Good morning. It's Sunday the 19th of May and here is the GB2RS news broadcast, prepared by the RSGB and intended for all radio amateurs and short-wave listeners. An RSGB Regional Open Meeting has been arranged by Fred Stewart, G0CSF, Council Member for Zone C, which covers the south-east of England and East Anglia. The meeting will take place next Sunday, the 26th of May, at 2.30pm at Rivenhall Village Hall, Church Road, Rivenhall, Witham, Essex. RSGB President Peter Sheppard, G4EJP, is due to attend, along with Executive Vice President Ian Kyle, GI8AYZ. A map of the venue is published in the June issue of Radio Communication, which is due to be posted to all members of the RSGB this week. For further details of the meeting contact Fred Stewart on 01732 780721. Roy Clayton, G4SSH, the RSGB Chief Morse Examiner, thanks all those who helped to make the tenth anniversary weekend of the RSGB Morse Test Service such a success. Initial returns from the thirty-five GB10 special event stations show an average of 300 contacts per station. This means that the event generated more than 10,000 QSOs over the weekend of the 11th and 12th of May, many on the 80 metre band. QSL cards and award certificates will be printed and despatched as soon as the final totals are known. There are vacancies for Senior Novice Instructors in: South and East Devon; North Devon; Gloucestershire; and the Glasgow, Kilmarnock, Motherwell and Paisley area. There are also vacancies for Novice Instructors in North Devon. Anyone interested in filling these roles should get in touch with the RSGB's Co-ordinator, Phil Mayer, G0KKL. His address is correct in the RSGB Call Book, or he can be contacted on 01202 700903. The new membership secretary of "Bartag", the British Amateur Radio Teledata Group, is Bryan le Grys, G3GOT, whose address is correct in the RSGB Call Book. If you would like to find out more about "Bartag" or have any membership queries, please write to Bryan, enclosing a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Alternatively, he can be contacted on packet by sending a message to G3GOT at GB7MXM. A charity bed-push with an amateur radio flavour will take place next Saturday, the 25th of May, in order to raise funds for RAIBC Northern Ireland. "GN0IBC/M", that is "Golf November Zero Invalid Blind Club Mobile", will be on the air from the route of the bed-push in Newtownards Road and Woodstock Road in East Belfast. Anyone interested in participating is asked to call 01232 471370. Fancy dress is optional. Now some items of HF DX news from the weekly RSGB DX News Sheet, which is edited by Chris Page, G4BUE: >From the Cocos-Keeling Islands, the Oceania DX Group should be active from the 18th of May until the 1st of June. The group was planning to use two stations with amplifiers, with beams on HF and verticals for the lower frequency bands. Activity is on CW and SSB on all bands. They have applied for the special call VI9CK to commemorate the 170th anniversary of the first settlement of the Cocos-Keeling islands, but may have to use VK9CJ instead. >From the Lacepede Islands off the coast of Western Australia, VK6ISL was planning activity with two stations from the 16th to 21st of May. This will count as a new island for the RSGB Islands on the Air awards, and an IOTA reference number will be issued when the expedition has been active. QSL via I1HYW if you work this station. And from Midway Island, NH6D was due to sign KH4/NH6D from the 16th of May for one or two weeks. He will concentrate on working Europe. If you are one of the lucky ones, his QSL information is via KL7H. Next the Rally News: The Yeovil QRP Convention takes place at a new venue: Digby Hall in Sherborne today, Sunday the 19th of May. Doors open at 9.00am. The Trafford Rally also takes place at a new venue today. It will be held at the George H Carnall Leisure Centre, off Lostock Road in Urmston, Manchester, near junction 4 of the M63. Doors open at 10.30 and talk-in will be on channel S22. The Dunstable Downs Radio Club Amateur Radio Car Boot Sale takes place today, Sunday the 19th, at Stockwood Country Park, Luton, near junction 10 of the M1. The event starts at 10.00am and talk-in is on S22. The SDX Support Group is holding its bring and buy and junk sale today, the 19th, at the Maryhill Central Hall, Maryhill Road, Glasgow. Doors open at 10.30 am. And the Mid Ulster Amateur Radio Club Rally also takes place today at the Silverwood Hotel in Lurgan, County Armagh. Doors open at 12 noon and talk-in is on S22. The Plymouth Radio Club Carnival takes place on Saturday and Sunday, the 25th and 26th of May, at Tamarside Community College near St Budeaux. For more details ring 01752 563222. The East Suffolk Wireless Revival takes place next Sunday, the 26th of May, at the Maidenhall Sports Centre, Ipswich, in Suffolk. The event features a bring and buy and car boot sale, a vintage radio display, Novice stall, a rig 'clinic' and antenna testing. Talk-in will be on 2 metres channel S22, and for further details you can ring 01394 271257. The 70 centimetre beacon at Bristol, GB3BSL, which operates on 432.934 MHz, has been operating at a reduced ERP since the 8th of May, due to engineering work on the tower. This work will last about two months. The co-sited 1296MHz beacon, GB3USK, is unaffected. The UHF repeater GB3CL, which operates from Clacton, Essex, on channel RB9, returned to service on the 11th of May. It had been off the air for two weeks whilst a faulty power supply was replaced. Now for the HF contest news: The CQ WPX CW contest takes place next weekend, from Zero Hours UTC on Saturday the 25th, for 48 hours. This contest is on all bands from 160 to 10 metres, excluding the three "WARC" bands. Work any station and give an RST report and serial number. Next some VHF contest news: A series of 2 metre Contests is taking place this weekend. The main event is the 24-hour 144MHz contest which runs from 1400 UTC on Saturday until 1400UTC today, Sunday the 19th. A six-hour single-operator contest also takes place within this period. Finally, the first 144MHz "Backpackers" contest takes place from 1100 to 1500 UTC today, the 19th. The rules for these contests are in the September 1995 RadCom. Next Sunday, the 26th, the first session in the RSGB 10 GHz Cumulative contest takes place between 0900 and 2100 UTC. The rules are in the March 1996 RadCom. And now the solar factual data for the period from the 6th to the 12th of May, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS: Solar flux levels varied little and averaged 75 units. The 90-day solar flux average on the12th was 71 units, one unit up on last week. There were C-class flares on five out of the seven days, which increased the X-Ray flux levels to A7.2 units by the 9th. The average was A5.5 units. Geomagnetic activity remained at "quiet" levels throughout and averaged Ap 6 units. Another high-latitude, reverse-polarity sunspot group emerged on the 10th. The location and magnetic character of the group suggest that it is a new cycle sunspot region, which is further evidence that the sunspot minimum is now not too far away. Now the ionospheric data for Central France. The period from the 3rd to the 9th of May saw levels decline from those of last week. The average was 6.3MHz. On the 4th, 5.8MHz was recorded and by the 6th levels had increased to 7MHz, but then declined to 6.5MHz on the 9th. The darkness hour lows increased from 2.9MHz on the 3rd, to 3.8MHz by the 8th. The average was 3.1MHz. The daylight highs took place between 2000 and 2100 hours every day except on the 6th, when they were at 0900 hours. The darkness hour lows took place between 0100 and 0400 hours. Blanketing E took place during the afternoon on the 9th. And lastly the solar forecast. This week the quiet side of the sun is expected to be looking our way and solar activity is expected to be at very low levels. Solar flux levels are expected to decline to the high 60s later in the week. Geomagnetic activity is expected to be at "quiet to unsettled" levels for most of the week. Ionospheric MUFs during daylight hours are expected to be about 18MHz for the south and 15MHz for the north. The darkness hour lows could be up to 11MHz. Sporadic E openings should now start to become more intense, with openings possible at VHF. And that's the end of the solar information. Finally in the main news, SSL has informed the Society that as of last Wednesday morning, the latest callsigns allocated were in the M0 Alfa Delta and M1 Alfa Bravo series, and Novice calls in the 2 0 Alfa Oscar and 2 1 Foxtrot Alfa series. Next, the local news. NEWS FOR THE SOUTH EAST Meeting for Sunday the 19th of May: Dunstable Downs Radio Club has a car boot sale. Telephone 01582 451057 for more details. Meetings for Monday the 20th of May: Cray Valley Radio Society has its annual DF hunt. For further information contact Tony, G4WIF on 0171 739 5057 during office hours only. Dengie Hundred Amateur Radio Society meets for a talk by Jim Bacon, G3YLA. For further details contact Bob, G0UKV on 01621 772520. Meetings for Tuesday the 21st of May: Bromley and District Amateur Radio Society has a talk on Thames Tideway Rescue. Contact Alan, G0TLK on 0181 777 0420 for more details. Dacorum Amateur Radio Transmitting Society meets for a talk by George, G6JP on valve technology. Telephone 01582 620507 for more details. Reigate Amateur Transmitting Society meets for a talk by Mike, G4BMK on 'HF Data Communications'. Details from G6GSF on 01342 325322. Meetings for Wednesday the 22nd of May: Cheshunt and District Amateur Radio Club plans to operate portable on Baas Hill Common. If it is raining there will be a meeting at club premises on putting a packet station together. For more details telephone 0181 366 0157. Darenth Valley Radio Society has an on-the-air evening. Telephone 01689 826846 for more details. Fareham and District Amateur Radio Club pays a visit to the Coastguard at Lee on the Solent. Contact Andrew, G0AMS on 01329 235397 for more details. Farnborough and District Radio Society has a bring and buy sale. More details from Andy, G4XYW on 01344 761184. Newbury and District Amateur Radio Society meets for a talk by Brian, G8DIU. Telephone 01635 863310 for further details. Worthing and District Amateur Radio Club gathers for a talk by Stan, G3LQI entitled 'Roses, Castles and Canal Boats'. For details telephone 01903 753893. Meetings for Thursday the 23rd of May: Edgware and District Amateur Radio Society has a constructor's cup competition and National Field Day briefing. For further details contact Stephen, G0PQB on 0181 953 2164. Reading and District Amateur Radio Club meets to make preparations for both the HF and VHF National Field Days. Contact Peter, G0PUB on 0118 961 7388 for more details. Shefford and District Amateur Radio Society gathers for a talk by Gareth, G6KVK on the Internet. More details from Paul, G1GSN on 01462 700618. Southgate Amateur Radio Club has an on-the-air evening. Contact Michael, G0ANN on 01707 850146 for more details. Three Counties Amateur Radio Club meets to test radios for outside use. Telephone 01428 606298 for more details. Meetings for Friday the 24th of May: Itchen Valley Amateur Radio Club gathers for a talk by Andy, G4MYS on 'Protective Multiple Earthing and the Dangers to Radio Amateurs'. More details from Sheila, G0VNI on 01703 813827. Mid Sussex Amateur Radio Society gathers for a talk entitled 'Helical Antenna - An Update' by Louis, G5RV. For details telephone 01444 241 407. Radio Society of Harrow meets for a talk by Andrew, G0JEP about his experiences on the British Antarctic Survey. For details telephone 01895 632377 during the evening. Meeting for Saturday the 25th of May: Southgate Amateur Radio Club has its Diamond Jubilee dinner. Telephone 01707 850146 for further details. NEWS FOR THE SOUTH WEST Meeting for Sunday the 19th of May: Flight Refuelling Amateur Radio Society meets for a talk by Chuck, G0MDK entitled 'What is this Thing Called Electricity'. Telephone 01425 653404 for details. Meeting for Monday the 20th of May: Wincanton Amateur Radio Club screens an RSGB video. Telephone 01963 34360 for further information. Meetings for Tuesday the 21st of May: Plymouth Radio Club makes final preparations for the Plymouth Radio Rally. For further details contact John, G7HIK on 01752 896501. Salisbury Amateur Radio pays a visit to the Royal Navy Radio Museum on HMS Collingwood. For details telephone 01722 329398. Meetings for Wednesday the 22nd of May: Exmouth Amateur Radio Club meets for a talk by G8GON and G7TRF on the Internet. Telephone 01395 264872 for more details. Ridgeway Repeater Group has its Annual General Meeting. For details contact Rob, G4XUT whose address is correct in the current RSGB Call Book. South Bristol Amateur Radio Club has a DX TV Reception Demonstration. For further details telephone 01275 834282. Meetings for Thursday the 23rd of May: Bristol Amateur Radio Club has a forum on 'Good Operating'. Contact David, G4ZBT on 0117 9654886 for further information. Yeovil Amateur Radio Club has a VHF DF event. For details contact Cedric, G4JBL on 01258 473845. NEWS FOR EAST ANGLIA Meeting for Monday the 20th of May: Braintree and District Amateur Radio Society has its Annual General Meeting. Contact John, G1WQQ on 01787 460947 for more details. Meeting for Wednesday the 22nd of May: Norfolk Amateur Radio Club has an on-the-air evening. Telephone 01603 789792 for more information. NEWS FOR THE MIDLANDS Meetings for Monday the 20th of May: Leicester Radio Society has a constructors competition. Telephone 0116 291 7250 for more details. Stourbridge and District Amateur Radio Society gathers for a talk by Vic Smallshires entitled 'Holes in the Ground'. Contact Gordon, G0TZV on 01384 395206 for details. Stratford upon Avon and District Radio Society pays a visit to the Nickelodeon in Ashorne. For further information telephone 01789 773286. Meeting for Tuesday the 21st of May: Loughborough and District Amateur Radio Club is visited by GPT Amateur Radio Club. For further details contact Alan, G0PHT on 01509 231289. Meeting for Wednesday the 22nd of May: Telford and District Amateur Radio Society gathers for a talk by Brian, G8DQQ on the 'current generation of mini microprocessors called PICs'. Contact Paul, G2RSA on 01952 261923 for more details. Meeting for Thursday the 23rd of May: Salop Amateur Radio Society has a fox hunt. Details from 1 Willington Close, Little Harlescott Lane, Shrewsbury SY1 3RH. NEWS FOR THE NORTH OF ENGLAND Meeting for Sunday the 19th of May: Isle of Man Amateur Radio Society has its Spring Fete. For details contact Chris, GD6TWF on 01624 842786. Meetings for Monday the 20th of May: Barnsley and District Amateur Radio Club meets for a talk by Gerald, G3SDY entitled 'Simple and Unusual Antennas'. Contact Ernie, G4LUE on 01226 716339 for more details. South Normanton and District Amateur Radio Club has a junk sale. For details telephone 01773 863892. Meetings for Tuesday the 21st of May: Halifax and District Amateur Radio Society meets for a talk by G4KQJ entitled 'Running out of Petrol Over the North Pole'. Call 01422 202306 for details. Liverpool and District Amateur Radio Society meets for a talk by G0VBD. Telephone 0151 722 1178 for more details. Meetings for Wednesday the 22nd of May: South Notts Amateur Radio Club meets for a talk and demonstration by Chris, G3SJJ on 'Setting up and Operating a Contest Station'. For details write to PO Box 4, Clifton, Nottingham, NG11 9DE. Wirral and District Amateur Radio Club gathers to look at a 'Versatile Device'. Contact Bob, G4NCI on 0151 606 8989 for more details. Meetings for Thursday the 23rd of May: Keighley Amateur Radio Society meets for a talk by G7HJT, G3RXS and G4ZVD on 'Amateur Radio Software'. For details call 01274 496222. Oldham Amateur Radio Club meets for a talk by G0KUY on 'the Philadelphia Experiment'. For more details contact Nick, G0ULA on 0161 627 1639. Meetings for Friday the 24th of May: Goole Radio and Electronics Society holds its annual construction competition. Contact Ken, G6YYN on 01757 638539 for more details. South Manchester Radio Club meets for a talk on the recent Home-brew contest. Telephone 0161 969 1964 for details. NEWS FOR SCOTLAND Meeting for Wednesday the 22nd of May: Lothians Radio Society has its annual DF hunt. For further information telephone 0131 445 3503 during evening hours. Meeting for Thursday the 23rd of May: Dunfermline Radio Society has a DF hunt. Telephone 01383 735967 for details. Meeting for Friday the 24th of May: Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society gathers for a talk by GM4ZRR on 'Camera Technology'. For details telephone 01224 780591. NEWS FOR WALES Meeting for Monday the 20th of May: Dragon Amateur Radio Club has a surplus equipment sale. Telephone 01248 660963 for more details. NEWS FOR NORTHERN IRELAND Meeting for Wednesday the 22nd of May: Armagh and District Amateur Radio Club goes to Farmacaffery for an 'Aero Club Fly Past'. Telephone 01861 522153. -- GB2RS is prepared by the Radio Society of Great Britain. Tel +44 1707 659 015 Fax +44 1707 645 105