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G4FVG > NEWS 05.07.26 08:02l 285 Lines 14015 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News 05 July 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
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better than none!
So here is the GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 5th of July 2026
The news headlines:
* Don't miss the WRTC award opportunities
* New EMC workshop added to the RSGB Convention programme
* The RSGB has announced a new Legacy Committee Chair
The World Radiosport Team Championship is nearly here! Fifty teams
from around the world will come to the UK to compete in the
prestigious event, and you have an opportunity to work these special
stations and apply for your award. The WRTC contest will be live on a
dedicated online platform provided by World Radio League. This is a
live scoreboard where you can track your favourite team in real time.
Also, when you contact one of the special WRTC stations, you can see
it on the WRL platform. If you're an SSB operator, there are 250
possible QSOs across 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m. Similarly, there are 250
possible QSOs if you are a CW operator. Certificates will be
downloadable after the contest, and these will display your total
number of QSOs made with the special callsigns. There are different
award tiers depending on how many you contact. For full details go to
wrtc2026.org and under the competition tab on the righthand side of
the page you will see the Awards section.
If you want practical advice on identifying the source, and
mitigating the effects of, Radio Frequency Interference, the
Society's ‘Finding RFI workshop' is for you. Part tutorial, part
hands-on workshop, the session is an opportunity for RSGB members to
learn from RFI experts within the RSGB EMC Committee. Running on
Friday the 9th of October at Kents Hill Park Conference Centre in
Milton Keynes, the morning will cover sources and effects of RFI with
examples of radiated and conducted emissions. In the afternoon,
you'll be exploring radiated emissions by constructing a small loop
antenna. Attendees will also see how to use SDR to identify signals
and measure their strength. SDR hardware will kindly be provided by
SDRplay. You will also be able to seek advice on any RFI problems you
may have. You are welcome to join this workshop even if you are not
attending the rest of the RSGB 2026 Convention. To find out more and
secure your spot visit rsgb.org/convention-workshops
The RSGB Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Brian
Nuttall, M5BAN as the new Chair of the RSGB Legacy Committee. Brian
already has experience of the Legacy Committee having been a member
for the last three years. He has been licensed since 2007 and brings
extensive amateur radio experience to the role. The RSGB Honorary
Treasurer Chris Wood, GD6TWF is the Board Liaison for the Legacy
Committee. Chris says that he is looking forward to working with
Brian to develop the role of the Legacy Committee and how it
operates. You can find out more about the work of the Committee by
going to rsgb.org/legacy
The RSGB Youth Committee Chair, Chris Aitken, MM0WIC has announced
that two new Youth Champions have joined the Committee. Angus Dare,
M7NZM is the new Youth Champion for Cadets, whilst Katelyn How, M9KFH
is the Youth Champion for Guides. Each has a good level of experience
in leading in their respective fields and the Youth Committee is
looking forward to seeing youth engagement progress in both areas.
Sam McCutchion, M0UEL will continue as the Youth Champion for Scouts.
You can contact each of the Champions via the email addresses
shown at rsgb.org/youth
RSGB representatives attended the Ham Radio exhibition in
Friedrichshafen last week. They used the opportunity to talk to the
wider amateur radio community, liaise with international colleagues
and raise awareness and support for the Society and amateur radio in
the UK. The team was delighted by the positive response to the RSGB
app and international membership and were happy to welcome new
members from around the world. GB2RS Newsreader Esther, GI0AZA also
attended the event and read the Society's weekly broadcast from
Germany. Look out for a fuller report on Friedrichshafen in the
August issue of RadCom.
The RSGB Board would like to thank Andy Talbot, G4JNT for serving as
the Chair of the RSGB Technical Forum for 14 years. Andy has recently
stepped down from that role and the post will be advertised through
RSGB communications channels shortly. The RSGB is pleased that Andy
will continue to contribute to the work of the Society through his
role as a RadCom technical author.
The next in the popular 145 Alive series of events takes place on
Sunday the 12th of July from 1100 to 1400UTC. Many hundreds of
operators are expected to 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.Â
And now for details of rallies and events
Barford Norfolk Radio Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 5th, 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
Today, Sunday the 5th, The Broadcast Engineering Museum has an open
day 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 today, Sunday the 5th, Newbury Radio Rally is 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
On Saturday the 11th of July, the Humber Fortress DX Amateur Radio
Club Radio Rally will take place at Welwick Village Hall, Northfield
Lane, HU12 0SH. The doors open at 10am and entrance costs GBP 3.50
per visitor. Under-14s will be admitted free of charge. For more
information or to book a table, email rally<at>hfdxarc.com
Now the Special Event news
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
Members of Swissair Radio Amateur Club, HB9VC are active as HB200LF
until the 31st of July. The special callsign is in operation to
commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Louis [LOO-EE]
Favre [FAV-RA]. In 1872 the Swiss engineer built the first Gotthard
[GO-TAAD] railway tunnel – the longest railway tunnel in the world at
that time. See QRZ.com for details of a certificate that is
available for working the station. QSOs will be uploaded to Logbook
of the World and Club Log.
Now the DX news
Franco, IZ5IUY is active as IL7/IZ5IUY from San Domino Island,
EU-050, until the 9th of July. He is operating using SSB on the 40 to
6m bands, as well as on the 2m and 70cm bands. QSL via Franco's home
call is preferred.
Pierre, VK3KTB is active as VY0ERC from the Eureka Amateur Radio Club
station on Ellesmere Island, NA-008, until Wednesday the 22nd of
July. He operates CW, FT8 and SSB on various bands. QSL via Logbook
of the World and OQRS.
Now the contest news
RSGB VHF National Field Day and the RSGB VHF Fixed Station Contest
started at 1400UTC yesterday, the 4th, and run until 1400UTC today,
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.
Also today, 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.
Tomorrow, the 6th, the RSGB 80m CW Club Championship Contest runs
from 1900 to 2030UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is
signal report and serial number.
On Tuesday the 7th, 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 7th, 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 8th of July, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour
Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the
exchange is report and four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the
8th of July, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from
1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is report
and four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest
may also enter the two-hour contest.
On Thursday the 9th, the RSGB 50MHz UK Activity Contest runs from
1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
The GR2HQ Challenge and IARU HF Championship start at 1200UTC on
Saturday the 11th and ends at 1200UTC on 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 Sunday the 12th, the UK Microwave Group 24, 47 and 76GHz Contest
runs from 0800 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on the 24 to 76GHz
frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Thursday the 2nd of July 2026
Last week we warned you about some large sunspots about to turn into
view. It turns out that regions 4478 and 4479 were even bigger than
we thought! The result was that the solar flux index climbed into the
low 200s, but we also had solar flares and coronal mass ejections, or
CMEs, to contend with.
As well as one X-class flare, the strongest, we also had 13 M-class
flares. The X-class event inevitably led to a CME which could
potentially affect the ionosphere today, the 5th.
Expect the Kp index to rise with a corresponding fall in the maximum
useable frequency, should the Bz swing south. Note that the solar
wind speed has been at more than 400 kilometres per second for a few
days, but so far its north-facing Bz field has saved us from more HF
disruption.
Daytime maximum useable frequencies have been peaking to around 21 to
22MHz, but blanketing Sporadic-E is often preventing signals from
reaching the higher F2 layer.
DX to be worked this week includes TJ1GD/P on Mondoleh [MON-DOH-LAY]
Island; FO/F6BCW from French Polynesia; JD1BQP in Ogasawara
[OH-GAH-SAH-WAH-RAH]; OX/DL8JJ in Greenland; TY5FR from Benin;
FP/KV1J from St Pierre and Miquelon; FS/F4EQE in Saint Martin; and
RT9K, the Arctic Legends IOTA DXpedition.
This weekend also features the Marconi Memorial HF Contest; the
Original QRP Contest; the PODXS 070 Club 40m Firecracker Sprint; and
the FOC Old School Classic 1960s QSO Party. So, there's plenty to get
your teeth into.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index may decline to be
in the 140 to 175 range. The Kp index is forecast to be unsettled on
Wednesday the 8th and Thursday the 9th of July, perhaps hitting 4.
Otherwise, it should be around 2.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
The bulk of the coming week will see high pressure centred to the
southwest of the British Isles with a broad north-westerly wind
across the UK. This will mean that tropo will remain a feature,
especially for southwestern areas up the Irish Sea and down across
Biscay to Spain, the Azores and Canaries.
The presence of a weak frontal zone running southeast across the UK
will provide some occasional patchy rain which is not particularly
good for rain scatter. We're not expecting too strong a showing for
aurora either. However, look out for a Kp index greater than 5, if
that's your interest. There are no significant meteor showers at the
moment so random activity favouring the early dawn period will
probably be the best chance for QSOs.
Sporadic-E has been outstanding recently, especially on digital
modes, with long openings up to 144MHz. We are still very much in the
main part of the season. The distribution of the jet streams during
the coming week still appears to favour Scandinavia and the Baltic
paths for Sporadic-E, but with possible extensions into the Balkans
as the jet stream digs south.
The coming period will continue to provide Sporadic-E and tropo on
the same day but, due to different causes, should be separable by the
direction of the opening. Tropo events will usually be longer in
duration, whereas Sporadic-E is more fleeting. Remember, on a busy
day, not all VHF DX will be the result of Sporadic-E and you could be
dealing with a hybrid Sporadic-E and tropo day.
EME now, and declination is rising, going positive tomorrow, the 6th,
so Moon window lengths increase. Path losses are falling, but
perigee, the Moon's closest point to Earth, is still over a week away
on Monday the 13th of July. 144MHz sky noise is low all 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.
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