First contact on the 40 MHz band between Ireland and South Africa - 21st April 2022

Congratulations to Phil, EI9KP, for a remarkable contact on the 8m band.

The following is a quote from John's website at www.ei7gl.blogspot.com.

"A little bit of radio history was made on the 21st of April 2022 with the first contact ever between Ireland and South Africa on the 40 MHz band. Phil, EI9KP in the west of Ireland, managed to complete two-way contacts with Jan, ZS6OB in South Africa on 40.680 MHz using the FT8 and FT4 modes, a distance of about 9,570 km. EI9KP writes: "For me, a first band opening to South Africa, logged ZS6OB from 1044z till 1420z. To my delight, we managed a 2-way contact on 40.680MHz using FT8 and FT4 modes." EI9KP used 25-watts from an ICOM IC-7300 to a homebrew 2-element Yagi for the 8m band. ZS6OB used in the region of 30-50 watts."

40 MHz use in the UK

The RSGB has consulted Ofcom regarding the status of the so-called "Innovation and Trial" licences, covering 40-42 Mhz and frequencies around 70 and 146 MHz. It permits me to use 40-42MHz with digital modes (including CW) at 5W ERP max. Applicants for these licenses are not required to have passed an amateur exam or hold a call sign. These "Research and Innovation" permits are issued for up to 12 months on a non-interference, no protection and non-operational basis. Ofcom reiterated that there is no likelihood of UK Radio Amateurs gaining an allocation in the 40 MHz band any time soon. However, a small number of UK hams experiment on the 8m band using this type of license. There is a detailed review of these activities on the website of John, EI7GL at ei7gl.blogspot.com. John's website has become the authoritative source of thoroughly researched and well-presented
information about activities and experiments above 30MHz for serious VHF/UHF/SHF DXers and experimenters. Have a look at www.ei7gl.blogspot.com

4M / 70Mhz IRTS Radio News Service

The East Leinster Amateur Radio Club (ELARC) will continue the portable nature of the station and will be transmitting this week's news on 4m from the hills outside Skerries County Dublin.

Date: Sunday 3 April 2022
Time: 1030am local time
Frequency: 70.400 Mhz

The club will be putting out a few radio check calls from 1015am on 70.400 using the callsign of EI 0 EL

This location has given good coverage into Louth, Meath, Westmeath, Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare in the past. So keep an ear out!