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IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday November 5th 2000


Silent Keys

We were saddened to hear of the death earlier this week after a short illness of Nancy Linehan, the wife of Sean Linehan EI7CV, may she rest in peace. Sean is a founder member of the Fingal Radio Club and is an active radio amateur. To Sean and to his family we extend our deepest sympathy on their sad loss.

We were very saddened to learn of the death, after a long illness, on Friday last 27th October, of Donal O’Brien EI5Z of Sutton, Dublin. Donal was an IRTS Committee member and QSL Manager for some time in the early 50’s, and although he had not been active on the bands for many years he never lost interest in the hobby and liked to listen to the Sunday HF News Broadcasts. To his wife Clodagh, his daughters Grainne and Margaret, his sisters, extended family and many friends, we extend our deepest sympathy on their sad loss. May he rest in peace.

Ar dheis De go raibh a anam dilis.


Tipperary Amateur Radio Group

Congratulations to John Burke EI6FRB, Tipperary Radio Group Secretary who recently recieved his Class ‘A’ callsign EI2JB.

The weekly IRTS News transmission from South Tipperary can now also be recieved on 434.450 Mhz along with the more widely known frequency of 145.450 Mhz. News broadcasts are at 7.30pm local time every Sunday evening and newsreaders would welcome reports on either 2 metre or 70cm transmissions.


IRTS Committee Meeting

The next committee meeting of the IRTS will take place on Saturday the 11th of November 2000 at 11.00am in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel, Athlone. Clubs are reminded that they may send representatives to this meeting.


South Eastern Amateur Radio Group

Congratulations to following on their new callsigns; Eoin Doherty EI7FXB, David Stearn EI7FYB, Gareth Wilmott EI7FZB and John McCarthy formerly EI9DBB who now has the callsign EI8JA. Congratulations also to John Murphy, Bernard Tyers, Ciaran Geoghegan and Martin Evans who are currently awaiting their callsigns. SEARG are running a course during the Winter months and anyone who would like to participate can contact the club by e-mail at searg@angelfire.com or phone Mark EI7IS at 087-6302026.


Bayside Scout Group

Bayside Scouts Radio Group EI4BST participated in the 43rd Jamboree on the Air last week using the special Call for Year 2000, EI2MM/J. Two HF stations were on air for the duration of JOTA and contacts were made on all Bands. PSK mode was used extensively for the first time on JOTA and 32 contacts were made to stations in Europe, Japan, USA, Canada, Columbia, Barbados and Paraquay.

Notable contacts on HF were to St. Martin Island, PT8, 9E1C in Ethiopia and JOTA H.Q. Stations in Geneva and Iceland.

Operators were Sean EI3IP, Paul EI3FKB, Mark EI34FNB, Tony EI6EQB, Keelan SWL1399 and Joe EI4FV. Stations were also running on 2 meters FM, Packet and DX Cluster.

The International Commissioner for the Scouts of Ireland Mr.Gerry Glynn visited the station on Sunday and was taken in hand by Sean EI3IP who conducted a tour of the Station and Antennas and explained all the modes in operation. He was very impressed and it is hoped that his visit will result in further developement of JOTA in Echo India.


Space News

The all-amateur Expedition 1 crew left the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for the International Space Station on Thursday the 31st of October. The ISS crew could be on the air by mid-November. The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (or ARISS) initial station gear is already on board the ISS awaiting the arrival of Expedition 1 Commander and US astronaut Bill Shepherd KD5GSL and Russian Cosmonauts Sergei Krikalev U5MIR and Yuri Gidzenko. The equipment includes VHF and UHF transceivers and a packet TNC. Two US call signs have been issued for Amateur Radio operations as part of the ARISS program. The FCC granted the call signs NA1SS and NN1SS to the International Space Station Amateur Radio Club on October 11. A Russian call sign, RZ3DZR and a German call sign DL0ISS, also have been issued for use aboard the ISS.

Staying with space news, AMSAT's Phase 3D satellite should be sent into orbit on board a European Space Agency Ariane 5 Booster on Tuesday, November 14th from the ESA spaceport in French Guiana.

For more information about ARISS and SAREX, visit the ARISS Web site, ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov/ For more information about AMSAT visit www.amsat.org/


Items for inclusion in Echo Ireland should be forwarded to Dave Moore EI4BZ at 021-883555 in the evenings or by e-mail to ei4bz@eircom.net Dave is also available during office hours at 021-823172 and you can fax him at 021-823316.


Items for inclusion in the Radio News should be forwarded to Mark Wall EI7IS at QTHR or via e-mail to ei7is@qsl.net Items can also be sent to Mark over the phone at 087-6302026.

News can also be submitted via e-mail to news@irts.ie for automatic forwarding to both news services.

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