Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday November 30th 2003
2 Metres Counties Contest
The autumn leg of the 2 metres Counties Contest took place on Sunday the 31st of August last. It is usually the case that the autumn leg seems to attract less activity than the spring event. VHF conditions also appeared flat on the day.
A total of 14 entries were received along with 3 check logs. It was noted that all entrants submitted high quality logs that were all accurate and legible.
The High Power Fixed section was close run between Hugh EI2HI & Niall EI4CF with Hugh operating from Cork needing a much higher QSO count to take the honours.
Highest Score of the Day went to Tipperary Amateur Radio Group using their EI7T call in Kilkenny amassed a total of 4386 points. This won the high power portable section and included the highest QSO count with 56.
Other notable scores included South Eastern Amateur Radio Group EI2WRC and John Kelly EI4HS in the Low Power portable section with both having around 3500 points and over 50 QSO's each. EI4HS just edged out EI2WRC by less than 200 points. Joe Ryan EI7GY hiked up to Arderin in the Slieve Blooms and recorded an excellent 3500 plus points easily winning the FM section.
Thanks to all who participated and entered the contest. Check logs sent in by SWL Declan EI1445, John EI7JG and Paddy EI7GK were also very welcome. All entrants have been verified as members by Joe EI7GY.
Cork Radio Club
There will be a talk in Cork radio club at Wilton park house on Monday night next, the 1st of December. The topic will be Global Marine Distress and Safety System, which is the current system for communications and distress traffic at sea.
South Dublin Radio Club
The SDR Christmas Party takes place on Tuesday the 16th of December at 8.00 p.m. in the Templeogue Inn, which is known locally as "The Morgue". As with the SDR weekly meetings, visitors are very welcome to attend. One of the highlights of this year's party will be the announcement of the results of the Autumn Challenge, a DX challenge for SDR members only. Rumour has it that the scores of two of the club's top DXers are very close indeed, so it will be interesting to hear who comes out on top.
Packet News
TIPBBS, WITIP and the newly sited EI2WRC-2 node are now all on 144.850 MHz. EI2WRC-2 was recently moved to Mt. Leinster and the interference which was present on 144.850 in the vicinity of WIPIP has ceased so the gateway is now moved back to its original frequency.
EI4LDF Special Event
The EI4LDF (Lee De Forest) amateur radio operation took place on Saturday and Sunday the 22nd and 23rd of November from the Martello Tower, Howth. It celebrated the centenary of Lee deForest's wireless telegraphy experiments and demonstration to engineers of the British Post Office in 1903. A similar deForest station was set up, at that time, near Holyhead. DeForest's demonstration was a complete success with speeds in excess of 30 words per minute being achieved (superior to the Marconi system).
Peadar Slattery EI2JA has written a book on the subject and also had an article published on the experiments in Practical Wireless a few years ago. Peadar was on hand on both days to give a short talk to the unexpectedly large number of visitors.
Mark (EI4FNB), Joe (EI4FV) and Tony (EI5EM) organised the operation setting up of the equipment, while Peadar (EI2JA) gave a short talk at regular intervals.
The HF station was operated by Tony (EI5EM) on his homebrew CW QRP rig which was most fitting for the occasion. Many stations were worked including EI4DO, EI2JD and EI8FI. A Special QSL card will be sent for all contacts. Tony operated around 7.03 MHz and more than half the contacts were with other QRP stations.
EI4FV had PSK31 up and running and also operated 2 metres. EI4FNB was in charge of antenna rigging and flag raising.
A G5RV and a 40m dipole were erected as well as a vertical for 2 metres. EI5EM used the dipole while EI4FV demonstrated PSK31 using the G5RV.
Martello watchtowers were built by the British to give early warning of any attempted invasion by Napoleon. The towers were built around the coastline at various strategic sites. The tower is now the property of Fingal County Council and has recently been refurbished. It is hoped to set up a permanent history museum in the tower with the main emphasis being on radio.
The operation had been a great success and it was with a great sense of achievement that the operators drove down the hill and surrendered the tower to go their separate ways.
4 Meters activity period
The monthly 4 metre activity period will be held on Tuesday evening the 2nd December from 2000 hrs onwards. Monitor frequency will be 70.2625, all modes, vertical or horizontal polarisation. For those interested in the yearly IRTS 4 metre Shield this will be a good opportunity to work some new stations and Maidenhead grid squares.
There has been increased activity over the past 2 months, with active 4 metre operators in Dublin, Tipperary, Cork and Mayo. Some of the active call signs heard were: EI7BA, EI3BF, EI2HI, EI2JF, EI7FAB, EI7IX, EI9JA, EI3IX, EI4HS, EI2IT, EI3DIB. If you are active on 4 metres please let Joe EI3IX know your callsign, location, mode or modes you are using, and antenna polarisation etc. Would be very interested in hearing about any cross band contacts and from any SWL's with radio reports of stations heard.
50 MHz
The 50 MHz UK Activity Contest will take place on Tuesday the 25th of November between 20:00 and 22:30 hours UTC.
TS7N DXpedition to Kerkennah Island
The TS7N DXpedition to Kerkennah Island, off the coast of Tunisia, has been heard loud and clear in Ireland on most bands during the past week. A search through their log shows a huge number of EI QSO's, both on phone and CW. The group, consisting mainly of German and Swiss radio amateurs, has been on the island since the 18th of November last and will be operating in the CQ World-wide contest this weekend.
Tipperary Amateur Radio Group
The Tipperary Amateur Radio Group will hold their Annual Christmas Dinner in the Galtee Inn, Cahir Co. Tipperary on Saturday the 13th of December at 8.00 p.m. sharp. Anyone wising to attend should contact Hugh EI2HI at 087 2333226 immediately as numbers need to be confirmed this weekend. Operators are reminded of the popular monthly 4 metre net taking place on Tuesday the 2nd of December (the first Tuesday of the month). Stations from Tipperary Cork and Kilkenny areas will be operating and monitoring on 70.2625 MHz.
Please note that there will be no monthly meeting in December, and from the New Year all future monthly meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of each month.
South Eastern Amateur Radio Group
A 70cm wide-split repeater is currently on test at the Mt. Leinster site. The repeaters input frequency is 438.550 MHz and output frequency is 430.950 MHz.
The club are currently looking into an alternative site for the 2 metre voice repeater and this repeater will remain off-air for the coming weeks. More news will be announced soon. In the meantime, the IRTS Radio news from Waterford on Tuesday nights will be read on 145.575 MHz.
The next committee meeting of the club will take place on Wednesday next, the 3rd of December. Committee members are asked to attend as this is the last meeting of the 2003.
For latest information and news about the club, visit the clubs website at www.searg.com or e-mail info@searg.com.
Items for inclusion in next weeks Radio News should be forwarded Mark Wall EI7IS. He can be contacted on 087-6302026 or e-mail cyberis@vodafone.ie. 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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