New NOV’s for 472KHz and 5MHz

It is now possible to apply for NOV’s for the new 472KHz Band and the 5MHz variations via this link. ONLINE APPLICATION

The result should be a correctly dated NOV via the RSGB.

I applied yesterday before the link went down and actually applied twice because the Submit Application button returned a message ‘you have decided to save as a PDF’. The second submission said ‘Application Rejected, NOV already applied for for this call sign’. However I received no NOV so I have just applied for the third time, no rejection as duplicate / triplicate and the NOV has arrived. Third time lucky.

The dating is ambiguous, and contradicts the Ofcom announcement.

Date of issue of this Variation: 20 December 2012
Date of expiry of this Variation: 20 December 2017

Logically an NOV issued on 20th of December is valid then, however the start date is still 1st January 2013 for ambiguously dated NOV’s for sure, the Ofcom site says that is so.

Some just cant wait to be first on the band and have operated on and had QSO’s there, no doubt they will brag about it for the rest of their days.
Personally I will have a final fling on 500KHz until 1st Jan 2013, after that we won’t be able to use that band again.
I find it embarrassing that this once great nation has fluffed a simple task once again.

A New Meteor Shower

Last week NASA reported the possibility of a new Meteor shower which was due prior the the Geminids and would continue during the Geminid peak.

Previous engagements meant I missed both, I was monitoring a few days before and there were quite a good number of pings.

Certainly in the last few days there have been some superb meteors, here are 3 views of one this morning, well worthy of a blog posting it was one of those that rang on and on and had me wondering if it was ever going to end.

Right Click and select View Image for full size view.