Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday March 11th 2007
IRTS 75th Annual General Meeting
Arrangements are well in hand for the Society’s 75th Annual General Meeting to be held at the Vienna Woods Hotel in Cork on Sunday April 22nd. The weekend celebrations will follow the usual format with the 75th Jubilee Dinner being held on the Saturday night. Tickets prices have been maintained at last years level and are great value at only 30 Euro.
Several high profile international guests will attend the dinner and AGM and included are Dave Sumner K1ZZ, Secretary of the International Amateur Radio Union and C.E.O. of the ARRL, the American National Society. Also joining us will be the Chairman of Region 1 IARU Ole Garpestad LA2RR and the Presidents of several other sister national societies in Region 1.
All the rooms at the Vienna Woods Hotel have been reserved and there are still a few available and these must be booked through Dave EI4BZ. For those not wishing to stay at the Vienna Woods Hotel, there is an IBIS Hotel very near the venue and the rates there are 82 Euro for a double room and 60 Euro for a single room. Bookings should be made directly with the IBIS Hotel on 021-4354354. If anybody needs a B & B or Hostel organised, contact Dave EI4BZ on 087-6290574.
The Committee is obliged by rule to nominate members for the positions of President, Vice President and eleven committee positions. These nominations will be carried in the upcoming issue of Echo Ireland. This does not preclude other nominations for any of the positions and further nominations must be made to the Secretary within fourteen days of receiving the committee’s lists of nominations. Members should read rule 23 covering nominations for office.
The Society has several awards for honouring members who have excelled in some aspect of the hobby. Nominations for these awards are now being sought and should be forwarded to the Awards Manager, Peter Grant EI4HX. Members in possession of trophies since last years AGM are requested to arrange for their return to EI4HX or any committee member as soon as possible. The AGM rally will be held on Sunday April 22nd at the Vienna Woods Hotel and requests for tables should be directed to Dave EI4BZ on 087-6290574. There will be no charge for tables, which will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Rallies
On Saturday the 24th of March, the Lagan Valley Amateur Radio Society holds its rally in Lisburn. The date of the Lough Erne Amateur Radio Show has been changed to Sunday the 22nd of April at the Share Centre Lisnaskea Co. Fermanagh.
AFRI 75
Final testing of the equipment and antennas for the expedition has taken place in Swaziland and South Africa in recent weeks and signal reports back here in EI have been excellent. Irish stations with 100 watts and simple wire antenna have been worked with ease on 20 and 17 metres. Two of the team are already on route, while the remaining team members will fly out next Wednesday. Some limited operation is expected from Swaziland on Friday next while the remaining antennas are installed, but the expedition will be fully QRV for Saint Patrick's Day on Saturday the 17th of March. The team also expect to be QRV on 2 metres and perhaps 6 metre EME over next weekend. Watch the DXpedition page on the IRTS website for daily updates and there is a direct link there to the OH cluster so you should have no problem finding what bands and modes the team are using at any time of the day or night.
Theory Examination
The next Theory Examination for the Experimenters Licence will be held on Thursday the 28th of June next. Places for the examination are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. In order to reserve a place for the exam, intending candidates should forward the appropriate fee to Seán Nolan EI7CD, 12 Little Meadow, Pottery Road Dunlaoghaire, Co. Dublin. The fee is 50 Euro or 25 Euro for full time registered students, those who are retired, are unemployed or have a disability. In addition to the exam centre at the ComReg offices in Dublin, consideration will be given to holding an examination on the same date and with the same paper at a location that would suit those at present attending the classes in Cork and Waterford subject to there being sufficient candidates and to a suitable venue being made available locally.
The closing date for the examination is the 16th of June and it will be strictly adhered to. Sean EI7CD's address again is 12 Little Meadow, Pottery Road, Dunlaoghaire, Co. Dublin and it can be found in the call book section of the IRTS website at www.irts.ie Sean's e-mail address for further enquiries is "ei7cd at gofree dot indigo dot ie".
South Eastern Amateur Radio Group
A draw will take place at the general meeting on Wednesday the 28th of March next. One winner will be "drawn from a hat" and the person whose name is drawn will win a pair of tickets to the IRTS AGM Dinner including overnight accommodation for two in the Vienna Woods Hotel.
There are no tickets and no cost to entering. In order to be eligible for automatic entry to the draw, your membership subscription for 2007 must be fully paid up at or before the meeting on Wednesday the 28th.
George Stritch Memorial Shield
Johnny Maloney EI 1CY has recently been awarded the Fingal Radio Club 'George Stritch Memorial Shield'. This shield is awarded to a fellow Fingal Radio Club member who in the eyes of fellow members has excelled throughout the past year in their services to the Club or indeed to Amateur Radio in general.
We would also like to take this opportunity to wish Johnny a speedy recovery as he has not been well of late.
Solar Minimum
According to K7RAs weekly propagation forecast, this month just might be the bottom of the cycle. NOAA predicts that the smoothed sunspot number for March 2007 will be 11.3, and it rises after that through the end of the year.
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 in order to be guaranteed inclusion in the following Sunday’s bulletin.
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