Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday July 9th 2006
Sympathy
On behalf of the W.A.I we would like to express our deepest sympathy with Paddy EI7GK on the sudden death of his sister Brigid. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam.
VHF/UHF Information
A new page of information on VHF and UHF activities has been added to the IRTS web site www.irts.ie The new page pulls together information of interest to those involved in the amateur bands from 50 MHz upwards. This information includes squares tables, band plans, details of 4 and 6 metre nets and activity nights, as well as links to other sites of interest to the VHF and UHF community.
The Mayo, Galway, Roscommon Radio Experimenters Radio Group hopes to run a 2 metre / 70 cm SSB contest during the month of September this year. The date and contest rules will be announced in the near future.
Licensing Scheme for Community Transmissions
On the 22nd of June, ComReg launched a Wireless Public Address licensing scheme that will allow religious and community organisations to be licensed to transmit services and events for the benefit of people in communities throughout the country.
Eighty 10 kHz channels are being made available between 27.6 MHz and 27.995 MHz. Base station power is to be 1 watt AM and 4 watts FM to a vertical antenna.
The channel at 27.995 MHz is of concern to experimenters. This is only 5 kHz below the lower limit of the 28 MHz amateur band. Some of the existing community broadcasts on the 27 MHz band occupy bandwidths in excess of 10kHz so there is potential for interference from this channel to the exclusive IARU CW allocation at the lower end of the 28 MHz band. At certain times the 28 MHz band is open worldwide so there is a potential for interference to the amateur service in other countries.
The matter is being taken up with ComReg by the Society. It is not yet clear when licences under the new scheme will be issued. However, with the recent controversy about the broadcasting of religious services and the necessity to close down stations in the FM broadcast band, it would be expected that licences will be issued almost immediately.
We would ask experimenters to listen out for these broadcasts particularly in channels close to the lower end of the 28 MHz band. If any of the transmissions encroach in any way on this band try to establish the location and identity of the station concerned and report the matter and the nature of the interference to Sean Nolan EI7CD who is the Society's liaison person with ComReg. Sean's address is OK in the Call Book section of the irts website at www.irts.ie or e-mail to “ei7cd at gofree dot indigo dot ie”.
Kerry Amateur Radio Group
Plans are at an advanced stage for the weekend DXpedition to Beginish Island (near Valentia Island, Co. Kerry) on the 29th and 30th of July. An advance visit to the Island was made by Ron (EI2JP), Conor (EI4JN) and Billy (EI7CQB) recently and potential operating sites were identified. Current plans are to set up on Saturday morning and operate throughout the weekend from the Island. Further information is available from Conor, EI4JN.
AREN News: Global Amateur Radio Emergency Conference
Munster Coordinator Conor EI4JN represented AREN at the recent GAREC conference held in Tampere, Finland. The conference brings together representatives from Amateur Radio Voluntary Emergency communications groups from around the world. A report on the trip will soon be available on the AREN website at www.aren.ie
Marconi Centenary
As part of the Marconi Centenary Celebrations on July the 12th, which marks 100 years since the first transmission across open water in the Southern Hemisphere, VI3MC in Victoria and VI7MC in Devonport, Tasmania, plan to be on the air from the 12th to the 16th of July.
Operation will be on 80, 40 and 20 metres using the following frequencies depending on QRM and usage. 20 metres operation is planned on 14.170 MHz, 40-metre operation will take place on 7.100 MHz and 80- metre operation on 3.570 MHz. Allow for slight change in frequency based on QRM. VI7MC in Tasmania can also be contacted on IRLP node 6616 and EchoIRLP Node on 152375.
World Cup Special Event Stations
The DARC sponsored special event stations have been QRV since the start of the World Cup in Germany. 12 stations with the DR2006-prefix are on the air from each stadium location, 25 stations with the DQ2006- prefix represent districts and DQ2006J is a “YL activities” station. Gold, silver and bronze award certificates are available for working a specified number of the special event stations until the 31st of July. For more information visit www.amateurradio2006.de/_int
DX News
M0AEP is QRV as VP2MDD from Montserrat on SSB and CW from 80 to 6 metres until the 14th of July. QSL is via M0ARP. VK2IR, is QRV as YJ0IR from Vanuatu on SSB from 80 to 10 metres until th 15th of July. QSL is via W3HNK.
Members of Borneo Amateur Radio Club are mounting a DXpedition from Sebatik Island in Borneo. This is the first time for this island to be activated. It is planned to operate as 9M4SEB from around 1100 UTC on the 14th of July until about 0300 UTC on the 17th of July. Activity is planned for 10 to 80 metres SSB and CW using up to three stations simultaneously.
Members of the Limerick Radio Club are QRV as EI60LRC until the end of the year to mark 60 years of the club. Activity is on 80 to 10 metres. QSL is via EI8EM.
Solar News
Giant sunspot 898 is currently breaking apart resulting in shock waves through the sun's atmosphere and radio bursts toward Earth. The sunspot has been active for a number of days and is showing no signs of quieting at the moment.
International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend
This highly popular and ever growing amateur radio event is on again this year from the 19th to the 20th of August.
In 2005 there were 382 lighthouses in 48 countries that registered. This year's event in particular will be dedicated to the memory of its founder and main organiser, Mike Dalrymple GM4SUC, who passed away in December 2005.
The event normally starts at 0001 UTC on the first day of the event and ends at 2359 UTC on the Sunday. This year the event will start at 0002 UTC reserving the first minute in silence as a moment of reflection on Mike's life.
The event is a fun weekend designed to promote amateur radio and lighthouses. It is NOT a contest, so take time to have a chat with the stations contacted and maybe get the public involved as well. On the Sunday the International Association of Lighthouse Keepers will hold their Lighthouse Day opening their lighthouses all around the world to the public. Last year some stations even had the media present taking film of the event.
Full guidelines, an online entry form and a list of entrants are all on the ILLW web site at illw.net together with contact details if you need further information.
So, come along grab a lighthouse and join in the fun. It's also a great opportunity to increase your DXCC contacts and other lighthouse awards.
Dates for Your Diary
IOTA will take place from 1200 UTC on Saturday the 29th of July to 1200 UTC on Sunday the 30th of July.
The Autumn Leg of the 2-metre counties contest will take place on the 27th of August.
The Blarney Rally will take place on September the 24th 2006.
Items for inclusion in next weeks Radio News should be forwarded to Mark Wall, EI7IS at QTHR or by phone to 051-853806 or 087-6302026. Items for the radio news can also be faxed to 087 5 6302026. News should be submitted via e-mail to “news at irts dot ie” for automatic forwarding to both the radio and printed news services. Please note that items for the radio news should reach the editor no later than midday on Friday.
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