Subject: gb2rs news 11th october 1992
Distribution: world
Organization: 5/10
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1992 17:23:44 +0000

Good morning. It's Sunday the 11th of October and here is the GB2RS news
broadcast, prepared by the Radio Society of Great Britain.

This week we have news of the Funeral of "Dud" Charman, G6CJ; a New Council
Member for Zone C; appointment of an Honorary Officer, some Special Jamboree
on the Air stations, microwave enthusiasts; plus all the usual DX, contest,
rally, propagation and club news.

With the death and funeral of Frederick J. H. ( Dud ) Charman, BEM, G6CJ, the
Society and the Amateur Radio movement have lost a unique character, who
contributed greatly to the hobby in the early and in-between years. Council
Member John Forward, G3HTA attended the funeral on behalf of the Radio Society
of Great Britain. A full obituary on the life and work of Dud Charman, G6CJ
will appear soon in Radio Communication.

At the RSGB's Council Meeting held last month the decision that Neil Lasher,
G6HIU, be invited by Council to be a co-opted member for Zone C under Article
27 of the Articles of Association was agreed. This took effect from the 25th
of September.

News now of the appointment of John Irving, G4XJT as the Honorary Officer for
the position of Emergency Communications Officer. He will take up the position
with immediate effect, but for the moment all communication is to be passed
via the Chairman of the RSGB Membership Liaison Committee, Clive Trotman,
GW4YKL, whose address is correct in the RSGB Call Book. Further details of the
address and telephone number for John Irving will be released as soon as they
become available.

Next weekend is the 35th Scout Jamboree on the Air, which this year has the
theme " Let's Talk". Last minute details and information about the event can
be obtained by telephoning the JOTA hotline on 071 581 9920 from Monday the
12th of October onwards. Special stations that will be taking part this year
include GB2TWB  Tower World Blackpool, at the top of Blackpool Tower and GB2BT
at the top of BT Tower, London. This is part of a link-up between Scouts at
Towers around the world which are members of the World Federation of Great
Towers. Please remember that the aim of the event is to enable Scouts and
Guides to talk to and find out about each other. They should be given every
encouragement to do this within the rules of the licence.


The next RSGB Microwave Round Table meeting has been arranged for Sunday the
18th of October. This meeting is the scheduled Autumn event of the Southern
series.The venue is the Flight Refuelling Amateur Radio Society Club,
Wimborne, Dorset, which is signposted from the Wimborne by-pass. The meeting
will start between 10.00 and 10.30am. It will feature an open forum; items
under construction and complete stations; a bring and buy sale; a calibration
and alignment session, and a short presentation.  Further details can be
obtained by telephoning Ted Jewell, G4ELM, on 0730 892462

Now for some repeater news;

 We apologise to the GB3DS Repeater group who were incorrectly listed in the
 October RadCom article on repeaters as having completed the documentation but
 not paid the franchise. The payment was received by the accounts section at
 RSGB Headquarters in June but was not notified to the repeater person for
 issue of the franchise letter.


Now some items of HF DX news from the weekly RSGB DX News Sheet which is
edited by Brendan McCartney, G4DYO. From Canada, the Listowel District
Secondary School Amateur Radio Club will sign as VD325E from Saturday the 17th
until Friday the 30th of October. This to celebrate the 25th anniversary of
Elma Township Public School. From Fernando de Noronha, PP1CZ will sign
PY0F/PP1CZ from Saturday the 17th until Saturday the 31st of October. From
Antigua, JP1NWZ and JL1MUT will sign V2/home call from 21st to the 28th of
October. They will be active on 160 to 10 metre bands including the WARC,
using CW and SSB. From Ascension Island, N6TJ will be active as ZD8Z from
Tuesday the 13th to Wednesday the 28th of October.


Rally news now, and we know of three events for today Sunday the 11th.

The Armagh and Dungannon and District Amateur Radio Society Rally is being
held at the Gosford House Hotel, Markethill, County Armagh. Doors open at
12.00 noon. The event features the usual traders, a bring and buy and
refreshments will be available. Talk-in is on channel S22. The Hornsea Amateur
Radio Club Rally is being held at the Floral Hall, Hornsea, North Humberside.
Doors open at 11am, 10.30am for disabled visitors. The event features trade
stands, a bring and buy. The South Devon Radio Club's 'Computercation 92'
Computer and Radio Rally is being held at the Hillhead Camp Site, Dartmouth
Road, Brixham, Devon. Doors open at 10.00am and the event features trade
stands, car boot sale and refreshments. Talk-in will be on channel S22 via
GB4CPU. There are no scheduled rally events that we know of for next weekend
Saturday the 17th and Sunday the 18th of October.


HF Contest news now:

During today Sunday the 11th, the RSGB's 21/28MHz Telephony Contest is taking
place from 0700 until 1900GMT. During next Sunday the 18th the RSGB's 21MHz CW
Contest will take place between 0700 and 1900GMT. See April RadCom page 66 for
further details.

Next the VHF/UHF Contest news:

The next RSGB UHF event is the 432MHz Cumulatives for Wednesday the 14th of
October. It runs from 1930 to 2200GMT. This is the first of five to be held in
the next three months. See June RadCom page 65 for further details. The next
RSGB VHF event is the 144MHz CW Cumulative for Friday the 16th of October. It
runs from 1930 to 2200GMT and June RadCom has further details.


Special events

During next weekend the Scottish Tourist Board Radio Amateur Expedition Group,
will use the callsign GB2STB from Airdrie Town Hall, Airdrie.This is to mark
the Launch of Airdrie Mod 93, the 101st International Gaelic Festival. All the
Special Event locations operated from by the Group are open to the Public.
Contact with the stations taking part will count towards a Certificate and
Trophies Awards. For further information contact GM3MTH, by telephoning 0236
440495

And now the solar factual data:


The period 28th September to the 4th October saw considerable magnetic
disturbance due to the passage of a coronal hole, there was no flare activity.
Very poor ionospheric conditions resulted and were only just recovering by the
time this bulletin was being prepared. Sun spot counts meaned at 136 though
they ranged from 93 up to 179 over the period. Solar flux levels averaged 118
units and did not vary much day to day. The geomagnetic Ap indices reached
magstorm levels at Wingst on the 28th at 12.03 GMT, and by the 29th storm
levels of Ap 57 units were recorded. Conditions remained very unsettled up to
the 2nd October, when the levels then declined to quiet. The period averaged
22.7 units. The state has been no flares and no protons just a magnetic storm.
There was a classic pre auroral enhancement of the HF bands leading up to the
28th, then the radio quality indices collapsed to extremely low levels on all
circuits by the 29th, and were only beginning to improve by the 4th. The aa
indices as supplied by the British Geological Survey for the period 22nd to
28th September were quiet, with the daily averages for the period being 17.5
nanoTeslas only equal to K3. The mean sunspot count for September was 62.9
with the maximum of 86 on the 24th and 27th. and the minimum of 38 on the 8th.
The smoothed count for March 1992 is 108 +/- 5, with the forecast for
September 1992 being 94 +/- 15. The Orionids meteor shower starts October 16th
but reaches its peak on the 22nd.

Now the ionospheric data for England and Wales:

The F2 daytime critical frequencies at Slough as reported by Appleton averaged
7.3MHz but dropped to only 5.5MHz on the 29th, and though levels were
recovering by the 4th October, only 7.7MHz was recorded. The darkness hour
lows averaged 2.1MHz and did not vary much day to day, with the low levels now
being around 05.00 hours most days.

Now the ionospheric data for the north:

The F2 critical frequencies are not available from Irkutsk any more, so we
will be using the Sverdlodvsk:- (pronounced SVAIRD-LOVSK) :- data which is
situated at North 56 and east 61 degrees, The daytime levels averaged 6.8MHz
and the darkness hour lows 2.4MHz. With satellites and fibre optic cables,
taking over communication circuits, interest in the ionosphere is now very
low. One reason why observatories like Irkutsk are dropping out. Its only
amateurs and shortwave broadcasters that are interested in the ionosphere
these days.

And lastly the solar forecast:

This week, the quiet side of the sun will be coming into view, solar flux
levels are expected to be about the 110s. Magnetic activity is expected to be
quiet. Ionospheric MUFs during daylight are expected to reach 24MHz, though
conditions could improve towards the end of the week when 28MHz may be open
for north/south paths. The darkness hours are expected to reach 18MHz, with
14MHz being best for east/west contacts.

        And that's the end of the solar information.

Finally in the main news, the licence issuing agency, SSL, has informed the
Society that as of last Wednesday morning, the latest callsigns issued were in
the G0 S M and G7 N T series, and Novice calls in the 2 0 A D
and 2 1 B C series.


You're listening to GB2RS, the news broadcasting service of the Radio Society
of Great Britain, transmitting in the 80, 40, 6 and 2 metre bands.


Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc