This Saturday is our specia Christmas sked with our friends in our Twin City Koblenz radio club on 7.123MHz at 10.00 local time. Our german friends have also arranged a video call so if you are able please view and join this conference too:

https://treff.darc.de/d/#/Gastlink/KXKc5viX

There is also a local 2m call-in net on 145.250 MHz run by Malcolm G3PDH.

Please join us - everyone welcome!

We are pleased to have 52 people booked to come to the NARC Christmas Dinner 2024. The address for the Village Inn is below and there is plenty of parking - just park and come in the rear door off the car park and we are in the private room on the right as you go in.  

Our room is booked from 18.45 until late and dinner will be served from 19.30. You should choose and buy your own drinks or coffee's at the bar though the evening.

Seating is informal so please arrive in good time from 18.45 to reserve specific places for groups.

Christmas Charity Raffle

If you can, please bring a small wrapped gift which we can use for our Charity raffle at the end of the evening as our last fund raising effort for our nominated charity, Prostate Cancer UK. (if you are not coming to the dinner but would like to donate a gift for the raffle please bring it to the CNS meeting on 11th).  

Any queries regarding the dinner please email me - radio@dcpmicro.com.  

David G7URP

The Village Inn

33-43 School Lane,

Little Melton,

Norwich,

NR9 3AD  

Time: 18.45 - 2215

Want to come but havn't booked?

Whilst it is now too late to prebook your meal, if you are now able to come we do have 16 dining seats left in our private room and so you can just turn up and order and pay at the bar for a regular carvery or whatever you would like that is available on the night, so just turn up from 18.45!

There are a number of interesting meetings being planned for meetings for next couple of months at CNS School and you may like to add these to your diary:

Christmas Day net  

Wednesday 25th December

Nigel 2E0NLK is going to run his now traditional christmas day net on repeater GB3NB from 19.30 - everyone most welcome!  (Nigel has run this Christmas Day net since he was first licensed in 2005!)

3D Printing evening!

Wednesday January 8th - CNS School 1900-2130

Martin G7UGB has agreed to bring in his 3D Printer to demonstrate and explain how they work and what you can do with them - we encourage other members to bring in theirs too so it becomes a great way to see and share ideas.

Contests 2025...

Wednesday January 22nd - CNS School 1900-2130

We ask that all NARC members interested in Contesting come to the meeting this evening to discuss options and agree on which main events both HF and VHF contest groups enter for the club in 2025 and where to do them from etc.

HF News

We had another week with quiet geomagnetic conditions. Other than one three-hour period with a Kp of four on December 9, it has been below three for the past seven days.

Active region 3920 produced an impulsive M2.8 solar flare, peaking at 10:06 UTC on December 11, and a quick M2.0 flare was also detected around AR 3922 in the southeast quadrant. There was also an M6.4 solar flare at 06:48 UTC on December 10, but no Earth-directed coronal mass ejections were observed.

The solar flux index, despite being predicted to reach 200 again, has been simmering away in the 160s and 170s. Nevertheless, the quieter geomagnetic conditions have helped HF with the extrapolated MUF over a 3,000km path often hitting 40MHz at times.

However, the early sunset, which is around 15:38hrs -16:21hrs UTC at the moment, depending on your location in the UK, means that the MUF drops off quite quickly in the afternoon. The average critical frequency at night is currently about 3.0-3.5 MHz, which explains why the HF bands appear to be dead. The winter solstice is on December 21st and we won’t see much change until we get to mid-January.

There is DX to be had with CDXC members reporting working YJ0CA (Vanuatu) on 15 metres, V73WE (Marshall Islands) on 30 metres and YI1QEA (Iraq) on 10 metres.

The S21DX DXpedition in Bangladesh should also be on the air from December 13th to the 19th – see https://s21dx.org for details.

So at the moment make the most of the daytime DX, and greyline openings, and reserve the evening for Top Band and perhaps 80 metres.

Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will remain around 170-175. The Kp index is expected to be around two or three, apart from December 19 when it could reach four.

VHF and up

The period of enhanced Tropo activity will have faded away by this first weekend as the high pressure slips away into Europe and declines.

This allows low pressure to regain control from Friday through this weekend.
There may be a chance of some rain scatter propagation on the GHz bands, although it doesn’t look like a particularly good example.

All is not lost for Tropo followers since the next high drifts in from the Atlantic early next week. Southern UK will benefit the most with Tropo paths to France and across Biscay. This lasts until midweek to be followed by a return of low pressure for the second half of next week and probably a better rain scatter option than this first weekend.

The big Geminids meteor shower peaks on Saturday 14th but will linger throughout the month. The radiant source rises late afternoon and sets the following lunchtime and is most favourably positioned late evening and early morning, pre-dawn.

Next, a consideration of aurora prospects, which are still a little enhanced by solar conditions. So, as usual, stay alert to an increasing Kp index above Kp=4 to keep in the game.

Finally, remember that the period of Christmas and early January is well known for producing random out-of-season Sporadic-E. It's not possible to fine-tune Es prospects this far ahead, but it wouldn’t hurt to monitor the foEs traces on the www.propquest.co.uk website between now and mid-January.

The Moon’s declination is at maximum on Sunday and Monday, so expect long Moon windows with high peak elevations. Path losses are still low but rising, so it’s still a good week for EME. 144MHz sky noise is moderate to low all week.

Hi I have 2 SK sales at the moment both Jack G0RVN and Dave G0ELJ lived in Norfolk , all items are shown on below and would prefer to collect.
Jack G0RVN all proceeds of items going to Prostate Cancer UK
Dave G0ELJ proceeds to family

https://g0lgj.co.uk/g0rvn/
https://g0lgj.co.uk/g0elj-sk-items/

Mark G0LGJ

GB2CW Morse Corner 13.12.24
.

Morse Classes.
.

Well, James, Emma and Tracey all attended class again and are doing pretty well. I think James and Emma both being new to this mode are finding it challenging and are having problems with memorising every character. This is normal and obviously progress will be slow. It really is dependent on the amount of study that can be achieved each week. I expect around 30 minutes a day minimum in order to make progress, but there will be no target dates or other expectations put upon them. I shall just maintain what I am doing now in order that they all stay on the same level. This is the difficult part, maintaining that same level in all three students.
.
Repeating the same thing from last week: In order to progress, the Big P word is all important. Without that NO progress will be made. The tutor can tell if the student has done any Practice so stick with it and you will progress.
If you are considering learning Morse ( CW ) PLEASE join the beginner's class. You will find it very difficult to make any progress without doing so. I have heard it said that " I have listened to Morse, but nothing seems to sink in". Of course it won't. It is much like saying I listened to a good pianist on the radio but nothing sinks in!
It does not happen by miracle or hypnotism. It is the hard work that YOU as a student in YOUR time and nothing more that will produce results. You do need a tutor to report to each week in order for him to judge your progress and correct any errors you may incur along the way.
.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Jon G4IVV sent me details of a program that will be of interest to those learning Morse. Here are the details and a picture too:
.
BBC Radio is airing a half hour documentary about morse code on Sunday 8th December at 19:15 UTC:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct7hsy

It is also repeated on BBC World Service from Thursday 12th December at variosu times - see the link above.
.
How many of you watched this video? I hope there were many, including the newer students. Pay attention to the amount of Practice that has to take place in order to reach such a demanding standard. One young girl said she put in three hours per day! It is much like being a concert performer. I like to quote Nicola Benedetti, the professional violinist who puts in 10 hours a day. That's what it take to be that good!
.
20th IARU High Speed Telegraphy World Championship
.
Well, the results are available and make very interesting reading.
.

Scutaru Ianis Alexandru has set a new world record

Exciting news from the 20th IARU HST World Championship in Tunisia!

Scutaru Ianis Alexandru has set a new world record in the RUFZ (callsign receiving) Category B with an incredible score of 311,192 points and a max speed of 1126 characters per minute!

This remarkable achievement showcases not only Ianis's dedication and skill but also the talent of the Romanian ham radio community.

Congratulations, Ianis, on this fantastic accomplishment!
.
There are some incredible speeds involved so do take a look at the reports from this Championship.
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https://hst2024-tunisia.org/#home-section
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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There is still time for new beginners to join my class on Friday evenings. No need to worry even if you haven't started yet. Please call in on GB3NB at 7.30 p.m. and I will be pleased to see you.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
.

KEY OF THE WEEK

Feedback from Peter M0RYB

.
With regard to your item about the 9A5N paddle, they may have been an innovative concept, but having owned mine for over 8 years, I think they probably don’t now qualify as new.
.

As you say, they are very sensitive and lack the clatter associated with a mechanical key, although when my Chevron paddle is well adjusted, there is the smallest of gaps and very little noise: the key is getting it properly adjusted. I find another benefit: as you know I operate /P quite a lot. The Chevron is apt to need adjusting after travelling to site, possibly because of the vibration affecting the paddle positions, and possibly because of differences in temperature and humidity between home and the /P site. On one occasion just before the start of CW Field Day the humidity increased suddenly, and the previously adjusted Chevron started behaving as though both contacts were closed. The 9A5N does not suffer from this.
.

You mention that the aluminium headstock of the paddle protects it from RF. Well, perhaps not absolutely. On another CW Filed Day I had my mobile phone on the desk next to the paddle. Mobile signals are weak there, and I understand a mobile will increase its transmitted signal strength to try to contact the nearest tower. All of a sudden, the rig was sending CW jibberish, but this stopped after I moved the phone a couple of feet away.
.

In your last paragraph, you discuss your experience with a touch-sensitive paddle and needing to keep your digits away from the paddles for fear of activating them. I cannot say this is my experience with the 9A5N although I would agree with it in the case of keys that use capacitative activation. I am able to rest my thumb and forefinger against the paddles without sending, and I have the sensitivity set at the default setting.
.

Overall, I think the 9A5N and Chevron are very closely matched; they each have their own specific pros and cons, and I would not want to be without either.

Peter M0RYB
.

Peter brought his 9A5N here for me to try. Unfortunately I had not realised it would be a twin lever paddle. However, I tried it, but not very well as I am used to a single lever paddle. I shall stay with that! I could send but had to position my finger and thumb such that it rather defeated the object. I would like to try the single lever version, which will be totally different for me.
.

So, the Key, or rather keys, of the Week this week feature two paddles from an SK, G0RVN who lived in Eaton. He was not very active, I have never worked him, but these keys are for sale too.
.
The first one is the Begali Classic. Utilising magnets rather than springs it is a standard paddle from the Begali stable of keys. Details can be found on the Begali web site:
.
http://www.i2rtf.com/magnetic-classic.html
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This key is for sale at a fixed price of £200.00 - NO offers
.
The second key is a lesser known but nevertheless still a good paddle. It is known as a Jones Key PK-200 Red Base Iambic Paddle.

This is a very solid and well made paddle with each of the two levers supported top and bottom with precision rotary ball race bearings. This was their original. It was followed by the all brass PK-200B which became their biggest seller in the U.S.A. The tension is handled by springs in this case which are encased in the enclosure on the top of the key.
.
This key is for sale at a fixed price of £80.00 - NO offers
.
G0RVN had a collection of keys and the remainder are shown here too. These are all available at suitable offers. If you are looking for a straight key, several are featured here. The one I personally would go for is what looks like a Model D Marconi, the one with the black lead wrapped around the top.

.

.Key 1

Key 2

Key 3

Key 4

Key 5

Key 6

Key 7

This is a great chance to pick up a decent key at a decent price. Do your own research and make a fair and reasonable offer, no silly prices please.
.
Keep in mind the two paddles are TWIN paddles so make sure that is what you want, or what you are prepared to practice with.
.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

.

The NARC CW Monday Night Net.

.
This now takes place on 3543 at 8 p.m. on Monday evenings. We have a Net controller each week and the idea is to encourage you to conversational Morse. If you can read and send at 23wpm, do come and join us. 23wpm is the speed at present and we may be increasing that as time goes by. The overs are short but protocol is adherred to and just a few comments from each attendee is all that is needed. Give it a try!
.

Les G0DFC joins in each week again but is suffering from pain in his keying hand. If Les does not mind the few errors he makes due to his pain, surely there are a few more quite capable of joining the net to try your hand at conversational Morse. I think there are a number of locals who, although capable, use Morse to crack a pile-up with the use of macros and very rarely use a paddle in long QSOs.
.
There is no need to be shy. Learning conversational Morse is a skill in itself. Anybody can work a DX pile-up by using macros or sending their call and 599 TU. Try holding a conversation for about an hour and see how you get on. If you aspire to CWOPS or FOC it's the only way you will get in to those clubs, by showing and proving your proficiency with a paddle.
.
Not only that, but it really is very satisfying to be able to hold a conversation for that long at around 25wpm with minimal mistakes. PLUS of course you can then monitor the CW end of the bands and hear just conversations and not just dits and dahs. Don't dismiss CW before you have tried it.
.

.
CW OPS

.
There were FOUR of us this weekthis week at 3 a.m., G3LDI, G4DYC, G3YLA and G4LPP. I didn't hear Peter M0RYB or Chris G0TZZ however! Chris does take part in some of the more normal time events! Propagation is not great at 0300. The HF bands are day-time bands at this time of year so concentration is on 40m mainly with excursions to 80 and 160m. It was somewhat better this week albeit there is a lousy digital intruder on 40m - emanating from the east I would think - that does give a lot of QRM.
.
The four sessions are still going well and we have managed to get decent scores each time. This is a great way of making friends with other amateurs. You may not think that the case, but it is surprising how you do get well known in those sessions and further QSOs follow on. You also receive a very nice Newsletter after you join.
.
General CW Operating.
.
For those of a nervous disposition, try joining FISTS. FISTS caters for the more casual, laid back operator who does not feel comfortable at more than 23 wpm. They also have a LADDERS competition on 40m which is good practice. Actually for what you pay for membership it really is a great deal with a quarterly magazine too called Keynote. It contains lots of interesting articles.
.

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

73 de Roger, G3LDI GB2CW Coordinator. roger@g3ldi.co.uk May the Morse be with you.

Author Roger Cooke

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

(Spooky that this news is on Friday 13th and it's issue 169 which is 13 squared!)

Results:-

On VHF

The results of the 144MHz CW Marconi contest of 2nd November were released on 7th December. Conditions had been good for this one with contacts into Romania from here. Several club members participated. In the 6h Single Op. Fixed category second place was G4LPP and third G4AFF with G3YLA in 12th place. Link to results here. 

The results of the RSGB VHF CW championship are now out comprising contests on 50MHz, 70MHz and 144MHz. Link to results here. 

The results of the 70MHz UKAC of 21st November were released on 9th December. NARC's 4 entries landed us in 5th place and we remain 4th overall in this 4m series. Conditions weren't great and no good DX was worked by any of us, my best was GI4SNA. Link to results here. 

The results of the 1.3GHz UKAC of 19th November were released on 11th December. We had a very reduced entry in this one with just myself, G3YLA and G4DYC involved. Despite this reduced entry we managed 5th place retaining our 5th place overall in this 1.3GHz series. Link to results here. 

NARC is running 10th at the moment in this year's VHF championships out of 84 clubs. Link here 

In the overall UKAC we are still running 4th out of 56 in the General clubs section. Link to this here 

On HF

The results of the 80m Autumn series CW contest of 28th November were released on 9th December. This was the last contest of the 2024 Autumn series and therefore the final results are also out. I'm pleased to report that we convincingly won this CW contest and also convincingly have won the series once again being awarded the Newbury Trophy!
The end points tally was 65,576 for NARC VS 44,039 for Bristol. Out of interest, the leading scorers in the General clubs categore were De Montford University ARS with 44,027 points. Well done to all our competitors! Link to results here. 

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:-

On VHF

The 432MHz UKAC ran on Tuesday 10th December. NARC produced 5 logs, G4AFF, G4LPP, G4KQY, G4DYC and G3YLA. Conditions were quite good to the North East with several contacts over 1000Km. My best was 1200Km to SK1BL who was a big signal on CW. So far there have been 104 entries and on claimed scores our top contestant is Stewart G4AFF lying in 9th place.
Link to claimed scores here. 

The 432MHz FT8 AC ran on Wednesday 11th December. So far, I can see entries from NARC members Roger EI8KN and Terry G0BIX. Link to logs received (2h section) here. 

The 50MHz UKAC ran on Thursday 12th December. There were at least 7 of us on tonight for this one. Lead scorer seems to be Roger G3LDI followed by Mike G4KQY. I found conditions fairly flat here with just exceedingly brief bits of copy from stations to the north in Scotland and the Faroes otherwise not much to write about. There were several portable stations in evidence braving the winter cold. Link to claimed scores here. 

On HF

On Friday 6th December the ARRL 160m CW contest started and ran until Sunday early evening. I tried to listen in but could barely hear any of the USA stations. Roger G3LDI had better luck with his inverted V dipole at 70ft I believe managing about 36 contacts but Stewart G4AFF erected a 71ft top hat vertical with a 600ft Beverage antenna and achieved good results. See his missive re this below:-

Hi Phil,

Just a quick note for the newsletter to say that I gave it a go in the ARRL 160m CW contest at the weekend. 106 QSOs, 41 ARRL sections, 8692 points in 5.5 hours. As this is a work-USA only contest on 160m it's not so easy, so 106 QSOs isn't too bad! My best DX was K7RAT in Oregon. All search-and-pounce apart from 3 QSOs who responded to my CQ. I have a 71ft high top hat vertical and I threw up a 600ft beverage on top of the hedge along the field by my house which points west. This worked really well until it started raining on Saturday and the ground conductivity increased to the point where it only worked as well as the vertical. When it was working it improved the signal-to-noise ratio by about 10db. Now looking forward to the Stew Perry 160m contest after Christmas!

73
Stewart
G4AFF

Link to logs received in this contest here. 

Please let me know if you were on in any other VHF or HF contests and I'll put a summary in next week's news.

Upcoming contests in the next 2 weeks (all times in UTC):-

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.

* Tue 17th Dec. 2000-2230 1.3GHz UKAC
* Thu 19th Dec. 2000-2230 70MHz UKAC
* Fri 27th Dec. 1500-1799 RSGB 50MHz Christmas contest, part of the Cristmas cumulatives - Link to rules here. 

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 

On HF

The RSGB HF series has finished for this year

* Sat 14th Dec. 0000 for 48h ARRL 10m contest, CW and Phone - Link to rules here. 
* Sat 14th Dec. 0000 to Mon 16th Dec. 2359 PODXS 070 Club Triple Play Low Band Sprint (PSK31) - Link to rules here. 
* Sat 14th Dec. 0600 for 36h TRC Digital Contest (RTTY) Bulgaria based - Link to rules here. 
* Sat 14th Dec. 1200 for 36h SKCC Weekend Sprintathon CW - Link to rules here. 
* Sat 14th Dec. 1300 for 24h ARI 40/80 contest - Link to rules here. 
St 14th Dec. 1600 to Sun 15th Dec. 1559 International Naval Contest CW / SSB - Link to rules here. 
* Sun 15th Dec. 2300 for 2h Run for the Bacon QRP contest CW - Link to rules here. 
* Sat 21st Dec. 0000-2359 Feld Hell Sprint - Link to rules here. 
* Sat 21st Dec. 0000-2400 OK DX RTTY contest - Link to rules here. 
* Sat 21st Dec. 1400 for 24h Croatian DX contest CW and SSB - Link to rules here. 
* Sun 22nd Dec. 1800-2359 ARRL Rookie Roundup CW - Link to rules here. 

See Link to WA7BNM for other contests not mentioned above.

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 

************************

Contesting can be great fun but I know there's a reluctance to step into unknown waters. It's a great way of improving many aspects of our hobby including one's own performance and the quality of your station. If you have any interest whatsover please call in to the contest net on Friday evening at 9pm on 145.250MHz FM or speak to any of the regular contesters on 450. Or indeed email me!
************************

Submissions or comments for this news to thedoctorphil@gmail.com

73 until next week,

Phil G4LPP

Ian M0KEO is trying to locate any details regarding his godfather - do you remember Ken Spalding?

His name was Ken (I think) Spalding and he lived in the Norfolk area in the 60s and 70s. I did too, at that time, moving away in the mid 70s and we lost touch. He was my Godfather and he was a keen radio amateur. He was a great support to me in my early years of the interest, sponsoring my membership of the RSGB as an SWL (sponsorship was necessary in those days). He tried very hard to encourage me to get my licence, but it required Morse and I just couldn't hack it then. Well, in fairness, I probably couldn't be bothered as a teenager then! It took many years for me to come back to the hobby and now have my full licence (M0KEO). But I have never forgotten the start that he gave me and, if he is still alive, it would be great to get back into contact. Assuming that he is SK, it would be terrific to find out anything I can - was he, for example, a member of your club, do you know his callsign and so on. Especially, did he remain active?

Anything that you can do to help would be great and very much appreciated! But it was a very long time ago, so I doubt you'll have anything to help, and I hope you don't mind the approach.

With very best wishes and heartfelt 73s

Ian Neal (M0KEO)

If you can help with any further information please email mark:   g0lgj@norfolkamateurradio.org

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