Here we go folks…..
Courtesy of the same group that brings you the Ontars Net ….
… comes the ONTARS Market Place….
If you click on the above images you will be taken to the websites
ONTARS has been serving the Ontario Amateur Community for many years now and this is just another way they look after us. I know you join me in thanking Barry VE3ISX (ONTARS Net Manager) for starting up this new service and wish him all the best.
73bob
This posting is a relay from Bill Unger VE3XT who is the RAC Director for North and East Ontario:
Thanks for the update Bill…
=====================
North East Ontario Regional Directors Report for October, 2011
The monthly meeting of the Regional Directors was held on October 29, 2011. Several items were discussed that may be of interest to you.
The Board of Directors has been considering the transformation of TCA into an electronic format for several months now. I think it is a good idea for many reasons. Firstly it would allow the use of hotlinks to be embedded in the articles, as I have done in this report. If you are looking for more information on a subject a quick click will let you obtain it. It would also allow full colour and there would be no limit on the size of the magazine, subject to bandwidth issues. It would also allow us to get it to you faster as compared to snail mail. And it will be lot cheaper to get it to you as we would not have printing and mail costs. There was some concern about some Amateurs not being able to receive it electronically but I think all Amateurs are pretty tech savvy and will enjoy this new format. Let me know what you think.
Thanks to the efforts of former Honorary Legal Counsel, Steve Pengelly, VE3STV; Steve, Southern Ontario Director Jeff Stewart, VA3WXM and myself have a meeting with the Ministry of Transport Assistant Deputy Minister and his Director of Safety regarding the Distracted Driving Legislation in Ontario. We will present our case why not allowing Ontario Amateurs to use their mobiles is not good legislation. I want to thank all of you who have sent me letters from 3rd parties offering support to Amateurs in Ontario. If you want to send in a letter it is still not too late. As soon as I have any further information I will let you know.
It will come as no surprise that it takes money to keep RAC afloat. And where we get most of our revenues is from members. I would encourage you to talk to your fellow Amateurs in your club to consider joining RAC. So no one thinks we are living well on your memberships, my trip to Toronto later this month is sponsored by the Bank of Bill.
RAC is considering some new insurance options, so stay tuned for that as well.
There is a lot of special callsigns operating this month, for a complete listing goto:
http://www.rac.ca/en/amateur-radio/regulatory/callsigns/special-event.php
Finally and possibly most importantly remember that October 15 is the Simulated Emergency Test. It is our chance to see how we would do if the “ship hits the sand”. I hope you would consider volunteering some of your time for this worthwhile endeavour. For more info goto: http://www.rac.ca/en/rac/public-service/ares/simulated-emergency-test/
If you have any questions or concerns please email me at ve3xt@rac.ca.
73
Bill VE3XT
North East Ontario Regional Director
Radio Amateurs of Canada
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If you have any comments or questions please contact Bill via email at ve3xt@rac.ca
——————————————-
73bob
Recently you have seen me mention some proposed changes to the City of Ottawa bylaws as they pertain to antennas. Not only AMATEUR but all external antennas on property inside the City.
The West Carleton ARC has the following on their website:
October 4, 2011 Meeting – Discussion on City of Ottawa Proposed Antenna Policy. Guest is Rob MacLachlan, Dept of Planning & Growth Mgmt
From their website also comes the following…
The club meets on the first Tuesday of every month unless a change is announced by email. Meetings begin at 19:30hrs local time.
Please be forewarned that WCARC meetings are informal: we usually have a Treasurer’s report and a very brief report on various projects that are underway. We have a show-and-tell session at every meeting, so if you have something that the rest of us might be interested in, bring it along. We also talk quite a bit, as we have to get a whole months worth of excitement packed into a couple of hours. No club coffee is provided at this time.
The club will be meeting in the Meeting Room, upstairs in Sobey’s at the SW corner of Terry Fox Dr. and Hazeldean. Please note that the “Bring Your Own Chair” program is in effect at this location
If you have the time and the means to get to Kanata on Tuesday October 4th along with an interest in what the City is planning to do with OUR ANTENNAS then this would be the meeting to attend.
Thanks to the WCARC for getting this important info out to the Amateur Radio Community.
73bob
I got a rather unpleasent email in the inbox the other day…
You remember that fantastic on line magazine called World Radio Online that I normally remind you about every month? Well it seems that they are switching it from a free download of the PDF file to something a bit more fancy (apps for android and I phone) but we will have to pay…
The content of their mass mailing follows:
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As an avid WorldRadio Online reader we know you enjoy its traditional focus on the people and groups who make up the ham radio hobby and regular coverage of popular ham topics, including DXing, emergency communications, antennas and “trail-friendly radio.” We’re writing to tell you about some exciting news . . . WorldRadio Online is spreading its wings and going mobile!
Beginning with its November 2011 issue, WorldRadio Online will be available for a variety of online platforms, including those for tablets and mobile devices. As a result of this upgrade and additional enhancements we’re making to this product, we must return to paid single copy and multi-issue subscriptions for the magazine. You will be able to purchase single issues online for $2.99 each or a one-year subscription for $19.95. The online edition will be produced by Zinio, probably the best-known e-magazine host today. As a subscriber, as soon as an issue goes “live” you will receive notification that a copy has been placed in your Zinio online library – ready to view, print and/or download. Your issues will remain in your Zinio online library indefinitely!
Limited Time – Special Offer – 50% OFF
WorldRadio Online Charter Subscription only $9.97!
For a limited time, we’re offering our email list members the opportunity to purchase a one-year WorldRadio Online Charter Subscription for only $9.97! That’s right . . . only 83 cents an issue! You’ll get 12 great, information-packed, issues for only $9.97 . . . half off the regular price!
Enter your Charter Subscription today and we’ll deliver WRO’s November issue on October 25th, and future issues on the twenty-fifth of each month thereafter for the balance of your subscription.
Hurry, this offer ends October 24, 2011. WorldRadio Online’s one-year subscription rate will increase to $19.95 on October 25th.
==============================================
So there you have it… The “free ride” comes to an end but… If you think about its still a good deal as long as the content says at the high level of quality I concider it to be at now…
You will now to be able to read articles on your smart phone or tablet…In my case that just adds to the list of things I have to learn to do with my smartphone. I do have smart phone but my phone does not have a smart user… I think the comic link says it all…
But I do thank World Radio Online for the two years (or so) of free quality reading material and I guess they will be getting a few $$$ from me every month to keep the new material in my library… Once I figure out how to get my phone to do it…
73bob
Well to spell it out in one word… FANTASTIC…
From Friday afternoon to Sunday evening I ended up making 17 contacts spread out between all the bands between 10m and 80m and managed to get 13 countries in the process and 4 of them were new ones for me… 17 voice contacts on a RTTY contest weekend is not too bad in my opinion…
I’m not sure if its the new radio (Yaesu FT 450at) with its great filtering or if its the new antenna (43 foot S9 Vertical) or the fantastic band conditions we had on the weekend. The only factor I’m sure its not is …operator skill. Its been a while since I’ve had to try and break a pile up and it showed… I was able to make it over the crowd a couple of times but I do need practice…
Most of the contacts were made on Saturday as that was the day I could devote to radio… I managed a few on Friday before we went out for supper with my daughter Erika and today (Sunday) I had to charge up the “Electric Vespa” in the afternoon and the charger is so dirty … well it wipes out all the hf bands… Very good thing I only charge it once a week… Besides it was too nice a day Sunday afternoon to spend it in the shack… I was due for some fresh air and sunshine… I shoulda taken the FT817 out but instead I just lounged around in the back yard instead…
Early Saturday morning I actually heard lots of mobiles on 80m making their way to Sudbury for the hamfest up there and listening to the ONTARS Net on 3.755 today it sounds like I missed a great event… Lots of guys made it back with new toys and lighter wallets… Congrats to the Sudbury and Manitoulan clubs for their hard work in running a first rate event…
Enjoy your week
73bob
If you check back over the last week or so you will have noticed my postings on the fact that the City of Ottawa was looking at changing the BYLAWs as they pertain to antenna systems (Amateur, Cellular TV and others)
This morning I have found out that the local Ottawa Club Presidents are getting together today (Sunday Sept 25th) to start to work on their comments for the City on the proposals. RAC is assisting them on this as well.
The citys side of things can be found at www.ottawa.ca/antenna
There should be more on this in the future…
73bob
.
Friday was a great day both in family stuff and of course Radio….
On the Family side of things Liz, Trisha and myself took Erika out to supper to celebrate her birthday on Friday evening. Won’t embarass her by giving out her age but 28 years ago I was passing out Cigars….
In the morning I jumped on the “ Electric Vespa ” and headed downtown to a used computer store on Bank street located in the core and was able to pick up a DB9 Female-Female Gender Bender. This was needed so I could get my FT450 to talk to my Laptop via HRD. With the help of Don VA3GFD (a HRD Guru) I was talked through the process and the toys now talk. Later in the evening I did find some RFI issues which was locking up the Laptop (which I did not have with the old FT847) but I was able to overcome those and everything seems to be working fine.
On the topic of the FT450 things are still going great. The new antenna (S9 Vertical) just seems to love the FT450 and even in my very limited space backyard I can get enough of a ground radial system that its working FANTASTIC on 10m to 80m…
Contacts of the day for yestereday would of been (made after I got home last night from supper) with Tom DF2BO in Germany and Peter HA8RM in Hungary. These contacts were made on 80m voice and 5/7 to 5/9 reports recieved from both stations.
They both were much stronger here in Ottawa with amps and 2 element beams aimed at North America. Wish I had enough land in the backyard to use a 2 element 80m beam. Actually I wish I had enough real estate to run out a radial that was not folded back or bent…
However my station did its job and got enough of a signal out there that the big guns could hear it…. No doubts they did most of the work but they had to hear the popgun signal I was putting out…
Since I got the S9 up in the air I have bagged more DX (some of it rare) and increased my country count with 7 new ones. I never concidered myself to be a DXer and to be honest … I’m not. However its nice to even hear the DX stations and its even nicer to break the occasional pile up and get the signal report from them…
Lets hope the rest of the weekend goes as nice
73bob
The following arrived in my EMAIL inbox this morning from Bill Unger VE3XT who is the RAC Director responsible for the Ottawa Area…. This is the reply to my post of a few days ago whiere I was concerned about some new stuff coming from the City of Ottawa….
Who knows perhaps I was just “foaming at the mouth” and maybe I read too much into things… Time will tell….
73bob
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From Bill Unger VE3XT:
Hello Bob:
I ran this past Rich and here is his take on it.
But thanks for the heads up on it. You may want to post this on our blog so everyone knows what is going on.
And thank you as well Rich, as always you’re on top of this.
Bill VE3XT
As I read the City’s proposal, they are not proposing to replace the
existing by-law with another one. They are proposing to replace the
existing by-law with a consultation protocol or process. This would
bring them into conformity with Industry Canada’s expectations of
land-use authorities in CPC-2-0-03, as explained in more detail in
Industry Canada’s “Guide to Assist Land-use Authorities in Developing
Antenna Siting Protocols”. In other words, they are doing what Industry
Canada has asked municipalities to do. The Industry Canada documentation
on this, including links to CPC-2-0-03 and to the Guide to Assist
Land-use Authorities …, can be found at <www.ic.gc.ca/antenna<http://www.ic.gc.ca/antenna>> (the
links I mentioned are about halfway down the page).
The full text of the proposed Ottawa protocol can be found at
<http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/public_consult/antenna/process_en.html>.
The proposed protocol applies to commercial antenna systems as well as
to amateurs. The protocol specifies exemptions in Section 4.0 and 5.1;
antenna systems that meet the conditions are exempt from the rest of the
process. Systems that do not qualify for an exemption must go through a
consultation process, as is required by the Industry Canada CPC. At the
end of the consultation process, the City decides whether to support or
oppose the proposed antenna system, but according to the City’s document
it is Industry Canada that decides, not the City. The City only makes a
recommendation to IC.
Amateur antenna systems come under the definition of Residential Use
Antenna System, or RUAS, in Section 3.0. Note carefully that the
definition of an “Antenna System” in that section does not include a
RUAS. In other words, as I understand it, sections of the City’s
document that only use the phrase “Antenna System” without a modifier do
not apply to amateurs. Only those sections that apply to RUAS apply to
amateurs. As far as I can see, this means that Sections 5.2, 7.2, 7.3,
7.4 and 8.2 of the process would not apply to amateurs.
Exemptions (b) through (f) in Section 4.0 appear to be based on the
exclusions listed by Industry Canada in Section 6 of the CPC. Exemption
(a)(ii) refers to Section 5.1, and the conditions listed in Section 5.1
appear to be taken directly from the existing by-law, with one
exception: there is no longer a height limit other than the one imposed
indirectly by the setback limit. Note also that Section 5.1 allows for
the possibility of a RUAS that does not meet the guidelines, so they are
clearly not considered to be hard limits on antenna systems, just limits
on the exemption from consultation.
If a proposed amateur antenna system meets the conditions in Section
5.1, or if it qualifies for one of the other exemptions in Section 4.0,
then as I read it the proposed antenna is not subject to the rest of the
process, i.e. no public consultation is required. If it does not meet
those conditions, then the consultation requirements in 6.0, 7.1 and 8.1
must be followed. These appear to be based on the requirements listed in
the Industry Canada CPC. At the end of the consultation process, if the
City ends up objecting to the proposed antenna system, Industry Canada
makes the final decision.
There are some things that I believe need to be clarified or changed in
the interests of amateurs. In 5.1(a), it should be clarified that the
setback applies to the antenna tower, not to the entire system. This
would make the protocol consistent with the existing by-law, whose
setback limits apply to the tower. In Section 4.0, points (c) through
(e) and also (g) should apply to RUAS as well as to “antenna systems”.
If these changes are made, as far as I can see the new proposal would be
better for amateurs than the existing by-law (no height limit, more
exemptions coming from the CPC, and explicit recognition that IC can
approve an antenna that does not meet the City’s guidelines), and also
better for amateurs than the CPC without any protocol (the City has
added some additional exemptions from consultation on top of the
exclusions in the CPC).
I would urge all interested amateurs in Ottawa to read the City’s
proposal, and comment on it either directly or through one of the local
clubs, but I would also urge them to read it carefully and understand it
to ensure that their comments are relevant and meaningful. Comments that
display a lack of understanding of what the City is proposing will not
achieve anything.
73,
Rich VE3KI
————————————————-
Thanks to Bill and Rich for looking into things….
bob
The last week for me (Radio Wise) has just been fantastic. If you follow this blog you know that I have sold off some old toys (FT847 and FT857) and gotten some new toys (FT450at) and lost an antenna (W3EDP) and recently gained a new antenna (S9 43foot vertical).
Above Yaesu FT847
Above Yaesu FT450
Well in the last week I have managed to bring the new toys (radio and antenna) together and to be honest they are working fantastic (for me at least) In the years I have been living here although I have always been on the air I have had problems with electrical noise and the fact that my antennas had to be stealthy which normally means a compromise. My signals were always good enough for talking within 500 miles of home on 40m and 80m and my idea of DX was working North America and parts of Europe. I’m not complaining (much) and I was having fun…
Now the combination of the FT450 and the S9 Vertical comes into play and it has changed the game completely. The advanced filtering of the FT450 as compared to my FT847 or my FT897 for that matter is the difference between night and day at my home QTH. Before it was easy to brag that “If I can hear them I can work them” as I only could hear strong stations… The difference between the Vertical and hidden wires seem to make signal find my transciever much easier as well.
Above FT897
Now I find myself hearing distant stations that I could not hear before and strangely now I can work them as well. In the last week more DX has found its way into my log than in the last year. Honest signal reports like 5 x5 and 5 x 7 are now replacing the 5 x 9 (and what was your call again?) . I am finding it a lot harder to work them after I hear them now as I finally have to compete with pileups… If I’m getting the station at 5 x 5 then I have to assume that my signal will be close if not lower than that so I have to work to make the contacts but with the help of the S9 they seem to be hearing me…
Part of my new found success has to be given to the improving band conditions as I am hear and working more when I take my QRP Rig out to the local parks ( see previous posts) but… I am hearing more… I can filter out my local noise… and I am making more contacts on all bands…
What I did at my station might not work for you but it sure is working for me…
73bob
Now that I have finished “foaming at the mouth” (see previous posting” lets talk a bit about Saturdays fantastic time in the Parks with the Ottawa Amateur Radio Club and the Ottawa Valley QRP Society…
Saturday morning (way too early) I hopped a bus with my FT817/Par End Fed multi band qrp antenna with assorted batteries and feed lines and made my way over to Britannia Park for the Ottawa Amateur Radio Club’s QRP/Portable Station Demonstrations. I arrived around 0900 set up and was on the air by around 0915. I was operating on 10-15-17-20-40m and using the 5w of the FT817 made the following contacts using SSB.
7.225… KB1VIB… Jim… Hartford Conn
7.184… W2TSL… Tom… Boston Mass
7.153… VE3PSV… Shawn… Cambridge Ont
7.216… W2D… Stoney PT Lighthouse… New York
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Updated… if you go to the OARC Website you can find a link to pictures of the event
====================
Around noon Martin VA3SIE met up with me at Britannia Park and we packed up my gear into his car and we headed out to Rideau River Provincial Park in Kemptville Ontario. The reason for this trip was the annual “Chilicon” QRP convention sponsored by the Ottawa Valley QRP Society. Convention might be the term to describe it but in reality its a QRP/Camping trip held at the last weekend the Rideau River Park is open for the season and we show up when we can, operate as long as we can, and stay as long as we can.
Amateurs in attendance at Chilicon were, VE3WMB Micheal, VE3EUR Pat, VE3CLQ Bill, VA3KV Jim, VA3YH Ying, VA3SIE Martin and VA3QV Bob. VE3AKV and another ham dropped in for a visit but they were camping with friends at the park in a non related event.
Some hearty souls stay for the weekend and others like myself show up for the afternoon and head back to the comfort of home before bedtime… I operated from a Picnic Table at the beach overlooking the Rideau River and made the following contacts using QRP SSB
14.270…WX7P… Wilse…Rice Washington State
14.181… S550ACP…Special Event Stn… Slovenia
7.209… VE3MIS… Special Event Stn… Mississauga
18.160… W6H… Special Event Stn… Albuquerque New Mexico
14.310… WW7CA… Cynthia… Addy Washington State
In addition to the stations listed above from both locations there were many others that I heard with no issues but they might of had a problem hearing my booming 5W signal from the Par antenna at 35 feet AGL? But it was a great time…
After playing radio we passed the hat so to speak and ordered a bunch of Pizzas from a Restaurant in Kemptville who delivered them to the Park Gate and we sat around the Picnic Table with a hearty feast of Pizza and a few appropiate beverages and swapped lies about how good our contacts had been as well as our other exploits in Amateur Radio… It was a blast…
At 10pm we remembered that those of us who were at the park on a Day Pass (visitors pass) had to leave the park and so a log was tossed on the campfire for those who were staying and Martin and I left to return to Ottawa…
I arrived home around 11pm and felt fantastic after a great day of radio…
I hope your day went as well…
73bob
