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{Tony Breathnach}

{EI5EM logo}

About Myself

Thank you for visiting my page. Allow me introduce myself. My name is Tony Breathnach. I live in Dublin, the capital city of Ireland. One of my hobbies is Amateur Radio (also known as Ham Radio). I hold the Radio Callsign EI5EM since 1980. I am particularly interested in QRP (low power) operation,especially Morse Code (CW), and constructing my own equipment. A photograph of me in my radio shack is on this page also.Click here to see my home built radio equipment. I can be contacted on the internet. My E-mail address is t_breathnach@hotmail.com I can also be contacted by post at:- EI5EM, P.O. Box 462, Dublin 9, Ireland.

Details of my transceiver

Amateur Radio

Amateur radio is the use of radio as a hobby. It is a hobby of training in radio theory, and of radio experimentation. All radio amateurs have a distinctive callsign issued to them by the appropriate authority in their own country. Mine is EI5EM. All callsigns issued in Ireland have the prefix EI. The allocation of prefixes is agreed internationally. In order to be issued with a callsign, all amateurs must pass a basic radio theory and radio regulations examination. In addition they must pass a test in sending and receiving CW (Morse Code) at about twelve words per minute. This involves some study and dedication, however there are many books, audio and video tapes, and computer programs available to help in achieving the required standard. In addition there are many amateur radio clubs where classes are held for aspiring amateurs.

The IARU, (International Amateur Radio Union), which is a member of the ITU, (International Telecommunications Union), is the international umbrella union representing amateurs at conferences and negotiations. National societies are affiliated to the IARU. In Ireland the national society is the IRTS, (Irish Radio Transmitters' Society). Support of one's national society is important for amateurs. Most clubs are also affiliated to the national societies.

Amateurs operate on bands internationally agreed for their use. There are many modes of operation. The oldest, and original mode used by Marconi is CW, also known as Morse Code, or wireless telegraphy. As radio developed, voice transmission became a reality. This is known as wireless telephony. Other modes are also used by amateurs. These include television, radio teletype (rtty), and more recently, with the coming of computers, data modes. There are also amateur satellites in space, amateurs can use these as relay stations and extend their signal coverage beyond what would be normal by ground waves. So you can see that it is a constantly developing hobby at the frontiers of technology.

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Irish Radio Transmitters' Society (IRTS)

The IRTS is the National Society in Ireland for Amateurs. It traces its origins back to 1913, when The Dublin Wireless Club was founded. In 1925 the DWC merged with the Radio Association of Ireland to become The Wireless Society of Ireland. Towards the end of the 1920s the members of the WSI holding transmitting licences decided to form their own society. As a result of this The IRTS was formed in 1932. The IRTS was one of the founding members of Region 1 of the IARU, the international body. J.M.C. Dennis became the first president of IRTS. His original callsign was DNX. Later he was issued with EI2B. His wireless station established in County Wicklow in 1898 was the first non-professional, i.e. Amateur station in the world. The IRTS negotiates with the Irish licencing authority on behalf of Amateurs. The Society also carries out Morse testing on behalf of the Department. It also represents Irish amateurs at international conferences. The Society can be contacted at the following address IRTS, Post Office Box 462, Dublin 9, Ireland. The IRTS homepage is at at http://www.irts.ie.

If you would like a weekly copy of the IRTS news, please send an E-Mail to jbarry@imbolc.ucc.ie

If you would like any information on amateur radio in Ireland, or on how to obtain a temporary Irish licence, then please contact Susan Bergin at the Office of the Director of Telecommunications, Irish Life Centre, Abbey St.,Dublin 1. The telephone number is +353-1-8049600, or FAX +353-1-8049680.

***CEPT licences are valid in Ireland***

Click on the link below for information on the type of equipment that radio amateurs use.
Amateur Radio Equipment.

For information on Morse Code click on the link below.

Morse Code

QRP Operation

QRP is a radio code word meaning "reduce power". QRP operation is the use of low power radio equipment. Most QRP operators build their own equipment either from their own, or published designs or kits. The use of low power also means that the QRP operator must become more skilled at his craft, in order to compete with the high power stations. A skilled QRP operator derives satisfaction from using the lowest power possible to make contact. If the equipment is home built, this adds further satisfaction. There is no doubt that a QRP operator using one Watt from his home made gear will derive much more satisfaction from a contact than the operator of a 1000 Watt off the shelf state of the art commercial setup. In many ways QRP has been the saviour of the true spirit of the hobby.

The increasing interest in this facet of the hobby has led to the formation of clubs and societies dedicated to QRP operation. It has been generally agreed that the definition of QRP is power outputs below five Watts. However many operators operate at below one Watt. I am member number 3347 of The G-QRP Club in England. A link to the club is listed later. The club publishes handbooks on QRP, it also has a periodical called SPRAT, which is printed four times per year. The address is 498 Manchester Rd., Rochdale, Lancs, OL11 3HE, England.

Another QRP club is QRP ARCI in the USA. The philosophy of this club is "Power is no substitute for skill". The address is P.O. Box 12072, Capitol Station, Austin, TX 78711, USA. The ARRL is also a supporter of the QRP philosophy, and also publishes QRP books. The ARRL can be contacted at 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111, USA. You should be able to contact these by links on this page.

QRP equipment

By being low power, QRP equipment is less expensive than commercial gear. This should not lead one to thinking that QRP gear is second rate. In fact far from it, QRP equipment can be optimised and customised for the operator, and can in many cases surpasses commercial gear. These days many integrated circuit packages allow the home constructor access to much very sophisticated circuitry on a chip. Many of these devices are inexpensive, and so can be substituted by other similar devices for experimentation and optimisation. The true amateur spirit has been restored !!

Many QRP operators use the Morse Code (CW). CW equipment is easier to design and build. However, this is not the only reason. CW is much more intelligible under marginal conditions than voice. Therefore the chances of making a contact using low power levels is more likely using CW. But by no means is all QRP operation CW; there is much voice or phone activity also.

As mentioned earlier, there are many excellent QRP kits available also, as well as fully assembled equipment. Among these are Kanga, Lake Electronics, and Howes. In addition to being educational, QRP is great fun. Click on the image below to go to KANGA's website.

Follow this link to "The Direct Conversion (DC) Receiver".

The Direct Conversion (DC) Receiver.

EI5EM's QRP gear

In the photograph of my radio shack you can perhaps see me operating some QRP gear. All of this is home made. I operate CW on the 40 Metre (7 MHz.) band using a direct conversion transceiver with an output power of one Watt. I also have an amplifier, which can increase the power level up to 12 Watts if necessary. The power supply unit (PSU) in the photograph can supply 10 Amps at any voltage between 3 and 15 Volts. The antenna tuning unit (ATU)/ standing wave ratio meter (SWR) is in the one container, and can accommodate balanced or unbalanced feeders. I use a dipole antenna 23 metres long, fed with twin feeder. I am currently working on a 30 Metre (10.1 MHz.) direct conversion transceiver. This will have a variable power level of up to 10 Watts. I have all the electronics built, but I have yet to case it. I hope to be active on this band soon. In the background you can see my commercial Icom IC720A rig, and the 25 Amp power supply which I built for it. Since I got hooked on QRP, I seldom use the IC720A.

Click to see my QRP Rig

QSL Cards

In the early experimental days of radio, it was usual to confirm a contact in writing. The written confirmation was called a QSL. QSLs became prized objects, especially when the contact concerned was with a distant or remote location. Many awards and competitions began to take place. To claim such awards it became necessary to submit QSL cards to prove entitlement, and as proof of making the contacts . The tradition continues to this day. Cards are not usually mailed, but rather sent in bulk from one national society to another. If an operator is a member of his national society, he can use this system. Cards take a long time to arrive, but the system is much much cheaper than posting. Below is an image of my QSL.