Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 2nd December 2018
Echo Ireland
The Winter edition of the IRTS members' journal, Echo Ireland, is currently being printed. This is a bumper-sized edition, running to 48 pages, and filled with club news, construction, DX and lots more.
Clubs featured in this issue include those from Shannon Basin, Skerries, Dundalk, Tipperary, Lough Erne and Limerick. Other club reports include the story of the first two-way 8 metre band contacts in EI by members of the Mayo group, and there is an interesting account by Adrian EI9HAB on South Dublin Radio Club's participation in RTE's "Join a Club Week" promotion. Reports by IECRO Ireland and Galway VHF Group include updates on new and upcoming voice and digital gateways, including the geographical coverage of these new facilities.
A report by Brian EI8IU on JOTA 2018 (Jamboree On The Air) from the Larch Hill National Scout Centre highlights a very effective way of bringing amateur radio to a wide range of possible recruits for the hobby. There is also coverage of the recent RMS Leinster Commemoration by members of the National Maritime Museum Radio Club. Also included are reports on DXpeditions to Malawi and Kosovo.
Tony EI5EM is a regular contributor on construction projects and in this issue he describes a CW/SSB transceiver kit build; as usual, Tony has modified and improved on the original design.
The Silent Keys remembered in this issue include an appreciation by Gerry EI8CC of our recently deceased honorary vice-president Seán EI7CD. Gerry's article will bring tears and smiles to those who knew Seán.
All of this, plus the regular DX news, contest news and "HX Files" excerpts are in the latest Echo Ireland, which will be circulated shortly to members.
Contest News
Results of the 80 Metres Evening Counties Contest held on 13th November have now been published, see www.irts.ie/results for full details. Band conditions were particularly bad on the night of the contest, with almost no short-skip, so inter-EI/GI QSOs were scarce. 20 TX station logs and 1 SWL log were submitted, showing activity in 15 EI and GI counties.
Last Chance to Operate EI100MCV
As we approach December 31 the National Maritime Museum of Ireland Radio Club would like to invite EI licence holders to operate Special Event Call Sign EI100MCV before the licence expires. This commemorates the centenary of the sinking, by torpedo, of RMS Leinster in the final days of World War 1, resulting in the largest loss of life in the Irish Sea.
RMS Leinsters own radio call sign was MCV, hence the special call EI100MCV.
Any EI licensed operator can operate the call from their own QTH between now and Dec 31st. Anyone wishing to do so should contact Dave O’Connor EI6AL for further information.
Those who have already used the call can still use the Google doc. form to register their desired Date, Time and Mode.
Logs should be forwarded in ADI format to Dave O’Connor EI6AL.
Digital Radio Lecture
A reminder that the Galway VHF Group will be holding a lecture on Digital Radio in the Insight Building - part of the UCG Data Science Institute located in the IDA Business Park, Lower Dangan (opposite the Westwood Hotel), Galway. The Lecture will commence at 8:00 pm sharp on Tuesday the 4th of December. This lecture has been facilitated by Insight Centre for Data Analytics, NUI.
Topics covered during the lecture will include: The introduction of Digital radio to the Amateur Fraternity in 2004, Basic Building Blocks of the Digital System, Modes Available, Yaesu Fusion, DMR, Programming DMR Radios, Development of the West of Ireland DMR Network, The Galway Analog and Fusion System run by the Galway Radio club.
Please visit www.insight-centre.org/content/insight-contact-nuig for the directions to the location.
Radio Classes in the Midlands
Living in the midlands and interested in studying for to become licensed radio operator? Do you have a member of your family, friend, or neighbour who might be also interested? Contact Mark EI6HPB on 086 355 2370 or visit the website https://support.iecro.com
ARRL 10M Contest
This year the ARRL 10 meter content will take place during the second weekend of December (8-9th). In terms of modes, only CW and SSB are permitted. Terms of the contest can be found from www.arrl.org/10-meter
FM and DV
A reminder of some radio nets which will be taking place this week.
The Shannon Basin Radio 2m will be holding a net at 8pm on Thursday on 145.350MHz.
VHF Galway Group will be hosting their DV-combined mode net at 8:30pm on Monday using DMR TG 2724, CQ-IRELAND Wires-X (Fusion) Node 41411, YSF Node 04251, Allstar Node 29884, and Echolink 883269. Please remember to leave a gap between overs to allow the network components to reset.
DX News
Nob JA0JHQ will be QRV as T32NH from Christmas Island in the DXCC entity of East Kiribati from 5th – 11th December. He will be on all bands 160 – 6m using CW and FT8. QSL via his home call and LoTW.
A group of amateurs from Senegal will be active from Goree Island using the callsign 6V1A from 7th – 9th December. Operation will be on CW and SSB and logs will be uploaded to LoTW.
Two rare French Polynesian islands will be available to IOTA chasers during the period 4th – 18th December. Firstly there will be TX0A on Maria Est Atoll (IOTA OC-113) and secondly TX0M on Morane Atoll (IOTA OC-297). The operators are VE3LYC and KO8SCA. QSL via Club Log OQRS.
Hunter KK4AOS is at present stationed at the Palmer Research Station on Anvers Island in Antarctica. He has been logged as active from the KC4AAC club station on 17 an 20m SSB. The IOTA reference is AN-012.
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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