Change of 40M WAI Frequency

It was deceided at the recent IRTS Committee Meeting to
Change the Worked All Ireland Frequencey from 7.068 to 7.170

The W.A.I. awards are open to all amateurs and short wave listeners
throughout, the world, who wish to participate. Membership
of any specific organisation is not pre-requisite.

The aim of the awards scheme is:
To expand the geographical knowledge of Ireland and its offshore
islands.

1) To encourage activity in general and promote mobile and
portable expedition activity on both LF and VHF bands.

2) To encourage amateurs and Shortwave Listeners to improve
their operating skills by participating in or running W.A.I. Nets.

Listen To Ham Radio Online With WebSDR

Have you tried to find links to listen to ham radio online lately? How many promising links have you found to be "dead links"? Too many, huh!

The links below will actually take you to sites where you can listen to amateur radio communicating with each other around the world.

The "live" links will let you hear ham radio operators using every imaginable mode of communication... SSB, FM and AM voice, RTTY, SSTV. The list of modes is nearly endless because new ones are experimented with regularly.

WebSDR (Web Software Defined Radio Systems) let many users simultaneously tune the SDR to different frequencies to listen to.

• EME (Earth-Moon-Earth) 3cm signals using a 25 m dish in Dwingeloo, Drenthe, Netherlands.
• PA3WEG in Delft, NL - VLF and 70 cm bands.
• K7UEB (KL7NA op.) -20m band signals from a WebSDR located in Walla Walla University, in College Place, Washington, USA
• PI4THT - 80m, 40m, 20m band signals from Amateur Radio Club of University Of Twente, Enschede, NL.
• W4MQ Internet Remote Base - lets you tune and listen to ham radio signals anywhere from the 160m band right up to the 70 cm band! It is located in Reston, Virginia on the East Coast of the USA.

Sun's 'quiet period' explained from BBC News

The Sun's conveyor transports plasma across its surface to the pole, where it sinks before rising at the equator
Solar physicists may have discovered why the Sun recently experienced a prolonged period of weak activity.

The most recent so-called "solar minimum" occurred in December 2008.

Its drawn-out nature extended the total length of the last solar cycle - the repeating cycle of the Sun's activity - to 12.6 years, making it the longest in almost 200 years.

During a solar minimum the Sun is less active, producing fewer sunspots and flares.

The new research suggests that the longer-than-expected period of weak activity may have been linked to changes in the way a hot soup of charged particles called plasma circulated in the Sun.

The study, conducted by Dr Mausumi Dikpati of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado and her US colleagues, is published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

The Sun's activity strengthens and weakens on a cycle that typically lasts 10.7 years. Since accurate records began in 1755, there have been 24 such solar cycles.

The 23rd cycle, which ended in December 2008, was both longer than average and had the smallest number of sunspots for a century. Sunspots are areas of intense magnetic activity that are visible as dark spots on the star's surface.

Currents of fire

The new research suggests that one reason for the prolonged period of weak activity could be changes in the Sun's "conveyor belt".

Similar to the Earth's ocean currents, the Sun's conveyor transports plasma across its surface to the pole. Here, the plasma sinks into the heart of the Sun before rising again at the equator.

During the 23rd cycle, these currents of fire extended all the way to the poles, while in earlier cycles they only extended about two thirds of the way.

Dr Roger Ulrich of the University of California, Los Angeles, a co-author of the study, said the findings highlighted the importance of our monitoring of the Sun.

The research team used sophisticated computer simulations to show how changes in the conveyor might have affected cycle duration. They found that the increased length of the conveyor and its slower rate of return flow explained the prolonged 23rd cycle.

However, Dr David Hathaway, a solar physicist from Nasa's Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, who was not involved in the latest study, argued that it was the speed and not the extent of the conveyor that was of real importance.

The conveyor has been running at record high-speeds for over five years. Dr Hathaway said: "I believe this could explain the unusually deep solar minimum."

BBC © 2010


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone - 73's DE EI5IX

Active Sun Could Cause Havoc on Earth

Right now, a giant solar shock wave is heading to Earth bringing with it an electromagnetic force set to light up the night sky, according to The Telegraph.

4m Beacon

As of 12:00 UTC May 3rd, a Radio Science E-Skip propagation beacon has been activated from the eastern coast of North America. QRG is 70.005MHz.
ERP is currently 3kW aimed at the EU.

The beacon is scheduled to run 24 hours a day until September 1st unless there are technical issues precluding that. The beacon is non-Amateur and sadly no 2-way QSOs could take place.
Any and all reception reports via e-mail to: wa1zms@att.net


Anyone fancy a trip to Mozambique in October?

David, GI4FUM is running an amateur radio DXpedition to Bilene which is a costal resort on the Indian Ocean150km north of Maputu. The Group will fly out from Heathrow on 13th October to Johannesburg and drive upto Mozambique.

The Group plans to run a station forJamboree on the Air with local scouts on the weekend of16th/17th October and will also enter a station forCQWW SSB over the weekend of 30th/31st October.

There will be plenty of opportunity for individuals to operate under their own C91 callsigns and if youfancy sun bathing on an Indian Ocean beach in late African spring there will be plenty of opportunity for that too.

There are a few places on the team still available. If you want further details check out the CQ-DX African Safaris web site at http://www.3da0ss.net/index.htm

Satellite views of Iceland volcano

This Week in Amateur Radio - Sending Amateur Radio signals to the Moon and back has never been easy. After roundtrip journeys of nearly half a million miles, even the most powerful signals generated by hams are exquisitely weak on arrival. Because of the equipment and expertise necessary for successful "moonbounce" operating, this facet of Amateur Radio has been traditionally confined to a small audience. But for three days in April even hams with very modest stations will have the opportunity to experience the thrill of moonbounce, thanks to the giant radio telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.


Joe Taylor, K1JT -- along with the Arecibo Observatory Radio Club, KP4AO -- will be on the air running 400 W to the telescope's 1000 foot antenna. Their scheduled times of operation are 1645-1930 on April 16, 1740-2020 on April 17 and 1840-2125 on April 18 (all times UTC). They will be using the call sign KP4AO and operating SSB, CW and the JT65B digital mode developed by Taylor. They will be transmitting at 432.045 MHz and listening for stations between 432.050 and 432.060 MHz.


If you make contact, send your QSL -- along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope -- to the KP4AO QSL manager: Joseph Arcure, W3HNK, 115 Buck Run Rd, Lincoln University, PA 19352.




73's

EI5IX

EchoLink on the Iphone

EchoLink software allows licensed Amateur Radio stations to communicate with one another over the Internet, using streaming-audio technology. The program allows worldwide connections to be made between stations, or from computer to station, greatly enhancing Amateur Radio's communications capabilities. There are more than 200,000 validated users worldwide — in 162 of the world's 193 nations — with about 5,000 online at any given time.

The system allows reliable worldwide connections to be made between radio amateurs, greatly enhancing Amateur Radio's communications capabilities. In essence it is the same as other VoIP applications (such as Skype), but with the unique addition of the ability to link to an amateur radio station's transceiver.

A new application is now available that allows radio amateurs to use the EchoLink system from their iPhone or iPod.
I recently downloaded an EchoLink app onto my Iphone an am having alot of fun with it, connecting to repeaters an stations at home in Ireland an also stations around the world. The application is free to download and all you have to do is download the software for your PC. Before using the system it is necessary for a prospective user's callsign to be validated. The EchoLink system requires that each new user provide positive proof of license and identity before his or her callsign is added to the list of validated users.

You can use this app to connect to the EchoLink system from almost anywhere, using either an iPhone or an iPod touch. (For an iPod touch, you will need to plug in earphones with a microphone, even if you only plan to listen; this limitation will be addressed in a future release.)

iPhone users can use either a WiFi or 3G (cellular) Internet connection.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/echolink/
id350688562?mt=8#


Other Highly recomended are the following websites;

http://www.echolink.org/

http://www.echoireland.com/

http://www.echoaddons.com/

http://www.echoproducer.com/

Hope to come across you online I am signed in most of the time!

73's




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone - 73's DE EI5IX

Happy New Year

Hey I would like to wish every one who views my site a happy and prosperious 2010, it's been too long since I updated this site. I made a new years resoultion to update more often from now on, actually I have no excuse really because now I have it at my finger tips with this wonderful little app from BlogPress on the iPhone.

Okay what have I been up to over the last while, well I have moved to London in the UK and started my new role over here with a company called Arqiva (http://www.arqiva.com/) who operates at the heart of the broadcast and mobile communications industry and at the forefront of network solutions. The company provides much of the infrastructure behind television, radio and wireless communications throughout the UK, Ireland, mainland Europe and the USA. I work in the satellite and media department for our clients ESPN.

Here are some photos of our uplink and downlink dishes;

Some Uplink Dishes

Some Up & Downlink dishes

As I'm sure everyone is aware by now through various news reports it is freezing here in the UK actually lastnight was supposed to be the lowest recorded temperature in years close to -21 in parts of Scotland and down in London it was -9 where I live so the words birrrrrrr come to mind!

Back to things more to do with Radio, unfortunatly I don't have a setup as of yet over here but I'm working on that as I'm thinking HF is out of the equation especially with noise levels over here so i'm looking down the road of remote, or VHF / UHF. I actually came across a very interesting article by Ulf Larsson SM0LCB / SM7LBC in a free online Amateur radio magazine which is in the links below under HAM MAG.

I found this article very interesting because of the simplicity of the system, which i didn't realise how easy it actually is to be able to set up a remote system, I could avail of the antennas and radio at the Home QTH and never miss that rare DX.
I will research into this more and update my findings here.

I really miss being active on the airwaves so piority is get set up over here on VHF/UHF and go from there. Hope to hear you on the air soon.

Till next time and hopefully it won't be as long all the best and mind yourself!
73's


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

AND WERE BACK!!!!

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

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.

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

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/

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.

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

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/

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/

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

Even if the sky may not be totally clear, you can expect to see tens of meteors in the sky from all over Europe. The display will be on all night, starting from about 23:00 CEST on 12 August, peaking before sunrise on the 13th. This year, as a bonus, Mars is visible as a bright red dot in the East, after midnight.

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.

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.