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IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday January 13th 2008


Revised IOTA Results

We reported last week on the publication of the IOTA Contest provisional results. In the past few days, there have been a number of changes to the initial published results, the most significant of which was the transfer of two stations that operated on Kotlin Island, in the Gulf of Finland, from the DXpedition category to the Fixed category (as Kotlin is joined to the mainland by a causeway and so doesn't qualify for DXpedition status).

As a consequence of these changes, the entry by EJ0GI, operated by South Dublin Radio Club and friends, moves up two places to 10th place, so putting it in the "top ten". The revised provisional scores and rankings for EI and EJ stations are shown on the IRTS web site www.irts.ie


80 metres Counties Contest

All participants in the 80 metres Counties Contest which took place on New Years Day last are encouraged to submit logs - these should be sent to "contests2008 at irts dot ie" (note that the previous contests e-mail address is no longer in use). The deadline for submission of logs is Thursday the 31st of January.


Theory Examination

The next Theory Examination is now only a few weeks away and will be held at the ComReg Offices in Dublin at 2 p.m. on Wednesday the 6th of February. Over half the places for the examination have now been allocated an all the necessary paperwork about the examination was posted out on Thursday last to all those who had forwarded the appropriate fee to reserve a place. Some other people have indicated their intention to sit the examination but have not yet forwarded the necessary fee. It should be noted that as places at the exam are limited a place can only be reserved when the necessary fee is received.

The fee is 50 Euro or 25 Euro for full time registered students, those who are retired, unemployed or have a disability. To reserve a place please send the appropriate fee to Seán Nolan EI7CD at 12 Little Meadow, Pottery Road, Dunlaoghaire, Co. Dublin. Cheques and Money Orders should be made payable to the IRTS. Seán's address is available in the IRTS call book or on the Call Book section of the IRTS website at www.irts.ie

Also available in the “Where Do I Start” section of the IRTS website are Examination Notes with a sample examination paper as well as links to the ComReg Experimenter pages which contain some very useful data under “Licensing Information”.

The examination consists of a multiple choice question paper of 60 questions divided into three main sections A, B, and C and the time allowed is two hours. The pass mark is 60% and a pass is required in each of the three main sections of the paper. When forwarding the exam fee intending candidates should include their postal address as well as phone and e-mail contact details.


Tipperary Amateur Radio Group

There will be no monthly meeting of the Tipperary Amateur Radio Group in January, the next Meeting will be held on February the 7th 2008.


Squares table 2007

Could everyone who supported the VHF/UHF squares table during the past year send in their final updates for 2007 to the VHF Manager “joe underscore fadden at yahoo dot com” before the end of January. Some good square scores were achieved this year. If you have not sent in a score for any of the VHF/UHF bands during 2007, you can still do so.


IRTS 4 Metre & 6 Metre Shields

The 4 Metre & 6 Metre Shields will be presented to the leading 4 & 6 Metre operators at this years I.R.T.S. AGM. This competition is run on a calendar year basis from the 1st of January 2007 to the 31st of December 2007.

The scoring will be calculated as follows: Unique contacts times Maidenhead locator squares times DXCC. All modes count. Could anyone interested in this competition please send their 2007 logs to the Contest Manager, Brian Canning “brianei8iu at eircom dot net”. Unique contacts: If you make contact with a particular station, say 5 times during the year, you can only claim this as 1 QSO. Squares means: IO51, JO63 KM78 etc. DXCC count, should need no explanation. It is hoped that everyone can and will send in a log.


MRG VHF/UHF SSB Challenge 2007

In the Fixed section, 1st place went to EI5FK operating from IO51RT with 26 144 MHz QSOs, 6 432 MHz QSOs giving 11,786 points. Second place went to EI3GYB, operating from IO53OT and a total of 748 points.

In the Portable section, 1st place went to EI2GLB/P, operating from IO63EC and making 13 2 metre QSOs and 7 70cm QSO giving a total of 3209 points. Second place went to EI2MRG/P operating from IO53LU and a total of 3168 points, while EI7T/P were in 3rd place, operating from IO62JH and a total of 2346 points. Check logs were received from EI3GP. The Best distances worked were 1029 km on 144 MHz by EI5FK in IO51RT who worked EA2TO/1 located at IN83FE. The best distance achieved on 432 MHz was 347 km again by EI5FK who worked MW1MFY in IO81FL.

Trophies will be presented to the winners of each category. The MRG Group wishes to thank all those who took part in the 2007 event. The MRG VHF/UHF Challenge 2008 will take place on the 7th of September.


Shannon Basin Radio Club

Due to a fire in the Royal Hotel, Roscommon. The Shannon Basin Radio Club Meetings will be held in Hannon's Hotel, Athlone Road, Roscommon. The next meeting is on Wednesday the 6th of February 2008.


Kerry Amateur Radio Group January QSO Party

The Kerry Amateur Radio Group is sponsoring a QSO party on 160 to 6 metres from 0000 UTC on Saturday the 26th of January to 2359 UTC on Sunday the 27th of January. The purpose of this event is to stimulate EI HF and 6-metre activity during the inclement winter months. Complete information about the QSO party can be found at www.ei1karg.com


South Eastern Amateur Radio Group

The next General Meeting will take place on Monday the 28th of January at 8.00 p.m. in the Roanmore Centre, Waterford. The AGM is currently being organised and will take place on Monday the 25th of February.


Codes and Ciphers Exhibition

A Codes and Ciphers Exhibition will take place from Monday the 11th of February until Friday the 15th of February 2008 at the Somme Heritage Centre located just off the Bangor Road, a few miles outside Newtownards, Co. Down. Equipment on display will include a German Enigma machine along with other cipher equipment. For more information visit, www.irishsoldier.org


Coolmine Rally

The Phoenix Amateur Radio Club will run the Coolmine Radio Rally on Sunday the 10th of February 2008 at the Coolmine Community School, Clonsilla, Dublin 15. Doors open for traders at 9:00 a.m. and for the general public at 11:00 a.m. To book tables contact Tony on 087-2439997 or Tom on 086-3417017. The rally will feature a bring-and-buy sale and admission is 4 Euro.


Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club

The Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club Annual Rally will take place in The Share Centre, Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh on Sunday the 13th of April 2008. The rally will feature a Bring & Buy, Caravan Park and access from Lough Erne/Shannon Waterway. There will be food and parking is on site. Other facilities may be available by prior arrangement with The Share Centre.


6 Metres in Germany

The last two German analogue TV-transmitters on the TV VHF band have been switched off, the 200 by 200 km wide protection zones around these transmitters has now been lifted. German Television station "Das Erste" switched off its analogue TV-transmitters and replaced them by new digital DVB-T-transmitters. This gives all German class A-licencees a free and undisturbed 6 metre band.


New DXCC Entity

St Barthelemy (FJ) (commonly referred to as St. Barts) has been officially added to the DXCC entity list, making the island entity number 338 with an effective date of the 14th of December 2007. Cards with QSOs dated from the 14th of December are now being accepted for DXCC credit.


Items for inclusion in next weeks Radio News should be forwarded to Mark Wall, EI7IS at QTHR or by phone to 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 Friday in order to be guaranteed inclusion in the following Sunday’s bulletin.

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