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IRTS RADIO NEWS BULLETIN Sunday June 14th 1998


Tipperary A.R.E.N.

Liam EI7FE of the Tipperary Amateur Radio Emergency Network has received confirmation from the Chief Ambulance Officer of the South-Eastern Health Board that the Amateur Radio Emergency Network has been included in the published emergency plan of the Board.

Other AREN Groups should note that Tipperary AREN did not seek inclusion in the Health Boards plan in its own name and therefore participation is open to all AREN operators.

Liam EI7FE has been written in as the Boards contact and suggests that AREN groups and interested operators contact him so that mutually beneficial personal links can be established. This would prepare the network to respond in greater depth and with maximised flexibility in the event of a practice exercise or in a real emergency. Similar reciprocal arrangements between Tipperary AREN and other groups would be welcomed to the benefit of all. Liam can be contacted on 052-22493 or QTHR.


CW Field Day

Last weekends CW Field Day participants did not enjoy the best of conditions with propagation on the HF bands well down on conditions during the preceding week. Luckily the weather condition were not too bad with only occasional rain and little or no winds. Thunderstorms were experienced in the Midlands where Joe Ryan EI7GY who was operating as a single operator from the Slieve Blooms suffered a delayed start due to threat of lightening.

Luckily, the other two entrants, both representing the East Cork Group had no such problems and managed to be up and running for the 4pm start.

EI7M/P entered the open section while EI3DP/P was in the restricted section. The crew at 7M were Jerry EI6BT, Mannix EI5HB and Dave EI4BZ while the crew at 3DP included Jim EI3DP, Steve EI9HC, Ger EI8HT, Jim EI8GS and John EI8IR. Both stations ended up with just less than 600 QSOs each. Among the visitors to both sites were Brendan EI0CZ from County Clare and Pat EI9EZ from Cappoquin, County Waterford.


Midland Radio Experimenters Group

The Midland Radio Experimenters Group held their Annual General Meeting recently. Mike EI3IG was elected Chairman, Martin EI4IJ is Secretary and Mary EI2IJ is looking after the finances.

The group will be putting on a special event station from the Windmill at Elphin in County Roscommon on Sunday next and in conjunction with the station, a bring and buy will be held at the Tower Inn, running from 12 noon until 6pm. The Tower Inn is only a short walk from the Windmill. The station will be active on all HF bands and also on 2 Metres and they will also be active on packet radio.

The Midlands Group next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday July the 7th at the Royal Hotel in Roscommon. Information about the Group can be had from the Secretary, Martin EI4IJ on 0902-78245 or QTHR


Worked All Ireland Activity

The Worked All Ireland net on 3680MHz continues to attract quite a few operators. Last weekend, Declan EI9HQ was out and about again and activated a lot of squares in the South Leinster area.

Steve G0SGB is coming over for a holiday and will activate squares while based in the Dingle area from Wednesday next the 17th. He will then travel north to Larne in County Antrim and finish up with a trip back down to Dublin on his homeward journey.

Steves visit should generate a lot of activity on the net and hopefully he will activate some of the rarer squares in the Kerry area.


Morse Testing

Morse tests were carried out recently at Letterkenny Regional Technical College by IRTS Morse Testers and six candidates presented themselves for testing. Four of these were students who had completed the theory and morse course at the RTC.

This year has been a busy year for the morse testers with a big increase in the numbers being tested. Only 20 candidates were tested during 1997 and this number has been exceeded in the first six months of this year.


Missing RSGB 7MHz Contest Logs

In a message posted on June the 7th, Tom GM4FDM reports on behalf of the RSGB HF Contest committee, that the logs for the RSGB 7MHz 1998 Contest have gone missing in the post between the log entry point and the adjudicator. Despite an investigation by the postal authorities, the logs have not turned up after seven weeks.

Anybody who submitted a log is advised to re-submit it either by mail to G3UFY or emailed to gm4fdm@scotsboy.sol.co.uk

The RSGB Contest Committee apologises to everybody involved but point out that it is completely outside their control.


Last US Flight to MIR

The United States began its last flight to the Russian Space Station MIR on June 2nd when the Shuttle Discovery was launched with a crew of six.

The Shuttle successfully docked with MIR on Thursday June the 4th, this for the 9th and final time. It undocked on Monday last the 8th. The main mission objective is a ride home for US Astronaut Andy Thomas and the supply of about four tons of logistical supplies and equipment including a large quantity of water.

MIR is circling the Earth at an altitude of 207 nautical miles and circles the Earth once every 92 minutes.


Items for inclusion in the Radio News can be faxed to 021-632730 or passed on the telephone to Dave EI4BZ at 021-632444 during the day and at 021-883555 in the evening Input for the Newsletter should be sent to Kevin EI7IM at QTHR or on 01-5409514 or on E-mail to EI7IM@tinet.ie All input to either the Radio News or the Newsletter can also be sent by e-mail to news@irts.ie

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