Archived News Script

IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 7th December 2008


Webmaster Wanted

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 /at/ eircom.net) and demonstrate their web skills by supplying links to web sites or web pages which they have developed.


Amateur Radio Blogs

Many radio experimenters are now maintaining online journals of their amateur radio activities. By now there are probably thousands of amateur radio blogs on the web, covering such diverse topics as DX, home brewing, CW, moonbounce, solar flares, antennas and so on. A lot of interesting reading can be found in these blogs, and most provide the reader with an opportunity to post a comment or reply to a question.

The webmaster has provided links to a sample of amateur radio blogs, so have a look at www.irts.ie/blogs if you want to see what other experimenters are talking about.


ENGINEERED...A WEEK OF WONDER!

Engineers Ireland will host a "week of wonder" for Primary and Post Primary students in February 2009. IRTS in collaboration with Engineers Ireland will run a number of workshops at Engineers Ireland's Dublin headquarters. These will consist of a two-hour, hands on, programme which will act as in introduction to communications and radio technology.

The Society also intends to package the programme so that clubs around the country will be able to run similar workshops. We have already approached a number of clubs and they have indicated their willingness to participate by running one or more workshops in their area. Engineers Ireland will provide clubs with local partners such as technical schools or libraries who are anxious to participate.

The Society would urge clubs to commit to becoming involved as soon as possible. There are obvious benefits for all involved. With the programme packs provided by the Society, clubs would need three or four personnel to run the workshop. If your club or group are interested in helping out, contact Paul EI2CA on 087 2523908 or by email to paul /at/ comma.ie


IOTA Contest Final Results

The final results for the 2008 IOTA Contest have been published. As far as EI/EJ and GI stations are concerned, the final results show no change in total scores since the publication of the provisional results in October. The category positions are also largely unchanged, with just two small amendments as a result of an entry on Germany's Ruegen Islands being moved from the "DXpedition" to the "Fixed" category (this affected the category positions of EI/DK2AT/P and EI4II only).

The IRTS web site has the final results for EI/EJ and GI stations at www.irts.ie/iota which also has a link to the complete results for this contest.


AREN nets

Winter training Nets will commence today and the 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.


Limerick Radio Club

The next meeting of the Club will be held on Thursday 11 December 2008 at the Limerick Institute of Technology at 7:30 pm. The annual Christmas Quiz will be held, once again under the stewardship of Pat (EI9GY) & Liam (EI4GB). The Quiz, with prizes galore, has proven a most enjoyable evening in past years so a large attendance is expected on the night.

Limerick Radio Club would like to take this opportunity to wish all its members and supporters a very Happy and Peaceful Christmas.


The Mayo Radio Experimenters Network

The Mayo Radio Experimenters Network wish to thank all the traders and customers who attended last week's rally in Castlebar. The rally was bigger than last year and this was largely due to all who spread the word of the late change of venue, so effectively. The club also wishes to thank the management and staff of The Welcome Inn Hotel, especially Adrian Healy, who helped so much in securing the venue and for his hard work on both Saturday and Sunday.


DXCC End of year approaching

In order to appear in the printed 'Annual and Honour Roll' listings your submission must be postmarked on or by Wednesday, December 31, 2008.

The DXCC Honour Roll list is scheduled for publication in August 2009 QST. For the 2008 calendar year the minimum requirement to appear in the Honour Roll list is 329 current entities. The Top of the Honour Roll total is 338 for this period. Remember, deleted entities do not count towards the Honour Roll.

Direct comments or questions to dxcc /at/ arrl.org ....


DXCC Desk approves three operations

ARRL DXCC Manager Bill Moore, NC1L, reports that the following operations have been approved for DXCC credit:

Wake Island -- WA2YUN/KH9 (for operations commencing 2007); Willis Island -- VK9DWX (2008), and Andaman and Nicobar Island -- VU4RG (2008).

If you had cards rejected for the Wake Island operation, please send an e-mail to the ARRL DXCC Desk and you will be placed on the list for update


Antarctic operation

Dr Helmuth Spieler, W6KDX, will stay on the US Amundsen-Scott South Pole station from December 5 until January 5, 2009. If time permits, he will try to become active as KC4AAA mainly in SSB on 14243 kHz. QSL via K1IED.

More information about his activities at: pole.uchicago.edu


DXpedition to Desecheo Island

Desecheo is located about 14 miles off the Puerto Rican coast and is one of the rarer DXCC entities. Operations from the island have been few and far between in recent years and, apart a brief operation in December 2005, there has been no activity from the island since 1994.

A major DXpedition to Desecheo is planned for early next year. The island - prefix KP5 - is expected to be on the air from 12th to 26th February 2009. Expect major pile-ups when the KP5 stations go on the air - according to the group's web site, KP5 is the 7th most-needed DXCC entity world-wide, the 3rd most-needed DXCC entity in Europe and the 2nd most-needed DXCC entity in Asia! For more information, see www.kp5.us


Cancelled DXpedition

Due to a combination of logistical reasons the team organising the March 2009 Dxpedition to Spratly Island IOTA AS 051, has had to postpone. It is hoped that the DXpedition will go ahead at a later date. Details on the website www.spratly2009.com


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 Thursday in order to be guaranteed inclusion in the following Sunday’s bulletin.

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