Jan- Found VA3QV participating in the SPAR Winter field Day event and the North American QSO Party. I also got DXCC 119 (unconfirmed) in the log. I had loads of fun with the Winter Field day event and plan to participate again later this month.
Feb- I tossed about a few choice comments on the Radio Amateurs of Canada plans to restructure the Ontario Section into 4 sections.
![IMG_2360[2]](http://va3qv.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/img_23602.jpg?w=450&h=254)
In the middle of Feb I also participated as a radio operator for the Canadian Ski Marathon.
![IMG_2378[2]](http://va3qv.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/img_23782.jpg?w=450&h=254)
I was one of the Net Control operators based at the Chateau Montebello. (Public Service is so rough)
March- In March I participated in the ARRL DX Contest and brought my DXCC Total up to 122 (unconfirmed in the log. I also started getting the FT817 back into the great outdoors as the weather started to get better. I also got a chance to operate in the CQ WW SSB contest. March also brought our first Thunderstorm of the year which caused a very quick disconnect of the antennas but washed away enough of the snow to get my Electric Vespa back on the road for the season.
April- In April we started hearing stuff about Canadian Amateurs finally getting some space on the 60m band but it was hard to get a straight answer on what we had to do to get on the air. After most of 2012 they still don’t it figured out yet and for now I won’t bother with 60m. For me the big event was the 250,000 visitor to this blog. It was one of two milestones that would be achieved this year. In mid April I participated in the Ontario QSO Party from Foymount Ontario at the old radar base.
There was VA3PCJ, VA2EPR and myself all operating QRP.
I guess we did something right as VA3PCJ was the high score not only for QRP but also the high score for Renfrew County. It was a very cold day and we operated outside in snow and freezing rain conditions.
Towards the end of month I assisted with a communications demonstration for the Glengarry Hospital in Alexandria Ontario which helped them create a part of the Hospital’s updated emergency plan.
May- As much time as I could spend, was spent playing in the parks before the kids got out of school for the year and also before the bugs got too bad.
Along with that I managed to participate in the CN Cycle as a radio operator. The event is a major fundraiser for the Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario and as a Father, Grandfather and Great Grandfather the hospital has seen 3 generations of Sharp Family so far… DXCC 132 (unconfimred) also made it into the log.
I operated in the Larry Wilcox Memorial VHF FM Contest and also helped LASA chase and find a balloon that we launched for St John School in Perth Ontario.
It was a great month…
More in the next posting…
73bob
