The role of the IRTS web site includes keeping members informed about local and international amateur radio activities, encouraging members to continue their membership and motivating potential members to join, promoting the activities of radio experimenters and the hobby of amateur radio.
Being a single source of information on matters of interest to Irish radio experimenters which would include, for example, club activities, contest results, repeater frequencies, band plans and forthcoming rallies.
The job of the Webmaster is to maintain and develop the web site so that it fulfils this role in an interesting and accessible way. IRTS is looking for applications for the position of Webmaster. Like all of the society’s officer positions, this is a voluntary position.
Members interested in being appointed Webmaster should indicate their interest to the society’s president Finbarr Buckley EI1CS (buckleyf1@eircom.net) and demonstrate their web skills by supplying links to web sites or web pages which they have developed.
The IARU Region 1, three yearly conference commenced this weekend in Cavtat, Croatia and will run until next Thursday evening . The Society will be represented by the President Fr. Finbarr Buckley EI1Cs and Seán Nolan EI7CD.
The work of the conference is organised through four Committees which deal with Credentials and Finance; General, Administration and Organisation; HF and VHF/UHF/Microwave. The committee meetings are staggered so it is just about possible with two delegates to cover all of the meetings.
Just over 120 papers in about 500 pages of documentation have been submitted for consideration at the conference. There will be delegates representing a large number Region 1 member Societies as well as delegations from IARU Headquarters and the other two IARU Regions.
There will be Morse Code tests available at the upcoming Mayo Rally on the 23rd of November. These tests must be booked in advance by contacting: Sean Donelan EI4GK telephone 01 2821420.
Five operators participated in last weekends Global SET which ran between 04:00 and 08:00 Saturday morning. Conditions were poor on all of the bands with most of the traffic being handled on 80m. Many thanks to the operators involved.
Winter training Nets will commence on the 7th of December. The date and time of the nets being the 7th and 21st of the month at 19:30. It is envisaged that the net on the 21st of the month will be a digital mode training net. Members without email access should contact John, EI7IG at 0868167310 for more details.
Steve, EI5DD, has become coordinator for Irish Castles and Stately Homes on the Air. Basically this is an award scheme for working or activating Irish Castles and Stately Homes.
The award scheme will be launched on the 1st of January 2009. A web site has been set up to show a log of activated Castles and Stately Homes.
This scheme should be of great interest to individuals or clubs who enjoy taking gear out on portable expeditions. We look forward to plenty of activity in the new year.
It is important to note that to be valid, intended activations should be registered with CASHOTA-Ireland a minimum of 10 days prior to the activation.
Full details are on the website cashota-ireland.org
Launched in January 1990, AMSAT-OSCAR 16 (AO-16) a digital satellite has been operating as a voice repeater since January 2008, using FM voice on the uplink and transmitting DSB voice on the downlink (best received on SSB). But according to the satellite's command team, the satellite's orbit might force this to end sometime before the end of the year.
AO-16's uplink is 145.9200 MHz FM; the downlink is 437.0260 MHz SSB. Users are asked to restrict their uplink power to a reasonable power level, and not to transmit without being able to hear the downlink.
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has ceased communications after operating for more than five months.
As anticipated, seasonal decline in sunshine at the robot's arctic landing site is not providing enough sunlight for the solar arrays to collect the power necessary to charge batteries that operate the lander's instruments.
Mission engineers last received a signal from the lander on Nov. 2.
On Tuesday next, 18th November at 8.00 pm, South Dublin Radio Club will host a talk by Tony Ryan EI6JT of Astronomy Ireland. The title of his talk is "Death from Space". Whether this is about dinosaurs or solar flares remains to be seen, but one way or the other, it should be interesting! Note that South Dublin Radio Club has temporarily moved QTH to the Scout Hall, Templeogue Lodge. Directions to the new QTH are on the club's web site www.southdublinradioclub.ie
The Shannon Basin Radio Club Sprint Challenge will be held on Sunday 30th November between 14:00 and 18:00. Please see www.shannonbasinradioclub.com for contest rules. Logs to be forwarded to Brian EI8IU at qthr or to brianei8iu@eircom.net
Sunday 23rd November: Mayo Radio Rally, Belmont Hotel, Knock, Co. Mayo. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Rally Director, Padraic Baynes, EI9JA info www.ei7mre.org
Items for inclusion in next weeks Radio News should be forwarded to Charlie EI8JB, via e-mail to “charlie dot Carolan at gmail dot com. Or by phone to 087-6265418
News can also be submitted via e-mail to “newsteam at irts dot ie” for automatic forwarding to both the radio and printed news services. Please note that items for the radio news should reach the editor no later than midday on Friday in order to be guaranteed inclusion in the following Sunday’s bulletin.
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