Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday April 16th 2000
IRTS AGM in Monaghan
Monaghan Radio Club hosted the IRTS AGM last weekend in the Four Seasons Hotel in Monaghan Town.
An attendance of sixty enjoyed the Dinner Dance on Saturday night where the guests included Rob Mannion G3XFD/EI5IW, Editor of Practical Wireless and Keith Burnside of UTV and Downtown Radio fame.
Sundays rally was well attended by both traders and punters and a large number of members attended the AGM on Sunday afternoon.
Dave Moore EI4BZ took over as President of IRTS from Paul O’Kane EI5DI and John Corless EI7IQ was elected Vice-President.
The following is the committee elected for the coming year:
Joe Fadden EI3IX, Stephen Hand EIFKB, Martin Scanlon EI4IJ, Steve Wright EI5DD, Paul Kirkby EI6FE, Noel Mulvihill EI6HW, Paddy Serridge EI6ID, John McDonnell EI6IR, Liam O’Brien EI7FE, Sean Nolan EI7CD, Kevin O’Herlihy EI7IM and immediate past president Paul O’Kane EI5DI.
The Society would like to thank the Monaghan Club for their very efficient organisation of the weekend activities.
We will have a full report in next week’s news.
New Regulations on 6 Metres
With immediate effect, A or B Licensed Experimenters in Ireland who are already licensed for 6 Metre operation may use the new extended range from 50 to 52 MHz., on a non-interference basis.
In addition both portable and mobile operation is allowed, as is the use of vertically polarised aerials, again on a non-interference basis.
Those who do not have a 6 Metre license must still apply to the ODTR for legal access to this band. It is not available automatically. However, the application procedure is simple and forms are available from IRTS Secretary, John Corless EI7IQ QTHR.
You will need to describe the antenna type, polarisation and location as well as location of feed lines in relation to any local cable TV. You must not cause any interference to cable TV, even if the cable system is supposed to be a closed system.
The ODTR tell us that they have directed the cable companies to improve their systems to a new and very high specification, which is to be completed over a period of four to five years. When this is completed, the six metre band will be treated like any other band and will be licensed automatically.
This represents another major breakthrough for the IRTS as the representative body for the radio experimenter community in Ireland.
At the 2000 AGM in Monaghan, Secretary John Corless EI7IQ again called on experimenters to apply for all bands available.
The Secretary went on to say:
"In the changing world of telecommunications regulation, and the demands for spectrum allocation from high rolling commercial interests, the radio experimenter community must defend what it has, and one very positive way that this can be done is to utilise the bands available. The starting point for all of this is the application to the ODTR for license to use these bands." If you do not have all bands available to you on your license, please make application immediately. There is no additional license fee The IRTS have decided that a six metre activity award will be made annually from this year onwards and full details will be published in Echo Ireland and reported in the Radio News in the very near future.
Mayo Activity Day
To coincide with the 2 metres counties contest, members of The Mayo Radio Experimenters Network will activate squares for WAI hunters on 40 metres on Easter Monday.
Included in the activation will be Golf Zero Zero for the special Zero Zero WAI Award for the year 2000.
New DXCC Entity
The ARRL DX Advisory Committee (DXAC) has voted unanimously to add The Chesterfield Islands of New Caledonia to the DXCC List. For DXCC credit, contacts made on or after March 23, 2000 will be accepted. Cards for this new entity may be submitted after October 1, 2000.
With the admission of New Caledonia to IARU membership, the Chesterfield Islands qualify by reason of separation from New Caledonia. The Chesterfields are more than 350 kilometres from the closest point of New Caledonia.
Cork ATV Repeater
The Cork ATV repeater EI2TVR has had a 10 watt amplifier fitted. This gives a very much improved coverage in the greater Cork area with excellent picture quality being received. The whole project is completely home brewed and is fully duplex, and is a credit to all involved. A lot of experimentation has gone on over the past few months It is the only repeater in the island both EI and GI to have full duplex operation.
Cork Radio Club had a unique first at its meeting last Monday week when an ATV transmission was made from Wilton Park House. Jim EI8GS at his QTH in East Cork had a very enjoyable QSO with club members.
It must be the first time in EI that a club was QRV in this mode at its weekly meeting.
International Marconi Day
International Marconi Day will be held this year on Saturday April 29th The Kerry Wireless Group will be active again this year from the original site of the Marconi Station in Ballybunion using the original callsign YXQ as EI6YXQ.
They will mount a display of weather fax, NAVTEX and an array of computer assisted technology for radio.
Members of Wicklow Wireless Society will operate EI3IMD from Moran Park House in Dun Laoghaire.
Dates for your Diary
The IRTS 2 Metres Counties Contest will be held on Easter Monday April the 24th.
The Enniskillen Rally will be held on Sunday April the 30th at the Killyhevlin Hotel.
The Windmills special event will be held on May the 12th and 13th.
The Worked All Ireland Island Activity weekend will be held over the third weekend in June, that’s the 17th and 18th.
The International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend will be held on August 19th and 20th. 40 stations have confirmed their participation to date. If you want to get involved, please inform Mike GM4SUC at gm4usc@compuserve.com The Marino Institute of Education will host Celticon 2000 – a QRP Radio Convention on September 1st to 3rd next. This event is being arranged and organised by the G-QRP Club with assistance from the Dublin QRP Radio Amateur Club.
The Cork Rally will be held in the Blarney Park Hotel on Sunday September the 17th.
Items for inclusion in the Radio News should be phoned to Dave Moore at 021-883555 in the evenings or to 021-823172 during office hours. You may also e-mail to ei4bz@eircom.net or to ei8ir@eircom.net Input for the Newsletter should be sent to Kevin EI7IM at QTHR or by e-mail to ei7im@qsl.net.
Input to either the Radio News or Newsletter can be sent by e-mail to news@irts.ie for automatic forwarding to both news services.
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