17 Apr 2011

An Astronaut and a Robot seen from Earth

Ralf Vandebergh has made available a remarkable picture he took showing Astronaut Steve Bowen and the Robot Dextre on the ISS.



The picture and description can be seen at


http://www.startje.be//vieuw.php?qid=375025

BBC World Service is 'all-important'

Richard Ottaway, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, explains the value of the World Service to the UK



The interview was broadcast on the Radio 4 Today show on Wednesday, April 13 and you can hear it at


http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9456000/9456338.stm



BBC World Service 'should not be cut'


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13049816

Ofcom to Issue Special Temporary Call Signs for Royal Wedding

If you are a prefix hunter -- or you just get caught up in the pageantry that a Royal Wedding can bring -- then take note: Ofcom, at the request of the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), will issue special temporary call signs that British amateurs may use from April 29 through May 9, 2011, commemorating the marriage of HRH Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton. Amateurs in the United Kingdom who choose to apply for these special call signs will be using GR, MR and 2R prefixes during this time to commemorate the wedding.

14 Apr 2011

International Marconi Day

International Marconi Day takes place this year on Saturday 30th April. In Irelands capital city Dublin The Howth Martello Radio Group will be participating once again as an award station using the call-sign EI0MAR.


This is not a contest but there are several nice awards available for working the officially listed stations, each of which has an historic connection with Marconi. The event is organised by the Cornish Amateur Radio Club. For more information please visit the club's website http://crac.g4usb.net/cracblog/


EI0MAR operates from the Martello Tower overlooking the East Pier in Howth. The tower now houses a vintage radio museum. In 1905 the British Post Office carried out wireless telegraphy experiments at the tower in Howth using Marconi equipment.


Visitors are always welcome at the museum and the group hopes to see many visitors during the IMG event in April. The HMRG's website is http://www.ei0mar.org/ where a free information booklet in PDF format can be downloaded.

Up-Coming IRTS Contests

1. 2m Counties Contest Monday April 25th 2011.
From 2pm till 4pm. Log to be submitted by May 25th.


2. CW Field Day Sat 4th/ Sun 5th June 2011.
Log to be submitted by June 5th.

Calling all active VHF and Higher operators, we are

trying to get the 2010 Squares table finalized on

http://www.irts.ie/. So can anyone that was

active on the VHF bands last year please send your

Square totals or your log to EI2GLB@hotmail.com and he can work it out for you.


To see the squares table please go to http://www.irts.ie/cgi/vhf.cgi

UK Coast Guard Frequency Changes

Two UK Coastguard stations have moved frequency to below 2MHz from April 4th. These changes will be to HMCG MF transmitting frequencies: MRCC Humber - TX on 2226 KHz changed to 1925 KHz MRCC Falmouth - TX on 2226 KHz changed to 1880 KHz