Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 30th December 2012
Silent Key
It is with great regret that we inform you of the sudden death on Christmas Day of Roy Cookman EI7H of Churchtown in Dublin. Funeral arrangements are not yet available. Roy with Jim EI2BB constructed the IRTS Hal Hodgens Trophy. He was a great CW operator and was a telegraphist in the Royal Navy during the Korean war and subsequently worked for Pye Telecommunications. To his wife Betty and to his son and daughter we extend our sincerest sympathy. May he rest in peace.
New MF Allocation
We have been informed by ComReg that the band segment 472 to 479 kHz becomes available to all licensed radio amateurs here, on a secondary basis, with effect from 1 January 2013. The maximum power is 5 watts (7 dBW) and the modes available are CW, QRSS, and narrow band digital modes. Stations in the Amateur service operating in this band shall not cause harmful interference to, or claim protection from, stations of the aeronautical radionavigation service or stations of the maritime service. The amateur service shall ensure that no harmful interference is caused to the frequency 490 kHz which is used exclusively for the transmission by coast stations of navigational and meteorological and urgent information to ships. This announcement arises from a decision taken at WRC-12 and is the result of a number of years of lobbying by the IARU and its Member Societies worldwide. The Test Licence held from ComReg by IRTS under which a number of licensed amateurs were given permission to operate in the band segment 501 to 504 kHz expires on 2 January 2013. Licensed amateurs who had received such permission must cease operation on 501 to 504 kHz as and from Wednesday next, 2 January at the latest. The Society appreciates that ComReg has made this new allocation available to licensed radio amateurs from the earliest date possible under the WRC-12 decision.
EI13CLAN
As you may be aware, 2013 sees a major event entitled ‘The Gathering’ being promoted both at home and abroad to engage with the Irish Diaspora around the globe. This is a 32 county, cross border, initiative and given the unique ability of Amateur Radio to communicate so effectively, the Society will support the initiative by way of a variety of events and programmes during the year. We will announce particulars early in the new year by way of bulletins on the radio news service, a dedicated page on the IRTS website and of course in Echo Ireland. ComReg has issued to the Society a special event callsign ‘EI 13 CLAN’ which will be active through out the year, much as our ‘EI 80 IRTS’ call was used in 2012.
We expect that the callsign will generate quite a lot of interest from overseas operators, particularly in the U.S., who have Irish roots, so if there are any members who have a particular interest in genealogy and who would be willing to assist with any such queries please contact Seamus EI8BP, or any member of the committee.
Any member wishing go on air with EI13CLAN should contact Dave EI6AL at dave.ei6al /at/ gmail.com or by phone on 0861000000.
IRTS 80m Counties Contest 2013.
The date for the 2013 IRTS Winter 80m Counties Contest is Tuesday 1st January.
Check the rules at: www.irts.ie/cgi/showrules.cgi?80m Please notice Rule 4.4 and 4.5 and keep the portion of the band between 3.650 and 3.700 clear for non-contesters.
Also notice the change in Rule 10.1 which states Entries must be received by the Contest Manager not more than 14 days after the contest.
Coolmine Radio Rally
Coolmine rally will be held at the Coolmine Community School on Sunday 10th February 2013. Doors open at 8.30am for traders and for member of the public at 11.30am. Admission is €5.00. Usual traders will attend and there will be a bring and buy sale. Tea and refreshments available all day during the event. Unlimited free car parking available. To book a table for the rally please call the following: Tom, 01 8211043 or Tony, 087 2439997. Everyone welcome to this excellent annual event.
DX News
Max DJ4EL has been active as XE1/DJ4EL over the Christmas period. He will leave Mexico on 2 January and commence operation as V31ME from Belize on 3 January. While in Belize he will be located on Ambergris Caye which is IOTA NA-073. He will make a side trip to Long Caye (IOTA NA-123) from 5 – 12 January. He leaves for home on 17 January.
A number of Japanese operators will be QRV from Palau from 9 -14 January. Callsigns to look for are T88SM, T88CP and T88HK. Activity will be on all bands 80 – 10m SSB and CW. QSLs go via the home calls.
JG7PSJ will be QRV from Ogasawara from 30 December until 4 January. He will use the callsign JD1BMH. QSL info is via his home call.
Nao JN1RVS has been on the island of Montserrat over Christmas signing VP2MRV. His trip ends on 3 January. QSL Manager is JA1HGY
South Eastern Amateur Radio Group
The next meeting of SEARG will take on the 28th of January 2013 in the Roanmore Social and Sports Centre, Cleaboy Road, Waterford at 8.30 p.m. The meeting will be preceded by a committee meeting at 8.00 pm. New members are always welcome.
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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