Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 3rd March 2013
Pat Hawker G3VA Silent Key
Radio amateurs around the world will be saddened to hear of the death on 21 February of Pat Hawker G3VA. Pat, who was 90 years of age, wrote the Technical Topics column for fifty years. The first of these columns was published in the then RSGB Bulletin in April 1958 which in January 1968 was renamed Radio Communications. Compendia of items from the Technical Topics columns were published in at least four volumes starting in 1968 and these books are on the shelves of many radio amateurs worldwide. They form an invaluable source of reference on an extraordinarily wide range of topics. We extend our sincerest sympathy to Pat's son Philip and his daughter Virginia as well as to his extended family and friends. Amateur radio has lost one of its legends. May he rest in peace.
IRTS AGM, Dinner and Radio Rally
This year the 81st IRTS AGM is hosted by Shannon Basin Radio Club. The event takes place in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel in Athlone, Saturday April 27th and Sunday April 28th 2013. Tickets for the Dinner on Saturday night (8.00 for 8.30pm) will be available at 30 Euro each from Brian EI8IU QTHR and through IRTS Committee Members. Dress code, as usual, is smart/casual. Menu details is available from the IRTS website. Please visit www.irts.ie for more details.
Dundalk Amateur Radio Society EI7DAR
The AGM of DAR will take place Wednesday 6th March at the Society premises, ‘Larkin House’, 113, Castletown Road, Dundalk, commencing at 8pm sharp. Everyone welcome and a reminder to members that membership subscriptions are now due. For more details please visit www.ei7dar.com
North Cork Radio Group
North Cork Radio Group kick-starts its busy year of activities this Sunday, 3rd March and will be active from Blackrock Castle from 2 - 5pm as part of Engineers Week . CASHOTA chasers may want to pencil this date in their diaries as the Castle will be operating under the reference EI009/C for those seeking to collect the location.
For those of you unavailable on this date, we are also operational from Ballynamona Beach, near Ballycotton, on bank holiday Monday, 18th March from 11.30am - 4pm approx. If you wish to take part, or indeed try the bands for the first time, feel free to come and visit us, we look forward to seeing, and working, you all.
We also have the pleasure in announcing our annual Radio & Electronics Fair which is to take place at the Commons Inn, Blackpool, Cork on Sunday, 15th Sept 2013. Doors open at 11am and entry fee is €5 per adult (children free). More details to follow but if anyone wishes to make enquiries, please feel free to contact Edwin EI2HEB at 086 3885741 or via email ei2heb /at/ ei1nc.com
Cork Radio Club AGM
Cork Radio Club's Annual General Meeting held at Vienna Woods Hotel on Monday February 25th had almost 30 members in attendance. Following a period of inactivity by the club that generated some lively discussion, a full programme of events including monthly talks, special events and field day activites was agreed for the year ahead. Tributes were paid to retiring Chairman Jeremy EI5GM and retiring Treasurer Dick EI6HH, both of who gave outstanding long service to the club. Cormac EI4HQ is the new Chairman with long serving Finbarr EI1CS as vice-chairman. Dave EI4BZ continues as secretary and Jim EI8GS takes over as treasurer. Tom EI2KA is the new QSL Manager and also event manager for International Marconi Day at Brow Head in April. The new committee members are Jack EI7HO, Dave EI9FBB and Don EI8DJ. The monthly meetings will rotate throughout the county to facilitate members who are located from the Beara Peninsula in the West to Youghal in the east, a spread of about 110 miles. Members will be kept informed via the club reflector and the IRTS News service. Enquiries about the club should be directed to the secretary or any committee member.
South Dublin Radio Club AGM 26th of March
This years South Dublin Radio Club AGM will take place on Tuesday 26th of March. All members are asked to attend.
South Eastern Amateur Radio Group
The AGM of the South Eastern Amateur Radio Group took place in the Roanmore Social and Sports Centre, Cleaboy Road, Waterford on Monday the 25th February at 8.00 p.m. There was a large attendance present with some familiar faces and some new faces also there. Outgoing Chairman David EI6GVB who subsequently got re-elected as Chairman thanked all members for attending and also welcomed the new members to the club. The club then observed a minutes silence for the late Michael Hoban EI5DCB who sadly passed away in March 2012. David then went on to tell everyone present that 2012 had been a very successful year for the club in general with the club taking part in many outdoor events during the year. David also thanked the outgoing committee for their work thought 2012 and hoped that 2013 would be an even more successful year for the club. Outgoing club treasurer Mark EI7IS who subsequently got re-elected also told the members that the club was in a good financial position and membership was at an all-time high and was looking forward to more members joining during the year. He gave a brief talk about how the expenditure of the club works discussing both incoming and outgoing expenses. The following members were then deemed elected for Committee positions for the year 2013. Chairman David Gainda EI6GVB, Vice-Chairman Nicky Madigan EI3JB, Secretary Dennis Drennan EI2HSB, Treasurer Mark Wall EI7IS, PRO Seany Byrne EI2HZB, Officer 1 John Tubbritt, Officer 2 John McCarthy EI8JA and Officer 3 John Ronan EI7IG. For up-to-date news about the South Eastern Amateur Radio Group and it’s actives you can check our website www.searg.com and you can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
DX News
A multi-national team will activate the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea from 10 – 18 March. The callsign will be 9M4SLL. They will operate all bands 160 – 10m on SSB, CW and RTTY. This counts as a separate entity for DXCC purposes and also for the IOTA Award AS-051. QSL manager is M0URX.
Another multi-national DXpedition will visit the Solomon Islands from 8 – 25 March. The callsign for this one is H44G and they hope to be QRV on all bands 160 – 6m. QSLs go via DL7DF.
Nick G3RWF has appeared from a number of DXCC entities over the years. In recent times he has been active as 5X1NH from Uganda. He plans to be in Rwanda from 4 – 12 March and has applied for the callsign 9X0NH. He operates mainly on CW and QSLs go via his home call.
Four experienced Scottish operators will be on the island of Tuvalu in the Pacific from 12 – 23 March. The callsign will be T2GM and they will be very active on all bands. The QSL Manager is GM4FDM.
Items for inclusion in next week’s Radio News can be submitted via e-mail to “newsteam /at/ irts / dot / ie” for automatic forwarding to both the radio and printed news services. Urgent news items for the radio news maybe telephoned to the radio news editor, Aidan, EI7JC on 085 7100511.
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.
[A]
