Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday November 27th 2005
80 metre Counties Contest
Following the continuing success of the 2 metre Counties Contest, it has been decided to have an 80-metre event, broadly along the same lines.
The first contest will be held on Monday the 2nd of January 2006 from 1200 to 1500 hours local time. This is the Bank Holiday following New Year's Day and there will be the usual Fixed and Portable Sections. Full rules will be carried in the December issue of Echo Ireland and will shortly be available on the IRTS web site.
Radio Theory Examination
As already announced the next Radio Theory Examination will take place on Wednesday January the 18th at 2 p.m. in the Comreg offices. Irish Life Centre, Lower Abbey St., Dublin 1. Those interested in sitting this examination should contact Sean Nolan EI7CD by email to "ei7cd at gofree dot indigo dot ie", telephone 01 2851599 or by letter at QTHR. The entry fee is 50 Euro with a reduction for full-time students. The closing date for entries is January the 6th 2006.
A sample question paper is available for downloading from the IRTS web site at www.irts.ie or by post from Sean Donelan EI4GK at QTHR. Information about the examination is available in the September/October edition of Echo Ireland.
Mayo Radio Experimenters Network
The Mayo Radio Experimenters Network wish to thank the large crowd of traders and visitors who assembled in Knock last Sunday making the Mayo rally the biggest of the year yet again. Thanks are also extended to the Belmont Hotel for the use of the venue.
South Eastern Amateur Radio Group
The group welcomes Gareth EI7FZB to the position of newsreader and wishes him well in his new position.
Please note that there will be no general meeting on the 30th of November. The next committee meeting will take place on Wednesday the 7th of December.
Nets
A monthly six metre FM net meets on the first Monday of each month on 51.525 MHz FM using vertical polarisation at 9.00 p.m. local time. The purpose of this net is to increase activity on the 6-metre band. The next meeting of the net will take place on Monday the 5th of December. All are welcome and encouraged to participate.
The monthly 4-metre activity night will take place on Tuesday the 6th of December between 8.00 and 9.00 p.m. local time. Operators who are equipped for 70 MHz are invited to listen out for and join in any activity on 70.2626 MHz FM. The 4-metre activity night takes place on the first Tuesday of each month.
Morse Code
Although compulsory Morse tests are now a thing of the past, the Morse Test Proficiency Team (Northern Ireland), offer proficiency assessments at 5, 12 and 20 words per minute. Other speeds may be offered on request. These assessments are purely voluntary and open to anyone with an interest in Morse.
The next assessment will be held on Saturday the 3rd of December 2005 at the Greystone Community Centre, Antrim, commencing at 1:30 p.m. If you are interested in taking an assessment you should contact Jim Henry, GI0DVU by telephone on 048 9266 2270 or by e-mail to "jim dot henry at ntlworld dot com" no later than the 23rd of November 2005. A small fee of £10 sterling is payable to cover expenses and certificates are awarded to those who successfully achieve the required standard.
SuitSat SSTV signal
SuitSat is scheduled to be launched from the International Space Station on the 8th of December, see www.southgatearc.org/news/november2005/suitsat.htm for more information.
The satellite will be transmitting SSTV on a frequency of 145.990 MHz which is the International Space Station packet repeater uplink frequency.
DX News
The "Holyland DX Group" will operate from the middle of the Dead Sea at the lowest dry point on the Globe, 411 meters below the sea level. The HDX Group will be active on Dec 23rd and 24th 2005 starting 0700 UTC and received special permission from the Dead Sea Works factory positioned in a very rare Holyland squares M25BS and M26BS. The call sign will be 4X411 - A, indicating this special point.
The team of 4Z4BS, 4Z4KX, 4Z5LA, 4Z5FI, 4Z1UF and 4X1VF will run two complete stations with power amplifier on 80 to 10 metres, CW and SSB. The QSL manager will be Shalom 4Z4BS. Visit www.4z5la.net/4x411a for more information.
Items for inclusion in next weeks Radio News should be forwarded to Mark Wall, EI7IS at QTHR or by phone to 051 853806 or 087 6302026. Items for the radio news can also be faxed to 087 5 6302026. News should be submitted via e-mail to "news at irts dot ie" for automatic forwarding to both the radio and printed news services. Please note that items for the radio news should reach the editor no later than midday on Fridays.
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