The Canadian Ski Marathon is looking for operators

The following made it into my email inbox….

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I would appreciate it if you would help me by spreading the word throughout your local ham radio communities. We are looking for radio operators.

Once again the Canadian Ski Marathon (CSM) is spooling up. This year is the 47th anniversary for the CSM. This will the 40th year for Amateur Radio supporting the event.

The CSM depends on ham radio volunteers to provide important and timely safety and logistical communication for the benefit of the skiers. The amateur radio CSM web page (http://www.radio-1.ca) is up and running with 2013 information. The event runs between Lachute and Buckingham in western
Quebec – snow or shine.

If you would like to volunteer this year, please email Harold VA3UNK ( radio1@admin2.ca, va3unk@rac.ca, va3unk@gmail.com). Although I can’t promise anything, assignment requests are generally first-come, first-served.

Please join me the second weekend in February (09th-10th) and help make 47th our best year yet!

Bye for now,
Harold va3unk

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Net Control at the Chateau Montebello

As I have mentioned over the years the CSM runs in an area that is still “Cellular Challenged” and so we are needed.  I honestly doubt that this event could happen without Amateur Radio.

If you can spare some of your time why not sign up?

73bob

Worked “All Twitter” over American Thanksgiving

There is a growing group of Hams who are active both on Twitter as well as Amateur Radio….

This weekend they are having an event on the air and so I share with you the following:

Guidelines for the 2nd Annual US Thanksgiving Weekend Worked All Twitter QSO Party (#WATwitter):

• Dates: Wednesday, November 21, 2012 through Sunday, November 25, 2012

• Who: Any licensed operator who also uses Twitter

• Please update your Twitter bio to include your call sign

• Please update your QRZ.com page to include your Twitter ID

• Where: All bands, all modes. To let as many people as possible participate, use the portion of the band open to the most people, ie the technician class portion of 10m, the general class portion of 20m, etc.

• Exchange: your normal exchange plus your Twitter handle, especially if it’s not your call sign

• Self-spotting is practically required. Tweet your frequency, interact with people on Twitter, and get other people to meet you on the air at a specific time and frequency.

• Hashtags: #WATwitter and #hamradio or #hamr

• Tomas @OK4BX in Czech Republic is testing a Twitter bot that can help us make more contacts. Follow @twQSO on Twitter (and it will follow you back). If you’ve made a successful #WATwitter contact, tweet the information to @twQSO. Tomas will add more details in the comments of this blog entry.

• Log your contacts, tweet your tallies to your friends and @twQSO, but there are no scores or awards. This is a way for us to connect with people both through social media and on the air

  For more info check out:

  http://bionic-nerd.com/index.php/us-thanksgiving-weekend-2012/

  73bob

  BTW  On Twitter I’m “@VA3QV”

JOTA “Be Prepared”

Seeing that the motto of the “Scouts” is “Be Prepared” I’ve tested out all the gear I am planning to bring to the Apple Hill Scout Camp on Saturday where I will be one of a few operators for the Jamboree on the Air…

The rig I am bringing is my Yaesu FT 817 and LDG QRP Autotuner combo.  The antenna of the day will be my W3EDP (check the previous post for a picture of it) as it does 10-160m and so its the most flexable as far as bands go.  The Frontenac Radio Group will be helping out outside of Perth Ontario and they are showing that they will have an 80m frequency so…

View Larger Map

…Given the relatively short distance between us it might be a good idea to have an 80m capability as well…

Kenora Ontario has a group participating as well and we already have a 20m sked planned with them…

The plans as they stand is to depart Ottawa at 0600 (L) and arrive at Apple Hill around 0730.  We should have the stations on the air by 0830 (L).  As far as callsigns go…  If the group had a callsign then they would not of asked for help as they would of had a local ham in the group so…

I will be using my VA3RCS callsign for this event (Victor Alpha  3  Real Canadian Scouts)

For this event please QSL DIRECT.  No EQSL… No BURO… NO LoTW… PSE QSL DIRECT

For this event I will be forwarding the recieved QSLs to the Scout Group directly and they will be replying so my so my QRZ.com address for VA3RCS  is correct so please send direct.

Check back on Sunday for a report and hopefully some pictures of smiling faces making contacts

73bob

Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour 2010

Even though “Cycle” seems to be an odd word in mid February, yesterday I had my first meeting with Gord VE3FRB who is looking after the Ottawa-Perth leg of the 2010 Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour on Saturday June 5th as the tour winds its way to Kingston Ontario and again on Sunday June 6th as the tour leaves Kingston and returns to Ottawa via Perth.

The actual requirements of this years tour have not been made public yet but we are guessing it will be same or fairly close to last years event so we have started the plans in a generic mode…

Once the Ottawa Bicycle Club gets officially back to us it will be up to the Ottawa Group, the Perth Group and the Kingston group to finalaize the communications plan for our own areas.

In Ottawa its a safe bet that we will be using VE3RIX Repeater which is owned and operated by the good people at the Manotick Amateur Radio Group. The 2m repeater is on 145.450 and is slaved to its 70cm repeater at 444.550 (ctcss 151.4) and both repeaters have an excellent footprint and cover the region with no issues.  In addition we will be using APRS where available to track the SAG wagons and the safety vehicles.

There is a while to go before this event gets underway so there is lots of time for Gord to work on the COMMS PLAN.  I will be acting as Net Control for the two days (Ottawa-Perth and Perth-Ottawa).
The event leaves Carleton University in Ottawa and heads to Queens University in Kingston on the Saturday with a stop in Perth Ontario.  The group returns on Sunday

View Larger Map

The above route is not the official route but its close enough to see the area the riders will be travelling through.

This event is a good example of three Amateur Radio Groups coordinating their efforts to provide seamless communications over a distance of just under 400 kms in total and two days.  A good bunch to have on your side…

There will be more on this event closer to the scheduled time…  Just wanted to let you know that things have started for this year…

Gord will be contacting last years ops and looking for new ops later on after its known what we will be needed to do this year…

73bob

Are you getting ready to play outside???

A good question…  Another one I usually ask at this time of year which goes hand in hand with the first question is:

“Are you well???”

The reasons for these question is that in 3 short weeks the SPAR Winter Field Day event will be ongoing.

What you might ask is a “Winter Field Day???”    Think it of a regular field day with the idea of no mosquitoes to bother you but you get frostbite instead.

The plan is to operate outdoors for as much as the 24 hour operating period you can and make contacts just like in the regular Field Day.  Last year I tried to operate and although I did not get frostbite I did freeze my FT 817 and I even froze my video camera so I could not even show you my radio freezing up…

Still trying to put a group together with Mark VA3UMP and Martin VA3SIE as we have a history of being crazy enough to operate outside in the colder temps.  I think back a few years to the Canada Winter Contest and the CF3RCS (Canadians Freezing 3 Real Cold Spot) Bate Island DXPedition and the fun we had then…

Anyways still details to be worked out and then I will let you know whats happening…

Stay warm

73bob

Public Service Event- Canadian Ski Marathon

I got the following off the local ARES list email server.

If you can spare some time the following event is fun and will test your abilities as a communicator.

Contact Harold if you can help out

73bob

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I would appreciate it if you would help me by spreading the word throughout your local ham radio communities.

Once again the Canadian Ski Marathon is spooling up. This year we are looking forward to much more “normal” conditions and by that I mean snow!

The CSM depends on ham radio volunteers to provide important and timely safety and logistical communication for the benefit of the skiers. The amateur radio CSM web page (http://www.radio-1.ca) is up and running with 2010 information. The event runs between Buckingham and Lachute in western Quebec – snow or shine.

If you would like to volunteer this year, please email Harold VA3UNK ( radio1@admin2.ca). Although I can’t promise anything, assignment requests are generally first-come, first-served.

Please join me the second weekend in February (13th-14th) and help make 37th our best year yet!

Bye for now,
Harold va3unk

Upcoming Amateur Radio Event- ONTARS

This week we have a anniversary to celebrate…

This year the ONTARS (Ontario Amateur Radio Service) NET celebrates its 38th year of continious operation.  The net runs daily from 0700 to 1800 Eastern with a different controller every hour.  7 days a week & 365 days a year they never close…

A favourite story of mine is that when I was operating as VA3RCS/mobile W3 about 7 years ago (or so) being able to check into the ONTARS Net every afternoon on the drive to where I was staying in Reading PA.  I had a chance to talk to “Home” and talk to friends and catch up on all the local gossip.  It was the highlight of each day…

If you follow the ONTARS Logo for the link to their webiste you will find more information such as operator schedules etc and a bit of their history.

Not too many Amateur Nets can boast such a participation record… for so many years…

Best wishes to ONTARS Net Management and Operators for the future.

73bob

PS…  If you are wondering about the graphics at the top of this post.  The end of  2009 was a bad time for Canadians and Ottawa Residents…  We lost 4 military members and 1 journalist in Afghanistan and closer to home Ottawa lost a Police Officer.

This is not a political statement just my way of paying my respects

Upcoming Amateur Event in Ottawa

This coming weekend (December 5th and December 6th) the Ottawa Valley Mobile Radio Club once again is allowing young (and old) visitors to the Canada Science and Technology Museum  in Ottawa talk to Santa via Amateur Radio from Ottawa to the North Pole.

This is an excellent way to introduce the general public to our hobby and its easy to do.

A few public spirited Amateur Operators set up at the museum and using 2m handhelds and contact Santa who is at the North Pole (/VE8) and let the delighted youngsters talk to Santa via Amateur Radio.

After the contact has been made the Museum Staff (who have been monitoring ) will prepare a certificate stating that the child has contacted Santa via Amateur Radio and the child (and family) will be told that they can pick up the certificate when they are leaving at the front of the museum.

Anyway if you are going to be in Ottawa this coming weekend and want to help out as one of Santa’s Helpers please contact Larry VE3WEH ( email address) or if you are not able to contact him via email drop me a line and I’ll get him to contact you.

If you are going to be in town with your family for a visit and want to bring your family over so they can talk to Santa (using Grandpa’s/Grandma’s/Dad’s/Mom’s radio) bring your 2m handheld and family to the Museum so they can be amazed by your radio equipment.

Talk to Santa | Canada Science and Technology Museum.

Follow the above link to go to the Museum Site…

As a final thought I will say that over the years my daughters and myself have helped out with this several times and its always a good time and worthy of your support…

73bob

PS…  This is part of the same museum that does not throw me off the property when I operate from their Lighthouse several times a year.  They are a good bunch of people…