The national Society is being represented at the Region 1 Conference in Lillehammer in Norway over the coming week by Society President Paul O’Kane EI5DI and Dave Moore EI4BZ.
Both delegates were briefed at the committee meting held in Athlone on Saturday last. One of the biggest issues being discussed internationally at the moment is the future of Morse Code. It is generally accepted that the current requirement to pass a test in Morse code to gain access to the HF bands will in future not be the only means to gain that access. It will probably remain as one of the means to operate below 30MHz but several other possible options are being looked at throughout the world.
The current IRTS policy supports the provision of alternative means of access to the HF bands but does not agree with the reduction of the speed requirement of 12 words per minute. It is felt that speeds significantly below the current level are neither practical nor desirable.
No decisions on the Morse Code will be made at this conference but a picture should emerge of what is likely to happen when decisions are made in two or three years time.
All seats have now been booked for Fingal Radio Club’s forthcoming trip to Llandudno. We will update you on the outcome of the trip at a later stage.
We are now approaching the contest season which no doubt will drive many of you to the WARC bands or even the television. Despite all the negative views, contesters are the biggest group of amateurs who are continuously trying to push ahead with technical developments across all areas of the hobby. The frantic 5 and 9 activity takes up only a small fraction of the time put into the hobby by the serious contester. Anyway, contests can be a very useful means of building your country or states totals.
Next weekend is the big one for RTTY enthusiasts with the CQ Worldwide RTTY DX Contest being held over 48 hours starting midnight Friday.
The Scandinavian SSB Activity contest will also be held next weekend running from 1500z on Saturday to 1800z on Sunday.
The following weekend, October the 2nd and 3rd will give you a great chance to evaluate the DX performance of your station as the VK/ZL SSB contest will be on. This runs for 24 hours from 1000z on Saturday.
The European SSB Sprint will be held on the Saturday that weekend and runs for 4 hours from 1500z.
The RSGB 21 and 28MHz contest runs from 0700z on Sunday the 3rd until 1900z.
The committee of Fingal Radio Club has decided not to hold another rally this year, so their next one will be in early March in the year 2000. They intend to make this one the biggest and best ever so look out for more information during the coming months.
Rallies in Echo India and indeed across the water in G-Land have gone into decline over the past year or two. Attendances have been much reduced and the amount of second hand material, both in the good and junk categories, has almost totally dried up.
There are many theories as to why this is so and the IRTS has appointed a rally co-ordinator in an effort to improve the situation.
Most people who are regularly attendees at rallies agree that there are too many of them being held and the fixing of dates needs co-ordination.
If you a date fixed for a rally next year or have any opinions or suggestions please make them known to Dave EI4BZ QTHR or on 021-883555 or on e-mail to ei4bz@tinet.ie
The International Amateur Radio Union has secured an important cost concession for amateur satellites. All satellites have to be filed with the International Telecommunications Union to register the frequencies and orbits that will be used.
This service used to be free but the ITU has announced that it will now be charging. However, following discussions with the IARU, the ITU has agreed to exempt the amateur satellite service.
The Leicester Amateur Radio and Electronics Exhibition will be held next weekend, September the 24th and 25th The RSGB International HF and IOTA Convention will be held at the Beaumont Conference Centre, near Windsor, over the weekend of 8th to the 10th of October.
The annual Scouts Jamboree On The Air will be held over the weekend of October 16th and 17th. Further information from Pat EI9EZ QTHR.
The North Monaghan Hobby Radio and Computer Exhibition will be held this year on Sunday the 24th of October in the Blackwater Function room in The Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan Town. The Rally opens at 1130 and runs until 1630. Talk in on S22 from 1000 until 1400.
The London Amateur Radio and Computer Show will be held this year on November the 27th and 28.
Input for the radio news for the coming week should be sent to Sean Donelan EI4GK on 01-2821420 or by e-mail to donelanb@indigo.ie
Input for the Newsletter should be sent to Kevin EI7IM at QTHR or on the phone at 01-4509514 or by E-mail to EI7IM@qsl.net Input to either the radio news or newsletter can also be sent by e-mail to news@irts.ie for automatic forwarding to both news services.
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