GUYWIRE
OCTOBER 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 - OCT 13TH 7:30 PM Science Center - Imax Boardroom
The program following the meeting portion will feature Lee Mayer of the
Red Cross who will talk about emergency situations and the involvement
of amateur radio. As well there will be a report on Amateur
emergency HF
and VHF communications during the recent Florida hurricanes.
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
From the President's Desk
The Club that is far bigger than its budget
The operations of RARA are far bigger than our tiny budget indicates -
we
have equipment east of Last Mountain Lake, at the CBC Television
Transmitter
Site, at Taylor Field, at the TC Douglas building and at the
Saskatchewan
Science Centre (and in Stan's, VE5SC's, basement). We also own
the former
Burnside school site between Craven and Earl Grey. I am awed at the way
everyone pitches in, using their time and providing their own
transportation
for their volunteer activities. All this travels and applied time
would be
a significant expense to a profit-seeking corporation. (I used to apply
for
$0.35 a kilometer, but that was a long time ago, I think its more now.)
We owe a lot of thanks to many people. Thank you, Bart, VE5CPU, for
looking
after the Packet Cluster at the Science Centre for many years (I hope it
will be back on the air soon). And thank you, Stan, VE5SC, for looking
after
the repeater and the relationship with CBC for a long time. And also
thank
you Stan for being the official licencee of our club stations.
Sam, VE5SF,
also deserves thanks for always handling the cables and antennas for
field
day and for always bringing that awesome toolbox. Sufficient electrical
tape
to store and put away all wire antennas and coax cables always shows up
at
field day. Thanks are also due to all those who transport equipment,
supplies and food to field day. I also thank those people who
make our
programs go, for instance, Bill Wood, VE5EE, for organizing classes and
Terry White, VE5TLW, Stan Ewert, Rick Rickwood, VE5RJR, George Harwood,
VE5UU, for teaching the class. I am sure there are many people I
have not
thanked explicitly. Thank you, too. You are all making our club the fine
club it is.
Last month I thanked those who helped move and restore our Science
Centre
radio station. I did however forget to thank Ralph Berriault, VE5AMH.
This
is kind of embarrassing Ralph, since I work with you every day. Thanks
for
your help.
The RARA Constitution
The constitution is the foundation of how we operate as a club.
The club
needs to deal with changing times, including smaller attendance at
meetings
and attracting people to serve as directors. The Executive Board of
Directors has proposed amendments to the bylaws to make the operation
of the
club more workable and to bring us into line with the expectations of
the
Saskatchewan Non-Profit Corporations Act of 1995. RARA is registered
under
this act. Stan tells me that this registration is required for our
equipment
to be at the CBC transmitter site. It also gives members assurance that
there is some oversight to the operations of the Corporation (our
club). To
maintain registration we must comply with provincial legislation in
terms of
reporting of directors and end of fiscal year financial reporting. This
reporting slipped in the 1990s and we owe a lot to Clay Doty, VE5AAA,
who
reestablished the registration just before SaskHamFest 2002.
The proposed amended constitution is published at the RARA web site.
There
is a direct comparison to the existing constitution. If you have any
questions or concerns, please contact me, Allan Tidball, VE5LAT, or Stan
Ewert, VE5SC. My telephone number is 789-2139.
This is notice that the adoption of these amendments will be on the
agenda
of the November general meeting of the RARA, scheduled for the 10th. The
present constitution indicates that a quorum is 15 members and that
amendments require a three-fourths majority of Full Members at a general
meeting. Please come and represent your position.
2004 Field Day
The club's major annual get together involving radios is Field Day. It
provides educational experience in setting up and operating a portable
station and in operating radios under adverse band conditions; on field
day
the adverse condition is that all bands are crowded. For me, since I
operate
very little on HF, it helps show me the utility of the various HF bands
throughout the day.
This year we gathered at our usual field day site at Burnside school.
Some
of us came in the late afternoon of Friday, June 25 and more of us came
Saturday morning.
Sam Ferris, VE5SF, Bill King, VE5IBK, Harvey Smith and I had mowed the
grass
on the previous Saturday, June 19. Thanks to all that participated.
Bill King, VE5IBK, helped me by transporting some the RARA HF radio
equipment and some cleaning supplies and by cleaning the upper floor of
the
schoolhouse with bleach and detergent. Thank you very much for your
effort,
Bill.
As usual, when I got to the field day site late Friday afternoon, Sam
Ferris, VE5SF, was already busy erecting antennas. Bob, VE5LTD, helped
him
into the early evening and I managed to take him the 160 m antenna when
he
had asked for the 80.
Bob and I camped out at the school site on Friday night. Bob had
forgotten
the grate for his portable barbecue and I had to replace an O-ring
gasket
for my fuel bottle for my gasoline camping stove. Bob and I feasted on
hamburgers and freeze-dried turkey "porridge". Oh, well, I will make my
turkey dinner hotter next time.
Doug Pfaff, VE5DCP, was food and drink supplies officer and chief cook
for
field day. He even brought his propane-powered fridge. Bob had
brought some
of the groceries and condiments and he helped a lot with the cooking.
We ate
well. Thank you, Doug.
Saturday morning I drove back to Regina because I thought that I had to
get
the ARES truck. But Terry White, VE5TLW, was not chasing the big balloon
that day and he offered to bring out the truck with the
generator. We
appreciated the use of the generator, Terry. And we gave a few
participants
a tour of the ARES Regina truck. While I was driving back and forth,
Bob fed
himself, finished coiling and storing the 160 m antenna, swept the
schoolhouse and cut back the big caragana branches across the gate.
We were doing final setup on Saturday morning when the CKTV van showed
up.
We got good coverage from reporter Tina Pelletier. Unfortunately she
had to
leave before the official start of Field Day.
If I recall correctly there was an intense thundershower around noon on
Saturday. The weather was not intensely hot that weekend; it was very
nice.
As Bob was cooking our lunch on Saturday, we found flames shooting out
from
under the portable barbecue that we had brought from the
basement. That
appliance is now awaiting transportation to a landfill or metal
recycling
bin. We brought up another barbecue.
Again, Sam and Bart, VE5CPU, bought their HF radios. Sam again showed
his
skill with a CW keyboard and his CW tuned ears.
Around Saturday lunch, Pat Hume of CBC radio news came. A former work
associate of mine was so impressed by the press coverage on both CTV and
CBC radio that he searched out my e-mail address and told me so.
We did a new thing this year. (Well, we had a novice station one year.)
Saturday afternoon, we set up a GOTA Station operating under the call
sign
VE5SJA. John Jesse, VE5FRW, and Harvey Smith, our secretary,
managed
to get13 contacts and 26 points for our RARA field day entry using the
40 m
band, which was not being used as a prime field day band at the
time. They
were both very excited by their contacts and their contribution to
field day.
Thanks, Sam, for allowing us to use your radio, and for making sure it
was
properly adjusted. I found it strange trying to be a mentor. And thanks
to
Stan for checking over the operation and mentoring the mentor.
George Harwood, VE5UU, helped us on Saturday and Con Berger, VE5CON,
camped out with us for the operating duration. Bill King also
came back to
help us operate for a few hours.
As far as I remember we did not do the Field Day Bulletin. But there
was a
first for me. Stan and Bart helped me prepare and send our Field
Day
message on the Saskatchewan net toward our Saskatchewan RAC Section
Manager in Lloydminster. They made me get on the radio! During this
time I
found out that the club's Kenwood TS-850 radio was maladjusted for the
headset we were using and we sounded terrible on that radio. Thank you,
Bart for showing me how to set it correctly.
I got up and restarted the generator about 4:30 am on Sunday. Next
year, I
must get lessons on how to restart the computers before I go to
bed. Since
I could not check for duplicates, I called CQ on 80 metres and logged by
hand until the experts got up. Thank goodness Bob is also an early
riser and
he took care of my hunger pangs.
We did not manage to try for any VHF or satellite contacts this year.
Sam started disassembling the longer band antennas shortly before noon,
while Doug and Bob prepared us a tasty snack. Next year, Bob, we
have to
get you behind a microphone as well as behind a spatula and stir spoon.
Terry carried club supplies and equipment back to Regina in the ARES
truck
and he helped me carry all the stuff upstairs and reassemble the
station in
our former radio room. Thank you, Terry.
I got home and collapsed and my family told me that I was forbidden to
go to
any more field days if they were going to make me so grumpy.
The club expense for the field day was $274.18 after some recovery and
sale
of pop cans.
I have not managed to check with Sam about the final score.
I wrote this after a few months and probably forgot someone. It needed
writing about, I apologize if I forgot you.
I am hoping to see you all next year at the best ham party of the year,
reserve now for the afternoon and evening of June 24, all of the 25 and
morning of the 26.
Flea Market
Most of you already have seen Bart's e-mail. The RARA flea market will
be on
November 13, 2004 from 9:00 until noon at the SGI Claim Centre (North)
(kitty-corner NE from Sherwood Mall), 1121 McCarthy Blvd. North.
Free
admission, tables $10.
Challenges
In last month's message I mentioned some of our club's challenges.
We have some good news, our membership revenue is greater than we
projected,
we now have 39 members. However, we still need to govern the
affairs of our
club responsibly. The September General Meeting passed a motion
asking the
Executive to review all possible economies. At our October Executive
meeting
we reviewed needs for the Post Office Box, Insurance and the telephone
for
the VE5WM repeater autopatch. The Executive has determined that we
require
insurance, particularly, if we are going to operate repeaters and other
equipment in premises owned by others. We will discuss that cost with
Judy
McCuskee of ISI Insurance. We determined that having an ongoing
mailing
address has strategic value for the club, we recommend keeping our post
office box. The telephone is a major cost of our operations and we are
reviewing its usage statistics. Since there is another repeater with an
autopatch in Regina, ours may not be strictly necessary.
For the challenge of promoting amateur radio, we have advertised and we
are
conducting an amateur radio class for the Basic Qualification at Henry
Braun
School. 6 prospective new hams are registered. I hope we will
have 6 new
amateurs by December. The club facilitated buying Study Guides for that
class. I ordered the manuals with my personal
VISA and have been reimbursed 329.03. In the process of buying these
guides
we found that there is an Instructor's Supplemental CD available. Since
we
were in a hurry for the Study Guides, we did not order the CD. We also
received a Study Guide that was defective.
We still have to find ways to promote amateur radio as an interesting
and
rewarding hobby to people who could be hams. What do we do? Is it
fun? Can
it provide value to others? Does it provide rewards beyond those
available
on the Internet? Does it take a lot of money? How do we control
the
dangers? How do we get these messages in front of people who may
be
interested?
In terms of our station at the Science Centre, I visited it on October
5.
There was still no conduit for our cables; they are still coiled
outside. I
initiated a telephone call that day to the Director of Operations to
discuss
the conduit, more keys, washroom access, and inviting small groups for
demonstrations. I will continue to call. Alas, if there is a need for
us to
participate in Scout Jamboree on the Air next weekend, we will have to
borrow members' home stations.
Developing a permanent Amateur Radio Exhibit at the Science Centre and
taking care of our Burnside School Site remain on our challenge list. We
really need to make roof repairs below the chimney and cover the hole
at the
south end of the roof.
In conclusion
I hope that my information is interesting to you. See you on Wednesday,
but
please make every effort to come and vote on the constitutional bylaw
amendments on November 10.
73
John Allen, VE5SJA, President
CLUB NEWS
Regina Amateur Radio Association
Fall Flea Market
Saturday - November 13, 2004
SGI Claim Center (North)
(kitty-corner NE from Sherwood Mall )
1121 McCarthy Blvd. North
Regina, SK
9:00 am to Noon
Admission is FREE
Door Prizes
50/50
Tables $10.00 each
(Setup 8:30 am - 9:00 am)
Coffee & Donuts
To reserve a tables please contact Bart
Ritchie, VE5CPU
Work: 306-789-9074 Home: 306-789-9073
e-Mail: ve5cpu@imagewireless.ca
PUBLIC SERVICE REPORT
The annual Santa Parade will be held Sunday November 14th at 12:30 pm.
Amateurs assist with the coordination of the four sections of the
parade and
with traffic control. We require at least 10 and at best 16
amateurs to
help out. We begin set-up at 10:30 am and wind-up about 2:00 pm
with a hot
lunch provided by the Southland Mall. If you can assist, call
Bill VE5EE at
584-2602 or email wwood@accesscomm.ca.
IRLP NEWS
IRLP NEWS
This year Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) will be expanded to take advantage
of the Internet Radio Linking Project (IRLP). Beginning on Saturday
October 16, 2004 at 0001GMT, IRLP Reflector 9205 will be the home of the
JOTA utilizing IRLP. This will run until 2359GMT on Sunday October 17,
2004.
Any IRLP node in the world will be able to connect, and carry QSOs via
the reflector. Node to Node IRLP JOTA communications are also
encouraged during the event. You can find an IRLP node close to your
home to utilize during this event, and find out more information about
the Internet Radio Linking Project on the IRLP website at www.irlp.net.
Andrew Murrey, N9AWM
Unit Commissioner
Pathfinder District - Crossroads of America Council BSA
To participate locally, dial up 9205 on the VE5WM repeater.
NOW THERE'S DX !
Scientists and astronomers associated with the SETI@home
project looking for extraterrestrial intelligence are intrigued
by a mysterious radio signal received on a frequency of about
1420 MHz. The RF seems to be coming from a void between the
constellations Pisces and Aries where there is no obvious star
within 1000 light years.
Named SHGb02+14a, the signal could be nothing more than an
astronomical phenomenon, but it's said to be different from the
radio signals generated by any other known object.
I wonder if this was the same group of scientists who discovered
an unidentified signal on 2450 mHz which appeared briefly once a
day around 5 pm. It turned out to be their cafeteria microwave.
REPEATER NEWS
The International Space Station (ISS) is back on repeater mode
as of October 7, 2004
145.800 mHz downlink 437.800 mHz uplink
You can download a orbit prediction program from
http://www.uiview.com
HISTORICAL NOTE
It was 47 years ago, Oct. 4th 1957 that the USSR launched Sputnik,
the world's first orbiting satellite. It transmitted telemetry on
20 and
40 mHz. You can listen to a wave file of the telemetry on:
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/sputnik
RAC NEWS
70cm Handheld sold to non-amateurs in BC
A member of the B.C. Amateur Radio Coordination Council (BCARCC)
has reported that a Victoria, B.C. motorcycle shop was selling a
European 446 MHz handheld radio for use as communications between
motorcyclists. This radio is an 8-channel, 446 MHz, half-watt radio
that is
legal for general use, licence-free, in Europe under Euro standard
PMR446
as a short-range business radio. Details are available in the following
website:
http://www.446user.co.uk/article_8.html
A typical model is the Maycom model MH-446 and can be viewed at:
http://www.codercom.com/mh446.html
The Victoria shop was probably unaware that the equivalent radio in
Canada
is the FRS which is approved for unlicenced use by non-hams in the 460
MHz band.
The BCARCC filed a complaint with Industry Canada in Vancouver,
and
notified directors and coordinators throughout B.C. to look out
for other
violations. The Victoria office of IC investigated promptly, and has
reported
that the shop in question has now switched to the legal FRS and GMRS
radios for use by bikers. IC is also pursuing the distributor of the
European
radios, located in Vancouver, to ensure the practice does not continue.
If more incidences of this occur, please advise RAC VP Government
affairs Jim Dean
ve3iq@rac.ca - credit
RAC Newsletter
PROGRESS AT MEETINGS IN GENEVA
Here is a very brief report on some developments at the September 2004
meetings of the International Telecommunications Union in Geneva.
1. So far, at least, the proposal for a new world-wide amateur band at
135 kHz has not encountered any significant opposition. It is still
early
in the preparations for WRC 2007, however, and much may change
between now and then.
2. The review of the spectrum between 4 and 10 MHz is well underway.
The IARU has renewed its proposal for a full 300kHz worldwide
allocation to amateur radio at 40 metres. Most of the discussions
however
have centred on the shortwave broadcast demands for more spectrum,
and fixed and mobile service opposition to such an expansion.
3. Some progress is being made in providing input to studies on the
impact
of BPL on HF Radio Services, despite opposition from the US
administration.
The next set of meetings in early October should be interesting. Canada
has
yet to make its position known on this question.
4. Later on in October, the HF broadcasters will be holding their own
meetings, and collecting evidence to support their case for more HF
spectrum.
- credit RAC Newsletter
LAST MONTHS PUZZLER
What is the purpose of audio de-emphasis in an FM receiver?
Answer: As a natural result of FM modulation, the audio
frequencies are
sent with a boost of 3 dB per octave, meaning that the higher audio
frequencies are sent at a higher level than the lower ones. On
reception,
the audio must be de-emphasized by the same amount to have the
audio come out sounding like the original. With no de-emphasis
the audio
will sound thin and scratchy.
THIS MONTHS PUZZLER
Who was the first person (and possibly the only person) in the world
to be assigned a permanent amateur callsign without a number in it?
Answer next month.
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
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
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -