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IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday July 18th 2021.


Brendan Quest 2 Metre Trans-Atlantic Attempt

In an update issued on July 14th, Frank Davis announced that the VO1FN Transatlantic VHF project has received important support from SHF Elektronik Siggi DJ2MM who have sponsored an MVV 144-VOX Mast Mounted preamp. The unit has been received and will be installed in the coming days. The unit has been modified by Siggi with more sensitive circuitry to deal with the very weak VHF signals to be expected on the Transatlantic path. This preamp will also enable the station to utilize its new FT991A transceiver to transmit in return to any signals heard. He also thanked Mr. Martin Jue of MFJ for sponsoring two 12VDC BiasT units for the irish station EI2DHK and Newfoundland Labrador station VO1FN. Both units have been received. The VO1FN location will use the Bias T to power the SHF Mast Mounted Preamp. The EI2DKH beacon is now running 24/7 beaming across the Atlantic hoping to make contact with North America. The radio is an Elad Duo SDR with GPS DO operating on 28 MHz into a transverter. The Duo output is 1 milliwatt and the transverter delivers 10 Watts into a 100 Watt linear amplifier, so all systems are cool running except the amplifier which is fan cooled. The station run by Tony EI8JK transmitting Q65 (60 sec, sub mode C) with CW ID every even minute on 144.488 MHz with audio frequency of 1500 Hz and it receives Q65 every odd minute on 144.178 MHz with audio frequency of 1500 Hz


EI0HQ in IARU Contest

A team of 15 IRTS members operated the society's headquarters station call sign EI0HQ in the International Amateur Radio Union HF World Championship last weekend. The EI0HQ team logged more than 5,000 QSOs on the 6 HF contest bands, split approximately 50:50 between CW and SSB. Thanks to all who put the callsign on the air.


The Woodpecker becomes a national heritage site

Many of us can still recall the shortwave QRM resembling a hammering woodpecker. Until the nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl power plant in 1986, the 'woodpecker' was a daily nuisance on HF The woodpecker was a Soviet over-the-horizon radar, designed to detect incoming rockets during a potential attack from the west. Now the Ukraine has declared the installation known as 'DUGA 1', a phased array of broadband dipoles with a reflector array held up by steel towers and wires, a national monument. The array is over 700m long and 140 meters tall. Together with the neighbouring ruin of the reactor complex and the abandoned town of Pripjat, the Ukraine wants the 'woodpecker' installation to become part of an UNESCO world cultural heritage site. Declaring it a national monument is the first step in the application process.


Islands On The Air Contest

The RSGB’s Islands On The Air Contest will be held next weekend and it runs for 24 hours starting at 1200z on Saturday. This is always a popular contest with EI operators and IRTS has three trophies up for grabs. The IRTS DX Trophy is awarded to the leading EI single operator and last year’s winner was Gerard Scannell EI5KF. The Hal Hodgins Trophy goes to the highest scoring EI station in the 12 hour CW section and last year’s winner was Axel Kalterborn EI8JX. The IRTS IOTA trophy goes to the leading island (EJ) DXpedition station. The exchange for this contest is report, serial number and island number. Announced activities include the Avondhu Radio Club EJ1E who will operate from Bere Island, IOTA number Europe-121 and Pat EI5IX with friends will be active from Ceann Ear, Monach Islands, IOTA Europe 111, off the west coast of Scotland from July 22nd to the 27th. They will be QRV as MM8C for the IOTA contest and outside the contest they will be active as GM3RCV on CW, SSB & Digi. QSL via LoTW, Club Log OQRS.


Email Address Problems

Eircom have again almost doubled their charge for use of the Eircom.net service. As a result a significant number of emails to members who previously used that service have bounced. It would be appreciated if those members who have changed to an alternative email address contact memrecords /at/ irts.ie or dave.ei6al /at/ gmail.com in order to get their email address updated.


Slow Morse Club EI1SMC

Celebrating the Slow Morse Club’s first year of operation, special event calls special event stations EI1SMC, GB1SMC and TM1SMC will be on the air until Sunday next July 25th. From Monday the 19th to Friday July 23rd, EI1SMC operated by Keith EI5KJ and John EI3HQB can be found working at 10 to 12 words per minute CW (with extended pauses between letters) each afternoon from 1500z on either 80 metres (3.550 to 3.560Mhz), 40 metres (7.020 to 7.030MHz), 30 metres (10.110 to 10,120MHz), or 20 metres (14.050 to 14.060MHz) depending on the vagaries of afternoon propagation. Keep an eye on the cluster and the Slow Morse Club Facebook page for more updates.


QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo August 14/15

The third virtual QSO Today Ham Expo is being held live on August 14th and 15th and tickets are now on sale. All presentations will remain available on demand for 30 days after the event. Almost one hundred well know presenters will deliver presentations on over 18 different topics with something for everyone. You can walk through the virtual exhibit hall filled with popular amateur radio suppliers and watch new product demos and interact directly with booth staff. You can purchase tickets and see a complete list of speakers at the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo on the event’s website on www.qsotodayhamexpo.com


International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend

Two more clubs have signed up for the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend on August 22nd and 23rd. The Avondhu Radio Club EI1E will activate Youghal Lighthouse and the Skywave Amateur Radio Club EI0SW will operate from the Old Head of Kinsale lighthouse. The South Eastern Amateur Radio Group will be on from The Hook lighthouse in County Wexford. Full details of the event are available on illw.net.


Mines On The Air (MOTA)

We currently have JOTA, IOTA, SOTA etc. and now we have MOTA, Mines On The Air. Originating in North America, it is becoming more popular worldwide and is another excuse to get out and be involved in some portable operating. A database of activated mines will be maintained and you need to fill out a simple form to be registered. You can get further information on the website minesontheair.com We have quite a few old mines of various types in Ireland so which will be the first to be listed?


DX News

Tevfik, TA1HZ (ex-ZD8HZ), has announced that he has moved to Iskele city in the district known as the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (TRNC). He states that he has "received the necessary permit from local authority to be on the air as 1B/TA1HZ. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is a self-proclaimed state (part of Cyprus), which is only recognized by Turkey. The TRNC does not count for anything for DXCC purposes. Also, the use of the 1B prefix is illegal and is not sanctioned by the ITU.

Look out for special callsigns 3F200AT and 3F200NG celebrating the 200th anniversary of Panama’s independence from Spain (1821-2021). Activity will end on November 30th. All QSOs will be uploaded to QRZ.com, Clublog, eQSL and LoTW. A special QSL card will be printed at the end of the activity.

Members of the Quito Radio Club in Ecuador will be active as HD1QRC90 between July 17-25th, to celebrate 90th anniversary of their radio club. Activity will be on all bands and modes. QSL via EA5GL.

JW0W will be QRV from Prins Karls Forland, IOTA EU-063, from July 21 to 26. Activity will be on the 80 to 10 meters using CW, SSB, and FT8 with four to five stations active. QSL via M0OXO.


That is the news for this week. Items for inclusion in next week’s radio news can be submitted by email to newsteam/at/irts/dot/ie for automatic forwarding to both the radio and printed news services. The deadline is midnight on Thursday. As this is the last bulletin from news editor Dave EI4BZ, he wishes to thank all those who contributed content during his term as editor and all the news readers for their help and co-operation.

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