The radio beacon CS3B on the Portuguese island of Madeira was destroyed by fire on 12 October 2023. The picture shows the destroyed radio (ICOM 7200), it had only been installed in September 2023. CS3B was part of the NCDXF’s International Beacon Project (IBP), a series of HF beacons operating on 14,100, 18,110, 21,150, 24,930 and 28,200 kHz. 

The site of CS3B is off the northwest coast of Africa and was an ideal location to test radio propagation on the HF bands to Europe and North America.

The fire damage to the site is quite extensive, as the building that housed the beacon was destroyed, as was the antenna. Given the extensive damage to the beacon and the building, this HF beacon is likely to be out of service for some time. 

Ricardo Martins — CT3KN Presidente da Delegação REP-Madeira: “We are in touch with NCDXF and they are about to send us another set of equipments.”

For more information on the International Beacon Network, visit
https://​www​.ncdxf​.org/​b​e​a​c​on/ (Source: EI7GL, REP Madeira, DARC HF Dept.)

The Kosovo Parliament approves operation in the 5 MHz band for radio amateurs. This was further confirmed by the Kosovar regulatory authority ARKEP. This is reported by Vjollca, Z61VB, President of the Amateur Radio Association SHRAK.

After repeated complaints about the QRPP beacon YO8RIX in the 17 m band, IARU Region 1 HF Manager Tom Kamp, DF5JL, made direct contact with the operator. Most recently, “yo8rix qrpp beacon” was observed on the frequency 18100.53 kHz in the range of the International Beacon Project IBP. In the meantime, assurances have been given that the beacon’s frequency will be changed as soon as possible.

The current solar cycle 25 far exceeds the predictions of the international panel convened for this purpose in 2019. The observed solar cycle is represented by the sunspot number in the top diagram and the F10.7cm radio flux in the bottom diagram. The mean prediction represents the red line in both graphs. The full range of the 2019 panel prediction is indicated as the gray shaded region. It accounts for expected uncertainties in cycle start time and amplitude.

In both plots, the black line represents the monthly averaged data and the purple line represents a 13-month weighted smoothed version of the monthly averaged data. The solar cycle is important in determining the lifetime of satellites in low-Earth orbit because satellite drag correlates with the solar cycle. In addition, the forecast gives a rough idea of the frequency of space weather storms of all kinds, from radio blackouts to geomagnetic storms to radiation storms, and is therefore used by many to estimate the expected impact of space weather in the coming years. Including by radio amateurs. 

(Graphics/Info: SWPC/NOAA)