Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday April 13th 2003
Dalkey Island Group
Keith Martin, ex EI4FBB, now EI4JM, one of the Dalkey Island Contest Group operators, will be stationed in YA, Afghanistan, for the next year. He is working with the aid agency Concern, looking after their HF communications and computer IT systems. He hopes to be QRV on the amateur frequencies once he gets his YA licence sorted out. Despite some recent operations, YA is still on the DXCC most wanted list so we guess he will be kept busy. He also expects to be QRV from Tajikistan, EY8, just to the north of YA. Further information will be available as it becomes available.
Still with the Dalkey Island Contest Group, they plan to be QRV from the Aran Islands for this year's IOTA contest in July. Sean, EI4GK, and his group who have activated this island group for this contest for the past number of years have other plans, so the Dalkey crew have decided to step into the breech and try their luck from the west coast for a change. We guess there are just no islands off YA!!
Cork Radio Club
This year the Blarney rally will be held on Sunday the 21st of September at the Blarney Park Hotel, Co. Cork. The official website of the Blarney Rally is www.blarneyrally.com
The Cork Radio Club meets every Monday night at Wilton Park house Wilton.
DX Cluster News
Since Saturday the 29th of March the South Co. Dublin DX Packet Cluster node at Shankill has been using the callsign EI7SDX and associated NETROM node callsign EI7SDX-9. The Wicklow DX Packet Cluster node at Bray has changed its callsigns to EI7WDX and EI7WDX-9 respectively. These nodes are now managed by the Two Counties DX Cluster Group. Contact EI3IO, by email at shandx@connogue.com or EI6CPB, wdx@ei6cpb.net for further details.
Terenure Rally
The Terenure rally will take place in the Terenure college concert hall on the 25th of May doors open at 12.00 O'clock. For tables please contact George EI2CPB on 4908546 or leave message on 086 2586103. There will be the normal refreshments available. Details are also available by e-mailing adjayeg@dcu.ie.
Declan Lennon EI9HQ
Well known mobile operator, island hopper and Contester Declan Lennon EI9HQ has had a very busy year.
He recently received his Worked All US Counties initial certificate as well as his certificate for first place EI on 10 metres in last years WPX SSB contest. As previously reported, he travelled to Poer Head, the home of the East Cork Group, to participate in the recent Ten-Ten contest and finished in 10th place in the world. Congratulations to Declan. Declan's future plans include a trip to Arranmore Island off Donegal for the Islands On The Air contest next July. The WAI square is B61 Donegal and he also plans to activate the lighthouse on the Island during his visit.
IRTS AGM
The Irish Radio Transmitter Society Annual General Meeting will take place on Sun April the 27th at 2.30 p.m. in Jury's Green Isle Hotel, Naas Road, Dublin 22.
VHF News
The Spring leg of the 2 meters Counties contest takes place on Monday the 21st of April. All experimenters should make a special effort to come up on air as the contest is only two hours in duration (1400 - 1600hrs). There was a good mix last year of portable and base stations, hopefully this Contest will have a similar mix. (See the IRTS handbook for the current Contest rules).
Straight after the Counties contest there will be a 4 meter activity period (1600hrs onwards). As quite a number of experimenters use portable locations (high ground etc) for the Counties contest bringing along an extra rig and antenna should not present too much extra burden! The 4 meters activity period will also be a good opportunity to work a few EI squares.
70.262.5 MHz will be the calling frequency for the activity period. Vertical or horizontal polarisation. Modes of operation to be AM, FM or SSB. Talk back on 145.225 MHz FM.
S.O.T.A. - Don't forget EI7GY launched "Summits On The Air" (Ireland) on the 15th of March this year. For those operators interested in the SOTA end of the hobby before or after the Counties Contest might also be an ideal opportunity to get points from any of the portable stations on high ground.
Just to remind everyone, Squares table 2003 is running. The 6 metre end of things has been quite so far this year but 2 metres & 70 Centimetres has been a little busier, all inputs for the table appreciated.
Tipperary Amateur Radio Group
Members of the Tipperary Amateur Radio Group accompanied the walkers taking part in the Glen of Aherlow Walking Festival on both Saturday and Sunday of last weekend. There were 3 walks on both day. The "A" Walk on Saturday was a distance of 14km with a climb of 1000m followed by a Hike on Sunday of 19km lasting 6-8 hours the "B" Walk on both days was a distance of 10km a climb of 800m, the "C" Walk on Saturday and Nature Trail on Sunday were mostly for families and children. In all 290 people took part.
The weather conditions were ideal and the club members rendered assistance in a couple of incidents when injury occurred and people got lost. Base was established in the Foot bar Rossadrehid and was operated by Hazel EI9IZ. Members who accompanied the walks were, Hugh EI2HI, John EI2JB, John EI7IG, Tommy EI2IT, Joe EI5GE, Eddie EI3FFB, and Paul EI3ENB. VHF and UHF were used in the rough terrain with continuous communications at all times with UHF proving very reliable.
DX News
VP8ROT is active from Rothera base on Adelaide Island, Antarctica. The island counts as AN-001 for the RSGB IOTA awards. The station has been active on 20 metres between 0200 and 0500 UTC.
8Q7VR is active from the Maldives May. QSL information is via UR9IDX.
Items for inclusion in next weeks Radio News should be forwarded Mark Wall EI7IS. He can be contacted on 087-6302026. News can also be submitted via e-mail to news@irts.ie for automatic forwarding to both the radio and printed news services.
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