Projects

The Legacy Subcommittee is involved in the following projects

• Noise Floor Study
  The legacy funding for the Noise Floor Study covers two related areas of work.The first, and perhaps main focus, is a research project to investigate whether the total number of unintentional radiation from devices such as power line adapters, switch mode power supplies, plasma TV, etc. in an urban conurbation was being propagated to otherwise quiet radio sites via the ionosphere.While it is hoped this is not the case, the study would set a benchmark against that any change could be monitored in future decades.

  The second task, which is complete, was to provide a web-based interface for the noise monitoring campaign.

  This is a participative venture for UK amateurs to record and share data on their local HF noise environment, which will help raise awareness of the issues and in some cases help amateurs to address local noise sources.

  The Noise Floor Study is under the leadership of Prof. Mike Warrington, University of Leicester, who is well known to regulars at the RSGB Convention.

  The study was originally planned to be undertaken as a sequence of MSc. projects but current plans are for the work to be carried out by a visiting academic who arrives in the autumn when work on the study is expected to start.

• ARDF scoring system
  The ARDF Committee has received legacy funding to provide a compact and portable system for recording the results of DF competitions using electronic ‘punching’.Each competitor carries a microchip in a so-called ‘dibber’ that is inserted into a control box at each transmitter that is found.This writes the time and the identity of the transmitter to the chip.

  At the finish the new system allows the competitor to download all the stored data and from this a complete set of results with all the split times between transmitters can be produced.

  The new system uses no car batteries, inverters or associated paraphernalia.As a result it is easy and convenient to use.

• Other projects
  If you have a project you would like to be considered, you are very welcome to discuss it informally with one of the Subcommittee trustees.We are looking for projects that help to develop and grow amateur radio.Priority is given to those that have benefit across the hobby—not just for a small group.We also need to be confident projects will be well managed with clear objectives.

  After initial discussion, you will need to put down your plans on a proposal form.

  That allows those considering it to see what it is about and whether it meets the criteria.

  Final decisions rest with the RSGB Board on the recommendation of the Legacy Subcommittee.

  You can obtain a proposal form for your project, or just send us a message, through our Contact page.