Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 2nd August 2009
ComReg Consultation on the 2300 to 2400 MHz Band
On 15 June ComReg published a consultation paper on the release of spectrum in the 2300 to 2400 MHz band. The Society has submitted a detailed response to this paper highlighting the extent to which the band is used by the amateur service both here and in the UK and the need to afford protection to the amateur service so that effective use may continue to be made of the band. As well as preserving the secondary status of the amateur service throughout the band.
The response seeks a small amateur primary allocation in the segment 2300 to 2330 MHz. The UK Microwave Group with which the Society had been in touch has also made a submission supportive of the more detailed response from the IRTS.
Theory Examination
Thirty candidates sat the examination held on 30 June at centres in Letterkenny, Carrigtwohill and Dublin and sixteen were successful. The results were with candidates on Friday the 17th of July and we understand that some of them have since received their licences. The new exam agreement (unlike the previous one) requires ComReg to issue the results within 20 working days of receiving them from IRTS. This brings to 185 the total number who have sat the 9 examinations held since IRTS took over responsibility for the examination just over four years ago in May 2005. Of these, 112 (61%) obtained the HAREC qualification.
Next Theory Examination
The next Theory Examination for the Amateur Station Licence will be held on Tuesday the 6th of October at 2p.m. in the ComReg Offices in Dublin. Places for the examination are limited and will, as usual, 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 21st of September. Intending candidates should note that anyone who fails to produce a photo identity on the day of the examination will 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 Garda photo ID would also be acceptable.
Sean EI7CDs 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 ‘Downloads’ section of the IRTS website are Examination Notes with a sample examination paper. 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 60 multiple-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. Intending candidates should note in particular, that in Section B of the paper – National and International Rules and Operating Procedures’- questions on the National Rules will be based on the new Wireless Telegraphy (Amateur Station Licence) Regulations 2009 which came into force on I June 2009.
These Regulations and other matters in relation to the operation of amateur stations can be found in the ‘Amateur Station Licence Guidelines’ published by ComReg in Document 09/45 which is available on the ‘Publications’ section of the ComReg website at www.comreg.ie
DXpedition to Clare Island
Members of the Dalkey Island Contest Group activated Clare Island, EU121 for the IOTA Islands on the Air contest last weekend. The team arrived on the island on Thursday evening and on Friday morning, in glorious sunshine, set about erecting the antennas which was all completed by early Friday evening.
Antennas consisted of inverted V dipoles for 40 and 80 and an elevated vertical with the top at 60 feet also for 40. The 40 metre antennas doubled up on 15 quite satisfactorily. A delta loop for 20 and a full wave loop for 10 completed the mini aerial farm.
All the antennas were resonant and coax fed with matching stubs on the loops. During the contest over 1600 stations were worked in the 24 hours which with the multipliers gave a score of over 2.6 million points. This was a very good performance for 100 watts to single element wire antennas.
The weather was reasonably kind with good days on Friday and Saturday strong winds and rain on Saturday night and intermittent showers on Sunday. The first class accommodation and the excellent food in O’Gradys Guesthouse which we had taken over for the event more than made up for any shortcomings in the weather.
Operators were EI2CA, EI5DI, EI6EW, EI7CC, EI7CD, EI8BP and EI8CE. The ladies who came along on the trip enjoyed the excellent walking facilities on the island and the few days away were enjoyed by all.
IOTA Contest
A number of offshore Irish islands were on the air for the IOTA Contest, which took place last weekend. Members of South Dublin Radio Club and the City of Belfast Radio Amateur Society were once again on Inis Oirr, while the Dalkey Island Contest Group were on Clare Island.
Rathlin Island, off the Antrim coast, hosted two DXpeditions: The Kilmarnock & Loudoun Amateur Radio Club, using the call sign GI0ADX, were there for the eleventh consecutive year, while a group from County Dublin and County Down (call sign GI0MPG) were on Rathlin's East Lighthouse for the second year running. The IOTA contest was also, of course, well supported by mainland EI and GI stations.
Most participants reported that band conditions were better than last year, with longer openings on the higher frequency bands than in recent years.
Will this be the year?
The 2m WA1ZMS trans-Atlantic beacon
The WA1ZMS beacon on 144.285000 MHz is now running a 500 watt transmitter giving 7 kW ERP
The beacon is GPS locked and the antenna comprises two 5-element stacked yagis beaming at 60 degrees from IARU locator FM07fm.
EI2MOG On Air
Dundalk Amateur Radio Society are now operating a Echolink internet gateway link on 145.2125Mhz simplex. The link has been issued the callsign EI2MOG by Comreg and node number 57007 by Echolink. EI2MOG will operate 24/7 from it's location at Mount Oriel, Co.Louth, coverage reports are now welcome via email to info /at/ ei7dar.com. Further details can be found at www.ei7dar.com
The next meeting of the Society is on Wednesday 5th August at 20.00pm, all are welcome to attend.
Shannon Basin Radio Club
The next meeting of the Shannon Basin Radio Club will take place in Hannond Hotel on Wednesday night next the 5th Aug at 20:30.
All members are asked to attend and all newcomers welcome.
South Eastern Amateur Radio Group
At the general meeting of South Eastern Amateur Radio Group on Monday last, John Ronan (EI7IG) gave a talk about AREN / Emergency radio operating procedure and spoke about AREN plans in general with some discussion around AREN training. The meeting was a very productive and well attended one and the club would like to thank John for doing this talk.
The next general meeting will take place at 8.30 p.m. on Monday the 31st of August.
Please Note: Both Committee and General meetings take place on the last Monday of each month. Committee meetings take place at 8.00 p.m. and the general meeting follows at 8.30 p.m. General meetings are open to all members and visitors are very welcome.
AREN Net
Net’s are held on the 7th and 21st of each Month. It is envisaged that the net on the 21st of each month will be a digital mode training net.
Rallies
C.R.C. Rally 2009
The Cork Radio Club is holding their Rally in the Montenotte Hotel in Cork on the 13th of September. Special rates for those who wish to stay overnight just mention Cork radio Club.
Food all day, plenty of parking & doors open at 11am. All the usual traders will be there.
Mayo Rally
The 2009 Mayo Rally will be held on Sunday November 22nd in Castlebar. The venue is The Welcome Inn Hotel, Where the 2008 rally was held at short notice, and doors open at 11.00am.
Rally Director, Padraic Baynes, EI9JA, is now taking bookings for stands at the Rally. He can be contacted on 087 6957154. The hotel will be offering a Rally special deal for accommodation. Full details will be available soon.
This week in History
1866 After a dozen years, Cyrus Field successfully completed the trans-Atlantic Cable.
1872 Dr M Loomis granted patent for wireless experiments.
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.
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