GB2RS News Sunday the 13th of October The news headlines: The RSGB 2024 Convention is taking place this weekendTwo new volunteer Youth Champions have been appointed by the RSGBCelebrations are underway to mark the first trans-global two-way radio communication The RSGB Convention has been in full swing this weekend. If you haven’t been able to attend, the RSGB has provided a packed live stream on each day and those live streams are available for anyone to view. Full of presentations, interviews and videos to inspire you, this is another way to enjoy your Convention, in your way. Either go directly to the RSGB YouTube channel or head over to rsgb.org/livestream to see the programme of presentations and the links to the livestreams. The RSGB is delighted to announce the appointment of two new volunteer Youth Champion roles. Chris Aitken, MM0WIC will be the RSGB’s School Youth Champion and Rhys Williams, M0WGY/AJ6XD will be the University Youth Champion. Chris is a Computing Science teacher at Wick High School, Caithness. Since 2023, Chris has been running the Wick High School Radio Club, GM0WHS, providing students with a wide range of experiences in amateur radio. He has four students who have passed their Foundation licence exam and are now taking on leadership roles within the club and assisting the latest cohort in their studies. He is also a member of the RSGB Outreach Team. You can contact Chris via youthchampion.school@rsgb.org.uk Rhys represented the RSGB at the Youngsters on the Air Camp in Prague this year. He sent back daily reports on his activities which you can still see on the website under the summer camps tab at rsgb.org/yota He is starting a PhD in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Oxford and is keen to help the RSGB support the growth of amateur radio in universities across the UK. You can contact Rhys via youthchampion.uni@rsgb.org.uk Ben Lloyd, GW4BML is the Board Liaison for youth activities. He said that he welcomes Chris and Rhys to their new youth volunteer roles and looks forward to working closely with them in the future to attract and grow RSGB youth membership. He explained that the three of them have already had some positive conversations and shared some good ideas, which they will be putting into place over the coming months. This week marks the centenary of the world’s very first trans-global two-way radio communication. On the 18th of October 1924 Frank Bell, 4AA, from New Zealand, and Cecil Goyder, 2SZ, from North London, changed how we communicate forever by making contact on amateur bands. To commemorate this historic contact, special callsigns will be active, and awards and QSL cards will be available for those who make contact with these special stations. GB2NZ and ZM100DX have already been active since the start of the month. Starting tomorrow, until the 20th of October, calls reflecting Goyder’s callsign, G2SZ, and Bell’s, ZL4AA, will be active. This will include activity here in the UK from Mill Hill School in North London which is the original location from which Goyder made his contact. On Friday the 18th of October, radio amateurs will also be recreating and re-enacting the first contact between Goyder and Bell. It is hoped that the QSO will be made on a wavelength close to that used in 1924. To find out more about this unique celebration go to gb2nz.com YOTA Month is just around the corner, and the RSGB is looking for volunteers to host the GB24YOTA callsign throughout the month of December. As in previous years, schools, clubs, guide and scout groups and also individuals are invited to host young radio amateurs whilst they operate with the callsign. Each day during the month has been split into a number of operating slots that you can book. In recent years, this system has allowed many more youngsters to get on the radio throughout the month. You can see the operating calendar by visiting QRZ.com and searching for GB24YOTA. Operators should be below the age of 26. Those who do not hold a Full amateur radio licence should be supervised by an appropriate Full licensee whilst operating. The RSGB is pleased that previous activators have already reached out to book their operating slots but there are still many more up for grabs! To book an operating slot or for more information about YOTA Month, please email Jamie, M0SDV at yota.month@rsgb.org.uk During last month’s Hamfest in Newark, the ICQ Podcast team spoke with RSGB President John McCullagh GI4BWM, RSGB Board Chair Stewart Bryant G3YSX and RSGB General Manager Steve Thomas M1ACB. Listen to Episode 440 of the podcast series to hear them discuss some of the many events that the Society is currently involved with. This includes the recent Amateur Radio on the International Space Station contact, which Girlguiding and HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh took part in, as well as the RSGB Convention. The second part of the interview, which features the Chair of the RSGB’s Propagation ...
