The RSGB has responded to Ofcom's consultation on World Radiocommunication Conference by submitting a detailed response; see the spectrum forum section of the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/spectrumforum/consultations/ This has been a combined effort by the three spectrum managers, Murray Niman, G6JYB, David Butler, G4ASR and John Gould, G3WKL, with some specialist input by RSGB Technical Consultant Peter Chadwick, G3RZP. This was followed by careful scrutiny by the RSGB Spectrum Forum and, of course, approval from the Board. The purpose of the response is to protect existing allocations, support the agenda item for an amateur allocation near to 500kHz and give indication to Ofcom of the range of issues that we would like covered at future Conferences. The consultation has to be seen as a formal exercise that supports an already good working relationship in this area with Ofcom, whereby the Society enjoys occasional membership of the UK delegation to various international working groups that are engaged in preparatory work for WRC-12.
Last Sunday, 31st January, Jim Grieve, G4ARZ read the GB2RS News on 80 metres for the last time. He has decided to stand down now for health reasons. The Society would like to thank him for his dedication to the news service. He has been reading for the South East since June 1973, and used to be the standby news reader for Arthur Milne, G2MI. From now on Don, G3WDY and Philip, G3WUZ will read the news on 3640kHz at 0900hours for the South East and South West, whilst Philip, G4NZQ and Mike, G4DYC will read for East Anglia on the same frequency at 0930hours.
Sad news now. RadCom VHF UHF columnist Norman Fitch, G3FPK died at his home on Friday 29th January. Norman starting writing a VHF UHF column in RadCom back in 1989 when he took over from Ken Willis, G8VR. He has written that column in every issue of RadCom since and his input will be greatly missed. An active amateur in the early mobile scene, Norman was the honorary secretary of the Amateur Radio Mobile Society back in the 1960s and was a regular attendee of the VHF Convention. Those who knew G3FPK have described him as a true professional in his work and a gentleman in his private life. Staff at the RSGB, Members who regularly corresponded with him and his friends on the sked he kept every day send their condolences to family and friends.
The RSGB Spectrum Defence Fund has reached its first milestone, having received over £10,000 of donations from concerned amateurs. However, this is still well short of what the RSGB has already spent in seeking legal advice on the PLA issue. The Fund is still desperately in need of your donations, which can be posted to RSGB HQ or you can donate online at www.rsgb.org/defencefund/ If you would like more details on the noise from these PLA devices, visit the UKQRM website where you will find a wealth of information including sound files. The RSGB would like to thank the UKQRM group for maintaining this website with up to date information.
The QSL sub manager for the G2 series of callsigns would like to encourage those amateurs to think about getting envelopes and stamps to him as soon as possible. He has a number of QSL cards waiting to be sent on to G2 callsigns but few envelopes to achieve this. Details for John Godfrey, M0JOH can be found in the 2010 Yearbook or on the RSGB website.
New D-Star digital repeater node GB7NE at Lynemouth in Northumberland has now been connected via the Internet to the D-Star network. The repeater operates using digital voice GMSK modulation with its output on 439.450MHz. The equipment at Lynemouth is fully homebrew and is based on the GB7MH design described in the February 2010 RadCom. GB7NE is the third non-Icom D-Star repeater node in the country. For more information, have a look at the Northumbria Repeater Group website, gb7ne.org.uk
The forthcoming 3C0C DXpedition to Annobon is looking for support for the DXpedition. Any help is always appreciated. For full details on the DXpedition may be found on their website at www.3c0c-annobon.com
A photo & video report of the MM0DGR/P DXpedition to GMFF-015 is available at www.srars.org/wff-reports/gmff-015.htm. The operators would like to thank everyone who contacted them.
Horndean & District ARC will shortly be running Foundation and Intermediate licence classes and exams. Please contact club secretary Stuart on 023 9247 2846 or by e-mail to stuart.swain at hotmail.co.uk if you are interested in taking part.
Whitton Amateur Radio Group has a Foundation course starting on 17 February. The course normally runs on a Wednesday evening at 7:30pm. Contact Ian, G0OFN on 0870 760 5082 or by e-mail to g0ofn at msn.com if you are interested in the course.
The Bury Radio Society is running a Foundation course starting on the 16 March. Anyone interested please contact Norman, G1HHU on 07525 932729 or by e-mail to g1hhu.norman at googlemail.com for further details.
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DIY recordings of awakening sun
09-Feb-10, 10:00:00
Wired Science - As the sun emerges from a long lull in activity, the star's emissions in the radio band of the spectrum have also picked up
Haitian doctors use ham radio to contact distant colleagues
09-Feb-10, 10:00:00
The New York Times - The Haiti field hospital is making do with high-speed internet connections donated by a Miami philanthropist and connections through Access Haiti, a wireless regional network linked through the neighboring Dominican Republic. It is also getting help from a network of volunteer ham radio operators like Jack Satterfield, a fisherman from St. Petersburg, Florida.
The lost souls of telecommunications history
09-Feb-10, 10:00:00
Ars Technica - When Tim Berners-Lee arrived at CERN, Geneva's celebrated European Particle Physics Laboratory in 1980, he'd been hired to help replace the control systems for several of the lab's particle accelerators. Almost immediately, the inventor of the modern web page noticed a problem
The 'killer app' for mobility isn't an app at all
09-Feb-10, 10:00:00
Network World - Don't hold your breath waiting for the killer app for mobility. Because there isn't one, according to tech pundit Michael Gartenberg
US closes down WWII-era navigation system
09-Feb-10, 10:00:00
CNN - In a series of small ceremonies, the US Coast Guard on Monday shut down Loran-C, a navigation and timing system that has guided mariners and aviators since World War II
The 'inside-out' antenna installation
09-Feb-10, 10:00:00
Radio World - Have you ever seen an FM transmitting antenna mounted inside its supporting tower? It was not a case of installers misreading blueprints. The job was intentional and planned at every step
Giant sunspot giving out powerful radio emissions
08-Feb-10, 16:15:08
SpaceWeather.com - 'There have been many loud shortwave radio bursts over the past two days.'' Reports amateur radio astronomer Thomas Ashcraft of New Mexico. ''Some of the bursts have completely saturated my receivers.''
Last night-time Shuttle launch carries ISS components into orbit
08-Feb-10, 13:23:07
NASA - Docking is set for flight day three with three spacewalks planned to install the Tranquility node and then cupola permanently to the International Space Station
Berkshire radio ham appeals for funds to keep Vulcan bomber flying
08-Feb-10, 11:20:00
Newbury Today - Graeme Miller, a member of the Newbury and District Amateur Radio Society, has been involved in the Vulcan Trust for more than two years and has often persuaded the pilot to fly over the district in the past
US Army's new ''Smart Radio'' may revolutionize communications
08-Feb-10, 11:20:00
Armed with Science - What if there were a computer program that would allow your smartphone to not only receive phone calls, but also to automatically adjust to receive WiFi signals and television broadcasts, track GPS, access HAM radio or walkie-talkie frequencies?
Colorado University launches satellite to probe extreme space weather
08-Feb-10, 11:20:00
The Denver Post - Set for launch Tuesday, a $32 million instrument package devised by the University of Colorado at Boulder should yield a better understanding of how the sun can violently affect Earth
Australian radio amateur who helped put man on the moon
08-Feb-10, 11:20:00
Amateur Radio Victoria - An article in the December, 2009 issue of Lo-Key, the journal of the Australian CW QRP Club, noted the important work of an Australian radio amateur