Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 1st May 2016
Silent Key – Matt W2MAT/EI4ID
The death has occurred on 11th April of Matt L Merry W2MAT / EI4ID. Matt was well known throughout the Irish Amateur Radio community for his weekly Irish Hour nets every Sunday, and had many friends whom he looked forward to meeting on air regularly.
His daughter, Peggy, predeceased Matt as she passed away on 20th Feb 2016.
May he rest in peace.
June Edition of Echo Ireland
The deadline of May 15th is fast approaching should you wish to submit club news, articles or items of interest to be considered for publication in the June edition of Echo Ireland.
The editor urges you to make a special effort to submit items. Email: newsteam /at/ irts.ie
Counties Contest
The IRTS 40 Metres Counties Contest takes place next Sunday, 8th May from 12:00 to 15:00 UTC. The objective for EI and GI stations is to make as many contacts as possible during the 3 hour period (work everyone), and for those outside Ireland, to make as many contacts as possible with EI and GI stations. EI and GI counties are multipliers.
The contest has Fixed and Portable sections, with two mode options: SSB Only or SSB/CW. There is also an SWL section. Those planning to operate in the portable sections should familiarise themselves with the "Requirements for Portable Section Entries" in the rules. To encourage more CW operation in the mixed mode sections, there is a final score bonus of 1,000 points for any entry that includes at least 10 valid CW QSOs with EI or GI stations; note also that there is a suggested CW "centre of activity" of 7022.
See www.irts.ie/contests for the full rules, which include specified frequency ranges within the 40 metre band for this contest. Awards are available in each section for the leading Irish station and for the leading station outside Ireland.
Amateur Station Licence Examination
The next Amateur Station Licence Examination will be held on Thursday, 2nd June at:
1. The ComReg Offices in Dublin and 2. The Waterford Institute of Technology.
Those applying for the examination who reside outside the greater Dublin area must write their centre of choice on the top of the application form.
Candidates intending to sit the examination and who have not yet applied are advised to apply immediately.
Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Full details, including entry procedure, examination fee and how to pay the fee on line are available at www.irts.ie/exam .
Please note that it is necessary to download the application form from the web page and forward the completed form and the appropriate fee so as to secure a place for the examination.
If you pay the fee on line you must still complete and forward the application form.
The closing date for receipt of completed applications is Thursday, 19th May.
Three Exam Reports which were previously published in Echo Ireland are available on the Downloads section of the website at www.irts.ie/downloads under Studying for the Harmonised Amateur Radio Examination Certificate.
These reports contain very useful information for anyone studying for the Licence Examination.
Intending candidates are advised to pay particular attention to the syllabus for the examination especially Annexes 1 and 2.
IRTS AGM 2016 – Awards
This week we continue with listing award recipients at the recent AGM. Here are some of the award recipients. The Paddy Smyth Memorial Cup was awarded to Gerry Sheehan, EI5GM/P. Paddy Daly Microphone awarded to Avondhu Radio Club, EI1E/P. The IRTS HF Shield awarded to Tim McKnight EI2KA/P. The Tom Donnellan Cup awarded to Gerard Scannell, EI5KF. The Lough Ree Shield awarded to Mayo Radio Experimenters Network, EI0M/P.
Full details of awards and recipients can be viewed on www.irts.ie/awards
Romania on 5MHz
News has broken that the Romanian telecomms regulator ANCOM has granted YO amateurs access to 5 MHz on a scheduled testing basis, starting 8 Apr 2016 for approximately a year’s duration. At the moment it is limited to the 3 kHz-wide 5363.5 - 5366.5 kHz slot, CW, PSK, RTTY and WSJT (with possibly other digimodes to follow) being permitted. Maximum power allowed is 15W e.i.r.p. and only for those YO hams who wish to register for the testing program.
Initial testing will take place every Thursday around 16.00 UTC, concomitantly with the YO DX QTC Net on 3750KHz.
DX News
A group of three German operators will be QRV from Jericho in Palestine from 8 – 15 May. They will use the callsign E44QX and be on 10 – 80m mainly on CW but also some SSB and RTTY. QSLs will be handled by DF8DX.
Gerd DL7VOG will be active as FM/DL7VOG on the island of Martinique from 6th May to 6th June. He will make a side trip during that time to St Lucia where he has applied for the callsign J68GU. The dates for the St Lucia visit are 12th to 22nd May. Operation from both locations will be mainly CW and RTTY on all bands 80m to 6m. QSLs can be applied for via ClubLog OQRS.
Uli DJ9XB will operate holiday style as SV9/DJ9XB from the island of Crete from 10th to 20th May. He will be on all bands 40m to 6m with the focus on 6m. QSL to the home call.
Prefix hunters may be interested in working PI35ETL. This special station is to mark the 35th anniversary of the founding of Section 54 of VERON – the Dutch IARU member society. QSLs will be sent automatically via the bureau.
Dundalk Amateur Radio Society EI7DAR
DAR will hold their AGM next Wednesday night, 4th of May 2016 at 8.30pm sharp at Larkin House, 113 Castletown Road, Dundalk. Everyone is asked to make a special effort to attend this meeting.
DAR have organised a Radio Shacks Photography Competition. As it is a photographic competition emphasis should be on a quality photograph. Any shack of any size is eligible.
You must email your photograph of no less than 1meg and no more than 3meg in jpeg format to myshack/at/ ei7dar/dot/com.
You must submit your shack photo alongside a small monetary fee, details of the amount can be viewed on club website www.ei7dar.com
For your convenience you are asked to make the payment through Paypal, at ei7dar.com.
Winners will be announced at the 2017 IRTS AGM in Dundalk. Full details are on ei7dar.com
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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