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IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday October 26th 2003


Jamboree on the Air

The 46th Jamboree on the Air took place last weekend. The JOTA on the island of Ireland was formally opened on Saturday the 18th of October by the Chief Scouts of Scouting Ireland - CSI, and Scouting Ireland SAI, Mr. Peter Dixon and Mr. Donald Harvey and the Chief Commissioner of The Scout Association in Northern Ireland, Mr. Philip Scott. All made short addresses on the 40 meter WAI frequency. This was followed by a call-in giving Scouts the opportunity to talk with the three Chiefs. The Chief Scouts of SAI and CSI also spoke to Scouts on the Dublin 2 meter repeater. This is the last year that both CSI and SAI will participate in JOTA as on 1st of January 2004, both will join in forming a new association to be called Scouting Ireland.

Stations on air for JOTA were EI0NDR operating from Chanel College,Coolock; EI2DSJ operating from Dundalk; EI2SAI operating from the sailing club in Fenit; EI2SDR operating from the Scout Den in Wicklow; EI2WRC operating from the Scout Den, John's Hill, Waterford; EI4BST operating from the Community Centre in Bayside, Dublin; EI5MRC operating from the Scout Campsite in Mount Melleray, Co. Waterford; GB0FAS operating from the Scout Den, Ballymoney and GN4SIW operating from the Scout Den, Randallstown. Initial reports indicate that JOTA stations in England, Isle of Man, Italy, Finland, Holland and Germany were contacted. Best DX reported were EI2DSJ's 2 metre QSO's with JOTA stations in Holland and Germany.

All Units and Groups participating in JOTA are asked to submit reports to their respective National JOTA organisers. These will be used in the National Reports to the WOSM in Geneva. Reports should if possible include photographs and press cuttings.


Tipperary Amateur Radio Group

The Annual General Meeting of the Tipperary Amateur Radio Group will take place for members only on Monday the 10th of November 2003 in Raheen House Hotel, Raheen Road, Clonmel.


Mayo Radio Experimenters Network Rally

The 2003 Mayo Rally will be held on Sunday November the 16th in The Belmont Hotel, Knock, with doors opening at 11.00 a.m. All the leading EI Traders plus many specialised suppliers will be in attendance. A talk-in station will operate on 145.550 MHz. For further information contact Padraig EI9JA on 098-27616 or 087-6957154.


Fingal Radio Club

Fingal Radio Club will run their very popular trip to Llandudno again this year. The date is Saturday the 8th of November leaving Dublin Port at 06.50 and arriving in Holyhead at 08.30. The return journey leaves Holyhead at 20.15 getting into Dublin at 22.00. This gets to the show at approximately 9.30 however the doors don't open until 10.00 leaving time for breakfast in one of the many Cafe's in Llandudno. The group will need to leave Llandudno at about 16.30 to allow enough time for a meal in the Old Station House in Llandudno Junction.

The cost for the day including all transfers but not entry to the show or a meal will be 60 euro. Please book early as it is anticipated that a large number are wishing to travel. Only 12 seats will be available on the bus to allow for enough room for goodies to be carried home comfortably.

Should the trip have to be cancelled or if people wish to withdraw from the trip due to bad weather only a portion of the fee can be refunded as the bus driver will have to be paid regardless. All enquires to Liam EI3HK at 01-8316266 or mobile 087 2521542.


South Dublin Radio Club

South Dublin Radio Club has launched a members' discussion group on the Internet. Although primarily for members, others interested in amateur radio may join the group and participate in the discussions. The easiest way to join is to click on the link on the EI2SDR home page at www.qsl.net/ei2sdr/ South Dublin Radio Club members participated in the JOTA weekend,operating from the scout den in Wicklow Town. Operation during the weekend was on HF (phone and CW), 2 metres and Amateur Television. Thelatter proved of great interest to the scouts. Contacts were made with many other JOTA stations, as well as many ordinary amateur radio operators. The SDR crew would like in particular to thank the radio amateurs from the Dublin and Wicklow area who helped out by talking on air to the scouts, and in that way demonstrating what amateur radio is about. Photos of the event have now been posted on the club's website.


Phoenix Amateur Radio Club

Phoenix Amateur Radio Club is planning a theory course leading to the Radio Experimenter Examination. Classes will be held in Coolmine on Thursday evenings between 7 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. For further information contact Dan Lloyd at 01-8382774 or at daniellloyd@eircom.net.


Trans-Atlantic 2 Metre beacon on air

The Marconi Radio Club of Newfoundland and the Baccalieu Amateur Radio Club of Carbonear have been successful in placing a VHF Transatlantic beacon on the air. The beacon is transmitting on 144.400MHz. The transmitter 250 W PA is the same one previously used by VE1SMU beacon. The VHF exciter board and the CW ID board have been built by Joe Craig VO1NA. The 11 element Cushcraft Yagi, 1/2 inch hard line feeder and 35 amp power supply to run the beacon have been donated by Frank VO1HP. The Yagi and feeder were in-stalled by Boyd VO1CBS, Roy VO1XPand Joe VO1NA on August 30, 2003. The repeater site is in the middle of a large field at a turkey farm!!....and it has a clear view of the North Atlantic ocean through the mouth of Conception Bay on the South East coast of VO1 land. It is in the town of Carbonear at co-ordinates N47 45'24" W53 12'59" with the antenna is at about 300' (90m) ASL. Transatlantic VHF beacon VO1ZA was placed on the air October 19, 2003 at 1330UTC on 144.400Mhz by Frank VO1HP and Boyd VO1CBS. All beacon co-ordinates and information previously released to the public are still valid. Any amateur station who claims to have heard this beacon are asked to send reports via e-mail to either vo1hp@rac.ca or vo1na@rac.ca. Please describe what you have heard, the time and date and if possible the complete information being transmitted by the beacon. Thanks to Frank Davis, VO1HP for the information.


Shannon Basin Radio Club Challenge

The Shannon Basin Radio club is running a one day Open, Fixed, Challenge for EI residence. This challenge is open to all licensed operators and short wave listeners, and will be held annually on the First Sunday of November, that is next Sunday. The purpose of the challenge is to encourage radio operators and short wave listeners to be active on the H.F bands.

The challenge will have three modes of operation, and the winner in each mode will be awarded with the following; The Lough Allen Shield will be awarded to the highest score in SSB. The Lough Ree Shield will be awarded to the highest score in CW and the Lough Derg Shield will be awarded to the highest score for SWL. Shield winners will also receive a personal trophy.

Persons intending to compete should send notification immediately to Noel EI6HW.


New Crew on International Space Station

A new three man all ham crew has reached the International Space Station, but only two of the new arrivals will remain on-orbit for the next few months. Called the Expedition 8 crew, the commander is NASA Astronaut Mike Foale, KB5UAC. He is accompanied on the I-S-S by Russian Cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri U8MIR and the European Space Agency's Pedro Duque,KC5RGG. All three arrived at the ISS on October 20th on board a Russian Soyuz transport vehicle. Foale and Kaleri will replace Expedition 7 crew members Commander Yuri Malenchenko, RK3DUP and NASA Science Officer Ed Lu, KC5WKJ. Duque, who's flying under a contract between the Russian and European space agencies and will spend the week in space before returning to Earth with the Expedition 7 crew. KB5UAC and U8MIR hope to be active on the ISS ham radio station as time permits during their stint in space Major Sun Spot If you are wondering why you may not be able to make contact on your favourite band, the answer is right out there in space. According to propagation reports from the Space Environment Center, a solar storm,centered around Sunspot number 484, has grown into the biggest in recorded history. And a solar storm with a sunspot that size can easily impact on radio propagation here on Earth. Sunspot 484 is reportedly about the size of the planet Jupiter, and forecasters say that another big sunspot could soon appear near the sun's south eastern limb. The active region is not yet directly visible,but the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory satellite has seen material being blasted over the sun's limb from the approaching spot. Major eruptions are possible from these active regions as they rotate across the face of the sun over the next two weeks.


Items for inclusion in next weeks Radio News should be forwarded Mark Wall EI7IS. He can be contacted on 087-6302026. News can also be submitted via e-mail to news@irts.ie for automatic forwarding to both the radio and printed news services.

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