Irish Radio Transmitters Society Radio News Bulletin Sunday 17th May 2009 ______________________________________________ Lifetime licensing- Notice from ComReg In a goodwill gesture, in advance of the introduction of Lifetime Licensing, ComReg has recently been accepting applications for the re-instatement of lapsed call-signs. The closing date for this arrangement was Friday 17th April 2009 however, applications are still being submitted. ComReg wishes to advise that, as the Lifetime Licence implementation date, June 1st 2009, is fast approaching, further applications under this scheme cannot be processed. Applications to reinstate lapsed call-signs received after Friday May 15th 2009 will therefore be returned. Applicants may apply for a new call-sign under the new regime after June 1st 2009. In relation to the transition of existing annual licences to Lifetime Licences, all existing annual licences will be transferred to Lifetime Licences on next renewal on payment of the €30.00 fee. Licensees are advised by ComReg not to submit payment of the €30.00 fee until they receive an invoice for same. Advance payments cannot be retained and will be returned. Licensees should expect their invoice 30 days (approx) prior to their annual renewal date. Requests to issue Lifetime Licences in advance of the renewal date of the licence cannot be granted. ______________________________________________ Theory Examination The next Theory Examination for the Experimenters licence will be held on Tuesday the 30th of June at 2p.m. in the ComReg Offices in Dublin and in Carrigtwohill Co. Cork. An exam could be held at another centre at the same time and date should the numbers warrant it. Places for the examination will be allocated on a first come first served basis and will only be reserved on receipt of the examination fee. Intending candidates should forward the appropriate fee to Sean Nolan EI7CD, 12 Little Meadow, Pottery Road, Dunlaoghaire, Co. Dublin. In order to reserve a place for the exam. The fee is 50 Euro or 25 Euro for full-time registered students, repeat candidates and those who are retired, unemployed or have a disability. Cheques and Money Orders should be made payable to the IRTS. When forwarding the exam fee intending candidates should enclose their postal address as well as phone and e-mail contact details. The closing date for applications to sit the examination, which will be strictly enforced, is Monday the 15th of June. Intending candidates should note that anyone who fails to produce a photo identity on day of the examination would not be allowed to sit the examination. The photo ID can be a driving licence, a passport, an employment photo identity card or a student card containing a photograph. A national Gardai photo ID would also be acceptable. Sean EI7CD’s address can also be found in the IRTS call book or in the call book section of the IRTS website at www.irts.ie Sean's e-mail address for any further enquiries is"ei7cd at gofree dot indigo dot ie" Also available on the 'Where Do I Start' section of the IRTS website are Examination Notes with a sample examination paper as well as a link to the ComReg's Experimenter Pages which contain some very useful data under Licensing Information. Also in the Radio Theory Links section on the website is some very useful information for those studying for the examination. The examination consists of a question paper of 60multiple-choice questions divided into three main sections A, B and C and the time allowed is two hours. The pass mark is 60% and a pass is required in each of the three main sections of the paper. We wish all intending candidates the best of luck in the examination. ______________________________________________ AREN It was announced at the recent AGM that the 80 metres Summer Counties Contest, which takes place on the 21st June would be used by AREN to demonstrate to interested Government Departments and agencies our capability at establishing a national communications network. We are anxious therefore to ensure the maximum number of stations participate. Please mark Sunday 21st June in your diary and even if you cannot participate in the whole Contest ensure that you call into the Control station at some time during the event. More details will be published in due course. AREN nets, Member net activity is held on the 7th and 21st of each month. The Net on the 21st is due to be a Digi net. ______________________________________________ Poor Sunspot Activity Scientists predict that Solar Cycle 24 will peak in May 2013 with 90 sunspots per day on average. At the annual Space Weather Workshop held in Boulder, Colorado last month, an international panel of experts led by NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) predicted that Solar Cycle 24 would peak in May 2013 with 90 sunspots per day on average. If the prediction proves true, Solar Cycle 24 will be the weakest cycle since Solar Cycle 16 which peaked with 78 daily sunspots in 1928, and ninth weakest since the 1750s, when numbered cycles began. ______________________________________________ 70MHz for Slovak Stations Since May 1st, 2009 Slovak stations have an access to 70 MHz band, in the segment 70,250 – 70,350 MHz Max. 10 W ERP Each Slovak station must apply for special permission for 70 MHz. ______________________________________________ Recession hits again To follow on from a recent closure of a publishing magazine associated with out hobby, there is yet another Magazine closure. Monitoring Monthly magazine ceases publication. The current economic recession has seen many businesses go-under in recent weeks, and one of the most recent of these are related to our hobby. Monitoring Monthly magazine appears to be the latest casualty of the economic downturn. Its web site will stay active for the immediate future to allow its electronic issue subscribers a chance to download www.monitoringmonthly.co.uk ______________________________________________ South East Amateur Radio Group South Eastern Amateur Radio Group will participate in the Geoparks Communication Weekend over the 23rd and 24th of May 2009. The event is part of European Geoparks Week and SEARG will air the callsign EI2GEO from Tankardstown, Bonmahon, Co. Waterford which lies on the Copper Coast Geopark. The event is organised by GB6GEO which will be based in the English Riviera Global Geopark and a number of stations based at Geoparks around the world will participate in the event. The following are frequencies likely to be in use by Geopark stations; 3.680MHz, 7.080MHz, 14.180MHz, 21.180MHz, and 28.180MHz. For latest information, visit www.searg.com. ______________________________________________ Dundalk Amateur Radio Society As part of their 40th anniversary, Dundalk Amateur Radio Society, will be running a contest station for the IRTS CW field day on 6/7th June. The club contest call EI0W will be used. Also the DARS will be activating their Club call EI7DAR on the weekend June 21/22nd. They will also be taking part in the IRTS 80M Counties Contest (summer) 2009, as EI7DAR/P (on Sunday afternoon) including, as an exercise, the testing of emergency comms country wide, in co-operation with AREN on 80 M. ATV video of the events will be relayed to the web site www.ei7dar.com. If things go well, the group hope to have 'live streaming' of the activity, as much as possible. This will be a test of comms for ATV enthusiasts, on both weekends. For more info see www.ei7dar.com ______________________________________________ Rallies Bangor and District ARS - Radio and Computer Rally The 2009 rally is to be held on Sunday 14st June 2009,At 12 Noon in "The Country Club", Crawfordsburn. ADMISSION £2 INCLUDING 2 RAFFLE TICKETS ! The all new RSGB GB4FUN ! Trade Stands ,Bring and Buy ,BDARS Slide Show A good selection of radio and computer traders will be in attendance Special interest groups will have their own stands .The ever popular FREE bring and buy will be running as normal Contact Bill GI4AAM for further details: Tel: 028 9181 6707 Email: bill.langtry /at/ btinternet.com Website www.bdars.com ______________________________________________ History This Week 1885 Edison patents ship-to-shore wireless telegraphy system, by induction. 1896 Edison patents first fluorescent electric lamp. 1897 Marconi transmits 14.5 Kms across Bristol Channel. 1897 Braun displays his cathode ray tube, Boston Exhibition ______________________________________________ Items for inclusion in next weeks Radio News should be forwarded to Charlie EI8JB, preferably via e-mail to “charlie dot Carolan at gmail dot com” Or by phone to 087-6265418 News can also be submitted via e-mail to “newsteam 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 Thursday in order to be guaranteed inclusion in the following Sunday’s bulletin.