Mellish Reef DXpedition

After their successful operation from Campbell Island in December 2012, six members of the ZL9HR team and additional operators have announced their intention to activate Mellish Reef in early 2014.

Mellish Reef is located in the Coral Sea, approximately 1,100 kilometers northeast of Brisbane, Australia. Currently number 24 on ClubLog's Most Wanted List, Mellish Reef was last activated in 2009. An international team will operate for 12 days, using 6 stations with linear amplifiers and vertical antennas.

Discussions are underway with the appropriate authorities and potential
transport suppliers. Additional information will be available on the team's
soon to be activated web site after the documentation is finalized.

ZL Team on Mellish Reef

Solar Activity Peaking To A 2013 Peak

There's Been a lot of solar activity in the last few months as the sun nears the active peak in its 11-year cycle.

Every 11 years, the sun goes through what is called the solar cycle: measurable and repeated changes in its activity. 2013 is when it will reach the peak of its current cycle — as we can see in the image above, comparing the sun's activity two years ago to last month.

The last inactive period — known as solar minimum — was in 2008; next year, as the sun reaches solar maximum, we can expect to see an increase in sunspot activity.

What does this mean for us down here on Earth? Well, a lot of aurora borealis and australis activity, for one, so if you're heading to or living in regions that are most likely to be affected, we envy you.

Unfortunately, the same solar activity that causes aurora — coronal mass ejections (CMEs), or solar flares — also cause magnetic storms. These can disrupt communications and navigation equipment, damage satellites and result in power surges that harm power lines and cause outages.......

Solar Activity Peaking

Radio Society of Great Britain Centenary 2013

A commemorative cover is being issued on 5th July to mark the Centenary of the Radio Society of Great Britain, the body that represents Britain’s radio amateurs.

The cover being released through Bletchley Stamp Art features the Duke of Edinburgh against a montage of vintage and modern images. The stamp is Royal Mail’s “Station X” with a Bletchley Park Post Office cachet. This bears the early code number for Fenny Stratford post office and the undercover PO Box 111 address for Bletchley Park.

The newly restored RSGB ‘hut’ at Bletchley Park provides the link to the cover design and stamp choice. The exhibit offers visitors a fascinating insight into the world of radio.

Only 250 covers are being issued and a limited number are available to non RSGB members at £14.99 plus post and packing. They can be viewed and ordered through the website at bletchleycovers.com or by calling 01908 363489.

RSGB Centenary 2013

International Amateur Radio Union

Created in Paris, France, the International Amateur Radio Union has been the watchdog and spokesman for the world Amateur Radio community since 1925. The IARU Constitution, last amended in 1989, organizes the Union into three Regional Organizations that correspond to the three radio regions of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The IARU Constitution also provides for an IARU Member Society to serve as the Union's International Secretariat.

The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) is an organization consisting of over 160 national amateur radio societies around the world. The International Secretariat for the IARU from time to time receives inquiries from individual amateurs as to how they may join IARU. There are no individual members of the IARU. The best way to support the IARU is to maintain membership in one or more of the national amateur radio societies.

The IARU is governed by the IARU Administrative Council (AC). The AC consists of the IARU President, Vice-President, Secretary and two representatives from each of the three IARU regional organizations. IARU Region 1 is Europe, Africa and the Middle East and parts of Asia. IARU Region 2 is North, South and Central America. IARU Region 3 is most of Asia and the Pacific. The AC determines the policy for the IARU. All of the members of the IARU AC are volunteers as are the officers and directors of the IARU regional organizations...........

IARU

IOTA 50TH ANNIVERSARY

The year 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Islands On The Air (IOTA) Programme by British SWL Geoff Watts, BRS-3129. As a build-up to our celebrations on this occasion, the RSGB IOTA Manager and Committee announce an exciting activity period in which all licensed amateurs world-wide are invited to participate.

For a two-year period during 2012 and 2013, IOTA chasers are encouraged to contact as many different IOTA groups as possible, and IOTA activators to play their part by operating from as many groups as possible, with special emphasis on the less-frequently activated ones. The points system adopted rewards 'Activators' with higher scores for activating the rarer IOTA groups. Certificates and awards will be available to both 'Chasers' and 'Activators' to reflect attainment of graduated bands of performance together with attractive prizes for top scorers.

The challenge provides a level playing field for everyone, whether they are complete newcomers to IOTA or are holders of the prestigious IOTA 1000 Islands Trophy, because everyone starts with a clean slate on 1 January 2012............

http://www.rsgbiota.org/marathon/index.php

Fiji and Rotuma Islands

Operators Stan LZ1GC and Rocky 3D2DD will be active from between September 20th and October 15th.

Their schedule is as follows:

September 20-26th - Callsigns 3D2GC (Stan) and 3D2CC (Rocky); from the "Club Fiji Resort", Nadi, Fiji Republic, Viti Levu Island (OC-016, WW. Loc. RH82QF).

Activity will be on 160-6 meters using CW and SSB, with the following
equipment: Kenwood TS-480 SAT + linear amplifier ACOM 1010/ACOM 1000. The antennas: EXP. GP 40-10m, 80/160 meters INV-L and GP..........

Pacific Islands On The Air

British Railways Amateur Radio Society GX4LMR

British Railways Amateur Radio Society over the rest of the year will be marking the 45th anniversary of the end of steam on the British railways network in August 1968.
This will be taking place from BRARS member Mark Procter G1PIE who will be transmitting from his home qth nr Preston, which was the very last bastion of steam in August 1968, we will be using the GX4LMR call.

A special qsl card has been produced for this event.

Railways On The Air