Irish Radio Transmitters Society
Radio News Bulletin
Sunday 31st July 2011

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IRTS 2 Metres Counties Contest

The IRTS 2m Counties Contest will take place Sunday 28th August 2011.
The closing date for the submission of the log to the contest manager
is 27th September 2011.
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HF Newsreaders.

We wish to welcome Francis Lenane EI5GOB and George Donaldson EI7GKB as
HF newsreaders. Francis is based in Waterford and George is based in
Athlone thus ensuring a nice geographical spread. If there are any
other operators who would like to read the news please contact Ger
McNamara on 087 2532512 orei4gxb / at /gmail / dot/com.
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South Sudan DXpedition

Anyone listening to the HF bands over the past week will have noticed
the huge pile-ups generated by the DXpedition to South Sudan - the
newest and therefore most wanted DXCC entity. In the first 6 days of
operation, the multi-national team of radio amateurs clocked up 40,000
QSOs. The team, using the call sign Sierra-Tango-Zero-Romeo, plan to
stay on the air until 10th August.

Operation will be on all the HF bands, along with 6 metres; the focus
to date has been on the higher frequency bands. CW accounts for 50% of
QSOs, phone and RTTY sharing the other 50%. At the time of writing,
their log shows 88 QSOs with EI stations and 29 with GI stations. John
EI7BA tops the EI list, with 13 QSOs.

Given the geographic location of South Sudan, European stations - and
particularly southern European stations - have dominated the QSO lists.
While the majority of radio amateurs trying to work them have been well
behaved, there has been some deliberate QRM and "frequency police"
actions, which have somewhat spoiled the fun at times.
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Introduction to Amateur Radio

The Mayo Radio Experimenters Network are holding a series of practical
hands on open days throughout the summer months. The events will start
at 13.00 approx (weather permitting) and will take place on the
following dates:

Sunday August 14th

Sunday September 11th

Anyone with an interest in radio related matters, who would like to
have the opportunity to participate or observe the operation of an
amateur radio station, or meet club members, will receive a warm
welcome. Whatever you're level of interest, the club will be pleased to
help in taking your interest further, be it a complete novice,
shortwave listener or formal assistance in progressing to a full
amateur radio licence.

The location for all events will be the car park at the Halfway House
on the Castlebar to Westport Road. If you would like further details
please contact: Padraic Baynes EI9JA on 0876957154 (email
pbaynes1/at/eircom/dot/net) , email David Hatfield EI3ECB on
ei3ecb/at/gmail/dot/com or text or phone the club mobile phone number
086 20 89 777

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Limerick 2M Repeater QRV again.

The Limerick 2M repeater on 145.725 is now QRV again after being off
the air due to vandalism at the repeater site. Limerick Radio Club are
grateful for the many generous donations received from around the
country, which have gone towards installation of a new security door. A
new run of Hardline has also been installed from the hut to the mast.

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South Dublin Radio Club

On Saturday 16th of July South Dublin Radio headed northside and set up
a portable station on Howth Head. Two HF antennas, one VHF and two
Amateur Television antennas were erected with power supplied by a
portable generator. The club's tent was errected and the clubs rigs
were put to good use.

A fibreglass extra large type fishing pole was used as the main mast
with the base of this mast held firm with specialised 'ladder feeder'.
Morse, voice and television were the modes in use, with High Frequency,
2 Metres, 23 Centimetres and 13 Centimeters the bands in use.

Some members of the South Dublin Radio club also took the opportunity
to visit the nearby "Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Museum of Vintage Radio" After
a great welcome members were given a guided tour of the museum by Pat
the curator.

Comparison was performed between a carolina windom and a V multiband
aerial. The weather conditions on the day were perfect with a risk of
sunburn. The event was well attended with visitors from North Dublin
Radio Club. It is hoped to continue the practice with the callsign
EI2SDR/P on air again.

South Dublin Radio club is on its annual break and weekly meetings will
return on Tuesday 16th of August.
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Ampr.org Database

Brian Kantor, the administrator of the worldwide ampr.org database is
currently doing a cleanup. If you are using an allocation in 44.155/16
subnet. Please contact Brian, or John EI7IG.
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Astronomers Find Largest, Most Distant Reservoir ofWater

Two teams of astronomers have discovered the largest and farthest
reservoir of water ever detected in the universe. The water, equivalent
to 140 trillion times all the water in the world's ocean, surrounds a
huge, feeding black hole, called a quasar, more than 12 billion
light-years away. (Source:www.nasa.gov)
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NASA's WISE Mission Finds First Trojan Asteroid Sharing Earth's Orbit

Astronomers studying observations taken by NASA's Wide-field Infrared
Survey Explorer (WISE) mission have discovered the first known "Trojan"
asteroid orbiting the sun along with Earth. Scientists had predicted
Earth should have Trojans, but they have been difficult to find because
they are relatively small and appear near the sun from Earth's point of
view. (Source: www.nasa.gov)
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Items for inclusion in next week's Radio News can be submitted via
e-mail to "newsteam /at/ irts / dot / ie" for automatic forwarding to
both the radio and printed news services. Urgent news items for the
radio news maybe telephoned to the radio news editor, Aidan, EI7JC on
085 7100511.

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.