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This Week's News

IRTS Radio News Bulletin Sunday August 2nd, 2026
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Updates from the IRTS

Traditionally, the IRTS AGM weekend is hosted on a voluntary basis by a
member club. The society is inviting clubs from across Ireland to
volunteer to host the 2027 AGM and pledges full logistical support to
whichever club steps forward. If interested or want to learn more about
what's involved, please contact the IRTS Secretary at irts_secretary
/at/ irts.ie

IRTS Hamfest 2026 is only a week away, taking place at Mullingar
Showgrounds. Admission and parking are completely free for everyone.
The event opens at noon on Saturday 8th, featuring radio exhibitions
and presentations from 20 clubs around the nation. A highlight of the
day will be the Saturday afternoon talk by ComReg offering insights
into how they support the ham radio hobby. You are most welcomed to
camp on-site on Saturday evening. Coming up on Sunday 9th, there's an
earlier start at 10 a.m. with both exhibitions and radio rally from 15
vendors throughout the day. On-site catering will be provided by a
burger van. Vehicle entrance to the site is through the back gate,
please follow signage as you approach. We look forward to seeing all of
you there.
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Seeking New Chair for the IRTS EMF Sub-Committee

The IRTS is seeking a new Chairperson for the Electromagnetic Fields
(EMF) Sub-Committee to succeed Tony Proudfoot, EI3LC, who is stepping
down from the role. The EMF Sub-Committee plays a vital role in
monitoring safety guidelines, technical standards, and regulatory
developments affecting radio operators in Ireland. Because the position
involves attending key in-person liaison meetings and representing the
society, a candidate based in or near the greater Dublin area is
ideally preferred. Anyone with an interest in electro-magnetic safety,
regulatory standards, or technical governance who would like to
contribute to the hobby is invited to express their interest. To
inquire about the role or submit an application, please contact the
IRTS Secretary by email at irts_secretary /at/ irts.ie.
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HF Newsreaders Required

HF newsreaders are required to join our current panel of newsreaders
for the weekly Sunday morning IRTS news bulletins on HF - especially
for the 80m band. There is very little involved in reading a bulletin
and no experience is necessary. If any licensed IRTS member feels like
that they would be interested in becoming part of the IRTS newsreaders
panel or if you require more information, please get in touch with the
IRTS news editor, Keith EI5IN via email to newsteam /at/ irts.ie
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North Dublin Radio Club Lighthouse Weekend

With thanks to Irish Lights, the North Dublin Radio club EI0NDR will be
active at the Baily Lighthouse in Howth in two weeks' time on the 15th
and 16th of August. There are plans are for various stations, and
visitors are welcome on the day.
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South Dublin Radio Club at Dublin Maker 2026

South Dublin Radio Club will once again be exhibiting at Dublin Maker,
taking place at Leopardstown Racecourse on Saturday 22nd and Sunday
23rd August. The club's stand will feature a range of amateur radio
demonstrations, including HF and VHF operating, software defined radio,
digital modes, satellite communications, Morse code, radio direction
finding, and a variety of homebrew projects. Club members who would
like to volunteer at the stand or demonstrate a radio-related project
on either day are invited to contact Adrian, EI9HAB. Further
information about Dublin Maker is available at dublinmaker.ie
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Ham Radio Ireland Launches August Edition

Ham Radio Ireland, Ireland's bi-monthly independent radio publication
covering amateur radio, CB radio, and PMR 446, is available free of
charge. Downloads are accessible via the Collective Communications, Ham
Radio Ireland, and Delta Mike Facebook pages.

The magazine offers broad coverage including home-construction
projects, outdoor and portable operations, satellite activity, VHF/SHF
operation, equipment reviews, news, and events. The publication notes
that it is not intended to compete with the IRTS journal, Echo Ireland,
which caters specifically to Society members and official business. The
magazine has expanded its reach globally, with over 5,000 issues
downloaded across more than 70 countries. The editorial team expresses
its appreciation to the IRTS for sharing details on forthcoming events
and activities, welcoming the opportunity to serve as an additional
platform for promoting IRTS news. The August edition will be released
on the evening of Sunday, August 2nd. The editorial team remains on the
lookout for submitted articles, particularly focusing on homebrew
construction projects and portable operations.
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VHF/Microwave News

John K9JMS, based in Florida, USA, is conducting weak-signal
propagation testing on the 8-metre and 4-metre bands. Licensed amateurs
in the U.S. do not have access to either 8 metres or 4 metres so this
activity may be of interest to operators in EI. Operating under the
experimental callsign WQ2XDM, the station is transmitting digital modes
including FT8 and WSPR to explore long-distance paths and technical
signal characteristics. Because this is a specialized experimental
station dedicated to technical research, it operates under specific FCC
study guidelines. Irish operators and listeners are encouraged to
monitor the 8-metre and 4-metre bands for these transatlantic signals
and submit reception reports to help John with data collection. Further
details including the testing schedule can be found on the QRZ.com page
for WQ2XDM.
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IRTS VHF/UHF Field Day Results Published

The results for the recent IRTS VHF/UHF Field Day Contest have been
uploaded and are now available to view at irts.ie/results. A total of
seven logs were submitted for this year's contest, with participants
taking advantage of excellent VHF conditions throughout the event
weekend. On the 6-metre band, the Patriot Radio Communications team put
in a stellar performance, logging contacts across Ireland, Scotland,
Poland, Austria, Germany, Sweden, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine,
Slovenia, and Italy. On 2 metres, Joe, EI7GY, enjoyed remarkable reach,
working stations in Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, France, and
Spain. While activity on UHF was quieter overall, John, EI7FAB,
achieved the "Best DX" distance of 130 kilometres on both the
70-centimetre and 23-centimetre bands.
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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.

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