IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday November 10th, 2024

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This Week's News

IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday November 10th, 2024
     __________________________________________________________________

Silent Key - Aedan O'Meara EI3EG

   We were saddened to learn of the death on November 1st of Aedan O'Meara
   EI3EG of Bishopstown, Cork City. A native of Dublin, Aedan moved to
   Cork for his work with the Department of Agriculture. Licensed in 1981,
   he was a leading member of Cork Radio Club, served as National Packet
   Radio Co-ordinator and set up and ran an amateur television repeater
   for many years. All this was achieved as a white stick operator. He
   will be sadly missed by all whomever came into contact with him in his
   many roles within our hobby over the years. We extend our deepest
   sympathy to his wife of 55 years, Barbara, and his children Susan,
   Cliodhna, R�is�n, Joanne, and Barry.

   Ar dheis D� go raibh a anam.
     __________________________________________________________________

News from the IRTS

   The Irish Radio Transmitters Society is delighted to announce it has
   been successfully awarded a renewal contract to set, hold, and
   invigilate the HARAC amateur radio exam. This is a great endorsement of
   the hard work and professional manner the exam board have managed the
   process over the last few years. The development of question pools,
   organising of exam centres, setting, and correcting of papers quietly
   happens in the background, and often goes unnoticed. With this renewal,
   an amendment has been agreed to the contract to allow for some
   modernisation to the sending portion of our Morse test. Going forward,
   "Sending tests may be taken using equipment chosen by the candidate and
   appropriate for the speed being examined including straight keys,
   paddles, bugs, and semi-automatic keys, etc. Keyboard-generated Morse
   shall not be used for sending tests."

   The next IRTS Committee meeting will take place on Wednesday, November
   13th 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 or,
   society 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.
     __________________________________________________________________

South Eastern Amateur Radio Group EI2WRC

   Everyone in the South Eastern Amateur Radio Group EI2WRC would like to
   wish all the candidates sitting the HAREC exam in Dublin on Saturday
   next, November 16th the very best of luck in the exam. They hope to
   hear all of you on the airwaves very soon. The November meeting of the
   EI2WRC group will take place on Monday, November 25th at 8 p.m. sharp
   at the South East Technological University, Netlabs Research and
   Innovation Building, SETU West Campus, Carriganore, Waterford. Eircode
   X91 WR86. As this will be the last physical meeting for 2024, all
   members of the group are asked to attend. Plans of activations to be
   added to their already jam-packed calendar for 2025 will be discussed.
   As always anyone that has an interest in amateur radio or
   communications in general is very welcome to come along. SWLs are in
   particular very welcome to attend.

   It's that time of the year again and in the great tradition of their
   group, the club is currently planning their annual Christmas party
   night. Every year, the Christmas party is an excellent finish to the
   year. This year is no different after having been another very
   successful one for the club. This year's event will take place on
   Saturday, December 7th at 6.30 p.m. at the Marina Hotel, Canada Street,
   Waterford, Eircode X91 PK2W. Dinner tickets must be prebooked and
   tickets cost 35 euro per person. For more information or to book a
   dinner ticket, you are asked to please get in contact with Edwin EI2HEB
   at QTHR as soon as possible please.

   For more information about EI2WRC, their activities, and for contact
   details please see www.searg.ie
     __________________________________________________________________

Tipperary Amateur Radio Group

   On Saturday the 2nd of November last, members of the Tipperary Amateur
   Radio Group celebrated the 30th anniversary of the club when they met
   at Raheen House Hotel, Clonmel, Co Tipperary. Group members travelled
   from Co. Waterford, Co. Kilkenny, and Co. Cork to join their locally
   based colleagues for a sit-down meal and drinks to mark this special
   occasion. An enjoyable night was had by all, and a 'minute of silence'
   was observed to remember the T.A.R.G. members who are now Silent Key.

   Tipperary Amateur Radio Group was formed in Cashel, Co. Tipperary on
   the 19th of October 1994 and this year the callsign EI-30-T was used by
   the group members on the HF bands to mark the 30th anniversary. This
   special event callsign was active up until the October Bank Holiday
   Weekend and the last QSO logged was with 5Z4A in Kenya. Almost 4000
   QSOs with 139 different DXCC entities are in the EI-30-T logbook. A
   special EI-30-T QSL Card has been printed for those seeking
   confirmation during this activation.

   For further information about the Tipperary Amateur Radio Group you can
   go to their website www.ei7trg.ie or you can email them at ei7trg /at/
   gmail.com.
     __________________________________________________________________

Update from the Mayo Radio Experimenters Network

   Mayo Radio Experimenters Network held their AGM on Wednesday evening
   last, the 6th of November. It was held from 9 p.m. in the Breaffy House
   Hotel, Breaffy. Members elected for the coming year are as follows:
   Chairman, Jimmy Kelly EI2GCB; Secretary, John McDonnell EI6IR; and
   Treasurer, Padraig Baynes EI9JA.

   Along with other business discussed, they arranged a date for their
   Christmas party and a good farewell send off to their good friend Phil
   EI9KP who is returning to Belgium again. A party will be held on
   Wednesday night the 13th of November 2024 from 7.30 p.m. in the Breaffy
   House Hotel. Members and non-members are welcome to join them. If you
   wish to attend, please contact Jimmy EI2GCB by phone or text to 087
   6205407 before tomorrow, Monday the 11th at 1 p.m.

   MREN meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 9 p.m. unless there
   are circumstances outside their control, then updates are given on the
   club's WhatsApp page.

   The club holds a chat and net on the local Mayo repeater every
   Wednesday night at 9 p.m., except the first Wednesday of each month
   when there is a club meeting. Everyone is welcome to join in if you can
   access the Mayo repeater.
     __________________________________________________________________

Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club

   On the 8th of November, members of the Limerick Clare Amateur Radio
   Club gave a presentation on amateur radio to 70 students at the Shannon
   Aviation Museum. Practical demonstrations were given also covering
   topics such as Morse code, on-air communication, electricity
   generation, and the difference between alternating current and direct
   current. This presentation was the first in a series of such events
   which have been organised specifically for both primary and secondary
   school students. Further presentations will take place on 12th, 13th,
   and 14th of November. It is expected that up to 300 students in total
   will receive a comprehensive introduction to amateur radio as a result.

   In addition to the programme of student visits, the club station,
   callsign EI4SAM, is active every Saturday and a significant number of
   visitors to the museum receive live demonstrations on various aspects
   of amateur radio operating in real time. Activity at the station has
   been enhanced considerably by the recent purchase of a Cushcraft R9
   multi-band vertical antenna and a Yaesu FT10-DX transceiver. The
   station is usually on air from 11.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. The initial
   calling frequency is 7.123 MHz plus or minus QRM and visitors are
   always welcome.

   The next monthly club meeting will be held on Thursday the 14th of
   November at 7.30 p.m. in Room 10A05 of the Technological University of
   the Shannon, Midlands, Midwest at Moylish in Limerick. At the meeting
   Diarmuid, EI4LF, will give a presentation and they will discuss a
   potential club visit to the Irish Computer Museum in Galway. It is also
   intended to discuss possible activities in 2025 such as a club visit to
   the Friedrichshafen Rally.
     __________________________________________________________________

Galway Radio Experimenters Club AGM

   The Galway Radio Experimenters Club will be holding their combined
   November meeting and AGM on Sunday next the 17th, in the Francis Room,
   Menlo Park hotel at 7 p.m., followed by tea, coffee, and sandwiches.
   The meeting is open to new members with an interest in radio.
     __________________________________________________________________

VHF/Microwave News

   A six-metre net takes place on Wednesday nights from 8 p.m. on
   50.180MHz. That same night, you can try your hand at FT8 and FT4 on the
   70cm band from 17:00 UTC to 21:00 UTC as part of a regular series of
   activities held by the European FT8Activity group. On Thursday nights,
   a 2m FM simplex net operates from 8 p.m. on 145.300 MHz. All are
   welcome to join in on the activities.

   Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) announced that
   a SSTV event will be held from tomorrow, Monday the 11th of November.
   The event is scheduled to begin at 11:50 UTC and to end Monday,
   November 18th at 13:40 UTC. SSTV transmissions will be paused during
   scheduled school contacts on November 15th and 16th. Downlink
   transmissions will be at 145.800 MHz and the mode is expected to be PD
   120. The transmissions will comprise twelve images featuring activities
   from the 2024 40th Anniversary Celebrating Amateur Radio in Human
   Spaceflight.
     __________________________________________________________________

TinyGS Workshop by TOG Hackerspace

   Are you fascinated by space and want to learn how to receive data from
   satellites and weather probes? Now is your change to join Jeffrey Roe
   EI7IRB in his Tiny Ground Station workshop where you can build and
   program your own ground station and antenna to receive data from space.
   TinyGS is an open community-run network of ground stations distributed
   around the world to receive and operate LoRa satellites, weather probes
   and other flying objects, using cheap and versatile modules.

   With a TinyGS ground station, you can receive data from a variety of
   sources, such as CubeSats. This hands-on, beginner-friendly workshop is
   perfect for anyone interested in radio, electronics, Internet of
   Things, antenna design, and space exploration. It takes place on
   Saturday the 7th of December from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is 85 euro
   plus fees. Profits from ticket sales go to fund TOG. Visit www.tog.ie
   to register and find out more.
     __________________________________________________________________

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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