THE TRANSATLANTIC CENTENARY TESTS:

The RSGB are hosting an International Amateur Radio Activation, The Transatlantic Centenary Tests, on the HF bands, for the entire month of December 2022, to commemorate the centenary of the achievement of Amateur Transatlantic communication, during the Transatlantic Tests that were held between 1921 and 1923. 24 December 1922 was when the very first amateur radio signal from Europe was heard in North America; this was from the RSGB station (G)5WS, which was established at Wandsworth in South London, as part of the Third Transatlantic Tests.

Unlike the tests of the 1920s, which consisted of one-way communication, the 2022 tests will encourage worldwide two-way communication with UK & Crown Dependency based stations by having a series of awards available for making QSOs with activating special stations. The Club Log team have kindly agreed to provide the supporting infrastructure for the Tests. In anticipation of this centenary celebration, with the assistance of Ofcom (the UK licensing authority), the RSGB have reactivated five callsigns that they held in the 1920s:

• G5WS, used for the 1922 tests – ‘the first to get across’

• G5AT, used for the 1923 tests

• G6XX, used for the 1923 tests

• G6ZZ, used for the first amateur tests on a moving railway train in 1924

• G3DR, Scottish Highlands Call – GM3DR. These historic callsigns will be activated by RSGB members and Clubs, using G5WS, G5AT, G6XX, G6ZZ and G3DR (England), GM5WS (Scotland), GW5WS (Wales), GU5WS (Guernsey), GD5WS (Isle of Man), GJ5WS (Jersey) and GI5WS (Northern Ireland).

Full details of how to participate will be published on the RSGB website at: https://rsgb.org/transatlantic-tests

BRAZIL REGULATOR PROPOSES MANDATORY LOTW FOR UPGRADES: In a move being opposed by Brazil’s national amateur radio society, use of the ARRL’s Logbook of the World would become mandatory for any radio amateurs in that country who are seeking licence upgrades, according to an online report. Brazil’s national amateur radio society, Liga de Amadores Brasileiros de Rádio Emissão, announced that the national regulator ANATEL proposes that amateurs wishing to advance to a Class A or Class B licence from a Class C, would be required to confirm QSOs by using LoTW. This proposal is designed as one component in an alternative being considered to replace the CW test. It is being called the experience test and it mandates that LoTW be used to document contacts that prove the upgrade applicant has sufficient experience to warrant the change in licence class. Separately, applicants would also have to fulfil the experience requirement by showing participation in courses and radiorelated activities.

The proposed use of the free online QSO authentication service has drawn some controversy. In an online statement, LABRE claims its use would constitute outsourcing to a foreign entity because the service is provided by the American Radio Relay League. LABRE also believes this proposed mandate puts applicants at a disadvantage if they do not engage in contesting or DXing.

NEW MOUNTAIN GOAT: Andy Clift G6PJZ has achieved the coveted Summits on the Air (SOTA) Mountain Goat status for reaching 1,000 activator points. His Mountain Goat-qualifying activation took place from Helvellyn in the Lake District. Andy’s SOTA journey started back in 2015, when he learned about the program by answering a CQ call from a SOTA activator. He soon activated his first summit -- Rogan’s Seat in the Yorkshire Dales -- and started, as so many do, a keen obsession over the ensuing years. Reflecting on his achievement, Andy commented, “Without SOTA I would not do anywhere near as much walking. I would not be as active on the radio, and I would not have discovered some of the fantastic smaller Marilyns [parts of larger mountain systems that are situated in protected areas] that people don’t bother travelling to”. For more information about SOTA, visit: www.sota.org.uk

FIRST 40MHZ SSB CONTACT BETWEEN UK AND SOUTH AFRICA: Paul G7PUV has tweeted a video of his 40MHz SSB contact on 17 September with Willem ZS6WAB in Polokwane, South Africa. The QSO is thought to have been made by Trans Equatorial Propagation (TEP). Paul is one of a number of UK radio amateurs who have applied to Ofcom for an experimental licence to use the 40MHz band.

In South Africa, the 40MHz (8m) band is included as a standard amateur radio licence. Radio amateurs have a Primary allocation of 40.675 to 40.685MHz and can run up to 400W output. The Ofcom Innovation and Trial Licensing page is at: https://tinyurl.com/2p98d58w

8M (40MHZ) EMAIL LIST ON GROUPS IO: https://groups.io/g/8m/topics

LATEST VERSION OF RSGB EMF CALCULATOR: The RSGB has issued trial version 2 of its EMF Calculator app. This version removes the restriction on frequencies below 10MHz and the minimum separation of near field boundary. The app is being released as a trial version as the RSGB would welcome feedback from users. You can find the app and more information in the RSGB EMF pages: http://rsgb.org/emf

MORE AFRICAN COUNTRIES ARRIVE ON 60M: The South African Radio League (SARL) has announced that three new African countries have joined the ranks of 5MHz/60m operators. They are Botswana, Lesotho and eSwatini (formerly known as Swaziland). Each has the new WRC-15 Amateur Secondary Allocation of 5351.5 – 5366.5kHz. This makes a total of 89 countries now on the band worldwide.

ZD9, TRISTAN DA CUNHA AND GOUGH ISLANDS: The new ZD9SSS WSPR Beacon is now QRV from Gough Island thanks to the efforts of South African Nation Space Agency (SANSA) and Jonathan Ward. The new beacon has been reported QRV on 20 through 12m with reports on 14.100, 18.110, 21.100, 24.930 and 28.126MHz. http://wspr.rocks

OPERATION UNICORN: RAYNET Groups in Scotland were involved in providing communications support for the late Queen’s cavalcade as it travelled from Balmoral to Edinburgh, monitoring its progress and providing important information on public safety. This continued until Tuesday evening when her coffin left Edinburgh Airport and was flown to London.

KUHNE UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP: Many readers will be familiar with Kuhne as a manufacturer of high-quality VHF/UHF/ Microwave gear, including transverters.

We see that they have been acquired by Alaris Holdings, a leading radio frequency technology holding and investment company.

Kuhne electronic, founded in 1994, is an RF and Microwave electronics engineering company, which develops, manufactures, and sells products/components into the healthcare, industrial, radio amateur and defence market segments. It is an owner-managed entity, which has an in-house design and development team and a manufacturing department capable of supporting both prototype product build and medium scale batch manufacture.

Mrs Jutta Kuhne, CEO of Kuhne electronic GmbH, said that they “are excited to become part of an international group of companies, thereby exploiting synergies to create new business opportunities. I think there is a great rapport between Kuhne electronic and Alaris Holdings and we were very warmly received, which is an excellent foundation”.

It will be interesting to see what, if any, the impact of this change of ownership is on their amateur radio product range.