GUYWIRE

OCTOBER 2009

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.ve5nn.ca
The website contains RARA news, repeater lists, net
listings 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: OCTOBER 14TH 7:30 PM
IMAX BOARD ROOM SCIENCE CENTER
Take the elevator to the top floor and go past
the IMAX projection room.


UPCOMING EVENTS

FALL FLEA MARKET

The Regina Amateur Radio Association is holding its annual fall
flea market on Saturday October 31st, 2009. It will be located
in the SGI Northwest Claims Centre at 1121 McCarthy Boulevard N.
(NE from Sherwood Village Mall).

The Flea Market will be open from 9:00 am to Noon. Set-up for
tables will start no earlier than 8:30.

FREE admission and the possibility of door prizes! Attendance
will allow you to purchase tickets on a Yaesu FT-60R dual band
handheld which will be raffled off at the Flea Market.
Tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5.

Coffee & Muffins/Donuts served.

Flea market tables will be $10.00 each and we still have
about 8 spots available.

Please share this information with other amateurs in you area.
Flea market details are also posted on the RARA Web site at
www.ve5nn.ca in the local events section at the top of the
home page.

Please contact Bart Ritchie, VE5CPU for table reservations
or any inquiries. (ve5cpu@imagewireless.ca)

A SARL directors meeting will be held in conjunction with
the Flea Market.

QUESTIONABLE OPERATING PROCEDURES

Lately there have been several instances of stations trying
to access the IRLP system on the VE5WM repeater without
identifying themselves. Some have been trying random number
combinations that are not IRLP related which indicates that
they obviously aren't familiar with the system.
Our IRLP system is open to all hams wishing to use it.
Anyone not familiar with procedures can either ask
for help on the repeater or go to www.irlp.net for information.
All IRLP connections or attempts are logged and the log can
be remotely accessed by a control station. In the future,
when there are unidentified transmissions, the system will be
shut down by one of the control operators.
Identification is not an IRLP requirement, it is a legal
requirement by Industry Canada and a condition of each
persons licence, not to mention a good operating practice.



The sympathy of the local ham community is extended to
Bill Baynes, VE5IC and his family on the passing of
Bills' wife Claudette on October 7th.



RAC BULLETIN

MILITARY RADIOLOCATION SYSTEM TO OPERATE ON 70 CM.

As described in Schedule I of RBR-4, amateur usage of
the 430-450 MHz (70 cm) band is on a no-protection, non-
interference basis. Amateurs may not cause interference
to nor be protected from interference from stations
licensed in other services operating in that band.
The same is true in the United States, and amateur
operations on this band in a number of areas of the
United States have power limits imposed on them in
order to avoid interference to radiolocation services
operated by the US military.

Industry Canada has informed RAC that it has authorized
the Department of National Defence to use a digital
system called Enhanced Position Location Reporting
System (EPLRS) on these frequencies. The EPLRS system
consists of mobile, fixed, transportable and airborne
stations that use 5 MHz-wide spread spectrum channels
to provide strategic telemetry information for military
platforms. This authorization is on a no-protection, non-
interference basis, which means that no new restrictions
will be imposed on Canadian amateur operations in this
band as a result.

Industry Canada has informed RAC that there is a slight
potential for interference to amateur radio systems,
typically in the form of a minor audible clicking noise.
If Canadian amateurs encounter such interference, they
are requested to report it to RAC at <regulatory @ rac.ca>.
The information reported should include the geographical
location, date, time, frequency and mode being used by
the amateur station, and a description of the interference.

Questions or concerns regarding the planned implementation
of EPLRS may be sent to <regulatory @ rac.ca>.

Richard Ferch, VE3KI
Vice President, Regulatory Affairs - Radio Amateurs of Canada

RAC DIRECTORS REPORT

I am still looking for new blood and new assistants. So if
you live in Regina, Saskatoon or rural Saskatchewan
or you live in Brandon, or rural Manitoba and you would
like to assist me in RAC duties, I really could use
your help. In fact, it does not matter if you live in
these areas or not. I still need your help. So if you are
willing to help your national association, please send me
an email at ve4hay@shaw.ca

-Derek Hay VE4HAY Midwest Regional Director

QSLERS TAKE NOTE

This is a heads up to all DXers. If you do a lot of QSLing
and regularly use IRCs (International Reply Coupons) you
should be aware that the old-style IRC - the Michelangelo
two fingers about to touch - has recently been replaced
(as of July 1st 2009) by a new coupon - the Nairobi model IRC.

The old Michelangelo style IRC will be accepted for redemption
at post offices around the world until December 31st 2009.
However, anyone with a stockpile of this older IRC version
should make plans to use those up ASAP - i.e. cash them in
for international stamps for out-going QSLs. If you plan on
including one of these older IRCs in a request for a return
QSL, you should get those off in the mail before the end of
September so that the recipient has time to cash them in at
their end for return postage.

-From Howard Dickson, VE1DHD VIA RAC

SCOUTS ON THE AIR

October 17 and 18 will mark the 52nd worldwide Scouting Jamboree
on the Air (JOTA). Held the third full weekend in October each
year, this is the premier operating event for Amateur Radio and
Scouting around the world.

A CONCRETE FINE FOR OPERATING IN THE 2M HAM BAND

A California firm has been issued a proposed $4000 fine for
operating on amateur radio frequencies. This as the FCC issues
a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture to the Shimmick
Construction Company Inc. after being caught operating a
dispatch service in the 2 meter band.

In late May the FCC's Los Angeles office received several
complaints that a Yorba Linda, California, concrete delivery
company was operating numerous mobile stations in on 146.025 MHz.
On May 26th, an agent used direction finding gear to locate
the source of the transmissions that were not identified by
call sign.

On May 27th the agent visited the site and spoke with the
supervisor of the on-site concrete plant. The supervisor
allowed the agent to inspect several of the handheld radios
in use at the site where it was found that a number of portable
transceivers were programmed to 146.025 MHz.

In its follow-up investigation the FCC determined that the
two companies had formed the joint venture called
Shimmick-Obayashi -- Shimmick Construction Inc and Obayashi
Corporation and that both were Commission licensees. However
none of these licenses permitted operation in any ham radio
band. As a result, a proposed $4000 has been issued to the
twin companies which has the usual 30 days to pay or to file
an appeal. (FCC)


Green Statement 2009: No trees were sacrificed in
the dissemination of this newsletter; we regret that a
large number of electrons were inconvenienced.



R.A.R.A. Membership Application 2009­2010
(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 Assoc.
(VE5LAT) Box 153 Station Main
Regina, Sask. S4P 2Z6