60 Metre activity weekend

The South African Radio League (SARL) is holding a 60 Metre activity weekend starting at 00:01 on Saturday 9 November and ending at midnight on Sunday evening 10 November.

The activities will be on 5 260 kHz. The objective is to study propagation conditions between as many stations in as many areas of South Africa and elsewhere as possible.

Make at least one contact in as many time slots as possible. The time slots are as follows: Saturday and Sunday: 00:01 - 06:00, 06:00 - 10:00, 10:00 - 15:00; 15:00 - 18:00 and 18:00 - Midnight.

Please keep an accurate log, recording both your and the locator of the station you worked and an accurate signal report.

Please at the top of your log give details of your station and the antenna and power used. Please mail the log to propresearch@sarl.org.za before Thursday 14 November. All logs received will go into a lucky draw with lots of prizes to be won. Only stations registered for 5 MHz operation may participate.

GB0HE

The Norman Lockyer Radio Group will be operating GB0HE on Sunday 20th October to celebrate the 145th anniversary of the discovery of the element Helium (HE) by Sir Norman Lockyer.

The station will be located at our group HQ at the Norman Lockyer Observatory Sidmouth. We are located at 650' asl just to the east of the coastal town of Sidmouth.

Activity will be on most HF bands depending on conditions and with some limited VHF activity on FM and SSB and via our on site repeater GB3SW.

More details etc - http://www.qrz.com/db/GB0HE

GB2SDD on air for JOTA

With many years experience of running JOTA stations, the Mid Ulster Amateur Radio Club have again been asked by the Scouts in Banbridge, Co Down, Northern Ireland, to run a station for this year's event..

Using the call-sign GB2 SDD, 'South Down District' the Club will be active during most of Saturday 19th October 2013, on 40m plus others depending on band conditions. Our 2m station will also be active along with Echolink and D-star options. PSK data modes will be aired from time to time during the course of the day.

At last year's JOTA we held informal cw classes for the Scouts as a bit of a novelty. Such was the success, we have been specifically asked to run the same sort of thing again this year.

While JOTA provides an introduction to the world of amateur radio it is, for some, the start of a path that leads to Radio Amateur status.

Last year's event encouraged a leader and one Scout to successfully complete a Club run Foundation Course. Spurred by their enthusiasm the two Mi6's have managed to 'recruit' 7 (and counting), likely candidates for a future 'scout orientated' Club Foundation Course.

It seems JOTA continues to be as much a success for amateur radio as it is for the Scouts.

More information - http://www.muarc.com