Also in GB2RS this week…

| October 19, 2018

We were saddened to learn that John Crabbe, G3WFM, became a Silent Key in the early hours of Thursday, 18 October 2018. He volunteered for many years as Curator of the RSGB Museum and Library at Potters Bar, and was also the RSGB Shack Manager. A longer tribute can be found on the RSGB website.

The RSGB Contest Committee’s VHF Contesting consultation closes at midnight on Sunday, 28 October 2018—go to surveymonkey.co.uk/r/VHFCC2018 to help set the rules for 2019.

Last weekend’s RSGB 2018 Convention was a great success, with over 600 visitors. Put the dates for next year in your diary: the Convention will run from 11 to 13 October 2019. We video many of the lectures and then release them throughout the year, first to Members via our website, then publicly on YouTube after a while to help advertise the Convention and to generate wider interest in amateur radio. We have started with two important videos today, straight to YouTube. In the video of Tim Duffy, K3LR, giving his keynote speech The K3LR Super Station, he talks about his famous contest station but also, as he puts it, focused on ‘keeping ham radio fun and alive’. In the second video, the President of IARU Region 1, Don Beattie, G3BJ asks So What Has the IARU Ever Done For Us? In his talk, he describes what IARU is doing, how the challenges of representing amateur radio globally are changing, and what the world would be like without IARU. You can find all our videos at rsgb.org/videos.

November’s RadCom, which should be with most Members by now, leads with an article about VDSL2 radiation and EMC analysis software tools. Supported by the RSGB Legacy Fund, Dr Martin Sach, G8KDF has developed EMC analysis software tools for the RSGB EMC Committee to use when supporting Members. The software, Lelantos, has been developed to identify and measure the relative strengths and spectrum of VDSL2 RFI and desired signals. The development of this software reflects the RSGB’s commitment to maintaining and enhancing radio amateurs’ ability to use the radio spectrum, as outlined in our RSGB Strategy 2022. The EMC Committee will now experiment with Lelantos, which is effectively still in its infancy, in order to refine it and realise its full potential. The Committee will then consider how the software may best be deployed in the wider community.

This year the RSGB has secured the call sign GB18YOTA for the December YOTA month event. Clubs, groups and individuals from all over the country are invited to set up stations and host the call sign over the 31 days of December 2018. Please see rsgb.org/yota-month for further information and application details. For any questions, email yota.month@rsgb.org.uk. The deadline for applications is Monday, 29 October 2018.

The UK Six Metre Group is holding its 2018 AGM on Sunday, 21 October 2018, at 4pm. The meeting is held by web conference and all members are invited to take part. You can join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone by going to global.gotomeeting.com/join/956522885.

Owing to security concerns, the 4V7R DXpedition to Haiti that was to take place between 19 and 29 October 2018 has been cancelled.

The ARRL Contest Branch has announced that participants in the 2019 ARRL RTTY Roundup will be permitted to use the new FT8 protocol, which is part of the WSJT-X software suite—read the full ARRL story.

Category: GB2RS Headlines