MSARS

1. Zoom meetings this week

   Hi Folks.
   
   No zoom meeting tonight, as I've disconnected all my antennas due to the expected electrical storms.
   
   Friday night zoom should go ahead, but I'll be absent due to my football-watching commitments!
   
   Hope everyone is well and looking forward to the revised unlocking date.
   
   73's
   
   Berni M0XYF

2. St Dunstans.

   https://www.theargus.co.uk/argusappeal/news/19363719.blind-veterans-leaving-ovingdean-seaside-home-83-years/?ref=ebmpn
   
   Our club had a close relationship with St Dunstans.
   Our late President Louis Varney, G5RV, and I were invited to dinner there together with our xyl’s.
   It was the weekend following the hurricane. Their swimming pool windows had been blown in.
   
   /\/\ike
   G1TDL
   
   --
   Mike G1TDL/G0GNV

3. Re: URGENT WARNING - Ken Gibson email scam.

   Thank you Berni for the information and warning.

4. URGENT WARNING - Ken Gibson email scam.

   Please read this entire communication.
   
   Ken Gibson's email and/or computer has been hacked, and malicious scam emails are being sent from his email address, or similar looking email addresses. The scammers are asking for help to purchase Google Play gift cards for his niece. I was very tired when I read my email late last night and thought it was real, and so replied to 'Ken' to find out more. A follow up this morning from the scammers asked me to purchase three £100 gift 'scratch' cards and email the codes! That made me realise straight away that this wasn't right and I phoned Ken to alert him. He was already aware, so now I'm writing to let you all know and ensure no club member is caught out. I know other members have also received these emails. Ken has arranged for someone to come and fix his computer and email ASAP.
   
   Stay safe!
   
   Berni M0XYF

5. Re: EEEEEeeeee

   Also check 10m & 12m
   
   Full of signals
   
   Phil G4UDU

6. Re: EEEEEeeeee

   Eeee
   
   Now towards SE
   
   OK2RO 59 50.132 59
   
   
   Phil G4UDU

7. Re: EEEEEeeeee

   Still s8 here on SSB plus CW stations as well - at 1300 GMT - prop now moving to SW

   
   

   Phil G4UDU

   
   

   
   

   
   

8. Re: EEEEEeeeee

   Think I’ve come in on the back end of the opening. Managed one Italian. Dying away now.

   
   

   John

   
   

9. EEEEEeeeee

   Take a look on 6m nice Sporadic E opening to Southern EU
   
   Time now 1048 UTC
   
   
   Phil G4UDU

10. Re: First aurora QSO

    Already screen-grabbed them :)

    Thanks
    

11. Re: First aurora QSO

    Hi Berni. Certainly. Do put on the site.

    Might also be worth adding copies of the Kp and disturbance graphs?

    
    

    John

    
    

12. Re: First aurora QSO

    Thank you John. Well written and very interesting. May I post a copy on the website please?

    Berni M0XYF
    

13. First aurora QSO

    Hi all,

    
    

    It’s nice to have firsts!

     

    Yesterday afternoon the planetary K index (https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/planetary-k-index) rose from a dormant Kp=1 to a healthy Kp=7. Kp characterises geomagnetic  storms.

     

    In parallel, the aurora-predicting geomagnetic disturbance level went from green to amber and then red, breaching the 200nT threshold at about 15:30 UTC (https://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/plots/?project=awn&site=sum&date=2021-05-12). 

     

    So, I turned the newly installed 6 metre Yagi north. And there was a radio aurora in full swing with MM5DWW on Orkney working the world – or at least those north of 55 degrees. We exchanged 5/7 both ways and went on our way – him to work yet more, and me to listen to a couple of CW stations. There were also some ethereal voices that might – or might not – have been other SSB stations.

    
    

    My Great Circle distance to Orkney is 400km, but the actual path length will have been significantly more to the scattering medium further north and back to Orkney. In an aurora, all stations generally beam north.

     

    The radio aurora was gone by 16:30 and 6 metres reverted to its normal flat state.

     

    I’d heard radio auroras as a teenager but never had the necessary kit to work them, so it was good to tick that box. I’ve now got a feeder run and Yagi to install for 2 metres, so next time I’ll be able to compare the bands. 

     

    And next time I’ll remember to record the activity. The voices are heavily distorted by the Doppler shift caused by the movement of the free electrons in the auroral columns doing the reflecting. You’ve to listen hard. There’s no time for exchange of pleasantries.

    
    

    Radio auroras are infrequent. Sometimes, they are intense enough and at a low enough latitude to support southern stations. If you're interested, install the AuroraWatch and SpaceWeatherLive apps.

    
    

    Regards,

    
    

    John, GM8JBJ

    John Berry Mob. 07553 250 919 Email: john.berry@... Willowburn, Kirkton, Hawick, Scottish Borders, TD9 8QJ

14. Re: IET lecture 'To the other side of the world and beyond' Wednesday 12 May

    Hi Phil,

    
    

    Think they have corrected it! My booking acceptance actually quotes 7.30 p.m.

    
    

    Cheers

    
    

    Terry

    M0TPJ
    
    
    

15. IET lecture 'To the other side of the world and beyond' Wednesday 12 May

    If you intend to view this lecture which covers some aspects of amateur radio, please note that the advertised start time of 8:30pm may be wrong. 7:30pm is more believable. You may only view the Q&A session if you keep to 8:30pm. I have been caught out by this IET timing error before, possibly computer generated. 

    
    

    M5BTB