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IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday January 31st 1999


South Dublin Spring Challenge

The South Dublin Radio Club's Spring Challenge runs annually for the whole month of February and is open to all EI and GI amateurs. The challenge is to work as many DXCC entities as possible on the HF during the month. There are two sections, an 'open section' for all modes on all the HF bands and a 'restricted section' confined to CW on any one HF band. The full rules are published on page 24 of the 1996 Members Handbook. Trophies will be presented to the winners at the IRTS AGM in Dundalk in April.


IRTS AGM in Dundalk

All is in readiness for the IRTS Annual General Meeting in the Fairways Hotel in Dundalk on April the 24th and 25th. The Dinner Dance will be held on the Saturday night and tickets costing twenty pounds are now available. A special rate of seventy pounds for a double room sharing has been arranged and a single room will cost fifty pounds. There are plenty of B & B's in the immediate vicinity of the hotel which is situated on the Dublin Road, south of Dundalk. Tickets for the dinner can be got from Aidan Noone EI7ENB at QTHR or on the telephone at 042-9371980. You may also contact him via Email at anoone@esatclear.ie The Fairways Hotel can be contacted by telephone at 042-9321500 or by Email at fairways@info.ie

The weekend activities are being hosted by the Dundalk Amateur Radio Society, one of the oldest clubs in the country.

They are one of the few clubs that claim their own premises known as Marconi House on the Castletown Road in Dundalk and members may avail of the excellent facilities there for a wide range of radio related activities. In recent years the house has been completely overhauled internally and downstairs is used for theory classes and VHF/UHF operation. Upstairs is used for construction projects and is fitted out with purpose built work benches. A tower to the rere of the premises carries the society's HF, VHF and UHF aerials. The Dundalk Society is well known for the number of special event callsigns they operate each year and must be one of the most active clubs in the country. They are headed by life president Gene Larkin EI3K. Aidan Noone EI7ENB is the Secretary and acting Chairman and Paddy Serridge EI6ID/GI0PED is the Treasurer. Until recently Paul Dolan EI5EUB was the Society's Chairman and we wish him bon voyage as he emigrates to South Africa. He will be greatly missed. Dundalk club members look forward to seeing you all in April.


Mayo Radio Experimenters Network

The Mayo Radio Experimenters Network will hold a public demonstration of Amateur Radio Experimenting at their monthly meeting on Wednesday next, Feb.3rd. at 9pm in The Wishing Well, Ballyvary. The demonstration station will use the club callsign EI7MRE and is expected to be active on CW and SSB on the HF Bands.

After experiencing considerable difficulties with the software package for producing the certificates, the Worked All Mayo Award Scheme is now fully operational again and all outstanding certificates have been issued. The Club plans to operate a mobile station over the coming weeks and is anxious to hear from amateurs or short wave listeners, who require a particular square or squares. Contact should be made with John Corless, EI-7-IQ on Email at ei7iq@tinet.ie or on HF on Sunday mornings on 7.055 MHz SSB (+ or - subject to QRM) after the call-in to the 40m news. It is hoped to make a "hit list" of outstanding squares for activation towards the end of the month. The WAM Committee wishes to thank all the operators who have participated in the scheme to date and to thank those who waited so patiently for their outstanding Certificates. Night class instruction in theory will commence in the next week in the county, and anyone wishing to participate should contact John McDonnell, EI6IR as soon as possible on the telephone at 094 60127, to book a place on the course.


Campbell Island DXpedition

The Campbell Island DXpedition is all over and by now, the team should be back in New Zealand. Weather conditions for the trip home were forecast as being rough and sea sickness pills were very popular before they left Campbell on Monday last. Overall, the event was a huge success and 90,004 QSOs were in the log at the finish. It seems that any EI stations who wanted to, made the contact and team member Declan EI6FR was heard using a bit of Gaeilge to confuse the pile ups and give him a chance to chat with some EI stations. We look forward to a full report from Declan EI6FR in a future Newsletter.


Contest News

The first of this year's big international contests, the ARRL CW, will be held on February the 20th and 21st. The SSB leg of the same contest will be held on March the 6th and 7th. On the local scene, a date for your diaries is Easter Monday, April the 5th when the IRTS 2 Metre Counties Contest will be held.


Items for inclusion in the Radio News can be faxed to 021-632730 or passed on the telephone to Dave EI4BZ on 021-632444 during the day or at 021-883555 in the evening.

Input for the Newsletter should be sent to Kevin EI7IM at QTHR or on the phone at 01-4509514 or by E-mail to EI7IM@tinet.ie All input to either the radio news or newsletter can also be sent by e-mail to news@irts.ie

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