Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday January 19th, 2025
Silent Key – Tommy Walsh EI5II
This week, we are sad to report that Tommy Walsh EI5II became a silent key on Sunday the 5th of January last. Tommy was a member of the North Dublin Radio Club and a regular caller after the Sunday morning two-metre radio news from Dublin.
Tommy was born in Crumlin and worked in the technical section of the ESB. He was a real gentleman in the true sense of the word, and he had a great quirky sense of humour. To his wife Nóra, his children Tommy, Dermot, Fiona, and Neil and to his extended family and friends, we extend our sympathy.
May he rest in peace.
News from the IRTS
With the next IRTS AGM taking place on April 13th, the IRTS committee is obliged by rule to nominate candidates for the positions of President, Vice-President, and eleven committee positions. These nominations must be included with the notice of meeting sent to members 28 days before the AGM. There are several upcoming vacancies due to time served limits, as such we are seeking members who feel they could contribute to the governance and development of the society. If this is of interested to you, please contact the secretary by email to irts_secretary /at/ irts.ie before January 31st with your expression of interest.
This does not preclude any eligible member from been put forward for election under the society rules in the normal way in due course should they wish but instead aids us in ensuring a full panel is available for selection come the AGM in April and opens up the process to the entire membership.
The IRTS wish to announce the co-opting of two new committee members at the last meeting on January 8th. Keith EI5IN, our news editor and joint VHF manager, and Ana EI5IXB, our youth officer kindly agreed to accept the extra responsibility. We are delighted to have their continued dedication and fresh enthusiasm at the table.
The position of IRTS AREN Coordinator has been vacant for several weeks now since John Ketch EI2GN stepped down. We would like to express our thanks to John for all he had done in the role for the past few years. Mark Kilmartin EI4FNB has agreed to accept the position as the new interim coordinator the AREN group. We wish Keith, Ana, and Mark the very best of luck in their new roles.
The next IRTS committee meeting will take place on Tuesday, February 4th 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.
IRTS Awards Committee
IRTS Awards curator Mark EI4FNB has made a request that any members who won awards last year and who have not already returned them already could they please do so as soon as possible please. Awards can be returned to any IRTS committee member.
Mark also hopes to pick up returning awards at both the Limerick Clare Amateur Radio and at the Phoenix Amateur Radio club rallies. For anyone who needs to get in contact with Mark regarding return of trophies, you can find his contact details on the contact section on irts.ie.
South Eastern Amateur Radio Group EI2WRC
The January meeting of the EI2WRC group will take place on Monday, January 27th at 8 p.m. sharp at the South East Technological University. Netlabs Research and Innovation Building, SETU West Campus, Carriganore, Waterford. Eircode X91 WR86. New members or anyone that has an interest in amateur radio or communications in general are very welcome to come along. SWLs are in particular very welcome to attend.
EI2WRC will be hosting the 92nd IRTS AGM Weekend in The Woodford Dolmen Hotel, Kilkenny Road, Carlow over the weekend of the 12th and 13th of April 2025. People who are planning on attending are urged to book their hotel rooms as soon as possible to guarantee having one for the weekend.
Dinner tickets for the Gala Dinner which will be held on Saturday, April 12th are now available to be pre-booked. Rally tables for clubs/groups and commercial traders for the rally on Sunday, April 13th can now be booked also. Tables for individual traders will be made available for pre-booking at a later date. For more information, go to searg.ie and click on the IRTS AGM 2025 link
For more information about EI2WRC, their activities, and for contact details, please see www.searg.ie
Patriot Radio Communications Club Update
Patriot Radio Communications Club EI7PRC announce that they will be holding their AGM on Thursday next, the 23rd of January. New members are welcome. For more information, you are asked to please contact them via email to patriotradiocomms /at/ gmail.com.
Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club
Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club’s Annual General Meeting for 2025 will be held on Thursday the 20th of February at 7 p.m. sharp in the Technological University of the Shannon, Midlands, Midwest in Moylish, Limerick. All members are asked to attend.
The club’s weekly activation of EI4SAM runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. The initial calling frequency is 7.123 MHz, plus or minus QRM. All callers are welcome.
Tipperary Amateur Radio Group Meeting
The next meeting of the Tipperary Amateur Radio Group will be held at The Princess Bar, Irishtown Upper, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary on Wednesday the 22nd of January 2025 at 8 p.m. The Eircode for this venue is E91 PW90. The meeting is open to all and Short Wave Listeners are in particular very welcome to attend. For more information about Tipperary Amateur Radio Group, visit their group website at www.ei7trg.ie
Shannon Basin Radio Club AGM
Shannon Basin Radio Club’ annual general meeting takes place next Friday the 24th of January at 8 p.m. It be held in Hannon’s Hotel in Roscommon town, Eircode F42 PH33. All members are invited to attend. Newcomers are welcome also.
The club’s next SSB DX net runs on Thursday night, January 23rd from 9 p.m. on the 160m band. Further information about the club’s activities may be found at www.sbrc.ie
VHF/Microwave Updates
The 145 Alive event takes place next Sunday, the 26th of January 2025 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. local time. The IRTS VHF/microwave team coordinating the EI activity for this has contacted all registered net control stations in EI regarding their allocated frequencies for the event. All operators are encouraged to take a few minutes to call in during the three hours of activity.
The IRTS VHF/microwave team can be contacted via email to vhf_manager /at/ irts.ie.
Radio Rally Updates
Phoenix Amateur Radio Club EI2PAR holds their annual radio rally on Sunday February 16th, 2025. It will take place in Coolmine Community School, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. Doors open at 10 a.m. and entry will cost five euro. You can book a table by contacting Tony EI7GI at 087 2439997.
Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club’s annual rally takes place on the 9th of March in Treacy's Oakwood Hotel in Shannon. To book a table, you are asked to please contact Dermot Gleeson, EI2GT, at DermotGleeson1 /at/ gmail.com. Only bookings made via email will be accepted.
Lough Erne Amateur Club’s Radio Rally will be held on Sunday the 18th of May 2025. The venue is the Share Discovery Village, 221 Lisnaskea Road, Lisnaskea, Enniskillen BT92 0JZ. Doors will open at 11 a.m. Entry costs five euro or five pounds which includes a ticket for the draw. The rally will include a bring and buy and usual facilities including food and refreshments. For tables, contact Alan Gault via email to argault91 /at/ gmail.com. Further details are available at LoughErneRadioClub.co.uk.
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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