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IRTS Weekly Radio News Bulletin Sunday 6th August 2017


Publications Library

Did you know that the IRTS Publications Library at www.irts.ie/library contains a wide selection of copies of old IRTS newsletters? Some date back as far as 1948. Once again we are asking members to have a look through their bookshelves and attics to find copies of some of the missing newsletters. Séamus EI8BP or Joe EI7GY will look after scanning and uploading any newly-unearthed publications.


Islands On The Air

The IOTA contest, held last weekend, was as usual well supported by Irish stations. Club stations and other groups heard on the mainland included EI0W (Dundalk Amateur Radio Society), EI9E (Network Southern Area Radio Experimenters Club), EI7M (East Cork Amateur Radio Group) and EI2KM (Grande County Louth DX Alliance). Offshore islands were also on the air, with members of Stockport Radio Society on Arranmore using the call sign EJ8KO, while Col MM0NDX was on Bere Island with Jeremy EI5GM, using the call sign EJ3HB. In addition, at least 20 individual EI and GI stations were active during the contest.

Band conditions were reasonably good, with some good DX openings; 10 metres opened for a while on Sunday morning, and we also noticed some good short skip on 20 metres, allowing British mainland and coastal island stations to be worked on this band.


Limerick Radio Club

A reminder that Limerick Radio Club will, for the 6th year in succession, operate from Loop Head Lighthouse for the International Lighthouse & Lightship Weekend on the 19th and 20th August. It is a very popular event with an average of 14 club members participating at various times over the 2 days. It is planned to operate two stations at Loop Head and also to air some of the WAW call signs over that weekend. Most help will be required for set up of the stations which will begin on Friday 18th from about 14:00 with take down from about 14:00 on Sunday the 20th. The HF rigs will include ICOM and Kenwood with a Cushcraft A4S Antenna including a telescopic mast. This mast will be utilised for a G5RV, Off center fed dipole and also for anyone wishing to try out an antenna.

It is a great opportunity for anyone interested in amateur radio, including short wave listeners, to get familiar with Amateur Radio from set up of stations, to operating and take down. Attendance at any time over the weekend is very much appreciated.


Mayo Radio Experimenters club

The Mayo Radio Experimenters club holds its meetings in the Breaffy House Hotel, near Castlebar on the first Wednesday of each month. At its recent meeting on Wednesday night the 2nd of August, it was decided that the club would arrange to activate the Blacksod Lighthouse for the weekend of August 19th & 20th. The club members plan to travel to the location on Saturday morning and work throughout the night until Sunday evening. The Blacksod Lighthouse is well and truly situated on the Wild Atlantic Way, locator square IO44XC, therefore the WAW call-sign IO44WAW designated to Co Mayo will be in use by the club members for the entire event on all bands hf/vhf /uhf.

More information is available on the website ei7mre.org


North Cork Radio Group

NCRG will be holding their annual Radio and Electronics Rally on Sunday 10th September at The Commons Inn, Blackpool, Cork. As per usual doors open at 11am and admission is €5 per person, with under 16s free. A raffle will also be held on the day with tickets available at the door. Anyone wishing to book a table, please contact Lisa EI9GSB on 086 8427756.


DX News

Two Alaskan IOTA islands will be activated by Mike VE7ACN in the coming weeks. Firstly he will sign AL3/AA7CH from Hinchinbrook Island (IOTA NA-042) from 9th – 15th August. This will be followed by NL6/AA7CH from Kayak Island (IOTA NA-157) from 18th – 28th August. All QSL to his Canadian call.

Several members of the Black Sea Contest Group will be QRV as 4L0GF in Georgia until 13th August. Activity will be on all bands 160 – 10m CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL Manager is F5RAV.

Alex F4GHS will be operating holiday style from two different locations in the South Cook Islands from 7th – 25th August. He will use the callsign E51GHS. QSLs go via his home call.

A group of South African operators will be active as ZS9V from Robben Island from 9th – 13th August. They plan to be on SSB and CW. The IOTA reference number is AF-064. Robben Island is where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned from 1964 – 1982. QSL via M0OXO OQRS.


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, Mark EI6HPB on 086 355 2370.

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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