GUYWIRE
JANUARY 2008
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
www.sarl.ca/rara
The website 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.
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NEXT MEETING: JANUARY 9TH 7:30 PM IMAX BOARD ROOM
Saskatchewan Science Center. Use IMAX entrance and take elevator up to
the top floor.
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PRESIDENTS REPORT
Happy New Year and Best Wishes to you all.
We have had a few requests for another session of basic education
classes. Some of the members are looking to form a committee to start
the education program up for the winter or spring. If you know anyone
that has been considering amateur radio as a hobby now is the time to
talk to them and see if they are interested. Please forward their names
to me and I will ensure they are contacted when the school is ready to
start. VE5SX@accesscomm.ca
During our executive meeting a discussion arose. The basis of the
discussion was that sometimes amateur enthusiasts have to move from one
residence to another for different reasons. This move can bring some
disadvantages for amateur radio, with respect to antenna restrictions.
These restrictions bring the ability to shut down HF stations. The
discussion then led to what do you do for someone that was very active
with the hobby and now has to give up the passion. It was quickly
brought up that the IRLP would be able to assist with this scenario.
For this reason our presentation this month will be IRLP.
Do you use it?
Have you used it?
Do you know how to use it?
Possibly you could host a QSO party on a timely basis.
You could start a weekly or daily net to foster the use of the system.
Take part in other nets already set up on other nodes.
Bring your knowledge or your questions and ideas to the next meeting?
Here is a website that will assist you with the IRLP.
http://www.irlp.net/
If you have any building projects that are completed please bring them
out and give a presentation of the project and the experiences of
building them.
I look forward to seeing you out at our monthly meeting.
73's
Darrell Dickson VE5SX
AROUND THE WORLD NEW YEARS NET
Once again, repeaters around the world were connected together New
Years eve by IRLP to bring in the New Year. This year was the most
successful ever, with a total of 253 nodes taking part in the net at
some point during the 24 hours and there were 4,857 transmissions. The
maximum number of nodes recorded at one time was 104 which occurred at
0300Z, the time the draws for the three radios were made. The first
stations heard bringing in the new year were from New Zealand, and from
there it moved around Asia and through Europe and ending with North
America and finally Hawaii. Considering that each node could have from
one to dozens of repeaters connected to it, and each repeater could
have had an infinite number of hams either checking in or listening, it
boggles the mind. A good part of the net could be heard on the VE5WM
repeater.
IRLP USAGE UP
The IRLP node on the VE5WM repeater is being well used. During the
month of December, there were 82 connections (remote locations or
local) connecting to 23 different destinations. A reminder about the
Saskatchewan 2 Meter Link Net on VE5WM at 9:00 PM Monday through
Friday. With the bad HF conditions we have been having, it seems the
only way to contact other Saskatchewan stations is via this
net.
During severe weather conditions, many Saskatchewan repeaters are
routinely connected together to provide assistance or companionship to
travelers. This was the case on December 24th and 25th when most IRLP
repeaters were linked for this purpose.
PUBLIC SERVICE EVENTS
The 2008 Scout Klondike Hike will be held on Feb. 2/08 with an
alternate date of Feb 9. Once again I will organize this event and will
require 22 Hams to work this activity. Please reply to
jsandercock@sasktel.net and indicate if you can work the 8:00 -11:30 or
the 11:30 - 3:00 shift.
Jim Sandercock (VE5CS)
TAILGATERS SWAP NET
The ON Air\IRLP SWAP Net IS on IRLP Reflector 9302 Every Saturday Night
starting at 8:30 PM MST(9:30 CST). All Amateur Radio
Operators are welcome to join in the Net. Just dial 9302 on the VE5WM
repeater. For further info contact VE6ERW ve6erw@yahoo.ca
ARE WE THERE YET?
It's a new year, and now it's time to review the 2007 sunspot cycle
progression. In 2006, there was a consensus that solar minimum would
occur in early 2007, but we actually may not be there still. The latest
projection in the Weekly Preliminary Report and forecast shows the
bottom of the cycle between December 2007 and April 2008. Note the two
predictions for the next cycle: A high estimate and a low estimate,
reflecting the split consensus for the cycle 24 prediction. Also note
the monthly forecast (even though the URL says weekly) issued on
January 2 shows a cycle minimum for February 2008. The K7RA Solar
Update )Jan4, 2008)
- arrl
BOUNCING SIGNALS OFF THE ISS
Bernd, DF2ZC, reports that he has successfully held a CW contact on 144
MHz by bouncing his signal from the structure of the International
Space
Station.
According to his posting on Moon Net, his work was triggered by Peter
Sundberg, SM2CEW's attempts to complete a QSO by using the ISS as a
reflector.
From Sundberg's experience DF4ZC believed it would be a
worthwhile attempt considering that the B PSK 63 mode would enable us
to exchange all information within few seconds if he used only the EME
report and QSO rules.
His second try on Sunday December 9th at 1626 UTC. That's when he
copied signals at elevations of greater than 20 degrees and within a
minute exchanged all data. Signal reports were about S3 to S5 DF2ZC
running only 300 watts out. (Thanks to WIA News)
600 M AMATEUR BAND PROPOSED FOR NEXT WRC IN 2011
On Nov 15th, WRC-07 considered its agenda for the next conference,
currently planned for 2011. The agenda contains an item to consider an
amateur band around 500 kHz. The exact wording of the item Is:
to consider an allocation of about 15 kHz in parts of the band
415-526.5 kHz to the amateur service on a secondary basis, taking into
account the need to protect existing services;
The agenda was approved, and over the next few years, the ITU will be
studying the possible impact of a small amateur band at 600 metres. -RAC
WEBSITES OF THE MONTH
Solar Cycle News
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/14dec_excitement.htm?list79056
Hear what PSK and other digital modes sound like:
http://www.bartg.org.uk/Sound%20Files/soundlibrary.htm
A trip down memory lane
http://www.radioblvd.com/WWII-PostWar%20Hamgear.htm
LAST MONTHS PUZZLER
In what year was single sideband transmission patented? 1915 1937 or
1942
Answer: In 1915 John R. Carson applied for a patent on single sideband
transmission and by 1923 it was used on Trans-Atlantic radio circuits.
THIS MONTHS PUZZLER
If, as part of your station you owned a Telerana, what would you have?
Answer next week.
R.A.R.A. Membership Application 2007– 2008
(Please write clearly and enter Y or N in boxes as required)
Name: _____________________________________________
Call Sign: ______________ Current RAC membership
Mailing Address: _____________________________________
_____________________________________
e-mail Address: _____________________________________
Renewal or New Membership
Single Membership ($30) ____ Family membership ($35) ____
I have enclosed $____ for ____ membership(s) indicated above. Please
include this application
with your fee to club treasurer Allan Tidball or mail cheque to Regina
Amateur Radio Association
(VE5LAT) Box 153 Station Main
Regina, Sask. S4P 2Z6