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This Week's News

IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday February 8th, 2026
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Updates from the IRTS

The deadline for the 2026 Spring edition of Echo Ireland is Tuesday
February 10th. If you wish to submit articles, further information and
guidance can be found at irts.ie/echoireland. Items should be sent via
email to newsteam /at/ irts.ie to reach the IRTS Echo Ireland editor,
Veronica Holohan.

IRTS Awards Curator Mark Kilmartin EI4FNB asks that that anyone in
possession of IRTS trophies to please begin the process of returning
them. Mark will attend the Phoenix Radio Club rally in Coolmine next
Sunday. This would be a good opportunity to arrange the return of the
trophies. His email address is available on the IRTS website under
Awards Curator for anyone that wants to get in touch with him directly
about this.

As reported last week, we are delighted to welcome our new Automatic
Station Coordinator who is Richard Hendy MI3CQR. In addition to being a
long-time IRTS member, Richard is also a two-time recipient of the
prestigious IRTS Arup Cup for exceptional service to the Society or to
Amateur Radio. Although newly appointed, Richard is already welcoming
any questions or help you may require regarding automatic station
licence applications or renewals prior to submission to ComReg. You are
welcome to contact Richard via email to automaticstations /at/ irts.ie

For anyone new to the IRTS or the hobby, you may be interested to learn
that you also receive the weekly IRTS news via email and read it on the
IRTS website each week. To receive a copy via email, visit
irts.ie/radionews for details. The email versions of the news are
dispatched on Mondays. Please make sure to check your spam folder in
case it is inadvertently misdirected by your email provider.
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Meet Howard EI9LC, the New IRTS PRO

The IRTS is entering a new era of digital engagement. We are pleased to
formally introduce Howard EI9LC, who has very recently stepped into the
role of Public Relations Officer. With a focus on streamlining
communications and expanding the society's online footprint, Howard has
already hit the ground running with a series of vital infrastructure
updates and a fresh social media strategy. Howard has successfully
unified all social media accounts under a single, official owner
address. A new Facebook page has been launched to act as the official
"voice" of the society. Search for ei0irts on Facebook to find this.
News about the IRTS will also be accessible via other social media
channels which include Threads, BlueSky, and X. You can contact the
IRTS PRO Howard EI9LC via email to irts_pro /at/ irts.ie
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IRTS HAREC Amateur Radio Licence Study Guide

The third printing of the IRTS Study Guide arrived last week. All the
preorders have been fulfilled by Pat EI2HX by now. Anyone interested in
buying the book is welcome to place their order on irts.ie/guide, where
you can also download a free PDF version of the book. The errata to the
Study Guide have been updated, too. If you bought the printed book in
the last two years, or if you are using the free PDF, you can download
the current errata from irts.ie/errata. The authors would like to wish
much success to all the HAREC students, including those attending the
current course run by the National Short Wave Listeners Club.
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Silent Key - Michael Babe EI4CG

We are saddened to report the passing of Michael Babe EI4CG on February
1st, 2026. Micheal was a founder member of Dundalk Amateur Radio
Society and had not been active for many years. We extend our deepest
sympathies to his wife Agnes, son Colin, daughter-in-law Sarah,
extended family, and his friends from both within Dundalk Amateur Radio
Society and his wider circle. Ar dheis Do go raibh a anam. May he rest
in peace.
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Galway Radio Experimenters Club Visit to Bletchley Park

Galway Radio Experimenters Club (GREC) are visiting the UK National
Museum of Computing and the RSGB National Radio Centre in Bletchley
Park, Milton Keynes, on Thursday, the 5th of March 2026. These are
exceptional sites to visit if you have an interest in computing history
and ham radio. They would like to extend an invite to any radio
amateurs or SWLs who might like to join them there for guided tours of
both centres. Please contact Enda Folan, EI6JZB on 086-8108118 for
further details of travel and access.
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VHF/Microwave News

The latest IARU VHF+ newsletter has been published. In this issue, the
VHF+ committee provides information and clarifies the situation
regarding the 23 cm band, specifically the use of the 1296 MHz segment
in 2026 for contests, terrestrial, and EME operations. You can download
the newsletter and learn more about the work of the IARU via the
Committees and Workgroups section at iaru-r1.org

Round 2 of the European 70cm FT8 activity series for 2026 takes place
on Wednesday evening February 11th. FT8Activity is an open and friendly
activity contest designed to promote FT8 and FT4 operation on VHF and
UHF bands for radio amateurs.

IRTS members active on VHF and above are encouraged to submit their
worked squares information for 2025 simplex contacts and earlier years
where applicable. The IRTS VHF/Microwave management team comprising
Keith EI5IN and Denis EI4KH is updating the information for the
VHF/Microwave section of the IRTS website. You can reach them by email
to vhf_manager /at/ irts.ie
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IARU Region 1 Intruder Watch Service newsletter

The December 2025 edition of the IARU Region 1 Intruder Watch Service
newsletter notes that radar transmissions received throughout 2025
accounted for approximately 65% of all non-amateur traffic recorded in
the IARU Intruder Watch Service database during that year. This
represents more than 10,000 transmissions. The free report can be
downloaded from the Monitoring System section of the IARU website
located at www.iaru-r1.org
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Contest and Events

The 2026 "Coolmine Rally" run by Phoenix Amateur Radio Club takes place
next Sunday, the 15th of February 2026. Doors open at 10 a.m. at
Coolmine Community School, Dublin, D15 FW97. Contact Tony EI7GI at 087
2439997 for further information.

The next UK and Ireland Contest Club contest in the 2025-26 series of
80m contests is on Wednesday 25th February 2026 at 20:00 UTC on CW.
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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, activities, 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. These will
be automatically forwarded to the IRTS radio and printed news services.
The deadline each week is midnight on Thursdays.

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