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IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 21st December 2008


New issue of Echo Ireland

The December 2008 issue of Echo Ireland, which was posted to members during the week, contains numerous articles on the practical aspect of the radio experimenters' hobby as well as some interesting historical articles.

The contents include a section on Amateur Television & a piece on HF propagation and Dxing. There is also an update on the activities of the International Amateur Radio Union Monitoring System, with a very useful summary of the issues discussed and conclusions reached at the recent IARU Region 1 Conference. There is also a report on the Global Simulated Emergency Test that took place in November and an article on Logbook Of The World.

On the historical side, we have a detailed description of early experimental radio in EI as well as an article about George Francis Fitzgerald, described as one of the early "Irish Experimenters".

Echo Ireland 80m Contest typo On page 26 of Echo Ireland the 80m Contest start time is incorrect, please note the start time is 14.00 UTC


Webmaster Wanted

The role of the IRTS web site includes keeping members informed about local and international amateur radio activities, encouraging members to continue their membership and motivating potential members to join, promoting the activities of radio experimenters and the hobby of amateur radio.

Being a single source of information on matters of interest to Irish radio experimenters which would include, for example, club activities, contest results, repeater frequencies, band plans and forthcoming rallies.

The job of the Webmaster is to maintain and develop the web site so that it fulfils this role in an interesting and accessible way. IRTS is looking for applications for the position of Webmaster. Like all of the society’s officer positions, this is a voluntary position.

Members interested in being appointed Webmaster should indicate their interest to the society’s president Finbarr Buckley EI1CS (buckleyf1 /at/ eircom.net) and demonstrate their web skills by supplying links to web sites or web pages which they have developed.


AREN net

It is envisaged that tonight’s net will be a digital mode training net. Members without email access should contact John, EI7IG at 0868167310 for more details.


Switzerland to allocate 6m

Swiss telecommunications authorities will allocate the 50 MHz band to amateur radio on a secondary basis beginning January 1, 2009.

Swiss and foreign CEPT class licensees will be permitted to transmit with up to 100 watts PEP on 50 to 52 MHz without any antenna restrictions. The one caveat is that primary users may not be disturbed. This includes some TV stations active on the VHF band I in Northern Italy.


Canada’s official time broadcast, frequency change

After seventy years of broadcasting Canada's official time, shortwave station CHU will move the transmission frequency for the 7335 kHz transmitter to 7850 kHz. This, to avoid interference to its operations as the result of band allocation changes approved by the International Telecommunications Union back in April 2007.

CHU is a part of Canada's National Research Council's system for disseminating official time throughout that nation. It broadcasts 24 hours a day from a location approximately 20 kilometres south-west of Ottawa. Transmissions include tones to mark the seconds, voice to announce the time in French and English, and digital data to interface with computers.

The frequency change to CHU change will occur on January 1st, 2009 at 0000 UTC. More is on-line at www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca


2009 International Space Station Calendar

As part of NASA's celebration of the 10th anniversary of the International Space Station, the agency is offering a special 2009 calendar. The calendar can be downloaded from the link www.nasa.gov/station


L-BAND EXPERIMENT ON THE ISS

Another experiment using the ham station on board the International Space Station. From December 28th through January 3rd ARISS plans to reconfigure the on-orbit crossband repeater for test of its L-Band uplink capability, which, to date, has not been proven out.

Plans call for an uplink of 1269.65 MHz and downlink on the standard frequency 145.80 MHz. The system will be in low power transmit. Given the substantial cable losses of the L-band system, ARISS hopes that some big gun stations on the ground will be able to penetrate through, keep up with Doppler, and make a contact.


Limerick Radio Club

Limerick Radio Club would like to take this opportunity to wish all its members and supporters a very Happy and Peaceful Christmas.


Tipperary Amateur Radio Group

The Tipperary Amateur Radio Group would like to wish all Radio Experimenters and shortwave listeners a happy and peaceful Christmas,a word of thanks to members who helped out in all the different events, and in particular thanks to the newsreaders for the service they provided during the year.


Santa DX

Santa Claus Land active (Special Event - this one for the kids!)

Once again OH9SCL will be active from Santa Claus Land (SCL) in the Arctic Circle, during the month of December.

Activity will be on 160-10 meters using CW, SSB and the Digital modes. There has been plenty of activity over the past week on 40/20/30 meters, some SSB, RTTY and PSK31.

QSL via OH9UV


DXCC End of year approaching

In order to appear in the printed 'Annual and Honour Roll' listings your submission must be postmarked on or by Wednesday, December 31, 2008.

For the 2008 calendar year the minimum requirement to appear in the Honour Roll list is 329 current entities. Direct comments or questions to dxcc /at/ arrl.org ....


Rallies

15th Feburary 2009 Coolmine Radio Rally, The Coolmine Radio Rally, run by the Phoenix Radio Club will be held in the Coolmine Community School, Clonsilla Dublin 15 on Sunday 15th February 2009. Doors open 9.30 am for table bookings and information please contact Tony 087-2439997 or Tom 01-8211043 See map on www.coolminecs.ie/locationmap.php


This week in History

1879 Edison demos his incandescant light at Menlo Park, NJ. USA.


Season’s Greetings

There are many Individuals and Clubs who support and provide material for our radio news, without that material and the participation of our News Readers & stations providing signal reports, this news would not be possible. Season’s Greetings to all involved.

Items for inclusion in next weeks Radio News should be

forwarded to Charlie EI8JB, via e-mail to “charlie dot Carolan at gmail dot com” Or by phone to 087-6265418

News can also be submitted via e-mail to “newsteam 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 Thursday in order to be guaranteed inclusion in the following Sunday’s bulletin.

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