Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday February 16th, 2025
News from the IRTS
The IRTS would like to extend its thanks to Robert O’Donnell EI5CK who has served as one of our auditors for many years up until his retirement this year. Robert has been a watchful eye on our society’s finances each year when he reviews the accounts ahead of the AGM. As such, we are seeking the services of a suitable volunteer replacement to take over this duty. The role only involves the review of end of year accounts. It is a couple of hours work for someone with a good head for figures and may suit someone with business or accounting experience although this is not essential. For anyone that is interested, you are asked to get in contact with the IRTS secretary Owen EI4GGB at irts_secretary /at/ irts.ie.
The next IRTS committee meeting will take place on Thursday, February 20th 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.
South Eastern Amateur Radio Group EI2WRC
The 2025 Annual General Meeting of the South Eastern Amateur Radio Group EI2WRC will take place at 8.00 p.m. sharp on Monday the 24th of February 2025 in the South East Technological University, Netlabs Research and Innovation Building, SETU West Campus, Carriganore, Waterford. Eircode X91 WR86. All members are asked to please attend. Any new members or anyone interested in radio communications in general or finding out more about the group are welcome also
EI2WRC will be hosting the 92nd IRTS AGM Weekend in The Woodford Dolmen Hotel, Kilkenny Rd, 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 immediately as almost all rooms have now been taken. 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 pre-booked also. Tables for individual traders will be made available to be pre-booked at a later date. For more information, visit 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
Dundalk Amateur Radio Society Bring and Buy Sale
Dundalk Amateur Radio Society is holding a bring & buy sale. The sale will take place in their club headquarters from 8.00 p.m. on Wednesday the 5th of March. You are invited to bring any radio-related equipment that may be gathering dust to Marconi House in Dundalk. All funds raised will go directly to supporting the society and its activities. You can find contact details for the club at ei7dar.com.
Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club AGM
The 2025 Annual General Meeting of Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club takes place next Thursday the 20th of February. It will commence at 7 p.m. sharp in the Technological University of the Shannon, Midlands, Midwest in Moylish, Limerick. All members are asked to attend.
Shannon Basin Radio Club AGM
Shannon Basin Radio Club held their annual general meeting on January 31st in Hannons Hotel, Roscommon. It was very well attended by members and newcomers to the club. Club officers elected on the night were Chairman Pat O’Connor EI9HX, Secretary Owen O’Reilly EI4GGB, Treasurer Anthony Dolan EI6GGB, PRO Keith Nolan EI5IN, Safety Officer Tom Nevin EI4HCB, QSL Manager Paul Raftery EI9HQB, and club rep Mark McCrystal EI6JYB. Joining them on the committee are John Roche EI5INB, Peter Green EI2IU, Mark Chapman MI0MCZ, Joe McCormack EI2IFB, and Andy McCarty EI7IOB. Following the meeting, a very enjoyable social evening followed with plenty of food, refreshments, and chat. Further information about the club may be found at www.sbrc.ie
VHF/Microwave News
The EI1KNH 8 metre and 5 metre beacons, the EI4RF 4 metre beacon, and the EI0SIX 6 metre beacon were scheduled to go QRT on Saturday, February 15th. This is due to the sale of the site following the owner of site going silent key. It is expected that most of the beacons will return from a new location in the Wicklow mountains in the future.
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Program is seeking submissions from education institutions and organizations to host an amateur radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS. It is anticipated that the contact would be held between July 1st, 2025, and December 31st, 2025. The deadline to submit a proposal is Friday February 28th, 2025. Crew members aboard the International Space Station take part in these contacts which last approximately ten minutes. Proposal information can be found at www.ariss.org
IARU Region 1 Monitoring System Newsletter
The first IARU Region 1 Monitoring System newsletter of 2025 has been published. The January edition highlights that almost one thousand transmissions of powerful over the horizon radar signals were recorded in the HF amateur bands for January alone. Transmissions associated with the Russian Ukrainian radio war continue to dominate reports as well. You can read more about these signals and see examples in the free newsletter. This can be downloaded from the monitoring system section at iaru-r1.org.
Radio Rally Updates
The Lagan Valley ARS will be holding its annual rally on Saturday, the 1st of March 2025 at the Hillsborough Village Centre, 7 Ballynahinch Road, Hillsborough, BT26 6AR. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. and the rally ends at 1 p.m. Further details can be found at www.lvars.uk
Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club’s annual rally takes place on the 9th of March in Treacy's Oakwood Hotel in Shannon. Contact Dermot Gleeson, EI2GT, at DermotGleeson1 /at/ gmail.com to book a table. Only bookings made via email will be accepted.
IRTS Awards curator Mark EI4FNB will be able to collect returning IRTS awards at the Limerick Clare ARC rally. 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.
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. 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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