| |
G4FVG > NEWS 12.07.90 05:30z 257 Lines 12374 Bytes #-13142 (0) @ EU
BID : 54658_G4FVG
Subj: RSGB Main News 12 July 2026
Path: SR1BSZ<EA2RCF<ED1ZAC<GB7CIP<G4FVG
Sent: 260712/0455Z 54658@G4FVG..#44.GBR.EU LinBPQ6.0.25
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 12th of July 2026
The news headlines:
* Upcoming IARU Region 1 Conference
* WRTC 2026 is supported by the RSGB
* Have you enabled RSGB app notifications on your mobile device?
The IARU Region 1 Conference is held every three years. The next one
will be in September 2026 and will be hosted by the Austrian member
society ÖVSV, which is also celebrating its centenary. Reports and
proposals on a wide range of amateur radio topics are available from
the conference website at conf.iaru-r1.org/documents The scope
includes the more regular topics such as band plans, spectrum
matters, EMC and youth. This particular event will also consider
updates for amateur radio development, operating and organisational
matters. The RSGB has contributed several inputs. More about the
event will be shared via the Society's comms channels and a future
edition of RadCom.
This year's World Radiosport Team Championship is taking place in
East Anglia in the UK between the 8th and 13th of July. The RSGB is
an official partner to the event and representatives from the Society
have been on site throughout the week. The team has been supporting
various activities including media liaison to raise awareness for
WRTC 2026, the RSGB and amateur radio as a whole. You can see
coverage of the event in a range of radio and online outlets
including BBC Radio Shropshire, BBC News Online, Shropshire Live and
the East Anglia Gazette. Links to the coverage are available on the
RSGB website. Volunteers at the RSGB National Radio Centre have been
busy welcoming competitors, referees, and supporters of WRTC to the
Centre, with some enjoying time operating the GB3RS station. Keep up
to date with more WRTC news, including the winners of the
Championship, by visiting wrtc2026.org
Remember to enable RSGB app notifications on your mobile device to be
the first to hear when the Society releases the latest edition of
RadCom and its sister publications. You'll also be notified when new
editions are added to the collection of back issues. For iOS devices,
go to Settings then tap Apps. Locate the RSGB app in the list, and
toggle to allow notifications. For Android devices, go to Settings,
navigate to Notifications and then tap on App notifications. Locate
the RSGB app in the list and toggle to allow notifications. If you
haven't yet downloaded the RSGB app, get the links by going to
rsgb.org/radcom
RSGB General Manager Steve Thomas, M1ACB visited the RSGB National
Radio Centre earlier this month. Steve was on site to deliver two
awards to volunteers including the Norman Keith Adams prize and
another for outstanding services to the Centre. The RSGB National
Radio Centre Coordinator Martyn Baker, G0GMB is currently looking for
friendly and enthusiastic radio amateurs to join this successful
team. If you are able to volunteer a minimum of one, or preferably
two, days per month, find out more about the role by visiting
rsgb.org/volunteers
Don't forget to listen out for all of the stations that will be on
the air today, the 12th, during the 145 Alive event. From 1100 to
1400UTC, many hundreds of operators will be on the air using 145MHz
FM and 144MHz SSB. For more information, go to the 145 Alive Facebook
page or email 145aliveuk<at>gmail.com
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
Today, the 12th, McMichael Radio and Electronics Rally is taking
place at White Waltham Airfield, Maidenhead, SL6 3LW. The doors are
open from 8am for traders and to the public from 9am. The entry fee
for visitors is GBP 4 per person. More details are available at
mcmichaelrally.org.uk
On Sunday the 19th, Lincoln Short Wave Club Summer Radio Rally will
take place at The Festival Hall, Caistor Road, Market Rasen, LN8 3HT.
The doors open at 10am and admission costs GBP 3. This in an indoor
event and ample free car parking will be available. For more
information email m5zzz<at>outlook.com
Amateur radio will feature at the Electromagnetic Field EMF 2026
event taking place from the 16th to the 19th of July at Eastnor
Castle Deer Park, Eastnor, Ledbury, Herefordshire, HR8 1EN. AMSAT-UK,
the British Amateur Television Club and the UK Microwave Group are
teaming up to showcase satellite communications, amateur television
and microwave radio experimentation. Throughout the weekend, they
plan to demonstrate how radio amateurs communicate via satellites in
both low-earth orbit and geostationary orbit, including contacts and
digital amateur television via the QO-100 satellite. They also hope
to demonstrate microwave operating techniques and experimental radio
systems used on the higher amateur bands. Visitors can see live
satellite ground-station setups, microwave equipment, an amateur
television demonstration and learn how hobbyists build and operate
space-related radio technology. Special event callsign GB26EMF will
also be active on site. If you are attending the event, drop by to
explore satellites, video over radio and the microwave spectrum. More
details are available at amsat-uk.org
Now the Special Event news
To mark the centenary of the New Zealand Association of Radio
Transmitters, special callsign ZL100C is on the air until Thursday
the 6th of August. QSL via the Bureau and Logbook of the World.
Special callsign DL0SOP is active until the 31st of July for the 68th
edition of the Sea of Peace Award. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, Logbook
of the World and eQSL. More information, including the rules and how
to apply for an award, is available at dl0sop.darc.de
Now the DX news
Emil, DL8JJ is active as OX/DL8JJ/P from Greenland until Tuesday the
14th of July. He is operating CW from the main island, NA-018, as
well as from Tasiilaq [TAH-SEE-LAK], NA-151.
Aldir [AHL-DEER], PY1SAD is active as 8R1TM from Guyana until Sunday
the 26th of July. He operates using CW, digital modes and SSB on the
160 to 6m bands as well as via satellite. QSL via Logbook of the
World, eQSL, QRZ.com or directly to Aldir's home call.
Now the contest news
Today, the 12th, the UK Microwave Group 24, 47 and 76GHz Contest runs
from 0800 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on 24 to 76GHz frequencies, the
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
The GR2HQ Challenge and IARU HF Championship started at 1200UTC
yesterday, the 11th, and ends at 1200UTC today, Sunday the 12th of
July. Using CW and SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are
permitted, the exchange is signal report and ITU Zone. The UK is in
Zone 27.
On Tuesday the 14th of July, the RSGB 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs
from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
Also on Tuesday the 14th of July, the RSGB 432MHz UK Activity Contest
runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Wednesday the 15th of July, the RSGB 80m Club Championship runs
from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is
signal report and serial number.
On Thursday the 16th of July, the RSGB 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs
from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
On Saturday the 18th of July, the RSGB 70MHz Trophy Contest runs from
1400 to 2000UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number, locator and your two-letter postcode.
On Sunday the 19th, the RSGB International Low Power Contest runs
from 0900 to 1600UTC. Using CW on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the
exchange is signal report, serial number and transmitter power.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Thursday the 9th of July 2026.
We have had another week of mixed HF propagation. We started with a
Kp index of 6.33 on Saturday the 4th of July which was caused by a
coronal mass ejection, or CME. This caused a strong G3 geomagnetic
storm and auroral conditions. A check on the bands on the 4th of July
showed poor HF propagation with lower maximum useable frequencies, or
MUFs, and weak and watery signals from the NCDXF beacons on 14.100MHz.
But conditions have since improved and we had a Kp index of less than
3 over the past few days which means the ionosphere has returned to
normal.
Meanwhile, the solar flux index declined from a high of 203 on
Thursday the 2nd of July to a low of 116 on Wednesday the 8th of
July. That's quite a change and means that HF propagation has
declined somewhat.
An Earth-facing coronal hole has now passed with few effects and
currently there is nothing of significance rotating into view. Solar
flare activity has also declined with only two M-class flares over
the past three days.
So, the big question is: what happens next? Active region 4482 on the
Sun continues to be a major threat. A solar flare and accompanying
CME could soon ruin our chances of good HF conditions. The declining
solar flux index hasn't helped either.
Again, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will be in the 120 to 145
range over the coming week with a Kp index of 2 to 3. So, good news
overall.
DX to be worked this week includes D73G on Ch'ongsan [CHONG-SAHN-DOH]
Island; T22TT from Tuvalu; TY5FR in Benin; RT9K, the Arctic Legends
IOTA DXpedition; JK1HFB/JD1 in Ogasawara [OH-GAH-SAH-WAH-RAH], OX3LX
from Greenland; and VP5G operating from Turks and Caicos [KAY-KUHS].
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The weather is becoming a talking point in terms of the heatwave
developing over much of the country, but especially in the south.
This has propagation implications too. It's all being driven by a
large area of high pressure, which for much of the coming week
resides to the north and west of the British Isles. This will give a
northeasterly breeze over the southeastern half of the UK which means
it will be blowing in from the North Sea, possibly with areas of low
cloud at times.
The propagation implication is that this represents almost ideal
tropo potential. This is especially the case when the low cloud moves
inland and we find a marked contrast between the hot dry air above
the inversion and the cool, moist and shallow cloud layer below.
However, in high summer the daytime heating over the land degrades
the lift during the morning as the temperature inversion gets broken
down by the strong sunshine.
Northern areas will see the occasional weakening front clip the
northwestern fringes of the UK to offer up the only rain scatter
prospects available at first. However, some models are starting to
suggest a breakdown by the end of the week, so more rain scatter and
an end to the tropo.
The prospects for aurora depend upon the Kp index, which at the
moment is mostly cycling between 1 and 3. This is not anything to
generate radio interest, for which a Kp index of 7 is nearer the
mark. Meteor showers are still in the random state with the next
shower, the Delta Aquarids, coming late in the month.
The Sporadic-E season is doing well this year, particularly for
digital modes. There have also been events for CW and SSB up to 2m at
times. However, not all parts of the country experience an opening,
so watch the clusters for early notice of workable paths.
EME now, and declination reaches maximum today, the 12th, so Moon
window lengths will peak along with maximum Moon elevation. Path
losses are still falling, until perigee tomorrow, the 13th. 144MHz
sky noise is moderate until Tuesday the 14th when the Sun and Moon
are close in the sky, then low for the rest of the week.
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.
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |