Also in GB2RS this week…
From 13 April 2020, Matt, M0PTO will be uploading videos to YouTube for a new course called Lockdown Morse. The YouTube channel is at youtu.be/RWDqg8bCSqM. He also created a Facebook page for the course at facebook.com/lockdownmorse.
The RSGB has released a video on its YouTube Channel by the Society’s Propagation Studies Committee entitled Understanding HF Propagation. It looks at sunspots, ionospheric layers, critical frequencies, solar flares and much more.
Nordics on the Air (NOTA) was scheduled to be held this weekend. It has been postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. On the youth NOTA camp, there would have been two HF stations with the call sign LA1YOTA spreading the voice of youth all around the world. Even though the camp is not going to happen there will be NOTA activation skeds from the 10th onwards. Look out for SK8YOTA on the 12th and TF3YOTA on the 13th.
The RSGB HF Contest Committee has just completed a survey, which was open to all, to help determine its strategy during the Covid-19 pandemic. Questions focused on two issues. Firstly, how best to proceed with its flagship IOTA Contest in 2020. Secondly, whether or not there was a mandate for introducing a temporary HF contest series to provide some entertainment and support to RSGB Members and others who are currently staying at home. The committee had 656 survey respondents, of whom just less than half are regular RSGB HF contest participants. You can read the results at tinyurl.com/HFCC-survey-results.
The RSGB has decided to postpone all Train the Trainers courses for this year. They had been planned to run up until July 2020, so the team will start rescheduling them when the pandemic situation improves and full travel is restored.
Icom has announced that delivery of the new IC-705 HF to 430MHz all-mode 10W transceiver, which was scheduled to be released in March, has been pushed back to later this year because the coronavirus pandemic has delayed the delivery of some components. More information will be posted on their website and via social media in due course.
A long-silent repeater in Birmingham has successfully reactivated. GB3BM is on 145.7125MHz with 67Hz CTCSS tone. In the current situation of everyone being at home a great deal more than usual, this will no doubt be welcome news to amateurs in the area.
Don’t forget that voting for the RSGB elections is still open. If you’ve struggled to find your Membership number, the Society has made it easier for you by adding it to the righthand sidebar of your Members’ page when you log into Membership Services. This is your opportunity to choose who you want to be part of the RSGB Board and help lead the Society over the next few years. The special web pages at rsgb.org/agm have details of the Calling Notice, Resolutions, candidate statements and information about how to vote. Internet voting closes at 9am on Thursday, 23 April 2020.
The RSGB has a Coronavirus Updates page that brings together some great ideas as well as its important announcements. Take a look at rsgb.org/coronavirus-updates.
Category: GB2RS Headlines
