Archived News Script

printer friendly version

IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday 13th May 2018


Rally Today

We would like to say a special hello to all radio operators and SWL’s attending the 37th Lough Erne Radio Rally in Lisnaskea, Co. Fermanagh today. Hopefully you will all have a great time meeting up with fellow radiowave enthusiasts as well perhaps an equipment bargain or two along the way.


Radio Club Representatives

Further to a request made by the IRTS executive committee at the AGM this year, we would like to remind all affiliated clubs to nominate a member of their club to act as a representative for this year. Some clubs have already done so. For additional information regarding this role, please make contact with the IRTS Secretary.


Important Notification from Comreg

ComReg has finalised its new online application facility for all Amateur Station licence applications.

All applications for Amateur Station Licences should now be submitted through the eLicensing website.

Details: The facility will be available via the existing elicensing website;

www.elicensing.comreg.ie

The only Payment options for Amateur Station Applications is by credit card

Detailed instructions how to submit an application may be found on our website

www.elicensing.comreg.ie

Please email licensing /at/ comreg.ie for all queries in relation to the above.


Good news, Additional Frequencies

IRTS is pleased to announce the introduction of additional frequencies for use by the amateur radio community here in Ireland. ComReg in December 2015 published a Draft Radio Spectrum Management Strategy 2016-2018. The Society responded with a comprehensive submission to this draft and a summary of this was published in the March 2016 edition of Echo Ireland.

In June 2016 ComReg published its final Radio Spectrum Management Strategy 2016-2018 and indicated its intention to grant some additional spectrum to the amateur service. This has now been done and is in line with some of the requests made in the Society’s submission.

The 70 MHz band has been extended to 69.9 MHz to 70.5 MHz. This is an increase of 275kHz over the existing band of 70.125 to 70.450 MHz and is the full band that may be allocated to the amateur service under the European Common Allocations table.

Further spectrum covering all modes including digimodes has been granted on a secondary basis at 30 to 49 MHz and 54 to 69.9 MHz. The latter band also includes digital television in addition to all other modes. These new frequency bands are listed among the bands available generally to radio amateurs in Annex 1 of a recently revised version of the Amateur Station Licence Guidelines document ComReg 09/45 R4 which is available on the ComReg website.

The new bands in the 40 MHz and 60 MHz regions will, among other things, facilitate modern type beacons in the region of these frequencies as well as moving the existing 70 MHz beacon on 70.130 MHz to the section of the band designated for beacons.

IRTS will be producing a local band plans for these two bands in consultation with countries that have allocations at these frequencies and IARU.

The Society would like to express its appreciation to ComReg for the release of this extensive spectrum to the amateur service on a secondary basis.


Amateur Station Licence Examination

Deadline is fast approaching license examination applications. We wish to remind all potential applicants that the next Amateur Station Licence Examination will be held on Thursday 31st May in the ComReg Offices in Dublin. Some applications have already been received. As places are limited and are allocated on a first come first served basis those intending to sit the examination should apply soon. Full details, including entry procedure, examination fee and how to pay the fee online are available at www.irts.ie/exam .

Please note that it is necessary to download the application form from the web page and forward the completed form and the appropriate fee so as to secure a place for the examination. It is important to note that even if you pay the fee online you must still complete and forward the application form. The closing date for receipt of completed applications is Thursday 17th May.


Printable Version of the IRTS Course Guide

Frank McKeown EI8HIB has prepared a printable version of the course guide from our online version, and has made this document available to the society. We acknowledge the work undertaken by Frank in compiling the printable version and thank him for this.

The IRTS Downloads page www.irts.ie/downloads has a PDF file of this new version of the guide, as well as the ZIP file of the browser version. The Downloads page includes other useful documents for those preparing for the exam, such as "Studying for the Harmonised Amateur Radio Examination Certificate" which includes the Syllabus, a Sample Paper and reports on previous exams by the Licence Examination Board. There is also a Document Pack containing reference documents for the Licensing Conditions and Operating Rules and Procedures sections of the syllabus. For those without access to a printer, a search of "Thesis Printing" will highlight a number of print companies offering an online printing service for PDF documents.


IECRO Radio Club

A new repeater is on the way shortly for the midlands. A license has been granted to the IECRO Ireland radio club for a new 70cm repeater to be located within the midlands. Initially this repeater will operate as Analogue FM, however at a later date it will provide both Analogue and Digital Mobile Radio services.

Steady progress is being made at the moment in its installation. Access details to the new repeater will be released soon to the radio community, once setup and testing is fully completed.

Do you have any friends who would like to become licensed? Reminder, the IECRO radio club in Mullingar will be starting another of its training courses shortly to prepare candidates for the license examination. A good number of examination candidates have already signed up. If you have been thinking of personally becoming an amateur radio operator, or have a friend who may be interested in becoming licensed, then the club in Mullingar may be able to assist in preparation for the examination. To enquire or to book a place, contact can be made via email to “info /dot/ iecro /at/ gmail /dot/ com”


DX News

A 5-man team from Reunion Island are QRV from Rodriguez Island signing 3B9RUN until 16th May. Activity is on 80 – 10m using SSB and FT8. QSLs go directly to EA7FTR.

Three Australian amateurs are signing VK9LI from Lord Howe Island (IOTA OC-004) until 18th May. They will be on 160 – 17m and QSLs are via Club Log OQRS.

A team led by Declan EI6FR will be active from Inisheer in the Aran Islands from 19th – 23rd May. The callsign is EJ7NET and the IOTA reference is EU-006.

Prefix hunters will be interested in the special event call GR9RW which will be on the air to celebrate the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The station will be manned by members of the Cray Valley Radio Society from 19th – 23rd May. QSL via Club Log OQRS.


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, Mark EI6HPB on 086 355 2370.

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]

contact IRTS
irts groups.io