GlobalSET 2009 one week away!

This from Doug Mercer VO1DTM (RAC CEC), Vice President Field Services, IARU Emergency Communications Coordinator Region 2

Many thanks to those of you who have registered for GlobalSET 2009. We are just a week away! Remember the event takes place on Saturday, November 14 from 1800 – 2200 UTC. Frequencies are the IARU Center of Activity frequencies which are:

15M – 21,360
17M – 18,160
20M – 14,300
40M – 7,060
80M – 3,760

all +/- QRM

As a general comment, 14.300 will likely be used by the Maritime Mobile Service Net (MMSN) during the SET, so stations in Region 2 who are unable to contact Region 1 stations may be able to relay formal traffic through this net.

If you’re not participating why not monitor the activity and see how a global SET works?

Official notice of New Executive

Here’s the RAC official bulletin in regards to the announcement of our new executive team.

(BTW if there’s any question about why the blog announced this news ahead of the official bulletins, the official bulletins need to be translated in both official languages. It would be great if this blog was in French and English but your humble servant flunked out of high school French, a failure which I have always regretted.)

RAC Bulletin 2009-035E –  New Executive Announced.
2009-11-03

During a RAC Board of Directors’ teleconference meeting  held by the Nomination Committee Chair Bj Madsen, VE5FX,  on October 29th, 2009, the following new members of the Executive were elected:

Geoff Bawden, VE4BAW – President
Paul Burggraaf, VO1PRB – Secretary
Margaret Tidman, VA3VXN – Treasurer

These individuals will assume their respective responsibilities on January 1, 2010.

Subsequent to the October 29th meeting, the following Directors and Officers submitted their resignations:
Bob Cooke, VE3DBD (former President) – effective October 31, 2009
Geoff Smith, VA3GS (former Ontario South Director) – effective  November 1, 2009
Noel Marcil, VE2BR (former Quebec Director) – effective November 1st, 2009

The remaining positions on the executive will be unchanged as the current officers were acclaimed.

First Vice-President Ian MacFarquhar, VE9IM, pursuant to the RAC By-laws, will assume the duties of President until December 31st, 2009.

The Board and Executive extend their most sincere thanks to Geoff and Noel for their past service to RAC and wish them
all the very best in their future endeavours. The Board also extends its thanks to Bob Cooke for the time he has devoted to RAC as a past Director, Past Vice-President of Field Services and as President during rather challenging times. Bob’s involvement with RAC began in the early 1990s as an Assistant Director. He was elected as Ontario South Director in 2001 and served in that capacity until January 2005. Bob was subsequently elected as Vice President, Field Services in January 2006 and served in that role until February 2009 when he was asked by the Board to assume the responsibilities of President of RAC.

The dedication and commitment of volunteers like Bob, Geoff, Noel, and many others, result in Canadian Amateurs having a voice which is heard locally, provincially, nationally and internationally, and they are to be congratulated for their outstanding contributions.

Emergency planning

Canada’s Auditor General Sheila Fraser has slammed the federal government’s lack of emergency planning that puts the country’s actual infrastructure in jeopardy. Following 9/11, millions of federal dollars were spent to develop interim emergency response plans but now, nine years later, nothing has been endorsed let alone implemented.

Especially worrisome was an expressed desire to create a radio system capable of connecting all police, fire and other emergency responders during times of national or regional disaster. Of course, every amateur radio operator knows how difficult this is to implement and complex to maintain. On the other hand, putting trained (and often training happens on the job) ham radio operators with handi-talkies at the local police, fire and ambulance station with other hams dispatched to the Red Cross shelters, city hall and regional centres can create a functional emergency communications network.

And yes I know this is a utopian viewpoint but here’s how it starts. On Hallowe’en, I invited my wife Marion, VE3HEN, to accompany me on the Halton ARES Goblin Watch. Conducted in conjunction with Halton Regional Police, the ARES group mustered about a dozen vehicles which simply drove around communities in Halton Region ready to report any vandalism or other issues associated with the night.

Thankfully not much happened during the evening (one intoxicated underage youngster found his way home and a couple in a suspicious vehicle were left alone to do whatever it was they were doing at the back of a school parking lot) but being out driving around wasn’t the main objective. The hidden agenda included making another connection with senior police officials who approved of the activity as well as officers on the street who likely had never heard of amateur radio before that night. The event also gave the net control operators of VE3HAL practice in running a formal, directed net. I’ve run nets in the past and it’s not easy to strike the right tone of efficiency yet be friendly and fun. The controllers at VE3HAL did a great job. Several mobile stations were also outfitted with APRS equipment which made for some fun when one of the operators drove out of his assigned area to get a coffee. Car 54 where are you?

So here’s the point: While the government works to fix this issue of emergency preparedness, we have work to do as well. Part of the work we need do is help the federal government realize the role that ham radio can and does play in emergency response and community service. So how do you get involved? Join your local ARES group and support their efforts in your local community. Lobby your provincial governments in regards to upcoming or existing distracted driving legislation. In other words, get involved and invite new hams in your communities to get involved.

And, the Halton Goblin Watch gave Marion her first opportunity to fully participate in a formal working net. And she did pretty well. There were a few lessons learned — like make sure you haven’t accidentally changed the repeaters split when you respond to a call from net control and you can’t figure out why they don’t hear you — and this event was perfect for learning these sort of lessons.

Are you in band?

The W1AW Frequency Measuring Test takes place on Nov. 12 at 0245 UTC (remember that’s this is Wednesday evening, Nov. 11 at 9:45 EST). For anyone who hasn’t participated in this unique contest, the FMT can be a real eyeopener. The basic techniques are described here in the Oct. 2002 issue of QST.

Today’s modern digital transceivers are pretty accurate when compared to the old days when our tube-equipped receivers needed a half an hour just to warm up and stabilize. We used 100 kHz crystal calibrators (they put out a signal every 100 kHz) to calibrate the radio dials (which often consisted of a pointer that was moved by strings on pulleys).  Back in the 1960s my dad, VE3FWR and later VE3HG owned an HQ170 which if memory serves me had 17 tubes. Along with his Heathkit tube transmitter the basement ham shack was always a warm and cosy place.

So if you’re one of the brave (or is it foolish) folks who think they can operate within a few Hz of the band edge, this might be the test for you.

More additions to RAC executive

This is a follow-up to yesterday’s post. In my haste I left out congratulating Paul Burggraaf, VO1PRB, who will be the new RAC secretary as of the new year as of the new year and Margaret Tidman, VA3VXN, will take over as treasure.

Margaret has worked in the field of accounting for nearly 10 years and currently is working as a financial analyst. In March of this year she studied the RAC Hamstudy Basic Guide and passed her basix exam on May 23, 2009.

Paul has been licensed since March 2003 and holds a basic qualification. His interest in radio was peaked from his military background in Army Cadets and as an officer in the Canadian Forces Reserves during the 1970s. Since joining the Society of Newfoundland Radio Amateurs and obtaining his license Paul has held several executive positions in the organization and is currently its vice president. Paul currently works for the Office of the Auditor General, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador as a network administrator.

Election results & new president’s bio

Following elections for executive positions at Radio Amateurs of Canada,Geoff Bawden, VE4BAW will become the President of RAC on January 1, 2010. Following the announcement of the election results Bob Cooke, VE3BDB submitted his resignation as President of RAC effective October 31, 2009.  Bob had stepped in at a difficult time for Radio Amateurs of Canada and allowed his name to stand as president. The board of directors appreciated his efforts over the last while to guide Radio Amateurs of Canada through a difficult period. Also following the announcement of the election results directors Noel Marcel, VE2BR, director from Quebec and Geoff Smith, VA3GS, director from south Ontario tendered their resignations effective October 31, 2009.

So as we await Geoff, VE4BAW’s induction to the office of president, First VP Ian MacFarquhar, VE9IM has assumed the Presidents chair.

For those of you who don’t know Geoff, I (VE3HG) had a great conversation with him over the weekend and he seems like a pretty good guy to have leading RAC. His bio goes on…and on but here in brief are some of the highlights:

• Head of Manitoba’s Workplace Safety and Health Division
• Chair of the Canadian Association of Labour Legislators Occupational Safety and Health sub-committee
• Chair of the Hazardous Materials Information Management Commission
• Assistant Deputy Minister of Property Management with Government Services
• Assistant Deputy Minister of Accommodation Services
• and most recently General Manager of the Manitoba Housing Authority

As for ham radio (When did you have time Geoff?)

• Received his amateur radio certification in 2004
• Director of the Winnipeg Amateur Radio Club
• President of the Winnipeg Amateur Radio Club (three-year term)
• His current station (which he operates mainly from his cottage near Kenora, Ont.) consists of an FT857D where he operate mainly on SSB and PSK 31 on 20 and 40 meters

Geoff will be taking office during an interesting time for amateur radio and Radio Amateurs of Canada. We wish him well.

 

On the air at 500kHz

This from RAC Bulletin 2009-034E – Canadian Experiments at 500 kHz
authorized – 2009-10-30

After months of negotiations between RAC and Industry
Canada over the details of the licence applications and
reporting conditions, the first two licences granted
to Canadians for experiments at 504 – 509 kHz in preparation
for WRC-12 have been issued by Industry Canada (see RAC
Bulletin 2008-29).

Jack Leahy, VE1ZZ, has been assigned call sign VX9PSO in
the Developmental Service for his experimental transmissions.
Joe Craig, VO1NA, has been assigned call sign VX9MRC. Both
of these stations have been on the air already, with
VX9PSO having been reported at 504.6 kHz and VX9MRC at
507.77 kHz. Signal reports can be addressed to the operators
at their call book addresses.

Two more authorizations, in Ontario and British Columbia, are expected soon.

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

We pioneered radio technology. Now we’re pioneers in safety.

I stole this headline from Bruce, VE3QRP (aka: VE9QR) who wrote in a comment published recently on this blog the following:

“… what I want to see are news reports that highlight how hams are inventing new approaches to ensure that two-way mobile  communication is safe. The story we want to tell is, “we pioneered the technology that makes cellphones work, now we’re pioneering technology to make mobile communications safe.”

This is brilliant.

And it doesn’t preclude our continuing effort to educate governments (i.e. Ontario) that don’t exclude the use of two-way radios in moving vehicles in the error of their logic but it does allow us to take the higher ground.

If amateurs in the affected jurisdictions lobby their legislators for relief and gain the active support of national and provincial benefactors of amateur radio there may well come a time when we should go public with our story of community service which is long and admirable. And, in the meantime, we can show how we are contributing to roadway safety through our own technological expertise.

Look: I suspect some of the anger over legislation like Bill 118 comes as it is a slap in the face of those amateurs who have devoted countless hours (and cash to buy equipment) to serve their communities in times of need. And now we have the ban on hand-held devices as our thanks. It suggests to me a government that acted without clearly considering or even understanding either the history of our contribution or the future potential of our support. From a technical point of view, there is no clear evidence (this from the U.S. National Safety Council) that the use of amateur radio in anyway contributes to distracted driving.

For those hams who say well that’s it I’m taking my radio out of my car and I’m never helping anybody again. That’s really sad and we’ll miss you on the air and at our community events. It’s a bit like saying I’m taking my marbles and going home isn’t it? Why not join us in the work that lies ahead?

Consider this:

• Amateur radio has been around a lot longer than the governments that exist today
• We have faced similar legislation before (we were off the air during WWII) and recovered
• We have the ability to operate mobile safely with or without a microphone
• No one is saying we can’t talk and drive a moving vehicle
• And finally, and this is our ace in the hole, when all else fails, there’s amateur radio*

 

* Hundreds of thousands of dollars of grants have been awarded to amateur radio organizations to create radio networks capable of supporting government effort following state- or province-wide disasters where amateur radio was at the forefront of the life-saving efforts. It’s easy to forget the central role amateur radio plays in disasters around the world. And while we would never wish an ice storm or wide-spread tornadoes (which almost happened this summer in southern Ontario) on the people of Ontario or any other disaster when it comes down to it often it’s amateur radio that comes to the rescue.  Unfortunately politicians can have short memories and we’ve got our work cutout to remind them that amateur radio is a viable and vital community resource.

 

VE3QRP blog & Bill 118

Bruce, VE3QRP, — nice call Bruce but you’ll never be able to operate QRO with a straight face — has a very thoughtful post on Bill 118 and amateur radio use at this blog here VE3QRP.

Right now, in Canada, some provinces are totally exempting the use of amateur radio from their distracted driving Bills and others, most notably Ontario, are going to make hands-free in all moving vehicles where the driver operates a two-way radio mandatory. And, as I’ve said before: Hands-free isn’t the end of amateur radio mobile as we know it. It’s relatively easy to do. The question comes down to more of: Is it necessary to make provincial roadways safer?

I hate to be harsh here but let’s not waste time beating our chests claiming “our rights” and “they” can’t do this to us. They can and they have.

In those provinces where amateurs have made convincing arguments (often to sympathetic ears in government), exemptions have been forthcoming. In Ontario, based on results, we didn’t find friends in high places when we needed them. I’m not blaming anyone here (and in fact if there’s any responsibility it may well be mine as I live in Ontario and aside from the fact I volunteered to be on the RAC executive this year I could have done more to connect with my local MPP long before I needed him or her to help me now.).

The fact that the provincial laws are all over the map may help us in the long run. The fight to exempt amateur radio from the distracted driving legislation isn’t over yet in my opinion. I’d like to see the amateurs in especially Ontario get together and work towards a permanent exemption. As Bruce, VE3QRP, points out in his blog that might not be easy and any exemption must be based more on scientific fact (which we may or may not be able to gather) rather than opinion and angry, hurt outbursts from a few.

Let’s work together.

IARU announces GlobalSET 2009

This from the RAC Bulletin service:

On Saturday November 14, 2009, from 1800 to 2200 UTC, the International Amateur Radio Union will activate “GlobalSET 2009”, a Global Simulated Emergency Test that encourages Hams to pass simulated emergency traffic using standard National Traffic System format.

The Radio Amateurs of Canada, a member society of IARU Region 2, encourages all Canadian Radio Amateurs having an interest in emergency communications to participate.

Rules and a list of participating stations may be found at http://www.iaru-r1.org.  Search under the heading, “Emergency Communications”, working group.

This is great opportunity for RAC members to observe and practice important traffic passing skills that are so important to the fundamentals of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service.

Those Amateurs planning to participate are requested to register with the RAC Vice President for Field Services as soon as possible by emailing vo1dtm@hotmail.com .

Doug Mercer VO1DTM  (RAC CEC)
Vice President Field Services
Radio Amateurs of Canada Inc.