The IRTS Technical Panel is a group of volunteers who have expertise in, or experience of, different aspects of amateur radio. Our aim is to help radio amateurs with technical or operational problems. here are some of the issues that we would have some expertise in:- Antennas (e.g. best antenna for a given location, matching antennas to rigs) Station operation (e.g. TVI, RF in the shack) Sourcing components (e.g. “where can I get toroids?”) IT issues (e.g. logging programs, rig interfacing, LoTW uploads). Send your question to irtstech /at/ irts.ie. Provide as much information as possible, including details of attempts already made to deal with the issue in question. You can also visit www.irts.ie and or follow us on Facebook and on Twitter.
The North Cork Radio Group will be activating Fort Meagher, Camden this weekend, 6th & 7th July and numerous weekends up to September. The Rescue Camden effort has been doing amazing work in the restoration of the fort and has a lot of welcome volunteers to assist with this. The 6th July is the opening day of the fort to the public and will remain open for 12 weeks. Opening hours are from 12 - 5pm every Saturday and Sunday. We are delighted to be a part of this effort and look forward to working you on the air.
NCRG will also be activating Fort Mitchell on Spike Island on the 13th & 14th July under CASHOTA reference EI019/C. This activation is extremely sought after by CASHOTA collectors and we always have a great time activating same. Visits to the Island are by ferry only and details of this can be found www.spikeislandcork.ie
Both forts will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of the handing back of the forts to the Irish Government in 1938, and will be holding commemorative festivities on the 11th July. Please see the websites and Facebook pages of both venues for any further details.
Fingal Radio Club now meet most Tuesday evenings at 8.00pm in the KittyHawks Bistro in the Carlton Hotel on the old airport road just outside Dublin Airport.
We would also like to hear from any amateurs who might be interested in 4 day trip to the UK to visit the enigma machine among other items on display in Bletchley Park Museum.
We hope to do this in conjunction with 11-13 OCTOBER RSGB CONVENTION.
For further details please contact Christopher, EI7AAB,at yeatesdsl/ /at/ /eircom/dot/net or on 087-2463303.
Congratulations to Tony Fay EI6EQB from Artane on winning the Cleartone CM-7200 4m radio. Tony EI4DIB would like to thank the many who entered the competition. You can read all about 4metres on Tony’s blog at ei4dib.blogspot.ie.
Thomas KC0W will be in Haiti until 25 July. He will use the callsign HH5/KC0W. There has not been a lot of activity from Haiti in recent years so look out for large pile-ups. Operation will be on all bands 160 – 10m using verticals on SSB and CW.
The Chilean island of San Felix will be activated by Mike WU2D from around 8 – 15 July. He has been issued with the callsign CE0X/WU2D by the Chilean authorities. This island counts as a separate entity for DXCC purposes.
Eric KV1J who has operated annually since 2008 as FP/KV1J on the St Pierre & Miquelon Islands returns there again this year. His dates are 6 – 16 July. He plans activity on all bands 160 – 6m.
Upcoming DXpeditions from the Caribbean area include V47JA from St Kitts & Nevis and FS/AF6KJ and FS/AF6WU from St Martin.
The NCRG will hold their radio rally on Sunday 15th September 2013. The event will be held at the Commons Inn, Blackpool, Cork and doors open at 11.00am. Log onto www.ei1nc.com or contact Edwin EI2HEB.
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.
[N]