DX News
The big DX news over the past week has been the
Desecheo Island operation, call sign K5D. As the 3rd
most needed DXCC entity for Europeans, Desecheo has
been much sought after. At the time of writing, K5D has
more than 60,000 QSOs in the log, including many EI
stations. EIs have been logged on all bands from 15
metres to top band. The DXpedition continues for
another few days.
Logs have been uploaded and can be checked at
www.logsearch.de follow the link to the K5D log.
Radio Rallies
Rallies during March include the Radio Hobbies and
Electronics Fair in the Limerick Radisson SAS Hotel on
Sunday 8th March, The Lagan Valley Amateur Radio
Society Rally in Hillsborough, Co. Down on Saturday
14th March and the Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club Rally
in Lisnaskea, Co. Fermanagh on Sunday 29th March.
The big event in April is the IRTS AGM Weekend, on
Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th April. This takes place
in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel, Athlone. Weekend events
include the IRTS Annual Dinner, a Radio Rally and the
IRTS Annual General Meeting.
More details of these events are also available on the IRTS web site
at www.irts.ie/rallies
IRTS / COMREG MEETING
A very constructive meeting took place between representatives of ComReg and IRTS
on Thursday, 12 February. The Society was represented
by Paul EI2CA, Seán EI4GK and Seán EI7CD.The meeting
covered the following wide range of issues.
Lifetime Licences
The necessary revisions to the Regulations to give
effect to lifetime licences have been completed and the
target commencement date is 20 April next. Renewals
after that date will be invoiced with the €30 lifetime
licence fee and a lifetime licence will be issued. New
applicants after that date,including those who have let
their call signs lapse, will pay a fee of €100
Consideration is being given to accepting renewal
applications under the existing arrangements up to a
date in the relatively near future. This would also
allow those who have lost their original call signs a
once off opportunity to apply for their re-instatement.
If this is agreed, we will bring you the details as
soon as we can.
5 MHz
The present permits will expire on the expiry date of
the associated licence and an application will be
required for continuance.
This can take the form of a letter sent to ComReg at
the time of the payment of the licence fee. An
application on the appropriate ComReg form will only be
required where a variation in the terms of the original
permit is being sought.
Additional Power
No general increase in power levels is to be granted
for the present.
It was agreed that the Society would make an
application for a general increase in power for the
duration of a list of specified International Contests.
For special event stations or for particular
experiments it is proposed that above a certain power
threshold (which has yet to be defined by ComReg) then
the Test and Trial licence provisions will apply.
Maritime Mobile
Any operation on water requires an application to
ComReg.
If it is clear from the application that operation
will be on a river or lake and the maritime mobile
would not be appropriate then the permission will be
for /M and not /MM.
Application for all of the recognised bands at present
power levels may be made. The actual bands and power
level granted will depend on consultation, where
considered necessary, with the Department of Transport
which is responsible for maritime safety.
Representation
It is accepted that IRTS has a role in representing the
views of experimenters and due weight will be given to
its view. A formal meeting will be held at least once a
year between ComReg and IRTS. Other meetings can be
held if necessary.
Agreed that IRTS review existing ComReg published
documentation in the light of the necessity to revise
some of this in the context of lifelong licences.
500 kHz
The general position of ComReg is that it will consider
the allocation of spectrum around 500 kHz on the basis
of a common European position.
However, in the light of developments internationally
on 500 kHz, it was agreed that a limited number of
permissions would be granted here.
This will be achieved by a Test and Trial licence
issued to IRTS under which a limited number of
experimenters, both members and non-members of IRTS,
would be granted permission to operate on 500 kHz.
The detailed arrangements have to be worked out and we
will keep you informed of developments.
7 and 10 MHz
The segment 7100 to 7200 kHz will be upgraded to
‘amateur primary’ with effect from 29 March next.
Also at that time the modes on 10 MHz will be revised
to permit modes with bandwidths of less than 500 Hz to
be used above 10140 kHz.
3400 to 3410 MHz
ComReg is not prepared to grant facilities to
experimenters in this band.
Automated Stations
Licences will issue shortly for repeaters on the basis
of the call sign formats set out in ComReg document
08/58R of 6 October. This is available on the ComReg
website at www.comreg.ie
Consideration is being given to leaving the call signs
of the beacon stations as they are at present.
The society would like to thank the officials in ComReg
Licensing Operations for their constructive approach to
this meeting which resulted in significant progress on
a range of issues of interest to experimenters
generally.
I personally would like to thank the IRTS and ComReg for having this
significant meeting, as always the IRTS gives the likes of me, an experimenter, a strong voice in the Amateur Radio community.
Thanks Gentlemen,
EI5IX - Pat
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