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IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday May 15th 2005


Theory Examination

IRTS is pleased to announce that a tentative date has now been agreed for a Theory Examination. This has been set for June 16th and it will be held at a central Dublin location. All those who have submitted their names to ComReg will be notified directly of the place and time of the exam. Those who are interested in sitting this exam and who have not yet notified ComReg of their interest should do so without delay by contacting:

Derek C. O'Reilly, ComReg, Abbey Court, Irish Life Centre, Lr. Abbey St., Dublin 1. Phone (01) 8049769 or e-mail derek dot oreilly at comreg.ie.

This will be the last time that the traditional essay style Theory Examination will be held in EI. Future examinations will be in the Multiple Choice format and will be held on a more regular basis than in recent years. Details of this new exam system will be published during the coming months.


South Dublin Radio

South Dublin Radio Club are providing theory revision classes from 8.00 p.m. every Tuesday night in the Ballyroan Community Centre, Marian Road, Rathfarnham.

AREN assist RAYNET on Isle of Man Manx National Rally.

The Roush Manx Rally was held over the weekend of the 6th and 7th of May 2005. This consisted a total of 14 stages (120 competitive miles) through high streets, hills and countryside of the island returning to the TT grandstand for a high profile finish.

Each year Raynet provides a network of radio operators for each stage and a centrally located controller. This year RAYNET Isle of Man was assisted by Munster area AREN Co-ordinator Conor O Neill, EI4JN. SWL and rally guru John Harrington also made the trip to provide valuable assistance.

Equipment used comprised a Yaesu VX-7R and micro mag-mount antenna. Operations were carried out on 2 metres and 70 cms simplex frequencies and on the GD repeater. A special UHF link was set up to facilitate communications between some of the more remote stages and RAYNET control located at the TT Grandstand in Douglas.

The event, won by local man Mark Higgins in a current model Ford Focus WRC passed without any major incident.

Isle of Man Raynet Group controller Dougie Corkhill GD8KWM and Raynet Secretary Carol James expressed their gratitude for the assistance provided by AREN and extended an invitation for AREN operators to assist on future events.

The Munster area Coordinator thanked Raynet Isle of Man for the opportunity for both agencies to work together on the high profile event and reciprocated the invitation for Raynet to take part in future AREN activities.


Mid Ulster ARC Rally

The Mid Ulster Amateur Radio Club will be holding their radio rally on the 29th of May 2005 starting at 12.00 noon. This years venue is the Embankment Hotel, Lurgan Co. Armagh. All the usual traders, bring and buy etc will feature at the rally. For more info contact Ivan GI 0 SZH or john GI 0 KUH at j.p.mccabe at btinternet dot com.


South Eastern Amateur Radio Group

The next general meeting of South Eastern Amateur Radio Group will take place on Wednesday May the 25th and will feature a talk and presentation regarding AREN. The talk will be given by John Ketch, EI2GN. The meeting starts at 8.00 p.m. in the Roanmore Social and Sports Centre, Cleaboy Road, Waterford and all are welcome.


70cm Repeater in Limerick

The 70 cm repeater is back on air from the Patrickswell, Co.Limerick test QTH. Thanks to Ron EI2JP for supplying and programming the PMR rigs. Receive frequency is RB5, 433.125 MHz and transmit is +1.6 MHz offset. CTCSS / PL tone is 103.5 Hz.

It is not linked to any other repeater. Signal reports and queries to EI9FEB at Eircom dot net. There will be no further 2 metre link experiments until various issues have been resolved.


Canada Special Prefixes

The year 2005 has been declared The Year of the Veteran by the Canadian. Canadian radio amateurs are authorized to use the following special event prefixes until the 31st of May, 2005:

CF for VA stations, CG for VE stations, CH for VO stations, CI0 for VY0 stations, CI1for VY1 stations, CI2 for VY2 stations.


2 meter Sporadic E opening

On April the 28th last after the 6-metre band had been open for several hours a sporadic event occurred on 144 MHz that lasted for about 30 minutes. EI5FK worked I8MPO in Naples. The 6-metre event was extensive with nearly 100 QSO's in 12 countries, EI7CD was also heard working this event.

On May the 8th there was an extensive aurora on 144 MHz that lasted for several hours, EI5FK reports working 60 QSO's in 16 DXCC countries and 47 squares in this event, it is unusual for events like this to occur close to solar minimum but the sun is never really quiet at any time in the solar cycle. April and September are the best months to monitor for aurora, listen to DK0WCY beacon on 10.144 MHz for reports of activity.


CNN International Features Ham Radio

The CNN feature on amateur radio is available as a 76 Mb download at www.ae5x.com/sounds_files/misc/Tsunami_HamRadio.mpg


CW Field Day

The CW Field Day will as usual be held over the first full weekend in June and intending participants are asked to contact the contest manager as soon as possible. If there is sufficient interest, the event can be held at a central location. The following have already confirmed their participation: The Shannon Basin Group, The East Cork Group and Joe Ryan EI7GY.


Mini Marathon

On Monday the 6th of June, EI2BY will be providing emergency radio coverage of the women's mini-marathon. If you would like to take part in this special event licensed by ComReg as EI2WMM please contact George Adjaye, EI2CPB by fax on 01 4908546 or phone 086 2586103. You can also e-mail George at adjayeg at dcu.ie. Please provide your name, phone number and callsign. Also note that you will require a 2-metre rig of your own for the event.


Rockall Island

MM0CWJ and MM0ALM will make up the two-man amateur radio side of an expedition to Rockall Island around June 14th until about June 21st.

Very few have landed on the rock, although many have attempted to do so. Ex-SAS man and Atlantic oarsman Tom Maclean did so in reportedly excellent WX conditions. Greenpeace also occupied the rock a few years ago, again in near perfect WX. But if Seamus and David make it, this will be an incredible "first" not just for IOTA, but for amateur radio in general. Note that Rockall is beyond the range of "search and rescue" helicopters.

The Rockall Island web-site can be found at www.rockallisland.co.uk This is the official web site for the amateur radio side of the expedition.


Items for inclusion in next weeks Radio News should be forwarded to Mark EI7IS at QTHR or by phone to 087-6302026. News should be submitted via e-mail to news@irts.ie for automatic forwarding to both the radio and printed news services. Please note that items for the radio news should reach the editor no later than midday on Fridays.

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