GB2RS News for Sunday, 4 November 2012

IRTS also opposes draft Power Line Transmission standard

Following the news last week that the German National Society, DARC, now oppose a new pan-European draft Power Line Transmission standard, we have heard that the Irish Radio Transmitters Society, like the RSGB, also opposes the Standard. In their magazine they say that “the draft Standard accepts that the PLT devices do not, in effect, meet the essential requirements of the EMC Directive as it prescribes measures to mitigate interference by permanently or dynamically excluding frequencies in the amateur, aeronautical mobile and broadcast bands.” The IRTS Committee took the unanimous view that it would not be appropriate to support a draft Standard that sought only to protect selective sensitive frequencies in the HF spectrum without regard to the levels of interference that could be caused by the equipment concerned on the remainder of the HF spectrum. If you would like more information on this subject, the RSGB laid out their views some weeks ago. Details are in the October RadCom and on the RSGB website at www.rsgb.org/main/emc/rsgb-and-ofcom-correspondence.php

RSGB Extraordinary General Meeting

RSGB Members are encouraged to vote on the new governance arrangements for the Society, proposed in the November RadCom and shown on the RSGB website, whether by post, online or in person at the EGM. If you are attending the EGM on 17 November in Stratford, you will be interested to hear about the afternoon informal session. Visitors will learn about the plans for our forthcoming centenary year, and hear a fascinating presentation of some of the highlights of our history as we dip into the archives. With 100 years of history to celebrate, 2013 will be full of events for the Membership as well as the world-wide amateur community. Our history also provides a wealth of events from the momentous to the quirky and you will hear more about these on 17 November. If you are planning to attend please register your interest on the RSGB website.

GB3GC, a new six metre repeater

A new six metre repeater, GB3GC, is up and running in south east Cornwall, on the same site as the 2m repeater GB3PL. This 6m repeater has its input on 51.230MHz FM and 500kHz spacing for its output at 50.730MHz. The CTCSS tone is 77Hz. Any enquiries should be directed to Roger, 2E0RPH, whose details are correct on QRZ.com.

Also in GB2RS this week

Radio amateur lost in Bounty sinking

Radio amateurs around the world will not have missed the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy to the Caribbean and then the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. The ARRL report on the role played by amateur radio is on their website at www.arrl.org/news. Sadly, on 29 October, a replica of the Bounty that was built in 1960 for a remake of the 1962 film Mutiny on the Bounty, sank off the coast of North Carolina as Hurricane Sandy made its way toward New Jersey. Of its 16 crew members, 14 were rescued by the US Coast Guard. Bounty Captain Robin Walbridge, KD4OHZ, never made it to one of the two deployed life rafts and is presumed dead. Doug Faunt, N6TQS, of Oakland, California, was one of the 14 who was rescued by the Coast Guard; Faunt served as a deckhand and was also the ship’s electrician. Our thoughts go to the family and friends of KD4OHZ and all others who have been affected by Hurricane Sandy.

No signal from F-1 CubeSat yet

There have been no confirmed reception reports since the F-1 amateur radio CubeSat was deployed from the International Space Station on 4 October. The team is focusing on reception of the backup UHF transmitter, on 437.485MHz, plus or minus 10kHz Doppler shift. This FM beacon should transmit Morse code for 20 seconds every minute during daylight. The team would appreciate any reports of the beacon, which can be sent to Thu Trong Vu, XV9AA, by email to thuvtfpt.edu.vn. Further information can be found on the AMSAT-UK website, www.amsat-uk.org.

Category: GB2RS Headlines