GUYWIRE

          JUNE 2004

Editor   VE5SC   sewert@sasktel.net


The online publication of the REGINA AMATEUR RADIO
ASSOCIATION is published monthly except July and August
and is distributed free of charge as a service of RARA
to all licensed hams in the Regina Area who have e-mail
addresses.  Anyone NOT wishing to receive future copies
should send an e-mail to the editor and your name will
be removed from the mailing list.

 The RARA WEBSITE can be found at
http://www.gpfn.sk.ca/hobbies/rara/index.html
It contains RARA news, repeater lists as well as links to other
amateur  resources.
Club meetings are held the 2nd Wednesday of each month, with
the exception of July and August, at the Science Center.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEXT MEETING - JUNE  9th   7:30 PM  Science Center - either in the Imax
Boardroom or the IMC Boardroom.  You can ask at the IMAX entrance.
This is another combined RARA and ARES meeting. Among other things,
Field Day and the Constitution will be discussed. 
Jim Goldie, VE5SHK will give a talk on his experiences attending the
Mother of all Hamfests, the Dayton Hamvention.
This is the last meeting before the summer break.  Regular meetings will
resume in September.

||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

   CLUB NEWS

President's Report

There are several important things happening in the life of the Regina
Amateur Radio Association Incorporated.  We will be proposing
amendments to the Bylaws of our Constitution, we must regenerate our
relationship with the Saskatchewan Science Centre, we need a lot of help
for Field Day, and we are advertising Amateur Classes for this fall in the
City of Regina Fall Program Guide. We also must pass some money
motions at the July 9 meeting.

1. The constitution

The constitution shows how we will work together.  For instance any motion
which involves spending $100 or more fails if it is not passed by 3/4 of the
full members at a general meeting.  Stan Ewert, VE5SC, Allan Tidball,
VE5LAT and I have worked together to propose amendments to update
the wording of the constitution and bylaws and to make them workable in
today's environment.  We have one remaining item that became apparent
late in the process, to make the fiscal year end, the financial report for the
year and the annual general meeting consistent with the provincial reporting
requirements.  There is a link to the proposals in our RARA website
elsewhere in this newsletter. Check out these proposals and get back to us
with your comments and questions.

We will finalize the year end procedure proposals over the summer, accept
the proposed amendments at September Executive Meeting, give notice of
proposed amendments at the September general meeting and you, the
members, will vote on them at the October general meeting. We will keep
the proposals on the website current.

2.   Our Science Centre Station

We have been given formal eviction notice from the Science Centre (notice
of termination of contract). Yes that involves everything.

Stan Ewert, VE5SC, Terry White, VE5TLW, and I have subsequently (May 23)
met with Scott Langen, the new Executive Director of the Saskatchewan
Science Centre, and the Science Centre will be proposing a new Memorandum
of Understanding.  They do need the room where our radio equipment is
presently to expand their "Science of Sport" Display. We will have to be out of
the room that used to be behind the reptiles by July 31. If we can not come to
agreement on the "Memorandum" we have to be entirely out of the Science
Centre by August 20.  Our first job will be to get our equipment moved to
the club room one floor above our existing location by July 31 or maybe a
few days before to allow them to deal with the operating counter.
We will be negotiating to develop an operating position in the "club room".

The Memorandum may allow for the possibility that we could occupy a new
space in the display area.  If this happens it will be exciting.  We will
work with Science Centre staff to develop a new display that will be
attractive to Science Centre guests, particularly school children, and that
will be able to work for us even in our absence.  This is our opportunity to
work together as "hams" for the future of amateur radio. This may involve
our jointly creating something, and probably will involve fundraising.

We could celebrate our nearly 15 years of occupying that room with the
"goodbye" contest, namely the RAC Canada Day Contest.  We can be
cleaning up and moving materials upstairs or to the garbage while some
are operating.

3. Communication from Bill Wood, VE5EE:
Amateur Basic Classes - Fall 2004

The Glencairn / Parkridge Community Association ( via Ralph AMH) has
agreed to host our request through the City of Regina Fall Program Guide
and in the community association Fall newsletter. Registration night is
Sept. 14th. Anyone, anywhere can register.

Late Sept to late Nov. - once a week 2 hours ( 7:30 - 9:30 pm) 8 weeks.
Cost $ 50.00 includes manual, shipping, taxes and $5.00 registration fee
charged by community associations. (rest of e-mail deleted by President)

4.   Burnside Cleanup

Reserve the morning of June 12 as grass cutting and site cleanup
day at the former Burnside school. Many hands will make light work.

5. Field Day

Doug Pfaff, VE5DCP, has agreed to cook for us.
We still need to do a lot of organizing for field day, it is getting very
late.  I think there will be a bit of an impromptu feel about it.  We still
need an assistant for Doug in shopping and transporting groceries; we
also need radios, computers, software, and transportation arrangements
for various items, publicity and other things. I will be busy until about 4:30
Friday, we could use volunteers to thoroughly clean the upstairs of the
school. I hope that many of us will have a chance to setup, operate the
radios and take down this field day.  Come to the meeting to help organize
this.

Executive Meeting of June 2

We agreed that we would allow the buying of a duplexer for up to $99
for use at the TC Douglas Building to allow the use of an UHF Yagi
to improve the performance of IRLP in rainy conditions.

6. Ensuring that moving equipment in Science Centre is moved by the end of
July.

That concludes my report for this month. I will see you Wednesday evening,
come and hear Jim Goldie, VE5SHK, talk about the Dayton Hamvention. If you
can't make it, I hope to see you at Field Day, but in any case, have an
excellent summer.

73
John Allen, VE5SJA

   NEWS FROM HERE AND THERE

We have another silent key to report.  Jim Eaton VE5CV passed away recently.
Jim was well known by many local hams because of his position in the Emergency
Measures Organization.

   THROW AWAY YOUR OLD TV SET

Analog television broadcasting in the United States could end
as early as December 31, 2006 in the view of the FCC.  Up to
15% of television households in a given market could then lose
television service altogether if they rely exclusively on over-
the-air broadcasting and have analog-only sets when the transition
ends.  In the remaining households, any analog sets that are not
connected to Cable TV or satellite or similar services or devices
(that will convert digital-to-analog for consumers) could lose
service as well.

   SASKATCHEWAN MINI-HAMFEST
SARL 2004 Annual General Meeting & Flea Market

To be held July 24th, 2004

There was no interest expressed from any club or group to hold a Hamfest
in July 2004.  The S.A.R.L thought it would be a good idea to hold a mini
Hamfest in Saskatoon on Saturday July 24th 2004.  Events will include a
flea market, S.A.R.L general meeting and a limited number of presentations.
The site selected for the event is Walter Murray Collegiate 1905 Preston Ave
(corner of Preston and Taylor) in Saskatoon.  The doors open at 9 A.M. for
vendors and  10 A.M. for  the general public.  Please honor our request
that absolutely no flea market sales should occur before the doors open
to the public at 10 A.M.    This is a good opportunity to stock up on your
fleas,  meet some new people and see old friends.  The cost for the event
is $5 per person and flea market tables are also $5. For more information
see the SARL web site or contact Derek Bereza the S.A.R.L President by
Email: ve5sd@sarl.ca or phone (306)382-9869.

   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -    
   PUBLIC SERVICE REPORT

The annual Echo Valley Challenge (run, cycle, paddle)  is Saturday, June
19th and begins at 10:00 am.  It usually is done by about 1:00 and and a
great lunch is provided.  We meet a Camp Ta Wa Si at 9:00 am and I will
give you your locations around Echo Lake.  Let me know if you can help.

The Buffalothon has been moved up one week to Saturday, July 24 th.

-Bill  Wood  VE5EE

Regina Chief of Police Cal Johnson sent a letter to the club thanking
ARES for their participation in the Police Open House.

              
   IRLP NEWS

Recently a U.S. ham met with representatives of the Chinese Amateur
Radio Committee in Peking to demonstrate IRLP.  It is hoped that this
demonstration would encourage the Chinese authorities to change their
regulations to allow for IRLP connected repeaters in China.

   LAST MONTHS PUZZLER

If a non-directional antenna with 6 db of gain was fed with a 10 watt
transmitter, what would the effective radiated power be (neglecting
feedline losses)?

Answer:  Approximately 40 watts

   THIS MONTHS PUZZLER

Area repeaters VE5ARG, VE5TH and VE5WM all orginally had different
callsigns. Can you name the three callsigns?

IT'S MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL TIME

The RARA membership year began April 1st.  If you haven't already
renewed, your membership is now due.
To join or renew, fill out the form below and follow the instructions
at the bottom. Support Ham Radio in Regina.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
R.A.R.A.  MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Name __________________________________ Callsign___________

Mailing Address ___________________________________________

E-Mail Address _____________________________________________

I enclose      _____   Single membership  ($25.00)          New _________

                     _____   Family membership  ($30.00)         
Renewal______

Give this application with your membership fee to
the club treasurer  VE5LAT or send it to: 
Regina Amateur Radio Association
Box 153
Regina, Sask.  S4P 2Z6

The membership year runs April 1st to March 31st.

SUPPORT AMATEUR RADIO AND YOUR LOCAL CLUB

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -