RadCom April 2024, Vol. 100, No. 4

38 April 2024 Report to run. The Awards Manager struck up a number of new friendships through email dialogues about the award activity. Routine RSGB award applications have continued to be popular with both UK and non-UK stations, with almost a third once again being issued to the latter. Here are the summary statistics for awards approved during 2023 compared with the previous three years: Summary Stats 2020 2021 2022 2023 IARU Region 1 Award 34 35 16 13 IARU Region 1 28MHz Award 3 2 0 2 Foundation Award 0 2 0 10 Intermediate 100 Award 1 2 0 0 Commonwealth Century Award 7 8 10 4 Worked ITU Zones Awards 1 6 0 2 Worked All Continents Award 0 2 0 1 50MHz Awards 12 32 9 8 70/144/432MHz Awards 3 2 1 1 Youth Award 0 3 1 0 V/UHF Activity Award 0 2 3 2 Radio Surfer Award 0 6 1 11 Total 61 102 41 54 Non-UK Applications 23 32 11 14 % Non-UK 38% 31% 27% 26% From these statistics, we can see that the IARU Region 1 Award continues to be the mainstay of award activity, along with the 50MHz awards. The revised Foundation awards scheme proved popular on its announcement. It is hoped that we get many more applications for various versions of the Foundation Award in the coming years as a result of planned publicity. We will also be looking for more opportunities to run special event award activities as these are clearly popular. Looking ahead, the Awards Manager has been working with the Learning Team to incorporate awards chasing into the new Explorer programme for newcomers to the hobby. This, alongside regular features on awards schemes in the various RSGB communications channels, will hopefully introduce awards chasing to more amateurs as a nice way of decorating the shack whilst focusing operating activity onto targets for achievement. Lindsay Pennell, G8PMA awards@rsgb.org.uk Beyond Exams The past year has been very successful for the Beyond Exams scheme with eight new clubs submitting applications to join the Brickworks scheme. Brickworks: following feedback from clubs taking part in the scheme, the team has reviewed the format which was relaunched in 2022 and seems to be going well. The team is always looking for ideas to help improve. Should you have any ideas please contact me via the email address below. Individual Scheme : the Individual Scheme has had a total revamp and, instead of the 150 original tasks, the Scheme is nearly ready to fully relaunch in a simplified format known as the ‘Discovery Scheme’ which is split into three levels: Explorer – aimed primarily at those just starting out in their amateur radio journey. Adventurer – the next level for those looking to take their skills a little further. Master – for those who are potentially a little more experienced and have successfully completed the other two levels. We will be looking for feedback from anybody taking part in the new scheme. We are also always keen to recruit new people to the team. Mark Burrows, 2E0SBM be.coordinator@rsgb.org.uk Contest Support Committee The Contest Support Committee is one of the three contest committees that are responsible for the administration of all RSGB contests. The other two committees are the HF Contest Committee (HFCC) and the VHF Contest Committee (VHFCC). The Contest Support Committee (CSC) is responsible for the adjudication of all RSGB contests and, at the end of 2023, had thirteen members. The CSC also provides support and advice to the HFCC and the VHFCC. A list of the current CSC members is available at: https://www.rsgbcc.org/vhf/committee_members.html This team of experienced and dedicated volunteers adjudicated 229 contests (50 HF and 179 VHF) in 2023. Over 25,000 logs were received and adjudicated during 2023. One contest (IOTA) received 2173 logs. A comprehensive in-house developed website is run by the Contest Support Committee with links to all RSGB contest rules, results (past and present) and to the log submission robot. A list of the winners of past contest trophies – the Hall of Fame – is available at: https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/trophies.pl The adjudication software used by the Contest Support Committee has been upgraded several times during 2023 to cater for minor rules changes and to further increase the scope of the fully automatic adjudication routines. All RSGB contests, including the IOTA contest, are adjudicated using this software. The free Contesting Committees Newsletter has continued to be published during 2023. The newsletter has a current circulation of 1100 and is used by the HFCC, VHFCC and CSC to inform subscribers about notable contest-related events including new contests and major rules changes. To subscribe to this newsletter, please visit: https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/subscribe.pl?subtype=news The Contest Support Committee also processes all special contest call (1+1 callsigns eg, G0A, M9Z etc) applications and issues all special contest call Notice of Variations on behalf of Ofcom. There are 520 special contest calls and currently, as of at the end of 2023, 281 SCC Notices of Variation have been issued. Details of how to qualify for a special contest call are available at https://rsgb.org/scc Please use scc@rsgb.org.uk for all questions and enquiries about obtaining a special contest call. Ian Pawson, G0FCT csc.chair@rsgb.org.uk Emerging Technology Coordination Committee (ETCC) The purpose of the ETCC is to support UK amateurs in the development of repeaters, gateways, data communications networks, propagation beacons, and to promote and assist in the introduction and licensing of new technologies. We process all proposals for analogue and digital voice repeaters and gateways, analogue and digital TV repeaters, data communication systems, and beacons. We assist the applicants for Notices of Variation (NoV) to operate these systems, by vetting the technical details, identifying suitable spectrum and completing the required documentation so that the final application to Ofcom is usually a formality. ETCC processes around ten new NoV applications and renewals per week. Read more at rsgb.org/beyond-exams