Irish Radio Transmitters Society
Radio News Bulletin
Sunday 24th January 2010

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IRTS Annual Dinner AV Presentations

One of the audio visual presentations being prepared for the Annual
Dinner in Dundalk in April will feature the Islands on the Air Contest.
Individuals or Groups who have still photos or video of last years
contest and who would like them to be considered for inclusion should
forward them to Seamus EI8BP. In particular, Seamus is anxious to
feature all the Island expeditions.

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Engineers Week

Last year the Society hosted a presentation entitled "Decoding the Code
- from Samuel Morse to SMS" at seven centres throughout the country.
The presentation introduced over four hundred school children to radio
and electronics and allowed them to have hands-on experience of
building a simple transistor circuit.

This year the Society is taking part with an expanded list of venues.
We are currently looking for volunteers to help in the Cavan / Monaghan
area. A knowledge of Morse is not necessary and a pre-prepared package
is available to those who volunteer. If you are interested please
contact Séamus McCague EI8BP on 087 259 0691. His Email address is on
the IRTS website, www.irts.ie

Engineer's week runs from 8 - 13 February this year.

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IRTS 80m Counties Contest

The closing date for the submission of logs is the 31st of January
Please send in your logs even if only a few QSO's to contestmanager
/at/ irts.ie

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Dundalk Amateur Radio Society

This year during the SOS Radio Week 23-27 January Members of the
Dundalk Society will be operating a special event station from the QTH
of the Clubs Chairman, Thos EI2JD in Clogherhead

SOS Radio week is awareness and support of the RNLI, There is a list
available of participating stations and also more information can be
found at http://www.sosradioweek.org.uk/participants.html

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Nomination of Awards for IRTS Trophies.

The time is here again for nominations for the several awards for IRTS
trophies that are required from within the membership, this includes
the awards for

1)Service to the Society, or to amateur radio.

Awards in this section may be to members or non-members.

2)Awards for other achievements, awards in this section include, the 70
cms trophy, the 4 and 6 Metre shields, the SWL award, and the awards
for quality construction projects. These are confined to members only.

When considering your nominations please refer to previous successful
nominees as included in

www.irts.ie/cgi/awards.cgi

Nominations may be from Clubs or individuals, must be in writing, and
can be forwarded to the awards committee by regular post addressed to
Peter Grant EI4HX, QTHR or by email to Chair
of awards committee or any other member of the awards committee. Pat
EI2HX or Pat EI9HX.

Closing date for nominations is April 2nd 2010

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Request for Return of Trophies presented in 2009

It is time once again to recall all trophies presented at the 2009 AGM
in Athlone.

Trophies and cups can be returned to the IRTS stand at the Phoenix
Radio Rally, or to any IRTS Committee Member to arrive to me on or
before the IRTS committee meeting in early March 2010.

This will allow time for engraving to be done, and also any small
repairs.

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AREN Meeting

There will be an AREN Meeting in the Park Hotel in Clonmel on 6th
February; all AREN members are requested to attend.

Anyone interested in AREN activities or ware thinking of joining AREN
should contact John Ronan on 086-8167310 then can arrive on the day.

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Calling All Radio Theory Experts

A new website is under construction to offer radio theory classes in an
online environment. The project has been set up by Martin EI-8-FFB. The
website will consist of an online learning environment where the
various radio theory sections will be broken down into modules.

The motive for the website is to allow people who may be constrained by
time and distance to participate in a radio theory course at their own
pace and in their own time. Once the website is completed later in the
year, It will be available online free of charge to all prospective
radio amateurs.

The project currently requires volunteers that are interested in
compiling theory notes and documents for use on the website.

If anyone has any course notes of their own that they wish to submit,
it is welcome also.

All interested parties can contact Martin by email at "martinevans at
gmail dot com"

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The Shannon Basin Radio Club

The Shannon Basin Radio Club recently held its AGM in Roscommon. The
following Committee was selected. Chairman Pat EI9HX, Secretary Brian
EI8IU, Treasurers Fergus EI6IB and Brian EI8IU, QSL manager Mickey
EI5EAB.

Thanks are extended to the outgoing committee. Anybody interested in
joining the club can contact any of the above members, all info on
qrz.com.

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Space shuttles for sale

The New York Times reports that NASA has slashed the price of its
shuttles to just 20.3m Euro. There are only five remaining shuttle
missions during 2010 and NASA is looking to dispose of the spacecraft.

Discovery is going to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
while Atlantis and the Endeavour are up for sale. The delivery date is
given as the second half of 2011 and shuttle main engines are said to
be available for the cost of transportation and handling.

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Galway VHF Group.

The Galway VHF Group's APRS Digipeater, EI2GCP, has now been fully
functional since before Christmas. Initial problems occurred when the
power supply failed and put the equipment off air. The power supply was
replaced and there have been no problems in the last 6 weeks despite
the adverse weather conditions. EI2GCP even "twitters" at intervals to
indicate that all is well voltage and temperature wise.

Steve, EI5DD, is running classes for the Radio Theory examination and
anyone interested should contact Steve at the following E-mail address
. The course will run until the next scheduled
exam in June or July. There will be lectures with overhead projections,
handouts and also a CD Rom for home study and revision.

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SOUNDS OF SPACE WEBSITE

Matthias DD1US has an extensive collection of sounds from manned and
unmanned space exploration including amateur radio operations on his
website.

This includes historic recordings like Sputnik 1 and Apollo 11. There
is even a page devoted to clips of Amateur Radio satellites from Oscar
1 to Oscar 68. The sounds of space website is located at www.dd1us.de

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1mw WSPR

Roger G3XBM has been trying to break the 1000 km barrier with his 1
milliwatt 500 kHz station and on Wednesday January 20 he succeeded.

Lubos OK2BVG in JN88ks managed to hear the 1mW ERP signal at a distance
of 1229kms.

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Rallies

The Mid Ulster Amatuer Radio Club's January Radio Sale will be held on
Saturday the 30th January 2010 from 11am at Brownlow Resource Centre,
Brownlow Road, Craigavon. Entrance fee is a £1 with a free tea/coffee
to warm up with. This is a Radio Sale the actual Club Rally is being
Held in May.

Phoenix A.R.C Rally 14th February

The Rally will be held as usual at Coolmine Community School near
Blanchardstown on Sunday 14th February 2010.Doors open from 9am to
2.30pm. Usual traders will be present and to encourage a real Amateur
Radio orientated Rally bring and buy tables will be free of charge.

For tables contact Tony at 087-2349997 or Tom at 01-8211043 this is the
first rally of the New Year and usually a very enjoyable occasion.
Refreshments and plenty of car parking are available

Limerick Radio Club

Radio, Electronics & Hobbies Fair

The Radio, Electronics & Hobbies Fair takes place on Sunday 7th
March 2010 at the Radisson SAS Hotel, Ennis Road, Limerick.

Doors Open at 11:00 AM. Admission is 5 Euro. No charge for children
when accompanied by an adult. There will be the usual traders attending
the Fair. A Bring & Buy Sale will also take place.

Dundalk Rally 25th April The Rally will commence at 11.00am, followed
by the IRTS AGM at 2.00pm.

Further details for booking, traders tables or any other info please
e-mail the following, Thos EI2JD or Peter EI4HX


Lagan Valley ARS Rally 20th March

The Lagan Valley ARS Rally will be held at 11.30am in The Village
Centre, Hillsborough

Contact: Jim Henry, GI0DVU on 048 9266 2270

Mid Ulster Radio Club Rally 29th May

This year the Rally will be held at Drumgor Youth Centre, Drumgor
heights, Craigavon. More details will be available closer to the time.
If interested in booking a table for the event or for more information,
please go to www.muarc.com or contact 0044(0)2838348451.

For more information on Rallies please check the IRTS Website.

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This week in History
1904 The first military experiments with radio at the Eiffel Tower took
place by French Army. 1911 First Monte Carlo Motor Rally begins.
1912 First Act to Regulate Radio Communication in the USA.

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Items for inclusion in next weeks Radio News should be forwarded to
Charlie EI8JB, preferably via e-mail to "charlie dot carolan at gmail
dot com" Or by phone to 087-6265418 News can also be submitted via
e-mail to "newsteam 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 Thursday in order to be guaranteed inclusion in
the following
Sunday's bulletin.