Archived News Script

printer friendly version

IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 24th April 2011


Up-Coming IRTS Contests

1. 2m Counties Contest Monday April 25th 2011. From 2pm till 4pm. Log to be submitted by May 25th.

2. CW Field Day Sat 4th/ Sun 5th June 2011. Log to be submitted by July 5th.

Calling all active VHF and Higher operators we are trying to get the 2010 Squares table finalized on IRTS.ie. So can anyone that was active on the VHF bands last year please send your Square totals or your log and I can work it out for you to EI2GLB /at/ hotmail / dot/.com . To see the squares table go to www.irts.ie and click on vhf/uhf/shf on the right side of the home page.


Theory Examination

The next theory examination for the Harmonised Amateur Radio Examinbation Certificate (HAREC) will be held on Thursday, 7 July next at 2.00 p.m. in the ComReg offices in Dublin. The examination may also be held on that day at other centres if warranted by the number of candidates.

Full details, including entry procedure and examination fee, are available at www.irts.ie/exam


Echo Ireland - new issue

The latest issue of Echo Ireland includes a full report on the society's recent annual general meeting, along with a copy of the Committee Report and accounts which were submitted to the AGM; a list of awards presented at the AGM is also included.

Anthony EI2KC has taken over the "HF Happenings" column of the newsletter, and his first report includes a roundup of recent DXpeditions, a report on propagation conditions and news of upcoming DXpeditions and other rare-DX activations.

The newsletter also includes a report by Jack EI7HO of his magnetic loop experiences, which will be of particular interest to those with restricted space for antennas; also included is a report by Lisa EI9GSB on the CASHOTA ("Castles and Stately Homes on the Air") activation of Blackrock Castle in February of this year.

All of this and plenty more - including club news, contest results, upcoming contests and rallies - can be found in the April Echo Ireland, which will be posted to members early this coming week.


Digital Modes Presentation

Mike EI3DY made a presentation dealing with the digital modes used by radio amateurs at a recent meeting of South Dublin Radio Club. The modes covered ranged from RTTY to the more recent JT65 and WSPR modes. Mike illustrated his presentation with the equipment used to operate these modes, including some of the equipment used before computer sound cards became a key component of digital transmission and reception.

The presentation also details of the propagation reporting web sites of PSK Reporter and the "whisper" Weak Signal Propagation Reporter. Read about it in the latest edition of ECHO Ireland.


Introduction to Amateur Radio the practical way

The Mayo Radio Experimenters Network plan on holding a series of practical, hands on, open days throughout the summer months, commencing Sunday May 8th. The events will start at 13.00 approx (weather permitting) and will take place on the following dates: Sunday May 8th Sunday June 12th Sunday July 10th Sunday August 14th Sunday September 11th Anyone with an interest in radio related matters, who would like to have the opportunity to participate or observe the operation of an amateur radio station, or meet club members, will receive a warm welcome. Whatever you’re level of interest, the club will be pleased to help in taking your interest further, be it a complete novice, shortwave listener or formal assistance in progressing to a full amateur radio licence. The locations will be chosen in the Mid Mayo area in order to encourage attendance from all parts of the County or further afield. If you would like further details including full details of locations please contact: Padraic Baynes EI9JA on 0876957154 (email pbaynes1/at/ eircom/ dot/net) , email David Hatfield EI3ECB on ei3ecb/ at/gmail/dot/com or text or phone the club mobile phone number 086 20 89 777


Duhallo Voice Repeater

The Duhallow Voice Repeater EI7SMR is back on air since Monday last the 11th of April 2011. The repeater which is located on Musheramore Mountain, in north Cork was off air undergoing repairs and is now operating with a new antenna installed on site. EI7SMR operates on RU74, 430.925mhz, input is 438.525mhz (7.6mhz split) and requires a ctcss tone of 103.5Hz.


Louth Erne Rally Thanks

Many thanks from Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club to the 300 who set up, attended, traded or displayed their amateur radio interests at our Pearl Anniversary Rally in SHARE last Sunday. Nevada, the big amateur radio retailer donated an Alinco DJ 596 E hand held transceiver for the raffle. It was won by Phillip Hosey, MIØMSO and EI8GPB, the efficient and effective Secretary of West Tyrone Amateur Radio Club.

Peter Grant, EI4HX and Pat Fitzpatrick, EI2HX were there with the IRTS stand. Angus Annan MM1CCR represented the RSGB. He presented the Northern Ireland Club of the Year Award to the club’s youngest member, Gemma Nelson Mi6GDN, and Congratulations Certificates to nine new Intermediate licensees. It was good to see Willie Long, EI6IA in attendance.

A full report with pictures by Ken O’Reilly Gi7UIP will be sent to Echo Ireland.


Old Time Amateur Radio

Cliff Corderoy Gi4CZW, who was a founder member of Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club, was in attendance at Sunday’s Pearl Anniversary Rally in SHARE.

Cliff ran his first RAE course in Fermanagh Technical College back in 1975. The Club came out of that course and others that followed. Cliff was Secretary when the Club held its first rally in April 1982. On another table, Jimmy Lappin Gi0OND displayed material from the Radio Amateur Old Timers Association. Terry Barnes GI3USS was also in attendance at the SHARE rally.


International Marconi Day

International Marconi Day takes place this year on Saturday 30th April. The Howth Martello Radio Group will be participating once again as an award station using the call-sign EI0MAR. For more information please visit the club's website crac.g4usb.net/cracblog/

EI0MAR operates from the Martello Tower overlooking the East Pier in Howth.

North Cork Radio Group will be active from the 29th of April through 2nd of May and during International Marconi Day.

The call used will be EI-0-IMD from the Mizen head Signal Station, Goleen in West Cork and the duration will be 24hours. NCRG will also use EI1NC/P for the remainder of the weekend until May 2nd. Members attending are Anthony EI3GAB, Pat EI2GHB, Padraig EI5GEB and Claus EI7JZ although other members may operate in short burst while visiting the station.

The Cork Radio Club will use the callsign EI5IMD will be activated from Brow Head near Crookhaven in West Cork to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the setting up of Marconi's Wireless Station in 1901.


Ballymena ARC

Ballymena ARC (GI3FFF) will be participating in the Steam Traction Rally, at Shanes Castle, Antrim from the 1st May till the 2nd May 2011. They will be putting on displays of amateur radio for the public, as well as activating the castle as part of CASHOTA-NI (castles and stately homes on the air-ni). The club will be using callsign GN4KPT, utilising all modes and bands, please feel free to call in if heard. See gi3fff.synthasite.com/ or www.cashota-ni.org


DX News

PY2ZA is travelling to the Island of Trindade and hopes to land there around 29 April. He plans to use the callsign PP0T and will be there until sometime in June. The only inhabitants on the island are 32 Brazilian Naval personnel who man a Naval Base there and PY2ZA will be dependant on the Brazilian Navy for transport to and from Trindade. This is quite a rare DXCC entity and also counts for IOTA with the reference SA-010. QSLs for this expedition go via EB7DX.

The special callsign R25CH will be activated up to 29 April from different districts in the Bryansk area to mark the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. QSL info is via RW3YC.

Prefixes chasers will have the opportunity of several new ones as UK stations have the option of using the prefixes GR, MR and 2R to celebrate the upcoming Royal Wedding in London. The prefixes will appear on the bands during the period 29 April to 9 May.

Yuris YL2GM will be active from Azerbaijan using the call 4K3AC from 25 April till 3 May. QSLs go via his home callsign.

A group of Scottish amateurs will be QRV from Lunga in the Treshnish Isles from 28 April till 1 May. This island group counts as EU-108 for the IOTA award. QSL manager for this one is MM0BQI.

A German team is at present on the Island of Phu Quoc in Vietnam using the call XV4YY. The IOTA reference is AS-128 and the QSL Manager is DH7WW.


UN – Special Event stations

UN50, UO50, UP50, UQ50 will be active in Kazakhstan from April/2011 то May 31/2011 - of 50th Anniversary of the first human flight to outer space which was done by Yuri Gagarin. To commemorate this event Kazakhstan information website "UN Amateur Radio News” together with Almaty Amateur Radio League have established a special award – “The Columbus of the Cosmos”.


Solar Activity Heats Up

Sunspots have returned and they are crackling with activity. On February 15th and again on March 9th, Earth orbiting satellites detected a pair of "X-class" solar flares--the most powerful kind of x-ray flare. The last such eruption occurred back in December 2006. Another eruption on March 7th hurled a billion-ton cloud of plasma away from the sun at five million mph (2200 km/s). The Coronal mass ejection (CMT) delivered a blow to the earth’s magnetic field. It seems that solar cycle ‘24’ in now on its way. Is this good news for DX’ers?


Items for inclusion in next week’s Radio News can be

submitted via e-mail to “newsteam /at/ irts / dot / ie” for automatic forwarding to both the radio and printed news services. Urgent news items for the radio news maybe telephoned to the radio news editor, Aidan, EI7JC on 085 7100511.

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.

[A]

contact IRTS
irts groups.io