On Tuesday the 6th of December 2016 last, members of the Tipperary Amateur Radio Group met at The Park Hotel in Clonmel at 8pm for their  Annual General Meeting. This was a well attended meeting with group members travelling from Countys Kilkenny, Waterford and Cork joining their County Tipperary based colleagues.

Hugh EI2HI  chaired this very productive meeting with John EI7IG reading the minutes from last years AGM. The group treasurer Thomas EI2IT reported a healthy financial situation for the  radio group which was formed in October 1994.  A review of the year and the group activities was then discussed at length as well as the installation of the Groups new UHF Repeater EI7HXR on 430.850MHz which went on air recently from Harney’s Cross near Clonmel.

Particular praise was given to Eddie EI3FFB who over the last number of years had read the weekly IRTS news every Sunday evening at 8.30pm on 145.450mhz FM. His efforts were very much appreciated.

Tommy EI2IT and Ronan EI4KN have taken over from Eddie as the weekly news readers which will continue on 145.450mhz as well as on the EI7HXR repeater at 8.30pm every Sunday.  The new incoming committee was then elected and it was agreed that the venue for all group meetings in 2017 will continue to be held at The Park Hotel, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.  Paul EI3ENB will continue as the Group QSL Manager and Seamus EI8EPB as Group Technical Advisor. The meeting concluded at 11pm when Hugh EI2HI thanked all for their input and attendance.

The new committee was elected as follows:-

• Chairman – Hugh O’Donnell, EI2HI
• Vice Chairman – Andy Jay, EI5JF
• Secretary – John Ronan, EI7IG
• Treasurer – Thomas Hallinan, EI2IT
• Group PRO – Ronan Daly, EI4KN

A new 70cm repeater EI7HXR was installed last Sunday the 4th of December 2016 at Harneys Cross near Clonmel, Co Tipperary. The repeater operates on 430.850mhz and input on 438.450MHz (+7.6mhz) with a CTCSS  tone of 103.5Hz required.

This new repeater is licenced and run by the Tipperary  Amateur Radio Group. It is connected to the Southern Ireland Repeater Network with an output power of approximately 30 Watts.

On site for the Installation were Gareth EI7FZB, Neil EI3JE, John EI8JA, Tommy EI2IT, John EI7IG and Hugh EI2HI. For further information about this repeater or the Southern Ireland Repeater Network go to https://sirnrepeaters.blogspot.ie.  Reception reports can be sent to Hugh EI2HI or John EI8JA.

The Annual General Meeting of the Tipperary Amatuer Radio Group will be held at The Park Hotel, Clonmel on Tuesday the 6th of December 2016 at 8pm. This is the most important meeting of the calender year and all group members are asked to attend. Short Wave Listeners are in particular very welcome. A number of radio related topics are up for discussion as well as plans for participation in up coming events for 2017.