Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 23rd August 2009
Next Theory Examination
The 21st of September is the closing date for applications to sit the next Theory Examination for an Amateur Station Licence which will be held on Tuesday the 6th of October at 2p.m in the ComReg Offices in Dublin. To reserve a place at the exam intending candidates should forward the appropriate fee to Sean Nolan EI7CD, 12 Little Meadow, Pottery Road, Dunlaoghaire, Co. Dublin.
The fee is 50 Euro or 25 Euro for full-time registered students, repeat candidates and those who are retired, unemployed or have a disability. Cheques and Money Orders should be made payable to the IRTS. When forwarding the exam fee intending candidates should enclose their postal address as well as phone and e-mail contact details. Sean's e-mail address for any further enquiries is “ei7cd at gofree dot indigo dot ie”
Intending candidates should note in particular, that in Section B of the paper – National and International Rules and Operating Procedures’- questions on the National Rules will be based on the new Wireless Telegraphy (Amateur Station Licence) Regulations 2009 which came into force on I June 2009. These Regulations and other matters in relation to the operation of amateur stations can be found in the ‘Amateur Station Licence Guidelines’ published by ComReg in Document 09/45 which is available on the ‘Publications’ section of the ComReg website at www.comreg.ie
There is also some very useful information available under ‘Radio Theory’ in the ‘Links’ section of the IRTS website at www.irts.ie
IRTS 2m Counties Contest
Next Sunday the 30th of August is the date for the Autumn 2m counties contest. It takes place between 14.00 and 16.00 local. The full rules are available on the IRTS website under the contest tab.
70cms Activity Hour
To try to promote activity and see if it is worthwhile to run a 70cms Counties contest. We will be having a 70cms activity hour following the 2m contest on Sunday the 30th August. Both FM and SSB stations will be welcome and both Calling channels will be monitored.432.2 for SSB and 433.5 for FM users.
We look forward to hearing many portable and fixed stations on the day.
3DA0SS Swaziland
David, GI4FUM, has returned from Swaziland and reports that the 3DA0SS expedition was a big success. Around 20,000 QSOs were made, many of them on the data modes. The International Scout Camp was also a great success with the scouts learning many new development skills.
The IRTS committee, with the agreement of the CQIR Contest sponsor, Dargle Builders Limited, agreed that the excess in the contest fund which amounted to more than 1,000 Euro, should be donated to the Swazi scouts towards the cost of providing clean water at their campsite.
While David was there, the new pump was installed and commissioned and clean water is now available for all the camp needs. Following the AFRI75 expedition to Swaziland and the resultant publicity for the Scout Project there, many individual Society members donated monies for projects at the campsite. We are happy to act as a conduit for any such funding and if you are interested in helping you should contact Paul EI2CA or David GI4FUM.
ARRL Celebration
This year, the ARRL is honouring the 140th anniversary of the birth of the League's first president and cofounder. Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW, was born on 2nd September 1869.
The operating event is open to all amateurs, and the goal is straightforward: Find the stations adding /140 to their call signs, and contact as many as possible during the event period from 2-9th September. The /140 will be signed by any ARRL member who holds and ARRL appointment.
There will be a Certificate available for anyone who works at least 25 of the /140 Celebration stations
Time Period: 0000 UTC September 2 until 2400 UTC September 9.
Exchange: All stations signing /140 send RS(T), their appointment and their name; others send RS(T) and their name. More details and deadline application on www.arrl.org
Dave Court EI3IO
Dave will be moving to Bahrain (A9) on 28 August, initially for a period of 2 years. No call-sign information is available as yet. However you may find Dave on 20m in A9 from September onwards, depending on the time it takes to obtain residency etc.
A QTH has been chosen which appears to be good for all bands 160m to VHF. Subject to licensing restrictions, Dave plans to be QRV on most MF, HF and low VHF bands. Equipment being taken includes an Elecraft K3 transceiver, Acom 1000 amplifier, yagis for 14 MHz to 70 MHz and an 18 metre Spider Beam fibre glass support for MF and low HF verticals.
It should be noted that 600m, 60m, 6m and 4m are currently not available in A9. EI3IO will still be QRV from Ireland during the next few years, during vacation trips to the family home in Shankill, where family members will still be resident. The Dublin DX Cluster EI7SDX will also remain QRV with internet access only - click shandx.ath.cx/cgi-bin/ei7sdx.cgi or telnet://EI7SDX.ath.cx:7300 for access."
MFJ ACQUIRES CUSHCRAFT AMATEUR ANTENNAS
In industry news, MFJ Enterprises, Inc., of Starkville, Mississippi has purchased the Cushcraft Amateur Radio Antennas Product Line from Laird Technologies, St. Louis, Missouri.
The sale was effective July 31, 2009 and MFJ has announced that Cushcraft products will continue to be manufactured in Manchester, New Hampshire.
30 Meter Multi-Mode Weekend
This weekend, the Amateur radio 10 MHz (30 metre) band will be alive with digital signals during the multi-mode weekend.
The objective is to promote experimenting and using different digital modes on unique 30 Meter Band. A number of digital mode groups will be participating this weekend so if you wanted to try out a mode you have thought about trying here is your chance to get on the 30 Meter Band to try those digital modes and/or try a digital mode software that includes multiple digital modes.
This is NOT a contest.. no set times.. no rules.. no exchanges.. no winners other than those that participate with casual use of the 30 Meter Band to experiment, rag chew, DX and have some fun!
Crossakiel Amateur Radio Association
C.A.R.A would like to thank all the stations that made their first club event a success. The Club meets every Wednesday at 8pm in the Welcome Wagon in Crossakiel. Everyone is welcome to attend.
This week in History
1919 George Fisk of AWA does first radio 'broadcast' in OZ.
1932 The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) began its first experimental TV broadcast in England.
Items mentioned in the IRTS Radio news are of a general, educational or informative nature, there is no guarantee that stations mentioned can be heard or worked.
Items for inclusion in next weeks Radio News should be
forwarded to Charlie EI8JB, preferably via e-mail to “charlie dot Carolan at gmail dot com” Or by phone to 087-6265418 News can also be submitted via e-mail to “newsteam 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 Thursday in order to be guaranteed inclusion in the following Sunday’s bulletin.
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