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This Week's News
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday December 15th, 2024
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Silent Key - Jim Smith EI4CP
It is with deep sadness that we report of the death of Jim Smith EI4CP
which occurred on December 9th. Jim was a former IRTS Vice President
and was actively involved in amateur radio. We wish to extend our
deepest sympathies to his wife Evelyn, daughter Jenni, son Alan, his
extended family, and wide circle of friends.
Ar dheis D� go raibh a anam uasal.
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News from the IRTS
The IRTS news team is taking a break once again over the Christmas
period this year. The last 40m and 80m IRTS news bulletins for 2024 are
being transmitted today Sunday, December 15th. There will be no news
bulletins on either Sunday December 22nd or Sunday, December 29th.
Normal bulletins will resume on Sunday, January 5th, 2025. Items for
the news on Sunday January 5th should reach the news editor by midnight
on Thursday January 2nd, 2025.
The first IRTS contest of 2025 is the IRTS 80m Daytime Counties
Contest. It takes place on New Year's Day, Monday, January 1st, 2025.
This will be a one-hour long contest running from 17:00 UTC to 18:00
UTC. SSB, CW, and SWL categories are available to enter. For more
information, please visit www.irts.ie/contests
The committee and officers of the IRTS would like to take this
opportunity to wish all our members, friends of the society, and all
their families a very happy and peaceful Christmas. We hope that 2025
is a great new year for all of you. Thank you all for your great
support of the society in 2024 and we look forward to your continued
support throughout 2025 and beyond.
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South Eastern Amateur Radio Group EI2WRC
You are invited to join EI2WRC for the fun of the 2024 Big Call-In
Challenge on Tuesday December 17th at 7.30 p.m. as they will attempt to
break the record of call-ins taken after the Tuesday night IRTS news
bulletin. The current record stands at 136 set in December 2023. To
break the current record, they will need at least 137 individual
callers. It's only for a bit of fun as this will be the last Tuesday
night bulletin of 2024! All callers are very welcome to join in for
some fun and laughs on the night!
The committee and members of EI2WRC would like to take this opportunity
to wish all their radio friends and families in Ireland and all around
the world a very happy, safe, and peaceful Christmas 2024. They hope
that you all have a wonderful festive time, and that Santa is good to
you and brings you all the latest Yaesu and Icom radios! The club would
also like to extend every good wish to you all for the new year ahead
and they hope that 2025 brings you all the very best of health, wealth,
and of course, plenty of new DXCC entities. EI2WRC extends a massive
thanks to everyone who helped make 2024 a very successful year for
them. They look forward to your help in making 2025 an even better year
for the club.
For more information about EI2WRC, their activities, and for contact
details, please see www.searg.ie
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Tipperary Amateur Radio Group AGM
On Wednesday the 4th of December 2024 last, members of the Tipperary
Amateur Radio Group met at The Princess Bar in Clonmel at 8 p.m. for
their Annual General Meeting. This was a well-attended meeting with
group members travelling from Co. Kilkenny and Co. Waterford joining
their Co. Tipperary-based colleagues. Andy EI5JF chaired this very
productive meeting welcoming all in attendance. Group Secretary John
EI7IG read the minutes from the previous year's AGM and Group Treasurer
Thomas EI2IT reported a healthy financial situation.
A review of the year was then discussed. It was agreed that the airing
of the special event callsign EI-30-T commemorating the 30th
Anniversary of TARG was a resounding success. Upcoming activities were
discussed, and plans were made for participation in future events.
It was also decided that the venue for all TARG meetings in 2025 will
continue to be held at The Princess Bar, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. The
meeting concluded at 10.30 p.m. The newly elected Chairman Brian EI2JKB
thanked all for their input and attendance at this AGM of TARG. The new
committee was elected as follows: Chairman Brian Kelly EI2JKB, Vice
Chairman Andy Jay EI5JF, Secretary John Ronan EI7IG, Treasurer Thomas
Hallinan EI2IT, Group PRO Hugh O'Donnell EI2HI, and Events and QSL
Manager Paul Norris EI3ENB.
For more information about T.A.R.G, you can visit the group's website
www.ei7trg.ie or you can follow them on Facebook under 'Tipperary
Amateur Radio Group'. T.A.R.G would like to wish everyone a very happy
Christmas and a healthy, prosperous New Year for 2025.
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Santa on the Airwaves
Shannon Basin Radio Club is excited to announce that Santa is taking
time out from his busy schedule to have some QSOs with junior ops on
Wednesday December 18th. He will be QRV calling as Echo Icicle Two
Santa Before Christmas EI2SBC via the club's repeater from 6.30 p.m.
onwards. Junior ops are welcome to have a QSO with Santa in his home
QTH. For details on setting up a sked with the big man himself,
register at www.sbrc.ie/christmas by Tuesday December 17th.
The EI2SBR repeater located on Sliabh B�n in Roscommon has an output
frequency of 145.775 MHz and uses a 77Hz CTCSS tone. It can also be
accessed via Echolink and is linked to the Truskmore repeater EI2TKR.
Shannon Basin Radio Club wishes everyone a very peaceful and happy
Christmas and New Year.
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VHF/Microwave Updates
The next 145 Alive event is taking place on Sunday the 26th of January
2025. The IRTS VHF/microwave managers are coordinating net control
stations for EI. If you are interested in taking part as a net
controller, contact them via email to vhf_manager /at/ irts.ie.
During good tropospheric ducting conditions in early November, Roger
EI8KN reports a first for a 23cm QSO between Ireland and Austria. He
reports working Rudi OE5VRL on the 23cm band in addition to the 2m and
70cm bands citing a distance of 1582 kilometres.
The IRTS VHF/UHF/SHF webpage has been updated in recent days featuring
weekly net information as well as a link to the 2024 edition of the
IARU VHF Handbook. If you wish to submit information for the squares
table, provide suggestions for additions to the page, or amendments,
you are encouraged to contact the VHF/microwave managers by email.
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ComReg's Radio Spectrum Management Operating plan for 2025-2028
ComReg has published its radio spectrum management operating plan for
the period 2025 to 2028. It is noteworthy that 55% of all submissions
to ComReg during the consultation phase came from the amateur radio
community. Within the operating plan, ComReg flag an intention to begin
a comprehensive review of the Amateur Service licensing regime
including the topic of a proposed novice licensing framework during the
2025 to 2028 period. You can read the document in full by downloading
it from ComReg's publications webpage located at
www.comreg.ie/publications
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Lagan Valley Amateur Radio Society Rally
The Lagan Valley Amateur Radio Society will be holding its annual rally
on the 1st of March 2025 at the Hillsborough Village Centre, 7
Ballynahinch Road, Hillsborough, BT26 6AR. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. and
the rally ends 1 p.m. Further details can be found at
www.lvars.uk __________________________________________________________________
Items for Inclusion in the Next Radio News
That is the news for this week, and it is the final bulletin for 2024.
Items for inclusion in the next radio news which will be transmitted on
Sunday January 5th, 2025, 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 January 2nd, 2025.
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News Archives
IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday December 15th, 2024