Irish Radio Clubs in ILLW

Galway Amateur Radio Club will be participating in this year's annual International Amateur Radio Lighthouse weekend event. This is the oldest and original International Amateur Radio Lighthouse weekend event.

It is not a competition but a fun weekend for all involved. This year's event runs from 17-18 August 2013 - duration 48 hours from 0001 UTC 17.8.2013.

Galway Amateur Radio Club will be activating Inis Oirr Island, the smallest of the Aran islands using the call sign EJ4INIS and will have the advantage of being both a lighthouse and an island. We will be ably assisted by some of the members from Shannon Basin Amateur Radio
Club.

We anticipate running at least 2 transceivers and multi mode operation during the weekend...

EI Lighthouses on The Air

The Sun's Magnetic Field Is About To Flip

NASA report something big is about to happen on the sun. According to measurements from NASA-supported observatories, the sun's vast magnetic field is about to flip.

"It looks like we're no more than 3 to 4 months away from a complete field reversal," says solar physicist Todd Hoeksema of Stanford University. "This change will have ripple effects throughout the solar system."

The sun's magnetic field changes polarity approximately every 11 years. It happens at the peak of each solar cycle as the sun's inner magnetic dynamo re-organizes itself. The coming reversal will mark the midpoint of Solar Cycle 24. Half of 'Solar Max' will be behind us, with half yet to come...........


Solar Activity To Come

Youngsters On The Air 2013

Youngsters On The Air 2013

A team of young operators will be representing the Irish Radio Transmitters Society (IRTS) for this year's Youngsters On The Air event in Tartu, Estonia from 5-12 August.

The camp is organised by the Estonian Radio Amateurs Union ERAU, and 15 countries will be represented.

The EI team consists of: Ger McNamara EI4GXB (Team Leader) Lisa Cummins EI9GSB, Caoimhe McNamara EI1650, Jordan Cummins SWL, Kelsey Aspell SWL. A Facebook page has also been setup  https://www.facebook.com/groups/youngstersontheair/

Workshops will be run throughout the week and all aspects of Amateur Radio will be covered. Ger EI4GXB will be delivering the Antenna building workshop.

Young EI Hams On The Air

Lighthouse In The Middle of Australia

Known as a very big island nation, at the geographic centre of Australia and 1,500 kilometres from the coast is Alice Springs, which hosts the famous Henley-On-Todd Regatta each August - albeit on a usually dry river bed.

The Northern Territorians and many visitors take the annual iconic event very seriously with up to 3,000 witnessing the regatta, which began in 1962.

There is an interesting story of how this location, in one of the driest parts of Australia, deserves a registration this year in the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend.

Greg Mair VK8GM explains that with the help of the Henley-On-Todd team, a lighthouse has been built to promote the spirit of amateur radio and lighthouses........

International Lighthouse-Lightship Weekend