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IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday November 5th 2006


Silent Key EI9V

The radio experimenter community in EI was deeply saddened by the death last weekend of Con Hunter EI9V. Con had been ill for some few weeks and died peacefully in Beaumont Hospital on Sunday Morning last the 29th of October.

Con was born in Glanworth in Co. Cork and was licensed as a radio experimenter in the early 1950's. He was to become a major figure in amateur radio in Ireland. He was an Honorary Vice President of IRTS and served as its President for two periods, 1975 to 1979 and again from 1989 to 1991.

Con worked for PYE telecommunications in Cambridge in his earlier years. In 1960 he joined Aer Lingus from which he retired as Head of the Technical Ground School in 1990. He had a wide-ranging technical knowledge and assisted in the preparation of questions for the multiple-choice papers, which are now a feature of the experimenter examination.

Con was an enthusiast of Collins Radio and among his radio equipment a working S Line and a KWM380 had pride of place in his shack. He was an acknowledged expert in antennas and propagation and had records going back many years. Each day he unfailingly checked and recorded data from WWV and from the German propagation beacon DKØWCY on 10.144 MHz. People sought his technical advice and learned much from his wide experience and informative and well presented lectures.

Amateur radio was well represented at both the removal on Monday evening and the funeral Mass on Tuesday. Among those present at the Mass were Paul Martin EI2CA Vice President of IRTS, EI's 2BB, 2CL, 4CI, 6DN, 7CC, 7CD, 8CC and EI400. Con was laid to rest in Dardistown Cemetery right next to Dublin Airport where Con spent 30 working years and in the next row to his long-time friend, Tom O'Connor EI9U. To Con's wife Margaret, to his daughter Ann Marie and to his sons Tom and Finbarr we extend our deepest sympathy.

May he rest in peace.


Limerick Radio Club

The next meeting of Limerick Radio Club will take place at 7.30 p.m. on Thursday the 9th of November at Limerick Institute of Technology at Moylish Park. The meeting will feature a lecture by Albert EI9IY on IRLP and EchoLink. The club hopes that as many members as possible will be able to attend.

LRCs web site can be viewed at www.qsl.net/ei4lrc


Mayo Rally

The Mayo Rally will take place on Sunday the 26th of November 11:00 a.m. in the Belmont Hotel, Knock. Special rates are available for those wishing to stay overnight. Bed and Breakfast is 50 Euro per person sharing or 70 Euro with evening meal.

For bookings, contact the Belmont Hotel directly on 094-9388122. For enquiries about the Mayo rally, contact the rally organiser: Padaric Baynes EI9JA on 087-6957154 or email “pbaynes1 at eircom dot net”.


Theory Examination

The next Theory Examination for the experimenter's licence will be held on Thursday the 18th of January 2007 at 2 p.m. in the ComReg Offices, Irish Life Centre, Dublin. Anyone wishing to sit the examination should contact Seán Nolan EI7CD at QTHR or by e-mail to “ei7cd at gofree dot indigo dot ie”. Those studying for the examination may wish to secure a copy of the CD Course Guide prepared by the Society. These are available from Seán EI7CD at a cost of 5 Euro to cover production costs post, packaging and registration.


Theory Classes

Theory classes are planned to commence in the Cork area in early January. Anyone interested should contact Dave Moore EI4BZ on 087-6290574 or any member of Cork Radio Club or the East Cork Radio Group.

Theory Classes in Waterford will resume as normal this Tuesday night, the 7th of November.

Theory Classes started Tuesday nights 7.30 p.m. in Garbally Collage, Ballinasloe. Interested parties should contact EI6HW on 0906474726 or email “nfmulvihill at eircom dot net”.


DX and Special Events

An international team of operators will activate Libya from November the 14th to the 28th. The objective of the Dxpedition is to support the development of amateur radio in Libya while at the same time activating a rare country. Activity will be on all bands using CW, SSB, FM, RTTY, SSTV and PSK. The operators hope to provide more than 50,000 QSO's during the 14-day operation using the callsign 5A7A. They also plan to take part in CQWW DX CW Contest as a Multi/Multi entry.

Members of the Limerick Radio Club are QRV as EI60LRC until the end of the year to mark 60 years of the club. Activity is on 80 to 10 metres. QSL is via EI8EM.


IRTS 75th Jubilee

In 2007 the IRTS celebrates the 75th anniversary of its founding in 1932. As part of the jubilee celebrations the Society is organising an International Radio Contest, "CQIR - Ireland Calling".

For this event, references to Ireland mean the island of Ireland and it's offshore islands - both EI and GI. CQIR is a once-off event with a difference - the difference being that overseas Entrants with 75 or more QSO's have the opportunity to win a trip to Ireland. CQIR is a 24-hour, single-operator HF CW/SSB contest on the weekend of 29th and 30th of September 2007. As this is the fifth full weekend in the month, there is no clash with any established event.

The IRTS AGM will take place in the Vienna Woods Hotel in Cork on April the 21st and 22nd 2007.


Items for inclusion in next weeks Radio News should be forwarded to Mark Wall, EI7IS at QTHR or by phone to 051-853806 or 087-6302026. Items for the radio news can also be faxed to 087 5 6302026. News should be submitted via e-mail to “news at irts dot 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 Friday in order to be guaranteed inclusion in the following Sundays bulletin.

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