Propagation News, Friday 24th September 2021

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Published: 23 September 2021

Last Updated: 23 September 2021

HF News

This week saw the Sun more active with up to five sunspot regions in place. Two of the regions are quite large, pushing the solar flux index up to 89 on Thursday with a sunspot number of 76.

That should be enough to get the ionosphere up and running and we are also seeing early Autumnal HF propagation starting to take off.

Gary G0FWX reports working Central America and the Caribbean on 10 metres, namely Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Surinam. Brazil has also been logged, but we are still awaiting widespread reports of North American stations to be logged on 28MHz.

Geomagnetic conditions have been variable with the Kp index hitting four on Wednesday, thanks to material from a coronal mass ejection. This sent the solar wind speed up to more than 400km per second and it was still above 300km/s on Thursday.

There has been solar flare activity recently and we can expect it to continue. This could mean sudden ionospheric disturbances and HF blackouts if the flare is strong enough and occurs during daylight hours. There could also be associated coronal mass ejections to contend with.

Next week NOAA predicts the solar flux index will remain in the mid 80s while the Kp index should eventually decline to two after reaching five this weekend. This is due to a coronal hole which is currently facing Earth. A high speed solar wind stream flowing from this zone should reach Earth later this week and contribute to a geomagnetic disturbance at higher latitudes.

VHF and up

As predicted last week, we had a mix of weak Tropo and rain scatter modes, with an isolated report of the Cornish 10GHz beacon GB3MCB being copied for an hour by G4DBN in East Yorkshire at 460km overland.

This coming week the Tropo conditions will take a hit as low pressure becomes the dominant pattern for the coming week. This will take the form of active fronts crossing the country together with areas of showers, so at least there will be some rain scatter potential for the GHz bands.

At the moment, indications are that the return of any ridges, and hence Tropo, between the lows will be temporary and limited in scope, so best to think of other options like meteor scatter or aircraft scatter and possibly aurora to provide the unconventional modes this week.

There is one small meteor shower due to peak this week. The daytime Sextantids with a ZHR of five is due to peak on the 27th, but the timing of this peak is often uncertain. The maximum may occur even a day earlier than expected, so be alert and continue to check the early morning for the best random meteor scatter conditions.

EME path losses are at their highest this week with apogee today, (Sunday)
but with peak Moon declination coming up on Wednesday there is plenty of Moon visibility for Moonbounce enthusiasts. The Moon is at its zenith in the early morning.

Steve Appleyard G3PND - Silent key

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Published: 16 September 2021

Last Updated: 24 September 2021

We are very sorry to share the news that Steve Appleyard, G3PND, has passed away.

As many of you know Steve had been diagnosed with Motor Nurone Disease some years ago, but has been incredibly courageous and strong in dealing with it, even learning to use his feet to type and send morse code as the disease progressed. He was also the founder of the Norfolk Coast Amateur Radio Society near Cromer.

Earlier this year we featured him on NARC Live in a 'Getting to know...'  with the story of his life in business, radio and electronics.

Our thoughts and prayers with his wife Alyson, his family and friends at this difficult time.

NB: Steves funeral is at Cromer Church on 20th October at 14.00. I wil be going to represent the club and hope that others will come too.

David G7URP

Computers in Amateur Radio - can you help?

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Published: 26 August 2021

Last Updated: 16 September 2021

NARC member Lorna 2E0POI is still looking for a couple of people to help her update the RSGB book 'Computers in Amateur Radio'.

Specifically she would like help on the following chapters:

Interesting talks....

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Published: 26 August 2021

Last Updated: 26 August 2021

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) welcome anyone to watch almost of their webinars free of charge and they are really good.

There are many of them produced by local IET groups and one coming up next Thursday which I thought may interest many NARC members is this one on Alan Blumlein, a prolific inventor and engineer who left a legacy of 128 patents by the time he died at just 38 years old, whilst onboard an aircraft during World War II that had been testing ground-breaking radar technology.  In the 150th anniversary year of the IET they are privileged to present a touching account by his surviving elder son, which covers the life and work of his father as well personal reflections.  Many of Alan Blumlein’s patented technologies are the antecedents of the glue that holds together much of our lives, such as in television, broadcasting, and even computers.  Arguably best known of all, Alan Blumlein invented stereo; and woven into the story are now household names such as EMI and the famous Abbey Road studios. 

You can book to watch this webinar at home here but don't leave it long as they have limited free spaces:

https://localevents.theiet.org/f018ac?utm_source=Adestra&utm_campaign=UK%20webinars%20260821&utm_medium=Local%20Networks&utm_content=UK%20-%20Local%20Network%20Webinars&utm_term=1381536

I hope it is of interest - search www.theiet.org  for many more

73, David G7URP

PS

Please let me know of anything you would like to share with other members which may be of interest.

UKAC and Autumn contest dates for your diary...

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Published: 17 August 2021

Last Updated: 17 August 2021

Norfolk on the Air

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Published: 30 July 2020

Last Updated: 23 July 2021

 

Morse Training GB2CW broadcasts
Mondays: Head copy class  with G3LDI on 145.250 at 1000
Tuesdays: Coffee Break Morse with G4CCX on 145.250 at 1000
Tuesdays: Beginners Morse at 25wpm with G3YLA on 145.625 at 2000
Thursdays: Coffee Break Morse with G4CCX on 145.625 at 1000
Thursdays: Advanced Morse with G3PDH on 145.625 at 2000

Fridays: Morse from scratch with Phil G4LPP on 145.250MHz at 2000 - NEW - Morse teaching for absolute beginners

 

Lockdown Morse - an in-line course by Matt M0PTO. Find it on YouTube or www.facebook.com/lockdownmorse

 

Other contests

For more information on other contests see the weekly contest news from John G8VPE.

 

 

Koblenz sked - monthly; second saturday in the month
Second Saturday of each month at 10am local - 7.135MHz + local talk in on 145.250MHz

 

 

Over to you...

If you know of a Norfolk on-air net, repeater, or anything else you would like us to share so that others can join in the company, please let us know and we will help publicise it. It can be any net or general interest and not necessarily anything to do with NARC or even just Norfolk.

 

 

73, David G7URP   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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