This Week’s News
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday April 26th, 2026
IRTS AGM Weekend
The IRTS successfully held its 2026 annual general meeting over the weekend of April 18th and 19th. The weekend started off with a hands-on buildathon soldering workshop with thanks to Dr. Diarmuid Ó Briain, EI4LF and the team for putting on a great session. A series of presentations followed featuring the Signal Corps, software defined radio, and microwave transmissions. ComReg Spectrum Advisor Dr. Samuel Ritchie EI9FZB, and Project Manager Brendan O'Brien delivered the findings of the recent nationwide poll on the health of the amateur radio hobby, and a detailed retrospective of Ireland’s licensing regime. Their insights were warmly received by attendees.
The evening’s gala dinner, held in the beautifully decorated dining hall of Treacy’s Oakwood Hotel, was very well attended. During the meal, the society presented a number of awards, with Andy McCarthy EI7IOB awarded the coveted President's award. We will include a list of other award winners in next week’s news. Sunday morning began with the Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club rally and raffle, followed by the formal IRTS AGM. The meeting saw the formal appointment of Jeffrey Roe EI7IRB as the society president, Paraic Nolan EI2LH as the vice president, and further awards were presented including contest winners.
The following committee of eleven was elected by ballot; Ana Cañizares EI5IXB, Andy McCarthy EI7IOB, Daniel McDowell EI8ICB, Howard Guo EI9LC, Keith Nolan EI5IN, Mark Kilmartin EI4FNB, Megan Lorenz EI5LA, Pat Fitzpatrick EI2HX, Pat O’ Connor EI9HX, Paul O’Connor, EI5IPB, and Reuben Forde EI3JRB.
The IRTS expresses its gratitude to Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club for hosting the AGM weekend, Treacys Oakwood Hotel, and Shannon Aviation Museum for their warm hospitality, and our wonderful sponsors South East Technological University and EI Electronics. Please check out the society's social media accounts for lots of great photos from the weekend or the upcoming Echo Ireland.
Traditionally, the AGM weekend is hosted on a voluntary basis by a member club. Looking ahead, the society is now inviting clubs from across Ireland to volunteer to host the 2027 AGM and pledges full logistical support to whichever club steps forward. Contact the IRTS Secretary at irts_secretary /at/ irts.ie to discuss the opportunity. The society is committed to serving all members and wishes you another fruitful year and looks forward to meeting everyone at the next event.
A First Note from the President
The following is a note from newly elected IRTS President Jeffrey Roe EI7IRB.
“Thank you to the members for electing me as President of the IRTS. It is an honour to take on the role, and I am looking forward to the year ahead. In my remarks at the AGM, I spoke about outreach in all its forms. For me, amateur radio is about communication, and I hope to build on that during my term. That means strengthening links between the society and clubs, between clubs and each other, and with clubs that are not currently members of the society, while also helping more people outside the hobby see what amateur radio has to offer.
I also want this to be a listening year, not just a speaking year. One of my first priorities is to hear from members, clubs, and officers about what is working well, what support is needed, and where the society can help. So my door is open. I would encourage people to get in touch with ideas, events, projects, and suggestions, not just when there is a problem, but whenever there is something worth sharing. My background in STEM outreach, making, education, and engineering has shaped how I approach this. I believe in communication, curiosity, practical problem solving, and bringing people together. I am looking forward to the year ahead and to working with you all. Jeffrey Roe, EI7IRB, President, IRTS”.
ComReg – ‘Health of the Hobby 2026’ Survey
Based on the feedback received during the ComReg talk at the IRTS AGM weekend. ComReg will be reopening the survey for another two weeks to allow more time for people who may have missed the opportunity to provide feedback. It is the same survey as before; there is no need for those who have already completed the survey in March. It is open from Friday, April 24th, until Friday, May 8th. Please visit https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/f8d80901-da20-6c31-b5cc-3e95b20165cd to access the survey.
Seeking IRTS HF News Readers
The IRTS is seeking additional HF newsreaders to join our current panel of news readers for the weekly Sunday morning 40m and 80m IRTS news bulletins. If any licensed IRTS member feels like that they would be interested in becoming part of the IRTS newsreaders panel, you are very welcome to get in touch with the IRTS news team via email to newsteam /at/ irts.ie
South Eastern Amateur Radio Group EI2WRC
EI2WRC will be active from Rosslare Strand, Co. Wexford as an official Marconi Day Award station today Sunday, April 26th for the 2026 International Marconi Day activation. The International Marconi Day activation is a yearly special event to celebrate birthday of Marconi. He established a wireless transmitting station on the site where Marconi House now stands in Rosslare in 1901. Keep a listen out on HF and the SIRN throughout the day for the group. The April meeting of the EI2WRC group will take place tomorrow, Monday, April 27th at 8 p.m. sharp at the South East Technological University, Netlabs Research and Innovation Building, SETU West Campus, Carriganore, Waterford, X91 WR86. New members or anyone that has an interest in amateur radio or communications in general are very welcome to come along. SWLs are in particular very welcome to attend also. For more information about EI2WRC, their activities, and for contact details please see www.searg.ie
Making the Invisible Visible
South Dublin Radio Club, in collaboration with TOG Hackerspace, will host a free, family friendly drop-in event for Dublin Tech Week 2026 at Ballyroan Library on Saturday, the 23rd of May 2026. The Eircode is D14 VY33. Visitors can explore live spectrum displays, satellite signal demonstrations, digital modes, and Morse, simple IoT workflows, and if feasible, a remote HF contact. A beginner-friendly radio “fox hunt” will introduce direction-finding through an interactive game. Short, repeatable demos will run throughout the day. If any club or amateur would like to give a demonstration - no trading - or volunteer on the day, please get in touch with the South Dublin Radio Club chairperson who is Adrian EI9HAB.
VHF/Microwave News
On Wednesday the 22nd of April 2026, Manfred DL7YC and Sergei RW3BP completed the first 76GHz EME contact. This was completed using Q65-60E mode and both stations had a 2.4m dish with 5W and 8.2W available, respectively. If you have been enjoying the tropospheric propagation on VHF and above over the past few days, you will be happy to know that the good conditions are expected to last at least into mid-week. According to dxinfocentre.com, the better opportunities may present themselves on Tuesday and Wednesday mainly favouring longer distance Ireland and UK QSOs.
Final Shannon Basin Radio Club 80m SSB DX Net of the Season
Shannon Basin Radio Club wrap up their popular series of SSB DX nets for the season with the final one until Autumn taking place on Thursday night on the 80m band. The net starts at 9 p.m. in the region of 3.775MHz. The club thanks everyone that enjoyed the nets whether as an operator or SWL and is delighted to have helped encourage more operators onto the bands, supported experimentation with antennas and equipment, as well as being able to help stations add some new countries to their logs.
Items for Inclusion in Next Week’s Radio News
That is the news for this week. Thanks to everyone for sending items into the weekly IRTS radio news. They are very much appreciated and are a great way to update the rest of the community about activities. If you have any club events, activities, meetings, or other items of interest, you are very welcome to email the radio news editor Keith EI5IN via email to newsteam /at/ irts.ie with the details. The deadline each week is midnight on Thursdays. Items intended for inclusion in Echo Ireland, which is the IRTS quarterly journal, should be sent to echoireland /at/ irts.ie
[NEXT]
