Hey to one and all,
I eventually came back from my travels to "EA" land (AKA Spain). What a fantastic country!
So just an update, I have now moved to the UK, London to be precise.
I will be living here for the moment so if you hear me On-Air I will be M/EI5IX.
Looking forward to hearing you down the wire!
73's
11 Oct 2009
25 Aug 2009
UPDATE 25/08/09
IRTS 2m Counties Contest
Next Sunday the 30th of August is the date for the
Autumn 2m counties contest. It takes place between
14.00 and 16.00 local. The full rules are available on
the IRTS website under the contest tab.
70cms Activity Hour
To try to promote activity and see if it is worthwhile
to run a 70cms Counties contest. We will be having a
70cms activity hour following the 2m contest on Sunday
the 30th August. Both FM and SSB stations will be
welcome and both Calling channels will be
monitored.432.2 for SSB and 433.5 for FM users.
We look forward to hearing many portable and fixed
stations on the day.
3DA0SS Swaziland
David, GI4FUM, has returned from Swaziland and reports
that the 3DA0SS expedition was a big success. Around
20,000 QSOs were made, many of them on the data modes.
The International Scout Camp was also a great success
with the scouts learning many new development skills.
The IRTS committee, with the agreement of the CQIR
Contest sponsor, Dargle Builders Limited, agreed that
the excess in the contest fund which amounted to more
than 1,000 Euro, should be donated to the Swazi
scouts towards the cost of providing clean water at
their campsite.
While David was there, the new pump was installed and
commissioned and clean water is now available for all
the camp needs. Following the AFRI75 expedition to
Swaziland and the resultant publicity for the Scout
Project there, many individual Society members donated
monies for projects at the campsite. We are happy to
act as a conduit for any such funding and if you are
interested in helping you should contact Paul EI2CA or
David GI4FUM.
ARRL Celebration
This year, the ARRL is honouring the 140th anniversary
of the birth of the League's first president and
cofounder. Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW, was born on 2nd
September 1869.
The operating event is open to all amateurs, and the
goal is straightforward: Find the stations adding /140
to their call signs, and contact as many as possible
during the event period from 2-9th September. The /140
will be signed by any ARRL member who holds and ARRL
appointment.
There will be a Certificate available for anyone who
works at least 25 of the /140 Celebration stations
Time Period: 0000 UTC September 2 until 2400 UTC
September 9.
Exchange: All stations signing /140 send RS(T), their
appointment and their name; others send RS(T) and their
name. More details and deadline application on
www.arrl.org
Dave Court EI3IO
Dave will be moving to Bahrain (A9) on 28 August,
initially for a period of 2 years. No call-sign
information is available as yet. However you may find
Dave on 20m in A9 from September onwards, depending on
the time it takes to obtain residency etc.
A QTH has been chosen which appears to be good for all
bands 160m to VHF. Subject to licensing restrictions,
Dave plans to be QRV on most MF, HF and low VHF bands.
Equipment being taken includes an Elecraft K3
transceiver, Acom 1000 amplifier, yagis for 14 MHz to
70 MHz and an 18 metre Spider Beam fibre glass support
for MF and low HF verticals.
It should be noted that 600m, 60m, 6m and 4m are
currently not available in A9. EI3IO will still be QRV
from Ireland during the next few years, during vacation
trips to the family home in Shankill, where family
members will still be resident. The Dublin DX Cluster
EI7SDX will also remain QRV with internet access only -
click http://shandx.ath.cx/cgi-bin/ei7sdx.cgi or
telnet://EI7SDX.ath.cx:7300 for access."
30 Meter Multi-Mode Weekend
This weekend, the Amateur radio 10 MHz (30 metre) band
will be alive with digital signals during the
multi-mode weekend.
The objective is to promote experimenting and using
different digital modes on unique 30 Meter Band. A
number of digital mode groups will be participating
this weekend so if you wanted to try out a mode you
have thought about trying here is your chance to get
on the 30 Meter Band to try those digital modes and/or
try a digital mode software that includes multiple
digital modes.
This is NOT a contest.. no set times.. no rules.. no
exchanges.. no winners other than those that
participate with casual use of the 30 Meter Band to
experiment, rag chew, DX and have some fun!
This week in History
1919 George Fisk of AWA does first radio
'broadcast' in OZ.
1932 The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) began
its first experimental TV broadcast in England.
Next Theory Examination
The 21st of September is the closing date for
applications to sit the next Theory Examination for an
Amateur Station Licence which will be held on Tuesday
the 6th of October at 2p.m in the ComReg Offices in
Dublin. To reserve a place at the exam intending
candidates should forward the appropriate fee to Sean
Nolan EI7CD, 12 Little Meadow, Pottery Road,
Dunlaoghaire, Co. Dublin.
The fee is 50 Euro or 25 Euro for full-time
registered students, repeat candidates and those who
are retired, unemployed or have a disability.
Cheques and Money Orders should be made payable to
the IRTS. When forwarding the exam fee intending
candidates should enclose their postal address as
well as phone and e-mail contact details. Sean's
e-mail address for any further enquiries is “ei7cd
at gofree dot indigo dot ie”
Intending candidates should note in particular, that in
Section B of the paper – National and International
Rules and Operating Procedures’- questions on the
National Rules will be based on the new Wireless
Telegraphy (Amateur Station Licence) Regulations 2009
which came into force on I June 2009. These Regulations
and other matters in relation to the operation of
amateur stations can be found in the ‘Amateur Station
Licence Guidelines’ published by ComReg in Document
09/45 which is available on the ‘Publications’ section
of the ComReg website at www.comreg.ie
There is also some very useful information available
under ‘Radio Theory’ in the ‘Links’ section of the IRTS
website at www.irts.ie
Thanks to the IRTS for the information.
Next Sunday the 30th of August is the date for the
Autumn 2m counties contest. It takes place between
14.00 and 16.00 local. The full rules are available on
the IRTS website under the contest tab.
70cms Activity Hour
To try to promote activity and see if it is worthwhile
to run a 70cms Counties contest. We will be having a
70cms activity hour following the 2m contest on Sunday
the 30th August. Both FM and SSB stations will be
welcome and both Calling channels will be
monitored.432.2 for SSB and 433.5 for FM users.
We look forward to hearing many portable and fixed
stations on the day.
3DA0SS Swaziland
David, GI4FUM, has returned from Swaziland and reports
that the 3DA0SS expedition was a big success. Around
20,000 QSOs were made, many of them on the data modes.
The International Scout Camp was also a great success
with the scouts learning many new development skills.
The IRTS committee, with the agreement of the CQIR
Contest sponsor, Dargle Builders Limited, agreed that
the excess in the contest fund which amounted to more
than 1,000 Euro, should be donated to the Swazi
scouts towards the cost of providing clean water at
their campsite.
While David was there, the new pump was installed and
commissioned and clean water is now available for all
the camp needs. Following the AFRI75 expedition to
Swaziland and the resultant publicity for the Scout
Project there, many individual Society members donated
monies for projects at the campsite. We are happy to
act as a conduit for any such funding and if you are
interested in helping you should contact Paul EI2CA or
David GI4FUM.
ARRL Celebration
This year, the ARRL is honouring the 140th anniversary
of the birth of the League's first president and
cofounder. Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW, was born on 2nd
September 1869.
The operating event is open to all amateurs, and the
goal is straightforward: Find the stations adding /140
to their call signs, and contact as many as possible
during the event period from 2-9th September. The /140
will be signed by any ARRL member who holds and ARRL
appointment.
There will be a Certificate available for anyone who
works at least 25 of the /140 Celebration stations
Time Period: 0000 UTC September 2 until 2400 UTC
September 9.
Exchange: All stations signing /140 send RS(T), their
appointment and their name; others send RS(T) and their
name. More details and deadline application on
www.arrl.org
Dave Court EI3IO
Dave will be moving to Bahrain (A9) on 28 August,
initially for a period of 2 years. No call-sign
information is available as yet. However you may find
Dave on 20m in A9 from September onwards, depending on
the time it takes to obtain residency etc.
A QTH has been chosen which appears to be good for all
bands 160m to VHF. Subject to licensing restrictions,
Dave plans to be QRV on most MF, HF and low VHF bands.
Equipment being taken includes an Elecraft K3
transceiver, Acom 1000 amplifier, yagis for 14 MHz to
70 MHz and an 18 metre Spider Beam fibre glass support
for MF and low HF verticals.
It should be noted that 600m, 60m, 6m and 4m are
currently not available in A9. EI3IO will still be QRV
from Ireland during the next few years, during vacation
trips to the family home in Shankill, where family
members will still be resident. The Dublin DX Cluster
EI7SDX will also remain QRV with internet access only -
click http://shandx.ath.cx/cgi-bin/
telnet://EI7SDX.ath.cx:7300 for access."
30 Meter Multi-Mode Weekend
This weekend, the Amateur radio 10 MHz (30 metre) band
will be alive with digital signals during the
multi-mode weekend.
The objective is to promote experimenting and using
different digital modes on unique 30 Meter Band. A
number of digital mode groups will be participating
this weekend so if you wanted to try out a mode you
have thought about trying here is your chance to get
on the 30 Meter Band to try those digital modes and/or
try a digital mode software that includes multiple
digital modes.
This is NOT a contest.. no set times.. no rules.. no
exchanges.. no winners other than those that
participate with casual use of the 30 Meter Band to
experiment, rag chew, DX and have some fun!
This week in History
1919 George Fisk of AWA does first radio
'broadcast' in OZ.
1932 The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) began
its first experimental TV broadcast in England.
Next Theory Examination
The 21st of September is the closing date for
applications to sit the next Theory Examination for an
Amateur Station Licence which will be held on Tuesday
the 6th of October at 2p.m in the ComReg Offices in
Dublin. To reserve a place at the exam intending
candidates should forward the appropriate fee to Sean
Nolan EI7CD, 12 Little Meadow, Pottery Road,
Dunlaoghaire, Co. Dublin.
The fee is 50 Euro or 25 Euro for full-time
registered students, repeat candidates and those who
are retired, unemployed or have a disability.
Cheques and Money Orders should be made payable to
the IRTS. When forwarding the exam fee intending
candidates should enclose their postal address as
well as phone and e-mail contact details. Sean's
e-mail address for any further enquiries is “ei7cd
at gofree dot indigo dot ie”
Intending candidates should note in particular, that in
Section B of the paper – National and International
Rules and Operating Procedures’- questions on the
National Rules will be based on the new Wireless
Telegraphy (Amateur Station Licence) Regulations 2009
which came into force on I June 2009. These Regulations
and other matters in relation to the operation of
amateur stations can be found in the ‘Amateur Station
Licence Guidelines’ published by ComReg in Document
09/45 which is available on the ‘Publications’ section
of the ComReg website at www.comreg.ie
There is also some very useful information available
under ‘Radio Theory’ in the ‘Links’ section of the IRTS
website at www.irts.ie
Thanks to the IRTS for the information.
New 3cm 10368 MHz SSB record verified and listed
Recently Stephen ZL1TPH and Ted ZL2IP re-submitted their record claim that was declined earlier this year.
The claim errors have been corrected. The claim now complies with the published New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters (NZART) claim rules.
I am pleased to announce the following SHF record:
3cm 10368MHz Int. ZL1TPH/p-ZL2IP/p 04/01/2009 SSB 551 TD
Confirmed as a new New Zealand record and a milestone record. It is to-date, the longest terrestrial distance contact, at 551kms, made on the 3cm microwave band.
ZL1TPH operating from Cape Reinga at 175 M ASL.
ZL2IP operating from North Egmont at 960 M ASL.
The actual frequency used was 10368.1 MHz and the signal path used a Troposphere Duct.
Congratulates to Stephen ZL1TPH and Ted ZL2IP.
73 and good DX,John ZL2TWS
Note:
The New Zealand VHF/UHF/SHF records now cover 2009
http://www.nzart.org.nz/vhf/index.html
New Icom radio covers HF to 1300 MHz
Icom's new rig the IC-9100 covers VHF and UHF bands as well as HF and is sure to appeal to amateur satellite users.
According to reports the SSB/CW/FM rig delivers 100 watts at 50 MHz and 50 watts at 144 and 430 MHz. With an optional module it gives 10 watts at 1240 MHz.
There is a D-STAR option available but at the time of writing it was not clear if this would operate on all bands above 29 MHz. It is to be hoped that D-STAR will work on 10 metres and 6 metres as currently there are no D-STAR radios for those bands.
IC-9100
IC-9100 (Rear View)
The IC-9100 at Tokyo Ham Fair on August 22
The IC-9100 pre-release brochure is available at
http://www.ab4oj.com/icom/ic9100/IC-9100_prerelease.pdf
19 Aug 2009
SuitSat: Hacking for Outer Space
Make Magazine features an article on the Amateur Radio SuitSat project
The article says:
SuitSat is one of the best examples of fashion hacking and recycling old apparel that I have ever seen. Russia often disposes of space suits by throwing them into outer space to burn up in the atmosphere.
The suits take 6-7 months to burn up. Since the suit is already being launched into space, some ham radio operators thought why not house a satellite inside, where it will be protected for 6-7 months before the suit burns up in the atmosphere. Hence SuitSat was born.
The first SuitSat was launched into space on September 7, 2006 when astronauts aboard the ISS pushed SuitSat I into space.
Read the full article at
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/08/
suitsat_hacking_for_outer_space.html
MAKE Magazine describes itself as the first magazine devoted entirely to DIY technology projects, it unites, inspires and informs a growing community of resourceful people who undertake amazing projects in their backyards, basements, and garages, see http://makezine.com/
Make Magazine on Twitter
http://twitter.com/make/
SuitSat-2 transforms into a satellite
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/july2009/
suitsat2_transforms_into_satellite.htm
BBC - DIY Gadgetry (Hackspace)
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/june2009/
diy_gadgetry.htm
AMSAT-UK publish a colour A4 newsletter, OSCAR News, full of satellite information.
You can join online at https://secure.amsat.org.uk/subs_form/
AMSAT-UK website http://www.uk.amsat.org/
18 Aug 2009
UPDATE 18/08/09
IRTS 2m Counties Contest
Sunday the 30th of August is the date for the Autumn 2m
counties contest. It takes place between 14.00 and
16.00 local. The full rules are available on the IRTS
website under the contest tab.
This contest does have a good number of Portable
entries and the would be glad of any contacts on the
day. As most people have some type of 2m rig please try
to be active and give away some points on the day.
70cms Activity Hour
To try to promote activity and see if it is worthwhile
to run a 70cms Counties contest. We will be having a
70cms activity hour following the 2m contest on Sunday
the 30th August. Both FM and SSB stations will be
welcome and both Calling channels will be
monitored.432.2 for SSB and 433.5 for FM users.
We look forward to hearing many portable and fixed
stations on the day.
Dave Court EI3IO
Dave will be moving to Bahrain (A9) on 28 August,
initially for a period of 2 years. No call-sign
information is available as yet. However you may find
Dave on 20m in A9 from September onwards, depending on
the time it takes to obtain residency etc.
A QTH has been chosen which appears to be good for all
bands 160m to VHF. Subject to licensing restrictions,
Dave plans to be QRV on most MF, HF and low VHF bands.
Equipment being taken includes an Elecraft K3
transceiver, Acom 1000 amplifier, yagis for 14 MHz to
70 MHz and an 18 metre Spider Beam fibre glass support
for MF and low HF verticals.
It should be noted that 600m, 60m, 6m and 4m are
currently not available in A9. EI3IO will still be QRV
from Ireland during the next few years, during vacation
trips to the family home in Shankill, where family
members will still be resident. The Dublin DX Cluster
EI7SDX will also remain QRV with internet access only -
click http://shandx.ath.cx/cgi-bin/ei7sdx.cgi or
telnet://EI7SDX.ath.cx:7300 for access."
30 Meter Multi-Mode Weekend August 22-23
The Amateur radio 10 MHz (30 metre) band will be alive
with digital signals during the multi-mode weekend on
August 22-23
The objective is to promote experimenting and using
different digital modes on unique 30 Meter Band. A
number of digital mode groups will be participating
this weekend so if you wanted to try out a mode you
have thought about trying here is your chance to get
on the 30 Meter Band to try those digital modes and/or
try a digital modes software that includes multiple
digital modes.
This is NOT a contest.. no set times.. no rules.. no
exchanges.. no winners other than those that
participate with casual use of the 30 Meter Band to
experiment, rag chew, DX and have some fun!
The Mayo Roscommon Galway Experimenter Radio Group
The MRG experimenter Radio Group VHF/UHF SSB Challenge
2009 will take place between 15.00hrs – 18.00hrs (local
time) on Sunday 6th September.
Fixed section: 144Mhz & 432Mhz (SSB only)
Portable section 144Mhz & 432Mhz. (SSB only)
Any EI/GI operator holding an amateur/experimenter
licence can participate. Closing date for logs is
October 4h 2009. Please forward completed logs to
ei2mrg /at/ yahoo.com Trophies will be presented to the
winners of the fixed and portable sections later in the
year. A full copy of the rules can be had by visiting
www.geocities.com/ei2mrg/
DX News
7O1YGF – Yemen approved for DXCC
The following operation has been approved for DXCC:
7O1YGF – Yemen. Operation from April 16, 2000 through
April 26, 2000.
After reviewing recently received information regarding
the 7O1YGF operation and after additional dialogue with
a leader of the DXpedition, the DXCC desk has approved
this operation.
This week in History
1877 Thomas A. Edison finished figuring out his first
phonograph.
1893 France is first country to introduce car
registration plates.
1907 The first taxicab took to the streets of New
York City.
1919 E.Fisk demos radiotelephony for the first time in
Sydney, Australia.
Thanks to the IRTS for the above Information.
Sunday the 30th of August is the date for the Autumn 2m
counties contest. It takes place between 14.00 and
16.00 local. The full rules are available on the IRTS
website under the contest tab.
This contest does have a good number of Portable
entries and the would be glad of any contacts on the
day. As most people have some type of 2m rig please try
to be active and give away some points on the day.
70cms Activity Hour
To try to promote activity and see if it is worthwhile
to run a 70cms Counties contest. We will be having a
70cms activity hour following the 2m contest on Sunday
the 30th August. Both FM and SSB stations will be
welcome and both Calling channels will be
monitored.432.2 for SSB and 433.5 for FM users.
We look forward to hearing many portable and fixed
stations on the day.
Dave Court EI3IO
Dave will be moving to Bahrain (A9) on 28 August,
initially for a period of 2 years. No call-sign
information is available as yet. However you may find
Dave on 20m in A9 from September onwards, depending on
the time it takes to obtain residency etc.
A QTH has been chosen which appears to be good for all
bands 160m to VHF. Subject to licensing restrictions,
Dave plans to be QRV on most MF, HF and low VHF bands.
Equipment being taken includes an Elecraft K3
transceiver, Acom 1000 amplifier, yagis for 14 MHz to
70 MHz and an 18 metre Spider Beam fibre glass support
for MF and low HF verticals.
It should be noted that 600m, 60m, 6m and 4m are
currently not available in A9. EI3IO will still be QRV
from Ireland during the next few years, during vacation
trips to the family home in Shankill, where family
members will still be resident. The Dublin DX Cluster
EI7SDX will also remain QRV with internet access only -
click http://shandx.ath.cx/cgi-bin/
telnet://EI7SDX.ath.cx:7300 for access."
30 Meter Multi-Mode Weekend August 22-23
The Amateur radio 10 MHz (30 metre) band will be alive
with digital signals during the multi-mode weekend on
August 22-23
The objective is to promote experimenting and using
different digital modes on unique 30 Meter Band. A
number of digital mode groups will be participating
this weekend so if you wanted to try out a mode you
have thought about trying here is your chance to get
on the 30 Meter Band to try those digital modes and/or
try a digital modes software that includes multiple
digital modes.
This is NOT a contest.. no set times.. no rules.. no
exchanges.. no winners other than those that
participate with casual use of the 30 Meter Band to
experiment, rag chew, DX and have some fun!
The Mayo Roscommon Galway Experimenter Radio Group
The MRG experimenter Radio Group VHF/UHF SSB Challenge
2009 will take place between 15.00hrs – 18.00hrs (local
time) on Sunday 6th September.
Fixed section: 144Mhz & 432Mhz (SSB only)
Portable section 144Mhz & 432Mhz. (SSB only)
Any EI/GI operator holding an amateur/experimenter
licence can participate. Closing date for logs is
October 4h 2009. Please forward completed logs to
ei2mrg /at/ yahoo.com Trophies will be presented to the
winners of the fixed and portable sections later in the
year. A full copy of the rules can be had by visiting
www.geocities.com/ei2mrg/
DX News
7O1YGF – Yemen approved for DXCC
The following operation has been approved for DXCC:
7O1YGF – Yemen. Operation from April 16, 2000 through
April 26, 2000.
After reviewing recently received information regarding
the 7O1YGF operation and after additional dialogue with
a leader of the DXpedition, the DXCC desk has approved
this operation.
This week in History
1877 Thomas A. Edison finished figuring out his first
phonograph.
1893 France is first country to introduce car
registration plates.
1907 The first taxicab took to the streets of New
York City.
1919 E.Fisk demos radiotelephony for the first time in
Sydney, Australia.
Thanks to the IRTS for the above Information.
16 Aug 2009
MFJ buys Cushcraft Antennas
MFJ Enterprises have announced they have purchased the Cushcraft Amateur Radio antennas product line.
According to MFJ, Cushcraft - makers of HF/VHF/UHF vertical, beam and Yagi antennas for the Amateur Radio community, will continue to be manufactured in New Hampshire.
"We are excited to have the Cushcraft Amateur Radio Antennas product line alongside our other five companies,"
said Martin F. Jue, President and founder of MFJ Enterprises, Inc.
This announcement comes right during MFJ catalog time. The new MFJ 2010 Catalog will be a whopping 120 pages and will include the entire Cushcraft Amateur Radio Antennas product line. A special customer support line is set up in Starkville, Mississippi by dialing 662-323-5803. This line will handle any Cushcraft Amateur Radio Antenna product technical support, part requests, and customer services.
MFJ Enterprises, Inc. also owns Ameritron, Hy-gain, Mirage and Vectronics.
Source: WIA, Adam VK4IM
15 Aug 2009
Check this out! Ham Mag is now available FOR FREE
The August issue of the free Amateur Radio publication Ham Mag has just been emailed to subscribers.
This is the 7th edition of the popular international English language monthly publication and the articles in this latest issue include:
The HamMag Hall of fame
A neat MIC Switch with Sound Card Interface By WB8YWA
Want to creat pileups? Try SI9AM ! By SM3CVM
Getting started in casual contesting By WØRAA
Discovering : The W3FF Portable Dipole Antenna
The DXnews from the Web
The DX Calendar By SM3CVM
FUNcube By M5AKA
Ionospheric Perturbations By ON4SKY
40 Years Ago... The Moon !
Back issues can be downloaded from the magazines website at http://www.ham-mag.com/ and if you subscribe (it's free) the magazine will be emailed to you each month.
To subscribe to this superb free Amateur Radio magazine just send a blank email to
ham-mag_en-subscribe@yahoogroups.co.uk
The editor Vincent F5SLD says more articles are needed for future issues. His email address is on the Ham-Mag website at http://www.ham-mag.com/
Ham-Mag Yahoo Group
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/ham-mag_en/
13 Aug 2009
YouTube SO-50 Amateur Radio Satellite Contact
A video on YouTube shows an Amateur Radio Satellite
SO-50 contact between VK6MJ in Perth West Australia and VK2ZAZ in New South Wales at the Wyong Field Day 2009.
Geoff VK2ZAZ is using handheld FM equipment.
Watch the video:
The RadCom article 'Getting Started on Amateur Radio Satellites' by John Heath G7HIA is an excellent introduction to the exciting world of Amateur Satellite Communications and it can be downloaded from the AMSAT-UK website at http://www.uk.amsat.org/content/view/408/168/
AMSAT-UK publish a colour A4 newsletter, OSCAR News, full of satellite information.
You can join online at https://secure.amsat.org.uk/subs_form/
AMSAT-UK
http://www.uk.amsat.org/
12 Aug 2009
Natural fireworks, courtesy of the Perseid meteor shower
The annual Perseid meteor shower is expected to put on a good show this week for those willing to get up in the wee hours of the morning and wait patiently for the shooting stars.
As the Perseid meteor shower becomes visible in all its glory on 13 August, natural fireworks will fill the sky.
Showers of meteors, or ‘shooting stars’, appear as bright streaks of light in the sky. The display runs through the night.
Dust trails are left behind by every comet as it nears the Sun. As Earth’s orbit crosses the dust ejected by the comet Swift-Tuttle, a regular occurrence every August, it provides a fabulous spectacle for viewers on Earth. As the particles enter the atmosphere, they burn up, producing the fireworks. This phenomenon, called the ‘Perseid’ meteor shower, gets its name from the constellation Perseus, from where the shooting stars seem to come.
This year the Perseids are visible from 17 July to 24 August.
One or two per hour can be seen at the start, increasing to about five to ten per hour in early August. The display will be at its maximum before sunrise on 13 August, when 80 to 100 meteors should be visible every hour, weather permitting.
The best time to go observing is during the pre-dawn hours of 13 August. The occurrence of a new Moon on 12 August will make for perfect observing conditions
 |  |
Constellation map |
Telescopes or binoculars will not be necessary as the shower is visible with the naked eye. It is important to be in a dark area, without much smog, pollution or illumination.
Do make yourself comfortable – use a reclining chair or spread a blanket on the ground. The shooting stars will appear all over the sky, you need not look in a particular direction. Just make sure your eyes can adapt to dark.
The best time to observe the Perseids will be 2am to 4am. Stargazers are advised to face away from the moon or block it from view behind a wall.
Those unable to see the shower can turn to Twitter for an online meteor watch organised by the Newbury Astronomical Society in the UK and the International Year of Astronomy 2009.
The Twitter Perseids meteorwatch follows on from a similar Twitter Moonwatch organised by the Newbury Astronomical Society in May.
Tonight could be your chance to gatch a glimse of this wonderful sight unfortuatly light pollution from our towns and cities has increased so much in recent years, but head out to the countryside for the perfect place to explore the beauty of the night sky, away from the intrusive glow.
I know I certainly will be... :)
UPDATE 12/08/09
AMSAT-UK Space Colloquium Videos
The videos of the presentations at this years
successful AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium in
Guildford are now available to watch on the British
Amateur Television Club (BATC) website
All 18 videos can be seen at http://www.batc.tv/
Space Station SSTV Active
The VC-H1 SSTV camera unit will run in auto mode
(Robot-36 transmitting once every 3 minutes) and should
be operational on 145.800 MHz from approximately
0800-1600 UTC each day.
TAPR now on Twitter
TAPR has been ham radio's pre-eminent digital voice and
data technology group for over 25 years and it is now
on Twitter under the username taprdigital
TAPR was a pioneer in developing packet radio
technology and most recently has been a leader in the
development of SDR (Software Defined Radios).
Shack Cleanup
Radio Shack is getting a marketing makeover. Starting
August 6, the electronics retailer will change its name
to 'The Shack,' a rebranding move designed to shed the
last-century association with radio technology and
embrace today's digital wireless world.
To celebrate the name change, Radio Shack will conduct
a "Shack Summer Netogether," a live event featuring two
17-foot laptop computers in New York and San Francisco.
Equipped with Web cams, the laptops will allow live
video and audio exchanges between the two cities.
International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend 2009
More than 300 lighthouses in more than 51 countries --
from Argentina to Wales -- will be on the air for the
2009 International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend.
The event, held for the 11th year in a row, takes place
Saturday, August 15 0001 UTC-Sunday, August 16 2359
UTC. While not a contest, the ILLW is more of a QSO
Party and Amateur Radio demonstration.
The ILLW aims to raise public awareness of lighthouses
and lightships and the need for their preservation and
restoration, promote Amateur Radio and foster
international goodwill. Stations at more than 40 US
lights are expected to be on the air for the event,
and several stations will identify with special event
call signs.
Radio Rallies
C.R.C. Rally 2009
The Cork Radio Club is holding their Rally in the
Montenotte Hotel in Cork on the 13th of September.
Special rates for those who wish to stay overnight just
mention Cork radio Club.
Food all day, plenty of parking & doors open at 11am.
All the usual traders will be there.
Mayo Rally
The 2009 Mayo Rally will be held on Sunday November
22nd in Castlebar. The venue is The Welcome Inn Hotel,
Where the 2008 rally was held at short notice, and
doors open at 11.00am.
Rally Director, Padraic Baynes, EI9JA, is now taking
bookings for stands at the Rally. He can be contacted
on 087 6957154. The hotel will be offering a Rally
special deal for accommodation. Full details will be
available soon.
Thanks to the IRTS for the above Information.
The videos of the presentations at this years
successful AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium in
Guildford are now available to watch on the British
Amateur Television Club (BATC) website
All 18 videos can be seen at http://www.batc.tv/
Space Station SSTV Active
The VC-H1 SSTV camera unit will run in auto mode
(Robot-36 transmitting once every 3 minutes) and should
be operational on 145.800 MHz from approximately
0800-1600 UTC each day.
TAPR now on Twitter
TAPR has been ham radio's pre-eminent digital voice and
data technology group for over 25 years and it is now
on Twitter under the username taprdigital
TAPR was a pioneer in developing packet radio
technology and most recently has been a leader in the
development of SDR (Software Defined Radios).
Shack Cleanup
Radio Shack is getting a marketing makeover. Starting
August 6, the electronics retailer will change its name
to 'The Shack,' a rebranding move designed to shed the
last-century association with radio technology and
embrace today's digital wireless world.
To celebrate the name change, Radio Shack will conduct
a "Shack Summer Netogether," a live event featuring two
17-foot laptop computers in New York and San Francisco.
Equipped with Web cams, the laptops will allow live
video and audio exchanges between the two cities.
International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend 2009
More than 300 lighthouses in more than 51 countries --
from Argentina to Wales -- will be on the air for the
2009 International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend.
The event, held for the 11th year in a row, takes place
Saturday, August 15 0001 UTC-Sunday, August 16 2359
UTC. While not a contest, the ILLW is more of a QSO
Party and Amateur Radio demonstration.
The ILLW aims to raise public awareness of lighthouses
and lightships and the need for their preservation and
restoration, promote Amateur Radio and foster
international goodwill. Stations at more than 40 US
lights are expected to be on the air for the event,
and several stations will identify with special event
call signs.
First activation of Punta del Este Lighthouse
Members of the Radio Club Uruguayo will be using the special callsign CW1R from the Punta del Este Lighthouse (ILLW UY0005, ARLHS URU-008, WW Loc. GF25MA) during the upcoming International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend between August 14-16th.
Activity will be on 80-15 meters using CW, SSB and the Digital modes. They will have at least two stations on the air.
This will be the first activation of Punta del Este Lighthouse.
QSLs for this activity are only DIRECT to:
Radio Club Uruguayo, P.O.Box 37, 11000, Montevideo, URUGUAY, SOUTH AMERICA (w/SAE and 1 new IRC or 2 green stamps).
Source
Dave Raycroft's ICPO Bulletin
ICPO - Islands, Castles & Portable Operations
Radio Rallies
C.R.C. Rally 2009
The Cork Radio Club is holding their Rally in the
Montenotte Hotel in Cork on the 13th of September.
Special rates for those who wish to stay overnight just
mention Cork radio Club.
Food all day, plenty of parking & doors open at 11am.
All the usual traders will be there.
Mayo Rally
The 2009 Mayo Rally will be held on Sunday November
22nd in Castlebar. The venue is The Welcome Inn Hotel,
Where the 2008 rally was held at short notice, and
doors open at 11.00am.
Rally Director, Padraic Baynes, EI9JA, is now taking
bookings for stands at the Rally. He can be contacted
on 087 6957154. The hotel will be offering a Rally
special deal for accommodation. Full details will be
available soon.
Thanks to the IRTS for the above Information.
7 Aug 2009
6 Aug 2009
IOTA News
Island activities:
AS-040, JA6, Goto Islands:
JA6YDB/6 and JE6AQP/6 will activate the islands Nozaki, Ojika and Goto (Nagasaki prefecture) from Aug 8-12. QSLs via homecalls (direct/bureau).
EU-014, TK, Corsica (Corse) Island, main:
Laurent,F8BBL, is signing TK8B from Corsica (DIFM TK-001) from Aug 1-8. He also plans activities from Lavezzi (EU-164, DIFM TK-011) on Aug 6 starting at 0900 UTC and from
Sanguinaires (EU-104, DIFM TK-002) on Aug 11 around 0900 UTC. QSL via homecall.
EU-055, LA, Sogn og Fjordane County Group:
Henk,LA/PA3FMC, Ruud,LA/PE1BTV, and Hans,LA/PH0V, will be QRV from Utvaer from Aug 10-18.
QSLs via homecalls (direct/bureau).
EU-170, 9A, Dalmatia North Group:
Daniel,9A/DK3CH, is working from the island Dugi Otoc (CI-018) from Aug 1-12. QSL via homecall.
Joe,9A2QP, plans to activate following islands from
Aug 5-14:
CI-439 Dugo
CI-167 Drvenik
CI-429 Dvainka LH 0669
CI-408 Gusteranski
CI-034 Kakan
CI-035 Kaprije
CI-770 Krbela Mala
CI-184 Krbela Vela
CI-328 Kraljak
CI-326 Kamesnjak V.
CI-325 Kamesnjak M.
CI-411 Mazirina
CI-151 Zirje
CI-148 Zlarin LH 4296
CI-076 Obonjan
CI-197 Oblik (nr. Zlarin)
CI-771 Mumonja
CI-430 Rakitnjak
CI-222 Tmara
OC-130, DU8/9, Mindanao Island (main):
Hans,DU9/DL5SDF, is back on Mindanao will try to show up on the bands in August. QSL via homecall.
SA-017, HK5, Cauca/Valle Division Group:
Cody,KC2LSD, and Pedro,HK3JJH, are signing 5K5T from Gorgona until Aug 5.
Lighthouse activities (WLOTA/ARLHS/ILLW) |
Compiled by Fredy, DE0MST
Deutscher Amateur Radio Club
e-mail: iota@dxhf.darc.de
Space Station SSTV Active
The Amateur Radio station on the International Space Station (ISS) was sending Slow Scan TV pictures on Monday Aug 3.
On the AMSAT Bulletin Board Roland PY4ZBZ reports receiving a picture which he has made available at
http://www.qsl.net/py4zbz/satelite/200908030941.jpg
Other pictures received on Monday by Radio Amateurs in the Americas and Europe can be seen on the ARISS SSTV gallery at http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/SSTV/
The SSTV transmissions are part of the MAI-75 (Moscow Aviation Institute) experiments taking place on August 3 and 4.
The VC-H1 SSTV camera unit will run in auto mode (Robot-36 transmitting once every 3 minutes) and should be operational on 145.800 MHz from approximately 0800-1600 UTC each day.
The Kenwood VC-H1
Information on the MAI-75 experiment is available at http://www.energia.ru/eng/iss/
researches/education-26.html
PY4ZBZ ISS SSTV images
http://www.qsl.net/py4zbz/satelite/
sstv_via_sat.htm#2
How to access the ISS Slow Scan TV
http://www.marexmg.org/fileshtml/howtoisssstv.html
Free Slow Scan TV Software MMSSTV uses your PCs Soundcard http://mmhamsoft.amateur-radio.ca/
ISS Fan Club http://www.issfanclub.com/
AMSAT-UK http://www.uk.amsat.org/
AMSAT-UK publish a colour A4 newsletter, OSCAR News, that is full of Amateur Satellite information.
Join online at https://secure.amsat.org.uk/subscription/
Perseid Meteor Outburst
This year's Perseid meteor shower could be even better than usual.
According to NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, a filament of comet dust has drifted across Earth's path and when Earth passes through it, sometime between 0800 and 0900 UT (1 - 2 am PDT) on August 12th, the Perseid meteor rate could surge to twice its normal value.
Check http://spaceweather.com for details and observing tips.
Perseids on your iPhone:
Spaceweather.com is pleased to announce a new iPhone/iPod application dedicated to the upcoming Perseid meteor shower. It features a Perseid countdown clock, news alerts, an easy-to-use sky map, and a live gallery of photos from around the world. Sky watchers of all types will find it a valuable companion when the shower peaks later this month.
Learn more: http://spaceweather.com/perseids
Download the app: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/
viewSoftware?id=325305245&mt=8
4 Aug 2009
Launch your own personal DIY satellite
Planet Earth has entered the age of the Personal Satellite with the introduction of Interorbital’s TubeSat Personal Satellite (PS) Kit.
The new IOS TubeSat PS Kit is the low-cost alternative to the CubeSat. It has three-quarters of the mass (0.75-kg) and volume of a CubeSat, but still offers plenty of room for most experiments or functions.
And, best of all, the price of the TubeSat kit actually includes the price of a launch into Low-Earth-Orbit on an IOS NEPTUNE 30 launch vehicle.
Since the TubeSats are placed into self-decaying orbits 310 kilometers (192 miles) above the Earth’s surface, they do not contribute to any long-term build-up of orbital debris. After a few weeks of operation, they will safely re-enter the atmosphere and burn-up. TubeSats are designed to be orbit-friendly.
Launches are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2010. Total Price of the TubeSat Kit including a Launch to Orbit is $8,000!
You can read more on the Space Fellowship website
http://spacefellowship.com/2009/08/01/interorbital-
syatems-tubesat-personal-satellite-kit/
Our thanks to John Kirk, VK4TJ, for spotting this item
QRP kits in Youtube
Juan, EA5BLP, has created a YouTube channel dedicated to QRP radios and their operation.
Writing on QRPedia, Juan says:
Hello to all QRPers. I have created a channel in Youtube showing some QRP kits (SW-20, Ten Tec 1330, Weber dual band, K-1, Heathkit hw-9 and others) in action in real QSOs and even in portable.
The videos are recorded with a simple photo camera and mostly in a noisy afternoon of very poor propagation.
So don't expect a BBC production!
Perhaps the page could be interesting for those QRPers devote to this kind of rigs.
UPDATE - 04/08/09
DXpedition to Clare Island
Members of the Dalkey Island Contest Group activated
Clare Island, EU121 for the IOTA Islands on the Air
contest last weekend. The team arrived on the island on
Thursday evening and on Friday morning, in glorious
sunshine, set about erecting the antennas which was all
completed by early Friday evening.
Antennas consisted of inverted V dipoles for 40 and 80
and an elevated vertical with the top at 60 feet also
for 40. The 40 metre antennas doubled up on 15 quite
satisfactorily. A delta loop for 20 and a full wave
loop for 10 completed the mini aerial farm.
All the antennas were resonant and coax fed with
matching stubs on the loops. During the contest over
1600 stations were worked in the 24 hours which with
the multipliers gave a score of over 2.6 million
points. This was a very good performance for 100 watts
to single element wire antennas.
The weather was reasonably kind with good days on
Friday and Saturday strong winds and rain on Saturday
night and intermittent showers on Sunday. The first
class accommodation and the excellent food in O’Gradys
Guesthouse which we had taken over for the event more
than made up for any shortcomings in the weather.
Operators were EI2CA, EI5DI, EI6EW, EI7CC, EI7CD, EI8BP
and EI8CE. The ladies who came along on the trip
enjoyed the excellent walking facilities on the island
and the few days away were enjoyed by all.
IOTA Contest
A number of offshore Irish islands were on the air for
the IOTA Contest, which took place last weekend.
Members of South Dublin Radio Club and the City of
Belfast Radio Amateur Society were once again on Inis
Oirr, while the Dalkey Island Contest Group were on
Clare Island.
Rathlin Island, off the Antrim coast, hosted two
DXpeditions: The Kilmarnock & Loudoun Amateur Radio
Club, using the call sign GI0ADX, were there for the
eleventh consecutive year, while a group from County
Dublin and County Down (call sign GI0MPG) were on
Rathlin's East Lighthouse for the second year running.
The IOTA contest was also, of course, well supported by
mainland EI and GI stations.
Most participants reported that band conditions were
better than last year, with longer openings on the
higher frequency bands than in recent years.
Will this be the year?
The 2m WA1ZMS trans-Atlantic beacon
The WA1ZMS beacon on 144.285000 MHz is now running a
500 watt transmitter giving 7 kW ERP
The beacon is GPS locked and the antenna comprises two
5-element stacked yagis beaming at 60 degrees from IARU
locator FM07fm.
EI2MOG On Air
Dundalk Amateur Radio Society are now operating a
Echolink internet gateway link on 145.2125Mhz simplex.
The link has been issued the callsign EI2MOG by Comreg
and node number 57007 by Echolink. EI2MOG will operate
24/7 from it's location at Mount Oriel, Co.Louth,
coverage reports are now welcome via email to
info /at/ ei7dar.com. Further details can be found at
www.ei7dar.com.
The next meeting of the Society is on Wednesday 5th
August at 20.00pm, all are welcome to attend.
Rallies
C.R.C. Rally 2009
The Cork Radio Club is holding their Rally in the
Montenotte Hotel in Cork on the 13th of September.
Special rates for those who wish to stay overnight just
mention Cork radio Club.
Food all day, plenty of parking & doors open at 11am.
All the usual traders will be there.
Mayo Rally
The 2009 Mayo Rally will be held on Sunday November
22nd in Castlebar. The venue is The Welcome Inn Hotel,
Where the 2008 rally was held at short notice, and
doors open at 11.00am.
Rally Director, Padraic Baynes, EI9JA, is now taking
bookings for stands at the Rally. He can be contacted
on 087 6957154. The hotel will be offering a Rally
special deal for accommodation. Full details will be
available soon.
This week in History
1914 WW1 Great Britain declares war on Germany.
Thanks to the IRTS for the Info!
Members of the Dalkey Island Contest Group activated
Clare Island, EU121 for the IOTA Islands on the Air
contest last weekend. The team arrived on the island on
Thursday evening and on Friday morning, in glorious
sunshine, set about erecting the antennas which was all
completed by early Friday evening.
Antennas consisted of inverted V dipoles for 40 and 80
and an elevated vertical with the top at 60 feet also
for 40. The 40 metre antennas doubled up on 15 quite
satisfactorily. A delta loop for 20 and a full wave
loop for 10 completed the mini aerial farm.
All the antennas were resonant and coax fed with
matching stubs on the loops. During the contest over
1600 stations were worked in the 24 hours which with
the multipliers gave a score of over 2.6 million
points. This was a very good performance for 100 watts
to single element wire antennas.
The weather was reasonably kind with good days on
Friday and Saturday strong winds and rain on Saturday
night and intermittent showers on Sunday. The first
class accommodation and the excellent food in O’Gradys
Guesthouse which we had taken over for the event more
than made up for any shortcomings in the weather.
Operators were EI2CA, EI5DI, EI6EW, EI7CC, EI7CD, EI8BP
and EI8CE. The ladies who came along on the trip
enjoyed the excellent walking facilities on the island
and the few days away were enjoyed by all.
IOTA Contest
A number of offshore Irish islands were on the air for
the IOTA Contest, which took place last weekend.
Members of South Dublin Radio Club and the City of
Belfast Radio Amateur Society were once again on Inis
Oirr, while the Dalkey Island Contest Group were on
Clare Island.
Rathlin Island, off the Antrim coast, hosted two
DXpeditions: The Kilmarnock & Loudoun Amateur Radio
Club, using the call sign GI0ADX, were there for the
eleventh consecutive year, while a group from County
Dublin and County Down (call sign GI0MPG) were on
Rathlin's East Lighthouse for the second year running.
The IOTA contest was also, of course, well supported by
mainland EI and GI stations.
Most participants reported that band conditions were
better than last year, with longer openings on the
higher frequency bands than in recent years.
Will this be the year?
The 2m WA1ZMS trans-Atlantic beacon
The WA1ZMS beacon on 144.285000 MHz is now running a
500 watt transmitter giving 7 kW ERP
The beacon is GPS locked and the antenna comprises two
5-element stacked yagis beaming at 60 degrees from IARU
locator FM07fm.
EI2MOG On Air
Dundalk Amateur Radio Society are now operating a
Echolink internet gateway link on 145.2125Mhz simplex.
The link has been issued the callsign EI2MOG by Comreg
and node number 57007 by Echolink. EI2MOG will operate
24/7 from it's location at Mount Oriel, Co.Louth,
coverage reports are now welcome via email to
info /at/ ei7dar.com. Further details can be found at
www.ei7dar.com.
The next meeting of the Society is on Wednesday 5th
August at 20.00pm, all are welcome to attend.
Rallies
C.R.C. Rally 2009
The Cork Radio Club is holding their Rally in the
Montenotte Hotel in Cork on the 13th of September.
Special rates for those who wish to stay overnight just
mention Cork radio Club.
Food all day, plenty of parking & doors open at 11am.
All the usual traders will be there.
Mayo Rally
The 2009 Mayo Rally will be held on Sunday November
22nd in Castlebar. The venue is The Welcome Inn Hotel,
Where the 2008 rally was held at short notice, and
doors open at 11.00am.
Rally Director, Padraic Baynes, EI9JA, is now taking
bookings for stands at the Rally. He can be contacted
on 087 6957154. The hotel will be offering a Rally
special deal for accommodation. Full details will be
available soon.
This week in History
1588 The Spanish Armada defeated by the Royal Navy.
1831 New York runs its first steam locomotive.
1852 First steamship SS Chusan arrives Sydney, 80 days from England.
1859 N. Ames of Saugus, Maryland, USA, patented the escalator.
1866 After a dozen years, Cyrus Field successfully completed the trans-Atlantic Cable.
1872 Dr M Loomis granted patent for wireless experiments.
1888 Theophilus Van Kannel of Philadelphia patents the Revolving Door.
1903 BERLIN WIRELESS TELEGRAPH CONFERENCE begins.
1910 A. J. Fisher of Chicago patents the Electric Washing Machine.1914 WW1 Great Britain declares war on Germany.
Thanks to the IRTS for the Info!
27 Jul 2009
UPDATE 27/07/09
Silent Key
Walter Kronkite, KB2GSD
The well-known, former US TV news anchor Walter
Cronkite has died after a long illness. He was 92.
He Narrated the "Amateur Radio Today" production by the
ARRL. The ARRL has presented him with many awards.
His love of Space science and the NASA Moon missions
won our admiration. His coverage of those showed his
interest in technology. May he rest in peace.
AO-51 Apollo 11 40th Anniversary Special Event
Congratulations to any ground stations that received
AO-51 during the limited passes during the special
event period.
These stations ware treated to a replay of the Apollo
11 Eagle communications, commerating the 40th
anniversary. Stations which ware SSTV ready ware also
treated to a Robot 36 SSTV Image.
Using AO-51 & special event there are some uploads of
activity on youtube.com from stations receiving the
pass.For anyone to take a look and listen to what they
have missed.
Send QSL requests marked "Apollo 11" with SASE to the
AMSAT office at 850 Sligo Ave. Suite 600, Silver
Spring, MD 20910 U.S.A
Radio Rallies
C.R.C. Rally 2009
The Cork Radio Club is holding their Rally in the
Montenotte Hotel in Cork on the 13th of September.
Special rates for those who wish to stay overnight just
mention Cork radio Club.
Food all day, plenty of parking & doors open at 11am.
All the usual traders will be there.
Mayo Rally
The 2009 Mayo Rally will be held on Sunday November
22nd in Castlebar. The venue is The Welcome Inn Hotel,
Where the 2008 rally was held at short notice, and
doors open at 11.00am.
Rally Director, Padraic Baynes, EI9JA, is now taking
bookings for stands at the Rally. He can be contacted
on 087 6957154. The hotel will be offering a Rally
special deal for accommodation. Full details will be
available soon.
EI2MOG on the Air!
Thanks to the IRTS for the info.
Walter Kronkite, KB2GSD
The well-known, former US TV news anchor Walter
Cronkite has died after a long illness. He was 92.
He Narrated the "Amateur Radio Today" production by the
ARRL. The ARRL has presented him with many awards.
His love of Space science and the NASA Moon missions
won our admiration. His coverage of those showed his
interest in technology. May he rest in peace.
AO-51 Apollo 11 40th Anniversary Special Event
Congratulations to any ground stations that received
AO-51 during the limited passes during the special
event period.
These stations ware treated to a replay of the Apollo
11 Eagle communications, commerating the 40th
anniversary. Stations which ware SSTV ready ware also
treated to a Robot 36 SSTV Image.
Using AO-51 & special event there are some uploads of
activity on youtube.com from stations receiving the
pass.For anyone to take a look and listen to what they
have missed.
Send QSL requests marked "Apollo 11" with SASE to the
AMSAT office at 850 Sligo Ave. Suite 600, Silver
Spring, MD 20910 U.S.A
Radio Rallies
C.R.C. Rally 2009
The Cork Radio Club is holding their Rally in the
Montenotte Hotel in Cork on the 13th of September.
Special rates for those who wish to stay overnight just
mention Cork radio Club.
Food all day, plenty of parking & doors open at 11am.
All the usual traders will be there.
Mayo Rally
The 2009 Mayo Rally will be held on Sunday November
22nd in Castlebar. The venue is The Welcome Inn Hotel,
Where the 2008 rally was held at short notice, and
doors open at 11.00am.
Rally Director, Padraic Baynes, EI9JA, is now taking
bookings for stands at the Rally. He can be contacted
on 087 6957154. The hotel will be offering a Rally
special deal for accommodation. Full details will be
available soon.
EI2MOG on the Air!
The Dundalk Amateur Radio Society are now operating a Echolink internet gateway link on 145.2125Mhz simplex.
The link has been issued the callsign EI2MOG by Comreg and node number 57007 by Echolink.
EI2MOG will operate 24/7 from it's location at Mount Oriel, Co.Louth. Coverage reports are now welcome via email to info@ei7dar.com .
Further details can be found at www.ei7dar.com
Here are the details of the new gateway:
EI2MOG Echolink Gateway
CALLSIGN - EI2MOG AUTO ID EVERY 20MINS
LOCATION - MOUNT ORIEL
NODE NO. 57007
GRID REF - N98165 83282
LAT:53.789983 LONG:-6.511295
METRE ABOVE SEA LEVEL - 251M
MOTOROLA GM300
ECHOLINK INTERFACE
SIGMA CAT145 3dB ANTENNA @32M ON MAST
FREQUENCY - TX / RX 145.2125Mhz
TX POWER - 15 WATTS
ACCESS - CARRIER
IOTA Rathlin Isl
Sean EI4GK, Pete EI4GZB, Declan EI9HQ, Pete GI4VIV and
Joe EI7GY are back on Rathlin Island again for this
year's IOTA contest. They will be based in the East
Lighthouse, the same QTH as last year. The call sign
for the contest will be GI0MPG.
IOTA South Dublin Radio Club and the City of Belfast
Radio Amateur Society
EJ0GI are participating in the IOTA Contest (DXpedition
- multi-op, HP section ) from Inis Oirr, EU-006. The
combined team from South Dublin Radio Club and the City
of Belfast Radio Amateur Society have travelled to the
Aran Islands off the coast of Galway, hoping to build
upon the successes of recent years.
Some team members may be active under their home calls
outside of the Contest between 23 - 27 July. QSL via
EI2SDR (information available on QRZ.com).
DXCluster now on Twitter
GB7MBC, one of Europe's busiest DXClusters, is now
on Twitter.
It provides such things as DX news, IOTA, Contests and
Solar information.
If you wish to follow it on Twitter, just go to this
URL and add it to your list of 'tweets' you follow.
http://twitter.com/GB7MBC
DX News
XE1/EI7GK.
Paddy EI7GK will be QRV from his daughter's house in
Mexico during July. Listen out for XE1/EI7GK on 14.268
MHz SSB + or - QRM.
Past experience shows the best time for propagation
between EI and XE is early morning 06.00 to 08.00.
Irish time. Remember that Mexico is 6 hours behind EI.
Paddy will be delighted to work EI and GI stations.
Swaziland
A DXpedition will operate from Swaziland between 30th
July and 11th August 2009. The purpose of this
expedition is to provide an amateur radio station at an
International Scout Camp near Manzini.
Using the callsign 3DA0SS and also a station at Hawane
Resort near Mbabane where previous DXpeditions to
Swaziland have operated from. The Hawane station will
operate under the individual callsigns of the
expedition team.
Team members are – David GI4FUM 3DA0DJ Tony G4LDL
3DA0TB Gerry M0VAA 3DA0VA Malcolm GM3TAL 3DA0MH Mike
NC4MM 3DA0MM Yuri UT5EL 3DA0EL
There is an established HF antenna farm at the Hawane
site and we will operate 2 HF stations around the clock
depending on propagation and band openings. We plan to
operate on or near to scout frequencies.
Requests for skeds should be sent to GI4FUM /at/ 3da0ss.net
QSLs for this DXpedition should be sent via GI4FUM
Further details and photographs are available at
http://www.gi4fum.co.uk
This week in History
1897 Marconi registers the "Wireless Telegraph and
Signal Company".
1899 Royal Navy successfully trials Marconi sets during
exercises.
Sean EI4GK, Pete EI4GZB, Declan EI9HQ, Pete GI4VIV and
Joe EI7GY are back on Rathlin Island again for this
year's IOTA contest. They will be based in the East
Lighthouse, the same QTH as last year. The call sign
for the contest will be GI0MPG.
IOTA South Dublin Radio Club and the City of Belfast
Radio Amateur Society
EJ0GI are participating in the IOTA Contest (DXpedition
- multi-op, HP section ) from Inis Oirr, EU-006. The
combined team from South Dublin Radio Club and the City
of Belfast Radio Amateur Society have travelled to the
Aran Islands off the coast of Galway, hoping to build
upon the successes of recent years.
Some team members may be active under their home calls
outside of the Contest between 23 - 27 July. QSL via
EI2SDR (information available on QRZ.com).
DXCluster now on Twitter
GB7MBC, one of Europe's busiest DXClusters, is now
on Twitter.
It provides such things as DX news, IOTA, Contests and
Solar information.
If you wish to follow it on Twitter, just go to this
URL and add it to your list of 'tweets' you follow.
http://twitter.com/GB7MBC
DX News
XE1/EI7GK.
Paddy EI7GK will be QRV from his daughter's house in
Mexico during July. Listen out for XE1/EI7GK on 14.268
MHz SSB + or - QRM.
Past experience shows the best time for propagation
between EI and XE is early morning 06.00 to 08.00.
Irish time. Remember that Mexico is 6 hours behind EI.
Paddy will be delighted to work EI and GI stations.
Swaziland
A DXpedition will operate from Swaziland between 30th
July and 11th August 2009. The purpose of this
expedition is to provide an amateur radio station at an
International Scout Camp near Manzini.
Using the callsign 3DA0SS and also a station at Hawane
Resort near Mbabane where previous DXpeditions to
Swaziland have operated from. The Hawane station will
operate under the individual callsigns of the
expedition team.
Team members are – David GI4FUM 3DA0DJ Tony G4LDL
3DA0TB Gerry M0VAA 3DA0VA Malcolm GM3TAL 3DA0MH Mike
NC4MM 3DA0MM Yuri UT5EL 3DA0EL
There is an established HF antenna farm at the Hawane
site and we will operate 2 HF stations around the clock
depending on propagation and band openings. We plan to
operate on or near to scout frequencies.
Requests for skeds should be sent to GI4FUM /at/ 3da0ss.net
QSLs for this DXpedition should be sent via GI4FUM
Further details and photographs are available at
http://www.gi4fum.co.uk
This week in History
1897 Marconi registers the "Wireless Telegraph and
Signal Company".
1899 Royal Navy successfully trials Marconi sets during
exercises.
Thanks to the IRTS for the info.
24 Jul 2009
Digital transmission samples on YouTube
K2NCC has made available video samples of amateur radio, military, government, domestic and international data transmissions on YouTube.
Videos of the data transmissions ranging from STANAG 4285 to DominoEX 16 and SITOR A are available on the YouTube K2NCC Digital Amateur Radio Channel at
21 Jul 2009
NASA test new 'space internet' protocols on ISS
The University of Colorado at Boulder is working with NASA to develop a new communications technology now being tested on the International Space Station (ISS), which will extend Earth's Internet into outer space and across the solar system.
Called Disruption Tolerant Networking, or DTN, the new technology will enable NASA and other space agencies around the world to better communicate with international fleets of spacecraft that will be used to explore the moon and Mars in the future.
The technology is expected to lead to a working "Interplanetary Internet," said Kevin Gifford, a senior research associate at CU-Boulder's BioServe Space Technologies and a faculty member in the aerospace engineering sciences department.
"Communication between spacecraft and ground stations has traditionally been over a single point-to-point link, much like a walkie-talkie," said Gifford.
"Currently, space operations teams must manually schedule each link and generate appropriate commands to specify where the data is to be sent, the time it will be sent and its destination. As the number of spacecraft and links increase and the need to communicate between many space vehicles emerges, these manual operations become increasingly cumbersome and costly," he said.
"Highly automated future communications capabilities will be required for lunar habitation and surface exploration that include passing information between orbiting relay satellites, lunar and planetary habitats and astronauts on the surface," said Gifford.
"But existing Internet protocols, where Internet hosts and computers are always connected, do not work well for many space-based environments, where intermittently connected operations are common."
Read the full story at
http://www.colorado.edu/news/r/
fc2791d60f1469b60cd846b779a9dc56.html
20 Jul 2009
History This Week
A look back at events that made history this week -
compiled by the Summerland Amateur Radio Club of Lismore, NSW
Monday, 20 July, 2009
1829 First typewriter was patented by William Burt of Mt. Vernon, MI.
1837 Wheatstone & Cooke send their first telegraph message 2 km.
1837 London's first railway station, Euston, opens.
1847 R. M. Hoe, New York City patented the rotary-type printing press.
1866 Dr M Loomis transmits signals 15 miles using kite antennas.
1871 S. Wheeler of Albany, NY patented perforated toilet paper.
1897 Marconi registers the "Wireless Telegraph and Signal Company".
1898 First newspaper message sent from a ship to the Daily Express, London.
1899 Royal Navy successfully trials Marconi sets during exercises.
1969 Neil Armstrong steps onto the surface of the moon.
Space shuttle Endeavour docks with ISS
Space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay, the vertical stabilizer and orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods in this image photographed by a STS-127 crew member from an aft flight deck window. Photo: Reuters/Nasa handoutAfter a week of excited late-night neck-craning, people all over Ireland were rewarded again with a spectacular sight in the skies.
At 10.56pm on the 17th of July, the International Space Station (ISS) and the space shuttle Endeavour , was seen as one for the very first time, making this the biggest man-made object ever assembled in space, according to Astronomy Ireland.
The ISS and Endeavour docked at 6.55pm Irish time, travelling at 17,000 miles per hour.
In total, the two craft weigh 400 tonnes and there are 13 astronauts on board – the all-time record for the number of people in space at one time.
“This is he biggest object ever assembled in space and it should be a thousand times brighter than the brightest star in the sky making this the most incredible sight anyone has ever seen from Ireland,” said David Moore, chairman of Astronomy Ireland.
The organisation has been “inundated” with calls and hits on its website in recent days, Mr Moore said, as millions of people were “mesmerised” by the sights of the shuttle and the space station in the sky at night.
The space station will be visible in Irish skies until July 23rd.
“This is space history in the making and every Irish person has a ringside seat,” Mr Moore said.
The exact time to see the space hardware “blazing across the night sky” can be obtained from Astronomy Ireland, which has set up a special text service to cope with the demand.
Astronomy Ireland claims to be the largest astronomy club in the world relative to population numbers. It currently has about 11,000 members.
IOTA Contest preparations well under way
There are just a few days before the 2009 IOTA Contest on 25 and 26 July.
This is the big event of the year for island chasers and, for most, it is a great chance to improve scores.
Already a number of DXpeditions have announced they will be active for the contest.
Here a just a few of the stations to look out for:
• MM0NDX will be active as GM5A from the main island of Hirta in the St. Kilda group, which is IOTA reference EU-059. QSL via GM4FDM.
• A nine-strong team of VK operators will be active from Norfolk Island as VK9NI. They will have a 2-element 40m beam and Spiderbeams for HF as well as a range of verticals for all bands including 160.
• HS0AC/P will be on the air from Si Chang Island, which is reference S-107. The QSL Manager is HS0ZFZ.
• The Strumblehead DX and Contest Group will operate from Ramsey Island off the West Wales using the call MW9W for the contest and MC0SHL at other times. The island will not only count for the IOTA contest but also WAB awards and the WFF award. QSL via M0URX.
• IC8/IW8EHK will be active from Capri, reference EU-031 with some activity outside the contest period. The QSL manager is IK7JWX.
• CO8ZZ will be active during the contest from Cuba, taking part in the CW only category. QSL via DK1WI. Cuba’s reference is NA-015.
• YC9MDX will be on the air from Timor Island, reference OC-148.
Don’t forget that if the stations you work send in their logs you can claim the contest QSOs for your IOTA Awards without needing to get their QSL cards.
See the ‘Activations’ tab on the home page at www.rsgbiota.org for more information on these and other upcoming activities
Thanks to Southgate Radio Club for the info.
17 Jul 2009
More IOTA News
Island activities:
CROATIA, 9A. Gert, OE3ZK will be QRV as 9A/OE3ZK from Korcula Island, IOTA EU-016, from July 21 to 30. Activity will be on all bands using CW, SSB and RTTY. He will be active on the IOTA frequencies. QSL to home call.
EAST MALAYSIA, 9M6. Brett, VR2BG is QRV as 9M6BG until July 28. He hopes to be active during the IOTA contest. Activity has been on 40 and 20 meters using CW. QSL to home call.
MADEIRA ISLANDS, CT3. A group of operators will be QRV as CR3D and CR3R from Chao Islet, Desertas Islands, IOTA AF-046, from July 24 to 26. Activity will be on all HF and VHF bands using CW, SSB and digital modes. QSL via operators' instructions.
BALEARIC ISLANDS, EA6. Pista, HA5GY is QRV as EA6/HA5GY until July 20. He is active using QRP power on the HF bands. QSL to home call.
THAILAND, HS. Don, HS0ZEE has been active on 20 meters CW daily around 1400z. QSL to home call.
SARDINIA, IS0. A group of operators will be QRV as IM0M from Asinara Island, IOTA EU-165, from July 22 to 26. Activity will be on all HF and V/UHF bands and modes. This includes an entry in the upcoming IOTA contest. QSL via operators' instructions.
MINAMI TORISHIMA, JD1. Masa, JD1BMM is QRV from here until July 22. He is generally active on 20 and 17 meters using CW and various digital modes, but has been active on 6 meters as well. QSL via bureau.
SVALBARD, JW. Robert, LA9QNA is QRV as JW9QNA from Longyearbyen, IOTA EU-026, until July 22. This includes entries in the North American RTTY QSO Party and the CQ World Wide VHF Contest. QSL to home call.
DENMARK, OZ. Harry, PA1H and Nico, PA8PA will be QRV as OZ/home call from Lango Island, IOTA EU-172, from July 25 to August 1. Activity will be on 160 to 10 meters, and possibly the VHF bands, using SSB and digital modes. This includes an entry in the upcoming IOTA contest. QSL to home calls.
GREECE, SV. Laci, HA0NAR will be QRV as SX8R from Thassos Island, IOTA EU-174, from July 22 to 31. This includes an entry in the upcoming IOTA contest. Activity will be on 80 to 6 meters using CW and SSB. QSL to home call.
CORSICA, TK. Lee, F5MUX is QRV as TK5UX until July 26. Activity is on 40 to 10 meters using mostly CW but with some RTTY as well. QSL to home call.
BELIZE, V3. Terry, W6WTG and Sharon, N2OWL will be QRV as V31UR from Caye Caulker, IOTA NA-073, from July 21 to 29. This includes being an entry in the upcoming IOTA contest. QSL via W6UR.
NORFOLK ISLAND, VK9N. Member of the Hellenic Amateur Radio Association of Australia will be QRV as VK9NI from July 22 to 29. Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY with five stations running simultaneously. This includes an entry in the upcoming IOTA contest. QSL via W3HNK.
MONTSERRAT, VP2M. Bill, W5SJ is QRV as VP2MSJ until July 21. Activity is on al bands, including 60 and 30 meters. This includes an entry in the CQ World Wide VHF Contest. QSL via W5JAY.
MEXICO, XE. In celebration of the 12th anniversary of the Radio Club Queretaro, special event station 4C12SG is QRV until July 27 from the ''Sierra Gorda Queretana'' at the Sotano del Barro, one of the world's lowest locations. Activity is on al HF bands and possibly 6 meters. QSL via XE1RCQ.
INDONESIA, YB. Hotang, YC0IEM/9 is QRV from Bali, IOTA OC-022, until July 27. QSL via IZ8CCW.
For more info on the IOTA
16 Jul 2009
STS-127 over Dublin 15 July 09
I have seen a lot of Shuttle and ISS passes over Ireland but last night was something else. What a sight!
Mission: STS-127
Orbiter: Endeavour
Primary Payload: Kibo Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility, Kibo Japanese Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section
Launch Date: July 15
Launch Time: 6:03 p.m. EDT
Launch Pad: 39A
Landing Date: July 31
Landing Time: 10:45 a.m.
Mission Duration: 16 days
Inclination/Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
Main engine cutoff is confirmed: space shuttle Endeavour has reached orbit. The shuttle lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida as planned at 7:17 a.m. EDT and began its orbital chase of the International Space Station, orbiting 225 miles above Earth's surface.
STS-127 Mission Overview
The 16-day mission will feature five spacewalks and complete construction of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. Astronauts will attach a platform to the outside of the Japanese module that will allow experiments to be exposed to space.
The STS-127 crew members are Commander Mark Polansky, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Dave Wolf, Christopher Cassidy, Tom Marshburn, Tim Kopra and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Julie Payette. Kopra will join the space station crew and replace Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata. Wakata will return to Earth on Endeavour to conclude a three-month stay at the station.
For 50 years, NASAs been famous for counting backward from 10 to zero. But a final countdown is now under way that will stand out among them all.
Here's another video of the Shuttle in orbit!
I also took photos of the Shuttle & the ISS in orbit last night, I hope to upload them later!
Mission: STS-127
Orbiter: Endeavour
Primary Payload: Kibo Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility, Kibo Japanese Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section
Launch Date: July 15
Launch Time: 6:03 p.m. EDT
Launch Pad: 39A
Landing Date: July 31
Landing Time: 10:45 a.m.
Mission Duration: 16 days
Inclination/Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
Main engine cutoff is confirmed: space shuttle Endeavour has reached orbit. The shuttle lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida as planned at 7:17 a.m. EDT and began its orbital chase of the International Space Station, orbiting 225 miles above Earth's surface.
STS-127 Mission Overview
The 16-day mission will feature five spacewalks and complete construction of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. Astronauts will attach a platform to the outside of the Japanese module that will allow experiments to be exposed to space.
The STS-127 crew members are Commander Mark Polansky, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Dave Wolf, Christopher Cassidy, Tom Marshburn, Tim Kopra and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Julie Payette. Kopra will join the space station crew and replace Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata. Wakata will return to Earth on Endeavour to conclude a three-month stay at the station.
For 50 years, NASAs been famous for counting backward from 10 to zero. But a final countdown is now under way that will stand out among them all.
NASA - Space Shuttle Mission: STS-127 (Take Off) 15 July 09
Here's another video of the Shuttle in orbit!
I also took photos of the Shuttle & the ISS in orbit last night, I hope to upload them later!
15 Jul 2009
Space shuttle visible in Ireland tonight
Image above: An operational camera side-view of space shuttleEndeavour as it stands on Launch Pad 39A ready for liftoff.
Photo credit: NASA TV
Photo credit: NASA TV
The space shuttle Endeavour, with seven astronauts on board, will be visible in Ireland tonight.
The shuttle will be visible as a brilliant “star” when it crosses Ireland at about 11.21pm tonight, 18 minutes after it blasts off from Florida.
“We are predicting the best time to watch will be 11.21pm tonight, but people should watch for 10 minutes around this time as the launch time can be changed by NASA at the last minute” said David Moore of Astronomy Ireland.
“The shuttle is an incredible sight when it flies over, but what makes this event so incredibly rare, is that the giant fuel tank will be right next to the shuttle in the sky and will look distinctly orange.”
“This has only been seen once before from Ireland in the 28 year history of shuttle launches so we want everyone to stay up and watch it,” he added.
The shuttle is heading for the International Space Station which will also be visible from Ireland on Thursday and Friday nights. Built at a cost of €100 billion, it is up to 1000 times brighter than the average star.
Looking forward to it already!!! :-)
Check out the launch on NASA TV @ Launch Time: 18:03 . EDT > 23.03 BST
IOTA News
Island activities:
EU-047. Andy, DL7AT, will be active as DL7AT/M from Norderney Island (N-05 for the German Islands award), July 17-24th. He will also activate the Norderney lighthouse (ARLHS FED-025, GLHA #39, WLH DL-021, WLOTA 1621). QSL via his home callsign, direct or by the bureau.
EU-090. A group of Slovenian operators will be active as 9A8ZRS from Vela Palagruza Island (ACIA IC-901, CIA-33, IOCA CI-084, MIA MC-284, ARLHS CRO-012, CLH-100, WHL 9A-046, WLOTA 0057) between July 20-31st. Activity will be on 80/40/20/15/10/6/2 meters using CW, SSB, PSK-31 and possibly other digital modes.
Their operations will include an entry in the RSGB IOTA Contest (July 25-26th). Operators mentioned are: Jane/S57L, Goran/S52P, Vinko/S53F, Brane/S56UGB and Silvo/S50X. QSL via the operator's instructions.
EU-121. Members of the Dalkey Island Contest Group plan to activate Clare Island for the upcoming RSGB IOTA Contest which takes place on July 25-26th. The callsign EJ1DD will be used in a"100 watt DXpedition" entry. QSL information is via EI7CC. Operators will be EI2CA, EI5DI, EI6EW, EI7CC, EI7CD, EI8BP and EI8CE. Look for activity also from the individual operators using the EJ prefix between July 23-27th
EU-135. Anders, SM5EFX, will be active as SM5EFX/2 from Ledskar Island, July 19-31st. Activity will be on all HF bands/modes. He will also participate in the RSGB IOTA Contest (July 25-26th) using the special callsign SF2X. QSL both callsigns to SM5EFX, direct or by the bureau.
EU-146. Operators Frans/PA5CA, Jan/PA0JED, Arend/PA2AWU, Dervin/PD9DX and Marcel/PA9M will be active as PA6Z from Schouwen Duiveland during the RSGB IOTA Contest (July 25-26th) as a Multi-Op/ Single-Transmitter entry. QSL via PA9M, direct or by the bureau.
EU-165. Joe, IS0MKX, will lead a team of 15 operators to activate Asinara Island (SS-061, for Italian Island Award) between July 22-26th. Activity will include the RSGB IOTA Contest (July 25-26th). The callsign will be IM0M. QSL via IS0MKX. For more info, please visit:
http://digilander.libero.it/assoradiomarinai/
asinara/home.htm
EU-175. Operators Luis/CT1EEQ, Arlindo/CT1EGW, Hermann/CT3FN/HB9CRV, Antonio/CU8AS, Jurgen/DJ2VO and Ruedi/HB9CQL will be active as CR2F from the Island of Faial (DIP AZ-007) between July 18-31st. Activity will be from the Ribeirinha Lighthouse (DFP FAZ-17, ARLHS AZO-020, WLH CU-007, WLOTA 1830, WW Loc. HM58QO),
located at Cedros.
They plan to be on 80-6 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. They plan to be active around 50.113 MHz with CR2W as callsign. The team will also participate in the RSGB
IOTA Contest (July 25-26th), using the callsign CR2W as a
Multi-Single/Expedition entry. QSL via CT1GFK, bureau OK; via E-mail requests to: cu8at@sapo.pt .
For more information, please visit:
http://www.to-mk.com/neu/
Online logs will be available at:
http://algarvedx.com/logonline
NA-140. Operators Steve/W3RFA and Bob/KB3NYX will be active as W3RFA from Smith Island (USI MD-003S, Somerset County, Maryland) for the RSGB IOTA Contest (July 25-26th). This is a "Micro-DXpedition". They are getting to the island by sea kayak. All gear will weigh less than 100 lbs ea. They will use 100 watts into a wire antenna. QSL via their home callsigns.
SA-047. Operators Alexandre/PY5BH, Vagner/PY5DC, Fleck/PY5DJ, Fernando/ PY5FO and Goncalves/PY5IN will be active as PR5D from Ilha do Mel (DIB PR-01, also count for WLOTA LH-1435) during the RSGB IOTA Contest (July 25-26th). QSL via PY5DC. Visit their Web site at:
http://www.alcad.com.br/radio
Compiled by OPDX
There will be more Updates soon about the IOTA
Drift of Magnetic Pole
Some Radio Amateurs fail to take into account the variance between magnetic and true north when aligning their beam antennas.
Recently an airport in Essex, England, had to rename one of its runways due to magnetic drift.
A BBC news report says
Stansted Airport in Essex has renamed its 3,000m (9,750ft) runway because the position of the Earth's magnetic North Pole has moved.
The runway was known by pilots and air traffic controllers as 23/05 because of its location and compass heading.
The magnetic North Pole drifts naturally, and every 50 years its position alters significantly.
Managers at Stansted decided they must call the runway 22/04 to reflect the new position and bearing.
Trevor Waldock, head of airside operations, said: "We've had to make this change due to the Magnetic North Pole slowly drifting on the Earth's surface but our runway remains in a fixed position.
Read the full BBC News report 'Runway rename as North Pole moves' at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/essex/8136307.stm
13 Jul 2009
UPDATE 13/07/09
ComReg Consultation on the 2300 to 2400 MHz Band
ComReg has published a consultation paper on the
release of spectrum in the 2300 to 2400 MHz band. The
paper is Document 09/49 of 15 June and is available in
the Publications section of the ComReg website at
www.comreg.ie This band is an amateur secondary
allocation.
The IRTS will in due course prepare a response to this
consultation paper and we would encourage interested
individuals and radio clubs to do so as well. Licensees
who have views which they wish to have reflected in the
IRTS response should communicate by e-mail to
ei7cd /at/ gofree.indigo.ie Responses to the consultation
paper must be submitted before 5 p.m. on 29 July next.
New 2m Repeater
A new 2meter FM voice repeater GB3CP went on air it is
located in south east Fermanagh Northern Ireland. RX
145.7375 TX 145.1375 110.9 ctcss or 1750hz tone burst
SUITSAT-2 LOOSES THE SUIT PART BUT WILL STILL FLY
The SuitSat-2 ham radio in space transponder will not
be in a space suit but the package will likely still
fly in space. Due to storage considerations on the
International Space Station, the two surplus Russian
space suits in storage were discarded via the
Progress Cargo Vessel. One of these suits was to be
used to house the electronics for the upcoming
SuitSat-2 mission.
But all is not lost. ARISS International has been
informed that there is still space available for
shipment of the SuitSat-2 electronics on a cargo
flight to the I-S-S in January 2010. Also, a
space-walk scheduled for April 2010 still has a
'SuitSat-2' deployment scheduled to be a part of it.
As a result the AMSAT team developing the SuitSat-2
electronics on is focusing on completing the project
in anticipation that deployment will still take place
in Spring 2010, but using a different structure to
house the flight package.
DAYTON OR FRIEDRICHSHAFEN - WHICH IS BIGGER
Is the Ham Radio convention in Friedrichshafen,
Germany, about to match or even replace Dayton as the
worlds most attended amateur radio show? According to
several sources this years Ham Radio had an official
gate of 17,400 visitors. That's up by 300 from 2008.
Also, some 195 exhibitors and radio associations from
30 nations represented at the show.
So far, Dayton has not made public its official
attendance figure, but many who regularly attend the
Hamvention have speculated that 2009 saw about the same
number of attendees as 2008 or maybe a few more. If
that's the case then it would likely put Dayton and
Friedrichshafen at least neck to neck. We will have to
await the folks in Dayton making public their
attendance figures to know for sure.
Meantime, you can make a note of the dates of the 35th
Ham Radio will be from June 25th to the 27th in 2010 in
Friedrichshafen, Germany. Hamvention 2010 will take
place May 14th to the 16th 2010 at its usual home at
the Hara Arena in Dayton, Ohio.
AMSAT DAYTON FORUM VIDEOS NOW ON LINE
Videos of the six presentations at the AMSAT 2009
Dayton Hamvention forum are now on the AMSAT website.
The presentations include the Richard Garriott, W5WKQ,
talk on his visit to the International Space Station
and a presentation on the upcoming what was to be
Suit-Sat 2 project by Gould Smith, WA4SXM.
To watch these presentations and the others, simply go
to www.amsat .org and click on the AMSAT Video News
icon about halfway down the page in the left column.
Rallies
The Marconi Radio Group, Amateur Radio Rally Sunday
29th July Manor Hotel in Ballymoney More information
from Melvyn MI0MSR at 07821129405
melvyn.irvine225 /at/ btinternet.com
Doors open at 12 noon.
C.R.C. Rally 2009
The Cork Radio Club is holding their Rally in the
Montenotte Hotel in Cork on the 13th of September.
Special rates for those who wish to stay overnight just
mention Cork radio Club.
Food all day, plenty of parking & doors open at 11am.
All the usual traders will be there.
Mayo Rally
The 2009 Mayo Rally will be held on Sunday November
22nd in Castlebar. The venue is The Welcome Inn Hotel,
where the 2008 rally was held at short notice, and
doors open at 11.00am.
Rally Director, Padraic Baynes, EI9JA, is now taking
bookings for stands at the Rally. He can be contacted
on 087 6957154. The hotel will be offering a Rally
special deal for accommodation. Full details will be
available soon.
IOTA Rathlin Isl
Sean EI4GK, Pete EI4GZB, Declan EI9HQ, Pete GI4VIV and
Joe EI7GY are going back to Rathlin Island again for
this year's IOTA contest. They will be based in the
East Lighthouse, the same QTH as last year. The call
sign for the contest will be GI0MPG.
DX News
XE1/EI7GK.
Paddy EI7GK will be QRV from his daughter's house in
Mexico during July. Listen out for XE1/EI7GK on 14.268
MHz SSB + or - QRM.
Past experience shows the best time for propagation
between EI and XE is early morning 06.00 to 08.00.
Irish time. Remember that Mexico is 6 hours behind EI.
Paddy will be delighted to work EI and GI stations.
This week in History
1920 Radio compass used for the first time on a U.S.
Navy airplane
ComReg has published a consultation paper on the
release of spectrum in the 2300 to 2400 MHz band. The
paper is Document 09/49 of 15 June and is available in
the Publications section of the ComReg website at
www.comreg.ie This band is an amateur secondary
allocation.
The IRTS will in due course prepare a response to this
consultation paper and we would encourage interested
individuals and radio clubs to do so as well. Licensees
who have views which they wish to have reflected in the
IRTS response should communicate by e-mail to
ei7cd /at/ gofree.indigo.ie Responses to the consultation
paper must be submitted before 5 p.m. on 29 July next.
New 2m Repeater
A new 2meter FM voice repeater GB3CP went on air it is
located in south east Fermanagh Northern Ireland. RX
145.7375 TX 145.1375 110.9 ctcss or 1750hz tone burst
SUITSAT-2 LOOSES THE SUIT PART BUT WILL STILL FLY
The SuitSat-2 ham radio in space transponder will not
be in a space suit but the package will likely still
fly in space. Due to storage considerations on the
International Space Station, the two surplus Russian
space suits in storage were discarded via the
Progress Cargo Vessel. One of these suits was to be
used to house the electronics for the upcoming
SuitSat-2 mission.
But all is not lost. ARISS International has been
informed that there is still space available for
shipment of the SuitSat-2 electronics on a cargo
flight to the I-S-S in January 2010. Also, a
space-walk scheduled for April 2010 still has a
'SuitSat-2' deployment scheduled to be a part of it.
As a result the AMSAT team developing the SuitSat-2
electronics on is focusing on completing the project
in anticipation that deployment will still take place
in Spring 2010, but using a different structure to
house the flight package.
DAYTON OR FRIEDRICHSHAFEN - WHICH IS BIGGER
Is the Ham Radio convention in Friedrichshafen,
Germany, about to match or even replace Dayton as the
worlds most attended amateur radio show? According to
several sources this years Ham Radio had an official
gate of 17,400 visitors. That's up by 300 from 2008.
Also, some 195 exhibitors and radio associations from
30 nations represented at the show.
So far, Dayton has not made public its official
attendance figure, but many who regularly attend the
Hamvention have speculated that 2009 saw about the same
number of attendees as 2008 or maybe a few more. If
that's the case then it would likely put Dayton and
Friedrichshafen at least neck to neck. We will have to
await the folks in Dayton making public their
attendance figures to know for sure.
Meantime, you can make a note of the dates of the 35th
Ham Radio will be from June 25th to the 27th in 2010 in
Friedrichshafen, Germany. Hamvention 2010 will take
place May 14th to the 16th 2010 at its usual home at
the Hara Arena in Dayton, Ohio.
AMSAT DAYTON FORUM VIDEOS NOW ON LINE
Videos of the six presentations at the AMSAT 2009
Dayton Hamvention forum are now on the AMSAT website.
The presentations include the Richard Garriott, W5WKQ,
talk on his visit to the International Space Station
and a presentation on the upcoming what was to be
Suit-Sat 2 project by Gould Smith, WA4SXM.
To watch these presentations and the others, simply go
to www.amsat .org and click on the AMSAT Video News
icon about halfway down the page in the left column.
Rallies
The Marconi Radio Group, Amateur Radio Rally Sunday
29th July Manor Hotel in Ballymoney More information
from Melvyn MI0MSR at 07821129405
melvyn.irvine225 /at/ btinternet.com
Doors open at 12 noon.
C.R.C. Rally 2009
The Cork Radio Club is holding their Rally in the
Montenotte Hotel in Cork on the 13th of September.
Special rates for those who wish to stay overnight just
mention Cork radio Club.
Food all day, plenty of parking & doors open at 11am.
All the usual traders will be there.
Mayo Rally
The 2009 Mayo Rally will be held on Sunday November
22nd in Castlebar. The venue is The Welcome Inn Hotel,
where the 2008 rally was held at short notice, and
doors open at 11.00am.
Rally Director, Padraic Baynes, EI9JA, is now taking
bookings for stands at the Rally. He can be contacted
on 087 6957154. The hotel will be offering a Rally
special deal for accommodation. Full details will be
available soon.
IOTA Rathlin Isl
Sean EI4GK, Pete EI4GZB, Declan EI9HQ, Pete GI4VIV and
Joe EI7GY are going back to Rathlin Island again for
this year's IOTA contest. They will be based in the
East Lighthouse, the same QTH as last year. The call
sign for the contest will be GI0MPG.
DX News
XE1/EI7GK.
Paddy EI7GK will be QRV from his daughter's house in
Mexico during July. Listen out for XE1/EI7GK on 14.268
MHz SSB + or - QRM.
Past experience shows the best time for propagation
between EI and XE is early morning 06.00 to 08.00.
Irish time. Remember that Mexico is 6 hours behind EI.
Paddy will be delighted to work EI and GI stations.
This week in History
1920 Radio compass used for the first time on a U.S.
Navy airplane
12 Jul 2009
Dxpedition to Clare Island
Members of the Dalkey Island Contest Group plan to
activate Clare Island for the forthcoming IOTA Contest
which takes place on 25-26 July.
The callsign EJ1DD will be used in a '100 watt DXpedition' entry and the IOTA reference is EU-121.
QSL information is via EI7CC.
Operators will be EI2CA, EI5DI, EI6EW, EI7CC, EI7CD,
EI8BP and EI8CE.
Look for activity also from the individual operators using the EJ prefix between 23-27 July.
What's following the International Space Station?
Sky watchers are reporting a 'mysterious satellite' following the International Space Station (ISS). It trails the ISS by about one minute, relatively faint, but definitely there, says a report in today's Spaceweather.com.
Mystery solved:
The follower is Progress 33, a Russian supply ship.
On July 12th, it will come within meters of the space station to test a new automated docking system.
Check the Simple Satellite Tracker for flyby times and get two spaceships for the price of one: http://spaceweather.com/flybys
8 Jul 2009
Google Unveils a PC Operating System
I came across this news earlier and it makes me wonder about the future of technology!
In a direct challenge to Microsoft, Google announced late Tuesday that it is developing an operating system for PCs based on its Chrome Web browser.
In a direct challenge to Microsoft, Google announced late Tuesday that it is developing an operating system for PCs based on its Chrome Web browser.
The move sharpens the already intense competition between Google and Microsoft, whose Windows operating system controls the basic functions of the vast majority of personal computers.
In a post on its company blog, Google said the operating system would initially be aimed at netbooks, the compact, low-cost computers that have turned the PC world on its head. It said the open-source software, called Chrome OS, would be available in the second half of next year.
“Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS,” the blog post said. “We’re designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the Web in a few seconds.”
Google has already developed an operating system for mobile phones, called Android. And several manufacturers of netbooks are also using that software.
Google has long promoted a vision of computing in which applications delivered over the Web play an increasingly central role, replacing software that runs on the desktop. In that world, applications run directly inside an Internet browser, rather than atop an operating system, the traditional software that controls most of the operations of a PC.
Last year, the company released the Chrome browser, which it described as a tool for users to interact with increasingly powerful Web programs, like Gmail and Google Docs, along with Web applications created by other companies. Since then, Google has been adding capabilities to Chrome, like allowing it to run applications even when a user is not connected to the Internet.
It is not clear how much work it would take for Google to turn Chrome into the central part of a full-fledged operating system. But in a recent interview, Marc Andreessen, who developed the first commercial browser and co-founded Netscape, said Chrome was already well along that path.
“Chrome is basically a modern operating system,” Mr. Andreessen said.
Google has also long customized a version of the Linux operating system for use internally.
The rise of netbooks has started to challenge some of Microsoft’s dominance in personal computing software. The first wave of netbooks relied on various versions of the open-source Linux operating system, and major PC makers like Hewlett-Packard and Dell have backed the Linux software.
In an unusual move, Intel, the world’s largest chip maker, has worked on developing a Linux-based operating system called Moblin as well.
The company has aimed the software at netbooks and smartphones in a bid to spur interest for its mobile device chip sold under the Atom brand.
To combat these efforts, Microsoft began offering its older Windows XP operating system for use on netbooks at a low price. In addition, the company has vowed that the next generation of Windows, Windows 7, due out this fall, will run well on the tiny laptops.
Netbooks have stood out as the brightest part of the PC market during the global economic downturn. Over all, PC sales have plummeted, while netbook sales have surged.
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