Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday November 10th, 2024
Silent Key – Aedan O’Meara EI3EG
We were saddened to learn of the death on November 1st of Aedan O’Meara EI3EG of Bishopstown, Cork City. A native of Dublin, Aedan moved to Cork for his work with the Department of Agriculture. Licensed in 1981, he was a leading member of Cork Radio Club, served as National Packet Radio Co-ordinator and set up and ran an amateur television repeater for many years. All this was achieved as a white stick operator. He will be sadly missed by all whomever came into contact with him in his many roles within our hobby over the years. We extend our deepest sympathy to his wife of 55 years, Barbara, and his children Susan, Cliodhna, Róisín, Joanne, and Barry.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
News from the IRTS
The Irish Radio Transmitters Society is delighted to announce it has been successfully awarded a renewal contract to set, hold, and invigilate the HARAC amateur radio exam. This is a great endorsement of the hard work and professional manner the exam board have managed the process over the last few years. The development of question pools, organising of exam centres, setting, and correcting of papers quietly happens in the background, and often goes unnoticed. With this renewal, an amendment has been agreed to the contract to allow for some modernisation to the sending portion of our Morse test. Going forward, “Sending tests may be taken using equipment chosen by the candidate and appropriate for the speed being examined including straight keys, paddles, bugs, and semi-automatic keys, etc. Keyboard-generated Morse shall not be used for sending tests.”
The next IRTS Committee meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 13th at 8:00 p.m. on the Zoom platform. All IRTS affiliated clubs are reminded that under Rule 16.1, the members in each affiliated club or, society may elect a representative and an alternate annually to attend IRTS Committee meetings. Clubs wishing to send a representative should notify the IRTS Secretary, Owen EI4GGB at irts_secretary /at/ irts.ie in advance to ensure notification and links are provided.
South Eastern Amateur Radio Group EI2WRC
Everyone in the South Eastern Amateur Radio Group EI2WRC would like to wish all the candidates sitting the HAREC exam in Dublin on Saturday next, November 16th the very best of luck in the exam. They hope to hear all of you on the airwaves very soon. The November meeting of the EI2WRC group will take place on Monday, November 25th at 8 p.m. sharp at the South East Technological University, Netlabs Research and Innovation Building, SETU West Campus, Carriganore, Waterford. Eircode X91 WR86. As this will be the last physical meeting for 2024, all members of the group are asked to attend. Plans of activations to be added to their already jam-packed calendar for 2025 will be discussed. As always anyone that has an interest in amateur radio or communications in general is very welcome to come along. SWLs are in particular very welcome to attend.
It’s that time of the year again and in the great tradition of their group, the club is currently planning their annual Christmas party night. Every year, the Christmas party is an excellent finish to the year. This year is no different after having been another very successful one for the club. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, December 7th at 6.30 p.m. at the Marina Hotel, Canada Street, Waterford, Eircode X91 PK2W. Dinner tickets must be prebooked and tickets cost 35 euro per person. For more information or to book a dinner ticket, you are asked to please get in contact with Edwin EI2HEB at QTHR as soon as possible please.
For more information about EI2WRC, their activities, and for contact details please see www.searg.ie
Tipperary Amateur Radio Group
On Saturday the 2nd of November last, members of the Tipperary Amateur Radio Group celebrated the 30th anniversary of the club when they met at Raheen House Hotel, Clonmel, Co Tipperary. Group members travelled from Co. Waterford, Co. Kilkenny, and Co. Cork to join their locally based colleagues for a sit-down meal and drinks to mark this special occasion. An enjoyable night was had by all, and a 'minute of silence' was observed to remember the T.A.R.G. members who are now Silent Key.
Tipperary Amateur Radio Group was formed in Cashel, Co. Tipperary on the 19th of October 1994 and this year the callsign EI-30-T was used by the group members on the HF bands to mark the 30th anniversary. This special event callsign was active up until the October Bank Holiday Weekend and the last QSO logged was with 5Z4A in Kenya. Almost 4000 QSOs with 139 different DXCC entities are in the EI-30-T logbook. A special EI-30-T QSL Card has been printed for those seeking confirmation during this activation.
For further information about the Tipperary Amateur Radio Group you can go to their website www.ei7trg.ie or you can email them at ei7trg /at/ gmail.com.
Update from the Mayo Radio Experimenters Network
Mayo Radio Experimenters Network held their AGM on Wednesday evening last, the 6th of November. It was held from 9 p.m. in the Breaffy House Hotel, Breaffy. Members elected for the coming year are as follows: Chairman, Jimmy Kelly EI2GCB; Secretary, John McDonnell EI6IR; and Treasurer, Padraig Baynes EI9JA.
Along with other business discussed, they arranged a date for their Christmas party and a good farewell send off to their good friend Phil EI9KP who is returning to Belgium again. A party will be held on Wednesday night the 13th of November 2024 from 7.30 p.m. in the Breaffy House Hotel. Members and non-members are welcome to join them. If you wish to attend, please contact Jimmy EI2GCB by phone or text to 087 6205407 before tomorrow, Monday the 11th at 1 p.m.
MREN meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 9 p.m. unless there are circumstances outside their control, then updates are given on the club’s WhatsApp page.
The club holds a chat and net on the local Mayo repeater every Wednesday night at 9 p.m., except the first Wednesday of each month when there is a club meeting. Everyone is welcome to join in if you can access the Mayo repeater.
Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club
On the 8th of November, members of the Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club gave a presentation on amateur radio to 70 students at the Shannon Aviation Museum. Practical demonstrations were given also covering topics such as Morse code, on-air communication, electricity generation, and the difference between alternating current and direct current. This presentation was the first in a series of such events which have been organised specifically for both primary and secondary school students. Further presentations will take place on 12th, 13th, and 14th of November. It is expected that up to 300 students in total will receive a comprehensive introduction to amateur radio as a result.
In addition to the programme of student visits, the club station, callsign EI4SAM, is active every Saturday and a significant number of visitors to the museum receive live demonstrations on various aspects of amateur radio operating in real time. Activity at the station has been enhanced considerably by the recent purchase of a Cushcraft R9 multi-band vertical antenna and a Yaesu FT10-DX transceiver. The station is usually on air from 11.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. The initial calling frequency is 7.123 MHz plus or minus QRM and visitors are always welcome.
The next monthly club meeting will be held on Thursday the 14th of November at 7.30 p.m. in Room 10A05 of the Technological University of the Shannon, Midlands, Midwest at Moylish in Limerick. At the meeting Diarmuid, EI4LF, will give a presentation and they will discuss a potential club visit to the Irish Computer Museum in Galway. It is also intended to discuss possible activities in 2025 such as a club visit to the Friedrichshafen Rally.
Galway Radio Experimenters Club AGM
The Galway Radio Experimenters Club will be holding their combined November meeting and AGM on Sunday next the 17th, in the Francis Room, Menlo Park hotel at 7 p.m., followed by tea, coffee, and sandwiches. The meeting is open to new members with an interest in radio.
VHF/Microwave News
A six-metre net takes place on Wednesday nights from 8 p.m. on 50.180MHz. That same night, you can try your hand at FT8 and FT4 on the 70cm band from 17:00 UTC to 21:00 UTC as part of a regular series of activities held by the European FT8Activity group. On Thursday nights, a 2m FM simplex net operates from 8 p.m. on 145.300 MHz. All are welcome to join in on the activities.
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) announced that a SSTV event will be held from tomorrow, Monday the 11th of November. The event is scheduled to begin at 11:50 UTC and to end Monday, November 18th at 13:40 UTC. SSTV transmissions will be paused during scheduled school contacts on November 15th and 16th. Downlink transmissions will be at 145.800 MHz and the mode is expected to be PD 120. The transmissions will comprise twelve images featuring activities from the 2024 40th Anniversary Celebrating Amateur Radio in Human Spaceflight.
TinyGS Workshop by TOG Hackerspace
Are you fascinated by space and want to learn how to receive data from satellites and weather probes? Now is your change to join Jeffrey Roe EI7IRB in his Tiny Ground Station workshop where you can build and program your own ground station and antenna to receive data from space. TinyGS is an open community-run network of ground stations distributed around the world to receive and operate LoRa satellites, weather probes and other flying objects, using cheap and versatile modules.
With a TinyGS ground station, you can receive data from a variety of sources, such as CubeSats. This hands-on, beginner-friendly workshop is perfect for anyone interested in radio, electronics, Internet of Things, antenna design, and space exploration. It takes place on Saturday the 7th of December from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is 85 euro plus fees. Profits from ticket sales go to fund TOG. Visit www.tog.ie to register and find out more.
Items for Inclusion in Next Week’s Radio News
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.ie for automatic forwarding to both the radio and printed news services. The deadline is midnight on Thursday.
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