Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday December 15th, 2024
Silent Key – Jim Smith EI4CP
It is with deep sadness that we report of the death of Jim Smith EI4CP which occurred on December 9th. Jim was a former IRTS Vice President and was actively involved in amateur radio. We wish to extend our deepest sympathies to his wife Evelyn, daughter Jenni, son Alan, his extended family, and wide circle of friends.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.
News from the IRTS
The IRTS news team is taking a break once again over the Christmas period this year. The last 40m and 80m IRTS news bulletins for 2024 are being transmitted today Sunday, December 15th. There will be no news bulletins on either Sunday December 22nd or Sunday, December 29th. Normal bulletins will resume on Sunday, January 5th, 2025. Items for the news on Sunday January 5th should reach the news editor by midnight on Thursday January 2nd, 2025.
The first IRTS contest of 2025 is the IRTS 80m Daytime Counties Contest. It takes place on New Year’s Day, Monday, January 1st, 2025. This will be a one-hour long contest running from 17:00 UTC to 18:00 UTC. SSB, CW, and SWL categories are available to enter. For more information, please visit www.irts.ie/contests
The committee and officers of the IRTS would like to take this opportunity to wish all our members, friends of the society, and all their families a very happy and peaceful Christmas. We hope that 2025 is a great new year for all of you. Thank you all for your great support of the society in 2024 and we look forward to your continued support throughout 2025 and beyond.
South Eastern Amateur Radio Group EI2WRC
You are invited to join EI2WRC for the fun of the 2024 Big Call-In Challenge on Tuesday December 17th at 7.30 p.m. as they will attempt to break the record of call-ins taken after the Tuesday night IRTS news bulletin. The current record stands at 136 set in December 2023. To break the current record, they will need at least 137 individual callers. It’s only for a bit of fun as this will be the last Tuesday night bulletin of 2024! All callers are very welcome to join in for some fun and laughs on the night!
The committee and members of EI2WRC would like to take this opportunity to wish all their radio friends and families in Ireland and all around the world a very happy, safe, and peaceful Christmas 2024. They hope that you all have a wonderful festive time, and that Santa is good to you and brings you all the latest Yaesu and Icom radios! The club would also like to extend every good wish to you all for the new year ahead and they hope that 2025 brings you all the very best of health, wealth, and of course, plenty of new DXCC entities. EI2WRC extends a massive thanks to everyone who helped make 2024 a very successful year for them. They look forward to your help in making 2025 an even better year for the club.
For more information about EI2WRC, their activities, and for contact details, please see www.searg.ie
Tipperary Amateur Radio Group AGM
On Wednesday the 4th of December 2024 last, members of the Tipperary Amateur Radio Group met at The Princess Bar in Clonmel at 8 p.m. for their Annual General Meeting. This was a well-attended meeting with group members travelling from Co. Kilkenny and Co. Waterford joining their Co. Tipperary-based colleagues. Andy EI5JF chaired this very productive meeting welcoming all in attendance. Group Secretary John EI7IG read the minutes from the previous year’s AGM and Group Treasurer Thomas EI2IT reported a healthy financial situation.
A review of the year was then discussed. It was agreed that the airing of the special event callsign EI-30-T commemorating the 30th Anniversary of TARG was a resounding success. Upcoming activities were discussed, and plans were made for participation in future events.
It was also decided that the venue for all TARG meetings in 2025 will continue to be held at The Princess Bar, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. The meeting concluded at 10.30 p.m. The newly elected Chairman Brian EI2JKB thanked all for their input and attendance at this AGM of TARG. The new committee was elected as follows: Chairman Brian Kelly EI2JKB, Vice Chairman Andy Jay EI5JF, Secretary John Ronan EI7IG, Treasurer Thomas Hallinan EI2IT, Group PRO Hugh O'Donnell EI2HI, and Events and QSL Manager Paul Norris EI3ENB.
For more information about T.A.R.G, you can visit the group’s website www.ei7trg.ie or you can follow them on Facebook under 'Tipperary Amateur Radio Group'. T.A.R.G would like to wish everyone a very happy Christmas and a healthy, prosperous New Year for 2025.
Santa on the Airwaves
Shannon Basin Radio Club is excited to announce that Santa is taking time out from his busy schedule to have some QSOs with junior ops on Wednesday December 18th. He will be QRV calling as Echo Icicle Two Santa Before Christmas EI2SBC via the club's repeater from 6.30 p.m. onwards. Junior ops are welcome to have a QSO with Santa in his home QTH. For details on setting up a sked with the big man himself, register at www.sbrc.ie/christmas by Tuesday December 17th.
The EI2SBR repeater located on Sliabh Bán in Roscommon has an output frequency of 145.775 MHz and uses a 77Hz CTCSS tone. It can also be accessed via Echolink and is linked to the Truskmore repeater EI2TKR.
Shannon Basin Radio Club wishes everyone a very peaceful and happy Christmas and New Year.
VHF/Microwave Updates
The next 145 Alive event is taking place on Sunday the 26th of January 2025. The IRTS VHF/microwave managers are coordinating net control stations for EI. If you are interested in taking part as a net controller, contact them via email to vhf_manager /at/ irts.ie.
During good tropospheric ducting conditions in early November, Roger EI8KN reports a first for a 23cm QSO between Ireland and Austria. He reports working Rudi OE5VRL on the 23cm band in addition to the 2m and 70cm bands citing a distance of 1582 kilometres.
The IRTS VHF/UHF/SHF webpage has been updated in recent days featuring weekly net information as well as a link to the 2024 edition of the IARU VHF Handbook. If you wish to submit information for the squares table, provide suggestions for additions to the page, or amendments, you are encouraged to contact the VHF/microwave managers by email.
ComReg’s Radio Spectrum Management Operating plan for 2025-2028
ComReg has published its radio spectrum management operating plan for the period 2025 to 2028. It is noteworthy that 55% of all submissions to ComReg during the consultation phase came from the amateur radio community. Within the operating plan, ComReg flag an intention to begin a comprehensive review of the Amateur Service licensing regime including the topic of a proposed novice licensing framework during the 2025 to 2028 period. You can read the document in full by downloading it from ComReg’s publications webpage located at www.comreg.ie/publications
Lagan Valley Amateur Radio Society Rally
The Lagan Valley Amateur Radio Society will be holding its annual rally on the 1st of March 2025 at the Hillsborough Village Centre, 7 Ballynahinch Road, Hillsborough, BT26 6AR. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. and the rally ends 1 p.m. Further details can be found at www.lvars.uk
Items for Inclusion in the Next Radio News
That is the news for this week, and it is the final bulletin for 2024. Items for inclusion in the next radio news which will be transmitted on Sunday January 5th, 2025, 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 January 2nd, 2025.
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