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EI3DIB > NEWS 18.08.05 22:04l 207 Lines 9347 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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From: EI3DIB@EI3DIB.#TIPP.IRL.EU
To : NEWS@WW
Irish Radio Transmitters Society
Radio News Bulletin
Sunday August 14th 2005
Howth Martello Radio Group
The Howth Martello Radio Group has recently been allocated the call-sign
EI0MAR (Echo India Zero Mike Alpha Romeo). The significance of the MAR suffix
is twofold. It represents the station's associations with the Martello Tower
and also with Marconi. In 1905 a Marconi station was set up in the tower to
carry out signal strength tests with the HMS Monarch as she made her way from
Howth to Holyhead. Details of these tests can be found at
cnds.ucd.ie/teltec/old_teltec/art1.html. Gerry Butler, EI0CH was one of the
contributors to this very fine article.
Now that the new callsign has been allocated, it is hoped to air it as soon
as the station equipment has been set up. EI0MAR hopes to be calling in to
this and other news bulletins over the next few weeks.
The museum is open to the public from 11 until 5 daily until the end of
October, when it reverts back to weekend opening for the winter. Pat
Herbert, the enthusiastic curator, is always delighted to show visitors
around. You can drive and park right outside the museum entrance by turning
right into Abbey Street from the seafront at McGuirk's Golf Shop. Then take
the very sharp, steep and deceptive turn at the Indigo souvenir shop about
100 metres or so up on the left-hand side. You can also visit the museum's
website at www.qsl.net/ei5em/museum.html
****************
SSB Field Day
The Annual SSB Field Day will take place on the first full weekend in
September which this year falls on the 3rd and 4th, only three weeks away.
Following last year's very successful central event hosted by the Shannon
Basin Radio Club on the wonderful grounds of Garbally College in Ballinasloe,
the same venue will be used again this year. A feature of the event is the
Saturday night barbecue when all participants and visitors are treated to the
very best of midland steaks.
The local Shannon Basin club will be defending their title in the restricted
section and will be challenged by two teams from the Dalkey Island Contest
Group, a team from the Galway Radio Experimenters Club, a team from East Cork
and Joe EI7GY from SDR.
Other stations intending to travel should notify the contest manager as soon
as possible. Stations who wish to set up in the open section will also be
very welcome at Ballinasloe and will be accommodated at locations a few miles
away from the college.
The Dalkey Island Group are sponsoring three Dublin Crystal Trophies for
stations in the restricted section at Garbally College. These will be
awarded for best LF DX, best HF DX and best hourly rate. Teams will nominate
their best DX and the final decision will be made on site by a committee of
three top EI DXers.
Of course stations do not need to travel to Ballinasloe to partake in Field
Day and entries in either the open or restricted section will be very welcome
from any part of the country. You must notify your site location to the
Contest Manager in advance.
****************
Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend
The International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend will take place on the 20th and
21st of August 2005. A list of the stations with QTH and QSL information can
be found at illw.net/2005_list.htm.
****************
Islands On The Air Contest
The annual IOTA contest sponsored by RSGB took place over the last weekend in
July and as usual was well supported by EI stations. Three teams are known
to have travelled to islands for the event and quite a few serious entrants
were heard on the mainland.
South Dublin Radio Club again travelled to Inisheer in the Aran Islands and
operated the callsign EJ0GI with a large crew. They report that scores were
well up on last year.
Sean Donelan and his team operated from Arranmore Island off Donegal using
the usual callsign EJ4F and were in a much more comfortable environment this
year compared to last years trip to the Lesser Saltee Island.
The Bere Island Group EJ2MT, a coalition of the Bristol and East Cork Groups,
operated again from the renovated Martello Tower on Bere Island in Bantry Bay
and hope to improve on last years 4th position overall. Also heard going well
were EI0W, EI6DX and EI2II.
****************
EI Counties Contest
The Spring 2 Metres Counties Contest took place on Easter Monday, March 28th
last. There were a total of 19 entries and 1 check log submitted. This was
a welcome improvement on the number of entries, which had been falling over
the last number of contests. In all, many excellent scores were recorded and
the overall level of participation was very encouraging. A fill list of
scores is available in the May-June Echo Ireland.
The Autumn leg of the contest will take place on the 28th of August between
1400 and 1600 hours local time. Clubs and individuals are encouraged to take
part, even if you are not taking part in the contest, check logs are welcome.
Lets hope that the WX is on our side and we continue to see the improvement
in participation.
****************
Rally News
The Cork Radio Rally will be held in the Blarney Park Hotel on the 25th of
September. Doors open at 11 a.m. Free parking plenty of things to do in
Blarney this year as this year celebrates the Cork Capital of Culture. All
enquiries about tables trading etc. should be made to Con on 086 1071312 or
021 4270136 email conmac@engineer.com.
The Mayo Radio Experimenters Network Rally will be held on Sunday November
the 20th at the usual venue, the Belmont Hotel, Knock. Doors open at 11:00
a.m. Bookings for accommodation should be made directly with the hotel. The
rate is 50 Euro per person with a special all-in rate of 70 Euro for Bed &
Breakfast and evening meal. Traders should contact Padraic Baynes EI9JA for
exhibition space.
The Waterford Rally will take place on the 16th of October 2005 in the
McEniff, Ard Ri Hotel, Waterford. Traders confirmed to date are; Long
Communications, South East Communications and Tetra Communications. Special
room rates are available for those attending the rally. For information or
to reserve stalls contact Michael Hoban, EI5DCB on 051-873310. Information
regarding room rates is available on www.searg.com
****************
Tall Ships Race
From the 6th to the 9th of July 2005, Waterford welcomed a fleet of 80 or more vessels to its quays for the tall ships race. A special event station was set up and manned by Nicky, EI3JB. Contacts were made using the special call sign EI4TSR. Despite bad band conditions a good number of contacts were made into the UK, Europe and Stateside.
****************
Morse Requirements Relaxed in Canada
RAC the national society for Canada have been in discussion with Industry
Canada (the regulating body) and formally submitted a proposal recommending
that mandatory Morse Qualification be removed.
Industry Canada has adopted elements of the proposal and removed the
mandatory Morse requirement.
Effective immediately, HF operation on the bands below 30 MHz has been
authorized by Industry Canada for radio amateurs who were certified with the
BASIC Qualification before the 2nd of April 2002, amateurs who have been
certified with both BASIC and ADVANCED Qualifications and amateurs with only
the BASIC Qualification who were certified after 1st of April 2002, and who
achieved a pass mark of 80% or greater;
USA, Australia and Japan have also recently announced that they also are
planning dropping or relaxing the requirement.
****************
South Eastern Amateur Radio Group
The next general meeting of South Eastern Amateur Radio Group will take place
on Wednesday the 31st of August 2005 at 8.00 p.m. in the Roanmore Social and
Sports Centre, Cleaboy Road, Waterford.
****************
Space News
An ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) meeting took
place at the University of Surrey on the 1st and 2nd of August 2005, following the AMSAT UK 20th Colloquium. A large portion of the meeting was devoted to the Columbus project. The development of the L/S-band antennas was reviewed as well as possible uses.
There were presentations of Digital ATV, which is one of the possible modes
to be installed on Columbus.
The next ARISS international meeting will be convened in the Autumn of 2006
at San Francisco following the AMSAT NA Convention. The detailed report of
the Surrey meeting will be posted on the ARISS international website.
The International Space Station cross-band FM voice repeater is active. The
downlink frequency is 145.800 MHz FM plus or minus 3 kHz doppler shift. The
uplink frequency is 437.800 MHz FM plus or minus 10 kHz doppler shift.
****************
Items for inclusion in next weeks Radio News should be forwarded to Mark
EI7IS at QTHR or by phone to 051 853806, evenings or weekends or 087 6302026
(any time). Items for the radio news can also be faxed to 087 5 6302026.
News should be submitted via e-mail to "news at irts dot ie" for automatic
forwarding to both the radio and printed news services. Please note that
items for the radio news should reach the editor no later than midday on
Fridays.
Best 73 from John, Sysop @ EI3DIB.#TIPP.IRL.EU
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