RadCom April 2024, Vol. 100, No. 4

RadCom THE RADIO SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN’S MEMBERS’ MAGAZINE Managing Editor: Edward O’Neill, M0TZX, edward.oneill@rsgb.org.uk Technical Editor: Peter Duffett-Smith, GM3XJE Layout and Design: Kevin Williams, M6CYB, kevin.williams@rsgb.org.uk All contributions and correspondence concerning RadCom should be emailed to: radcom@rsgb.org.uk . Alternatively by post to RadCom Editor, 3 Abbey Court, Fraser Road, Priory Business Park, Bedford MK44 3WH Phone 01234 832 700. RadCom is published by the Radio Society of Great Britain as its official journal and is sent free and post paid to all Members of the Society. The May 2024 edition of RadCom is expected to arrive with most Members by 19 April 2024 although this can take up to a week longer in some cases; international deliveries can take longer still. © Radio Society of Great Britain All material in RadCom is subject to editing for length, clarity, style, punctuation, grammar, legality & taste. Articles for RadCom are accepted on the strict understanding that they are previously unpublished and not currently on offer to any other publication. Unless otherwise indicated the RSGB has purchased all rights to published articles. No responsibility can be assumed for the return of unsolicited material. See www.rsgb.org/radcompix for info on taking photos for publication. The online RadCom is at www.rsgb.org/radcom/ RadCom Plus is available to RSGB Members online at www.rsgb.org/radcom-plus RadCom Basics for Members new to the hobby can be found at www.rsgb.org/radcom-basics/ Abbreviations and acronyms we use are listed at http://tinyurl.com/RC-acronyms 5 Contents April 2024 Twitter @theRSGB www.facebook.com/theRSGB RADCOM (ISSN No: 1367-1499) is published monthly by the Radio Society of Great Britain and is distributed in the USA by RRD/Spatial, 1250 Valley Brook Ave, Lyndhurst NJ 07071. Periodicals postage pending paid at So Hackensack NJ. POSTMASTER: end address changes to RADCOM c/o RRD, 1250 Valley Brook Ave, Lyndhurst NJ 07071 News and Reports Around Your Region – Club events calendar 76 Around Your Region – Events roundup 80 Growth of amateur radio workshop 73 New licensing for a new era 22 New products 15 News 14 RSGB AGM Calling Notice 6 RSGB AGM Candidates for endorsement 8 as Nominated Directors RSGB AGM Candidate elected as a 9 Director unopposed RSGB AGM Regional Election Result 9 RSGB AGM Voting guidance 6 RSGB Committee Reports 2023 36 RSGB Matters 6 Special Interest Groups News 16 Regulars Advertisers index 85 Antennas, Tim Hier, G5TM 18 Contest Calendar, Ian Pawson, G0FCT 20 Contesting, Nick Totterdell, G4FAL 54 Data, Andy Talbot, G4JNT 28 GHz bands, Dr John Worsnop, G4BAO 60 HF, John Petters, G3YPZ 56 LF, Dave Pick, G3YXM 34 Members’ ads 86 Propagation Predictions, Gwyn Williams, G4FKH 88 Propagation Studies, Maximum Usable Frequencies 66 in winter, Peter DeNeef, AE7PD Rallies & events 87 The Last Word 89 VHF / UHF, James Stevens, M0JCQ 58 A QRPP experiment with 10m WSPR, 67 Roger Lapthorn, G3XBM Marconi’s 150th birthday celebration, 68 James Woolford, G8GLL Marconi and Rathlin Island, 70 Graeme McCusker, MI0WGM RSGB President works a SOTA pile-up, 79 RSGB Board Director, Ben Lloyd, GW4BML Someone else’s problem, Colin Butler, M6BOY 64 Features 28 Book review 33 DX Commander Signature 9, Tim Kirby, GW4VXE 50 Reviews 74 Design Notes, Andy Talbot, G4JNT 24 EMC, Dr David Lauder, G0SNO 30 Porcupine antenna accessory, 74 David A. Okrent, W7DAO Technical Features New licence conditions now in place Cover design by Kevin Williams, M6CYB