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This Week's News

IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday August 23rd, 2026
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IRTS Appoints HAREC licence exam coordinator and Chief Morse Tester

After a brief period of vacancy, the IRTS is pleased to announce the
appointment of two new officers to key society roles. Diarmuid, EI4LF,
takes over as the new HAREC licence exam coordinator. Diarmuid began
his radio journey in the mid-1970s and has been an active operator
since 1988. Beyond amateur radio, he brings extensive professional
experience as a communications tech engineer, having also taught with
the Defence Forces Signal Corps and at various universities.

Eamonn, EI7LC, steps into the role of Chief Morse Tester. A highly
experienced CW operator, Eamonn is a strong advocate for Morse code
training, having founded the "Nervous Novices CW Net" to help newcomers
build confidence on the air. His contributions to the mode were further
recognized in May when he was invited to join the prestigious First
Class CW Operators' Club.

The IRTS extends its warmest congratulations to both Diarmuid and
Eamonn and wishes them every success as they serve the amateur radio
community in their new positions.
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South Dublin Radio Club at Dublin Maker Festival and Upcoming Remote Station Talk

South Dublin Radio club will be demonstrating Amateur Radio this
weekend at Leopardstown racecourse as part of the free Dublin Maker
festival on the 22nd and 23rd of August. Feel free to drop by between
10 a.m. and 5 p.m. or listen out for EI2SDR on the air.

South Dublin Radio Club member Niall EI6HIB will then give a talk on
Tuesday, 25th August, on the construction and operation of his remote
amateur radio station. Niall will cover the development of the station,
the equipment used and the practicalities of operating a HF station
remotely. The station is based around a FlexRadio and covers 160 to 10
metres, using an inverted-L, a vertical, and a three-element multiband
Yagi. The talk will take place at the South Dublin Radio Club's regular
Tuesday night meeting at Ballyroan Community Centre, Marian Road,
Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, commencing at 7.30 p.m. Visitors are very
welcome.
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Shannon Basin Radio Club Invitation for SSB Field Day

Shannon Basin Radio Club extends a warm invitation to radio clubs to
join them for the upcoming IRTS SSB Field Day, which takes place over
the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, September 5th and 6th, 2026. The
club will be operating from the expansive grounds of Garbally College
in Ballinasloe. Clubs or individual operators interested in setting up
alongside them or joining in the field day activities are invited to
get in touch. For further information, please contact Anthony, EI6GGB,
by emailing admin /at/ sbrc.ie
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Sperrin Amateur Radio Club Celebrates New Clubhouse Opening

The Sperrin Amateur Radio Club holds its regular monthly meetings on
the second Wednesday of every month just outside Cookstown, County
Tyrone. To mark the official completion of their brand-new clubhouse
facilities, club members recently gathered for a celebratory summer
barbecue on site. The club extends a warm welcome to both existing
members and prospective newcomers to drop in and visit their updated
operating premises. Visit sperrinarc.co.uk for further information
about the club.
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VHF/Microwave News

The IRTS 70-centimetre and 2-metre Counties Contests take place on
Sunday, September 13th. The 70cm leg begins at 2:00 p.m. local time for
a 30-minute sprint, followed immediately by the 2-metre contest at 2:30
p.m. local time running for 90 minutes until 4:00 p.m. Both events
include FM and SSB operating modes, and participants are reminded to
submit their logs by September 27th. Rules can be found on the IRTS
website. The next 145 Alive UK event takes place on the same day
starting at 12 p.m. Visit 145alive.com for more information and to
register. With both events on the same day, Sunday, September 13th
promises an exceptionally high level of activity across the VHF and UHF
bands. Whether operating fixed, mobile, or portable, all operators are
encouraged to turn on their radios, get on the air, and make the most
of the lively band conditions.

Amateur satellite enthusiasts are being requested to assist with
telemetry tracking for ASRTU-1 (AO-123) over the coming days. The
satellite has faced long-term power constraints after its solar panels
failed to deploy post-launch. Controllers at the ground station
recently issued commands to adjust the satellite's attitude to improve
solar exposure. Amateurs capable of receiving and decoding digital
telemetry are strongly encouraged to monitor upcoming passes, gather
signal data, and submit telemetry files to assist controllers in
stabilizing the spacecraft's power and orientation.
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Items for Inclusion in Next Week's Radio News

That is the news for this week. Thanks to everyone for sending items
into the weekly IRTS radio news. They are very much appreciated and are
a great way to update the rest of the community about activities. If
you have any club events, news, meetings, or other items of interest,
you are very welcome to email the radio news editor Keith EI5IN via
email to newsteam /at/ irts.ie with the details. The deadline is
midnight on Thursdays. Items intended for inclusion in Echo Ireland
should be sent to echoireland /at/ irts.ie.

[C]
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