The new President of the Radio Amateurs of Canada attended the ARRL Board Meeting
Interested in Solar Cycle 25
Get an update on the current solar cycle at
https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=11&month=01&year=2022
Former RAC President Bob Cooke is a Silent Key Jan 2022.
Winter Field Day Jan 29 2022
The annual winter field day event will be held January 29/30 2022. More information at
Update on Tonga Jan 22 2022
Water and communications equipment has started to arrive in Tonga. To see some of the efforts go to
US AMATEURS LOOSE 3.45 – 3.5 GHZ AS OF APRIL 14 2022
The following was received from the ARRL
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT January 19, 2022
To all radio amateurs
SB QST ARL ARLB005
ARLB005 Amateur Operation in 3.45 – 3.5 GHz Segment Must Cease by
April 14, 2022
The FCC has established April 14, 2022, as the date by which amateur
radio transmissions must stop in the upper 3.45 – 3.5 GHz segment of
the amateur secondary 9-centimeter band. Secondary operations are
permitted to continue indefinitely in the remainder of the band, 3.3
– 3.45 GHz, pending future FCC proceedings.
On January 14 the FCC released DA 22-39, which announces the results
of Auction 110 for the 3.45 – 3.55 GHz band. Release of this notice
triggered FCC rules adopted last year requiring that amateur radio
operations between 3.45 GHz and 3.5 GHz cease within 90 days of the
public notice.
DA 22-39 can be found online at,
https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-announces-winning-bidders-345-ghz-service-auction/attachment-a
.
In October 2021, ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, urged Congress
to direct the FCC to preserve Amateur Radio’s secondary use of the 3
GHz band in a written statement responding to H.R. 5378, the
Spectrum Innovation Act of 2021, before the US House Commerce
Communications and Technology Subcommittee.
A chronology of actions responding to amateur access on the 3.5 GHz
band can be found on the ARRL website at,
http://www.arrl.org/3-ghz-band .
NNNN
Tonga Jan 18 2022
The following information was received from Radio Relay International.
Radio Relay International has received several inquiries regarding emergency communications support in the aftermath of the Tonga volcanic eruption.
Our nearest RRI Registered Radio Operator is in Fiji, approximately 800 km (500 miles away). He reports the following:”The situation in Tonga is dire indeed with the loss of their submarine cable link as well as ash clouds blocking satellite communications.”
The ETC Office in Suva also enquired about any HF links in Tonga, but as far as I know there are no resident amateur stations there, and most inter-isand links now rely on satellite. Perhaps there remains some HF links with government offices, but I do not have the information here.
This is a typical example of the need for skilled HF operators to be trained in such localities; the lack of interest for HF nowadays is the main issue.”
If more news is forthcoming, RRI will provide additional information and any needed operational guidance to the Amateur Radio community. For more information on disaster emergency communications planning and response, please visit the RRI website or download a copy of our National Emergency Communications Response Guidelines at: http://radio-relay.org/…/RRI-NECRP-2020-8-1-Final…
Tonga Has Communication Issues. Jan 2022
Communications took a major hit after the tsunami in Tonga. More information from the BBC at
Tsunami Alert Jan 15 2022
Tsunami Advisory for Notification Zones A, B, C & D: Volcanic Eruption near the Tonga Islands. January 15, 2022.
Congratulations to BC Hams for their work in the RAC Canada Day Contest 2021
BC Hams Gary Caldwell, VA7RR, repeats his first place finish. Gabor Horvath, VE7UF, takes second place Frank Vanderzande, VE7AV, takes third place. On