Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday May 12th, 2024
News from the IRTS
The latest IRTS committee meeting took place on Saturday, May 4th at 11:00 a.m. in the Maldron Hotel, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. The meeting was well attended by IRTS Committee members, society officers, and club representatives. The meeting was chaired by IRTS President Enda EI2II. Enda opened the meeting by welcoming everyone to the meeting and in particular welcomed the new committee members. After the day-to-day issues concerning the running of the society were discussed, the meeting moved to some of the upcoming events that will involve all members of the society.
It is the intention of the society to create an online call book like the paper ones that were issued a few years back but since ceased. The idea of the initial online call book is to help create an opening for a paper call book to be brought back over the coming years. Members will have the choice of what details they want to include for public viewing. Hopefully it will encourage Comreg to release more information about those licensed in Ireland thus in turn lead to a paper call book once again being issued. Members will have a chance to register to have their details included by filling up a short form online or with Pat EI2HX at the IRTS stand at all future rallies.
The whole structure of club affiliation is to be overhauled over the next 12 months. This will include a club completing its application for IRTS affiliation by November 1st each year. This is to fall in line with insurance renewal for the coming year. An updated yearly form will have to be submitted and all clubs that wish to be affiliated must include up to date club information including a contact person, contact number and a valid email address. This new rollout will take a while to fall into place and all clubs assistance will be very much appreciated by the society. All affiliated clubs are encouraged to have a club rep attend IRTS committee meetings.
The 2024 IRTS VHF/UHF Field Day takes place over the weekend of Saturday the 6th and Sunday the 7th of July, from 14:00 UTC Saturday until 14:00 UTC Sunday. For the past few years, it was arranged to run as five separate contests - one on each band 6m, 4m, 2m, 70cm, and 23cm. There is an open or restricted option for each band and stations may enter one or more bands or all five bands. Also, entries on different bands from a station may be mixed between the open and restricted sections. For more details and a full list of rules please see www.irts.ie/rules
The IRTS is currently looking for a person or perhaps a team of people to form a VHF/UHF management team. This team will look after all things VHF/UHF. Ideally people who do a lot of VHF/UHF radio work and know what's happening around the world in VHF/UHF would be ideal but not necessary. Anyone interested is asked to please contact IRTS Secretary, Owen EI4GGB at irts_secretary /at/ irts.ie.
Once again, this year in August, the Irish ham radio diaspora in Wisconsin, USA will be celebrating IrishFest. IrishFest promotes and celebrates all aspects of Irish, Irish American, and Celtic cultures. The Milwaukee Irish Fest is seeking clubs in Ireland that might be interested in linking up during the event in August. All clubs in Ireland are encouraged to join in and help our American colleagues celebrate this great yearly event. For more information you are asked to get in contact with the IRTS secretary, Owen EI4GGB.
The next IRTS Committee meeting will take place on Thursday, July 12th at 8:00 p.m. on the Zoom platform. All IRTS affiliated clubs are reminded that under Rule 16.1, the members in each affiliated club, society or other body may elect a representative and an alternate annually to attend IRTS Committee meetings. Clubs wishing to send a representative should notify the IRTS Secretary, Owen EI4GGB at irts_secretary /at/ irts.ie in advance to ensure notification and links are provided.
North Dublin Radio Club AGM
The AGM of the North Dublin Radio Club will take place at 8.30 p.m. on the 8th of June in the Artane Beaumont Family Recreation Centre, Kilmore Road. All members are hereby notified and asked to attend.
Contest Update
The RSGB 80m Club Championship SSB contest takes place tomorrow, Monday May 13th. It starts at 19:00 UTC and runs for ninety minutes. Four sections are available for entry. You can find out more at www.rsgbcc.org
Solar Activity
Late last year, scientists predicted that the solar maximum would occur between January and October of this year. The sun is continuing to provide strong evidence of this based on the high rate of solar flares encountered over the past weeks and months. An X3.98 flare peaked in the early morning of May 10th triggering a temporary or complete loss of HF radio signals across Asia, eastern Europe and eastern Africa. This was reportedly the fourth largest X-class flare so far during this solar cycle.
Scientific instruments in Dublin and Valentia hosted by the Magnetometer Network of Ireland and the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, detected the strong disturbance of the geomagnetic field resulting from it. Within Ireland, a high probability of visible aurora was forecast for late Friday night. It is quite possible that more opportunities to observe this phenomenon from reasonably dark sky areas and possibly your own back yard will arise over the coming weeks. You can learn more about the magnetometer network of Ireland at www.magie.ie
Items for Inclusion in Next Week's Radio News
That is the news for this week. Items for inclusion in next week's radio news can be submitted by email to newsteam /at/ irts.ie for automatic forwarding to both the radio and printed news services. The deadline is midnight on Thursday.
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