GB2RS

GB2RS News

Sunday, the 12th of April 2026

The news headlines:

Join the RSGB 2026 AGM livestream from around the world

Learn about the Society’s work defending the amateur radio spectrum

RSGB representatives attending the NARSA rally

World Amateur Radio Day is on Saturday, the 18th of April, and what better way to celebrate than by joining the RSGB 2026 AGM? The AGM will once again be taking place online so that as many RSGB members as possible can watch and take part. To join the livestream, all you need to do is go to rsgb.org/agm  at 10 am on Saturday. Ahead of the event, RSGB members are being asked to vote for their two preferred Elected Director Candidates, endorse the Nominated Director candidates and vote on the other resolutions. Members have until 9 am on the 16th of April 2026 to cast their votes. Candidate information and details of how to vote can be found on the Society’s AGM web pages. During the AGM, members of the RSGB Board will be answering questions. You can choose one of three ways to submit your question. If you would like to talk to the Board directly and ask a question live via Zoom, you’ll need to pre-register by 9 am tomorrow, Monday, the 13th of April. Alternatively, RSGB members can submit a written question until 9 am on Thursday. Priority is given to questions submitted in advance, but questions will also be taken via live chat on the day if there is time. The Society has announced that if large volumes of questions are received, it will only include two questions per person or organisation during the AGM, to ensure that as many people as possible are included. Find out more about these deadlines by selecting the ‘Ask the Board a question’ link from the right-hand menu in the AGM web section.

Following the formal business of the RSGB 2026 AGM, the Society is delighted that its spectrum experts Murray Niman, G6JYB and Barry Lewis, G4SJH, will be joined by the IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, who also holds the call G4HUA, and RSGB General Manager Steve Thomas, M1ACB. They will discuss the recent and current threats to the amateur radio spectrum and how the RSGB leads the input into many of the spectrum defences. RSGB EMC Chair John Rogers, M0JAV, will also talk about potential new major threats to the noise floor. RSGB Propagation Studies Committee Chair Steve Nichols, G0KYA, will facilitate the discussion. Whether you’re new to amateur radio or have been enjoying it for decades, this is an important presentation that you won’t want to miss.

If you are attending the NARSA rally today, Sunday the 12th of April, pop by and say hello to members of the RSGB team who are attending. The event is taking place at the Norbreck Hotel in Blackpool. As well as an RSGB book stall, you will find the RSGB Morse Competency Lead, Eric Arkinstall, M0KZB, who will be offering Morse competency tests for those who would like to test their skills. Members of the Society’s Regional Team will also be there, as well as RSGB President Bob Beebe, GU4YOX, who will be presenting the trophies for the construction competition, and best club website and stand at 1.30 pm. Find out more about the event at narsa.org.uk

The RSGB had announced that Vaughan Ravenscroft, M0VRR, has stepped down as its Intruder Watch Coordinator. Ian Suart, GM4AUP, has taken on this role, in addition to being the OAS Coordinator. The RSGB Monitoring System, more popularly known as Intruder Watch, forms part of the IARU Monitoring System. It submits reports of non-amateur transmissions heard on the exclusive HF amateur bands to both the Ofcom Monitoring Station at Baldock and to IARU Region 1. Find out more about the service at rsgb.org/intruder-watch

Don’t forget that Tonight@8 will be live tomorrow night, on the RSGB YouTube channel and special BATC channel. The presentation will be delivered by Mark Foreman, G7LSZ, who is an associate professor of industrial materials recycling at a University in Sweden. He’ll be discussing the recycling process of waste electronic and electrical equipment, and what happens to your rig when it is no longer working. Find out more at rsgb.org/webinars

The next in the popular 145 Alive series of events takes place on Saturday, the 18th of April, from 1200 to 15:00 UTC. Many hundreds of operators are expected to be on the air using 145MHz FM and 144MHz SSB. For more information, go to the 145 Alive Facebook page or email [email protected]

Please send details of all your news and events to [email protected]. The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week. 

And now for details of rallies and events

Today, the 12th, Holsworthy Amateur Radio Club Spring Radio Rally is taking place at Holsworthy Livestock Market, New Market Road, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. The doors open to the public at 10 am, and entry is £3 per person. There is a bring and buy area and catering on site. More details are available via the ‘Rally’ tab at m0omc.co.uk

Cambridge Repeater Group Rally will take place on Sunday, the 19th of April at Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton CB22 6RN. Traders can gain access from 7.30 am, and the doors open to visitors at 9.30 am. Entry costs £4, but there will be a discount for multi-occupancy vehicles. For more information, email [email protected]  and visit cambridgerepeaters.net

Now the Special Event news

Special callsign SX100PAOK is operating until the 18th of May to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club. Look out for activity on all bands using CW, digital modes and SSB. A commemorative award is planned for participants, along with a QSL card to confirm QSOs. Visit QRZ.com  for more information and updates.

To celebrate World Amateur Radio Day on Saturday, the 18th, members of the Union of Belgian Radio Amateurs are active as OO26WARD throughout April. QSL via Logbook of the World, eQSL or via the Bureau.

Now the DX news

Suvarna, VU3OPT, is active as 3B9N from Rodrigues Island, AF-017, until Wednesday, the 20th of May. He operates using CW and has been spotted on the 20, 15 and 10m bands. Visit 9n7ga.com  for more information.

Herman, YB3GIH, is operating as 3X/YB3GIH from Boffa in Guinea until June. He operates using SSB on the 20 and 15m bands. QSOs are uploaded to eQSL, Club Log, and Logbook of the World.

Now the contest news

RSGB FT4 International Activity Day started at 1200 UTC yesterday, the 11th, and ends at 1200UTC today, Sunday, the 12th of April. Using FT4 on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report.

Tomorrow, the 13th, the RSGB 80m Club Championship runs from 1900 to 2030 UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

On Tuesday the 14th, the RSGB 432MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855 UTC. Using FM on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Also on Tuesday the 14th, the RSGB 432MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130 UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Thursday the 16th, the RSGB 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130 UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Saturday the 18th, the PACCdigi Contest runs from 0700 to 1900 UTC. Using FT4, FT8 and RTTY on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report and serial number. PA stations also send their province code.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday, the 9th of April 2026.

After a pretty stormy run-up to Easter, from a geomagnetic disturbance point of view, the Sun has been quieter.

In fact, the Kp index has been below 3 all week. Unfortunately, the solar flux index has also declined, standing at 108 on Thursday, the 9th of April. The only advantage has been a lack of solar flares. There have only been 12 minor C-class flares over the past three days compared with 29 C-class flares and six M-class flares on the 4th and 5th of April.

We always look for a low Kp index over a higher solar flux index for better HF conditions.

So how does this all affect HF propagation? The maximum usable frequency, or MUF, over a 3,000km path has been struggling to get up to 28MHz on most days. This leaves only 21 and 24MHz open after the initial post-dawn ionospheric build-up. This doesn’t mean that 10m is dead, but it may be that the band is only open to DX and not open to Europe. This may change once the Sporadic-E season starts, but we are still a month away from that.

DX being worked, according to the CDXC Slack group, includes 5W1SA in Samoa on 17m FT8, F0/F6BCW from French Polynesia on 12m CW and 3DA0TM in Eswatini on 20m USB. T31TTT on Kanton Island, Central Kiribati, has also been spotted on the 20 and 30m bands using FT4 and FT8. The DXpedition is focusing on FT modes, although the team is also operating some CW.

Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will start around 105, but will increase a little over the week to reach the low 120s. Geomagnetic conditions are forecast to be quiet, with a maximum Kp index of 3 once we get over this weekend’s predicted disruption, which has a forecast Kp index of 5.

Then we are in for a rough ride next weekend, with a predicted Kp index of 6 on the 19th of April and disrupted conditions for three days. This is likely due to the return of active region 4392, which produced a coronal mass ejection that hit the Earth and caused the Kp index to rise to 7 on its last rotation.

And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO

The warm, dry weather of the middle of last week has left us with ideas of spring, but it has now been replaced by cooler, unsettled weather with rain or showers. 

In fact, the next week or two will be generally unsettled, not atypical of April. This will be a good period for rain scatter on the upper GHz bands since April showers can be heavy and present good scatter opportunities. This unsettled weather means tropo retreats into the background for this period.

Meteor scatter is still under the influence of random activity and best in the early morning hours. Aurora is currently looking more promising with solar conditions offering coronal holes and possible auroras as a result.

Sporadic-E will start to make an appearance soon, especially on the 10m band, but realistically, we probably need to wait until we are into May before chances are more rewarding for the 6m band. It is often a feature of the early part of the Sporadic-E season that the traditional two periods of activity of the high season, morning and afternoon, start off as one broad period around the middle of the day.

For EME operators, Moon declination is starting to climb again, going positive on Wednesday, the 15th of April. Earth-Moon-Earth path losses are past maximum now and continue to fall all week. 144MHz sky noise is high today, the 12th, and will fall to low for the rest of the week. Friday, the 17th of April, will be an exception as the Moon and Sun will be close in the sky.   

And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News

Sunday, the 5th of April 2026

The news headlines:

Get to know the candidates in the RSGB 2026 elections

Are you aged 16-30? Apply for this year’s YOTA camp in Austria!

RSGB EMC Committee releases new leaflet

RSGB members – have you cast your vote in the RSGB 2026 elections yet? To help you get to know the candidates, the Society has prepared two sets of videos. The first will help you to get to know the three Elected Director candidates. Who do you think will best serve the Society and amateur radio? There are two vacancies for Elected Board Directors, and three nominations have been received, so your vote counts. The second set of videos focuses on the Nominated Director candidates who need your vote to endorse them. In each video set, you’ll find an in-depth interview on a range of subjects, and a second shorter video with two quick questions about RSGB membership. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and take some time to watch these videos via rsgb.org/candidates and then go to rsgb.org/vote. Once you have logged into the voting site, you can select your two preferred Elected Director Candidates, endorse the Nominated Director candidates and vote on the other resolutions. Online voting is available 24 hours a day and closes at 9 am on Thursday, the 16th of April 2026.

This year’s Youngsters on the Air Summer Camp takes place between the 25th of July and the 1st of August in Wagrain, in the Austrian Alps. This is a chance of a lifetime for young RSGB members to represent their country and their national society. To be part of this fantastic event, you need to be an RSGB member, aged between 16 and 30, and passionate about all things radio. This year’s camp is being organised by the IARU Region 1 Youth Committee, together with the Austrian National Amateur Radio Society. The camp is an opportunity for exciting experiences, to make new friends and to learn how to encourage other young people to get involved in amateur radio. You can apply to be part of the team or to be the Team Leader. Find out more and download the application form at rsgb.org/yota-camp. Applications must be submitted by Friday, the 1st of May.

The RSGB EMC Committee has released a new leaflet explaining how to build a portable loop antenna to help radio amateurs find sources of EMF interference. Pair it with a portable receiver, and you can walk around an area, watching for changes in signal strength to pinpoint where interference is coming from. The antenna itself is easy to make from a short length of coaxial cable formed into a loop and a handful of coax connectors. Despite its small size, the antenna has directional properties, making it useful for locating the sources of interference. This is Leaflet 19 in the series of leaflets produced by the Committee and is called ‘A simple loop antenna for use in identifying sources of interference’. You can download it and all the other EMC leaflets in the series from the RSGB website at rsgb.org/emc

The next Tonight@8 webinar is on Monday, the 13th of April. During the presentation, Mark Foreman, G7LSZ, will be looking at what happens when your rig goes to the shack in the sky. He will look at what recycling is, its purpose and the basics of recycling waste electronic and electrical equipment. The Tonight@8 webinars are livestreamed via the RSGB YouTube channel and special BATC channel, which means you can join the live chat and ask Mark any questions you may have on the topic. Find out more about this and other upcoming webinars at rsgb.org/webinars

If you are a fan of digital voice modes, check out the 235 Alive DMR net. This weekly event takes place on TGIF Talk Group 235 on Sundays from 1830 to 1930UTC. All amateurs are welcome to join in. For details of how to connect, visit 235alive.com  or the 235 Alive Facebook page.

Please send details of all your news and events to [email protected]. The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week. 

And now for details of rallies and events

On Sunday, the 5th of April, from 11 am, the Broadcast Engineering Museum is holding an open day. The museum has one of the largest collections of historic broadcasting equipment in the world, including outside broadcast vehicles, TV cameras, videotape and telecine machines, audio equipment, transmitters, TV lighting and public address systems. The open day will include an exhibition of offshore pirate radio memorabilia from the 1960s and 1970s. The museum is located at 41 Capper Avenue, Hemswell Cliff, near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 5XS. For more information, visit becg.org.uk/events

On Saturday, the 11th of April, the 40th annual QRP Convention takes place at Digby Hall, Sherborne DT9 3AA. The doors will be open from 9.30 am, and admission costs £3. The event will include traders, a bring and buy area and club stalls. More information is available at yeovil-arc.com

On Sunday, the 12th of April, Holsworthy Amateur Radio Club Spring Radio Rally is taking place at Holsworthy Livestock Market, New Market Road, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7FA. Traders can gain entry from 8 am. The doors open to the public at 10 am, and entry is £3 per person. There will be a bring and buy area and catering on site. More details are available via the ‘Rally’ tab at m0omc.co.uk

The Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Rally, also known as both the ‘NARSA Rally’ and the ‘Blackpool Rally’, will take place on Sunday, the 12th of April. The venue will be Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool, FY2 9AA. For more details contact Dave, M0OBW on 01270 761 608, email [email protected] or visit narsa.org.uk

Now the Special Event news

Godalming Museum in Surrey is hosting a special event station GB2MGY on Saturday, the 11th of April, from 11 am to 2 pm. The station is operating to celebrate the birthday of Jack Phillips, one of the Morse operators on the Titanic. Visitors to the museum can learn Morse code and send a message to earn a certificate. Find out more at godalmingmuseum.co.uk/whatson

Special callsign YR100RC is active until the 30th of September to celebrate the centenary of Romania's first amateur radio club. Look for activity on the HF bands using FT8 and SSB. For details of a certificate that is available for working the station, visit tinyurl.com/YR100RC

Now the DX news

The Ramsbury Amateur Radio DX Group will be active as GB1RY during the first two weekends in April from the disused USAAF Ramsbury airfield for Airfields on the Air. The team will be operating using CW, FT8 and SSB on the 40 to 10m bands.

Paul, WA4PAW, is active as C6APS from Great Abaco, A-080, in the Bahamas until Sunday, the 12th of April. He operates using CW, FT8 and SSB on the 20 to 10m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World, OQRS or via Paul’s home call.

Now the contest news

The SP DX CW and SSB Contest started at 1500UTC yesterday, the 4th, and ends at 1500UTC today, Sunday, the 5th of April. Using CW and SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Polish stations also send their province code.

Today, Sunday the 5th, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 0900 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on 1.3 to 3.4GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Tuesday the 7th, the RSGB 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1800 to 1855UTC. Using FM on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Also, on Tuesday the 7th, the RSGB 144MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Wednesday the 8th, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and a four-character locator. Also, on Wednesday the 8th, the RSGB 432MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 70cm band, the exchange is a report and a four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest.

On Thursday the 9th, the RSGB 50MHz UK Activity runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. Using all modes on the 6m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

The RSGB FT4 International Activity Day starts at 1200UTC on Saturday, the 11th, and ends at 1200UTC on Sunday, the 12th of April. Using FT4 on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Wednesday, the 1st of April.

Over the last week, we have had a fair sprinkling of sunspots, along with some enormous coronal holes, including one almost rectangular hole. Coronal holes are lower-energy areas on the Sun with open magnetic field lines, allowing solar plasma to flow out.

Geomagnetic conditions have mainly been settled, with the Kp index hitting a maximum of 3.67 over the past five days.

We had a long M1.3 solar flare at 0415UTC on Saturday, the 28th of March and an X1.5 class solar flare on Monday, the 30th of March. Active region 4405 erupted at 0318UTC and launched a halo coronal mass ejection, or CME, into space that hit the Earth on Wednesday, the 1st of April.

Meanwhile, the solar flux index has remained above 140 for a few days, which bodes well for HF propagation.

NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will start at 145 at the beginning of the coming week and fall to 112 by Saturday, the 11th of April. Geomagnetic conditions are set to be unsettled from Thursday, the 9th, to Sunday, the 12th of April, with a potential Kp index of 5 or even 6. If this comes to pass, expect lower maximum usable frequencies, or MUFs, and disrupted HF conditions, especially on polar paths.

HF DX to look out for this week includes T31TTT in Central Kiribati, which is active until Tuesday the 14th of April; FO/F6BCW in French Polynesia, which is operating until Friday the 10th of April; CE0Y/DJ4EL on Easter Island until Saturday the 11th of April; and TJ1GD/P on Mondoleh Island, Cameroon, which is available until Monday the 20th of April.

And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO

The equinoxes are a time of the year when the Atlantic jet stream typically blows across the UK, as it migrates north from the Mediterranean in the winter to near Iceland in the summer.

The weather for the coming week is going to see a succession of lows driven by the Atlantic jet stream crossing the UK with bands of rain and scattered blustery showers. These may represent chances of some rain scatter for those on the upper GHz bands, but this pattern suggests limited tropo options.

The prospects for meteor scatter are no better since we remain some way short of the next major meteor shower in late April. In these situations, your best chances are from random meteors, which tend to peak in the early pre-dawn hours. The equinox also gets credit as being a preferred time for auroras since there is a better coupling between the Earth’s magnetic field and the solar wind.

It is too early in the year for much Sporadic-E activity, but keep a check on the Sporadic-E graphs on propquest.co.uk for signs of brief upticks. Incidentally, some maintenance work is currently underway on the website, so apologies for any interruptions.

For EME operators, Moon declination is now negative, reaching its minimum on Wednesday, the 8th of April. At this point, the Moon is up for only six hours and gets to a mere nine degrees elevation in the UK. The Moon is also furthest away, or at its apogee, on Tuesday, the 7th of April, so path losses are at their highest. 144MHz sky noise starts low but quickly climbs to a high of more than 2,700 Kelvin on Wednesday, the 8th of April.  

And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News

Sunday, the 29th of March 2026

The news headlines:

RSGB elections: join the conversation

What is your question for the RSGB Board?

Could you be the next RSGB Legacy Committee Chair?

The RSGB 2026 elections are open. If you are an RSGB Affiliated Club, who do your members think are the best Elected Director candidates to represent them on the RSGB Board? Why not watch the candidate videos at your next club meeting, discuss their answers and then vote for your preferred candidates? There are three candidates, but only two Elected Director vacancies, so every vote counts. Make sure you have your say in the RSGB 2026 Elections. Watch the videos at rsgb.org/candidates  then your RSGB members can cast their vote by going to rsgb.org/vote

Do you have a question you would like the RSGB Board to answer at the RSGB 2026 AGM? There are three ways you can get involved. You can ask a question live at the AGM via Zoom, submit a written question in advance, or share your question via the live chat during the AGM. Only written or Zoom questions by RSGB members are allowed during the formal part of the AGM. There may not be time to answer all questions, so preference will be given to questions submitted in advance. With three options to choose from, which format suits you best? Find out more, including important deadlines, by going to rsgb,org/agm and selecting ‘Ask the Board a question’ from the right-hand menu.

The RSGB is looking for a new Chair of the Legacy Committee, following the resignation of Richard Horton, G4AOJ, from the committee. Chris Wood, GD6TWF, who is the Society’s Honorary Treasurer and the Board Liaison for the Legacy Committee, would like to thank Richard for his work over the last few years in encouraging new applications and increasing the number of projects the committee supports. If you have experience in committee work, are interested in and understand amateur radio, and can make objective decisions based on the information presented in applications, this could be the role for you. Read the full description at rsgb.org/volunteers  and then get in touch with Chris via [email protected]

If you run a radio club for young people, make sure you take advantage of affiliating it with the RSGB. There are plenty of great reasons, and the best one is that it’s free. Benefits include: RadCom in the post, with RadCom Basics and RadCom Plus available via the RSGB app; promotion of the club’s activities; special book discounts; use of the RSGB QSL Bureau; and access to RSGB-affiliated club contests. You can read why Heritage School Electronics and Radio Club chose to affiliate with the RSGB by visiting rsgb.org/club-affiliation  and selecting ‘Affiliation for school and university clubs’ from the right-hand menu.

Tuesday, the 31st of March, is the deadline to submit your British Science Week reports to the RSGB. Whether you operated a special event station, organised a club activity, supported a local youth group or held any other type of event, the Society would love to hear from you. Reports will be included in a special feature in the June and July editions of RadCom. Send your activity summary, with separate high-resolution photographs or videos, to [email protected]  If you were one of the lucky groups to have been given FM radio receiver kits and Morse code tutor kits, the deadline for reports is the same. Groups involved in this activity have been sent a separate email detailing the process and what needs to be included.

Airfields, aerodromes, radar stations and landing strips are among the sites that will be activated by radio amateurs as part of this year’s Airfields on the Air activity. The event will take place mainly over the weekends of the 4th and 5th and 11th and 12th of April. Amateurs can operate using CW, data modes and SSB on the HF, VHF and UHF bands. Certificates will be available for radio amateurs and shortwave listeners who work or hear a minimum of five registered special event stations. To find out more, visit rafars.org

The March 2026 edition of RadCom Basics is now available in the RSGB mobile and web app for members to enjoy. RadCom Basics is aimed at newcomers to amateur radio and those who enjoy refreshing their skills and knowledge. This new-look edition includes articles on getting into amateur radio, radio theory and understanding oscilloscope probes and signal-generator leads. The full collection of RadCom Basics back issues can be found in the RSGB app or via rsgb.org/radcom

Due to the Easter holidays, the submission deadline for the GB2RS News on Sunday, the 5th of April, is 10 am on Wednesday, the 1st of April. Please send details of all your news and events to [email protected] 

And now for details of rallies and events

On Sunday, the 5th of April, the Broadcast Engineering Museum is holding an open day. The museum is located at 41 Capper Avenue, Hemswell Cliff, near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 5XS and the doors will be open from 11 am. The museum has one of the largest collections of historic broadcasting equipment in the world, including outside broadcast vehicles, TV cameras, videotape and telecine machines, audio equipment, transmitters, TV lighting and public address systems. The open day will include an exhibition of offshore pirate radio memorabilia from the 1960s and 1970s. For more information, visit becg.org.uk/events

On Saturday, the 11th of April, the 40th annual QRP Convention takes place at Digby Hall, Sherborne DT9 3AA. The doors will be open from 9.30 am, and admission will cost £3. The event will include traders, a bring and buy area and club stalls. More information is available at yeovil-arc.com

Now the Special Event news

Members of the Hellenic Naval Amateur Radio Club are active as SZ465CG until Saturday, the 18th of April. The team is operating using CW, FT4, FT8 and some SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, as well as via the QO-100 satellite. See QRZ.com  for more information.

Special callsign 9A10SOTA is in use to celebrate ten years of SOTA in Croatia. Look for activity until the 30th of September 2026. QSL via Logbook of the World. For more information, visit QRZ.com

Now the DX news

Thaire, W2APF is active as PJ2/W2APF from Curacao, SA-099, until the 31st of March. He is operating using CW, FT8 and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands. QSL via Logbook of the World or directly to W2APF.

Chris, VK2YUS, is active as YJ0CA from Efate, OC-035, the main island of Vanuatu, until Thursday, the 2nd of April. You can find him operating SSB on the 40 to 10m bands between 2100 and 1000UTC. QSL directly to VK2YUS.

Now the contest news

The CQ World Wide WPX SSB Contest started at 0000UTC yesterday, the 28th, and runs until 2359UTC today, Sunday the 29th of March. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

Today, the 29th of March, the UK Microwave Group Millimetre Band Contest runs from 0800UTC to 1700UTC. Using all modes on 24 to 76GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Wednesday, the 1st of April, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity four-hour Contest runs from 1700 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and a four-character locator. Also on Wednesday the 1st, the RSGB 144MHz FT8 Activity two-hour Contest runs from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT8 on the 2m band, the exchange is a report and a four-character locator. Stations entering the four-hour contest may also enter the two-hour contest.

Also on Wednesday the 1st, the United Kingdom and Ireland Contest Club 80m Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator.

The SP DX CW and SSB Contest starts at 1500UTC on Saturday, the 4th and ends at 1500UTC on Sunday, the 5th of April. Using CW and SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Polish stations also send their province code.

On Sunday the 5th, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 0900 to 1400UTC. Using all modes on 1.3 to 3.4GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday, the 26th of March 2026.

After last weekend’s HF disruption, the latter half of the week was fairly settled.

Last weekend, the Kp index rose to 7, sparking visible aurora around the UK. The disruption continued, on and off, until Tuesday, the 24th of March, when the Kp index fell below 3 again.

The disruption was caused by a solar wind stream which had a Bz pointing south and reached speeds of more than 600 kilometres per second. The south-pointing Bz meant it more easily coupled with the Earth’s magnetic field, hence the disruption.

Meanwhile, the solar flux index has picked up, rising from being in the 100s to hit 140 on Thursday, the 26th of March. This, combined with a lower Kp index, has helped the ionosphere, and we saw better maximum usable frequencies, or MUFs, over a 3,000km path later in the week.

But the threat of more geomagnetic disturbances has not gone away! Two large coronal holes are now Earth-facing and threaten to push the Kp index up once again. NOAA predicts that the Kp index could rise to 4 on Monday, the 30th of March and 5 on Friday, the 3rd and Saturday, the 4th of April. The solar flux index is predicted to fall into the 130s and 120s again during the coming week, although this is still enough to provide good ionospheric propagation.

This may be your last chance to work the CY0S Sable Island DXpedition off the coast of Nova Scotia, which ends around Tuesday, the 31st of March. Other DX stations to work this week include S21WD in Bangladesh, OX3LX in Greenland, CE0Y/DJ4EL on Easter Island, YJ1JXZ in Vanuatu, XX9W in Macao, T31TTT on Kanton Island and V4/SP9FIH from St. Kitts.

To recap, March and April are good months for North-South HF propagation, although we may see MUFs fall slightly with 10m band openings becoming rarer, at least until the Sporadic-E season starts in May.

And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO

The current period of rather more changeable weather will continue to be the main weather pattern during the rest of the month. However, with a large area of high pressure to the west of the UK, there will be times when the weather feels more settled and possibly with a hint of tropo briefly just before midweek.

For the rest of the time, active weather fronts will bring occasional bands of rain or showers with the possibility of some rain scatter for GHz operators.

Spring is always a good time to keep an eye on the aurora since the geomagnetic disturbances are more likely around the equinox. The Kp index, which describes the state of the Earth’s magnetic field, increases at times of potential aurora. So, remember that once the Kp index gets above 5, it's worth monitoring the bands for signs of fluttery or raspy signals.

Meteor scatter is still under the influence of random activity. As we head into April, we are getting closer to the next important meteor shower, the Lyrids, toward the end of the month.

Sporadic-E is currently in a dormant state, so we are not expecting that to feature much in reports for another month. However, if you feel the need to check, use the comprehensive 10m beacons distributed around Europe to see the state of the upper HF bands for early signs of Sporadic-E propagation.

Last week was a busy one for EME with the Dubus 5.7GHz activity and the CY0 and T7 DXpeditions being worked by many. Moon declination starts the weekend high, dropping to negative on Tuesday, while path losses continue to increase towards apogee on Tuesday, the 7th of April. 144MHz sky noise is low all week.  

And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News

Sunday, the 22nd of March 2026

The news headlines:

Put the RSGB 2026 AGM in your diary

Make your vote count in the RSGB elections

The RSGB is an official partner for WRTC2026

The RSGB 2026 AGM will take place at 10 am on Saturday, the 18th of April and will be held online to ensure as many members as possible can watch and take part. On the Society’s website, you can now see details about the Calling Notice, Resolutions, the elected Board Director candidates, the Nominated Director candidates, and information about how to vote. The Society has also announced the results of the Regional Representative elections, where two candidates have been elected unopposed. There are three ways you can ask the RSGB Board a question at the AGM. Visit rsgb.org/agm  to find out more.

In this year’s RSGB elections, there are two vacancies for Elected Board Directors, and three nominations have been received. The candidates are Ben Lloyd, GW4BML, Tony Miles, MM0TMZ and John E. A. Moss, G0KTW. RSGB members are asked to vote for the two candidates they prefer to serve the Society as Board Directors for the next three years. As well as submitting their CV and personal statement in writing, the candidates have each taken part in a video interview so that RSGB members can find out more about them. The Society has separated the questions into an extended video and a short. Watch these videos by going to rsgb.org/candidates. Voting for candidates is now open and will close at 9 am on the 16th of April 2026. By voting in the RSGB elections, you are helping to shape the future of the Society and how it operates. Have your say and vote today. Go to rsgb.org/vote

The RSGB is delighted to announce that it is an official partner for this year’s World Radiosport Team Championship, also known as WRTC. RSGB representatives will attend the event, which is being held from the 8th to the 13th of July 2026 at Wyboston Lakes in Bedfordshire. They’ll meet radio amateurs and spectators from around the world, and the Society has supported the event further by sponsoring one of the 50 competitor tents. RSGB General Manager Steve Thomas, M1ACB, has served on the WRTC UK Organising Committee for the past three years. RSGB President Bob Beebe, GU4YOX, will attend WRTC for its duration and conduct various duties throughout the week. If you’d like to volunteer and be part of this fantastic event, there are a range of roles available, including Contest Station Managers, Contest Station Builders and Transport roles. Visit wrtc2026.org/volunteers  to find out more.

Did you know that RSGB membership is open to anyone with an interest in amateur radio, wherever they are in the world? The Society’s publications are well respected around the globe, and the RSGB is proud to have members in over 50 countries. You can find out about joining the RSGB’s community and meet some of its international members via rsgb.org/international-members

The RSGB Awards Manager, Lindsay Pennell, GI3KME, has awarded Geoff, G4FKA, the first Supreme level of the Worked All UK and Crown Dependency Prefixes Award. The award was introduced in 2025 and is available to all radio amateurs and shortwave listeners in the UK and worldwide. Read more about Geoff’s achievement by going to rsgb.org/award-stories

A brand new GB2RS broadcast is now available in Wales. Elliot, MW9IQN, is located at the foot of the Cambrian Mountains. He transmits the RSGB News on 145.525MHz FM each Sunday at 5 pm with good coverage to the west coast. At present, Elliot is using quite low power and is broadcasting in English. However, a power increase is planned and, if requested, he would be pleased to additionally broadcast the script in Welsh. If you are in mid-Wales, do take a listen for this new GB2RS broadcast and give Elliot a call during his post-News net. Several other broadcasts can be received in Wales, notably Brian, GW6VEI, who covers Wales from St Asaph on 3650kHz LSB at 10.30 am. The full Broadcast Schedule can be downloaded at rsgb.org/GB2RSschedule

Please send details of all your news and events to [email protected]. The deadline for submissions is 10 am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week. 

And now for details of rallies and events

Today, the 22nd, Callington Radio and Electronics Rally is being held in the Town Hall, New Road, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7BE. The doors are open to the public from 10 am until 1 pm. Entry is £2 each with no charge for those under the age of 16. The rally features a comprehensive selection of traders, clubs and societies from the southwest. There is also a bring-and-buy area, a catering service, disabled access, toilet facilities and ample parking. For more information, visit callingtonradiosociety.org.uk

Dover Amateur Radio Club Rally is also taking place today, the 22nd, at Eastry Village Hall, High Street, Eastry, Kent, CT13 0QB. The doors are open from 10 am to 2 pm, and the entrance fee is £3. Refreshments are available on site. For more details, contact the Club via darc.online

Now the Special Event news

Special callsign GB2TSO will be active from mid-morning on Wednesday, the 25th of March 2026. Marc, 2E0MCJ and Stephen, M0CCA, are taking part in The Great Tommy Sleep Out from Noon, Cregg Veterans Retreat near Camelford in Cornwall. Listen for activity on the 40m band using SSB.

Special callsign SZ40A is in use by the Radio Amateur Association of Western Greece, SZ1A, to celebrate 40 years of continuous presence, service and contribution to amateur radio. Look for activity across multiple HF bands and modes until the 31st of May. QSL via ON3UN. To see if you qualify for an award for working the station, visit awards.sz1a.org

Now the DX news

Gunter, DK2WH, is active as V51WH and V55Y from Namibia until Tuesday, the 24th of March 2026. He is operating using FT8, RTTY, SSB and some CW on the 160 to 6m bands. QSL via Gunter’s home call, directly or via the Bureau.

Haluk, TA2LE is active as J79H from Dominica, NA-101, until Thursday, the 26th of March.  Look for activity using CW, FT8 and SSB on the 40 to 10m bands. QSL via OQRS, Logbook of the World and Club Log. For more information and updates, visit tinyurl.com/J79H-2026

Now the contest news

The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group HF RTTY Contest started at 0200UTC yesterday, the 21st, and runs until 0200UTC tomorrow, the 23rd of March. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and time.

On Tuesday, the 24th of March, the RSGB SHF UK Activity Contest runs from 1930 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on 2.3 to 10GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Wednesday, the 25th of March, the United Kingdom and Ireland Contest Club Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW on the 80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator.

On Thursday, the 26th of March, the RSGB 80m Club Championship runs from 2000 to 2130UTC. Using SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

The CQ World Wide WPX SSB Contest starts at 0000UTC on Saturday, the 28th and runs until 2359UTC on Sunday, the 29th of March. Using SSB on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report and serial number.

On Sunday, the 29th of March, the UK Microwave Group Millimetre Band Contest runs from 0800UTC to 1700UTC. Using all modes on 24 to 76GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday the 19th of March

Last weekend’s Commonwealth Contest got off to a bad start, thanks to a Kp index of 6 that really affected the ionosphere. As a result, HF conditions were not good with the maximum usable frequency over a 3,000km path below 21MHz until 1700UTC.

Luckily, things improved a little on Sunday, but overall scores were down compared with previous events.

The Kp index increase was due to a coronal hole stream, which reached 600 to 700 kilometres per second and a Bz that pointed south. The equinox period hasn’t helped due to the Russell-McPherron effect, a phenomenon that occurs when the Earth's magnetic field aligns with the Sun's magnetic field during equinoxes, creating ‘cracks’ in the magnetosphere.

Otherwise, the week has been unremarkable. The solar flux index has remained firmly in the 110s, and there have been no X-class solar flares, only a few M and lesser C-class events.

Next week, HF propagation may be dominated again by the solar wind. Coronal hole number 33 will begin to face Earth, and a high-speed stream was predicted to reach us this weekend, ending today, the 22nd. A coronal mass ejection was also predicted to arrive around Thursday, the 19th.

NOAA predicts the Kp index will rise to 5 this weekend and not decline to 3 until the 26th of March. Meanwhile, the solar flux is predicted to remain in the 105 to 120 range until the 27th of March. It may then increase slightly to be in the 120s until the end of the month.

As a result, expect lower maximum usable frequencies and poorer HF conditions until around next Thursday, the 26th and Friday, the 27th of March.

And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO

The high pressure that developed during the second half of last week formed on the warmer side of the front and, as a result, produced slightly better tropo conditions than looked possible the previous week.

The weather is probably going to try to change to a cold-air high in the coming week, so expect conditions to decline. However, that’s not the only reason for a decline. As the main high centre displaces west of Britain, we will find a colder and unsettled west or north-westerly pattern affecting the UK next week. So less tropo, but more chance of some rain scatter for the upper GHz bands.

Meteor scatter remains in the random activity domain, although we are edging closer to the next major shower of the late April Lyrids. It's not to say that exciting things can’t happen, however. Just after a HamSCI workshop on the subject of meteor scatter last weekend, a multi-ton meteoroid was reported from Cleveland, Ohio, on the HamSCI Google groups at around 1300UTC on the 17th of March. This produced a sonic boom and was visible in broad daylight.

All is quiet on the Sporadic-E front, although we are slowly moving towards a period when the first glimmers of activity show themselves, particularly on digital modes. 

Lastly, a comment on the chances of an aurora. These are usually enhanced due to solar-terrestrial alignment around the equinoxes, and with two coronal mass ejections predicted to arrive at the tail end of last week, ending today, the 22nd. As usual, check for an increasing Kp index above 5.

For EME, yesterday saw the 5.7GHz section of the Dubus CW and SSB EME contest and associated all-mode activity weekend. With Moon declination positive and rising, and path losses still low, it hopefully produced some nice contacts. On VHF, 144MHz sky noise is low in the coming week.

And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

GB2RS News

Sunday, the 15th of March 2026

The news headlines:

New Microwave capabilities for the RSGB National Radio Centre

Submit your British Science Week reports

Exam availability over Easter

ICOM UK has announced that it has equipped the RSGB National Radio Centre with the IC-905 All-Mode Transceiver as part of its ongoing support for the RSGB and the amateur radio community. This latest addition ensures that volunteers and visitors to the NRC have access to the latest VHF, UHF and SHF technology. The IC-905 is an industry first providing seamless multimode coverage across the 144, 430, 1200, 2400, 5600MHz and 10GHz bands. The arrival of the IC-905 opens up new avenues for the NRC, from linking local repeaters to monitoring radio beacons for the study of microwave propagation. The IC-905 was officially handed over to RSGB General Manager, Steve Thomas, M1ACB, at the Martin Lynch and Sons Open Day earlier this year and has now found its home on the radio bench at the NRC. Read more about the transceiver and the NRC by going to rsgb.org/nrc  and scrolling to the news section at the bottom of the page.

British Science Week 2026 draws to a close today, the 15th of March, and the RSGB is delighted to have seen so many clubs, societies, schools, youth groups and individuals taking part. This year’s British Science Week campaign has been the biggest for amateur radio yet. The Society would like to thank everyone who got involved and for sharing your love and passion for the hobby with others. Highlights from the event will be featured in the June and July editions of RadCom. Whether your club held an open day, arranged a sked, operated a special event station, supported a school, or held any other type of event, the RSGB would love to hear from you. To be included, send your report, with separate high-resolution photographs or videos, to [email protected]  by the 31st of March. If you were one of the lucky groups to have been given free FM radio receiver kits and Morse code tutor kits to build, you would have been emailed separate instructions on how to submit reports for this activity.

The RSGB remote invigilation team will be taking a break over the Easter weekend. You will not be able to book an exam from Friday, the 3rd to Monday, the 6th of April 2026. Exam bookings will resume as normal from Tuesday, the 7th of April 2026. Book your exam by going to rsgb.org/exams

If you have not secured your spot on the RSGB members-only Direct Digital Synthesiser programming workshop, taking place in Blackpool on Saturday, the 11th of April, now is the time. Booking closes on Wednesday, the 18th of March. Visit rsgb.org/practical-events 

Please send details of all your news and events to [email protected]  The deadline for submissions is 10am on Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week. 

And now for details of rallies and events

Today, the 15th of March, the Ripon and District Amateur Radio Society Rally is taking place at Great Ouseburn Village Hall, Lightmire Lane, Great Ouseburn, York YO26 9RL. The doors are open to the public from 10 am, and admission costs £5. Refreshments and free parking are available on site. For more information, email [email protected]

On Sunday, the 22nd of March, Callington Radio and Electronics Rally will be held in the Town Hall, New Road, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7BE. The doors will be open to the public from 10 am until 1 pm. Entry is £2 each with no charge for those under the age of 16. A comprehensive selection of traders, clubs and societies from the Southwest will be present. There will also be a bring-and-buy area, catering service, disabled access, toilet facilities and ample parking. Pre-booking is essential so please contact Alastair, M0KRR, on 01503 262 755 as soon as possible. For more information, visit callingtonradiosociety.org.uk

Also on Sunday, the 22nd of March, the Dover Amateur Radio Club Rally is taking place at Eastry Village Hall, High Street, Eastry, Kent, CT13 0QB. The doors will be open from 10 am to 2 pm, and the entrance fee is £3. Refreshments will be available on site. Tables are £15 each, with a maximum of two tables per vendor. To book your table, contact the Club via darc.online

Now the Special Event news

The Radio Amateur Association of Western Greece, SZ1A, is active with special callsign SZ40A to celebrate 40 years of continuous presence, service, and contribution to amateur radio. Look for activity across multiple HF bands and modes until the 31st of May. QSL via ON3UN. Visit awards.sz1a.org  to access awards that are available for working the station.

Special callsign GB0OH will be active from the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides for around six days from the 11th of April. This is an opportunity for award chasers to log IOTA reference EU-010 and Worked All Britain square NB53. The station will be operating on several bands from 40 to 10m, mainly using SSB, but there may also be some FT8 activity. QSL via QRZ.com

Now the DX news

The 3Y0K team is operating from Bouvet Island on multiple bands. Depending on conditions, the station expects to be available until around the 18th to the 20th of March. QSL via OQRS and Club Log. For more information, visit 3y0k.com

Yannick, F6FYD, is active as CN2YD from Marrakech in Morocco until the 31st of March. He is operating using SSB on the 20 to 10m bands. QSL to F6FYD directly or via the Bureau.

Now the contest news

Today, the 15th of March, the UK Microwave Group Low Band Contest runs from 1000 to 1500UTC. Using all modes on 1.3 to 3.4GHz frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

Tomorrow, the 16th of March, the RSGB FT4 Series Contest runs from 2000 to 2200UTC. Using FT4 on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is your report.

On Tuesday, the 17th of March, the RSGB 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 23cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

On Wednesday, the 18th of March, the IRTS 80m Evening Counties Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW and SSB on the 80m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and county code.

On Thursday, the 19th of March, the RSGB 70MHz UK Activity Contest runs from 2000 to 2230UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.

The British Amateur Radio Teledata Group HF RTTY Contest starts at 0200UTC on Saturday, the 21st, and runs until 0200UTC on Monday, the 23rd of March. Using RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and time.

 Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on Thursday, the 12th of March 2026.

There has been plenty to work on the HF bands this past week. 3Y0K on Bouvet Island is still attracting a lot of radio amateurs, but there is also 8Q7ZW on the Maldives and German group J51A on Guinea-Bissau to get your attention.

DXpeditions to look out for next week include TX5EU from the Austral Islands, YJ1JXZ in Vanuatu, the tail-end of operations at T80K in Palau and VP2EAD, VP2ELX and VP2EWE on Anguilla.

HF propagation has been reasonable, rather than outstanding, with a solar flux index in the 140s, declining to the 120s as the week progressed. There have been a few C-class solar flares, but nothing stronger.

Geomagnetic conditions have also been reasonable with the Kp index mostly in the twos and threes. There was one excursion where the planetary Kp index hit 4 around the 7th and 8th of March, but otherwise it has been relatively calm.

The maximum usable frequency, or MUF, over a 3,000km path has exceeded 28MHz on most days. 14MHz was open to the Maldives via FT8 as late as 2200UTC on Tuesday, the 10th of March.

Next week, the standout item is a large, but relatively thin, coronal hole on the Sun, and the high-speed solar wind stream from this reached the Earth on Friday, the 13th of March. Expect the Kp index to rise and HF propagation, especially on northerly paths, to suffer.

The Space Weather Prediction Centre forecasts that the solar flux index will decline further to around 110 in the coming week. After this weekend’s geomagnetic disturbance due to the coronal hole, the Kp index is forecast to be more settled with a predicted maximum Kp of 3. Things may heat up later in the week with a predicted Kp of 4, rising to 6 on the 21st of March. Expect reduced maximum usable frequencies and poorer HF propagation, particularly on polar paths.

And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO

The current spell of changeable weather is likely to stay with us through the bulk of the coming week, but there is a glimmer of hope for better conditions after mid-week, with a suggestion of high pressure over northern Britain.

To begin with, this means that rain scatter, including snow in places, will be worth checking out on the GHz bands, but strong winds may test antennas at times. The transition to high pressure should lift conditions a little, but since it's forming in a cold polar air mass, it may not be as good as it could be. 

The 1.3GHz UK Activity Contest on Tuesday, the 17th of March, will probably still be in the wet and windy period, so there may be a rain scatter bonus if the rain is heavy enough to affect such a low GHz band. Aircraft scatter will always be the best option for this band when tropo is poor. The 70MHz UK Activity Contest on Thursday, the 19th of March, may fare better for tropo in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Meteor scatter will offer up meagre rations as we remain between major showers. The April Lyrids are still a long way away. Aurora is still in the frame around the spring equinox, so as usual, check for the Kp index moving up to 5 or higher.

Sporadic-E is not usually part of the story at this time of the year in these latitudes. If anything does get triggered, then look to explore the path on digital modes first to see which directions are being favoured. 

For EME, the conditions are poor for the coming week with Moon declination negative but rising, not going positive until next Thursday. We continue with short Moon windows and low peak elevation, but with falling path losses. While 144MHz sky noise is moderate to low in the coming week, Wednesday and Thursday see the Sun and Moon close in the sky, meaning high noise on the lower bands due to wider antenna beamwidths.

And that’s all from the propagation team this week.