Also in GB2RS this week…

The latest figures for the RSGB’s remote invigilation of amateur radio exams shows that 116 exams have been run as of Friday, 1 May 2020. Of these, 109 candidates have passed and a total of 997 different questions have been asked. There are currently 80 exams booked and ready to be taken up until 8 May 2020. A total of 300 more are scheduled to take place in May, with a further 187 so far scheduled to take place in June and there are more in the pipeline. The RSGB is grateful to all those working to make this possible during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day and VJ Day, the RSGB has organised the VE/VJ Day amateur radio marathon on the HF bands and 6m using SSB, CW and digital modes. Three special UK call signs GB75PEACE, GB1945PE, GB1945PJ will be on the air from 1 to 31 May 2020 and again between 1 and 31 August 2020. The special stations have their own QRZ.com pages that give details of the activation schedule. If you wish to participate and transmit using a VE/VJ Day radio marathon call sign, please contact Ian, G0FCT on csc.chair@rsgb.org.uk. Full details of radio marathon and the five awards can be found out rsgb.org/ve-vj-marathon.

As part of its Strategy 2022, the RSGB has just launched Beyond Exams—a group of resources to encourage participation and highlight the diversity of amateur radio. Beyond Exams includes awards and schemes to help amateur radio licence holders and clubs get the most from the hobby. During these challenging times of the global pandemic, Beyond Exams is an important part of the Society’s Get on the Air to Care campaign in partnership with the NHS. Through Beyond Exams you can get on the air for the first time or try something new—for example, a contest or CW. Some of the activities won’t be available for radio amateurs to try due to the current social distancing regulations but there are plenty of others that can be done from the safety of your own home. For more information about how you can get involved in the scheme as a radio amateur or a club, see rsgb.org/beyond-exams.

The 93rd Annual General Meeting of the Radio Society of Great Britain due to be held on 25 April 2020 in Birmingham was cancelled because of government restrictions on travel and public meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Board convened an online meeting to receive the results of the votes submitted by the Society’s Members on the resolutions and elections they were asked to consider in the Calling Notice. Members of the Board, other RSGB officials, those standing for election, and senior members of RSGB staff were online to follow proceedings. At the close of the meeting the results on the various Resolutions and annual trophy winners were announced online. As a result of voting by the Society’s Members, Dr Stewart Bryant, G3YSX was endorsed as a Nominated Director. Andy Mace, M0MUX and Len Paget, GM0ONX were elected as Board Directors. During the first meeting of the new Board, Ian Shepherd, G4EVK was elected as the Board Chair until the AGM in 2021. Following the AGM, the Nominations Committee met and John Rogers, M0JAV, John Spurgeon, G4LKD and Philip Willis, M0PHI were co-opted to join the Board of Directors until the 2021 AGM. To read more about the areas of responsibility for all of Board members, go to rsgb.org/board.

Contest University, a staple of Dayton Hamvention, will take place online this year through the Zoom video platform, and all sessions will be free. You can register at contestuniversity.com. Live Contest University sessions via Zoom will get under way on 14 May 2020 at 1245UTC—these will be recorded and archived.

Category: GB2RS Headlines