As part of National Space Week, Tog Hackerspace in Dublin will be hosting a Radio Experiment Day on Sunday, October 5th, 2025, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
This isn’t a class or formal demonstration — it’s a hands-on day of experimenting, tinkering, and learning together. The focus will be on trying out different ways to receive signals from the ARISS Slow Scan Television (SSTV) event taking place that weekend.
The Space Week SSTV Event, Series 29, will feature six images transmitted from the International Space Station (ISS) on 145.800 MHz (PD120 encoding). Two transmission windows are scheduled:
First Window: Oct 3–4, Start Fri 14:00 UTC, End Sat 10:00 UTC
Second Window: Oct 4–6, Start Sat 11:00 UTC, End Mon (time TBD)
The same set of images will be sent in both windows, so there will be plenty of opportunities to catch them. On the day, we’ll also be calling in to the Dublin-area IRTS news broadcast on 2M, with two especially good ISS passes around 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Everyone is encouraged to bring along their own radios, antennas, and setups — the more variety, the better! Feel free to just drop in, have a chat, and join the fun.
📍 Location: Tog Hackerspace, Unit 1B, Motorcity, Kylemore Rd, Dublin 12, D12 CF6V 🅿️ Lots of free parking available 🔗 More info: https://www.tog.ie
Come join us, meet fellow amateurs, and help us see just how many ISS images we can pull down from space!
This year’s IRTS Hamfest, our member Jeffrey cycled down to Mullingar and wrote this post.
Instead of taking the train or car, I decided to cycle the 95 km from Dublin, following the Grand Canal out to Adamstown, cutting across, and then joining the Royal Canal all the way west.
The journey had its challenges, with closed sections, impassable barriers, and detours that stretched a 10 km road section into 17 km. But there were plenty of highlights too. I love a good bundle, so along the way, I decided to take photos for the Wiki Loves Monuments project, trying to make sure everything on the national monument registry has a photo. That had me stopping at landmarks such as Ballyfermot Bridge and the 12th Lock Bridge, and enjoying a lunch break at the Boyne Viaduct, complete with a battery swap on my e-bike. I was even joined from Leixlip by a fellow club member for the journey.
By late afternoon, I arrived in Mullingar and settled into Hamfest.
Activity at Hamfest
Hamfest this year was buzzing with activity, with a wide range of groups and demonstrations:
Collective Communication Radio Club had their trailer-based mobile station on show. It’s a fantastic setup designed to bring amateur radio right into the heart of communities, complete with HF and VHF/UHF capability, antennas, and a neat operating position. I had a great chat with their members about how they deploy it for outreach events.
The Galway Radio Experimenters Club showcased Morse code trainer kits based on ESP32 boards. These little devices allow budding operators to learn and practise CW with built-in keyers, displays, and sounders with modern microcontrollers helping keep the oldest digital mode alive.
The RAYNET Emergency Communications Group gave a live demonstration of AREDN mesh networking (https://www.arednmesh.org), linking radios into a network carrying VoIP, messaging, and data services. Seeing voice calls and file transfers moving seamlessly over amateur microwave links was a great reminder of the role radio can play in resilience.
The EIDX Group had a stand full of stories and photos from their DXpeditions. They’ve activated rare locations around the world, giving thousands of operators new countries in the log. Their passion for bringing remote places onto the bands was inspiring.
My own club, Tog Hackerspace (https://www.tog.ie), had a stand showing packet radio from Ben (EI9IUB). We had good discussions about how the hackerspace community overlaps with amateur radio with experimentation, DIY builds, and curiosity.
For me, a real highlight was sitting down to do some hands-on soldering. I had people drop in to chat while learning how to solder for the first time, and with others who were more experienced, sharing advanced techniques and discussing why we should all be switching to lead-free solder.
Social Side
Hamfest is not only about radios and equipment, but also about community. On Saturday evening, I joined the YOTA Ireland team and their invited guests. We played games late into the night, before moving on to share stories well past midnight. While there was no campfire this year, we improvised with hot water bottles (thanks to Ana!) to keep warm.
On Sunday morning, the car boot sale was a highlight. After rummaging through the tables, I found an adjustable bench power supply for just €15, a proper bargain, and a reminder that Hamfest always has surprises in store.
The Return Journey
After two full days of activity, it was time to cycle home. I had company on the way down for the chats, and an audiobook kept me going on the solo cycle back. The return trip began under grey skies, with a 45-minute rain shower outside Kilcock. After a battery swap at 54 km, the sun reappeared, and I made good progress along the Royal Canal. I arrived back in Dublin about an hour quicker than on the outbound trip, helped by fewer photo stops and no sit-down lunch.
Thanks also to Ben (EI9IUB) & Conor(EI3020) for bringing down the soldering gear and my tent, which allowed me to cycle bag-free. It made the whole adventure a lot more manageable.
This being the first-ever IRTS Hamfest, it was fantastic to see such a strong turnout, a variety of engaging stands, and plenty of opportunities for learning and socialising. It was a fitting start to what I hope will become a regular highlight of the Irish amateur radio calendar. You can see even more photos of the event in our gallery.
We’re excited to announce that Tog Hackerspace will be taking part in IRTS Hamfest 2025! The Irish Radio Transmitters Society (IRTS) is hosting this year’s Hamfest on Saturday & Sunday, September 6th–7th, 2025, at The Showgrounds, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath (Eircode: N91 HXH0).
Hamfest will be one of the highlights of the amateur radio calendar with a weekend full of hands-on activities, workshops, demonstrations, and plenty of radio fun. Whether you’re a seasoned operator, a newly licensed ham, or just radio-curious, this is the perfect event to get involved.
What Tog Will Be Doing
Our members, Jeffrey (EI7IRB) and Ben (EI9IUB), will be running a range of activities throughout the weekend, including:
🔧 Soldering Workshop – learn the basics or sharpen your skills.
📏 Multimeter Skills Workshop – get hands-on with practical measurement techniques.
📡 Packet Radio Workshop – try out a live portable packet station in action.
🎙 Light SSB Operating – have a go at making QSOs from the field.
🛰 Exotic Digital Modes – explore some of the more unusual ways hams are getting signals across the globe.
💻 Software Hacking – discover how code and radio come together.
🌐 Meshtastic Meetup – connect with the growing Irish Meshtastic community.
We’ll be set up alongside other clubs and operators, making the most of the 30-acre site at Mullingar Showgrounds. Expect lots of radios, antennas, and opportunities to get on the air.
About Hamfest 2025
Beyond TOG’s own activities, Hamfest will feature:
Live QO-100 satellite station demos.
Portable operating setups (SOTA/POTA).
A DXpedition gear showcase.
A vintage radio display for a trip down memory lane.
Learning zones covering antenna sharing, emergency comms, and more.
A chance to meet IRTS experts and get hands-on at “try-it-out” stations.
It also coincides with SSB Field Day, so you’ll see plenty of contest activity happening live from the site.
Stay & Socialise
Camping is free on-site (tents, camper vans, and caravans welcome), or you can grab a bed in Mullingar town, just 5 minutes away. There’ll be food, chats, and the usual Hamfest social vibe all weekend long.
Join Us
📅 Dates:
Saturday, September 6th (12 pm – 6 pm)
Sunday, September 7th (10 am – 4 pm)
📍 Location: The Showgrounds, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath [Eircode: N91 HXH0] Event Details on IRTS.ie
🎫 Admission:
Free for IRTS members
Small fee for the general public
We’re really looking forward to meeting fellow hams, makers, and curious minds at Mullingar. Come find us at Hamfest 2025 and get hands-on with radio, soldering, hacking, and more!
We’re buzzing with excitement to share that Tog Hackerspace has officially joined the airwaves! After months of behind-the-scenes work, we’re now a registered radio club with both the Irish Radio Transmitters Society (IRTS) and ComReg. That means we’ve been issued our very own club call sign: EI0TOG.
This marks another great step for our growing radio crew. Just a few weeks ago, we hosted a brilliant radio day in the space, tuning into satellites, making contacts, and chatting all things RF. With the new call sign in place, there’s plenty more radio fun ahead.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be getting the station properly set up in the space. Once it’s live, members and guests will be able to hop on the airwaves and try out EI0TOG (with a licensed operator supervising, of course).
Stay tuned for more updates as we power up EI0TOG!
Curious about amateur radio or want to get involved? Swing by an open night or give us a shout, we’d love to get you on the air.
Read about this repair by our own Jeffrey, fixing an old-school CB radio setup.
A member arrived at the space one evening with a pair of CB radios: a Philips 369 (22AP369) and a MARC/CB base station (AP569). It’s hard to pin down the exact year of manufacture, but they likely date back to the 1980s. The two radios and the base station were mostly working, but with a few issues. One radio had no sound from its speaker, and the base station wasn’t outputting any power. Time to open them up.
Power Problems
Four screws and we’re inside. The base station revealed a transformer, an audio amplifier, and a nice fuse holder — with a clearly blown fuse, I could see without even taking out the meter. It was a 220V / 100 mA fuse, which I didn’t have on hand, so the repair was put on hold for a while.
Once I sourced a new fuse and installed it, it blew straight away. So did the next three.
In the end, I increased the rating on the fuse from 100 mA to 200 mA, and it held up. I adjusted the output to 13.8 volts, and it seemed to settle down. Maybe it’s just the age of the components that’s causing it to draw more current than expected?
Radio Repairs
Next up: the speaker issue. The sound worked perfectly on an external speaker, but nothing from the internal one. I noticed two mystery wires someone had added to the radio at some point. Curious, I opened it up.
I found a spare speaker in my stash with the same resistance (8 Ω) and rated for 0.5 W. It looked similar in size — the wattage might not be an exact match, but it was worth a test. A few crocodile clips later, and I had sound. Turns out the original speaker was just blown.
A little soldering and the new speaker was in. As for those mystery wires? I chose to embrace a little bit of mystery and just taped them up safely. Sometimes it’s okay not to know everything.
Antenna Adventure
Maybe I look like a radio person now. At the last Repair Café in Blanchardstown Library, someone randomly offered me a CB radio antenna — without me even mentioning radio! It was missing a few parts, but it worked well enough for testing.
With that, both radios were working again. I might be a few decades late to catch any actual CB chatter, but this was a fun little repair project. To actually transmit between the two radios, I’d need another antenna — but that’s a task for another day.
Check out our gallery for even more photos of the repair. Photos here.
Got something old and broken? Join us at a future Repair Café or electronics night at Tog Hackerspace and bring it back to life, or at least enjoy taking it apart!
We’re excited to announce a special event at TOG Hackerspace: a full day dedicated to radio, electronics, and signal experimentation, celebrating our recent membership with the Irish Radio Transmitters Society (IRTS).
Whether you’re a maker curious about what amateur radio is, a licensed operator interested in digital modes and SDR, or just love to learn how signals fly through the air, Radio Day at TOG has something for you.
This is a unique day to connect the local radio and tech communities, explore the fascinating world of wireless communication, and get hands-on with tools and concepts that are often invisible, yet all around us.
🗓 Date: Saturday, 14th June 2025 📍 Location: TOG Hackerspace, Unit 1B Motor City, Kylemore Road, Dublin 12, D12 CF6V 🎟️ Tickets: Free, but registration required – Reserve your free ticket here 🍕 Bonus: From 7 pm, join us for TOG’s famous monthly open social night — meet the community over chats, demos, and pizza!
📅 Event Schedule
🔧 11:00–12:30 — Multimeter Masterclass
Instructor: Jeffrey Roe EI7IRB Want to confidently measure voltage, resistance, and current? This class will give you hands-on training in using a multimeter properly. You’ll leave knowing how to troubleshoot circuits and understand key electronic measurements.
💶 Fee: €25 🎟️ Booking required – Book here Note: This is the only paid session of the day. All talks and demos afterward are free with a general ticket.
📡 13:00 — What Is Amateur Radio? A Beginner-Friendly Introduction to the Radio Hobby
Speaker: Adrian Connor EI9HAB
Ever wondered what amateur radio is all about? Adrian will walk us through this rich and varied hobby, from chatting across the globe with handheld radios to decoding digital signals and building antennas in your garden.
This talk highlights:
Voice, Morse code, and digital modes
Fun, license-free projects (like listening to satellites or airband)
How to get started in Ireland, including the path to licensing
The creativity, experimentation, and global community that makes amateur radio unique
To wrap up, Adrian will demonstrate a portable station setup, and if conditions allow, attempt a live radio contact!
🛠️ 14:00 — Packet Radio for a New Generation: Reimagined
Speaker: Ben Field EI9IUB
Once the backbone of digital amateur communication, packet radio is getting a fresh look. This talk explores the current state of packet radio, its potential in a modern context, and the ambitious goals for building a new Irish packet radio network.
We’ll look at:
What packet radio is and why it still matters
Emerging uses with low-power devices, mesh networking, and APRS
Ideas and inspiration from international efforts
How you can get involved in shaping a next-gen Irish system
Whether you’re into digital comms, infrastructure, or retro-tech with a modern twist—this one’s for you.
📊 15:00 — Hands-On With Filters
Speaker: Gary Cooke
This live, practical session dives into one of radio’s core building blocks—filters. Using function generators and oscilloscopes, Gary will demonstrate:
Band-pass, low-pass, and high-pass filters in action
How frequency and signal type affect filter behaviour
Applications in real radio systems—reducing interference, improving clarity, and isolating desired signals
This is ideal for anyone into RF design, SDR, or improving their shack’s performance. Come see waveforms in motion and leave with real-world insights.
This will be a drop-in in hands-on session and a chance to also get a cup of tea and have a chat.
🛰️ 16:00 — Talking to Space: Connecting Students with the International Space Station
Speaker: Daniel Cussen EI9FHB
How do students get to ask astronauts questions live from Earth? Through ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station)—a program that brings space communication to schools around the globe.
Dan shares the behind-the-scenes experience of helping set up an ARISS contact event:
Tracking the ISS as it races overhead at 28,000 km/h
The antennas, radios, and audio/video gear involved
Challenges in receiving video and audio from space
The human impact of seeing kids speak live to astronauts
An inspiring talk for fans of space, education, and the power of amateur radio to bridge worlds—literally.
🏠 17:00 — A Homebrew Amateur Radio Setup
Speaker: Tony Breathnach EI5EM
Tony takes us on a tour of his personal amateur radio station, built with DIY and budget-friendly gear. He’ll explain how he put together antennas, tuned radios, and tackled interference challenges—all from a home setting.
This talk is perfect for those looking to start their own station, especially with limited space or funds. Come see how creativity and perseverance can bring the airwaves to life.
📶 18:00 — Drones For Sensing and Communications in Emergency Applications
Speaker: Dr. Boris Galkin EI6HDB
Tyndall National Institute and the CONNECT Centre are involved in a number of projects with the Department of Defence and Civil Defence to explore ways to support emergency personnel using emerging technologies. Drones have shown themselves to be a powerful tool in a variety of applications in this talk, I will describe how radio communication equipment mounted on drones can be a gamechanger in the field.
🌐 Bonus Demos (during the day)
We’ll also have demos, tours and plenty of tea and coffee throughout the day.
🍕 From 19:00 — TOG’s Open Social Night
Once the talks end, the fun continues with our legendary Open Social Night. Meet the TOG community, hang out with radio operators and makers, and enjoy an evening of conversation, demos, and pizza. Everyone welcome!
🎟️ Tickets
This event is free, but registration is required so we can plan seating and space.
(Separate booking is required for the multimeter class – link above.)
👋 Get Involved
Want to demo something, share your gear, or help out on the day? We’d love to hear from you. Email info@tog.ie or come along to one of our open nights before the event.
We’re looking forward to seeing you on June 14th for a day of radio waves, learning, community, and fun.
