Canadian Amateur Radio Advisory Board Meeting (CARAB) Meeting, (May 12, 2005) 

 Per the formal agreement between Industry Canada and Radio Amateurs of Canada, the twenty-fourth semi-annual CARAB meeting was held in Ottawa, ON, May 12, 2005. This is a brief summary of this consultative meeting. Discussions on several ongoing regulatory subjects on the agenda included the following: 

• Industry Canada advised that they have analyzed and evaluated the responses to their public consultation on the RAC proposal Recommendations to Industry Canada on Morse Code and Related Matters. Industry Canada is finalizing its position and a decision is expected in the near future. 

• Industry Canada has evaluated the RAC proposal Recommendations to Industry Canada on Changes to the Call Sign Policy and Administration of Amateur Call Signs and anticipates that a Provisional RIC-9 incorporating their decisions will be released by summer. 

• Industry Canada is reviewing the extensive and comprehensive report of the Townsend Committee on the National Antenna Policy Review, which was made public in January, 2005.  The review, and the preparation of any revisions to the tower consultation process, will require some time. In the meantime, radio amateurs planning to erect a tower should continue to follow the current consultation process. 
• BPL developments in Canada and progress toward a Canadian policy and framework on BPL were discussed. Industry Canada anticipates presenting a Consultation Paper on BPL before the summer for public comment on it through the Gazette process. 

• RAC updated the meeting on the continuing growth of the RAC Youth Education Program. 

• In response to RAC concerns on the accreditation renewals for Accredited Examiners and on the recording of amateur examination information that were expressed at the October 2004 CARAB meeting, Industry Canada has reviewed and extensively updated the List of Accredited Examiners. The updated list was provided to RAC and posted on the RAC web site on 6 May, 2005. Work on the renewal of lapsed accreditations is continuing. Industry Canada is exploring options for enhancing the administration of Accredited Examiners. 

• RAC Director Ed Frazer, VE7EF, outlined the progress on the resolution of malicious interference problems on Vancouver-area VHF and UHF repeaters. A coordinated approach by a newly formed Greater Vancouver Amateur Radio Council in cooperation with Industry Canada has reduced the incidence of interference. 

RAC was represented by: President Earle Smith VE6NM; Vice-President Regulatory Affairs Jim Dean, VE3IQ; and Directors Ed Frazer, VE7EF and Ben Price, VE3CDA, and Joe Parkinson, VE3JG, RAC Project Officer for BPL. 

Industry Canada was represented by: Earl Hoeg, Director Spectrum Management Operations; René Guerrette, Director Eastern Ontario District Office and Amateur Radio Service Centre; Nadia Lombardi, Manager Operational Policies, Spectrum Management Operations; Rob Cepella, Chief, Authorizations, Spectrum Management Operations; and Gary Steckly, Technical Policy Analyst, Spectrum Management Operations.  (Thanks to JIm Dean, VE3IQ)

(RAC News Service) 

Radio Amateurs of Canada...Youth Education Program Newsletter #12 (May 20, 2005)
 

Many thanks to Neil Carleton (VE3NCE) for this timely article on the Mt. Everest Expedition, featured below. A couple of photographs of this event are also attached. A PowerPoint presentation was made to Industry Canada at the recent CARAB meeting, earlier this month.

The same presentation was later made to the RAC Board or Directors, RAC Executive and guests from ARRL and IARU. The presentation and the YEP program received much acclaim from Industry Canada, the President of the ARRL, Jim Haynie and the RAC representatives. This credit is truly shared by all the participating schools and their supporting clubs. The PowerPoint presentation and related speaker’s notes can be downloaded from the YEP WEBsite.

Remember, one of the conditions of participation in the YEP is that you will provide us with details of the program which you used with your students. This information will be shared with all participating schools, so that everyone can benefit from your experiences. Please send this to me as soon as possible, to avoid the ‘June Rush’.

Clubs, I would also very much like to have some feedback from you - how did the program work for your Club, what was your Club’s take on the program? What could be changed, added or improved to make next year’s YEP better?

May 19, 2005
Neil Carleton - VE3NCE
R. Tait McKenzie Public School
Almonte, Ontario
Amateur radio made it possible in April 2005 to link students at participating RAC YEP schools across Canada with the Kanatek Expedition at Mount Everest base camp. Students at schools from coast to coast had their mountain climbing questions answered by Professor Sean Egan, of the University of Ottawa, as he stood outside his tent in the early morning light at Mount Everest base camp.

NATIONAL PROJECT
Dr. Egan of Almonte was a friend with a passion and zest for life. As a kinetics researcher, he investigated fitness and aging. With his boundless energy and enthusiasm, he used every opportunity with students to promote the life long benefits of fitness. This remarkable radio project started more than a year ago when I learned that Sean was returning to Mount Everest as leader of the Canadian Kanatek Expedition. His personal goal was the summit.

Sean agreed that speaking with schools from Mount Everest would be a great way to connect with students by amateur radio. He also thought it was important to promote wellness, fitness, setting a goal, making a plan, and working as a team - the same values teachers promote in classrooms across the country. What started as an idea for students at R. Tait McKenzie Public School, here in Almonte, developed into a national project. With the approval of Industry Canada, and the support of participating schools in the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) Youth Education Program (YEP), a unique opportunity was created to connect students across the country by amateur radio with Professor Egan on Mount Everest.

APRIL 11 CONTACT
On Monday night, April 11 at 8:15 p.m. EDST, students, parents and community guests at 6 schools from coast to coast were listening by amateur radio for a signal from Mount Everest. It was 6:00 a.m. in Nepal, Tuesday morning April 12. At Mount Everest base camp the sun still wasn’t up yet. Here in Almonte, an audience of more than 250 people whispered and stirred in our school gym as the T.V. crew set up and the clock approached contact time. Then, before we knew it, there was Professor Egan’s voice all the way from Mount Everest. Contact time!

One at a time, 10 students at R. Tait McKenzie Public School, from kindergarten to grade 8, took turns stepping up to the microphone and asking Dr. Egan a question about his climbing adventure. Everyone listened intently to hear his answers as the mountain winds whirled through base camp. Before we let him go, I had the audience give a dramatic cheer to let him know that everyone here in his home town of Almonte was very proud of him.

SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
After the R. Tait McKenzie questions, starting in Halifax and working westward across Canada to Vancouver Island, students at each of the other participating schools took turns asking Professor Egan questions. It was so exciting to follow the conversations from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific. Through the wonders of amateur radio, we were linked across the country with Mount Everest on the other side of the world. Wow!

Our unique cross country contact with Dr. Egan at Mount Everest was called “Yakkin’ With Sean”. Each participating school received a magnificent “Yakkin” display banner from the expedition sponsor, Kanatek Technologies Inc., that featured images of Mount Everest, yaks, Sean, and the logo of the Radio Amateurs of Canada Youth Education Program. Participating schools also received Kanatek Expedition lapel pins, as well as commemorative hockey pucks to celebrate the world’s highest hockey game that would be played above base camp by the Kanatek team on the Khumbu glacier on Mount Everest. Details about the Kanatek Expedition, including all the daily blogs from base camp, are available at: www.kanatek.com/everest.

Viewers around the world were able to watch and listen to the event at R. Tait McKenzie Public School. With thanks to Storm Internet for donating a high speed wireless connection, the volunteer team of the Almonte Radio Repeater League (ARRL) transmitted our program live on the internet. Special thanks to ARRL volunteers Bob Clermont - VE3AKV, Phil St. Germain - VE3CIQ, and Dale Hennigar - VE3XZT. Taking part in this unique experiment were, from east to west, Sir John A. MacDonald High School, Halifax, Nova Scotia; Grand Manan Community School, Grand Manan Is, New Brunswick; R. Tait McKenzie Public School, Almonte, Ontario; Walter Murray Collegiate Institute, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Chestermere Lake Middle School, Chestermere, Alberta; and Drinkwater Elementary School, Duncan, British Columbia. A big thanks to the many volunteers on our national team for making this such a successful and memorable project.

STUDENT QUESTIONS

R.Tait McKenzie Public School, Almonte, Ontario:
- Kindergarten: Marcus Smith - How hard was it to climb the mountain?
- Grade 1: Zachary Frew - How many people are climbing Mount Everest with you?
- Grade 2: Carlin Hannebury - How cold is it on Mount Everest?
- Grade 3: Katie Hawkins - Why did you want to climb the world's tallest mountain?
- Grade 4: Rachel Van Woezik - How and where do you set up your sleeping quarters each night on the mountain, and what are the safety measures?
- Grade 5: Alex Wilkie - What kind of special training do you have to take for climbing Mount Everest, and how long does the training take?
- Grade 5: Kassandra Whitby - Does the strong wind scare you?
- Grade 6: Kylie Kendall - What kind of food do you eat when you're climbing Mount Everest?
- Grade 7: John Reid - How hard is it to breathe on the mountain when you're so far up?
- Grade 8: Nick Jones - What part of Mount Everest are you on now, and what obstacles have you faced to get there?

Sir John A. MacDonald High School, Halifax, Nova Scotia (it will be great to have the school join the
RAC YEP):
- Grade 10: Alexandra Winfield - What are the fears amongst the climbers?
- Grade 12: Alexander McKinnon - What are the plans when they reach the summit?
- Grade 10: Kyle Cousins - How you deal with hygiene?
- Grade 11: Graham Carey - What are the possible health risks involved in this climb?

Grand Manan Community School, Grand Manan, New Brunswick:
- Grade 7: Adrien La Chaine - When you reach the top of Mount Everest, will you leave a Canada flag there, and how big will it be if you leave one?
- Grade 7: Gregory La Chaine - How much time does it take you to return from the top?
- Grade 7: Chrysty Gaudet - What is the climate like? Does it compare to the Canadian climate?
- Grade 7: Courtney Guptil - Other than the physical training, how did you prepare for the climb?

Walter Murray Collegiate Institute, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (technical problems prevented the students from asking their questions):
- Grade 12: Nate Mirva (radio amateur VE5NAT) - What kind of radio equipment are you using for the expedition?
- Grade 11: Jill Slind - What kind of food do you eat at Base Camp and how did you get it there?
- Grade 11: Sagan Yee - How will the shinney game be affected by the environmental conditions?
- Grade 11: Gurvir Sida - What kind of wildlife is there?
- Grade 11: Victor Dong - How many hours of daylight are there?

Chestermere Lake Middle School, Chestermere, Alberta:
- Grade 6: Megan Ekstrand - What is the hardest part mentally to climbing the mountain? What keeps you from quitting?
- Grade 6: Brook Muri - What goes through your mind as you are climbing mountains?
- Grade 6: Jacqueline Wilson - When did you start mountain climbing. Have you always wanted to climb Mount Everest?
- Grade 6: Dominic Fasoli - How do you communicate with base camp as you climb higher and higher?

Drinkwater Elementary School, Duncan, British Columbia:
- Grade 6: Carley Wood - Will the mountain climbers be climbing ice?
- Grade 5: Kelsey Ohs - How long will it take you to climb the mountain?
- Grade 5: Chelsey Poilievre - Do you wear lots of clothing, or really heavy snowsuits?
- Grade 5: Dylan Van Loon - How do you go to the bathroom?

AUDIO RECORDING
An audio recording of the student questions and Professor Egan’s answers from Mount Everest is available at the web site of the Almonte Radio Repeater League, at: www.igs.net/~va3aar. Click on the Mount Everest photo for links to the audio files. A CTV news feature, that captured the excitement of our Almonte event, is also available at the ARRL site.

SCHOOLS LINKED BY IRLP
To make it all possible, the expedition at Mount Everest base camp called the Kanatek office in Canada via satellite phone. The audio was directed into Kanatek's telephone conference bridge. The Halifax team connected to the Kanatek teleconference and routed the audio through the internet to the Internet Radio Linking Project (IRLP) reflector in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Participating schools across the country connected to the Saskatoon reflector by amateur radio through their local IRLP nodes. The net control in Almonte, Bob Clermont - VE3AKV, coordinated all the school traffic from province to province. The event operator in Halifax, Bob Burns - VE1VCK, enabled the switching needed to steer the conversation back and forth between the expedition on Mount Everest and the schools taking part. Special thanks to the Halifax team volunteers Wayne Harasimovitch - VE1WPH, Rob Ewert - VE1KS, and Bob Burns, VE1VCK.

THANK YOU KANATEK
A very big thanks to the expedition sponsor, Kanatek Technologies Inc. of Kanata, Ontario, for the company’s generous support. Thanks to the personal efforts of Terry Kell, Kanatek President, also of Almonte, students right across Canada were able to talk by amateur radio with Professor Egan on the other side of the world.

This was a first in Canada to have students from coast to coast connected by amateur radio with an expedition on Mount Everest. Kanatek?s support for this unique national project was appreciated very much.

SUMMITS OF CANADA
Participating YEP schools have used amateur radio to talk with contacts close to home, across the country, around the world, and even out in space. In 2006, we hope to have students from coast to coast talking by amateur radio with members of the Summits of Canada Expedition as they climb to the highest points in each of our provinces and territories. Schools interested in the Summits of Canada project can e-mail education@summitsofcanada.ca for details.

SEAN EGAN
We were all shocked to learn on April 29 that Professor Egan died on his way to Kathmandu. Sean was an inspiration to everyone he met. He died pursuing a lifelong goal and doing something he loved. Thank you Sean for sharing your zest for life.

Bj. Madsen - VE5FX
RAC MidWest Regional Director
Chairman - RAC Youth Education Program
E-mail: ve5fx@rac.ca

(RAC News Service)

New RAC Section Manager for Quebec (May 15 2005)

At the May 25th meeting of the Montreal Amateur Radio Club, Murray Epstein, VE2AUU announced the appointment of Raymond Faguy, VE2SJA as Quebec Section Manager. 

For those of you might not know Raymond, he has been licensed since 1990 and has been a member of the club for an
number of years.  He is active in various Amateur Radio Public Service events and brings with him community service related experience including the St. John's Ambulance.  Welcome aboard Raymond and the best of luck in your new position. 

Vernon Erle Ikeda - VE2MBS/VE2QQ
Montreal Amateur Radio Club Inc. - VE2ARC 

Industry Canada gives approval for Alberta Hams to use special callsign (May 6 2005)
 

The Calgary Amateur Radio Association (CARA), through Jeff Wilson, CARA DX Club Chair, has received permit from Industry Canada for All Alberta Amateurs to us special prefixes to celebrate Alberta's Centennial. VE6's can use VX6 and VA6's can use VG6 for the period from May 27 to June 25, 2005.  For more information about the CARA visit our website: www.cara.ampr.org (Jeff Wilson VE6GJ)

Central Alberta Amateur Radio Clubs annual picnic and Ham Fest. (June 17-19 2005)
 

The 35th Annual C.A.A.R.C. Amateur Radio Picnic and Hamfest will be held at Pine Lake starting the afternoon of June 17 through June 19 (fathers day weekend).  Raffle tickets are $5.00 each and can be purchased from CAARC club members. Tickets can also be obtained by mail. Send a cheque or money order to CAARC, PO Box 771, Red Deer, Alberta, T4N 5H3. Draw takes place Sunday 19 June 2005 at the AG Campground, Pine Lake, AB. License #R746375. Only 350 tickets printed

• Family weekend pass - $35.00 (Sunday breakfast included). No camping fees.
• Single weekend pass - $20.00 (Sunday breakfast included). No camping fees. 
• Family day pass - $15.00 
• Single day pass - $8.00 
• Saturday night Baron of Beef supper - $8.00 per adult, $3.00 per child under 12 years of age. 
• Sunday Pancake breakfast - $5.00 per adult, $3.00 per child under 12 years of age. 

FRIDAY JUNE 17
1700 - 2200:  Registration and Special Events Station....Campgrounds 
1900 - 2200:  Hospitality Hour.... Main Hall

SATURDAY JUNE 18

0800 - 1700:  Registration and Special Events Station Campgrounds 
1000 - 1100:  Red Cross Adult Disaster Awareness Training Main Hall 
1000 - 1200: Kid's Activities and "Ladies Time Out" West Hall 
1100 - 1200: Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) meeting Main Hall 
1200 - 1600: Tailgate Flea Market North side of the hall, West side of the main hall. Picnic tables are assigned for vendors. Please do not park in this area unless you are a vendor! NO EARLY BIRDS! 
1200 - 1300: Wiener roast (TBA) (sponsored by SARA) 
1300 - 1400:  Southern Alberta Repeater Association (SARA) meeting Main hall 
1300 - 1400:  Fox Hunt #1 Campgrounds - (bring your VHF/RDF gear) 
1400 - 1500: CANWARN presentation Main Hall 
1500 - 1600: Amateur Role in Municipal Disaster Planning and Response Presented by Ric VA6RIC, Red Deer County 
1600 - 1800:  Lots of visiting! Main Hall closed for supper set up 
1800 - 2000:  Roast Beef Supper Main Hall 
1930 - 2030:  "Junk Box Wars" (TBA) Teams compete to build a functioning communication system out of supplied junk box parts. Bring your cameras. 
2000 - 2300:  Past 100 years Fashion show and Dance Main Hall 
2030 - ?:  Fox Hunt #2 Campgrounds - (bring your VHF/RDF gear) 
2200 - sunrise?:  Bonfire Weather and fire restrictions permitting 

SUNDAY JUNE 19

0800 - 1000:  CAARC Pancake Breakfast Main Hall 
1000 - 1100:  Kid's games and egg toss Campgrounds 
1100 - 1200:  Liars contest, Radio Raffle and door prizes Main Hall 

For more info visit: the CAARC website at www.caarc.ca for information and a map. A great event!!

Camp X On the Air Again! (May 28-29, 2005)

The North Shore Amateur Radio Club and the South Pickering Amateur Radio Club in conjunction with the Camp X Historical Society extend an invitation to all Radio Amateurs to join them in celebrating the contribution that Camp X made to the Allied victory in Europe. Amateur Radio operators will be telling the story of Camp X to the world by way of radio from Camp X, Intrepid Park, Whitby, ON on: Saturday, May 28 from 10:00 to 17:00EST Sunday, May 29 from 10:00 to 15:00EST. This event will include displays of vintage World War II radio equipment as well as Militaria displays and Camp X artifacts.

Camp-X tours

  We will be touring Camp-X one day per month starting in April and I can tell you that based on last year's comments, it's a real treat.  No charge as this is a public service venture designed to teach our youth about the rich contribution made by our Canadian heroes of World War II. Children under the age of 16 will either require written consent from their parents, or be accompanied by an adult. I'm looking at Saturday, April 23rd at 12:00 noon and Sunday May 8th at 12:00 noon.  May 8th is particularly important as it is the sixtieth anniversary of VE Day.  We'll take a walking tour of Camp-X and I'll point out where the buildings were, what they were used for, where certain historical events took place, where the deaths occurred, where the agents trained, etc. I hope to see you at Intrepid Park at 12:00 noon. 

Additional dates: 
Saturday, June 18th, 12:00 noon 
Saturday, July  16th, 12:00 noon
Saturday, Aug  20th, 12:00 noon 
Saturday, Sept 24th, 12:00 noon 

Please sign up now for this year's Camp-X tours: http://webhome.idirect.com/~lhodgson/camp-x.htm

Feature article: Forgotten Truths About Camp X

Website links to Camp X info: http://www.campxhistoricalsociety.ca/

http://www.osha.igs.net/~lsolomon/nsarc/campx_main.htm

32nd Streetsville Founders Bread & Honey Festival  (June 4, 2005) 
Sponsored by: The Mississauga Amateur Radio Club (VE3MIS) 

Location:  Special Event Station  Streetsville ON 

Opens: Operating Times 1400Z-200Z June4 and 5 

Notes: Frequencies (MHz): 7.227, 14.240, 21.315, 28.480 +/- QRM.  A certificate will be awarded to those who QSL. Please note that non-Canadians will need to send either 2 green stamps or 2 IRC's to cover cost of postage as we cannot use US postage in Canada. 

QSL Info:
MARC C/O Michael Brickell (VE3TKI)
2801 Bucklepost Crescent
Mississauga, ON L5N 1X6 
Email info: ve3mis@rac.ca

For more info visit: http://www.marc.on.ca

Little Bear Lake A.R.C.Open House  (June 10, 2005) 
Sponsored by: The Little Bear Lake A.R.C. 

Location:   3Km. off Highway 106 (Hanson Lake Road to Flin Flon, Mn.)
turn-off is 100Km. north of Smeaton . Keep going towards Little Bear Lake camp ground, SMEATON SK . Watch for sign on your right 

Opens:  9.00 AM to 10.00PM  Cost:  Donations  Talkin:  146.85_ repeater (VE5NLR) 

Notes: Camp ground reservations at Glen & Grace Raynor. See www.littlebearlake.ca OR Larks Inn - limited rooms, good food. Rooms are set-up for light house keeping. ph. (306) 426-2491.

The Ham station is on the Campground lease on a high hill with pine trees. HF beam, dipoles, verticals. Kenwood HF units, both AC & battery or bring your own rig.Noise level "0", good building wood stove, all the comforts of home. 

For more info:  Call Ken Bindle/VE5KRB (306) 373-3403 or ve5krb@rac.ca

Central Ontario Fleamarket & Hamfest  (June 11, 2005)
Sponsored by: The Guelph ARC & Kitchener Waterloo ARC 

Location: Newly renovated full-featured Fergus Community Centre. Large spacious indoor & outdoor facilities. Fergus, ON

Opens: Public 8 am to 12:30 pm
Cost:  Admission for all $6 (includes prize entry) Inside 8' tables $12, outside Tailgater spaces $7 
Talkin:  VE3ZMG 145.210(-), VE3KSR 146.970(-)*tone 131.8, simplex in town 146.520 

Notes:  31st Annual! Famous for lots of space, much to see. Enjoyed by vendors and visitors. Clean, spacious, full-hookup camping on site. Free draws for many items, including Grand Prize Gift Certificates. 

For more info visit: http://www.hamfest.on.ca

DOWN-EAST FLEA MARKET  (Saturday, June 11, 2005)
Halifax, N.S.

The Down-East Flea Market is the largest Ham Fest in Atlantic Canada. Details on Commercial Suppliers and associated Flea Market events will be published over the next couple of months.

Location: Halifax Forum Complex at the corner of Young and Windsor Sts. in Halifax
Time: Doors open for sellers at 0630 and at 0900 for buyers
Entry Fee: $3.00 per person

Tables: free and can be reserved by contacting VE1EGG@RAC.CA ---Ed Grace--865-9416 

Talk in Frequency: VE1PSR 147.270(+)

Associated Social Events:

Friday 10th Evening - 1900 at The Jolly Mug - for info contact Hugh ve1pq@rac.ca

Saturday 11th Breakfast - at the Steak and Stein - 6061 Young St, Halifax 

Talk by Wayne-VE1WPH on the ISS set up 

Hope to see you there
73's -- VE1EGG -- Ed Grace
ve1egg@rac.ca

Whitby Amateur Radio Club Hamfest  (June 18, 2005)
Sponsored by: The Whitby Amateur Radio Club 

Location:  Royal Canadian Legion Br. 43, 471 Simcoe St. South, Oshawa, ON. ( 401 Exit # 418 to Simcoe St.N.) 
3rd. Annual Hamfest. Lunch Counter available. Oshawa ON 

Opens: 7:00 A.M. Vendors, 9:00 A.M. General Public V.I.P. Admission paid by May16, 2005 will let you in 15 Min. ahead of general admission 

Cost: Vendors 8ft. table $10 plus $5 Admission per person General Public $5 per person. No tailgaters. 
Talkin: 147.150

Notes:  Vendors limited to Amateur, Scanner, Short Wave and Computer related equipment. All vendors prepaid and reserved by May 16, 2005 will be entered in a special draw for $50 ( 2 draws) No $50 or $100 bills accepted. 
For more info:  Contact Betty Huider VE3BLH 905-579-1800 or Lyle Sibbald VA3DXE 905-571-6776 

Website: http://www.whitbyarc.org/

PEI Amateur Radio Flea Market  (July 9 2005)
Sponsored by: The Summerside Amateur Radio Club

Location: PEI Flying Association Bldg. "Old" Airport Terminal Bldg. 250 Brackley Point Road Charlottetown, PE
Opens: Vendor Setup 8:00 AM,  Buyers 10:00 AM
Cost: Tables for sellers, both private and commercial are $5.00 each, Price at the door is $3 per person
Talkin: VY2PEI on 145.150 (-)

Notes: Restaurant Services will be available on site. Please contact Rodney, VY2CGA, by email to reserve table space.

For more info visit: www.summersidearc.com

ONTARIO HAMFEST  (July 9, 2005)
Sponsored by: The Burlington Amateur Radio Club 

Location:  Milton Agricultural Fairgrounds...SAME as Last Year   Milton  ON 
Opens: Inside Vendors: 7AM Tailgater Vendors: 8 AM General Admission: 9 AM 
Cost:  Inside Vendors: $10 per table PLUS $6 Admission Tailgater Vendors: $6 Admission PLUS $5 per single width vehicle space GENERAL ADMISSION: $6.00 each..Children under 12 are FREE with Adult Accompaniment 

Talkin: 146.520 Mhz Simplex within Milton Area. 

Notes: This is our 31st Annual "FUN" Day..Don't Miss it! Amateur Radio & Computer Electronics & MORE One of the "few" Fleamarkets that has OUTSIDE/Tailgating & Inside Vendors.

For more info visit: http://home.cogeco.ca/~barc/Ontario%20Hamfest%202005.html
 

Saskatchewan Centennial Hamfest 2005  (July 22, 2005)
Sponsored by: The Saskatoon Amateur Radio Club/Meewasin Amateur Radio Society 

Location: Travelodge Saskatoon 106 Circle Drive West, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada 
Opens: TBA 
Cost: TBA 
Talkin:  Local 146.640- , Regional 146.970- 
Notes: 

For more info visit: http://www.saskhamfest.com

VHARA Hamfest 2005  (August 27, 2005) 
Sponsor by: The Victoria - Haliburton Amateur Radio Association 

Location: Manvers Arena - Corner Of Hwy. 7A & 35 (North Of Bowmanville/South Of Lindsay) GPS: Lat. 44D 09M 40S, Long. 78D 39M 30S

Opens: Indoor Vendor Set-Up 7:00AM Free Vendor Continental Breakfast 7:00AM - 8:30AM Outdoor Tailgate Set-Up 9:00AM General Admission 9:00AM 

Cost: General Admission $5.00 Indoor Tables (With 1 Vendor Admission + 1 Continental Breakfast) $10.00 Additional Vendor Pass (Working Helper) + Continental Breakfast $5.00 Outdoor Tailgate Positions (With 1 General Admission) $5.00 
Talkin: VE3LNZ 147.195 + 

Notes: Limited Indoor Vendor 120V AC Power Available (Please Specify When Registering) Door Prize & Super Draw Prizes Will Be Drawn Throughout The Hamfest

For more info visit: http://www.va3kvd.ca/vhara/

Ottawa Amateur Radio Club 9th Annual Hamfest   (September 3, 2005) 
Sponsor by: TheOttawa Amateur Radio Club, Inc 

Location:  Carp Agricultural Fairgrounds 3970 Carp Road (at Falldown Lane) Ottawa (Carp), Ontario. From Ottawa, take Highway 417 West to Carp Road exit, North to the fairgrounds. We are in the arena, so follow the signs on the site. 

Opens: Building Vendor setup: 8 am Tailgaters Open: 9 am Building Opens: 10 am until 1 pm 
Cost:  $5 general admission $10/table (plus admission) $5/tailgate (plus admission) 
Talkin:  VE2CRA, 146.94 -

Notes:   Immediately following the fleamarket will be the RAC Forum and Technology Update moderated by RAC Ontario North Director, Doug Leach (VE3XK). Topics of interest to the amateur radio community are planned and admission is free.

For more info visit: http://www.oarc.net/fleamarket

Vancouver Island Ham Happenings  (September 10, 2005) 
Sponsored by: The Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association 

Location:  Departure Bay Activities Centre 1415 Wingrove Street Nanaimo BC ( Aka the old Departure Bay Fire Hall ) Take Departure Bay road from either end down to the beach, Wingrove st. is right across from the Departure Bay beach.
Please see map and directions on our web site. 

Opens: Sellers setup from 7am to 10 am, doors will be open to the Buyers and general public at 10am and close at 1pm 

Cost:  Cost of tables are $15.00 ea. includes 1 admission. There will be no charge for the table for anyone reserving a table from the lower mainland. Helpers and general admission $5.00 each. 

Talkin: VE7ISC at 146.640 open repeater 

Notes: There will be a RAC table, equipment manufactures tables, local dealers tables, a collectors display table and many, many sellers tables. We will be holding the annual QLF (Left foot CW) CW contest. There will be hourly door prizes as well as a major door prize of an Icom IC-V82 Handheld radio. If you are coming the night before we have many hotels and motels close by, and for RVs we have three malls in the area that allow overnight parking for self contained RVs. 

For more info visit: http://www.nara.nisa.com

Barrie Hamfest  (September 10, 2005) 
Sponsored by: The Barrie Amateur Radio Club 

Location:  Oro Medonte Fairgrounds Just north of Barrie on Hwy #11 to Oro-Medonte Line 7. Watch for Airport sign at exit. Take Line 7 Northwest 2 Km to the 15/16th sideroad and you're at the Fairgrounds. Co-ordinates are 44 30 17 N 79 33 17 W 

Opens: Open for Inside Vendors at 7 am, Taigaters at 8 am, General public at 9 am till 1 pm.
Cost:  General admission $5 , 8' tables $15 plus general admissions, Taigaters $5 plus general admissions. 
Talkin:  VE3RAG 147.000 + 

Notes:  Our second year at the new bigger location. Wheelchair accessable and handicap parking available.
Registration form and map on website. 

For more info visit: http://www.barriearc.com

London Amateur Radio Club 28th Annual Fleamarket   (Sept. 25 2005)

Sunday, September 25, 2005, located at the Western Fair Grounds Special Events Building, London Ontario. 9:00am to 1:00pm

Vendor setup at 7:30am. Admission: $6.00 , tables $ 10.00

Free parking, Air conditioned, commercial dealers, snack bar facilities, wheelchair accessible with handicap washrooms

Inquiries: email: hamfest2005@hamster.foxhollow.ca or phone / mail to Doug Tompkins, VE3IDT (519) 439-5113
54 Hammond Cres. London, ON  N5X 1A4

Website: http://larc.ca/newsletter/LARC-HAMFEST-2005.pdf

SHF 2005 Committee...Hamfest Update

The SHF 2005 committee has undertaken a centennial history project. Through the years, we have noticed a decline in the archiving of photographs and history of radio in our Province. We would like to restore our past and make it accessible for everyone.

Do you have old photographs that you can part with for a while? Can you make us copies?

How about writing up a few pages about what has happened over the last one hundred years in your home area. Anything you can help us with is much appreciated. Please contact the SHF 2005 Committee with any information you can share.

Also, as this is the celebration of the province’s one hundredth birthday, we want to make this the biggest, best hamfest the province has ever seen! Do you have ideas that you would like us to explore? Let us know!

The committee has also developed a survey for gathering input from the ham community. Visit the website, www.saskhamfest.com and fill it out online! 

When:  Saturday, June 4, 2005 - 9am to 1pm
Where: Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) at the Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) - Eric Spicer Building - 21 Mt. Hope Ave. in Dartmouth

This contesting workshop is open to all Radio Amateurs who have an interest in contesting and want to improve their contesting competitiveness. 

If you are interested in attending, please send an email to Howard (VE1DHD) to register - VE1DHD@rac.ca.

While the main focus of this workshop will be on the ARRL Field Day contest, some of the topics covered will be of general interest to all contesters.

Who should attend?  If you are planning on participating in Field Day this year, you should attend.  We will be introducing a new radio this year and it is important that everyone know not only how to turn it on and off but also how to operate it effectively in a contesting environment.  That can be said for all of our radios.  In other words - tuning out encroaching QRM is a big issue. 

We are particularly interested in building an increased number of dedicated contesters in the Halifax Club and we encourage all of the newly licensed Hams to attend this short course.

However, this course is not just for the novice.  I expect that we will all come away with some new knowledge and improved skills!

The following is an overview of the planned agenda:

9:00  Opening remarks - Howard Dickson - VE1DHD

9:15  Contesting - What's it all about?  - Dick Grantham (VE1AI) & Gary Bartlett  (VE1RGB)

• What are the typical types of contests (big international; national; local provincial/state)
• What are the typical annual contests (e.g., WPX; CQWW, IOTA; RAC; NSARA)?
• What do I need to do to get involved?
• Which one should I try first?

• HARC Illustrious Field Day History
• All about the F-class
• Philosophy & Location
• Who is involved?
• Scoring
• Bonus points
• How we plan to set up
• Radios 
• Antennas
• Computers and Logging Software
• The stations - SSB / CW / GOTA / 6-M / Satellite

• Field Day Exchange
• Getting a frequency and holding onto it
• What to do when your frequency is challenged?
• Hints for working under severe QRM conditions
• Tuning your ears and 
• Tuning the radio
• Role of the operators vs role of the logger/duper
• What band when?
• To Run or not to Run - Running vs. Search & Pounce (what is the strategy here?)
• Tips and methods for improving exchange speed and increasing our score
• Breaking into Pile-ups - when and how to do it effectively

• Overview of the Radios (focus on contest operating to minimise QRM)
• Overview of the new Laptops
• Overview of WriteLog - optimizing its effectively
• Logging the QSO
• Looking for Dups
• Programmable keyers

• Hands-on demonstration of contest practice programs 
• Morse Runner - Scott Wood (VE1AI) & Gary Bartlett (VE1RGB)
• Pileup Player - Howard Dickson (VE1DHD)
• Field Day Contest SIMULATOR - ALL

Edmonton Amateurs provide support on occasion of serious toxic waste fire (May 5 2005)
 

The ARES Edmonton Region Group, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada were called out on the evening of May 5 for a full level 3 activation of the City of Edmonton's Emergency Operations Centre. This followed an explosion and fire in Edmonton's East side industrial area. The resulting three-alarm hazardous goods fire created a possible evacuation for nearby residents.

The ARES Edmonton Region amateurs have been training extensively in Incident Command, formal messaging, and standard operating procedures and the training paid off. Some 26 amateurs provided assistance by monitoring wind direction and speed for the smoke plume, and in addition providing communications support for the Salvation Army who were assisting the fire personnel, providing logistics vehicles and preparing to staff the evacuation centre. 

The incident command structure worked extremely well, with spares always staged and ready to go when requested by the City. In the case of the evacuation centre, hams were pre-positioned and had made contact with the evacuation center's staff so that communications would be almost instantaneous should the centre be activated. When the city asked if ARES could cover a second shift, they were told a second and third shift was already in place and a fourth could be arranged. Along with the 26 active operators, a further twelve were available for a third shift and several others monitored in case the situation deteriorated. Inter agency communications used the VE6HM VHF repeater operated by the Northern Alberta Radio Club which also sponsors the radio room at Edmonton's Emergency Operations Centre. 

Incident Command spreads the workload and Standard Operating Procedures ensures few things are missed. Tom Cox VE6TOX (ARES ER EC) acted as Amateur Radio Incident Command with ARES AECs David Evans VE6DXX (NARC EC) and Carl Gill VE6GGG as Deputies at the EOC, supported by Angus Findlay VA6AJF. Net Control was James Ewen VE6SRV (ARES DEC Alberta) and after 2200 local by Gern Sabourin VA6HGS. Smoke monitoring was done by Don Smith VE6DKS and Logistics by Kathy Nicoll VE6HI, while Bob Whyte VE6TCN was nominated to activate the callout list. The ARES Edmonton Region callout list is circulated to members monthly from a computerized database. 

The Salvation Army had Nathan Reeves VE6NGR (their Emergency Coordinator), Kitty Wagner VE6KIT, Chris Parker VE6PKR, Gregory Reeves VA6ALP, David MacFarlane VE6CUT, Paul Duczynski VE6PDD, James Smith VE6JBS, Paul Wickwire VE6SC and Curtis Bidulock VE6AEW. The evacuation centre was covered by Bart Vinkenborg VE6VB and 'Mitch' Mitchell VE6JTM. Incident Command Spares or second shift command included Janet Norman VE6DYB, Tony Toews VE6MVP, Dan Martin VE6GDM, Armando Carandang VE6BOG, Bill Douglas VE6WDE and Doug Rygalo VE6MIL. A special thanks goes to Alan Nichols VE6AN and Bob Nixon VE6RNN for getting twelve Fort Saskatchewan hams prepared to cover the third shift. (Thanks to David Evans VE6DXX RAC Assistant Director - Alberta) www.aresedmontonregion.net

(RAC News Service)

The Ontario Provincial Communications ARES (Procom) Net

In an emergency situation, the Procom Net would be used to pass traffic between Agency Control Centres across Regional Zones. It would be used be such agencies as The Red Cross, Salvation Army, St. John Ambulance as well as other Social Service Departments, Emergency Operation Co-Ordinators and other Emergency Departments. 

The Net meets every Thursday evening at 8:30pm using four linked UHF repeaters, one linked VHF repeater and one simplex frequency. The repeater list is as follows: 

VE3SNM 442.850 (136.5) Toronto
VE3WIK 443.675 (131.8) Carlisle 
VA3WAJ  442.425 (107.2) Niagara Falls 
VE3SED  442.200 (131.8) Bayden 
VE3MBR  147.105 (131.8) Goring 
ARES Simplex 146.460 linked to VE3WIK 

For more information visit:oeco.hfradio.net/procom.html

Maritime Swap Shop

The Maritime Swap Shop is held every Monday at 7:30pm local time on 3.750 MHz. All station are invited to checkin and post their wants and items for sale. The Maritime Swap Shop list can be found on many places on the internet, here are just a few: The Loyalist City Amateur Radio Club ,  hfradio.net ,    VE1AIC's Home Page  and  Truro Amateur Radio Club

Please Note: The Maritime (on-air) Swap Shop, which was formerly held on Tuesday evenings, will now take place on Monday evenings at 1930 local time on 3750.

Looking for that special piece of radio gear to finish off your ham station? Do you have extra radio gear you'd like to turn into some cash?

The Swap Shop list is posted every Monday on the Trans Provincial Net website, Ontario Swap Shop Listings , the swap shop list can also be found on packet by calling up VE3DID

(Nick VE3NJG)

The Manitoba Repeater Society Swap & Shop
 

This is a bi-weekly net, and listings are posted for four weeks.  Only HAM radio gear & computers may be posted.  www.ve4sss.ca/swapnshop.html

Last week I told you all about the plans that Richard Provonchee - K1RBP - has for setting sail from Cushing Maine on the Victoria Day weekend here in Canada and heading off to Portugal.  This is the second in a series of articles that I hope to provide on the progress that Richard is making. As you know, Richard and I have been planning on making regular SSB contacts (as well as WinLink Email) during his trip and before he sets sail, we wanted to test out his radio equipment on both systems.  We have been awaiting the launch of his boat - Vittoria - in order to do the tests.  The back stay of his mast is also his antenna, and the salt water is his ground plane, so she needs to be in the water for testing. Last week (May 10th) I received an email from Richard indicating that Vittoria was now in the water, however he has encountered a problem.  Richard writes:

"Vittoria went over yesterday with no problems other than my nerves. She's riding comfortably out front. You can tell from the photo that she's riding a little 'bow high'. She'll even out as she's provisioned. I will get the radio operational in the next couple of days (it's on my list) and will let you know so we can arrange a test of my system. My biggest concern right now has nothing to do with getting ready for the trip. I am having a very difficult time finding anybody who will provide the required insurance to sail in Portuguese waters. I thought that would be pretty straight forward." Apparently not. I (Howard - VE1DHD) am off to Grand Manan Island - IOTA NA-014 - with eight friends on the weekend of the 12th to 16th of May so am anxious to see Richard's testing completed.  By the way, the weekend on Grand Manan was fantastic and I am planning a long article for next week (May 28, 2005) on our DXpedition.

Wednesday, May 11th Richard informed me that he had a lead on an underwriter for this much-needed insurance, but the radio is not quite functioning as well as he would like.  The problem seemed to be with either with AirMail or with his modem.  Since Richard is most likely going to be linking through my friend Neil Hughes - VE1YZ - who lives across the Bay  from me (see my past article on WinLink 2000 and AirMail - #25 - on the Archived List - Winlink 2000 Digital Radio Email Messaging System - March 13, 2005) I took the opportunity later on Wednesday morning during a break at our monthly EMO Amateur Radio Advisory Group meeting to bend Neil's ear with respect to Richard's problems.  Neil is a retired Air Canada "Heavy" pilot with a huge amount of communications experience and has been a beta-test site for the WinLink 2000 system as it has been developing.  Neil asked me to get Richard in touch with him and together they would work through the problem.

Richard writes to Neil:

"Howard Dickson suggested I write you a note. As you know, I am planning a singlehanded sail to Portugal starting in about a week and a half.

I have the Airmail2000 program set up and have had luck with it. It's impressive. As a matter of fact, I have used your station with success.  Any thoughts or suggestions you may have will be appreciated.

I am having a bit of a problem with my modem, however. I have a SCS PTC-IIe modem and it appears to be resetting itself part way into a transmission. It will call the receiving station and usually start to set up a transfer and then goes into what looks like a reset. Of course this terminates the transmission. I've updated the firmware but still see the problem. It will work correctly at times. An odd thing, and I'm not sure it's real, it appears to behave better directly after reloading the firmware. I have sent a note to Farallon to see if they have any thoughts.

I look forward to your insights into WinLink and Airmail.

Richard - K1RBP"

"Hi Richard.

I was with Howard yesterday and we were discussing your trip.

My station is the most easterly WL2K PMBO and I cover the North Atlantic completely. I live near Howard in Head of St Margaret's Bay, and my antennas are mounted on my wharf, with radials running into the water, with no obstructions. The system works very well.

I have been on Winlink 2000 and it's predecessor Winlink (now called "Winlink Classic"), for a total of 10 years.

With regard to your PTC-IIe resetting: I would suspect that you are getting  RF feedback into the PTC-IIe from your transmitter. A successful radio installation in a fiberglass yacht is a very difficult thing to achieve.

Here are some things I have discovered, and are common knowledge:

1) I assume you are using a backstay for an antenna, with an automatic antenna tuner. The antenna tuner must be mounted as close beneath the backstay as possible. The feedline from the antenna tuner must be an open piece of insulated wire (not coax - not even 1" of coax!), clear of other metal objects as much as possible. It should not be taped to the non-antenna part of the backstay, but rather held off on plastic standoffs. This is necessary to prevent arcing. Once an arc occurs, a pinhole develops which fills with salt water and shorts the antenna.

2) Your antenna tuner must have a very heavy ground strap that runs directly to a good grounding point, such as a keelbolt or Dynaplate. The wire must be as short as possible. The best ground would be a wide copper strap (2" or more). If that is not available, a piece of #6 (automotive battery) cable would be a good choice. Copper tubing would also work. Flatten the ends and solder on connectors, or flatten and drill. The connections at each end must be perfect. If lugs are installed on the cable, they must be soldered. Connections at the keelbolt or Dynaplate must be clean, tight, and protected from moisture. The piece of strap that runs from the ground connection on the tuner to the seawater ground is actually part of the antenna system. Making this strap as physically large (but short) as possible, minimizes it's affect.

3) The radio should have a similar heavy ground directly to the same grounding point as the antenna tuner. A short (1'), smaller flexible piece of wire at the radio end would make the installation easier. Again connections must be soldered and perfect.

An engine bolt does not qualify as a ground for radio purposes. Other grounds such as lifelines are not acceptable.

Unfortunately, many people install a very good radio, but pay little attention to the antenna system.

4) The PTC-IIe must have it's own power source. In other words it can not be connected to the same circuit as the radio. It must have it's own circuit complete to the source of power. This is usually the culprit when RF gets into the PTC-IIe.

In some cases, to eliminate RF interference, I have found that putting the PTC-IIe on it's own battery cured it. Also, what works well is a 12v-inline filter for an automotive stereo radio. These are used to eliminate alternator whine in car radios. This filter should be mounted right at the PT-CIIe. In stubborn cases, mounting the 20-amp filter in the power line to the radio, right at the radio will help. These filters are usually available at automotive stores.

5) Also, be sure that you have downloaded and installed the propagation predictor from the Airmail home page. It is a great tool. Each time you check into a WL2K, you will automatically download the current solar flux. This number is read by the propagation program, and the various WL2K PMBOs are assigned a probability of success, based on that number.

At this time in the solar cycle, HF communications will be difficult at best. There may be days with little or no propagation due to solar flares. Frequency selection and time of day will be critical.

If you need any help give me a call on the phone or send me an e-mail.

73, Neil
VE1YZ"
 

Hi Howard, 
Hope you had a good weekend. 

Neil has been very helpful. I think we've sorted out a problem with the modem. It looks like I'll be able to get insurance. The bad news is they want a survey. I've arranged to have her surveyed on Thursday. This will put me back about a week. All things being equal, I should be able to set sail the weekend of May 29. 

I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be for trying voice contact. I'm just going to be working on the boat for the next couple of day so anytime that is good for you. If you'd like to suggest a time and frequency, I'll give it a shot. 

Talk to you soon, 

Richard

Well, Neil's comment about the vagaries of radio propagation as outlined above, and the mention of solar flares could not have been more prophetic.  While on Grand Manan, and in the middle of a CW contact on 40M early Sunday morning (May 15th) everything went quiet.  Joe - NY1S - stepped outside for a smoke and was surprised to see that the sky was getting light (but at 0345Z !!!) and in the North West!  Wow…was the way he described the Auroral display that was occurring, and in light of what we now know about the major solar activity of this past week (see - http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2437.htm) it is not surprising that radio communications have been poor to non-existent ever since.

I got back to Richard later Tuesday morning and we arranged a sked on 7260MHz but there was so much noise and the signals so weak that I could just make out Richard's call; way too difficult for a conversation.  So we arranged to try again on Wednesday (May 18th).

In the mean time, Neil (VE1YZ) sent me this excellent URL that provides daily and hourly propagation prediction between  locations .

From this chart, I concluded that we might be better off trying 80metres in the morning between Cushing and the Halifax area because we seem to be on the edge between 4.0 and 6.0MHz as the optimum frequencies for communication between our two locations.  That translates into either 80 or 40 metres as the usable Amateur Radio voice bands. 

Wednesday conditions were a bit better but the distance between Cushing Maine and Seabright Nova Scotia is too far for 80 metres in the daytime and too close for 40 metres.  We will try to arrange a sked in the evening over the weekend or some time next week.  Richard's planned departure is now for the weekend of the 28/29th of May.

To be Continued >>>>

You have to admire passion and commitment, and Richard Provonchee (K1RBP) is certainly passionate about sailing and he is fully committed to making a single-handed Trans-Atlantic crossing this spring.
 

Richard plans to set sail from Cushing Maine on the Victoria Day weekend in May 2005 to sail across the Atlantic to Portugal in his 27-foot sloop - Vittoria.  Sound crazy?  Well to land lubbers - it very well may sound crazy.  However, to those of us who live by the ocean and sail, this is a dream of a lifetime.  And that is exactly how Richard described it as he spoke with me in my home in Seabright Nova Scotia recently. How VE1DHD got involved - It started recently with an Email from Richard to the Executive of the Halifax Amateur Radio Club.  He was asking if there was a Ham in Halifax with phone patch capabilities that might be willing to assist him in making contact with his wife Diana who will be in Halifax during the time he sails the Atlantic.

I have an old Yaesu "Landliner" that came with my first HF rig - FT-101EE.  I have long ago retired the FT-101EE for a Kenwood TS-850s but kept the Landliner because of the superior speaker that it has.  I got in touch with Dick Grantham - VE1AI - and Dick walked me through the process of linking my Kenwood to the Landliner and so I am now all set to assist Richard as he works his way across the Atlantic.

The Halifax connection - Perhaps as I did, you were wondering why Diana was going to be in Halifax while Richard sails the Atlantic.  Well, it turns out that Diana is a Canadian and she and Richard are newlyweds.  Diana teaches in Halifax and Richard is a Biological Engineer living and working in the private sector in Cushing Maine.  He is in the process of immigrating to Nova Scotia to be with Diana, but this whole open-ocean sailing adventure was planned long before they even met, and Diana is being incredibly supportive of Richard's desire to make this trip on his own.

About the vessel - Vittoria is a Bristol-27 - a 27-foot sloop.  She is heavy by today's standards - 6,600-pound displacement with 2,575 pounds of internal lead ballast in a full keel.  The Bristol-27 was designed and built in the mid to late 1960s and has proven to be highly reliable.  She's roomy! She's fast - 6 knots hull speed! And she's a good heavy weather performer!  Made of high-impact Fiberglas reinforced polyester resin, this is a tough vessel.   In the 60s, builders were not quite sure just how well Fiberglas would stand up as a boat-building material, so they 'over build' these early boats.  According to one source - the Bristol-27, like most Bristol yachts, was built like a "brick lighthouse".  For those who are interested the following are the Bristol-27 specifications -  Designer: Carl A. Alberg Builder: Bristol Yachts L-O-A: 27' 2" L-W-L: 19' 9" Beam: 8" 0" Draft: 4" 0" Ballast: 2575 lbs. (internal lead) Displacement: 6600 lbs. Sail Area: 340 sq. ft. About the voyage - Richard has a home by the ocean in Cushing Maine where he keeps his boat.  Cushing is just south of Rockland Maine.  Richard plans to pull-anchor on the weekend of May 22nd.  He will head south-east from Cushing Maine until he reaches the 40th parallel.  Why south-east? As the old-timers in Main say - "When leaving Maine for Europe - Head south-east until the butter melts then east".  The real reason of course is the Gulf Stream.  This western boundary current of the North Atlantic, moves up along the US east coast from the Florida region and at the 40th parallel (Cape Hattaras) it begins to swing eastward.

.

The Amateur Radio Connection - Richard was licensed General Class in 2001 and holds the call sign K1RBP.  His motivation for becoming a Ham was simply to have the capability of receiving weather fax on board his boat, and sending and receiving email by way of the Winlink 2000 AirMail system that I wrote about a couple of months ago.  He has an Icom M710 marine radio that also covers the Amateur Radio bands, along with a robust antenna tuner; his backstay is his antenna.  Additionally, he has on board a PTC-IIe Pactor II modem which, coupled to a laptop will allow e-mail and weather fax while at sea.  As an emergency backup, he will also carry a rented satellite phone.  Diana plans to be in daily contact with Richard by way of email, but in order to achieve that added level of comfort, she wants to be able to hear his voice at least weekly.  That is where VE1DHD comes into the picture. 

I plan to follow Richard's progress from Cushing Maine to Nazare on a daily basis (where possible) with HF contacts on appropriate bands, depending upon his location - proximity to Halifax - and atmospheric conditions.  The plan is to use my phone patch to link Diana up each week for a chat with Richard.

Consider this the first instalment in what we all hope and pray will be a successful and "uneventful" voyage for Richard.  I will keep you updated each week once he sets sail.

Hi Howard,

I have got to tell you that the job you are doing as a correspondent from this region is just fantastic!  You are setting a standard that no other region has yet even begun to approach.

Your writing style is both entertaining and full of very useful information.  Moreover, you are making such effective use of digital photos, maps and other images.

I personal extend my thanks for your efforts!

I hope that we can get more people in this region subscribing to the bulletin, and reading and making use of the valuable information contained in the whole bulletin.

73,
Scott Wood VE1QD

Hi Jim...once again, a treat to read the Canadian Bulletin...which I share with many US friends....what a great product it is (after all it's Canadian, eh?), but I know all are impressed from the "feedback", direct or indirect, I've received.

Well done Canada!

Jim, keep well and please keep the Bulletin coming.

Best,
John - VE2ZH / HK3AK (Apr. 25 2005)

Just a note to say what a wonderful  e-news letter. Great articles, human interest, a service like no other I have seen.
Keep up the good work.

Kenny Johns AB4EG  (Apr. 26 2005)