The first 2021 winter storm struck Vancouver Island with high winds and a lot of rain. Below is an article of response activity in the Campbell River area of Vancouver Island.
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Halifax Hams Have An Interesting Way to Enhance Emergency Communications – Jan 2021
The Halifax Amateur Radio Club came up with a different way to try to enhance their emergency communications. An interesting idea. To see what they were up to go to
Halifax Amateur Radio Club hosts contest to challenge city communication
Ham Radio University Registration Opens
Ham Radio University will be a virtual event this year. Registration is now open for the University.
The event will be held January 9 2020 from 1300-2100 UTC. More information at
http://www.arrl.org/news/registration-is-open-for-online-ham-radio-university-on-january-9
Surrey(BC) Amateur Radio Club Newsletter Jan 2021
They have done it yet again. 110 pages in this newsletter. Go to the site below and scroll down. You will see the Communicator on the left hand side. Enjoy
https://ve7sar.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-january-february-2021-communicator.html
Registration for Winter 2021 RAC Basic Course is Closing Soon
Radio Amateurs of Canada is once again offering an online Amateur Radio course so that individuals from all across Canada can obtain their Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with Basic Qualification while continuing to practise social/physical distancing.
Date: The course will start on Thursday, January 14 and will finish in late March. Registration is still open but it will be closing soon.
Time: Classes will be held on Thursday evenings from 6 pm to 8:30 (1800 – 2030) Eastern Time (1900 – 2130 Atlantic Time) and Sunday afternoons 1 pm to 3:30 pm (1300 – 1530) Eastern Time (1400 – 1630 Atlantic Time).
Cost: The registration fee for the course is $50 plus GST/HST. The cost of the Basic Study Guide is extra and an order link will be provided upon completion of payment.
Background information:
The course will again be conducted with the assistance of the Annapolis Valley Amateur Radio Club (AVARC) of Nova Scotia.
This course prepares students for the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) Basic Qualification Level Operator Certificate exam to operate on allocated Amateur Radio frequencies.
Course material pertaining to all topics covered in the course syllabus will be provided to all registered students. Students must have a copy of the Canadian Amateur Radio Basic Qualification Study Guide provided by Coax Publications. For more information please visit the RAC Study Guides webpage.
It is essential that all students have the necessary equipment and bandwidth capable of taking the course – at least a tablet or PC and a DSL broadband connection.
Instruction:
The course will use the GoToMeeting web-based service. Students will receive instructions on how to log on to the online sessions once they have registered for the course. Classes will be recorded, so occasional absences are not a problem.
The course instructor is Al Penney, VO1NO. Al was first licensed in 1977 and has been active in many areas of Amateur Radio including contesting, DXing, VHF/UHF weak signal, satellites, emergency communications and DXpeditioning. He has served as the President of six different Amateur Radio clubs in both Canada and the United States and currently chairs the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 2 Band Planning Committee. Al has taught the Basic Qualification Amateur Radio Course since 1994.
Complete information about the course and a downloadable copy of the course syllabus are available at:
https://www.rac.ca/rac-basic-amateur-radio-course-winter-2021/
Other Amateur Radio Courses:
Amateur Radio Basic and Advanced Qualification courses are also now being provided both online and in person by Canadian Amateur Radio Clubs and organizations. Please visit the Amateur Radio Courses webpage for more information at the link provided below.
https://www.rac.ca/amateur-radio-courses/embed/#?secret=eRnNnbA2IY
Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA
RAC President and Chair
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Wishing Everyone the very best in 2021. 2020 presented some challenges that is for sure. Hopefully 2021 will be a safe and prosperous new year for you with lots of good times on your radio. Stay well, Stay safe.
[RAC-Bulletin] Former RAC President Farrell(Hoppy) Hopwood, VE7RD SK
Radio Amateurs of Canada has received the sad news that former RAC President, Farrell Hopwood, VE7RD, became a Silent Key on December 8, 2020 at age 91.
The following information was extracted from the online obituary notice which was published in North Shore News on December 30.
“Farrell worked for BC Tel for many years and was active in St. Stephen’s parish, North Vancouver as well as instrumental in the founding of the Radio Amateurs of Canada.
He is survived by his son David, brother Brendan, sisters Eileen and Deidra, sister-in-law Lee, their spouses and many nieces and nephews.
The family is grateful to the staff of Delta Hospital as well as Wexford Independent Living in Tsawwassen for their care and support. Due to the current Covid restrictions, a celebration of Farrell’s life will be limited to a private Mass with a graveside service to follow at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer’s Society would be appreciated.”
RAC would like to extend its sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Member of Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame 2015
Farrell (Hoppy) Hopwood, VE7RD, was inducted into the Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame in 2015 and the information provided below was published in the January-February 2016 issue of The Canadian Amateur magazine in recognition of this significant achievement. We will be including a tribute article to Farrell in the March-April 2021 issue of The Canadian Amateur magazine.
Farrell Hopwood, VE7RD, better known as “Hoppy”, was born and raised in British Columbia. Hoppy’s parents were influential mentors in his early telecommunications career.
His father, Jack, was a telegrapher with Canadian Pacific (CP) Telegraphs; his mother, Mona, was a Teletype operator who worked alongside Jack. Hoppy learned the landline Morse code from his dad.
Hoppy started his telecoms career in Vancouver as a telegraph lineman for CP Telegraphs in 1948 and then transferred to BC Telephone, where he worked his way through maintaining telephone dial offices to long-distance carrier systems in Vancouver.
After the changeover to public distance dialing in 1959, Hoppy was involved with mechanical switching, TD2 microwave and large digital switching networks; and in 1971, formed a Systems Coordination Centre (SCC) to help BC Telephone and other large business users to install new telecom networks. He managed the SCC until he retired in 1992.
In 1955, Hoppy obtained his Amateur Radio licence and his first call sign, VE7AHB. He held a strong interest in all aspects of Amateur Radio, particularly DX, VHF/UHF linking and packet. He was an early member of the Canadian Radio Relay League (CRRL), the Canadian Amateur Radio Federation (CARF), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), Telephone Pioneers and the North Shore Amateur Radio Club. He was also a member of the team that created an Amateur Radio station and exhibit at EXPO 86 in Vancouver.
These memberships introduced him to government regulations and the various threats to Amateur Radio bands. This led Hoppy to become an Assistant Director for the Canadian Amateur Radio Federation, followed by Director and Vice-President.
He sought the CARF Presidency on the condition that the CARF Board commit to meet with the CRRL Board to revisit prior discussions with the CRRL to create one national society. Thus began a series of meetings between CARF and CRRL.
Merging the two societies was a complex and delicate process for the whole merger team and when roadblocks occurred it was up to the two Presidents to find a way around.
Hoppy particularly appreciated working with CRRL President Dana Shtun, VE3DSS (now also VE3DS), who shared the vision for a strong national Canadian Amateur Radio society and served as RAC’s first Vice-President.
Hoppy was appointed RAC President and remained in this post for six years. During this period the new RAC team improved services to members and to the Amateur Radio community in Canada. Hoppy retired at the end of 1998 after serving three terms as President.
Hoppy was inducted into the Hall of Fame on December 10, 2015 at the annual banquet of the North Shore Amateur Radio Club in North Vancouver, BC.
Alan Griffin
RAC MarCom Director
[RAC-Bulletin] January-February 2021 eTCA is now available for download
The electronic TCA (eTCA) version of the January-February 2021 issue of The Canadian Amateur (TCA) magazine is now available for viewing or download from the RAC website.
The paper version is now being processed by the printer, but it will be delayed as a result of COVID-19 and the holiday season.
Stay tuned to the RAC website for additional information.
To download your copy please make sure you are logged into the RAC website and then visit: https://www.rac.ca/digitaltca/
Alan Griffin
RAC MarCom Director
HAM RADIO And Emergency Preparedness – Dec 2020
Given the recent events in Nashville and COVID some vulnerabilities in the communication structure have been exposed. Interestingly COVID has shown the lack of emergency preparedness by citizens in Vancouver and the explosion in Nashville has again identified the vulnerability of emergency communications networks.
Just more reasons for ARES and the ability to respond and assist when and where necessary.
https://www.citynews1130.com/2020/12/25/nashville-explosion-communications/amp/
Nashville Blast Has Hams Ready to Assist Dec 2020
The blast in Nashville has caused an interruption in communications and amateur radio operators are holding nets on various repeater networks. To learn more go to