A one-hour IRTS 80 metres Counties Contest takes place at 20:00 on Tuesday next, 13th November. There are SSB-Only and mixed-mode SSB/CW sections, with double points for CW QSOs in the mixed-mode section. There is also an SWL section. See www.irts.ie/contests for permitted frequencies and other rules; note that the power limit for this contest is 100 watts PEP. For EI and GI stations, multipliers are the Irish counties plus overseas DXCC entities worked, while for overseas stations multipliers are the EI and GI counties.
The news team has received a note by surface post regarding the late EI2DDB SK. Unfortunately the sender forgot to include their name and or callsign. Could the sender please contact “newsteam /at/ irts /dot/ ie” so that the item can be published in Echo Ireland.
The club took part in the SSB Field day, once again located in the grounds of garbally college in Ballinasloe. They were very lucky with the weather as the sun was shining for most of the day which of course helped when erecting antenna and the gazebo (thanks to Tom EI4HCB).
Band conditions were fair and a steady qso rate was possible. The contest also gave recently licenced Paul (EI9HQB) his first taste of contesting and he coped very well with some of the pile ups.
Ops on the daw were Pat (EI9HX), Fergus (EI6IB), Fr Niall (EI4CF) Tom (EI4HCB), Paul (EI9HQB), Owen (EI4GGB), Craig (EI3FW) and Brian (EI8IU).
A reminder that the Tountinna 2m repeater EI2TAG is off the air since Monday evening 29th October 2018. It will remain off until further notice. In the meantime the LRC IRTS News will be read on the LRC 70 cms repeater EI7WHR, located on Woodcock Hill IO52PR. The repeater input frequency is 434.725 MHz and the output frequency is 433.125 MHz.
The EI2SNG gateway has now been installed and is running on a temporary basis while undergoing some final tests. During the SBC net this week on 145.350MHz Thursday 20:00, it is hoped that the IECRO club will operate a 2m station under the callsign EI0IPN from the Mullingar site, utilising the gateway antenna system to check range. All previous tests were conducted onsite using a much less effective setup, however still seemed to provide decent service coverage. The need for additional improvements are of course expected to be made to the system over the coming weeks before it can go permanently live.
The IRTS News Team would like to take this opportunity to wish all candidates sitting the HAREC examination in Dublin on Thursday 15th November the very best of luck. We look forward to hearing you on the airwaves hopefully very soon.
On Wednesday 7th November Steve EI5DD provided an excellent talk on the topic of digital voice modes to members of the Shannon Basin Club. Thorough explanation around its operational theory and practical applications were incorporated into the event.
A demonstration of DMR in action was provided at the end where the advantages of DMR could be observed.
The Shannon Basin Club would like to thank both Steve EI5DD and John MI0AAZ for presenting this topic. It proved very interesting to a large number of club members.
A reminder that one of the latest improvements to be made to the DMR network has been the establishment of a link to the Echolink network by John Anderson MI0AAZ. Anyone connecting to MI0AAZ-L under LINKS on the Echolink network will now connect to Talk Group 2724 on the Irish DMR network. For additional information please visit the blog for EI7GL at ei7gl.blogspot.com
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the trans-Atlantic Route de Rhum yacht race which finishes in Guadeloupe members of the Radio Club Guadeloupe will operate a special event station using the callsign TO40R. They will be on the air on all HF bands from 11th – 25th November. QSL via the bureau and Logbook of The World.
Take JG8NQJ will be back on the DXCC entity of Minami Torishima (also known as Marcus Island) for about 3 months starting in mid-November. While there he works at the local weather station and in his spare time gets on the air as JG8NQJ/JD1. He operates mainly CW with some RTTY also. QSL manager is JA8CJY.
A multi-national team consisting of PA3EWP, GM4FDM, PA4WM and EI5IX will be QRV from the island of Tonga from 16th – 27th November. Callsign will be A35EU. They will be on all HF bands CW, SSB and RTTY with some FT8. QSL via Club Log OQRS.
An expedition by members of the Russian Robinson Club will take place from 17th – 23rd November to Seif Island in the Persian Gulf. The callsign will be EP6RRC and the IOTA reference is AS-189. This is the first time that this island has been activated so large pile-ups are expected. QSL manager is R7AL.
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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