Group for Earth Observation magazine.

Earth Observation and Weather Satellite Enthusiasts

A very interesting magazine (free) with some fantastic satellite images of the Earth.
Well worth a read, even though this may be the last publication from this group.

(click on the above image for a great view)

Latest 5MHz news letter.

5MHz news

DMR network for Mountain Rescue Volunteers

(Click on the above for a clear image)

(Thanks to Southgate ARS for this news)

7 UK repeaters to close down

(click on above for a clear image)

(info. provided by Southgate ARS)

Caribbean Hurricane Irma frequencies - please keep clear.

(Click on the above for a clear image)

Thanks to Southgate ARS for this news

OFCOM have issued new guidance for UK licensed Amateurs.

OFCOM licence guidance

Has 5MHz band become a "chat band"

The 5MHz band is now available to many areas of the World, but there seems to be no international co-ordination about it's use. Listening to it's daytime use in the UK it does seem to have become a regular chat band for many Amateurs.

The German Amateur Radio Society (DARC) is presenting a paper to the next IARU meeting , reminding Amateurs that allocation to this band was intended to develop emergency communications facilities and not to be used for regular long chats.
The paper may be of interest.

(Click on the above for a larger image)

OFCOM New draft UK syllabus for Amateur Radio examinations after 1st July 2018

This 86 page document proposes new examinations syllabus for Amateur Radio licences to be taken in 2018. You can send comment to RSGB (before 21st July 2017).

Examination review

5 MHz news letter (most of Europe now able to use the band)

The latest 5 MHz news letter is now available to read. Many more countries have now been allocated access to this band.

5MHz newsletter

NJ7H to operate from the Isle of Man

Crown Dependencies on the satellites

Gabriel 'Gabe' Zeifman NJ7H arrived in Jersey (MJ) on May 6 and will be active on the satellites from there as well as from Guernsey (MU) and Isle of Man (MD) in the following days

On the AMSAT Bulletin Board he writes:

I will be on the 0142Z pass of FO-29 as my first North America bound pass. Today (May 7) I will be on whatever AO-7 (if it somehow manages to be in mode B or C) and FO-29 passes that will work for NA and other passes for EU. 

On the 8th (around 1100Z) I will be heading to Guernsey, and on the 10th to Isle of Man, with similar goals from all three. I should have a great horizon to the west from all these places, sea cliffs over the ocean. 

Interesting news from India

NO MORE ONLINE SALE OF WIRELESS RADIOS

By Satish Nandgaonkar, Mumbai Mirror | Updated: Apr 29, 2017, 06.15 AM IST

Decision comes from Centre as unlicensed equipment could leave law enforcement agencies vulnerable.

Following a complaint by a group of ham radio operators that wireless equipment being sold online on e-commerce sites can pose a serious national security threat, the union Telecommunications ministry has now ordered the ecommerce websites to stop selling wireless equipments online with immediate effect.

In November 2016, a group of 78 ham operators had written to the Wireless Advisor in the Telecommunications ministry at Sanchar Bhavan warning them about a national security threat posed by unidentified wireless transmissions being heard on the VHF frequencies used by the ham operators. In the same letter, they had also drawn the attention of the ministry and Prime Minister’s Office, the Intelligence Bureau, the three defence chiefs to the unrestricted sales of open band, VHF, UHF two way radios, wireless sets, walkie-talkies and base mobile stations.

Taking cognizance of letter, the Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing of the Telecommunications ministry issued orders on Wednesday, April 26 to e-commerce sites including Amazon.in, Ebay.in, Flipkart.com, Tolexo.com, Cart2India.com, Grabmore. in, Fabtolab.com, Junglee.com among others to stop selling these equipments immediately.

Such sales are in violation of the rules Indian Wireless Telegraphy (Possession) Act, 1965, which mandate that any person using wireless telegraphy equipment needs to acquire a licence and those selling such equipment need to acquire a Dealers Possession Licence.

Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, Ankur Puranik, spokeperson of Ham Radio Operators, Mumbai, said, “Cash on delivery facility is also being made available on these sites, and our concern is that the powerful equipment can fall into wrong hands and be misused. More importantly, these twoway radios can tune into any frequency including confidential frequencies used by law enforcement agencies. They can be misused to listen to confidential wireless conversations.

“Moreover, it is possible to obtain system generated logs of call records in case of mobile phone calls. However, it is not possible to obtain any details or system generated logs of radio call records of illegally operating wireless stations unless they are under surveillance,” said Puranik.

Barry ARS to visit the Isle of Man

(Click on the above for a clear image)

Thanks to Southgate ARS for this news.

RSG to trial online Examinations.

Online-Advanced-Exam

The RSGB are to trial online examinations; details are contained in the above link

UK Emergency Services Radio Communication Systems.

The UK are planning to move away from TETRA for all public service and emergency communications and develop a 4G alternative system. This new technology is far from ready for the planned changeover and the UK Government have issued an interesting Parliamentary report on the matter. Whilst this is a long report it may well be of interest to all those Amateurs involved in Emergency Radio Communications.

TETRA to 4G

Campbell River is a coastal city in British Columbia on the east coast of Vancouver Island and it needs more radio operators!

When the Internet is down and the telephone network is out of action and you have an emergency in your location - the only way left for reliable communication is the use of Radio.

If only more Governments and Local Authorities would recognise this and support the development of Amateur Radio communication!

Campbell River Authorities have clearly recognised this and now is the call for more people to learn about radio.

Please learn about radio communications 

More action to allow the UK Emergency Services leave TETRA and move onto 4G

It was agreed in 2015 that the UK would move from it's national TETRA service for Emergency and Government Services communications and develop a service using the company EE and it's 4G network.

After years of silence on this issue EE how now requested that OFCOM considers changes to their frequency allocations to accommodate the new service.

The OFCOM consultation document is now available and welcomes comments from spectrum users.

OFCOM consultation