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G4FVG  > NEWS     28.06.26 10:03l 252 Lines 11910 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News 28 June 2026
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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 28th of June 2026

The news headlines:

* Join Tonight<at>8 in July to learn about this summer's solar 
eclipse and how you can take part
* New speakers confirmed for the RSGB 2026 Convention
* Send your nominations for the RSGB G5RP Trophy 


Did you know that a solar eclipse will be visible in the UK this 
Summer? It will be a total eclipse for areas west of the UK and at 
its maximum there will be about 90% totality. This lends itself to 
unique opportunities for HF propagation experiments, and you can get 
involved! In a special Tonight<at>8 on Monday the 6th of July, RSGB 
Propagation Studies Committee Chair Steve Nichols, G0KYA will explain 
how the Committee has been drawing up plans for RSGB members to 
participate. These include experiments with monitoring medium wave 
stations in the UK, Morocco and Algeria. An 80m CW contest is also 
being arranged and other radio amateurs are being encouraged to run 
WSPR on 80m during the eclipse. During the webinar, Steve will 
outline what you can expect and why, as well as how you can take 
part. You can join the webinar and ask questions live via the RSGB's 
YouTube channel or special BATC channel. You can view the latest 
Tonight<at>8 programme by visiting rsgb.org/webinars

Are you up to date on the latest developments in the Microwave 
community? Or perhaps you'd like to learn about Low Earth Orbiting 
satellites? Maybe you'd like to improve your knowledge on the 
pioneering women of British amateur radio? Or are you interested in 
understanding your SDR through IQ visualisation? These are all topics 
that the RSGB is excited to have on the programme for its upcoming 
Convention between the 9th and 11th of October 2026. You can see the 
full speaker list by going to rsgb.org/convention  and selecting 
‘RSGB 2026 Convention – speakers' from the righthand menu. The 
Society has confirmed that it has frozen ticket prices, and you can 
buy this year's ticket at last year's price! This means you can make 
the most of the early-bird pricing and buy your weekend ticket for 
just GBP 49. Buy your ticket now and enjoy a weekend of learning, 
inspiration and making connections. 

The RSGB G5RP Trophy is an annual award to encourage newcomers to HF 
DXing. The award 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 
2026, 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 substantial HF DXpedition 
activity. Please send your nominations to RSGB HF Manager Ian 
Greenshields, G4FSU via hf.manager<at>rsgb.org.uk  The deadline for 
nominations is Friday the 11th of September 2026.

Are you studying for your Foundation or Intermediate level exam? Did 
you know that the RSGB recently released three new mock exams for 
each level? The new papers take into account all the changes to the 
syllabus and exam question bank that have been made since the last 
sets of mock exam papers were published. Make sure you are using 
these latest versions for your revision by going to 
rsgb.org/mock-exams

The famous Grimeton Radio Station will be on the air on Sunday the 
5th of July. The unique Alexanderson alternator, with the callsign 
SAQ, is scheduled for two transmissions on 17.2kHz using CW. At 
0830UTC, the alternator will be started up and at 0900UTC the first 
transmission will take place. A second transmission is scheduled for 
1300UTC. You can read more about the event and the historic 
transmitter at alexander.n.se

And finally, don't forget to listen out for all the amateur stations 
that will be on the air for International Museums on the Air today, 
the 28th of June. For more information about the event visit 
tinyurl.com/imota2026

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 28th, the Cornish Radio Amateur Club Rally is taking place 
at Penair School in Truro. The doors open at 10.15am and admission 
costs GBP 3. Traders, bring and buy and refreshments are available on 
site. For more information email janluke1954<at>hotmail.co.uk

Barford Norfolk Radio Rally will take place on Sunday the 5th of July 
at Barford Village Hall and Green, Barford, Norwich, NR9 4AB. The 
doors open at 9am for visitors. The event features trade stands, car 
boot sales, bring and buy, a charity raffle, repeater groups, 
catering and free car parking. Entry costs GBP 3 per person but under 
16s will be admitted free of charge. For more details visit 
tinyurl.com/Barford2026  or email David, G7URP at 
radio<at>dcpmicro.com

The Broadcast Engineering Museum has an open day on Sunday the 5th of 
July, from 11am. The museum is located at 41 Capper Avenue, Hemswell 
Cliff, near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 5XS. The museum is home 
to one of the largest collections of historic broadcasting equipment 
in the world. For more information visit becg.org.uk/events

Also on Sunday the 5th of July, Newbury Radio Rally will be taking 
place at Newbury Showground, RG18 9QZ. The entrance fee for visitors 
is GBP 4 per person but there is no charge for under 16s. Free 
parking is available on site. For more information visit 
nadars.org.uk/rally.asp


Now the Special Event news

Special callsign DQ40CNP is in use until the 11th of July to 
commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant 
disaster. The station has been worked recently on the HF bands using 
FT8. QSL via DL1EAL. QSOs will be uploaded to Logbook of the World, 
eQSL, the DARC Community Logbook, QRZ.com  and Club Log.

Amateur radio operators across the USA, Canada and Mexico are 
activating a series of special callsigns to celebrate the 2026 FIFA 
World Cup. Stations are active until the 19th of July from each of 
the cities hosting the tournament. Look out for activity on all bands 
and modes. For more information visit wc2026ses.org


Now the DX news

Chas, NK8O is active as 5H3DX from Tanzania until Thursday the 2nd of 
July. He operates using CW, FT4 and FT8 on the 40 to 6m bands. QSL 
via Logbook of the World or directly to NK8O.

Darek, TJ1GD is active from Mondoleh [MON-DOH-LAY] Island in 
Cameroon, AF-095, until Wednesday the 15th of July. See QRZ.com for 
QSL instructions.


Now the contest news

Today, the 28th, the UK Microwave Group High Band Contest runs from 
0800 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on 5.7 to 10GHz frequencies, the 
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Also today, the 28th, the RSGB 50MHz CW Contest runs from 0900 to 
1200UTC. Using CW on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, 
serial number and locator.

On Wednesday the 1st of July, 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 
1st of July, 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.

RSGB VHF National Field Day and the RSGB VHF Fixed Station Contest 
start at 1400UTC on Saturday the 4th and run until 1400UTC on Sunday 
the 5th of July. Using all modes on the 6m, 4m, 2m, 70cm and 23cm 
bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Sunday the 5th of July, the RSGB 3rd 144MHz Backpackers Contest 
runs from 1000 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the 
exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.


Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO 
on Tuesday the 23rd of June 2026.

Things have been quiet on the solar front but that may be about to 
change.

The solar flux index has been sitting around the low 120s for a few 
days and the geomagnetic Kp index has been below 2.

Other than a couple of M-class solar flares, activity has been rather 
quiet. One of the flares was the source of a faint, easterly-directed 
coronal mass ejection, or CME, with no Earth-directed component.

But there are a number of solar features that could change all that. 
Firstly, a coronal hole on the Sun's surface became geoeffective on 
Wednesday the 24th meaning a solar wind stream could impact the Earth.

Expect the Kp index to rise, perhaps to 4 as a result, and maximum 
useable frequencies to drop. Hopefully today, the 28th, this will 
clear.

Meanwhile, a large sunspot group is due to appear from around the 
Sun's eastern limb. The cluster as observed by the ESA solar orbiter 
spacecraft shows arch-like structures known as coronal loops seen 
towering over the east limb.

Quite what this will do for HF propagation is hard to say so keep an 
eye on solarham.com for updates.

DX to be worked next week includes FP/KV1J from St Pierre and 
Miquelon; JD1BQP from Ogasawara; 5H3DX in Tanzania; CN2NQV from 
Morocco; FO/F6BCW in French Polynesia; and PJ2/PH2M operating from 
Curacao [CURE-AH-SOW].

HF conditions have been relatively poor with many stations 
complaining that there is not much activity. A quick check revealed 
little action on 21MHz and higher, other than Sporadic-E openings. 
So, it looks like 14 and 18MHz are the main DX bands at the moment. 
NOAA predicts that the solar flux index may increase to 145 by 
Wednesday the 1st of July. Once we get over the effects of the 
coronal hole's high-speed solar wind stream the Kp index is predicted 
to go back down to 2.


And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO

The typical high summer patterns of jet streams take a step back in 
mid-summer. However, any that do crop up can give plenty of value for 
Sporadic-E since the ionosphere is well primed by meteor debris from 
the June Bootids.

Multi-hop Sporadic-E paths to the US and Far East are likely to be a 
surprise at times, often short-lasting for individual stations, but 
overall it is a good time of the season to be optimistic.

It can be a challenge at this time of year since tropo is also a 
strong player due to the hot air from the land moving out across the 
cooler sea water around the UK.

This provides ideal duct conditions that persist over the waters 
throughout the day but may struggle for stations well inland. It can 
also cause confusion as to whether you are working Sporadic-E or 
tropo on occasions. If it is tropo, it will be much longer lasting 
and particularly good overnight on the high bands. If the path works 
on the 70cm band it is probably tropo.

Meteor scatter is best around the random period maximum, which is 
just around dawn. Rain scatter is a good option. Watch for lightning 
activity as a clue for intense precipitation. If you are fed up with 
all that, the long-shot option might be aurora, but that is 
relatively rare in high summer and not visible easily.

EME now, and path losses are high as the Moon is near apogee, its 
furthest point from Earth. Declination is also at a minimum. Sky 
noise is currently high but will improve as the week goes on.

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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