Archived News Script

IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 25th October 2009


DX contesters killed in plane crash

The tragic news is that four members of the C6APR DX team perished when their light aircraft crashed soon after take-off in South Carolina.

They were heading to Crooked Island in the Bahamas for this weekend’s CQ World Wide Contest, a location used on seven previous occasions by the team since 2006 including in the CQ WW and IOTA contests.

Killed were the pilot Pete Radding W2GJ, Ed Steeble K3IXD, Randy Hargenrader K4QO and Dallas Carter W3PP. Our thoughts are with their families at this time.


Train the Trainers

The Society is considering running a "Train the Trainers" session for theory tutors intending to run classes and who wish to use the Society's CD Exam Course Guide. This may also be of interest to those unable to attend classes and who wish to use the Guide as a study aid for the Theory Examination.

The two-hour session would most probably take place on a weekend afternoon and would demonstrate how best to use the CD Guide and also practical matters relating to preparing students to sit the Exam. If you are interested in participating in such a Training Session please drop an email to Paul EI2CA or Seamus EI8BP or indeed any of the Committee Members. Their contact details are on the IRTS website and in the latest issue of Echo Ireland.


Affiliated Clubs

Affiliated Clubs are reminded that they are entitled to send a representative to IRTS Committee meetings. The next Committee meeting will take place next Saturday 31st October in the Port Laoise Maldon Hotel at 11am. The meetings usually finish by 1pm and it is an opportunity for Clubs to participate in the Committee process.


CQIR Contest

Following the success of the first CQIR contest held during the IRTS 75th Anniversary celebrations in 2007, the Society's Committee at their last meeting discussed requests from at home and abroad for a repeat event. You may recall that this HF event celebrated the Irish diaspora overseas and gave an opportunity for those with green blood in their veins to enjoy a Worldwide Irish Contest.

The committee decided to consider running the event every five years on a weekend close to St. Patrick's Day which would mean that the next event would be in March 2012 to coincide with the IRTS 80th Anniversary celebrations. We can also look forward to improved Solar Cycle conditions by then.

The Committee will consider revising the rules based on lessons learnt during the first event. If you have any suggestions or comments please forward them to the Contest Manager, Thos EI2JD.


GlobalSET 2009

Global Simulated Emergency Test Saturday

IARU Region 1 invites the HQ-Stations of all IARU member societies and stations of Emergency Communications Groups to participate in a Global Simulated Emergency Test on Saturday November 14th, 2009 18.00 – 22.00 UTC.

The operation will take place on and near the emergency Centre-of-Activity (CoA) frequencies on 80, 40, 20, 17 and 15 metres (+-QRM ).

This is an exercise between stations interested in emergency communications and is not a contest. Activity will be concentrated around the IARU Emergency Centre of Activity frequencies which are now incorporated in band plans around the world.

The details of the exercise will be published on the IARU Region 1 website (www.iaru-r1.org) under the Emergency Communications Working Group section.


Dxpedition and IOTA Talk by Declan Craig EI6FR

The Mayo Club has organised Declan Craig EI6FR to give a talk the evening before the Mayo Radio Rally, Saturday 21st November. He will have an interesting account about past Expeditions and IOTAS’s he has taken part in, how to plan future events and what is involved.


DXpedition to Midway Island

Midway Island, in the North Pacific Ocean, was home to a group of US and European radio amateurs earlier this month. Using the call sign K4M the team made over 60,000 QSOs during a seven day period. CW was used for over 60% of their QSOs, with 20, 30 and 40 metres accounting for most of the traffic.

Midway is ranked 13th "most wanted" DXCC entity in Europe, so there was a good deal of interest in this DXpedition from EI and GI. 18 EI and 11 MI/GI stations made contact with Midway during the month, nearly all of these QSOs being on 20, 30 or 40 metres. Top of the Irish leaderboard were John EI7BA, Nicki EI9JF and Dick GI3OQR - each with 5 band/mode QSOs in the K4M log.


SWL Activity

Brendan Nutley EI1429 has recently been involved in the SWL Category of the Sprint / Worked All Europe tests where he has Achieved 2nd place.


RSGB General Manager to visit Northern Ireland

The RSGB General Manager Peter Kirby, G0TWW will be visiting clubs in Northern Ireland in November.

He will be speaking at the following clubs and would like to meet as many radio amateurs as possible, both RSGB members and non-members alike.

Tuesday 17th November: GEARS: The Knockagh Lodge, 236 Upper Road Greenisland.

Wednesday 18th November: West Tyrone: The Technology Education Centre, Spillers Place, Omagh BT78 1FA

Times to be confirmed.

For further information please Email:: mi5jyk at rsgb.org.uk


YI/KV4EB DXCC credits

Bill Moore, NC1L, ARRL Awards Branch Manager, reports DXCC credit for this operation originally noted dates from April 20, 2003, to November 28, 2003.

An update to this operation has been received and the DXCC approval dates are now from April 20, 2003, through January 9, 2004.

This credit is only if your QSO falls within the date period noted above. The email address to send the details to for the above credit is dxcc /at/ arrl.org


Visitors to EI

Oliver EI/ON4EI is back in Ireland until the 26th October 2009 to enter the CQ WW DX SSB 2009 from the top of Benneshill.

Marc EI/W4MPS is currently visiting also until the 26th of October and has been worked by EI’s on the AO-51 Satellite from his location in the Fermoy area. Marc hopes to be active on the low bands also during his visit.


Tipperary Amateur Radio Group

The 2009 Annual General Meeting of the Tipperary Amateur Radio Group will take place on Thursday the 5th of November at 8.00 pm in Raheen House Hotel, Raheen Road, Clonmel. All are Welcome.


Rallies

Sunday 1st November 2009 Foyle and District ARC Rally Venue: White Horse Hotel, 68 Clooney Road, Derry, BT47 3PA (same hotel as last year)

Sunday 22nd November 2009 Mayo Radio Rally Venue: Welcome Inn, Castlebar, Co. Mayo

The rally organiser and main contact is Padraic Baynes EI9JA mobile 087 - 695 7154 or email pbaynes1 at eircom dot net Special Accommodation Rates are also available please check the full details on the www.ei7mre.org website

For more information on Rallies please check the IRTS website.


This week in History

1861 First transcontinental telegraph msg San Francisco to Washington. The Pony Express completed its last run the same day.

1879 Edison invents the incandescent electric lamp.

1884 Edison patents the 2 element lamp. (Diode valve)

1915 First transatlantic speech relay by radiotelephone by AT&T Arlington to Paris.


Items mentioned in the IRTS Radio news are of a general, educational or informative nature, there is no guarantee that stations mentioned can be heard or worked

Items for inclusion in next weeks Radio News should be

forwarded to Charlie EI8JB, preferably 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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