This evening, Wednesday November 4, Fermanagh's radio amateurs will test equipment at the winter season's first meeting of the Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club at 8.00pm in the Railway Hotel.

Members and visitors, who are very welcome, will bring amateur radio receivers to measure their sensitivity to wireless signals using special equipment, and discuss the outcome.

Amateur Radio is a world-wide body with call signs licensed by national authorities in line with international agreements.

For over 30 years, local amateurs have been on-air, by voice or Morse code, with others in these islands, Europe and world-wide. The Club's latest success, Fermanagh's mobile repeater station, is used by a growing body of amateurs travelling in this and surrounding counties in Northern Ireland and the Republic.

With almost 20 members, Lough Erne ARC's plans include another training course and examination for the Foundation Radio Amateur Licence, key to the growing membership of this technical hobby, special stations, similar to last May's success at Marble Arch Caves, with contacts as far as Australia, and on 11 April 2010, the Club's famous radio rally at SHARE which has brought many hundreds of visitors from North and South since the first in 1982.

At October's AGM, Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club elected a new Committee - Chairman Michael Clarke, call sign Mi5MTC, Vice Chairman, Chriss Morton 2i0NIE, Ivan Humphreys Gi8WJN, Secretary, Herbie Graham Gi6JPO, Treasurer, and members Iain Gibb Mi3GHY, Rally Organiser, Alan Gault Gi6PYP, past Secretary and Jerry McLernan MI3GHW past Chairman.

Anyone interested in trying amateur radio, or in taking the Foundation licence course and examination, please contact the course tutors, Alan Gault Gi6PYP, telephone 6634-1108 or Michael Clarke Mi5MTC, 6862-1436.