The IRTS Committee is extremely disappointed with a Facebook post during the week referencing Committee member resignations. We cannot understand why a now former Committee member, would think it appropriate to announce resignations on a public forum, particularly as the members concerned had not had the opportunity to reconsider their resignations, per due process. Putting this information into the public domain, before the Committee had any opportunity to inform the IRTS membership of the situation, is completely unacceptable. Such behaviour shows a complete lack of respect for the IRTS and its membership. These actions were not carried out with the best interests of the IRTS in mind. While there have been some resignations from the IRTS Committee, the remaining members are committed to resolving the issues which led to those resignations. Work is now also underway to fill those positions. Despite a spurious report to the contrary, the IRTS is alive and well and continues to function as normal. We would also like to make it clear that the Committee continues to have a quorum as per Rule 9.2, despite a suggestion to the contrary. The existing Committee and Officers are giving their time and effort on a voluntary basis, to progress the society, and provide the best services and representation for its membership. The Committee would like to ask the membership to once again stand behind the IRTS, support this good work, and engage in a constructive and meaningful way, as you have done for many years. A new Examination board has just been put in place and is actively continuing the good work already started by the previous exam board. The exam board continues to monitor Government guidelines regarding the hosting of the HAREC exam, and are exploring all options available, in compliance with our obligations to ComReg. The new Exam Board will be communicating with the exam candidates shortly on this matter. A full statement regarding the matter will be communicated to all IRTS members as soon as due process and consideration has been given to those committee members who have tendered their resignations.
As part of the anniversary celebrations of the Transatlantic Cable on Tuesday 27th July, between Valentia Cable station and the Hearts Content Cable station in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, the Kerry Amateur Radio Group EI1K will continue the tradition of making HF QSO's with their friends at VO1TAC (TransAtlanticCable). In July 1866, the first permanent telegraph cable connecting Europe and North America was hauled ashore at Heart's Content and connect to Valentia. Please keep a listen for VO1TAC and give them a call from EI...
The EI News monthly online IRTS publication is distributed on the first day of each month to all members who have an email address listed with the membership records officer. You still have time to contribute news on upcoming events for the August issue over the next few days. Send your contributions to newsteam at irts dot ie Please note that the deadline for submissions to Echo Ireland, the IRTS quarterly magazine is August 31st.
Results have now been published for VHF/UHF Field Day, which was held over the first weekend of July. This field day incorporates 5 separate contests, one for each band from 6 metres to 23 centimetres. Logs were submitted for 4 of the 5 bands. The 6 metres contest produced the best DX, with Tipperary Amateur Radio Group logging a QSO with a station in Asiatic Turkey, a distance of more than 3,300 kilometres. See www.irts.ie/results for full details.
The AMSAT Engineering and Operations Teams are pleased to announce that RadFxSat-2/AMSAT Fox-1E also known as AO-109, is now open for amateur use. Users are advised to use efficient modes such as CW or FT4 for making contacts, as there are issues with the satellite that make SSB voice contacts difficult. Have a look at the May/June 2021 issue of The AMSAT Journal for an article by Burns Fisher WB1FJ, and Mark Hammond N8MH, detailing the various attempts to characterize AO-109 and its apparent problems. AO-109 is an Inverting Linear Transponder. The uplink is 145.860MHz – 145.890MHz and the downlink 435.760MHz – 435.790MHz. There will be 1200Baud PSK Telemetry on 435.750 MHz, it's still non-operational.
The next QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo is fast approaching on August 14 & 15th and Eric Guth, 4Z1UG, who organises the event has issued a statement assuring potential attendees that the problems encountered during the event held in March have been resolved. To ease any doubts, they have created an easy way to preview the platform. From 1500utc on August 1 through 5 2359utc on August 3, 2021, anyone can preview the Expo platform at no charge. Go to https://qsotest.vfairs.com anytime during this 3 day period. It’s a fully functioning version of the platform to allow people to gain comfort with the layout and navigation including the Lobby. The live Expo is best enjoyed on an updated Windows, MAC, or Linux computer. At least 10 MB download speed using a Chrome browser is advised. Smartphones and tablets are not recommended for the live event. However, all presentation content can be accessed later with these devices in playback mode. You can purchase tickets and see a complete list of speakers at the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo on the event’s website on www.qsotodayhamexpo.com
The East Leinster Amateur Radio Club, EI0EL, having successfully completed their monthly pilot of the IRTS News Broadcast on 4 Metres continue their monthly broadcasts. Their next broadcast will be on Sunday next August 1st at 10.30am local time on a frequency of 70.400MHz FM. The club will continue their portable operation and the news will be read by Frank EI8HIB from Kippure. A new 10m telescopic portable mast will be in use for the first time. The club would like to thank all callers but especially those who get out and operate mobile to call in to the service.
Organised by the Russian Digital Radio Club, the Russian World Wide MultiMode Contest starts at 1200utc on Saturday next and runs for 24 hours on BPSK63, CW, RTTY and SSB. Russian stations will give report and area code and all other give report and serial number. Hellschreiber, or Hell, is a unique, HF digital mode for sending and receiving text using facsimile technology in which the characters are not decoded, but "painted" graphically on a screen for the operator to interpret. For those interested in this mode, a contest will run all day next Saturday on the HF bands. The RSGB run their FT4 contest over an hour starting at 1900z on Monday next July 26th on the 80, 40 and 20 metres bands. Categories are 100 watts and 10 watts and the multipliers are the large locator squares.
DX News Brian, GW4DVB, is active as J88PI from Palm Island, also known as Prune Island, in the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Island group, until the 1st of August. He is on the air holiday style on 40/20/17/15/10 and 6 meters using CW, SSB, SSTV and FT8. Send QSLs to his home call.
John, KL2A, is still active from Anchorage, Alaska, until the end of July on 160 to 6 metres using mainly CW and possibly FT8.
As part of a year-long activity toward the "All Saints - 2021" award, members of the Bulgarian Radio Club Blagovestnik LZ1KCP, are honouring yet another of the Orthodox saints during July. They are using the callsign LZ950TM and in August they will be using the callsign LZ363ER. Send QSLs via the Bureau or direct to LZ1KCP. For more details about the awards visit the website at www.lz1kcp.com
The special callsign II3TDD celebrating the centenary of the opening of the most famous ALPS railway "Trenino delle DOLOMITI - DOLOMITES Mountains Train" will be on air until September 30th 2021 on all bands and modes. Full details on QRZ.com
Finally, Laurent, HB9HKE, will be active as TF/HB9HKE from Iceland until August 7th
That is the news for this week. Items for inclusion in next week’s radio news can be submitted by email to newsteam/at/irts/dot/ie for automatic forwarding to both the radio and printed news services. The deadline is midnight on Thursday. We welcome a new member to the IRTS News team. Current 80 metre newsreader Stefan EI4KU will take over as editor of the weekly IRTS Radio News bulletin from next week.
[C]