Archived News Script

IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 16th September 2012


Licence Examination

Almost all of the places have been allocated for the next Amateur Station Licence Examination which will be held on Thursday 4th October at 2 p.m.in the ComReg Offices in Dublin. The closing date for receipt of applications is Thursday next 20th September but there are very few places still available

Full details, including entry procedure, examination fee and how to pay the fee online are available by clicking on the Licence Exam button on the IRTS homepage at www.irts.ie Places for the examination are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Please note that it is necessary to download the application form from the web page and forward the completed form and the appropriate fee in order to secure a place for the examination. If you pay the fee on line you must still complete and forward the application form.


North Cork Radio Group

North Cork Radio Group would like to sincerely thank all the supporters that attended our rally, it was a brilliant day and we had the opportunity to chat to many of our great friends. Thanks especially to the traders, sellers, and to all those who kindly donated raffle prizes, to include South East Communications, Longs Communications, Blackrock Castle Observatory, Claus Stehlik EI7JZ and Dan from Frequency Db. Your support as ever is much appreciated. The winners of the prizes were:-

Pat Ryan, Ken O'Driscoll, John Cahill, Dave Deane EI9FBB and Dave EI9GBB.

We also wish to thank the IRTS, especially Pat EI2HX and Ger EI4GXB, who attended and gave us a lovely pile of QSL cards to sort. Morse tests were held on the day and many are awaiting their official results.

A big thank you also to our new hosts, the Commons Inn in Blackpool who kindly allowed us the use of their facilities. We are pleased to announce that our rally will take place at this venue again next year as the location was a huge success and was a perfect venue for all involved.

A final thanks is to be given to all our members who assisted in the planning and execution of the event, especially Edwin EI2HEB for his many phone calls and emails, and we look forward to doing it again.

Our next activation to take place at Cork City Gaol in October.


Achill Henge CASHOTA Activation

The Galway VHF Group will be activating Achill Henge on Sunday the 16th of September from 11 am - 3 pm and active on 80, 40 and 20 metres. Achill Henge is a "stone henge" like structure that was built on a hilltop on Achill Island near the village of Keel. The Henge was built in record time over the weekend of 26th and 27th of November 2011. Achill Henge is located in WAI Square F60 Co. Mayo ànd has the CASHOTA Designator EI-02-M. The Callsign for this operation will be EI4ALE/P. Check out EI4ALE on QRZ.com for more details.


Dundalk Amateur Radio Society, EI7DAR

Radio Theory Classes will commence Monday 5th November at DAR Society premises ‘Larkin House’, 113, Castletown Road, Dundalk, for preparation to sit the radio theory exam early in 2013. Tuition places are strictly limited and intending candidates are encouraged to enrol at the earliest opportunity. Tuition will involve approximately 20 weeks class attendance and an investment of €100 is required. Open nights to find out more information and to enrol on the course will be held on Sept 19th, October 3rd, October 17th, October 31st. All are welcome to enrol and this will be a fun learning experience. More information from www.ei7dar.com or secretary at ei7dar dot com.


DX News

The well-known DXer JA1PBV will operate as VK9XS from Christmas Island from 16 – 20 September. This will be followed by an operation from Cocos Keeling Island as VK9CS. QSLs for both stations go via the home call.

A multi-national team will put Conway Reef in the South Pacific Ocean on the air from 24 September until 5 October. The callsign will be 3D2C and QSL manager is YT1AD.

Jim K7QI is expected to be QRV from South Sudan in the coming weeks. He will use the callsign Z8AAA. This will be the first activity since the ST0R DXpedition in July/August last year when South Sudan became an independent country. Expect major pile-ups.

A group of 6 Belgian operators will be in Liechtenstein from 18 – 23 September. Look out for them signing HB0/home calls. They plan to be on all bands 10 – 80m using SSB and CW.


Fists CW Club

On the Facebook Page of the FISTS CW CLUB, you can access a recording made by Finbar O'Connor , Radio Officer, at the closing down of Malin Head Radio Station in County Donegal. At that time 5 Compact Discs were recorded and these have now been converted to MP3 files and the link is available for all to listen to by clicking on the FACEBOOK PAGE of the FISTS CW CLUB.


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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