Archived News Script
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday March 2nd, 2025
IRTS Award Nominations
With 2025 IRTS AGM weekend taking place over the weekend of April 12th and 13th, the IRTS Awards committee is seeking nominations for “Awards for Services to the Society or to Amateur Radio” and “Awards to IRTS members for Other Achievements”. Details of these awards are available at www.irts.ie under the awards section. Nominations should reach the IRTS Awards Manager, Jim Holohan EI4HH, by email to awards /at/ irts.ie before Sunday, March 23rd please.
Donegal Amateur Radio Radio Club VHF Fox Hunt
Donegal Amateur Radio Club is hosting a VHF Fox Hunt today, Sunday March 2nd. This is a fun activity where participants use radio direction finding techniques to locate one or more hidden transmitters. It takes place at Benbulbin Forest Walk in Sligo from 9.30 a.m. until 2 p.m. You can contact David Barnes EI5IMB for further information. His details are on QRZ.com and on the Donegal Amateur Radio Club Facebook page.
South Eastern Amateur Radio Group EI2WRC
Following the EI2WRC 2025 AGM held on Monday, February 24th, 2025, the following people were deemed elected to the EI2WRC committee for 2025/2026: Chairman Pat Dwyer EI7IUB, Vice-Chairman Joe Donnelly EI8DY, Secretary Mark Kilmartin EI4FNB, Treasurer Ralph Musto EI2KU, Public Relations Officer Seany Byrne EI2HZB, Club Officer 1 John McCarthy EI8JA, Club Officer 2 Edwin Van Mierlo EI2HEB, and Club Officer 3 Steve Kelly EI2JLB. A full report of the 2025 AGM can be viewed on the latest club news page on searg.ie.
For more information about EI2WRC, their activities, and for contact details please see www.searg.ie
Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club AGM
The Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club reports that it held its AGM for 2025 on the 20th of February which was well attended. At the AGM, the following were elected for the coming year: Chairman Dermot Gleeson EI2GT, Secretary Joe Ryan EI9HG, and Treasurer Liam Rainford EI7DSB. Harry O’Loughlin EI2KL, Diarmuid O’Briain EI4LF, Gerry Gervin EI8CC, and Michael Kingston EI2IX were also elected as committee members. Gerry EI8CC and Dermot EI2GT were elected as club representatives to IRTS meetings.
During the Chairman’s address, Dermot Gleeson EI2GT emphasised that LCARC is a club in which everyone feels welcome and valued and where knowledge is shared freely, and all members are open to learning. He stressed the outreach work being done by the club to promote the hobby and looked forward to celebrating the 80th anniversary of the club in 2026. He noted that this requires extensive planning as there will need to be special events as well as hosting the IRTS AGM. Club members and others, including the management of the Shannon Aviation Museum, were thanked for their valuable assistance during the year.
Dundalk Amateur Radio Society Bring and Buy Sale
Dundalk Amateur Radio Society’s bring and buy sale takes place in their club headquarters from 8.00 p.m. next Wednesday the 5th of March. You are invited to bring any radio-related equipment that may be gathering dust to Marconi House in Dundalk. All funds raised will go directly to supporting the society and its activities. You can find contact details for the club at ei7dar.com.
VHF/Microwave Updates
The next 145 Alive event takes place on Saturday, the 12th of April 2025. The coordinators for EI are the IRTS VHF/microwave managers, Denis EI4KH and Keith EI5IN. If you are interested in taking part as a net control station, please contact the coordination team via email to vhf_manager /at/ irts.ie.
The IRTS VHF/UHF/SHF webpage has been updated to reflect the latest locator square scores received. This shows the number of Maidenhead locator squares worked each year by EI operators. If any operators wish to add to this table, please submit your details via email to vhf_manager /at/ irts.ie. The IRTS VHF co-managers welcome ideas and suggestions at any stage via email using the same address.
The European FT8 Activity series continues with an activity evening on the 144MHz band on Wednesday March 5th. This is intended to promote FT8 and FT4 activity and takes place from 17:00 to 21:00 UTC. Details can be found at ft8activity.eu.
Every Thursday, a global net called APRSThursday takes place using Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) for 24 hours. It is a network of licensed amateur radio operators who share messages and position packets through radio and internet. For any operators both old and new, it is a great opportunity to explore the APRS mode and make contacts with other stations joining the net. Over 500 operators take part in the net each week from across the world. Further information may be found at www.aprsph.net
Periods of tropospheric ducting are expected across EI over the coming days. The best but perhaps short-lived opportunities are expected to occur midweek with fair to moderate propagation forecasted.
Radio Rally Updates
Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club’s annual rally takes place next Sunday, the 9th of March in Treacy's Oakwood Hotel in Shannon. Contact Dermot Gleeson, EI2GT, at DermotGleeson1 /at/ gmail.com to book a table. Only bookings made via email will be accepted.
IRTS Awards curator Mark EI4FNB will be able to collect returning IRTS awards at the Limerick Clare ARC rally next weekend. For anyone who needs to get in contact with Mark regarding return of trophies, you can find his contact details on the contact section on irts.ie.
Lough Erne Amateur Club’s Radio Rally will be held on Sunday the 18th of May 2025. The venue is the Share Discovery Village, 221 Lisnaskea Road, Lisnaskea, Enniskillen BT92 0JZ. Doors will open at 11 a.m. Entry costs five euro or five pounds which includes a ticket for the draw. The rally will include a bring and buy and usual facilities including food and refreshments. Further details are available at LoughErneRadioClub.co.uk.
Contest Calendar Update
The RSGB 3.5MHz Club Championship Contest series continues with a data modes context on Monday the 3rd of March. This contest runs for ninety minutes from 20:00 UTC to 21:30 UTC. The modes used are RTTY and PSK63 only.
On Tuesday, the 4th of March, the RSGB 144MHz FM Activity Contest takes place for 55 minutes from 19:00 UTC. This is intended to provide a place where stations who have FM equipment can give it a go and get a feel for contesting.
From 20:00 on the same night, you can continue your contesting activities in the RSGB 144MHz UK Activity Contest. This runs for two and a half hours starting from 20:00 UTC and uses all modes on the 2m band. Further information is available at rsgbcc.org.
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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