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IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 10th December 2017


Silent Key

We regret to inform you of the death of Derek McGonagle EI7CHB of North Strand, Skerries, Co. Dublin. Derek was an active member of the North County Radio Club in Skerries. Derek died on 29 November in Beaumont Hospital and his funeral took place on Saturday the 2nd of December. To his wife Marguerite, to his extended family and to all his friends in amateur radio we extend out sincerest sympathy. May he rest in peace.


Echo Ireland

The winter edition of Echo Ireland, the society's journal, is currently being printed and will shortly be mailed to members. News from around the clubs includes details of overseas visits, contest operating, demonstration and JOTA stations and lots more, with contributions from Avondhu Radio Club, Kerry Amateur Radio Group, Mayo Radio Experimenters as well as the Shannon Basin, Dundalk and Tipperary clubs.

There is a full report on DX Féile, the EIDX group's October gathering on Inis Mór, as well as the group's plans for a DXpedition to Malawi in 2018. Another major event in October - the successful direct contacts from schools in Dublin and Cork with the International Space Station - is also covered.

Don EI6IL tells us how beacon monitoring can be used to explore HF band conditions and work DX on bands that might initially seem dead, while Keith EI5KJ focuses on VHF DX with the help of amateur radio satellites. Another aspect of the hobby, Amateur Television, is well covered in an article by Steve EI4KM, who explains why he and other ATV operators have moved to digital ATV systems.

The latest Echo Ireland includes the regular columns on HF Happenings, the Excerpts from the HX Files and Contest News. Also, there are extensive reports on the issues covered in the recent IARU conference in Germany, where many topics of interest to radio amateurs - ranging from EMC issues to the future of the hobby - were considered. All in all, plenty of reading!


Wild Atlantic Way

As we enter the final 3 weeks of the WAW initiative, we need to keep up the momentum that has been evident over the past 3 weeks. Thanks to all who are making the effort - it is very much appreciated. The QSL manager, and indeed individuals, continue to get requests for the last one or two WAW calls to make up all 9. Help is again requested from licensed individuals and clubs, operating in EI, to increase the number of QSOs - so please contact the coordinators. For more information checkout the IRTS web site at www.irts.ie and from the activities menu on the top of the page, choose “Wild Atlantic Way”, where you will find the list of coordinators under Wild Atlantic Way - Operators Wanted


Limerick Radio Club

The Limerick Radio Club December meeting will be held in the Limerick Institute of Technology this Thursday the 14th December starting at 19:30. All are welcome. For old 'sparkies' and others, Harry EI2KL, will give a talk about what life is like at sea these days. He's been there recently and lived to tell the tale.


South Eastern Amateur Radio Group

The South Eastern Amateur Radio Group would like to wish all their radio friends and their families in Ireland and around the world a very happy and peaceful Christmas 2017 and every good wish for the new year ahead. They hope 2018 brings you all wealth, good health and plenty of new DXCC’s

There will not be a December meeting of the group. Their next meeting will be on Monday the 29th of January 2018 in the Roanmore Social and Sports Centre, Cleaboy Road, Waterford at 8.00 p.m. sharp. At this meeting Keith EI5KF will be doing a show and tell on working amateur radio satellites entitled "Satellites made simple!". New members or anyone interested in learning more about amateur radio or the group are as always very welcome to attend.

For anyone that wishes to find out more about the South Eastern Amateur Radio Group and their activities you can come along to any of their meetings. You can check out their website www.searg.ie and you can also join them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.


South Dublin Radio Club

This year's South Dublin Radio Club Christmas Party will take place on Tuesday the 12th of December.

The venue will be the same as last year, "The Morgue", Templeogue Village from 8.00 pm until late.

Members of other clubs and visitors are as usual very welcome to this social event. Limited free food will be available for paid-up members; visitors can choose from the bar menu until 9.00 pm.

The club will then break for Xmas and return on January 2nd 2018


Wexford Wireless Club EI2WWC

The Wexford Wireless Club hold weekly meetings every Wednesday evening from 20:00 to 22:00 in Gorey Scout Group Hall just off Esmonde Street in Gorey, Co. Wexford, everyone is as always very welcome

For more information about the club please contact the club secretary Michael Fitzgerald EI9GGB at QTHR or by dropping an email to “wexfordwirelessclub /at/ live /dot/ ie”


Cork Radio Club

The next club meeting will be held on Wednesday December 13th at the usual venue in Carrigtwohill. Jim EI8GS will show some videos from his extensive collection covering both recent and historical events.

Contact details regarding any Cork Radio Club events should be made via email to “info /at/ corkradioclub /dot/ ie” or by telephone to 087-6290574


Tipperary Amateur Radio Group

The Annual General Meeting of the Tipperary Amateur Radio Group will be held at The Park Hotel, Clonmel on Thursday 14th December at 8pm.

This is the most important meeting of the calendar year and all group members are requested to attend. Short Wave Listeners are in particular very welcome. A number of radio related topics are up for discussion as well as plans for 2018.

For more information about Tipperary Amateur Radio Group you can visit the club website at www.ei7trg.ie


DX News

John N9MDH will be in Togo until the end of May 2018. His callsign will be 5V7JE and he will concentrate on digital modes and the WARC bands.

The traditional OH9SCL station will again be active during December from Santa Claus Land. Information on this Lapland based station can be found on oh9scl.fi

Another Santa themed station is OJ9X which will be QRV from various locations in Finland in December. QSL manager is OH2BH.

Elvira IV3FSG is back in Bethlehem in Palestine signing E44YL until 18th December. QSLs go via IK3GES.

To celebrate the opening of a new tram system in Luxembourg City a special event station LX2017TRAM will be on the air during December. Special QSLs will be available and logs will be uploaded to Logbook of The World.

Several Senegalese operators will be active as 6V1A during the weekend 15th – 17th December. The location will be Goree Island which counts as AF-045 for the Islands on the Air award. QSL manager is 6W7JX.


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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