Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday July 7th 2002
Amateur Radio Station at Tower Hill, Howth
At Howth, last weekend the 29th and 30th of June an interesting commemoration took place at the Martello Tower. Radio Amateurs set up a Special Event Station in the Tower and put up long wire antennas as Lee de Forest, an early American Radio pioneer had done at Howth in 1903. The Radio operator at Howth, almost one hundred years ago was Harry Mac Horton who sent Morse signals to another station at South Stack Lighthouse, Wales, sixty miles away across the Irish Sea to demonstrate the De Forest System to the Post Office. Henry Pomeroy, the G.P.O's senior telegraph engineer came out from Dublin to monitor everything.
On the recent radio weekend Joe EI4FV set up the Station ably assisted by Gearoid O Laoi. Radio operators were Joe EI7GW, Paul EI3FKB and Peadar EI2JA. Visitors to the Station included members of the Howth Peninsula Heritage Society and especially welcome was Brian Campbell, son of the late Joe Campbell EI4B of Sutton. Brian recalled to the Group many memories of his Father's Station at Sutton, such as; the joy of listening to the CW, the Family gatherings at National Field days, erecting beams and dealing with the aftermath of towers coming down in high winds. Joe P. Campbell EI4B, together with Howard Duncan and Colonel Meade Dennis EI2B were founder members of the Dublin Wireless Club on the 25th of June 1913.
Brian had a special request to obtain one of his Father's QSL Cards. EI4B to add to his collection of souvenirs. Can any body help? If so contact Joe EI4FV at QTHR.
The Station at Howth EI4LDF was a practice run for the Lee de Forest centenary celebrations which will take place next year and have been possible through the work and cooperation of Fingal County Council, Howth-Sutton Lions Club, the Howth Peninsula Heritage Society and the Bayside Scout Radio Group.
Trip to Inishkea The planned trip to the Inishkea south Island by Joe EI3IX has had to be again rescheduled due to weather conditions. It is necessary for winds to be below 20 mph in order for the ferry to sail. It is hoped that the trip will go ahead on Sunday the 4th of August.
Blind and Disabled Group EI5HAM
Theory examinations took place at St. Joseph's School for Visually Impaired Boys on May 22nd and 3 members have been successful in obtaining the B license. The three are; John Doherty from Letterkenny, Michael Heapsy from Wexford and Bernard Reilly from Longford. This years success brings a total of 17 new calls tutored by John EI6HL for the Group. The Group gratefully acknowledge receipt of a Morse Code Tutor from Rob EI2IQ and 2 cassette Tape players from John EI9JG to assist the boys in learning the Code for the next stage of their license.
XE1/EI7GK
Paddy EI7GK will be QRV from his daughters' house in Mexico during the month of July. Listen out for XE1/EI7GK on SSB on 14.268MHz, 18.115MHz and 21.317MHz and if conditions permit on 7.068MHz. He will be calling CQ for EI, GI and MI stations and will take part in the Irish hour on Sundays on 21.317MHz.
While Paddy is QRV from Mexico, Nuacht as Gaeilge will be read by EI6HY.
South Eastern Amateur Radio Group
The next general meeting of South Eastern Amateur Radio Group will take place at 8.00 p.m. on Wednesday the 31st of July 2002 at the Roanmore Social and Sports Centre, Cleaboy Road, Waterford. All members are asked to attend and visitors are welcome.
Slievenamon Perpetual 70cm Trophy 2002
The Slievenamon Perpetual Trophy will be awarded to the station that achieves the highest number of points in a 70cm's only competition.
Tipperary Amateur radio Group hopes that this award will in part encourage activity on the 70cm band throughout the month of July. The competition is to be restricted annually to all Sundays over the month of July and only FM simplex contacts are valid. Contacts can be made mobile, portable and stationary. This is an IRTS members only competition and standard competition logs are to be submitted to the IRTS Contest Manager ei2jc@hotmail.com before the 31st of August. For further details please e-mail TRG secretary at john.burke@honeywell.com.
Space News
Amsat-Oscar 7 which was launched in 1974 and went quiet in 1981 due to battery failure is back on air two decades after it died. New contacts via the satellite, which is running purely on it's solar, panels have been reported. The satellite is operational in Mode-A.
Upcoming Events
The IARU HF World Championship (CW/SSB) will take place on the 13th and 14th of July.
The International Lighthouse / Lightship weekend will take place on the weekend of the 17th and 18th of August 2002.
Items for inclusion in Echo Ireland should be forwarded to Dave Moore EI4BZ at 021-4883555. Items can also be submitted to Dave by e-mail at ei4bz@eircom.net.
Items for inclusion in the Radio News should be forwarded to Mark Wall EI7IS at QTHR or via e-mail to ei7is@qsl.net or cyberis@e-merge.ie. Items can also be sent to Mark over the phone at 087-6302026.
News can also be submitted via e-mail to news@irts.ie for automatic forwarding to both news services.
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