Great News for 70MHz (4m)

Spotted this in the IRTS newsletter:

Some time back Dave EI3IO launched an initiative to try to secure a line in the European Common frequency Allocation table (ECA) that would provide for the granting of spectrum in the segment 69.9 to 70.5 MHz to the amateur service on a secondary basis and to amend Footnote EU9 to the table to state that CEPT administrations may allocate all or parts of that band to the Amateur service . The documentation which Dave drafted, which included briefing for National Societies, was adopted by IARU Region 1 and support was obtained from Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Iceland and Ireland. The documentation explained that about thirty CEPT administrations had already allowed national amateur use of the band but that some remaining CEPT countries required a clear regulatory decision before they were able to open all, or parts of this band to secondary two-way amateur usage.

Dave EI3IO, representing IARU Region 1, presented the proposal at the recent meeting in France of CEPT's European Communications Committee Frequency Management Working Group. The proposal received the support of more than ten CEPT administrations and was adopted. This excellent outcome does not necessarily mean that frequencies between 69.9 and 70.5 MHz will be immediately available in all CEPT countries but it does, however, provide a clear basis for IARU member societies to seek a 4 metre allocation from their national licensing authority.

The ECA is approved, revised and published by the ECC once per year. It is expected that the revision incorporating the changes regarding 70 MHz will be published in the summer of 2015. This is another excellent example of what can be achieved by amateurs working together within the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).



73's DE EI5IX / M0XII - Pat

M0XII/P - UKAC 50MHz Contest - October

The October UKAC 50Mhz Contest on the 28th from locator square IO91MP was hard going with very deep QSB on the band. I had an issue with my voice keyer (LogiTalker) these last few contests as it seems to suffer terribly on the 6m band with RFI, I've tried various things to get rid of the RF feedback, ferrite rings to grounding the unit to changing the feed cable to the unit from the rig which in my opinion is a bit dodgy anyway but certainly not having a voice keyer in a contest is beginning to become very annoying and I do need to get it sorted (Voice is on its last legs). Anyway sure this is what the fun is all about we will struggle on (If anyone has suggestions on eliminating RFI on a LogiTalker please email me: ei5ixpat at gmail.com)

Activity seemed reasonably good in this contest compared to previous months. I managed to get 7 DXCC's this months contest with the final one (Belgium) right on the line but there was a lot of QSB on the band. 

This month I finished the contest with a claimed score of 107 QSO's and 16 UK Multiplier squares and a total of 220,592 claimed points with 7 DXCC entities worked. It was really nice to work Dave GI4SNA in IO64XM Square as my furthest ODX of 467Km, Once again a big Thank you to all stations for the points and multipliers this month it was very much appreciated. Looking forward to the next contest. :)

My working conditions was an FT847 Transceiver with 100 watts into a 5 Element Tonna F9FT Yagi up 5m from Ground.

Here is a map of the QSO's made during the Contest:

The Aftermath of CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB 2014

The following is from Jim M0CKE:

Call: G2F
Operator(s): M0CKE M0CHK M0XII M0NKR G0FHM
Station: G2F

Class: M/2 HP
QTH: Wisbech
Operating Time (hrs): 48

Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160:    198       8        41
80:      456      14       69
40:      837      21       92
20:    1317      37      124
15:    1184      36      115
10:    1593      34      138
------------------------------
Total: 5585 150 579 Total Score = 7,755,831

Club: Wisbech Amateur Radio & Electronics Club

Comments:

After a plea on the UK contest reflector for operators we were joined by Pat

M0XII (EI5IX) and Andy M0NKR both looking for a SSB seat for 2014 :) .. Friday got off to a good start with nice weather setting up the station, setup was complete when the rain came and along with it the realisation that the 6x2 antenna switch was not working .. after diagnosis a trip to maplin for some 4011 IC's and 2N3906 transistors we finally got the switch working at about 2000hrs .. Pat and Andy tested the station and all was looking good. This is first time we have entered the M2 category in SSB and really didn't know what to expect from our QTH. Contest started slow with conditions on 40 and 80 being hard to say the least with crammed band and poor signal quality as expected, we just ploughed on, working what we could hear, doing some s&p when run rates had dropped and changed bands when conditions seemed to allow, not a winning strategy but we all had fun, ate lots of good food and had a few beers too :) 

I'm really pleased with how the contest went for our first attempt with very modest antennas and power allowed in the UK, although the aging hunter 1000 amp on station 2 decided to track over on the band switch on 80m band with couple hours to go .. so Pat stopped on 20m and 40m with station 2 .. We seemed to have a flare hit us about 2100hrs causing the bands to become real hard work with very high noise levels and fading signals.

2 x Elecreaft K3's, Acom 1000, Hunter 1000, N1MM Logger+, 5B4AGN Filters, 6x2

Ant switch, 3ele SteppIR @ 60ft, KT34A @ 60ft, 1/4 waver vert 40m & 80m, inverted L for 160m. K9AY for LF RX.

Thanks to everyone that called us! :)

Jim M0CKE 

I got to say I certainly enjoyed this contest and thanks to the Jim M0CKE and Andy M0CHK for giving me the opportunity to join them in this contest, I'm Looking forward to CQWW CW back in EI (Ireland) at the end of November, more updates to come on that station in the coming weeks.

73's to all :)

UPDATE

***************

WE CAME IN 1st PLACE IN THE MULTI TWO CATEGORY IN THIS CONTEST IN ENGLAND

***************

73's DE EI5IX / M0XII - Pat

The SSB CQ World Wide DX Contest 2014

This weekend the 25th & 26th of October is the CQ World Wide DX Contest on SSB. 

The contest Starts: 0000 UTC Saturday 25th and Ends: 2359 UTC Sunday 26th

I will be active this weekend with Wisbech Amateur Radio Club under the callsign "G2F" located on the East coast of England in the district of Cambridgeshire.

I'm hoping to give a bash to SSB on the HF bands throughout the weekend so hopefully conditions will prevail, if you hear us on the air do feel free to give us a shout as it would be great to work you over the weekend. Good Luck to all participants involved in the contest and most of all have fun on the bands and a fantastic weekend contesting.

73's

ATV Activity

Ronnie EI9ED reports that EI2SDR is sending pictures of Dublin Bay on frequency 2390 MHz from 3 Rock Mountain. It is on test and orientated towards Dublin and Dundalk. Rx Input 1240 MHz and will be available next with DTMF Control via 144.775.

RSGB CONTEST COMMITTEE NEWSLETTER - SPECIAL ISSUE

A special issue of the CC Newsletter, timed to coincide with the RSGB Convention, has just been published on the CC website at

http://www.rsgbcc.org/hf/newsletter/newscurrent.shtml




73's DE EI5IX / M0XII - Pat

The West of Ireland's Mayo Radio Rally 2014

Sunday 12th of October 2014

The Mayo Radio Experimenter's Network Radio Rally

Check out the clubs Website (www.ei7mre.org) 

for equipment already checked in for sale that can be purchased on the day. 

The 5MHz Newsletter

It's been found necessary to change the URL of the Worldwide 5 MHz Amateur Allocations chart.

The new URL is

http://tinyurl.com/pjhd943