In the interests of generating some activity on the 4 metre band 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 4th of June. Whether you have AM/FM/SSB gear, use vertical or horizontal polarization, please call in. Even if you do not have access to 4 metre equipment, SWL reports would be most welcome, e-mail Joe EI3IX at joe_fadden@yahoo.com.
To further promote 4-metre activity in EI, John Corless has presented the I.R.T.S with a shield. The rules for the 4-metre shield will be the same as for the 6 meter shield, which is now in its third year.
The 4-metre shield will be presented to the leading 4 meter operator at next years I.R.T.S. AGM. It will be run on a calendar year basis, from 1st January 2002 to the 31st December 2002. The scoring will be calculated as follows: Unique contacts times Maidenhead locator squares times DXCC. All modes count. Note: There is a power restriction of 50 Watts on 4 meters in EI.
The 6-metre shield in now running for the third year, it has been won by Charlie EI5FK in 2000 and by Dave EI3IO in 2001. This shield has done a lot to promote 6-metre activity in EI. Rules are unchanged. Its run over a calendar year, from 1st January 2002 to the 31st December 2002. The scoring is calculated as follows: Unique contacts times Maidenhead locator squares times DXCC. All modes count.
At the end of the year, logs are to be submitted to the contest manager Noel Walsh, ei2jc@hotmail.com for both the 4 and 6 Metre Shields.
The Slievenamon Perpetual Trophy was presented to the IRTS by Tipperary Amateur Radio Group in 2001. It will be awarded to the station that achieves the highest number of points in a 70cm's only competition.
Tipperary Amateur radio Group hopes that this award will in part encourage activity on the 70cm band 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 70cms 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 ei2jc@hotmail.com before the 31st of August. For further details please e-mail TRG secretary at john.burke@honeywell.com. July seems like a long way but now is the time to start planning on potential sites to use, equipment and antenna setup.
The planned trip to the Aran Islands to activate the callsign EJ0A on 24th to the 26th of May 2002 has had to be cancelled. Due to very bad weather, ferry services have been cancelled, 60mph winds and large Atlantic sea swells have made the journey impossible. Apologies to all. The event will be rescheduled for later in the summer.
This EJ0A callsign is the special event call for Limerick Radio Club. This call can only be used on off shore Islands in EI. The Island being visited for the DXpedition is Inisheer the smallest of the three Aran Islands. For info see www.qsl.net/ej0a
Paul EI6FE will be activating WAI square M40, Co. Claire in June. Operation will be with and FT817 running 5 watts and a dipole antenna. More information will be released soon.
Paul G4IJE plans to be QRV from IO55 (as EI4VXB/P) from June 8th to the 14th. Mainly SSB, a little CW if necessary and perhaps WSJT. As with his previous activities from IO41 and IO66, this will be a holiday not a DXpedition, but Paul should manage several hours operation on most days.
The rules for the up coming VHF Field Day in July will be unchanged, there will be the usual 2 sections, Restricted section (2 meters only) & the Open section, 2 meters, 6 meters, 4 meters, 70cm & 23cm. (See the IRTS member directory). It's hoped that there will be plenty of active stations in EI for this contest.
Ten Japanese special event calls will be aired to celebrate the FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan: These callsigns are 8M1C, 8N1C, 8J1C, 82JC, 8N3C, 8J3C, 8J6C, 8J7C, 8J8C and 8J0C.
Items for inclusion in Echo Ireland should be forwarded to Dave Moore EI4BZ at 021-4883555. Items can also be submitted to Dave by e-mail at ei4bz@eircom.net.
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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