Archived News Script

IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 6th April 2014


Silent Key - Con, EI7ID

Honorary Member of IRTS

The death has occured of Con Murphy EI7ID VK6PM who was an Honorary Member of IRTS. Con was born in 1926 in Rathcoole, Co. Dublin and obtained his licence in 1957. He was a former member of the Irish Defence Forces. Con lived in Rathfarnham until 1969 when he emigrated to VK6 land. He had been home about twelve times in the intervening years and always met up with EIs he was in contact with as VK6PM.

Con was very active on the air in EI, was a committed IRTS member and there was hardly an IRTS field day in which he did not play a prominent part. He was made an Honorary Member of the Society just before he departed for VK6. He continued to be very active on the radio as VK6PM and held regular skeds with friends in EI. He died recently in Toodyay, Western Australia and was buried on Tuesday last in Cruagh Cemetery after Requiem Mass in Rathfarnham. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends. To his wife Breda, to his daughters Peg, Una Fiona, Grania and Martha and to his son Desmond we extend our sincerest sympathy. May he rest in peace.


Silent Key - Anthony, AA2TX

The death has occurred of Anthony “Tony” J. Monteiro, AA2TX (SK) AMSAT Vice President-Engineering. His passing will be a great loss to AMSAT and Amateur Radio. May he Rest in Peace.


United Kingdom and Ireland Contest Club (UKEICC)

A group of dedicated and committed amateur radio operators have set up the United Kingdom and Ireland Contest Club. Membership is open to anyone interested in HF contesting. A dedicated website is now up and running on www.ukeicc.com Online membership registration is free and will start at the end of April 2014.


Kerry Amateur Radio Group

The AGM of the Kerry Amateur Radio Group was held last weekend, and was very well supported. The 2014/2015 committee was elected, with Declan EI9FVB as Chairman, Billy EI7CQB as Treasurer and John EI9ESB as Secetary. New members as always are very welcome.

KARG has planned lots of activities for 2014 in celebration of its 10 year anniversary. Field Days planned for April include 2M Counties and International Marconi Day from the site in Ballybunion, where the first east to west telephonic communication was made in 1919, between Ballybunion and Louisbourg Cape Britton in Nova Scotia.


Declan EI9HQ WAI Run

Declan EI9HQ will be out on Saturday 12th April in County Wicklow marshalling a car rally. When he has time between stages, he will put a callout on 40m 7.160mhz to 7.170mhz. He will put a post out on the WAI Yahoo Group forum when on air. Please keep an eye on the forum and your email box for posts.

On Sunday 13th April he will be mobile to Co, Laois going to the Durrow classic car show leaving around 0930 local time and will be on air again on the return. Keep an eye out for post on WAI Yahoo Group forum and your email box for posts.


WAI Yahoo Group

Declan, EI9HQ has set up a Worked All Ireland Yahoo Group for those amateur radio operators interested in WAI. All posts sent should be WAI related. It will primarily be used to post information about mobile runs and for fixed stations. Specific information relating to , time on air, WAI square and County should be posted. This Yahoo Group will be a means for to help operators to gain WAI awards and perhaps WAI (EI) counties award. It is planned that a website will be set up as soon as possible. Declan can be heard on 7.170MHz, 3.680MHz and 145.350MhZ.


Limerick Radio Club

The next meeting of Limerick Radio Club, will take next Wednesday 9 April at 19.30 in the Limerick Institute of Technology. A talk on Software Defined Radio will be given by club member Tom O'Sullivan EI3AL. As always, club meetings are open to all and SWL's are particularly welcome.


North Cork Radio Group

North Cork Radio Group are pleased to confirm our attendance once again this year for Marconi Weekend at Mizen Head Signal Station, Co Cork for April 25 to 27, the call sign used will be EI0IMD and we look forward to working you all.

In other news, we also confirm that our 5th anniversary rally will be held on Sunday, 7th September 2014 at the Commons Inn, Blackpool, Cork and doors will open at 11am. Entry fee is €5 and children will be free as usual.

There are some nice spot prizes in the raffle ad tickets will be on sale at the door for €5 per strip. Tables are already in high demand with places secured by a number of traders, some new to the Cork rally.

Should anyone wish to book a table, please contact Lisa EI9GSB ON 086 8427756 or ei9gsb/at/me/ dot/com. There will also be a Bring and Buy table available on the day for anyone wishing to sell a few items.


Dundalk Amateur Radio Society

The AGM of Dundalk Amateur Radio Society, EI7DAR, has been postponed until Wednesday 7th May at 2000. Everyone welcome. Please check out ei7dar.com.


Summits On The Air

Followers of the SOTA programme will know that Phil ON4TA is a regular activator of Irish summits. Phil has just finished another visit to Ireland, taking in the society's AGM weekend in Galway and numerous hills in Wicklow, Wexford, Cavan, Longford and Down. Phil's main aim during this visit was to activate some of the SOTA summits in the Mourne Mountains. In spite of adverse weather, Phil managed to activate some of the major Mourne peaks, including Slieve Bearnagh, Slieve Binnian and Slieve Donard. For the ascent of Slieve Donard, Phil was accompanied by Joe EI7GY; they finished the climb in blizzard conditions, with near-zero visibility. Gale force winds ruled out any HF activity on Donard, however Phil had a number of 2 metre QSOs with local GI and MI stations.


DX News

Looking at the EI DXCC List at www.irts.ie/dxcc we see that Niall EI4CF has recently joined ARRL's DXCC award programme, with 295 entities confirmed. Hugh EI6CPB is another new call sign in the DXCC List, and we also note that Dave EI9FBB has been working on his score for individual bands.


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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