Archived News Script

IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 17th December 2017


Echo Ireland

The winter edition of Echo Ireland, the society's journal, is due to arrive shortly with current IRTS members. News from around the clubs includes details of overseas visits, contest operating, demonstration and JOTA stations and lots more, with contributions from Avondhu Radio Club, Kerry Amateur Radio Group, Mayo Radio Experimenters as well as the Shannon Basin, Dundalk and Tipperary clubs.

There is a full report on DX Féile, the EIDX group's October gathering on Inis Mór, as well as the group's plans for a DXpedition to Malawi in 2018. Another major event in October - the successful direct contacts from schools in Dublin and Cork with the International Space Station - is also covered.

Don EI6IL tells us how beacon monitoring can be used to explore HF band conditions and work DX on bands that might initially seem dead, while Keith EI5KJ focuses on VHF DX with the help of amateur radio satellites. Another aspect of the hobby, Amateur Television, is well covered in an article by Steve EI4KM, who explains why he and other ATV operators have moved to digital ATV systems.

The latest Echo Ireland includes the regular columns on HF Happenings, the Excerpts from the HX Files and Contest News. Also, there are extensive reports on the issues covered in the recent IARU conference in Germany, where many topics of interest to radio amateurs - ranging from EMC issues to the future of the hobby - were considered. All in all, plenty of reading!


Wild Atlantic Way

We are now entering the final 2 weeks of the WAW initiative, so please keep up the momentum that has been evident over the past couple of weeks. Thanks to all who are making the effort - it is very much appreciated. The QSL manager, and indeed individuals, continue to get requests for the last one or two WAW calls to make up all 9. Help is again requested from licensed individuals and clubs, operating in EI, to increase the number of QSOs - so please contact the coordinators. For more information checkout the IRTS web site at www.irts.ie and from the activities menu on the top of the page, choose “Wild Atlantic Way”, where you will find the list of coordinators under Wild Atlantic Way - Operators Wanted.

Please don't forget to send your logs as soon as possible to the WAW QSL Manager, Dave EI6AL so that he can crunch the numbers to make the totals available as soon as possible after the 31st December 2017.


EI5ØAOM Remembers the Tuskar Rock Air Tragedy

Fifty years after the crash of an Aer Lingus Viscount airliner, registration EI-AOM, special event station EI5ØAOM remembers this tragic event and honours the 61 lives lost. It became known as the Tuskar Rock Air Tragedy and still represents the largest single loss of life in Irish civil aviation history. Victims came from seven countries--Ireland, UK, Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden, USA and the Netherlands. They represent a remarkable cross-section of humanity, from the simple shopkeeper to the rich and famous. Beginning mid-January, EI5ØAOM operations will devote one day to each victim, with operations culminating on the fiftieth anniversary of the crash, 24 March 2018.


Additional Croatian QSO’s to look forward to

The Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM) published in a Official gazette (Narodne Novine) No 116/2017, changes to the rules on amateur radio communications in the Republic of Croatia. According to these changes, Croatian radio amateurs now have access to the WRC-15 60m amateur secondary allocation of 5351.5 - 5366.5 kHz under ITU Footnote 5.133B - i.e. with 15W EIRP. They now also have access to the 160 meter band from 1810 - 2000 kH;. 1810 - 1850 kHz Max. Power 1.5 kW and 1850 - 2000 kHz Max. Power 1 kW.


South Eastern Amateur Radio Group

The South Eastern Amateur Radio Group would like to wish all their radio friends and their families in Ireland and around the world a very happy and peaceful Christmas 2017 and every good wish for the new year ahead. They hope 2018 brings you all wealth, good health and plenty of new DXCC’s

There will not be a December meeting of the group. Their next meeting will be on Monday the 29th of January 2018 in the Roanmore Social and Sports Centre, Cleaboy Road, Waterford at 8.00 p.m. sharp. At this meeting Keith EI5KF will be doing a show and tell on working amateur radio satellites entitled "Satellites made simple!". New members or anyone interested in learning more about amateur radio or the group are as always very welcome to attend.

For anyone that wishes to find out more about the South Eastern Amateur Radio Group and their activities you can come along to any of their meetings. You can check out their website www.searg.ie and you can also join them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.


Wexford Wireless Club

Wexford Wireless Club EI2WWC will be taking a short break from club weekly meetings over the Christmas period. There will be no meetings on Wednesday 20th and 27th of December and weekly meetings will resume as normal on Wednesday 3rd of January 2018.

Wexford Wireless Club would like to wish everyone a very happy Christmas and good DX in 2018.

For more information about the club please contact the club secretary Michael Fitzgerald EI9GGB at QTHR or by dropping an email to “Wexfordwirelessclub /at/ live /dot/ ie”


DX News

Mauri AG1LE will be QRV from Rarotonga in the South Cook Islands until 29th December. His callsign is E51DXX. QSLs go via the home call and the IOTA Reference is OC-013.

Ernest J69Z will be in Barbados until 2nd January using the callsign 8P9JB. This will be a QRP operation.

Heli DD0VR will be visiting several Caribbean countries over the next few weeks. Callsigns to look for are 8P0VR (Barbados), FG/DD0VR (Guadaloupe), J70VR (Dominica) and FM/DD0VR (Martinique). Operation will be holiday-style on 40 – 10m. QSL to the home call.

IOTA enthusiasts who still need the Danish island of Romo (EU-125) should look out for Volker DJ8VW who is signing 5P8VW until 23rd December. QSL via Club Log OQRS.


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 may be telephoned to the radio news editor, Mark EI6HPB on 086 355 2370.

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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