The first rally of the year will as usual be hosted by The Phoenix Amateur Radio Club at the Coolmine Community School in Dublin 15 on Sunday February the 16th. The doors open at 12 noon but access for traders will be available from 0930. Light refreshments will be available and there is plenty of free car parking in the complex. Admission will be three euro and there will be a bring and buy stall at the rally. Further information from Tony EI7GI on 01-8252074. Patrons travelling on the M50 should leave at the Blanchardstown roundabout, which is about five minutes from the venue.
Limerick Radio will hold their Annual Trade Fair at the Greenhills Hotel on the Ennis Road in Limerick on Sunday March the 9th. Apologies for the incorrect date mentioned in last week's bulletin. All the regular traders including Long Communications, South East Communications as well as Compustore will be present. From the UK Linear Amp UK and Yaesu UK have confirmed while ICOM UK have yet to confirm their attendance. The Limerick Club will provide a demonstration of Echolink and they hope to have the club station active on HF on the day. There will be tables available on the day for the casual trader. Please book early to avoid disappointment. Contact Paul EI6FE on 061-360122 or e-mail ei6fe@eircom.net.
The 22nd Enniskillen Amateur Radio Show, hosted by Lough Erne ARC, will be held in the Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh on Sunday 6th of April 2003. Admission is 3 pounds or 5 euro including a free raffle ticket and the doors will open at 12.00 noon. There is a large car park and a fine bar with excellent food. There will be a Bring & Buy, with no fee and a raffle with valuable prizes. Stands will feature Amateur Radio, Electronics, Computers, accessories, components, and new, surplus and second-hand equipment. This rally attracts a traditional attendance from all over Ireland, north and south. Contact Herbie, GI6JPO on 028-6638-7761 or h.graham@bigfoot.com.
The Irish Radio Transmitters Society Annual General Meeting will be held this year on Sunday April the 27th at Jury's Green Isle Hotel on the Naas Road in Dublin 22. The meeting starts at 1430. There will be no Dinner Dance or Rally associated with the AGM. A carvery lunch will be available in the Green Isle before the meeting. Entrants for the Hal Hodgens Shield or the Kevin Freeney Trophy for home brew equipment are required to present their entries to the awards committee before 12 noon on the day. Nominations for all the other trophies must be with the awards committee before April 5th.
The IRTS awards Committee would like to thank all those who responded promptly to the call for the return of trophies. If you have not returned your trophy, please do so as soon as possible Trophies may be returned to any IRTS Committee Member or by parcel post to Peter EI4HX before the 14th of February.
The Mayo Radio Experimenters Network has arranged for a theory examination to be held in the county on Thursday evening next February the 6th at 7.00 p.m. The session is open to members and non-members alike and anyone wishing to sit the test will need to book a place in advance. Bookings are handled by Brendan Minish EI6IZ, the MREN Secretary, telephone 094 23326.
The venue has not been confirmed as yet but is expected to be in a central location within the county. The examination will last three hours and candidates are asked to be at the venue by 6.30pm at the latest. Candidates are reminded that it is necessary to bring suitable identification on the night.
The Annual General Meeting of South Dublin Radio Club takes place at the club QTH at Marian Road, Rathfarnham on Tuesday 25th February, at 8.00 pm. This is an important event in the club's calendar, and all members are requested to attend.
A reminder that the South Dublin Radio Club's "Spring Challenge" has just started. This Challenge runs for the month of February, and is designed to encourage HF activity on all bands and modes during the month. In summary, points are awarded for each separate DXCC country worked on each band. It's not a contest, and in fact contest QSOs do not qualify for points. The full rules are on page 18 of the IRTS Year.Book 2003, and are also on the club's website at www.qsl.net/ei2sdr/
Due to continuing renovations at Raheen House Hotel, the next meeting of the Tipperary Amateur Radio Group will take place on Thursday next the 6th of February in the Princess Bar, Upper Irishtown.
Contests in the coming weeks Next weekend's contests include the Dutch PACC contest, CW and SSB and also the RSGB 160m CW Contest. On the following weekend, the ARRL CW contest will be held on the 15th and 16th over 48 hours from midnight Friday and the SSB leg takes place two weeks later on March 1st and 2nd. These are the ideal contests for anyone working towards their Worked All States Award. The CQWW SSB 160m contest is on February the 22nd and 23rd together with the REF SBB and the UBA CW Contests.
Items for inclusion in the Radio News should be forwarded for the time being to Dave Moore EI4BZ. He can be contacted during the day on 021-4353853 or 021-4883555 in the evenings. News can also be submitted via e-mail to news@irts.ie for automatic forwarding to both news services.
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