Archived News Script

IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 21st January 2018


Contest Results

The results of the IRTS Counties Contest held on New Year's Day have been published, see www.irts.ie/results the Contest Results page for full details. 55 station logs were submitted, 40 from EI and GI stations and 15 from overseas stations. Band conditions were good on the day, providing plenty of local QSOs as well as QSOs with overseas stations. More than 80 EI and GI stations from 25 counties, along with a similar number of overseas stations from 10 DXCC entities, are in the logs.


QSL Outwards Manager

Tony Baldwin EI8JK is stepping aside as QSL Outwards Manager after many years of sterling service. The Society is indebted to him for all his work and sends him sincerest thanks.

Dave O'Connor EI6AL has agreed to take up the position in addition to his many other commitments to IRTS. Full contact details are on the QSLs page which is to be found under Services on the IRTS web site.


Morse Tests

Morse testing will be held at the Phoenix Radio Club Rally at the Coolmine Community School on Sunday February 11th starting at 1100.

Places can be booked by contacting Dave EI4BZ on 087-6290574 or by email to “ei4bz /at/ eircom /dot/ net”.


St Patrick's Day

In Ireland we traditionally celebrate St Patrick's Day on the 17th March. But with radio we go world wide by getting on air following the time zones as people celebrate across the globe from 12 noon on 16th March till 12 noon on the 18th March. So why not take part in this fun e-award and help turn the bands green for St Patrick's Day.

For more information go to stpatrickaward.webs.com


Wild Atlantic Way

Thanks to WAW QSO Manager Dave EI6AL, the results of the year long WAW initiative are complete. Since the WAW initiative came from members of LRC, the Club has taken the decision to absent Club members from the Top Operator awards and the Club, which represented EI66WAW and EI77WAW, from the Top Club awards. In no particular order the three Top Operators are: Gerard Scannel, Jim Barry, Seamus Campbell. Again in no particular order the three Top Clubs are: Donegal, Kerry, Cork.

The order of merit for each award, indicating the number of QSOs, will be announced at the IRTS AGM in Galway when the awards will be made.

Each of the WAW participating counties will receive a framed certificate indicating the number of QSOs achieved

The grand total of all QSOs stands at 158,499. Given the band conditions throughout the year, it is a great achievement and something that all participants, in whatever role, can be justifiably proud of.


SOTA

Limerick Radio Club members Liam EI7DSB and Tom EI5CA braved the elements last Sunday 14th January to activate Moylussa Mountain; SOTA Reference EI/IW 033. They operated on 2 metres FM and on 40 metres CW. They both achieved the required number of QSOs in order to validate the activation.


Southern Ireland Repeater Group

It recently became necessary to relocate the 70cm repeater EI7BWR on 430.875 to an alternative site due to a change of site owners who were not as accommodating to amateur radio. The new site is Mullaghanish Mountain which is located on the Cork/Kerry border. The coverage from the new site should be similar to the previous site but with improved coverage in a Westerly direction. Because of the relocation and to keep with the licensing format the repeater's callsign has been changed to EI7MHR.

Their 2 meter repeater EI2DBR on 145.650 located at Devil's Bit Co. Tipperary has been suffering from interference on and off for the past while due to intermod. The interference is very intermittent and out of their control so it was decided to change the access to CTCSS to prevent the false triggering of the repeater causing an annoyance to users. A site visit was made on the 12th of January last to made the necessary changes and the tone 103.5Hz was decided on and programmed in the unit.

Any users with queries regarding the changes can email them to: “sirnrepeaters /at/ gmail /dot/ com”


Phoenix Amateur Radio Club Rally

A little reminder that the Phoenix Amateur Radio Club rally will take place on 11th February 2018 in Coolmine Community School, Dublin 15, D15 FW97. Doors will open at 10:00 a.m. Dave Moore EI 4BZ will offer morse testing at Rally. The EI DX group will also be present, so you can learn more about the expedition to Malawi 7Q7EI in March. In addition to this there will be traders present. As with other years, the rally will be a great day out for all. To book a table contact Tony at 087-243 9997. Tea and refreshments will be available all day. Unlimited free car parking.


AREN

On the weekend of 3rd and 4th of February, AREN will hold a National training and development weekend in Domineer, County Tipperary. Accommodation is available, booking required. For more information, visit www.aren.ie or contact EI4JN. New members welcome.


South Eastern Amateur Radio Group

The January meeting of the group will take place 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 EI5KJ will be doing a show and tell on working amateur radio satellites. Everyone welcome

The 2018 AGM of the group will take place on Monday the 26th of February 2018 in the Roanmore Social and Sports Centre, Cleaboy Road, Waterford at 8.00 p.m. sharp. As this is the most important meeting of the year for the group all members are please asked to attend. New members or anyone interested in the hobby are very welcome to come along also.

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.


EI QRP and Homebrew Group

The EI QRP and Homebrew Group on Facebook has been growing from strength to strength with over sixty members to date. Currently, many of the members are building the QCX transceiver kits from QSP Labs. The group is a great place for exchange of ideas and general information on QRP and homebrew activity in EI. So if you are on Facebook why not join our group.


Cork Radio Club

Cork Radio Club are mentoring for members intending sitting the HAREC examination in the summer and new participants are very welcome to join in.

Contact regarding any Cork Radio Club activity can be made by email to “info /at/ corkradioclub /dot/ ie” or by telephone to 087-6290574


DX News

John KB4FB will reactivate his HS0ZEG callsign from Bangkok, Thailand from 23rd – 30th January. This will be a holiday-style operation and confirmations will be via Logbook of The World.

Bob 5B4AGN will lead a six man team which will operate as ZC4A from the Sovereign Base Area in Cyprus. They will start on 25th January and plan to be on the air for 6 days. Activity will be on all bands 160 – 10m with the main focus on the Low Bands and CW. QSL info is via M0URX OQRS.

One of the major DXpeditions of 2018 is due to be QRV as 3Y0Z from Bouvet Island in the coming weeks. At the time of writing the team are waiting to leave Punta Arenas in Chile for the approximately 14 day trip to Bouvet. Once they receive clearance from the Chilean Navy they will be on their way. The Chilean Navy is the regulatory authority for maritime safety in the area. The ‘on air’ time once they land on the island is scheduled to be 14 days so that should give EI DXers time to get a QSO into their logs.

Peter DC0KK has been QRV from Sri Lanka as 4S7KKG since November. He will be there until 25th March. His main activity is on the digital modes and CW. QSLs go via Club Log OQRS. Don’t forget to look out for RI50ANO from the Russian Bellingshausen Base in the South Shetlands. This station will be active until the end of March. This special prefix is to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Base. QSLs go 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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