This weekend saw the colossus that is the IRTS Hamfest Ireland return for it’s annual outing, spread across Saturday and Sunday 6th/7th September 2025 at the Showground, Mullingar.
I didn’t manage to get out to Mullingar on the Saturday, and if anyone is looking for zillions of snaps, I ended up being preoccupied with a radio experiment (more on that later), so only took two photos. Sorry!
Saturday had a host of talks and demos showcased, including talks on YOTA projects, soldering workshops (shoutout to whoever the guy was wearing a 2600 Quarterly hoodie! 
), an EME demo and loads more.
When I arrived on the Sunday, it was tipping it down. God love the folks who camped out on the fields over the weekend! There was a fair bit going on already but in fairness Sunday was more for the flea market and by the time I arrived a lot of the main bits and pieces were winding down.
Still, there was enough going on and some good representation from radio clubs from all across Ireland. Across in the other field I could see some giant antenna as set up, I heard there was a hamfest contest going on apparently. Also out in the fields there were folks camping with hexbeams and whopper 970 jillion element yagis sending Dragon Ball Z-style fireballs of 2m and 70cm goodness in to the EI skies!
The fleamarket was busy too, with representation from private sellers - some had some absolutely magnificent classic Yaesu’s on show. I would’ve loved to bring home an all-mode VHF/UHF one home. Great to see Long Communications there from Donegal too - please do correct me if wrong, but they are one of if not the sole remaining amateur radio bricks and mortar store in Ireland. Shout out to them for the large spread of goodies for sale, including a variety of Diamknd antennas. No RHM-12 though alas!
There were also stands from Raynet Northern Ireland, IrelandDx (who do DXpedition arrangements), the IRTS and also a SOTA and POTA stand.
I bumped in to Tony (EI5EM), Paraic (EI2LH) and Eamon (EI7LC) and showed them the little CW key I made recently plus my modified Quansheng for 2 and 70 cw. I was hoping to see could I a) test if my PCB modification of the Quansheng had worked and b) try and possibly make some 2 and 70 CW QSO’s.
What started out as a bit of a show and tell quickly turned in to a '“let’s do some 2m and 70cm CW QSO’s!” experiment!
Paraic had brought along his icom ic705 which then dawned on me was able to do 2 and 70 and more importantly, CW on 2 and 70!
Tony had made his own homebrew solid state paddle which we hooked up to the 705. I put my homemade button key in to the Quansheng and we were off and running! A couple of QSO’s on 2 meters CW in the bag and it was on to 70cm.
For 70cm I unleashed ‘El Rey’ aka the Amazon Straight Key Special and hooked it up to the Quannie. El Rey was less latent over my button key which seemed to help with the Quannie’s squelch break way of RX CW somehow. We just took that positive and ran with it!
With a couple of QSO’s for each of us in the bag on 2 and 70, it was great to see folks come up to the stand and ask about CW on the world’s two favourite bands! Special thanks to the three lads for making my VHF/UHF CW day and also for helping my mini headmelter with his PMR radio to make some license-free yappin’ on our little Retevis. It was a great idea pulling out the Uniden to close-call the PMR frequency. It hadn’t dawned on me!
Here’s a snap of the desk we operated at, along with my Quannie and my CW QSO laminated cheat sheet!
Finally, over on the IRTS stand I noticed something rather cool…
On the same stand, just outside of shot, was some great WWII keys. One was taken from a Spitfire! I should’ve taken a photo but wanted to get a shot of the J38!
It was a great day over at IRTS Hamfest. Lots to see and do and people to talk the ears off of about 2 and 70 CW to try and drum up interest and excitement.
On the way to the car park I also bumped in to Leonard (apologies, forgot your call sign!) and Dave aka Irish Ham Radio (EI5IMB) who was parked near myself in the same field. Good to meet them both and to say hello - as well as spread the 270 CW gospel to!
Sorry for the lack of snaps. Maybe I will get more next year or at another event before we wave goodbye to 2025.
I hope you get to visit EI someday or get to do some 270 CW too!
73 DE EI3LH
