Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 27th December 2015
New Year's Day Contest
The 80 metres counties contest takes place on Friday next, New Year's Day, from 14:00 to 17:00 UTC. The 32 EI and GI counties are multipliers in this contest, so the "rarer" counties will be very much in demand. There are fixed and portable sections, with SSB only and mixed mode SSB / CW options, also a section for Shortwave Listeners.
See the web site at www.irts.ie/contests for the contest rules, and note in particular the rule about permitted frequencies for this contest.
This year, for the first time, in order to encourage more CW operation in the mixed mode sections, there is a final score bonus of 1,000 points for any entry that includes at least 10 valid CW QSOs with EI or GI stations; note also that there is a suggested CW "centre of activity" of 3522.
EI DXers
A group of EI DXers will meet on Saturday 2nd January 2016 in the Maldron Hotel, Portlaoise at 12noon with the intention of forming an EI DX Group.
The group's objectives is to cover everything DX related, from chasing DXCC right through to DXpeditioning with the aim of forming an all EI DXpedition group.
Anyone attending will be made very welcome and expressions of interest to Dave EI9FBB or Pat EI9HX.
ARISS Postpones Anniversary SSTV Event
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Slow-Scan TV event set for December 26th to 27th has been postponed due to “complications in planning,” ARISS has announced. ARISS now is targeting mid-January as the next possible opportunity.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of continuous Amateur Radio operations on the International Space Station. The first ISS crew conducted its inaugural ham radio contact from NA1SS in November 2000. The first Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) school contact took place the following month.
ARISS will post more information as it becomes available.
DX News
Harry JG7PSJ will be QRV again as JD1BMH from Ogasawara from 30th December to 9th January. He will be active on all bands 160 – 10m SSB, CW and RTTY. QSL to the home call.
Steve PJ4DX (also G4JVG) will be on the air from the PJ2T super-station on Curacao from 28th to 29th December. During his short visit he will use the callsign PJ2/KH0UN. Logs will be uploaded to Logbook of The World but QSL cards will not be printed for this operation.
Rob DL7VOA will celebrate his 40th birthday by holidaying in Vanuatu in the South Pacific from 27th December to 13th January. He will spend some time on the air with the callsign YJ4AO mainly during the local evening and night hours. QSLs go via the home call.
Dom 3Z9DX paid as short visit to North Korea earlier this month and demonstrated amateur radio to the local licensing authorities. Using the callsign P5/3Z9DX on 20/21 December he logged almost 800 QSOs. News is awaited by the DX fraternity as to whether a return visit will be made in 2016.
South Eastern Amateur Radio Group
The South Eastern Amateur Radio Group’s Theory Course will start in mid-January 2016. Anyone interested should get in contact with Sean EI2HZB on 083-1379764 or email to proffice /at/ searg.ie
For up-to-date news about the South Eastern Amateur Radio Group and it’s actives you can check our website www.searg.ie and you can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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 may be 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]
