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IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 22nd November 2015


New 5 MHz Allocation

At the Sixth Plenary of WRC-15 held on 18 November the proposal for a new secondary allocation to amateur radio at 5 MHz passed both 1st and 2nd readings.

This effectively ends the four-year trek to bring Agenda Item 1.4 to fruition. The changes to the Radio Regulations authorizing the new band will appear in the WRC-15 Final Acts which will be available provisionally at the end of next week and in a formal document some weeks later. The changes are tentatively expected to be effective 1 January 2017.

Hopefully, earlier use may be allowed by national administrations as happened with the extended 7MHz band some years back. The new allocation is for 15 kHz between 5351.5 and 5366.5 kHz and a power limit of 15 watts e.i.r.p. would apply.

The smaller-than-hoped size of this allocation, the unusual band edges and the modest power limit reflect the painful compromises that over twenty hours of stressful negotiations resulted in. It is worth reflecting that with both the U.S. and Russia committed to “no change” along with a couple of dozen more countries the outcome defied the odds.


UK & Ireland Contest Club

This year's final 80m contest organised by the UK & Ireland Contest Club takes place on Wednesday 25th November.

It's a one-hour CW contest, starting at 8pm. You can work anyone and the exchange is your 4-character locator square. For example IO62, with points based on distance.

Once again logs have to be uploaded by 10pm and preliminary results will be posted by 10.30.

You can see rules and results at ukeicc.com. Everyone is invited to join in and have fun.

A reminder that the Club's DX SSB contest runs for 24 hours from noon on Saturday 5th December with EI and UK contesters competing on an equal basis for the first time. This event is generating lots of interest including a mention in the ARRL's current Contest Update.


Shannon Basin Radio Club

Shannon Basin Radio Club will be holding its AGM on Friday 27th November at 8.30pm in Hannons Hotel Roscommon Town. All members are requested to attend and anyone wishing to join the club is very welcome. Refreshments will be served. Please see www.shannonbasinradioclub.com for details or contact Brian ei8iu on 0861057325.


Cork Radio Club

The Annual Dinner for Cork Amateurs will be held in Midleton Park Hotel on Saturday December 5th where a four course meal will be served starting at 8pm.

Tickets are €25 each and are available from Dave EI4BZ on 087-6290574 or by email at ei4bz /at/ eircom.net.


DX News

Mats, who holds the callsigns SM6LRR and RM2D, will be operating holiday style in Vietnam as XV2D from 22nd November until 6th December. In addition he will take part in the CQWW CW Contest on the weekend of 28th/29th November. Logs will be uploaded to Logbook of The World.

A team of 5 US operators will operate from Tuvalu and Fiji over the coming weeks. Initially they will be active as T2TT in Tuvalu from 24th November to 2nd December. Then they travel to Fiji where they will sign 3D2RJ from 3rd December to 10th December. In both locations they will operate SSB and CW. The QSL info for both stations is via Clublog OQRS.

Marko N5ZO will be in Mozambique from 22nd November to 1st December. He plans to enter the CQWW CW Contest as a Single-Op/All Band/High Power entry using the callsign C92ZO. Prior to the contest he will be on 30m, 17m and 12m. QSL to LoTW or direct to OH0XX.

Donald KD4UDU is QRV until 17th December as EL2DW from Monrovia, Liberia. Look for him on 20m, 15m and 10m on SSB. QSL to the home call.

John G4IRN will be active as HR5/G4IRN from Honduras from 22nd to 30th November. In addition he will use the callsign HR2J during the CQWW CW Contest.


2m Nets

The South Eastern Amateur Radio Group have a 2m net on Tuesday nights after the IRTS weekly news. This is to promote the use of the band, which has seen a decline in use. The intended frequency used is 145.400MHz and net has had many stations calling in since its introduction. Everyone welcome to join in.

Fingal Radio Club and Dermot EI2HD continue their 2m call-in on Wednesday and every Wednesday at 7p.m. Please try and give your support by getting on the air. Keep 2metres alive. The frequency is 145.7625MHz, CTCSS 88.5KHz on the Dublin repeater


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 may be 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.

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