Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday May 10th 1998
Tipperary News
Tipperary Amateur Radio Group are holding a public demonstration of amateur radio on Sunday next May the 17th in Clonmel Rugby Club, running from 10.00am until 5.00pm. The event will be well publicised in the provincial papers and on radio. The obvious purpose is to encourage new people into the hobby and the group would welcome the support, by attendance, of as many as possible to make it a success. There will be no entry charge.
Amateur radio received a much needed public airing on Tipperary Mid-West Radio on April the 13th. Credit for this to Hazel EI9ELB who carried out two interviews of about 12 minutes each in a one hour slot on the station.
The most comprehensive, from an amateur radio point of view, was that with Hugh EI2HI. It covered a whole range of topics and will have proved very informative to anybody interested and will have raised the public profile of the hobby.
The second interview was with a representative of Tipperary Hillwalkers who praised the involvement and expertise of the Tipperary AREN Group in providing safety communications for the Galtee Walking Festival. Congratulations to all involved. Congratulations also to Pat Touhy, formerly EI 1292, who is now the proud holder of the callsign EI5FXB.
New Frequency Allocation Book
The Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation has recently published its first book of frequency allocations. It is document OTDR 98/03 and covers the spectrum from 9kHz right up to 400GHz. It lists for each frequency range the type of radio communication services that are permitted and which ones are currently in use in Ireland. Information is also given on possible future uses or changes in use of particular frequency bands. Copies of this 98 page book are available from the OTDR at 01-8049600 and the person to contact is Kate Considine.
A form is included at the end of the book and the Director would appreciate your comments on the books content.
Fingal Rally in Ballsbridge
Fingal Radio Club are holding their Spring Radio and Electronics Exhibition in Jurys Hotel in Ballsbridge today. Doors opened at 11.00am and the rally will run until 4.00pm. A door prize of a 14 inch portable colour TV with teletext will be drawn on the entry ticket.
The club are also having a QSL card prize and everybody is asked to bring their QSL card with them. Blank cards will be available for those who forget their own. The prize will be an Aiwa CD stereo player with tape deck and 3 band radio.
Repeater News
The Cork repeater is back on air from its permanent location on Mullaghanish but is running on temporary coaxial cable and aerial. A new aerial has been ordered and should be fitted on site in the next couple of weeks.
The Cork 70 centimetre repeater should also be operational from a new site on the North side of the city since late last week.
IRTS Contests
The trophies for the three IRTS field days and the two legs of the counties contest were presented at the recent IRTS AGM.
Four of the six field days in 1997 were won by the East Cork Group EI7M. They were winners of both sections on CW, the restricted section on SSB and the open section on VHF/UHF.
The WestNet Group won the open SSB field day while North Dublin Radio Club won the restricted section of the VHF/UHF event.
There are two legs of the 2 Metres Counties contest, one at Easter and one in the Autumn. Three operators recorded doubles in 1997 with Tommy EI9EZB winning both legs in the high power fixed, Peter Grant EI4HX won both legs in low power portable and Martin EI4IJ won both FM only sections.
Pat EI2HX won the Spring High power portable while the Autumn leg was won by South Dublin Radio Club EI2SDR. Robbie EI8ESB was the winner in the low power fixed in the Spring leg and Paul EI3ENB was the winner of the Autumn leg.
The first field day of 1998, the CW one, will be held over the first weekend of June and for the first time in quite a few years, it will not coincide with the bank holiday weekend. That should leave several operators looking for a new excuse for not taking part this year.
Marconi Day in Ballybunion
Organised by John O'Carroll EI6AH, the special event station EI6YXQ was on air from Colaiste Naoimh Brendain in Ballybunion to celebrate International Marconi Day on Saturday April 25th. The event was well supported by operators from all over County Kerry and Brendan EI0CZ made the trip from County Clare to operate the key.
As well as HF on voice and code, VHF on voice and packet, there was a formidable display of weather fax, Navtex and an array of computer assisted technology for radio. A museum of radio memorabilia was manned by members of the Port of Tralee Sea Scouts and a bring and buy stall was set up on an experimental basis.
Visitors were many and included Harris WA1GXC and hospitality was, as usual, provided by the O'Carroll family.
Items for inclusion in both the Radio News and Newsletter can be faxed to 021-632730 or passed on the telephone to Dave EI4BZ at 021- 632444 during the day and at 021-883555 in the evening.
Mail can also be sent on packet to EI4BZ and EI7DNB on cluster or at the EI7DKB BBS. The Radio News Editor John EI7DNB can be contacted at 021-353277 after 1830. All input to either the Radio News or the Newsletter can be sent by e-mail to news@irts.ie
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