Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 2nd September 2012
Licence Examination
There is now just under three weeks left to Thursday 20 September which is the closing date for the next Amateur Station Licence Examination which will be held on Thursday 4th October at 2 p.m.in the ComReg Offices in Dublin.
Full details, including entry procedure, examination fee and how to pay the fee online are available by clicking on the Licence Exam button on the IRTS homepage at www.irts.ie Places for the examination are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Please note that it is necessary to download the application form from the web page and forward the completed form and the appropriate fee in order to secure a place for the examination. If you pay the fee on line you must still complete and forward the application form.
2 Metres Counties Contest
Perhaps it was due to the good weather, but we noticed that there were quite a few portable stations active during last Sunday's counties contest. Two clubs went portable - Dundalk Amateur Radio Society, who operated in their home county of Louth, and Shannon Basin Radio Club who were on Sliabh an Iarainn. We also heard David EI7GEB, who had climbed Sorrell Hill in Wicklow, Pat EI8GZB on Gallows Hill County Clare, Michael EI9GGB who was on Tara Hill in Wexford and Joe EI7GY in County Laois on the Slieve Blooms. There were plenty of fixed stations on the air as well, so the band was reasonably busy for most of the contest. Those who participated should send their logs as soon as possible to contestmanager \at\ irts.ie
IRTS Shop update
Following discussion with our friends at RSGB the Society has agreed to give a 10% discount to IRTS members on purchases from the RSGB Shop. IRTS members should select the “Non members Price” before placing the order and then enter the special IRTS Discount Code during the checkout process. At this point the 10% discount will be calculated. IRTS members, who are also RSGB members, should continue to select the “RSGB Member’s Price” to get the RSGB Member’s discount and not use the IRTS Discount Code. It is not possible to obtain both discounts! The IRTS Discount Code will change from time to time and will be published for members in Echo Ireland. Just follow the ‘Book Sales’ link on the IRTS website.
North Cork Radio Group
NCRG will be hosting their annual Radio Rally & Electronics Fair to be held on Sunday, 9th September 2012 at the Roebuck Room, Commons Inn, Blackpool, Cork.
Doors open at 11am and admission is €5 per person (children are free). Raffle tickets will also be available at the door.
The usual traders will be present. The AREN trailer will also be at the venue and hopes to have a HF /VHF station set up for visitors to see or work from. Due to high demand, anyone wishing to reserve a table, or anyone interested in setting up a stall, should contact Pat Thompson (EI2GHB) on 085 1407715 or Edwin Van Mierlo (EI2HEB) on 086 3885741, or alternatively via email atei2heb /at/ ei1nc.com, as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Special room rates are on offer, with single rooms at €45 and double/twin rooms at €60 (including breakfast), please quote "North Cork Radio Group" when booking. We would like to congratulate Mick EI9GNB and his wife Tip on the birth of their daughter, Amy, born on Saturday, 18thAugust at 13.45pm.
This year Dublin Bus celebrates its 25th Birthday.
To celebrate the event a Special Event Station EI25DB will be aired between 1st July 2012 and 30th June 2013. The station will be operated by current and former employees of Dublin Bus led by Declan EI9HQ and Pete EI4GZB. QSLs to Declan EI9HQ or on LOTW or HamLog.eu
DX News
The multi-national DXpedition to Swain’s Island hope to be QRV by 6 September. This is a separate entity for DXCC purposes and counts as OC-200 for the Island on the Air Award. The callsign to be used is NH8S. The island is owned by the Jennings family and used as a copra plantation. It is culturally a part of Tokelau (ZK3) and has a population of 37 Tokelauans who harvest the island’s coconuts. NH8S will be QRV on all bands until 18 September. Full details can be found on www.nh8s.org
Other Pacific activities in the coming week are KK6WW/KH0 and KH0R operated by JA6EGL and JE6DND from the Mariana Islands. They will be there from 6 – 9 September.
The new E6 prefix will be heard from Niue Island when the calls E6M and E6RS are aired by W7GJ and ZL1RS. Activity is expected to start on 5th September.
Gerard ZS6KX is due to start work on Gough Island later this month. He has applied for the callsign ZD9KX. Gough Island counts as Tristan da Cunha for the DXCC award. This should not be confused with pirate activity from a station signing ZD9KN during August.
Items for inclusion in next week’s Radio News can be submitted via e-mail to “newsteam /at/ irts / dot / ie” for automatic forwarding to both the radio and printed news services. Urgent news items for the radio news maybe telephoned to the radio news editor, Aidan, EI7JC on 085 7100511.
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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