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IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday December 25th 2005


IRTS

The Irish Radio Transmitters Society would like to take this opportunity to wish a very happy Christmas and prosperous New Year to all it’s members, affiliated clubs and their families and to thank those that supported the Society including the radio and printed news services during 2005. We look forward to your continued support during the New Year.


ComReg Consultation Paper

ComReg has 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

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. A sample question paper is available on the IRTS web site at or by post from Sean Donelan EI4GK at QTHR. Information about the examination is available in the September/October edition of Echo Ireland.


Cork Radio Club

As extensive renovations will be underway in the New Year at Wilton Park House, it will not be possible to have any meetings there for some time to come. The committee is endeavoring to find alternative accommodation for meetings and would be grateful for any suggestions. The club will keep members posted of any developments.


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.


Happy New Year 2006 QSO Party

QTC are issuing an award for QSOs or SWL contacts logged on the turn of the year.

The Award will be issued for at least twenty QSO's or stations heard conducted on any HF and VHF bands from 18.00 UTC on 31.12.2005 to 18.00 UTC on 01.01.2006.

The HNY 2006 Party is a meeting on the air of radio amateurs who pass to each other greetings on the last day of the year and the first day of the new year. All regular data is exchanged during contacts.

Please send a list of call-signs worked or heard, within thirty days to qtc@post.pl. A special Award will be mailed to the participants who send 5 euros.

Results in the form of the list of HNY 2006 Party participants will be published in the February issue of the MK QTC magazine and printed on the backside of the Award.

To see a picture of this Award or for more information including postal address, visit: qtc.radio.org.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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