Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 24th August 2014
IRTS 2m Contest 2014
IRTS 2m contest this year takes place today Sunday August 24th and the closing date for the submission of completed logs is September 7th. Full details are available on www.irts.ie/contests
IRTS SSB Field Day Contest
IRTS SSB Field Day Contest takes place on Saturday/Sunday 6th/7th September 2014. The latest day for the submission of logs is 21st September. Full details available from www.irts.ie/contests
EI9E/P is the top of the list in the RSGB's VHF
National Field Day.
The VHF Field Day is taken very seriously by the group who is comprised of the Wexford VHF Group, the East Cork Radio Group and Network Southern Area Radio Experimenters' Group, who have been collaborating for many years on this major logistical exercise.
To get to the top and more importantly to stay on top and ahead of the competition requires a process of continual improvement.
Billy McLoughlin EI7FJ has an unbroken record in 32 years of competing in this event. This year's improvements were again all down to Billy. Radio conditions were disappointing, however the fresh bakewell tart made up for any disappointing propagation.
EI9E/P was the highest scoring station in the 6m and 4m sections and the team was delighted to be the highest overall scoring station in the Open section of the contest. While the group is not eligible for trophies in this UK contest it is delighted to be measured against and to compete directly with the leading UK stations.
South Eastern Amateur Radio Group
The South Eastern Amateur Radio Group will be QRV as EI2WRC/P from the Kilkenny Motor Club Vintage Rally which takes place in St James’s Park (close to St. Luke’s Hospital) Kilkenny on Sunday 31st August (weather permitting). This is our 1st time in attendance at this event and we look forward to showing the hobby off to members of the public. We look forward to making some new friends and seeing our usual visitors too. See www.searg.com for more details
Ireland’s oldest city, Waterford in 2014, celebrates its 1100th birthday. To commemorate and celebrate, SEARG will activate the special event call-sign EI1100WD until the end of the year from various locations. Activity will continue on various bands and modes (mainly HF) with the logbook for the station filling up rapidly and has already over 700 look ups on QRZ in just over a week. If you wish to get EI1100WD in the log, details will be posted on www.searg.com and also on the SEARG Facebook page.
The North Cork Radio Group will hold their 5th anniversary rally on Sunday, 7th September at the Commons Inn, Blackpool, Cork from 11am. NCRG have kindly agreed to permit us to place a donation box for The Southern Ireland Repeater Network at the event. The funds collected will go for the maintenance and up-keep of the network. Many thanks in advance for your generosity.
The August meeting of the SEARG will take place in the Roanmore Social and Sports Centre, Cleaboy Road, Waterford on Monday 25th August at 8.30 p.m. This meeting will be preceded by a committee at 8.00 p.m. sharp. Everyone welcome. Follow us on facebook and on twitte
Practical Wireless September 2014 Edition
The current edition of PW (September 2014) mentions that the ITU Handbook on Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services edition 2014 is now available on the ITU Website. The word version is free to download. It includes general information about the amateur and amateur-Satellite Services, including Allocations and bandplans, extracts of the radio regulations and other texts relevant to the amateur service. The Web address given is : www.itu.int/pub/R-HDB-52-2014
Athlone Calling
Martin Hanley writes to inform us of a very excellent radio documentary on the history of radio in Ireland. The documentary has been produced by Athlone Community Radio and maybe heard by placing the following link in your web browser. www.mixcloud.com/AthloneCommunityRadio/athlone-calling/
Remote Control Stations
At the meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors in Hartford,Connecticut, on 21/22 July 2014, it was noted that: -
The DX Century Club (DXCC) is the premier ARRL award program, and has amateur operator participants worldwide; and Remote controlled stations are becoming more popular and represent new advancements in computer and radio technologies; and Remote controlled stations both commercial “for hire/rent” and private pose both opportunities and challenges within the DXCC program;
Accordingly, the ARRL Board of Directors has tasked its Programs and Services Committee to closely examine this issue and consider the possible advantages, disadvantages and any potential ethical issues as it relates strictly to the DXCC program. The PSC is to report its findings and any recommendations back to the ARRL Board no later than the January 2015 Annual Meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors.
DX News
Bob N7XR will be QRV as VQ9XR from Diego Garcia in the Chagos Archipelago from 26 August until 15 September. He also plans to return there for a further week in October or November. QSLs go via his home call.
Joergen OZ0J will activate KH0/OZ0J from Saipan in the Mariana Islands from 26 August until 2 September. IOTA reference is OC-086 and QSL info is via the home call.
Rick AI5P who was QRV as J3/AI5P in Grenada last week has now moved to Trinidad and Tobago. Look for him signing 9Y4/AI5P between now and 1 September. As usual most activity will be on CW.
Prefix hunters and off-shore radio enthusiasts will be interested in the proposed special event station PD538RNI. This station will commemorate the 40th anniversary on 31 August of the closedown of Radio Veronica and Radio Northsea International. PD538RNI will be active from 28 August until 19 September. QSL Manager is PD0ARI.
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 may be 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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