Archived News Script

IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 8th February 2009


February Echo Ireland

The February issue of Echo Ireland should be with members over the next few days. This issue carries the formal notice of the Annual General Meeting on April 26th and lists the committee’s nominees for next year’s committee.

Included are all the regular features on HF Happenings by EI9FBB, ATV with EI2HX, Emergency Communications, the IARU Monitoring Service report from EI4GXB, the latest EI DXCC and E-QSL listings plus news from clubs and details of all upcoming rallies.

If you would like to receive a PDF version of Echo Ireland instead of the paper copy, please log on to www.irts.ie and follow the instructions there.


Trophy Returns.

It is now time for the return of all trophies presented at the 2008 AGM. Trophies may be given back to any IRTS Committee Member as soon as possible or by post direct to the Awards Committee Chairman Peter EI4HX QTH-R: 37 Glenmore Park, Dundalk, Co Louth.

Final date for return, is February 21st 2009.


Nomination for awards

It is also now time for nominations for the various awards, which are presented each year at the IRTS AGM, for members who deserve recognition for their dedication to IRTS, to their local Club, or to Radio in General.

Also for the submission for the construction awards, and SWL trophy, and 4M and 6M Shields etc.

Nominations please to awards committee. or direct to Peter EI4HX ei4hxperimental /at/ eircom.net as soon as possible,nomination deadline February 21st 2009.


Engineered...A week of Wonder.

Engineers Ireland's Week of Wonder gets under way tomorrow and the Society has developed a two hour workshop for young people which will act as an introduction to communications and radio technology. This will be a "hands on" experience for those participating and will demonstrate how important a part radio plays in all our everyday lives, not least of all in their most prized possession, their mobile phone. Simple circuits and basic components will be demonstrated.

Teams will compete to construct a breadboard audio oscillator and send a Morse message. Components for a hundred oscillator kits have been packaged and it is expected that five hundred young people will attend the workshops. As well as workshops in the Engineers Ireland headquarters in Dublin, clubs and individuals in Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Carlow and Athlone are running sessions.

It is expected that valuable publicity will be generated by the event as well as giving the Society the opportunity to engage with educational and commercial bodies with a view to further co-operative projects in the future.


Engineers Ireland & Limerick Radio Club

IRTS are coordinating an event being run by Engineers Ireland from February 9-13 2009, called "Engineered! A week of wonder". Limerick Radio Club has agreed to participate in the event which will be held at the Limerick Institute of Technology, Moylish, Limerick.

Further details will be announced prior to the date. Any member willing to participate in this event is asked to contact ei4lrc /at/ eircom.net.


2008 MRG SSB Challenge Results

The 2008 Annual MRG Radio Group SSB Challenge on 2 metres and 70 centimetres was held on September 14th last and attracted seven entries.

In the fixed section Charles EI5FK in Cork was the clear winner with 34 QSOs and he also had the best DX on 2 metres at 800km when he worked ON4WY in JO11lc.

Runner up in the fixed section was Pat EI8IQ in Wexford with 26 QSOs. He had the best DX on 70 centimetres at 424km with 2E1IDC in IO91tn.The portable section was a close battle between two stations from the west and the Mayo Radio Experimenters Network using the callsign EI7MRE/P had a narrow win by just 30 points over neighbours the MRG Group, EI2MRG/P. The difference was only 2 QSOs on 2 Metres.

The MRG Group expresses its thanks to all who supported the SSB Challenge and have announced that the 2009 event will take place on September 6th


Missing Saker Falcon

A request has been made my a member of the Public, to try to find a missing Saker Falcon. The Saker Falcon recently went missing in the Dublin area of Inchicore / Ballyfermot. It has been suggested that if anyone can monitor 216.10MHz FM to try to pick up her signal, which is a constant beep to contact Gerard at 086 3640975


50 MHz now available in Sweden

Swedish Radio Amateurs now have access to the 50-52 MHz band with a power output limit of 200 watts and will get access to 7.1-7.2 MHz with 1 kW output from 1st April.

Previously access to 50 MHz had been by special permit only.


Dundalk Amateur Radio Society

The recent lecture by Richard MI3CQR on Digital PMR radio systems and D-Star technologies drew a full house with visitors from the Crossakiel Association also attending.

The next meeting is the Annual General Meeting being held on Wednesday the 4th of March 2009. All members are requested to attend.

Please check out www.ei7dar.com for more Society details.


Crossakiel Amateur Radio Association

The CARA Annual General Meeting is next Wednesday the 11th of February at 8 PM in "The Welcome Wagon", Crossakiel, Kells, Co. Meath.


South Eastern Amateur Radio Group

The Annual General Meeting of South Eastern Amateur Radio Group will take place on Monday the 23rd of February at 8.00 p.m. in usual venue of the Roanmore Centre, Cleaboy Road, Waterford.

All members are asked to attend but visitors and new members are very welcome. Please note that as membership subscriptions are now due, this meeting is an ideal opportunity to renew membership. For more information about the group, log on to www.searg.com


Limerick Radio Club

The AGM of the Club will be held on Thursday 26th February 2009 at the Limerick Institute of Technology at 7:30 pm. All members of the Club are requested to attend. The regular monthly meeting on the 2nd Thursday of the month (12th February) has been cancelled to facilitate the AGM later in the month.


Radio Rallies

15th February 2009 Coolmine Radio Rally,

The Coolmine Radio Rally, run by the Phoenix Radio Club will be held in the Coolmine Community School, Clonsilla Dublin 15 on Sunday 15th February 2009,Doors open 9.30 am.

The Coolmine Committee welcome all visitors to bring their items for sale as there will be table available for bring and buy. This makes for great interest and perhaps bargains for those wanting to buy and a good opportunity for those wanting to sell unwanted gear.

Table bookings and information please contact Tony 087-2439997 or Tom 01-8211043 See map on www.coolminecs.ie/locationmap.php

Radio, Electronics & Hobbies Fair

The Radio, Electronics & Hobbies Fair takes place on 8th March 2009 at the Radisson SAS Hotel, Ennis Road, Limerick. Doors Open at 11:00 AM. Admission €5. There will be the usual traders attending the Fair. A Bring & Buy Sale will also take place.

Tables for the Bring & Buy Sale can be reserved by contacting ei4lrc /at/ eircom.net. The cost per table is €10.The Club will have its own stand at the Bring & Buy Sale. Members willing to donate items of equipment etc for sale on the stand should contact any member of the committee prior to the event. The usual raffle with excellent prizes will also be held.

Other Rallies during March include The Lagan Valley Amateur Radio Society Rally in Hillsborough, Co. Down on Saturday 14th March and the Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club Rally in Lisnaskea, Co. Fermanagh on Sunday 29th March.

The big event in April is the IRTS AGM Weekend, on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th April. This takes place in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel, Athlone. Weekend events include the IRTS Annual Dinner, a Radio Rally and the IRTS Annual General Meeting.

More details of these events will be given in later bulletins, and are also available on the IRTS web site at www.irts.ie/rallies


DX News

ZS8T Marion Island · Bogus spots

Rhynhardt Louw, ZS6DXB, the ZS8T Press Officer, reports that all dx posts posted on February 2 are 100% bogus. Petrus wasn’t operating that day at all.

We would also like to inform the Ham Radio Community that 14.300.00 is not ZS8T’s operating frequency and that Petrus will tune any other legal clean frequency to operate on 20m.


Antarctic Activity Week

The Worldwide Antarctic Program's (WAP) 6th Antarctic Activity Week (AAW) will take place between 0000z, February 16th and 2400z, February 22nd. For details, see: www.waponline.it


This week in History

1881 Edison patents his incandescent lamp.

1910 First radio message is sent from an aircraft in flight, NY.

1926 Baird displays his first television images.


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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