Archived News Script

IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 1st May 2011


Echo Ireland

Echo Ireland, the IRTS newsletter was mailed to all members during the past week. Due to a computer glitch a some copies have not yet reached their destinations. The error has now been rectified and all the outstanding newsletters should be delivered in the early days of next week. Any member who fails to receive his Echo Ireland by next Wednesday should contact Sean Donelan EI4GK who will mail them a further copy. Sean's email address is donelansean/ at/gmail/ dot/ com.


2 Metres Counties Contest

The Easter Monday EI/GI counties contest was well supported this year, keeping the FM channels and SSB frequencies busy for the full two hours of the contest.

This is a popular contest with club stations; we heard Shannon Basin Radio Club, Mayo Radio Experimenters Network, Dundalk Amateur Radio Society and North County Radio Club during the contest. Being a VHF contest, hilltop operations were favoured by some: these included David EI7GEB who was on Mohercrom on Co. Cavan, and Joe EI7GY who was on Toin le Gaoith (Tonlagee) in Co. Wicklow: Joe reports that the mountain lived up to its name, with plenty of "gaoth" (wind) around his contest QTH.

Most EI and GI counties were on the air for the contest. There was a small "lift" during the last 20 minutes or so of the contest, which brought in some overseas stations.

Logs should be sent to contestmanager /at/ irts/ dot/ie as soon as possible.


Up-Coming IRTS Contests

1. 2m Counties Contest Monday April 25th 2011. From 2pm till 4pm. Log to be submitted by May 25th.

2. CW Field Day Sat 4th/ Sun 5th June 2011. Log to be submitted by July 5th.

Calling all active VHF and Higher operators we are trying to get the 2010 Squares table finalized on IRTS.ie. So can anyone that was active on the VHF bands last year please send your Square totals or your log and I can work it out for you to EI2GLB /at/ hotmail / dot/.com . To see the squares table go to www.irts.ie and click on vhf/uhf/shf on the right side of the home page.


Theory Examination

The next theory examination for the Harmonised Amateur Radio Examinbation Certificate (HAREC) will be held on Thursday, 7 July next at 2.00 p.m. in the ComReg offices in Dublin. The examination may also be held on that day at other centres if warranted by the number of candidates.

Full details, including entry procedure and examination fee, are available at www.irts.ie/exam


Introduction to Amateur Radio the practical way

The Mayo Radio Experimenters Network plan on holding a series of practical, hands on, open days throughout the summer months, commencing Sunday May 8th. The events will start at 13.00 approx (weather permitting) and will take place on the following dates: Sunday May 8th Sunday June 12th Sunday July 10th Sunday August 14th Sunday September 11th Anyone with an interest in radio related matters, who would like to have the opportunity to participate or observe the operation of an amateur radio station, or meet club members, will receive a warm welcome. Whatever you’re level of interest, the club will be pleased to help in taking your interest further, be it a complete novice, shortwave listener or formal assistance in progressing to a full amateur radio licence.

The locations will be chosen in the Mid Mayo area in order to encourage attendance from all parts of the County or further afield. If you would like further details including full details of locations please contact: Padraic Baynes EI9JA on 0876957154 (email pbaynes1/at/ eircom/ dot/net) , email David Hatfield EI3ECB on ei3ecb/ at/gmail/dot/com or text or phone the club mobile phone number 086 20 89 777


South Dublin Radio Club

The amateur radio classes are back weekly in SDR. In the very near future morse classes will be available.


The Mid Ulster Amateur Radio Club

The Mid Ulster Amateur Radio club will be holding a foundation course over one weekend towards the end of May. The course is open to anyone who wishs to take the first step on the Amatuer radio ladder. if interested you must attend the registration night on Wed 4th May from 7.30pm til 8.30pm at the place initiatuve, ardress pk, portadown, bt62 3tp. more details can be found at www.muarc.com or by contacting Martin MI0YMF on 02832852712

The Mid Ulster Amateur Radio club will be holding its monthly meeting today the 8th May 2011 at 3pm, in Brownlow Resource Centre, Brownlow Road, Craigvon, bt65 5dl. Both Members and visitors are welcome.

The annual rally will be held on Sunday 22nd May. If anyone wishes to book a table or for more information, then please contact Brian 2I0TCA (Rally Coordinator) at cqmuarc/ at/ gmail/ dot/ com or via www.muarc.com


International Castle Weekend

The International Castle weekend will be held on the 21st and 22nd May 2011 with Uk and Ire Castle weekend being from the 28th and 29th may 2011. If interested in activating any historical site, from castles, forts, roc bunkers etc then please complete the activation forms 10 days prior to activation, or contact your regional representative. see www.cashota.co.uk


Shannon Basin Radio Club

The Shannon Basin Radio Club will be taking part in the Mills on the air weekend on the 14th and 15th May. They will be operating from Elphin Windmill in Co. Roscommon and using the call EI2EWM. Averyone is welcome to turn up over both days and enjoy the tour of the beautiful restored windmill aswell as operating a special event station.


DX News

Kees PE1KL and his daughter Lisa PA2LS will be in Ghana until 6 May operating as 9G5LK. They hope to operate all bands 80 –10m and QSLs go via PA2LS and Logbook of the World.

Marcello IK8DNJ is off to the Dominican Republic and will sign HI7/IK8DNJ until 13 May. He will operate SSB and digital modeson 40 – 10m. QSL info is via IZ8LKL.

Several Japanese operators will be QRV from the island of Ogasawara for varying dates up to 13 May. Calls to look out for are JD1BMT, JD1BLY and JD1BMH. As well as being quite a rare DXCC entity Ogasawara also counts for IOTA AS-031.

The well-known DXer Gerard F2JD is on his travels again and will be active as HR5/F2JD until the middle of May. Have a look at his web page at <f2jd.free.fr> to see a list of the countries he has operated from since 1969. His QSL manager is F6AJA.

Chris ZS6RI will be operating from Zambia as 9J2RI for up to two years. He is on a work assignment there and because of that he will be ‘6 weeks on / 6 weeks off ’ during that time. In the past Chris has been QRV with such exotic calls as ZD9IR Tristan da Cunha, 5H9IR Tanzania and EL8RI Liberia.


Items for inclusion in next week’s Radio News can be submitted via e-mail to “newsteam /at/ irts / dot / ie” for automatic forwarding to both the radio and printed news services. Urgent news items for the radio news maybe telephoned to the radio news editor, Aidan, EI7JC on 085 7100511.

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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