GUYWIRE
FEBRUARY 2010
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 Wednesday February 9th 7:30 PM in the Imax
boardroom of the Science Center. Take the elevator up to
the top floor and proceed past the Imax projection room.
There will be a discussion on emergency kits.
UPCOMING EVENTS
April 18 Police Half Marathon
Good Morning Walk
SPECIAL OLYMPIC OPERATIONS
The Vancouver Olympics Amateur Radio Group (VOARG) is promoting
and coordinating the operation of a series of Special Event
Amateur Radio callsigns to commemorate the Vancouver 2010
Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in February
and March of 2010.
Visit www.voarg.ca for full details.
AMATEUR RADIOS NEXT FRONTIER
You have operated UHF, VHF and HF. Now how about trying
VLF. Industry Canada is in the process of approving a VLF amateur
band from 135.7 to 137.8 kHz. Most European countries have
already allocated this band and there is a lot of experimenting
going on with stations running up to several hundred watts.
If you think these frequencies are just short range, think again.
I have logged reception of over 240 stations in the 200-400 kHz
radiobeacon band with most of the beacons running 25 to 50 watts.
I have heard beacons from Cuba, Nunivit, the west coast and
southern U.S.
If you want to get a taste what VLF is about you can operate in
the 160-190 kHz band under existing regulations using one watt
and with certain antenna restrictions. Refer to IC circular RS-10.
There is a movement underway to have a new band established
around 500 kHz and with the discontinuation of the radiobeacon
service in the near future, the band from 200-400 kHz may be up
for grabs too. If you are interested in VLF experimentation,
contact me at the address at the top of Guywire.
HELP FOR HAITI
Radioworld have announced that $5 from the sale of every
radio and GPS unit between January 23 and January 31, 2010
inclusive will be donated to assist with the disaster
relief efforts in Haiti.
Additionally anyone wishing to make a personal donation
will have that donation matched to a maximum of $10,000.
Further information is available at
http://www.radioworld.ca/haiti
WEBSITE OF THE MONTH
A virtual tour of an excellent radio museum. You will find
everything radio from amateur equipment to TVs radios and
test equipment Use left and right arrows to advance views.
http://picasaweb.google.com/WVRadioMuseum/MuseumOfRadioAnd
Technology#5352498313718563362
(Note the wraparound)
LAST MONTHS PUZZLER
Who was the first documented person to set foot on the
Geographical North Pole?
1. Adm. Richard Peary 2. Dr. Fredrick Cook 3. A Ham Radio Opr.
ANSWER: Peary and Cook claimed to have been the first but neither
were able to supply concrete proof and most experts believe that
they didn't make it. It took until March 7th 1968, when an insurance
salesman from Minnesota finally did it. Ralph Plaisted, along
with Jean Luc Bombardier and two others travelled to the pole via
16 horsepower snowmobiles (guess what brand). Their exact position
was verified by an airforce plane flying overhead. News reports
from the time state that they took the latest amateur radio
equipment which would indicate that one of them was an amateur
but records don't indicate which one.
There is a Saskatchewan connection to this story. Plaisted
owned a fly-in fishing camp at Russell Lake in northern Saskatchewan
and spent a year there following his polar exploit after which he
wrote a book about the area called "Wilderness Adventure".
A further amateur connection to the north pole: Japanese
explorer and ham Naomi Uemura JG1QFW was the first person to
travel to the pole solo. He made his trip by skiing.
THIS MONTHS PUZZLER
Phonetics are a great help in relaying clear information. We have
an international standard now in place. Alpha Bravo Charlie etc.
What was the first suggested phonetic for the letter A back
in radios early days?
Answer next month
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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