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IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday November 29th 1998


Faraday's Final Riddle

For 166 years, scientists have failed to explain a riddle set by Michael Faraday, the 'father' of magnetism and electricity. Moving a conductor, in any manner, near a stationary magnet produces a current in the conductor. Moving a magnet laterally near a stationary conductor also produces a current in the conductor. But, rotating the magnet produces no current! Why the difference? This result shows that it is not always the relative motion of a magnet and a conductor that matters. All will be revealed at a lecture by Mr. A.G. Kelly at 18.30 on Monday, next November 30th 1998 at 22 Clyde Road, Dublin 4. The solution to the riddle will be given, and demonstrated on a working apparatus. A printed paper will be distributed at the meeting. This lecture, promoted by the Institution of Engineers of Ireland is open to the public and entrance is free. Enquiries to Helga Mings at the Institution on 01-6684341.


Leonids meteor shower

The Leonids meteor shower took us all by surprise by arriving 15 hours earlier than predicted. As a result many of the big VHF expeditions were just setting up when 2 meters suddenly opened up like 20 meters on a Sunday morning! The night of Monday the 17th November produced the best conditions with some of the bigger G stations working over 150 QSOs.

Paul EI2CA, Tony EI6EW and Keith EI4FBB were QRV portable from Wexford and despite missing the start of the storm managed some nice DX QSOs. Best was a 5 by 9 exchange with LY2FE at well over 2000 kilometres. Some of the European stations worked in excess of 3000 kilometres which may give a clue as to how the Brendan Trophies could be won! For those of you who don't know, the Brendan Trophies will be presented to the stations who complete the first trans-atlantic contact on 2 meters. Since the Leonids is supposed to 'storm' again next year we should get another chance to work some unique DX on 2 meters. After that we will have to wait another thirty odd years for the next chance!


DX News

A multi-national team of operators is currently active from the ancient temple city of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. They are active on all bands from 160 to 6 metres on CW, SSB and RTTY and will be there until Friday next the 4th. QSL via JH1AJT.

All Indian Hams can use the "AT" prefix instead of the usual VU prefix until December the 31st. This is to commemorate the 75 years of Amateur Radio in India.


Upcoming Contests

Top Band operators will be out in force next weekend for the ARRL Top Band Contest, starting on Friday next the 4th at 2200. Also on next weekend is the EA DX Contest, where the object is to work as many Spanish stations as possible. There are several nice awards to be got from this one.

A very popular event with EI operators is the ARRL 10 metre contest and this will be held on the weekend after next, December the 12th and 13th.


International Space Station

The First module of the International Space Station was successfully launched on November 20th aboard a Russian Proton Rocket and it reached orbit less than 10 minutes after launch. This module, called Zarya, will serve as a space propulsion engine and power station during the early stages of the ISS project, providing propulsion, power and space to ground communications. Later modules will take over these functions and Zarya will eventually serve as a storage facility, holding fuel and other supplies.

Zarya is a cylinder shaped module just over 41 feet long and 14 feet wide and weighs about 40 tons. The International Space Station, scheduled to be completed in 2004, will be the largest complex structure in space, being as large a football field. Construction activities on the station will start with the crew of the STS-88 Shuttle launch from the Kennedy Space Centre on Thursday next December the 3rd.

Amateur radio operation from the station will commence in the early stages and the crew will operate on voice and packet and will broadcast digital voice beacons.


IARU Conference

The next International Amateur Radio Union Conference will be held in Norway in November next year. Papers for the agenda must be submitted before the end of January next and the Society invites submissions from members for possible inclusion on that agenda. Any aspect of amateur radio may be addressed and you may contact the Society's President, Paul O'Kane EI5DI, with any queries or requests for advise.


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 01-4509514 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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