IRTS Radio News for Sunday, 8th January 1995, compiled by Steve Wright EI5DD in conjunction with the members of the Galway VHF Group. SILENT KEY: WILLIE EI2I ----------------------- It is with deep regret that we learned of the death of Willie Scully EI2I on 1st January. With his death amateur radio, particularly in the Northeast, has lost one of its great experimenters and characters. Bill, as he was better known, was a Cavan man who spent most of his life in Dundalk where he worked with the Great Northern Railway, later to become CIE, until his retirement some years ago. He was one of the pioneers of amateur radio in Dundalk, and as a self taught amateur obtained his licence in 1952, became a founder member, and later president, of the Dundalk Amateur Radio Society, a post which he held for several years. He was one of the founders of the EI/GI Convention in Ballymascanlon, of which he was treasurer up to the time of his death. Bill was a keen experimenter and constructor, a keen and accomplished CW operator and he took a great interest in helping others to get their amateur licences. He organised classes under Hugh McGivern EI6BY and Larry McGriskin EI9CN in the 1970s, and many amateurs came to his house to learn CW from him. He represented the Dundalk Amateur Radio Society on the IRTS committee for a number of years and was also organiser of Region 7 IRTS. He was a great rag-chewer from his earliest days on the Shamrock Net, and his many pranks are legendary. He will be particularly missed by Jack EI4AN, George EI6S and Paddy EI7BS, as well as by Mike EI5GG and Gene EI3K, all regular callers to Bernadette and himself. Willie and Bernadette always had a welcome for his amateur friends, and Bernadette accompanied him to many radio functions around the country. To her we extend our deepest sympathy. May he rest in peace. PRESIDENTS NEW YEAR MESSAGE ---------------------------- The President of the IRTS, Jim Ryan EI3DP, takes this opportunity on behalf of his fellow Officers and the Committee to wish all amateurs, experimenters and SWLs and their families a very happy and prosperous new year. He would like to pay tribute to all those whose work keeps the radio news service on air every week. Special thanks are due to the newsreaders on HF, VHF, FM, CW, RTTY and SSB, and to Steve Wright EI5DD who has the all but impossible job of producing a script every week. Thanks also to those who submit material, and Jim makes a special appeal for more support for Steve, especially from club officers. He pays tribute also to all those who support the other activities provided by the society operating so efficiently. EAST CORK DINNER ---------------- A very successful dinner was held by by the East Cork amateurs at Water Rock House, Midleton, on 14 December. A new award, sponsored by the Trustee Savings Bank and called "One of our Own", was presented to John Barry EI7DNB for his outstanding work in introducing Packet Cluster to the Cork area. John has invested a great deal of time, energy and money in providing this service to his fellow amateurs and is an example to all of us by his unselfish work. The fifty people who attended the dinner enjoyed a very sociable evening, and many new friendships were formed in the process. NEWS FROM DOWN UNDER -------------------- We are glad to report that Tim Jones EI4HI, formerly of Waterford, has settled in at his new home in Perth and has got an Australian call sign, VK6ZW. Tim reports hearing many G stations on the HF bands but has still to hear an EI. He is hoping to arrange skeds with EIs in the near future. He had a bit of a struggle to get the licence, and wishes to thank Peggy Connolly of the Department of communications for her help and also the officers of IRTS who helped him with his application. Tim wishes all his friends in Ireland a very happy new year and looks forward to many contacts on packet or on HF soon. SDR SPRING CHALLENGE -------------------- If you feel like some HF operating, why not enter the South Dublin Radio Club Spring Challenge? It's a leisurely form of contest, designed to encourage amateurs to activate the bands during the month of February. Full details of the Challenge are given on page 20 of the 1994 IRTS Handbook. In a nutshell, the object is to see who can work the most DXCC countries on HF during the month. Each country worked on each band at any time from 1st February counts as one point. Entry is free, and the results will be announced in April. As well as the Open Section covering all HF bands and modes, there is a Restricted Section for CW only operation on one band only. A Trophy will be presented at the IRTS AGM in April to the winner of each section. Entry is open to all "A" licensees in EI and GI. ITEMS FOR INCLUSION ------------------- Items for inclusion in the radio news bulletins should be addressed to Steve Wright, c/o Department of Pathology, Regional Hospital, Galway. Fax messages may be sent to EI5DD at 091-24216. All such items will be forwarded to Dave Moore EI4BZ for inclusion in the printed news. items for the printed newsletter only should be sent direct to Dave at QTHr, or phoned to 021-632444 (daytime) or 021-883555 (evenings). Items may be sent by packet to EI4BZ at EI7DKB-5, or by fax to 021-632730.