IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday September 1st, 2024

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IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday September 1st, 2024
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News from the IRTS

   The next IRTS Committee meeting will take place on Thursday, September
   19th at 8:00 p.m. on the Zoom platform. All IRTS affiliated clubs are
   reminded that under Rule 16.1, the members in each affiliated club,
   society or other body may elect a representative and an alternate
   annually to attend IRTS Committee meetings. Clubs wishing to send a
   representative should notify the IRTS Secretary, Owen EI4GGB at
   irts_secretary /at/ irts.ie in advance to ensure notification and links
   are provided.
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South Eastern Amateur Radio Group EI2WRC

   Seany, Shirley, Keith, and the entire EI2WRC team extend a very warm
   "c�ad m�le f�ilte" to both friends old and new to come to Bagenalstown
   next weekend, September 7th and 8th, for a fun day out as part of the
   IRTS SSB Field Day contest which takes place that weekend. Whether you
   may be a licensed operator, 11-metre operator, a SWL, or just someone
   who's interested in the hobby, you are very welcome to come along for
   what promises to be a fun weekend. Although the weekend is the SSB
   Field Day contest, it will be a very social weekend and a chance to
   catch up with friends. Drop by for a cup of tea and a chat! Everyone is
   very welcome!

   On the 28th and 29th of September, EI2WRC will be active from The
   Waterford and Suir Valley Railway station Kilmeaden, Co. Waterford for
   the 2024 Railways on The Air event. Waterford Suir Valley Railway
   Company CLG was established to preserve and promote Waterford's rich
   railway heritage. The aim to develop and operate a 10km section of the
   abandoned Waterford to Dungarvan railway line from Kilmeaden Station to
   Bilberry, Waterford City as a tourist attraction. The vision is that
   the area through which the railway travels will become a linear park,
   and the railway will service other attractions along the route,
   eventually extending to Waterford City and operating with a steam
   engine. For more information about the WSVR, please visit
   www.wsvrailway.ie

   For more information about EI2WRC, their activities, and for contact
   details please see www.searg.ie
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North Dublin Radio Club Update

   The 17th and 18th of August saw the club activate its special event
   callsign EI0NDR/LH at the Baily Lighthouse in Howth for the
   International Lighthouses on the Air weekend. The station consisted of
   a 40-metre end-fed wire antenna along with a 2-metre vertical. For the
   first time also, the club operated on 4- and 6-metre bands with a
   homemade delta loop antenna. Setting up started on Saturday morning at
   8 a.m. with mostly calm weather conditions, with the first QSO being
   made within an hour of arriving.

   Band conditions were favourable, especially on the forty-metre band,
   leading to a successful activation. The event was well-supported by
   both club members and numerous visitors. The weather cooperated with
   mostly good conditions on both days. In all, several hundred QSOs were
   logged using SSB, CW, and FT8 modes including several
   lighthouse-to-lighthouse contacts.

   The club would like to extend a special thanks to everyone who
   supported the activation, particularly Howard Guo, EI9LC, who was the
   primary organizer of the weekend. The club would also like to thank the
   staff of Irish Lights and nearby residents for facilitating the event.
   Flushed with success, the club then went on to operate at a special
   event at Ardgillan Castle the following Sunday the 25th. As part of
   National Heritage Week, the club set up an amateur radio demonstration
   introducing visitors to the hobby and allowing them to see CW and SSB
   QSOs being made.
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Update from Collective Communication

   At Collective Communication's last activation, which was Lighthouses on
   the Air from Ballinacourty Lighthouse near Dungarvan, they managed to
   contact 38 other lighthouses and had a total of 137 contacts on the HF
   bands along with 26 QSOs via satellite QO-100 of which three were
   lighthouses. With multiple visits from friends, SWLs, licenced
   amateurs, and well-wishers, they relished a most enjoyable and
   satisfying weekend.

   Next weekend, the 7th and 8th of September is Collective
   Communication's birthday. They are offering an open invitation to all
   who are interested in radio to please join them at Kilmurrin Cove on
   the Waterford coast as they celebrate their second birthday.
   Refreshments, laughs, and radio will be the menu of the day. They will
   be set up with all their usual gear and mobile radio communications
   unit operating on both HF and satellite QO-100. If you have never had a
   QSO via a satellite before, this could be your chance.

   As EI3CC enter their third year of existence, they view their birthday
   rather like walking through a doorway into a room called "The Future".
   Please consider joining them on their birthday or in the future. Their
   club secretary, John EI3HQB, will be pleased to give you details. Call
   him on 086 870 9265.
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Shannon Basin Radio Club in the SSB Field Day

   Shannon Basin Radio Club will take part in the IRTS SSB Field Day next
   weekend operating from the grounds of Garbally College in Ballinasloe,
   Co. Galway. The club welcomes both members and anyone with an interest
   in radio and electronics to come along and join in what will be an
   excellent radio-related social occasion. SBRC's wonderful annual
   barbeque will be hot and running all day with tasty food and
   refreshments. For further information, you are invited to contact the
   club via email to admin /at/ sbrc.ie. Further details are also
   available at www.sbrc.ie
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UKEICC 80m Contest Season Starting Again on Wednesday September 4th

   The first of the 2024-25 series of UKEICC 80m contests takes place on
   Wednesday, September 4th starting at 20:00 UTC. These are hour-long
   contests held on the first Wednesday using SSB and last Wednesday using
   CW of each month from September to April excluding December. They are
   popular not just for the short duration but also for the friendliness
   of participants. Results are available almost immediately after the
   one-hour deadline for log uploads, so there's no waiting for weeks or
   months to know how well you did. You automatically get a report usually
   the next day, that shows any errors you made, and this can help you
   improve your operating skills. The contests also feature an EI and UK
   bonus station, which adds 30 points to your score if you work them
   both. Other unique options in these contests include a team competition
   overlay for a 3- or 4-person team, league tables updated after every
   contest, and online scoreboards. The contest exchange is your
   six-character grid locator with signal report being optional and
   generally not given.

   The bonus station operators on September 4th are Aidan EI8CE operating
   EI5G and Tim G4FJK operating G5GEI. If you would like to operate the
   EI5G bonus station and are a regular in these contests located in
   EI-land, please contact Tim EI2KA using the email address ei2ka.tim at
   gmail.com.
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Items for Inclusion in Next Week's Radio News

   That is the news for this week. Items for inclusion in next week's
   radio news 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.

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