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IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday December 11th 2005


ComReg Consultation Paper

During the past week, ComReg issued its response to the Consultation Paper entitled "Review of Fees applicable to Rights of Use for Radio Frequencies". This new paper has significant implications for the EI experimenter community and promises a new licensing regime commencing in 2006.

As already suggested all existing Experimenters' licenses, including Repeater and Club licenses, will become lifetime licenses at the time of next renewal, for a once-off fee of 30 Euro.

All new Experimenters' licenses, including Repeater and Club licenses, will be issued on a lifetime basis for a once-off fee of 100 Euro. Individuals who are over 65 years of age or in receipt of a Disability Allowance will qualify for a reduced fee of 30 Euro.

Once-off Special event licenses will be subject to a fee of 30 Euro but Special event licenses for recurring events (e.g. an annual event) will be charged a once-off fee of 100 Euro.

Experimenter licenses issued under the proposed new scheme will be valid for all modes and frequency bands relevant to the class of license held. Previously, an individual application was required for use of each non-standard extension, for example 70 MHz.

There is a requirement outlined in the document for Experimenters to confirm their license details to ComReg once every five years. This process will be originated by ComReg writing to all licensees but the obligation to confirm license details will lie squarely with the licensee. Failure to submit appropriate confirmation could result in loss of license.

The full ComReg document No. 05/89 is available on the ComReg website www.comreg.ie under Consultations.

IRTS is pleased that most of the points raised in its submission have been accepted by ComReg and incorporated into the amended document.


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.


South Dublin Radio Club

This year’s EI2SDR Christmas Party will take place on the 13th of December. After last years success, the venue will remain the same; "The Morgue", Tempelogue from 8.00 p.m. until late.

Members of other clubs and visitors are very welcome to this social event. It’s always a great turnout. Limited free food will be available for paid up members while visitors can choose from the bar menu up to 9.00 p.m.


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.

The rules of the 80 metres counties contest, which we have mentioned in previous weeks, are now available on the IRTS web site. They can be downloaded in PDF format from the Home page, or viewed in text form at the Contest Rules page. The rules will also be carried in the December issue of Echo Ireland.


SD Contest Logger

Paul EI5DI has updated his contest logger, SD, to support the 80m Counties Contest on the 2nd of January. SD runs on any Windows PC and is free from ei5di.com.

Once you start SD, simply select the "IRTS County EI/GI" template. Overseas entrants select the "IRTS County DX" template.


EI Call Listings

The online listing of EI calls now has a new home, as the listing has been moved to the main IRTS web site. The new location is www.irts.ie/callbook/

Visitors to the former site hosted by QSL.NET are automatically redirected to the new location. There is a link to this new location of the EI call listings on the IRTS Home page at www.irts.ie (it may be necessary to refresh your browser to see this link).


Morse Code

Sigurd LB3KB has decided to make a contribution to the continued use of Morse by creating a computer program that makes it easy to learn the code. It is also an excellent tool for practicing once you know the code. The program can be downloaded from justlearnmorsecode.com.

If you like the program, please make the URL known to the members of your club and anybody else that might be interested. Those who maintain websites may also provide the link.


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.


Space News

Earlier this week, in the space of only 24 hours, sunspot number 826 has grown into an active region that is almost the size of Saturn, and it is continuing to grow. This sunspot is producing a regular flow of low-level solar flares and may soon pose the threat of a major eruption. Visit spaceweather.com to see up-to-date images and movie clips.

Venus is approaching Earth and reaches its peak brightness during the first weeks of December. The planet is visible in broad daylight and at night in dark areas is capable of casting shadows.

The SuitSat satellite will be transmitting SSTV on a frequency of 145.990 MHz, which is the International Space Station packet repeater uplink frequency.


DX News

Look for special event station SPØTPAX to be active in December and then again in April. The activity is organized by the SP DX Club. Activity is expected on all bands (LF, HF, VHF, UHF) on all possible modes. QSL via SP7DQR (by the bureau or direct).

This activity is to celebrate the first Polish amateur radio contact to a ham radio station from outside Poland in 1925. Tadeusz Heftman, using the call SP0TPAX, made a QSO with N0PM - it was a station from the Netherlands.

A few months later, in April 1925, TPAX made a QSO with an American radio amateur who was using U1AAO as a callsign.

Please note: Tom, SP5UAF, is looking for any radio amateurs who may possibly have any information about these two historical callsigns – N0PM or U1AAO. Contact Tom, SP5UAF, at: tomek at sp5zcc dot waw dot pl.


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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