Archived News Script

IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday July 1st 2001


Little Comfort for Amateurs in ODTR Letter

The Office of The Director of Telecommunications Regulation, the licensing body for amateur radio experimenting in Ireland, has indicated it's intention to reduce the speed of Morse code proficiency needed to gain a Class A license,from 12 to 5 words per minute. In a reply to the recent letter from IRTS Secretary John Corless, EI7IQ, - Dave Thom, Broadcasting Manager of the ODTR stated that they "fully intend to lower the Morse limit, but need to examine the legislation to see how this may be implemented."

Mr. Thom also stated "the experimenters are only one of the areas I look after and I am trying to concentrate on progressing the regulations, rather than adopting a piecemeal approach." Mr Thom also explained that while he had "devoted more time to this issue than my predecessor and this will continue,but I no longer have a permanent member of legal staff dealing with this issue. This means that I have to do any legislation review myself, which takes time, diverting me from the regulations, which is not what I wanted."

The letter gives little comfort to Irish amateurs and applicants. The ODTR was severely criticised at the IRTS AGM regarding delays in routine processing of applications, and promised new legislation. This reply from The ODTR would appear to confirm that the license review issue remains low on the priorities of the legislator. A spokesperson for the IRTS Committee described the reply as "most disappointing."


Results of Spring Counties Contest

The following are the results of the Counties Contest (high power fixed section) held on the 16th of April 2001. First place was taken by Thomas Caffrey EI7FIB who worked 10 counties in 45 QSO?s and 210 points giving a grand total of 2100. Second place went to John Doherty EI5FOB with 33 QSO?s 12 counties and 107 points giving a total of 1284. Third place went to David Cawley EI4IX with 28 QSO?s, 11 counties and 111 points giving a total of 1221. Fourth was Hugh O?Donnell EI2HI with 1166 points, fifth was EI2SDR (South Dublin Radio) operated by Joe EI7GY and Nicholas EI5FLB with 665 points. In sixth place was John Kelly EI4HS with 590 points, seventh was Brendan Kavanagh EI8IB with 485 points and 8th was Vincent Long EI5IO with 192 points. Well done to all that took part. Results of the low power fixed section will be announced in next weeks radio news.


News from Galway

Radio Amateur Joe Hernon EI3HM of Inverin, Co. Galway was referee at the World Amateur Boxing championships held in Belfast recently. 60 Countries were represented.

The Galway Repeater is back to its original position on the tower at Tonabrukey. The coverage should be much better now, and reports would be appreciated. The News is read each Monday night @ 2000 local on R1 145.625 MHz FM after which there is a QSO.


Tipperary Amateur Radio Group

Tipperary Amateur Radio Group will hold their next group meeting on July 4th in Raheen House Hotel, Clonmel Co. Tipperary at 8pm. All are welcome to attend.


70 centimetres contest

The Slievenamon Perpetual Trophy which was presented to the IRTS by Tipperary Amateur Radio Group this year is to be awarded to the station that achieves the highest number of points in a 70cm's only competition. TARG hope that this award will in part encourage activity on the 70cm band and also create some enjoyable days throughout the month of July. The competition is to be restricted annually to all Sundays over the month of July and only FM simplex contacts are valid. Points are calculated as follows; 1 point per contact multiplied by the number of counties. Outside EI/GI only 1 point and no multiplier. Entrants are permitted to include contacts made during the IRTS UHF/VHF field day, so long as the contacts are on 70cm's FM and simplex. There is a power restriction of 150watts. Contacts can be made mobile, portable and stationary. This is an IRTS members only competition and standard competition logs are to be submitted to the IRTS Contest Manager before the 31st of August. For further details please e-mail TRG secretary at john.burke@honeywell.com or phone 087 2238125.


DX News

On Tuesday the 19th of June EI5FK worked EA8BPX and EA1DDU on the Canary Islands on both 2m and 70cms over a path of almost 2700kms. At the time Charlie was working many stations in Northern Spain via a tropo duct with 59 signals and worked EA8BPX on 70 centimetres exchanging 519 reports. This is most unusual on 70 centimetres. Other QSO?s to France and Spain by EI5FK for that opening should be listed on EI7GL?s website.

EJ3HB will be active from Sherkin Island on the 28th and 29th of July. Operators so far are EI5GM, EI1CS, EI4IS and possibly 2 to 3 others if anyone is interested in participating contact Jeremy EI5GM at 021-4774955 after 7pm or e-mail ei5gm@oceanfree.net.


Slide Rule Exhibition

A slide rule and abacus exhibition will be held at the ILAC Central Library during the month of July 2001. The exhibition is presented by Liam EI9DVB by kind permission of Dublin Corporation Public Libraries. The exhibition will include Slide Rules of various types old and new invented in 1614 by Edmond Gunter, based on the invention of Logarithms by John Napier. The exhibition will also include abacuses including some examples of Chinese and Japanese types, a set of 'Nape's Bones' so called because they were usually made of Bone or Ivory designed to be used for a lifetime and mechanical calculators with manual and automatic 'carry'.


VHF news

There will be a call in on 70.2625 MHz on the first Tuesday of every month. The first 4 metre activity evening starts at 8.00pm on the 3rd of July. There is also a call in every week on 144.300 MHz SSB after the Sunday 11 o'clock I.R.T.S. news. You are encouraged to call in and help generate some interest in these bands and modes. The squares table is up and running again this year, anyone working DX on any of the VHF/UHF bands please forward their totals for inclusion on this table. The table will be published in each edition of the newsletter. Up to date scores are on EI7GL's web page at www.qsl.net/ei7gl


Items for inclusion in Echo Ireland should be forwarded to Dave Moore EI4BZ at 021-4353853 in the evenings or at 021-4823172 during office hours. Items can be submitted to Dave by e-mail at ei4bz@eircom.net and you can fax him at 021-4354113.


Items for inclusion in the Radio News should be forwarded to Mark Wall EI7IS at QTHR or via e-mail to ei7is@qsl.net or cyberis@e-merge.ie. Items can also be sent to Mark over the phone at 087-6302026.

News can also be submitted via e-mail to news@irts.ie for automatic forwarding to both news services.

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