Also in GB2RS this week…

The world’s largest solar observatory, located on the island of Maui in Hawaii, has released its first image of a sunspot, which captures the phenomenon in striking detail. The image, taken last January, is among the first solar images of the new Solar Cycle 25 and can be seen at https://tinyurl.com/gb2rs-sunspot  The telescope’s 4m primary mirror will give the best views of the sun from Earth throughout the next solar cycle. Thanks to the National Solar Observatory for the story.

Gremlins got into the January 2021 edition of RadCom. A draft version of G4JNT’s Coherent ADC article was inadvertently printed, for which we apologise. A corrected version can be found on the RSGB website – go to www.rsgb.org/radcom and click on Supplementary material and errata.

Sadly, the Australian regulator, ACMA has decided against permitting that country’s amateurs a 5MHz/60m allocation. It says, in balancing defence’s existing use of the 5351.5–5366.5kHz band against the impacts of introducing use by the amateur service, the ACMA has decided not to support amateur use in the band. The ACMA recognises the high level of interest shown by the amateur community in adding this band and understands there will be disappointment. You can read the full document at https://tinyurl.com/gb2rs-acma

The 80m RSGB National Radio Centre Net continues to run each weekday at 10.30am on 3.727MHz. The NRC volunteers are keen for radio amateurs to call in. So get on the air and have a chat – they’d love to hear from you.

Would you like to volunteer for the RSGB? Its President Dave Wilson, M0OBW will retire at the AGM and the Society is looking for one elected Board Director. In addition, there are three Regional Representative vacancies in Regions 2, 6 and 12 because the current post holders were co-opted into a vacancy after the last AGM. Each one has indicated their willingness to stand for election but applications are also welcome from all RSGB Members living in these particular Regions. The nomination process must be completed by 2359 on 31 January 2021 and the results will be announced at the RSGB AGM, which be held online on 24 April 2021.  For more information about any of these roles, how to nominate someone or for information about the election process, visit the Society’s election web page, www.rsgb.org/election

Listen out for Youngsters On The Air stations around the world. GB20YOTA will be operating throughout December. M0SDV will operate the station today, the 13th; then M0KDS takes over on Monday. Tuesday sees the callsign under G4DJX and GW1YQM’s guidance, with GW1YQM picking up the call on Friday. G7OHO will be operating on Saturday and Sunday and then it goes to M0NCG, also on Sunday. The calendar is shown on the GB20YOTA page on QRZ.com. To reserve an operating slot, contact Jamie, M0SDV via email to yota.month@rsgb.org.uk

Category: GB2RS Headlines