RadCom May 2020, Vol. 96, No. 5

RSGB Matters www.rsgb.org.uk Message from the President The most important thing during the Covid-19 pandemic is for all of you to make sure you and your family stay safe – you’ll all have seen the government guidelines about self-isolating, social distancing, only venturing out when it’s absolutely necessary to get food and medication. Ian, G3EVK, the RSGB Board Chairman and I wrote to our Regional Team of volunteers asking them to get in touch with the various radio clubs within their Regions and encouraging those clubs to look out for radio amateurs within their communities, particularly those who need help getting day-to-day necessities such as food and medication. I’m encouraged by the responses. RSGB staff are now working remotely and have a very positive team spirit as they adjust to new working environments while we strive to maintain the usual services. We are still supporting Members and volunteers through the usual telephone and online services, so do continue to contact RSGB HQ in the usual way. We’re conscious that the news and announcements we’ve been putting out recently have focused on responding to the fast-moving situation, with many things being cancelled or adapted. Hopefully this initial negative news is over, or at least very much reduced, and we’re looking for positive news to report. On air activity, particularly on the VHF and UHF bands has increased dramatically over the last two or three weeks. Our GB2RS news readers are reporting more people contacting them at the end of the news, club nets are involving more and more amateurs, the NRC volunteers KDYH VWDUWHG D ¶YLUWXDO 15&· QHW HDFK GD\ DQG UHSHDWHUV DUH UHSRUWLQJ LQFUHDVHV LQ WUDIÀF Clubs are coming up with ways of holding club meetings using tools like Skype, WebEx, Teams, GoToMeeting etc. If you haven’t tried it, why not give it a go? Many are holding daily ‘check-ins’ so that club members and non-members alike can check on each other’s wellbeing. As we all are spending far more time at home than ever before, why not try a new mode of operating, or learn CW, or build that project you’ve been meaning to do? And, when you do, share your experiences on your local nets, as others may be grateful to learn from your experiences. 3OHDVH UHPHPEHU WKDW DV UDGLR DPDWHXUV ZH DUH LQ WKH HQYLDEOH SRVLWLRQ RI EHLQJ DEOH WR WDON WR HDFK RWKHU DQG FKDW WR WKRVH ZKR DUH ÀQGLQJ it ‘tough going’. We have a small dedicated staff and some 300 volunteers who are working very hard to maintain services and we owe them our support. Thank you for your support as we face these challenges together. Please stay safe. Dave Wilson, M0OBW, RSGB President 6 May 2020 There is no doubt that these are challenging times. However, licensed radio amateurs have a great way of keeping in touch with one another across the world. Clubs and groups are launching virtual meetings to make sure no-one feels isolated in the coming weeks. We have also seen radio amateurs step up with extra nets and repeater check-ins to provide welfare checks on all local amateurs. The RSGB has launched a new Coronavirus Updates page that brings together some of these great ideas as well as its important announcements. Take a look at www.rsgb.org/coronavirus-updates. Changes to the RSGB 2020 AGM In response to the government’s latest Covid-19 recommendations, the RSGB Board has changed the arrangements for the Society’s AGM due to take place on 25 April. The physical meeting in Birmingham will not take place, and the information that would have been made available at the AGM will now be made available online. The Resolutions to be voted on are on our website at www.rsgb.org/agm2020 where you will also ÀQG OLQNV WR WKH %RDUG FDQGLGDWH VWDWHPHQWV DQG WR FDVW \RXU YRWH <RX should continue to vote online as normal. The accounts were published on 1 April on the AGM web page. As you will not be able to vote in person at the AGM, please remember to vote online by 9am on 23 April. If you do not have the facility to vote online, you can request a postal vote by contacting RSGB HQ. Postal votes must be returned to Civica Election Services, in the envelope provided, to arrive there no later than 9am on 23 April. Please bear in mind that postal services may well be delayed so leave plenty of time if you need to vote in this way. Results of the voting will be published on the RSGB website and social media channels on Saturday 25 April. Trophy winners will be announced on the RSGB website and social media channels on 25 April. Arrangements to present the trophies in person will be made later. We appreciate that the AGM is an important date in the RSGB calendar and some Members have attended it regularly for many years. But the Board cannot ignore the current health climate and put Members, staff and volunteers at risk by continuing with the AGM as intended. Every effort will be made to hold the AGM as usual in 2021. Looking for help with an EMC problem? 6RPH 0HPEHUV UHSRUW SUREOHPV ÀQGLQJ (0& LQIRUPDWLRQ 7KH (0& page in the technical section of our website has several resources WKDW ZLOO KHOS *R WR ZZZ UVJE RUJ HPF DQG \RX ZLOO ÀQG OLQNV WR 1. 'RZQORDG OHDÁHWV FUHDWHG E\ WKH 56*%·V (0& &RPPLWWHH (EMCC) to help members tackle interference problems 2. &RQWDFW WKH (0& KHOSGHVN IRU KHOS ZLWK (0& LVVXHV helpdesk.emc@rsgb.org.uk 3. Read guidance on several EMC issues Our YouTube channel also has an ‘RFI Clinic’ lecture with the EMCC’s John Rogers, M0JAV and David Lauder, G0SNO. Go to www.youtube.com/theRSGB and choose the RSGB’s 2019 Convention lectures playlist. The EMCC’s page has links to reports and consultations LI \RX ZDQW WR ÀQG RXW PRUH DERXW WKH 56*%·V ZRUN LQ WKLV DUHD VHH www.rsgb.org/emcc Licencerevalidationduring the current challenges 2IFRP KDV FRQÀUPHG WKDW DW SUHVHQW DQG FHUWDLQO\ IRU WKH GXUDWLRQ RI the current hiatus, pursuing the revocation of licences that have not been revalidated, is not a priority for its organisation. However, licensees should, of course, ensure that their details are kept up-to-date.