Wednesday 30th November @ CNS, inc Repeater workshop and Bright Sparks!

Details

Published: 27 October 2022

Last Updated: 25 November 2022

This evening at CNS we have several different things going on - note this is our last meeting at CNS before next year:

• Mark G0LGJ will be running an informal round table workshop on Norfolk Repeater Group and associated repeaters. James M0ZAH will also discuss the Team Wave repeater work.

• Bright Sparks for our younger members

• Social meet for everyone else

Cold drinks and assortment of biscuits are available or feel free to bring your own refreshments.

DOGS @ CNS...

CNS School have written to the club to advise that regretfully the CNS School site has a no dogs policy, except for assistance dogs such as guide dogs. We realise that this will disappoint some members but I am afraid this is a regulation and we need to comply. 

PLUS

LAST CHANCE to book and pay for the clubs Christmas Dinner Party on 14th December at the Village Inn in Little Melton - just £10 per head for a three course meal. Paper application forms will be available tonight or download from here:

http://norfolkamateurradio.org/pdf/NARC_2022_Xmas_dinner_party.pdf

You can even pay your 2023 membership fee on the same form to make it easier - just £10 for the whole 2023 years full membership!

NOTE: Deadline for booking Xmas Dinner party is TONIGHT 30th November 2022.

73

David G7URP

Hon Chairman & exam secretary

Last weeks NARC Live

If you missed last Wednesdays NARC Live including a fascinating talk on Titanics Radio system you can watch a recording of it here:  https://youtu.be/AQ2QxKfQKSM

NARC Christmas Dinner Party - LAST FEW DAYS TO BOOK!

Details

Published: 27 October 2022

Last Updated: 25 November 2022

BOOKING DEADLINE THIS WEDNESDAY

We are pleased to confirm details and release a booking form for the Clubs Christmas Dinner Party on Wednesday 14th December at the Village Inn Restuarant, Little Melton.

The club is pleased to be able to subsidise this 3 course dinner to just £10 per head for NARC members and their partner, family or friends. The only other cost on the night will be drinks which you can purchase as required.

The cost is subsidised by income from the DX Squares draw and club reserves - we feel it is important to make this an affordable enjoyable evening for all club members where they can get together in a pleasant social setting in our own private room along with family and friends.

To book your place and food order please download the form from this link and then email it to David G7URP:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

http://norfolkamateurradio.org/pdf/NARC_2022_Xmas_dinner_party.pdf

Please pay by BACS to the club - details on the form. (You can also pay your 2023 subs using the same form and payment - a special rate of just £10 for full membership for the whole year!)

Alternatively you can print the booking form, complete it and enclose it together with cash payment in an envelope with your name and Christmas on it and hand to David G7URP at a CNS club meeting or dropped into his home address. (Please do not send cash in the post).

FINAL DEADLINE FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER BOOKINGS

30th NOVEMBER OR SOONER IF ROOM FILLS

Any queries to David Palmer, G7URP:   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

What on Earth is this....?

Details

Published: 04 August 2022

Last Updated: 25 November 2022

This is our regular competition where we show an unusual object, tool, gadget or thing-me-bob sent in by one of the NARC members and you have to guess (or you know!) what it is or what it does...

Have a really good look at the picture below - what on earth is this for ?! 

Please email your answers with the subject 'What on earth' to David & Tammy This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 3pm on WEDNESDAY OF OUR NEXT NARC LIVE and we will read out all of the entries and tell you what it is!

Whats your mystery object - we need more unusual gadgets, tools and gizmos

We ask for your photos of unusual items to feature in future weeks. To enter please send us a good quality photo of your 'What on earth is this' along with a brief description and ideally at the same time include a second photo of it in use by email to the same email address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Everyone has one of those 'must-have' kitchen gadgets they bought at a show or one of the strange inventions by Ronco or KTel that you just had to have at the time, but only used once! Please use your own photo if you possibly can, but if you do send us a photo by someone else please be sure to tell us who owns the © copyright.

73 

David G7URP & Tammy M0TC  

Remember please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. not reply to the newsletter or any other email address or Facebook or David & Tammy will not receive it directly and may never receive it!    

Last weeks mystery object was a slow eat bwol for dogs to force them not to gulp their food down! Sent to us by Paul G3VPT.

NARC Contest News (61) Friday 25th November 2022

Details

Published: 24 November 2022

Last Updated: 24 November 2022

Welcome to week sixty one of NARC’s contest news.

Results:-

VHF

The 70MHz AFS of 18/9/2022 results were released on 18th November. Unfortunately NARC only had two logs submitted, mine and Mike's G4DYC - our team of 2 managed 10th place overall. This leaves NARC in 5th place overall in the AFS Super League after 3 legs - 50MHz, 70MHz and 160m.

The results of the 432MHz UKAC of 8th November were published on 21st November. NARC had 7 entries in this leg with Ken G3UDA providing the top NARC entry. We remain in 9th place overall on this series. Thanks to all who are contributing.

The results of the 50MHz UKAC of 10/11/2022 were published on 24th November. We are doing well in this series and had 8 entries in this leg. Top points were earned by John G4PFZ. We remain in 4th position in this series but are closing on 3rd place Wirral.

Our current standing in the UKACs is 50MHz 4th - 70MHz 10th - 144MHz 8th - 432MHz 9th - 1.3GHz 8th and SHF 14th. Overall place 7th with one round to go.

There have been several HF results this week.

Firstly, the Autumn series DATA results from 7/11/22 were released on 18th November. As usual there were a few UBNs! It's difficult when the computer clearly and repeatedly prints out a serial number or a callsign only for it to be later declared incorrect. Of course everyone suffers from this at one time or another.
NARC took this leg by a good margin once again so well done everyone who sent in a log!
Malcolm G3PDH is to be congratulated on topping the 100W Unassisted section in this contest and as this was the last of the DATA series the overall winners were announced with Andy, M0NKR taking the 100W Unassisted title and Peter M0RYB(/P) taking the 10W Unassisted title.

The results of the Club Calls 1.8MHz AFS (12/11/2022) were announced on 22nd November. A quick turnaround! NARC managed 2.5 teams (of 4) in this. Norfolk A team managed 4th place, the B team came in 9th place and the 2 man C team came in 23rd. Well done and thanks to all who entered.

The results of the 2nd RSGB 1.8MHz contest (19/11/2022) were published on 24th November (another rapid turnaround). This was not a club contest but several NARC members entered with good results being obtained.

If people are entering other contests of whose results I am obviously unaware please e-mail me to let me know the outcome and I'll mention it here.

Contests:-

The big one this week was the last of the Autumn series with the CW leg on the evening of 24th November. Conditions on the East of the country were initially good with many of us achieving 50 contacts in the first half hour but after this the band appeared to fall off a cliff with very few UK stations audible or workable in the last half hour. Skip had gone long and many European stations were extremely loud with several participating in the contest. Scores seemed to be a bit higher in the West of the country and it would appear conditions didn't take a dive there for several more minutes allowing more QSOs. Despite this
many of us achived good scores and with 13 known entries it looks like this one could go our way as well.

The SHF UKAC took place on 22nd November and was the last SHF one in this year's UKAC series. As usual our entrant was Graham G3SGC who found it tough going with poor conditions. He managed 7 QSOs with best Dx G4BRK in IO91 at 240KM. Considering he is only using 0.6W at present his is a great result!

We are always on the lookout for new contesters to add to our team and welcome people of any ability who either wish to add their score to ours or develop their skills.

Note, NARC contest net takes place every Friday evening at 9pm clock time on 145.250MHz. This is a useful place to exchange contest information and get help with logging and station setup issues etc.

Contest reports are always appreciated from any club members.

Upcoming contests in the next 2 weeks:-

On VHF / UHF / SHF

Before each of the 2m and 70cm UKACs there is an FM leg starting 1 hour before for 55 minutes. I hear almost no activity in this from here but others may have more luck! Rules etc on RSGBCC site.

* Sun 4th December 1000-1400 144MHz AFS (RSGB AFS Super League)
* Tue 6th December 2000-2230 144MHz UKAC
* Wed 7th December 1900-2100 144MHz FT8 AC
* Thu 8th December 2000-2230 50MHz UKAC

Also of interest for some on the vhf / uhf bands are the EU FT8 activity tests - see the following link for more information. These are on the first (144 MHz), second (432MHz) and third (1.3GHz) Wednesdays of each month. 1700-2000 Hrs EU FT8 series website https://ft8activity.eu/index.php/en/

On HF

* Sat 26th November 0000 for 48h CQWW DX CW contest - the big one! - see WA7BNM
* Mon 28th November 2000-2130 RSGB FT4 contest - RSGB HF contests take a break until 2023 after this one.
* Fri 2nd December 2200 to Sun 4th December at 1600 ARRL 160m contest CW - see WA7BNM

Wednesdays throughout the year, CW ops 1 hour mini tests 13:00, 19:00, Thurs 03:00 and 07:00, exchange Name and G if not a member or CWOPS number if you are a member.
See CWOPS website for more details.
Also on Fridays 2000 to 2100 and Mondays 0000 to 0100 each week CWops runs the K1USN slow speed CW contests. Any speed up to 20wpm is acceptable. For rules see :- CW OPs SST page these contests are open to anyone.

All RSGB contest rules and further details plus log submission at RSGB contest site
Look to WA7BNM’s contest calendar for other contests and links to rules etc at WA7BNM weekly contest calendar
A link to John 2E0TWQ’s site’s Narc contest history page - 2E0TWQ's NARC contest results page

Finally - the 2023 RSGB contest calendar is out (thanks to Peter M0RYB for pointing this out). It can be found at https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/hfreadcal.pl?year=2023

Submissions or comments for this news to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

73 until next week,

Phil G4LPP

GB2CW Morse Corner Week ending 24.11.22

Details

Published: 24 November 2022

Last Updated: 24 November 2022

GB2CW Morse Corner Week ending 24.11.22
.
Morsum Magnificat.
.
Some great reading for all the CW junkies to wallow in at Christmas when everybody else is falling asleep by the fireside!
.
The complete MM collection is now available online:

http://www.n7cfo.com/Tgph/Dwnlds/MM/MM.htm
.
Zyg Nilski, G3OKD, the copyright holder, has generously granted permission for the download of these documents for personal use. This permission does NOT include downloading or distribution for commercial purposes. However, articles on CW never really date, and this is a real chance to have the complete collection at your finger tips! What better present from Santa?

.
DOWNLOAD AND ENJOY!

The NARC Net.
.
Well, regardless of SK night, we are now starting the NARC Net at 20 wpm. On a paddle, this provides reasonable speed and good Morse to encourage those trying out their skils for the first time, or even those not comfortable at higher speeds. This is what the Net was instigated for in the first place so please try to join in. The Net controller will call ON TIME at 8.30 and will listen ONLY for beginners to start with so please DO NOT call before time and DO NOT call until sufficient time has been given to those beginners. There must be dozens of them just busting to join in so let's hope this produces some results! Please wait until the Net Controller STARTS the Net before lodging your call.
Once the Net controller has called for those beginners a couple of times, then we can also join in. Then, we can run at 20 wpm for the complete Net or if the controller wishes, he can increase the speed to a suggested level, say 25 wpm.
.

MORSE CLASSES LOCALLY

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.

.
Classes are as per the table above, BUT speeds will be aimed at whoever checks in for practice.
Accuracy transcends Speed is the motto of FISTS, but in tuition that is the way to go.
So, if you join and can only manage around 10 wpm that will be the speed!
Classes are now beginning to build and there is a variety of days and times to choose from. Unfortunately Chris G4CCS is in hospital with a chest infection and is on medication in there. He hopes to be out in a few days time. I hope you all join me in wishing Chris a speedy recovery.
Head copy this week was well attended, with M1AFQ, M6KYF and G3XLL joining as new students. I hope they intend to stay and hopefully might be joined by others too.
.

CW OPS

.
There are still a large number of locals taking part. If you would like to be nominated for membership of CW OPS just let one of the local members know and we will do the necessary. The only pre-condition is that you are good up to 25wpm.
Even if you are NOT a member, please feel free to join in some of these sessions. For the UK the exchange is {NAME} G
This is a great way of both making new friends and gaining a lot of practice in a fun way.
================

.
RUFZXP
.

.

After promoting this on the Headcopy class Monday morning three people promised they would obtain a score and submit it to Jim. Very disappointing that nobody tried it.  Horses and water spring to mind. Good practice avoided.

Send your new score to Jim G3YLA by Thursday evening at the latest. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
.
It would be nice to see some more new entries in this table.

.

.

.
NARC NET
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3543.00KHz 2030 local time on Monday evenings. Join us for a chat.
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Net Operator's list:
.
Malcolm G3PDH
Chris G4CCX
Phil G4LPP
Dick G3WRJ
Roger G3LDI
Les G0DFC
Jim G3YLA
+++++++++++++
This is the current list.
. The controller this week will be Phil G4LPP. It should be Chris G4CCX but I don't think he will be able to participate just yet.

You can work out when it will be your turn and please let me know if you cannot do it on that particular night, in which case we will just follow through.
So, on Monday evening Phil will call, at somewhat less than 20 wpm, for beginners only to check in FIRST. If we have any, please adjust your speed to match theirs and we will all do the same. I shall highlight the next Controller in red for the Monday following the Newsletter.
We are STILL waiting for Stan G4BEW to join us.............although he has now joined Jim's class! Well done Stan.

That's it, open the cage, play the music.
.
If you have any input, please email me.

73 de Roger, G3LDI GB2CW Coordinator. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. May the Morse be with you.

Propagation News, Friday 25th November 2022

Details

Published: 24 November 2022

Last Updated: 25 November 2022

HF News

We “dodged the bullet” last week when a large coronal hole failed to produce a geomagnetic disturbance. Despite many predictions that we could expect an upturn in the Kp index, it looks like the solar wind missed the Earth, probably because the hole was too low in the Sun’s southern hemisphere.

As a result the Kp index never went higher than 4 (actually 3.67 globally) and things remained calm. This was good news for HF, although a low solar flux index below 120 all week was nothing to get excited about.

At the same time, we are seeing an improvement in low-band conditions as we head into late Autumn that is making up for it. Top Band contacts have been recorded with 3B8 Mauritius, and Peter G3PHO has even made it into the USA in the late afternoon on 160m FT8.

So if you’ve never worked much on Top Band, and you have the antenna for it, give it a try. Failing that, try the top end of 80m SSB around sunrise in the UK for contacts with the USA.

Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will remain around the 120-125 mark. The good news is that there are no large coronal holes currently visible and there have only been minor C-class flares with CMEs that have not been Earth-directed, so geomagnetic conditions are likely to be good. That is, at least until the 1st December when we have a predicted Kp index of four, which may disrupt contacts mainly on polar paths.

This is good news for this weekend’s CQWW CW contest, which is a great opportunity for you to up your country totals or for your Worked All States award.

Now a footnote for those occasions when the propquest.co.uk graphs are not updating. It can be a local effect at one of the stations, such as Chilton, which has been offline recently. Usually selecting one of the tick boxes in the top right of the graphs will show Fairford or Dourbes are available.

However, last week and maybe still, we have a complete blank for all three ionosonde station plots, which is much more likely to be a server issue in the States where the data is hosted. You can check the Propquest server is working by selecting the “Archive” or “Averages” tabs. In any event, the ionosonde data plots will come back automatically once any issues have been resolved.

VHF and up

The unsettled spell of weather continues into the first half of next week so could provide some further rain scatter opportunities on the GigaHertz Bands.

The broad south-westerly pattern may well switch over to an easterly after midweek as high pressure builds across Scotland. This could bring a return of Tropo for some parts, but looks a bit weak, while the south will continue to be affected by low-pressure systems.

It will feel colder, with some models hinting at wintry conditions being a possibility, so wrap up well if you plan to do any portable operation!

The Alpha Monocerotids meteor shower noted last week is over but the small November Orionids, active until December 6th, reaches its peak on Monday the 28th.

Get ready for the big Geminids meteor shower in December. It commences on the 4th reaching a ZHR of over 100 between the 14th and 15th. More about this closer to the shower peak.

Moon declination is increasing again and goes positive on Friday so Moon windows will lengthen and zenith angles increase. Path losses, on the other hand, start to increase again this week after last Friday’s perigee. We have to wait until mid-2026 before maximum declination coincides with the lowest path loss, but we are moving in that direction again. 144 MHz sky noise is low all week, not getting above 300 Kelvin until next Sunday.