to review the first quarter of
2008. Contact Dave, 2E0EBV, on 07956 594 514. On Wednesday 2 April
Norfolk Amateur Radio Club is holding its AGM. Contact Mark Taylor,
G0LGJ, on 01362 691099, or by email to . On Wednesday 2
April Worthing and District Amateur Radio Club is having a talk on "SWR
and all that" by G3LDO. Contact Roy, G4GPX, on 01903 753 893. On
Thursday 3 April Horsham Amateur Radio Club is having a talk on the
history of recorded sound by John Weller, G0GNA. Details on the web at
www.harc.org.uk. On Thursday 3 April King's Lynn Amateur Radio Club is
having a 2 metre club net with the Huntingdon club. Contact Ray, G3RSV,
on , or on the web at www.klarc.org.uk. On
Thursday 3 April Maidenhead and District Amateur Radio Club is having a
talk on the history of receivers by John Ellerton, G3NCN. Contact John,
G8RYW, on 01628 628 463, or by email to .

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On Thursday 3 April Shefford and District Amateur Radio Society is
having a talk on climate change by Keith, M1EPK. Contact David, G8UOD,
on 01234 742 757. On Friday 4 April Mid-Sussex Amateur Radio Society is
having a fox hunt with Sue and Geoff. Contact Sue, G6YPY, on 01273 845
103, or by email to . On Friday 4 and Saturday 5
April Reading and District Amateur Radio Club is continuing its
Foundation Licence course. Contact Pete, G8FRC, on 01189 695 697. On
Friday 4 April Torbay Amateur Radio Society is having an operating
night. Contact Dave, G6FSP, by email to . On Friday 4
April Wey Valley Amateur Radio Group Is having its club construction
contest. Details on the web at www.weyvalleyarg.org.uk. On Saturday 5
April Reading and District Amateur Radio Club is looking for help with
its three towers hike. Contact Pete, G8FRC, on 01189 695 697. On
Saturday 5 April Shefford and District Amateur Radio Society is having
its cub dinner at Stratton House Hotel. Contact David, G8UOD, on 01234
742 757. On Sunday 6 April Cambridgeshire Repeater Group is running its
annual rally at Bottisham Village College. Contact Paul, G2PA, 01462
683 574, , or on the web at www.gb3pi.org.uk. On
Sunday 6 April Whitton Amateur Radio Group is starting its Intermediate
Course. Contact Chris, 0870 760 5082, or on the web at www.warg.info.

NEWS FOR THE SOUTH-WEST On Tuesday 2 April the Solent Club for Amateur
Radio and Television will be holding its AGM at The Castle Inn, Witts
Hill, Southampton. The AGM will be followed by a lively junk sale.
Contact Tony, G7OGT, by email to . On Wednesday
2 April South Bristol Amateur Radio Club is having its spring table top
sale. Contact Len, G4RZY, on 01275 834 282. On Wednesday 2 April
Taunton and District Amateur Radio Club is having a talk on the quest
for higher frequencies by Peter Butcher, the editor of the Defence
Electronics History Society magazine. Contact William, G3WNI, on 01823
666 234, or by email to . On Wednesday 2 April
Trowbridge and District Amateur Radio Club is having a talk by Mike
Adams, M0ALW. Contact Ian, G0GRI, on 01225 864 698, evenings and
weekends. On Thursday 3 April Swindon and District Amateur Radio Club
is having a talk on 1.3 and 10GHz operation by Ian Lamb, G8KQW. Contact
Mike, M5CBS, on 01793 826 465. On Thursday 3 April Yeovil Amateur Radio
Club is having a fun run. Contact Gary, 2E0BFJ, by email to
. On Friday 4 April Bournemouth Radio Society is
having an illustrated talk by Colin Redwood, G6MXL, on the history of
sound recording. Contact John, G0HAT, on 07719 700 771.

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NEWS FOR THE MIDLANDS On Monday 31 March Gloucester Amateur Radio And
Electronics Society is operating on VHF. Contact Anne, 2E1GKY, on 01452
548478, daytime, or on the web at www.g4aym.org.uk. On Tuesday 1 April
Derby and District Amateur Radio Society is having its Foolish Junk
Sale. Contact Martin, G3SZJ, on 01332 556 875. On Tuesday 1 April
Loughborough and District Amateur Radio Club is having a talk by Phil
Green on the glory years of the Nimrod. Contact Chris, G1ETZ, on 01509
504 319. On Tuesday 1 April Wythall Radio Club is taking part in the 2m
Club Championship from the shack. Contact Chris, G0EYO, on 07710 412
819, or by email to , or on the web at
www.wythallradioclub.co.uk. On Wednesday 2 April Lincoln Short-Wave
Club is visiting Alan Wiles' Workshop. Contact John, G1TSL, on 01526
323 153. On Wednesday 2 April Telford and District Amateur Radio
Society is having an open house evening. Contact Mike, G3JKX, on 01952
299 677, or by email to . On Thursday 3
April RAF Waddington Amateur Radio Club is having a natter night in the
club. Contact Martin, M0MDF, on 01522 752 785, or by email to
. On Thursday 3 April Salop Amateur Radio
Society is having a natter night. Details on the web at www.salop-
ARS.org.uk. On Thursday 3 April Tamworth Amateur Radio Society is
having a natter night. Contact Colin Marks, G4ZPJ, on 01827 700 893, or
by email to . On Friday 4 April Coventry
Amateur Radio Society is having mini lectures. Contact John, G8SEQ, on
02476 273 190, or by email to .

NEWS FOR THE NORTH OF ENGLAND On Monday 31 March Angel Of The North
Radio Amateur Radio Club is on the air. Contact Nancy, G7UUR, on 07990
760 920 (day), 0191 477 0036 (night), or by email to
, or on the web at www.anarc.net. On Monday 31
March Bolton Wireless Club is meeting at the Britannia Hotel for a talk
on Summits on the Air by Ian, G7KXV. Contact .
On Monday 31 March Sheffield Amateur Radio Club 2E0ZLT is explaining
how to fit a radio into a car. Contact Trevor, M0TWS. On Monday 31
March Thornton Cleveleys Amateur Radio Society is having a video by
Ted, G3WBB. Contact Jack, G4BFH, by email to
. On Tuesday 1 April Chester and District
Radio Society is having a talk by John Goldberg. Details on the web at
www.chesterdars.org.uk, or by email to . On
Tuesday 1 April Stockport Radio Society is having part 2 of Steve,
G8YTP's talk on the art of using rope and knots. Contact David, M1ANT,
on 0161 456 7832. On Wednesday 2 April Hambleton Amateur Radio Society
is having a VHF operating night using SSB and FM. Contact Tim, G0TYM,
on 01642 711 334, or by email to , or on the web at
www.radioclubs.net/hambletonars.

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On Wednesday 2 April Hornsea Amateur Radio Club is having an activity
night. Contact Sue, G6UQA, on 01482 668 041, or on the web at
www.hornseaarc.co.uk. On Wednesday 2 April Wirral and District Amateur
Radio Club is having a natter night at the Saughall Hotel, Saughall
Massie. Contact Tom, G4BKF, on 07050 291 850. On Friday 4 April East
Cleveland Amateur Radio Club is having a radio magazine evening.
Contact Alistair, G4OLK, on 01642 475 671, or by email to
. On Friday 4 April South Manchester Radio
And Computer Club is hearing about the further Antarctic adventures of
Chris and Ron with G3UAU and G3SVW. Contact Ron, G3SVW, on 0161 969
3999. On Friday 4 April Tynemouth Radio Club is having a junk sale.
Contact Tony, G8YFA, by email to .

NEWS FOR SCOTLAND On Wednesday 2 April Paisley YMCA Amateur Radio Club
is discussing PCs in the shack. Contact Jim, GM3UWX. On Thursday 3
April Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society is having its junk sale. Contact
Lewis, GM4AJR, on 01224 575 663, or on the web at
www.aars.freeserve.co.uk. On Friday 4 April Cockenzie and Port Seton
Amateur Radio Club is having a normal club night. Contact Bob, GM4UYZ,
on 01875 811 723. On Friday 4 April West Of Scotland Amateur Radio
Society is having a club night. Details on the web at www.wosars.org.

NEWS FOR WALES On Sunday 30 March Pembrokeshire Radio Society is having
an amateur radio bring and buy at "The Patch", Furzey Park Community
Centre. Contact Evan, GW4AKZ, on 01437 710 141.

NEWS FOR NORTHERN IRELAND On Thursday 3 April Bangor and District
Amateur Radio Club is having its annual constructors contest. Contact
Mike, GI4XSF, on 028 4277 2 383.

And that's the end of this week's GB2RS news broadcast,

prepared by the Radio Society of Great Britain.