Irish Radio Transmitters Society
Radio News Bulletin
Sunday 27th September 2009

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Silent Key EI6DA

Pat Mooney EI6DA died peacefully on Monday evening 21
September last after a long illness in the loving care
of his family at his family home on Johnstown Road, Dun
Laoghaire.

Pat had spent his life as a dedicated Member of the
Gardai and rose through the ranks to eventually retire
as Garda Superintendent. He moved to Navan as
Superintendent and was later transferred to the Garda
Depot, Phoenix Park, Dublin up to his retirement which
was about twenty years ago. Pat lived for a time in
Castleknock and after retirement, Pat and his wife
Marie moved to Dun Laoghaire.

Born in Dublin he was very proud of his roots and his
family, sadly his wife Marie predeceased him about ten
years ago. Pat was a very private man and very reserved
and a latecomer to the world of amateur radio. A
gentleman to his fingertips he was always ready to do
the good turn or help fellow amateurs. After he retired
from the Gardai sadly his eyesight began to prematurely
fail and his neighbouring radio colleagues were not
found wanting and were always there to help with
antennas etc.

Pat enjoyed having a table at various rallies and
enjoyed the haggle with his radio colleagues. Pat lived
for a time in the '80s in Navan and was a regular at
club meetings of the Royal Meath Amateur Radio Club and
could always be relied to be the first to put his name
down for the club's bus outings to the Killyhevlin in
Enniskillen.

He was a great supporter of the Worked All Ireland
Award and had achieved two ultimate awards one of them
on 40 metres exclusively. One of the aims of the WAI
Award is the promotion of friendship through amateur
radio and Pat achieved this to perfection. His
friendly, courteous and gentle nature was very evident
in his contacts on the air and created many enduring
friendships.

The amateur world is very much the poorer tonight with
the death of one of this country's finest and most
respected Superintendent amongst his Garda colleagues,
especially along the border where he served during the
difficult times of the "Troubles" shortly after being
appointed Superintendent.

Pat Mooney, despite his responsibility for safety and
discipline of his Area Gardai also had the reputation
as being a very caring Christian man, a caring which
extended beyond his family circle to his Garda
Colleagues and to providing Christian support to
neighbours and especially radio colleagues during any
serious illness or need.

His funeral took place on Saturday 26th of September
,To his family and many friends we extend our deepest
sympathy. May he rest in peace.

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THEORY CLASSES IN REGION 4

Plans are being put in place to run radio theory
classes in the Limerick area by IRTS Region 4
representative Ger McNamara EI4GXB, with the hope that
the theory examination can be held in Limerick which
will be dependant on numbers.

Those interested in attending the theory classes can
contact Ger via email at ei4gxb /at/ gmail.com or 087
2532512 or QTHR
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Estate agent signals Marconi sale

Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi carried out early
radio transmission experiments to and from Rathlin
Island from Ballycastle in 1898.

His house, known as Marconi's cottage, sits on the
rocks of the North Antrim coast two miles outside
Ballycastle.

The experiments were part of the development of
wireless telegraphy which would transform
communications.

A Belfast-based selling agent described the cottage as
sitting on a "secluded 18 acre site with breathtaking
sea views and surrounded by rural countryside". The
property has gone on the market for 450.000 Euro.
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Tipperary Amateur Radio Group

The next monthly meeting of the Tipperary Amatuer Radio
Group will take place on Thursday next the 1st October
in Raheen House Hotel, Raheen Road, Clonmel at 8.00 pm
All are Welcome to attend.
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Industry News

ASTATIC Re-branding

CAD Professional Microphones and Astatic Commercial
Audio Products, which are re-branding as C-A-D Audio.

While the name CAD Professional Microphones may not be
one familiar to Amateurs, the Astatic brand has its
roots in amateur radio. The company was established in
1931 by two radio engineers dedicated to the
development of a static-free, or "anti static,"
microphone.

Over the years the company evolved into Astatic
Commercial Audio products. Perhaps its most famous
Astatic branded product was the lollypop looking D-104
crystal microphone that was considered the gold
standard for two way radio in the 1950', 60's and
through the mid-1970's.

That D-104 was discontinued from production a decade
ago. The name change for the Solon, Ohio, company
became effective on September 1st.
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Ontario Provincial Police Force special event

Look for OPP officer Bob Cooke, VE3BDB and other
current or retired uniform or civilian members of the
OPP, to activate the special callsign VC3COPP between
October 2nd - 31st.

Activity is to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the
Ontario Provincial Police Force (OPP). Since its
formation on October 13, 1909, the OPP has grown to
become one of the largest deployed police forces in
North America.

Activity will be on the HF bands & possibly 6 meters,
using CW and SSB.

QSL via VE3BDB only direct.
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Free Yagi antenna designs

Derek Hilleard, G4CQM - a professional antenna designer
with more than 15 years experience - has now published,
free of charge, a collection of homebrew/diy vhf, uhf
and shf yagi designs for fellow radio amateurs to build
for themselves.

The website has a range of designs for Yagi antennas
covering 50MHz, 144MHz, 432MHz and 1296MHz (the 6m, 2m,
70cm and 23cm bands).

You can find Derek's website at:
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/g4cqm/
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K5D DVD almost ready!

The Desecheo video is almost ready according to the
K5D Web page.

The Web page reports: "Bob K4UEE and Ed W4ZSB will
produce yet another exciting DXpedition video. This DVD
is expected for release by October 2009.

For complete details please go to the website
http://www.k4uee.com/dvd
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Rallies

For more information on Rallies please check the
IRTS website.
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This week in History

1918 First direct radio message, UK to Aust. received
by E Fisk, Sydney.

1956 First Trans Atlantic telephone cable, Scotland to
Newfoundland, Canada.
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Items mentioned in the IRTS Radio news are of a
general, educational or informative nature, there
is no guarantee that stations mentioned can be
heard or worked.

Items for inclusion in next weeks Radio News should be
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Please note that items for the radio news should
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