March RAC Directors Report (North – East Ontario)

The following comes to us from Bill Unger VE3XT who is the RAC Director for North – East Ontario.  The content in it is his and this is a simple “Cut N Paste” of his report  to share with you…  Any comments or questions please contact Bill directly.

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North East Ontario Regional Directors Report for March, 2013

On February 15^th to the 17^th RAC Directors, Deputy Directors, the President and Executive Members met for a face to face planning session in Ottawa. Prior to this meeting all of our deliberations over the last several meetings dealt with the fact RAC was going broke.

That is no longer the case and in 2013 our books will show a small profit In addition to increasing our reserves membership is continuing to increase. We now have approximately 260 Maple Leaf Members; 3 years ago we had none. If you have recently become a member or renewed your membership, THANK YOU. If you have let your membership lapse would you please take a moment and send me an email telling me why?

The main purpose of the meeting was to map out the future of RAC for the time frame of the next 2+ years. The 3 primary goals we have set for ourselves are as follows:

• Grow the number of Amateurs in Canada
• Grow the membership of RAC
• Influence public and political opinion on a National, Provincial and Municipal level to protect and enhance Amateur Radio Privileges

As we roll out new ideas you will be kept up to date on our progress. In an effort to hear from more Amateurs RAC has purchased software called Go to Meeting and Go to Webinar. This will allow us to set up group meetings between Executive and Amateurs around the region. This will increase two way dialogs. I hope to begin these sessions in May. Some of the Amateurs I hope to meet with are Deputy and Assistant Directors, Club Presidents, Section Managers and their teams. This would also allow us to start webinars on other topics: DX, QRP, µControllers, Antennas or whatever subjects you care to talk about. If you have some expertise and are willing to share it with fellow Canadian Amateurs let me know.

I am also available to meet with any of your clubs via Skype in the meantime. Let me know if you or your club is interested.

Rita and I will be taking a holiday and I will still have email but it may take a little longer to reply for the next little while. Thanks for your patience.

If you have any questions or concerns please email me at ve3xt@rac.ca

Bill VE3XT

North East Ontario Regional Director

Radio Amateurs of Canada

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North East Ontario Regional Directors Report for February, 2013

The following was sent by RAC Director Bill Unger VE3XT who asked me to share it with you.  Posted here as a service to the Amateur Radio community.

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North East Ontario Regional Directors Report for February, 2013
On February 15th, 16th and 17th the Directors, President Bawden and other Executive will meet in Ottawa for our annual meeting to discuss the future of Radio Amateurs of Canada. Now that RAC is out of the woods financially we want to ensure the future of the organisation both fiscally and on an operational basis.

I believe we have made all the cuts possible to reduce expenses and there are no more savings to be had so our task is to increase revenue for RAC. The first and most obvious way is to increase membership. I will be frank with you; it is a difficult sell to convince some Canadian Amateurs to join RAC. They have a million reasons why the membership is not worth the cost. Over the last few reports I have tried to list some reasons (including Insurance, Affiliated clubs, CEPT’s, QSL Bureaus, Antenna interventions, (insert your own favourite here _______________) and advocating for Amateur Radio to National, Provincial and Local governments.) Membership in RAC has value beyond TCA. I hope this may have convinced you to join RAC. And if you have joined thank you and would you consider asking a fellow Amateur to join as well. I envision a future of RAC where RAC will be a strong national voice representing all Canadian Amateurs who are also members of RAC. I hope you will be a part of this vision.

To obtain other sources of revenue the Directors will be recommending some thoughts to increase revenue in the future and after the meeting I will tell you about them. If you have an idea please send me an email.

We are also looking for input on changes to the way RAC is run from a governance point of view. What would you do to make RAC more in touch with its members and more importantly make it easier for members to be in touch with the executive. Remember when I get an email from someone saying “Someone should do (insert your idea here) and I always ask back, “Great can I call you somebody”. If you propose an idea I hope you will help bring it to fruition.

Speaking of how RAC is run, we are still looking for a Treasurer and other Executive positions. Have you just retired and have some skills that RAC can benefit from? Do you have a flair for fundraising or publicity? Send me an email and tell me.

If you have any questions or concerns please email me at ve3xt@rac.ca

Bill VE3XT
North East Ontario Regional Director
Radio Amateurs of Canada

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As Bill mentioned if you need any more info please contact him direct via email…

73bob

North East Ontario Regional Directors Report for January, 2013

The following is  a cut and paste (published intact no editing) from Bill Unger VE3XT who is the Director for North East Ontario (ONN & ONE) for RAC

If you have any comments or questions please contact Bill direct at the email address he supplies…

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North East Ontario Regional Directors Report for January, 2013

I want to wish you all a Happy New Year and hope 2013 is a good one for all of us. I hope you also got an opportunity to participate in the RAC winter contest this year. Unfortunately we were flying from Edmonton to Thunder Bay via Toronto on the red eye and by the time I got home after being up all night I was not in a contest mood. But I have the fall back position of “wait until next year”.

During the holidays I met briefly with Paul, VA3PC who was in Thunder Bay visiting family. He mentioned he is still looking for Bulletin readers for various parts of the province. If you check into a local HF or VHF net and want to help RAC this would be a great way to help. His email is va3pc@rac.ca

We are also now into the 5 year extension that RAC obtained for Ontario Amateurs. The actual amended Ontario Regulation 366/09 can be found at http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_090366_e.htm.  It is recommended that hams in Ontario carry a copy of the amended regulation and their Amateur Radio certificate during mobile operations.

In my last Directors report I started to mention some of the benefits of being a RAC member and I want to continue this topic this month. I am not a great DX’er but I do work some with my QRP rig and send QSL’s to them. If you have priced an international stamp lately sending cards to the outgoing bureau is very cost effective. If you want to be DX and operate from a European country, you need to obtain a CEPT certificate available from RAC HQ.

If you looked closely at the last TCA you will see the audited financial report. For the first time in several years RAC is making a profit and will end the year of 2013 in the black with a small surplus. Canadian Amateurs are showing their support for RAC as we are still increasing our membership numbers. Thank you to all of you who join and continue to support RAC either as a Corporate, Regular or Maple Leaf Member.

We are planning to meet in Ottawa during the month of February to do some long term planning. I am asking for your input, where do you want to see RAC in the future? I envision a stronger RAC with more members and fiscal stability that allows us to speak to Industry Canada, Provincial Governments, Municipalities and other agencies to continue to move Amateur Radio forward in the future. Along with more members I hope we can have elections for positions as Amateurs will want to help RAC in a concrete way. Would you consider standing for a position in RAC?

If you have any questions, concerns or ideas please email me at ve3xt@rac.ca

Bill VE3XT

North East Ontario Regional Director, Radio Amateurs of Canada

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Thanks again Bill for including me on your email list so I can share this with the Amateur Radio Community every month…  Perhaps we can do coffee when you are in Ottawa in February…

73bob

QSL???

From what I can see from some very disgruntled comments from the Twitterverse…..

It would seem that RAC is changing (or thinking of changing) their incoming QSL Policy…. (only a guess at this time)

Now I’m not sure about this as I have not seen anything official from RAC on this but from the tweets  I figure something is up…  The last RAC Bulletin on the website is dated December 14th so whatever is fanning the fire (so to speak) has to be really recent…

However if you check this on the ARRL Website:

http://www.arrl.org/news/rac-announces-new-incoming-qsl-bureau-address

Hope there is someone who knows whats going on and they decide to let us know…  They told the world but seem to have forgotten to tell the Membership as there are no RAC announcements on the RAC website  (that I can find)

Someone should be thinking about either damage control or letting us know whats happening (at least) but for now all I can tell you is that something is going on…

Merry Christmas

73bob

 

 

A “Christmas reminder” in the mail

When checking my mailbox (snail not electronic) yesterday I got my reminder from RAC that its Christmas…

Actually they were not reminding me it was Christmas, but rather that my membership expires at the end of the month and that its time to renew for another year.  This habit goes back many years now when my children after many years of buying me Coffee Cups, Tshirts and other memory creating stuff (yesterday I drank my cup of tea from the “Worlds Best Dad” mug) they decided to pool their resources and buy me a RAC Membership…

Since then I have been a RAC member and every year at Christmas they renew my membership for me…  or give me an envelope with the $$$ to take down the street to the Offices on Belfast…  There have been a few years that I have had to run down the street 1st week in Jan… but for the most part the system works fine although I don’t know for sure till Christmas Morning..

So today the form was filled out and attached to the fridge with a magnet and hopefully one of the brood will remember what has to be done next…

For me its the present that keeps on giving all year long and its also “Right Size and Right Colour…

73bob

Important News -RAC Insurance Package (Clubs)

While checking out my Blogroll (looking for info and/or broken links) I found the following on the RAC Blog and know its worth sharing with you…

If your RAC Affiliated Amateur Radio Club makes use of the RAC Insurance Policy then your paperwork for the new year has to be submitted…

Please read the following cut and paste from the RAC Blog :

 

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RAC Bulletin 2012-068E – RAC Club Liability Insurance

2012-12-09

Affiliated Clubs are reminded that their current Liability Insurance expires 31 Dec 2012 and it must be renewed BEFORE 31 Dec 2012. TIME IS RUNNING OUT. It is the club’s responsibility to complete the necessary forms and have them processed to ensure continuation of their Liability Insurance. With offices being closed during the holiday season your immediate attention is required.

G Linda Friars, VE9GLF

Insurance Program Administrator – Radio Amateurs of Canada

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Vernon Ikeda – VE2MBS/VE2QQ

Pointe-Claire, Québec

RAC Blog Editor/RAC E-News/Web News Bulletin Editor

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Posted as a service to the Canadian Amateur Radio Community

Any questions please contact the Radio Amateurs of Canada

73bob

RAC News from the ARRL

While checking the ARRL Site I found the following:

http://www.arrl.org/news/rac-announces-new-incoming-qsl-bureau-address

Trying my best to keep you informed…

73bob

1 month till the RAC Canada Winter Contest

Anyway…  back to Radio stuff….

For those of you who are into very casual contesting…

The 2012 RAC Winter Contest is on December 29th starting at 0000 UTC

 

http://www.rac.ca/en/rac/programmes/contests/files/2012%20Canada%20Winter%20Rules%20French-English.pdf

And this is everything you will need to know about the RAC Canada Winter Contest…  almost…

What it does not tell you is that its a fun way to spend as much of the 24 hours that you can on the radio…  You can talk across Canada and its normally your best chance ( Along with the RAC Canada Day Contest) to find stations from All of the Canadian Provinces and Territorities on the Air…

If you want to have fun or just finish off your Worked all Canada…  Its the place to be…

CU on the air

73bob

VE3XT Directors Report – December 2012

I got the following in the mail from Bill Unger VE3XT who is the RAC Director for North and East Ontario.  Posted as a service to the Amateur Radio Community…

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North East Ontario Regional Directors Report for December, 2012

I first regretfully wish to inform you that long time Assistant Director and friend of Radio Amateurs of Canada Roy Brockelbank, VE3FOD became a silent key on November 17. I wish to pass on our condolences to his wife Maxine and his three children Dawn, Parker, Chris and his grandchildren.

I also want to extend congratulations to Bob Nash, VE3KZ who was recently appointed to the Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame. Bob will be presented with this award at a meeting to be arranged in Toronto in early 2013. I take special pleasure in congratulating him as he is a native Port Arthur’er.  Also in the mid 70’s he taught a freshly minted Department of Communications Radio Inspector on the finer points of cable TV measurements at Humber College. Congratulations on your award Bob and thanks for being a great ambassador for Amateur Radio.  It was also good to see you in Thunder Bay recently.

By now I am sure everyone knows of the restructuring of Ontario. There are still a few positions open in the 4 sections, would you consider filling one of them? Email me.

I occasionally get the question “Why should I join RAC and where is RAC going?” Over the next few Directors reports I would like to tell you where I see RAC heading and why I hope you would consider joining.

The Directors believe RAC should be run as a business, and our core business is to support and forward the cause of Amateur Radio in Canada. But to be successful we need to be able to ensure the viability of RAC.  That will happen with a solid and sustaining membership.

I was recently talking to an Amateur who was wondering now that TCA is going to a digital edition would we lose members? This also got me to thinking for example, why would a new Amateur who may only be on 2M be interested in joining RAC.

Here are a couple of suggestions.

A fellow Amateur in Thunder Bay (who also has HF privileges) does some travelling and normally gets travel insurance through a bank / travel agency. He investigated the new RAC travel insurance from Johnson and it was to his advantage for him to sign his XYL up as a member and use RAC travel insurance. RAC insurance was cheaper for him than at the bank / travel agency. Check it out at “Johnson.ca/rac” or

1-800-563-0677

That same Amateur can use the callsign@rac.ca alias.

He can access his TCA and RAC Report anywhere he is travelling via the web.

To be continued.

Finally my XYL, Rita and wonder dog Rufus would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a DX’full 2013. We hope you get to spend some time over the holidays with family and friends and on December 29 hope to work you in the RAC Contest.

If you have any questions or concerns please email me at ve3xt@rac.ca.

Bill VE3XT

North East Ontario Regional Director

Radio Amateurs of Canada

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If you have any comments please contact Bill directly at VE3XT@rac.ca

7P8D not in log … YET

I just checked on on line log for 7P8D…

This is the DXPediton to the country of Lesotho, which is in Africa close to South Africa.  I tried for them yesterday and actually thought I had them… but after checking the on line log today I seems either I was in error or there was a typo in the log…. In the mean time I’ll keep on trying both getting them in the log again and checking the in line log…

This DXPedition has a Canadian Flair with  Keith, VE7MID (CW); Neil, VA7DX (CW);Bill,VE7XS (SSB) all participating.  As a side note…  Bill VE7XS is also on the Board of Directors for Radio Amateurs of Canada representing the Province of British Columbia and the Yukon Territory.

I’m glad to see that Bill is getting some enjoyment out of giving something back to our hobby this time…  The work he does for RAC as a director for the most part is a thankless job…  This time it has to be fun…  Way to go Bill…

Anyway…  its just before 0900 EST (1400utc) and I can hear them on 12m working SSB/split UP 5 TO 10) and of course there are some lids who can’t figure out the words UP 5 to 10 and as always the many DX COPS ready to scream out “UP UP UP” and also the Phrase “HE’S LISTENING UP” just to clutter up the mess even more…

Recently it seems I have mentioned this more than in the past…  Are the operators getting worse??? more stupid???? (how can you be more stupid???) or am I finally just losing my patience….

73bob