The Comox Valley Amateur Radio Club is now hosting a Tuesday night net called the 20:20 net. Chris – va7cfn has been running it for a few weeks now and has the bugs worked out. It takes place at…you guessed it…20:20 on the VE7RCV repeater at 146.780 – shift tone 141.3. This is located on Mount Washington and gets great coverage. All are welcome who are in range of this repeater. The discussion topics vary from week to week.

The Winlink Gateway in Nicaragua has been returned to service.

The next major earthquake in the lower mainland of BC will no doubt be catastrophic. Here is some more information from UBC

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-earthquake-tall-buildings-shaking-risk?auto=true

MARS in the United States, CFARS in Canada is another side of amateur radio not everyone is aware of. The article below will provide a little in site as to what this is all about.

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/384757/mars-civilian-volunteers-stand-ready-emergencies-syracuse

This SSB net liaises with the BCEN and RN7 nets and provides opportunites for interested amateurs to learn about the National Traffic System net operation and the passage of formal radio traffic.

This net meets daily at 0230 Z ( 1830 pst, 1930 pdt) on 3.716 MHz

RAC Canada Day Contest 2020 Report:

The RAC Canada Day Contest 2020 Results and Soapbox are now available on the RAC website.

Here is a short introduction:

“With Canada Day falling on a Wednesday this year and the COVID-19 pandemic having an impact worldwide, it was gratifying to see so many still able to participate in the RAC Canada Day Contest.

While not being a holiday outside of Canada we thank those that took the time to join us in the celebration and exchanging greetings. 

With over 735 participants it was the one of the best ever turnouts in recent years despite the ongoing poor solar conditions and resulting propagation.

Our thanks to all those who participated and we hope you all have been staying as safe as possible during this very trying time. With that bit of introduction, on with the detailed results!”

For the complete report please visit the RAC website at:

https://www.rac.ca/rac-canada-day-contest-2020-results-and-soapbox/

As always, you can find all the contest rules and entry forms at:

http://wp.rac.ca/contesting-results/

Don’t forget the RAC Canada Winter Contest 2020 is this weekend!
 

– 73, RAC Contest Managers 
Bart Ritchie, VE5CPU and Sam Ferris, VE5SFAlan Griffin
RAC MarCom Director

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.

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.

Schedule and Cost:

Date: The course will start on Thursday, January 14 and will finish in late March.

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.

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/

Registration: 

If you would like to take part in this course please register now by completing the registration form provided on the RAC website at:

RAC Basic Course Registration Form: 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.

Amateur Radio Courses

Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA
RAC President and Chair

—Note for subscribers to the text-based RAC Bulletin System:

As mentioned in the bulletin that was sent out yesterday, we are discontinuing the text-based bulletin process which were sent from “rac-bulletins@eton.ca” and switching to a more modern bulletin process as of January 1, 2021. 

If you are reading this message, we would therefore appreciate it if you would please sign up for the new RAC Bulletins by completing the form provided on the RAC website at the following link:

https://www.rac.ca/rac-notifications/
If you receive a notice that states that you have already registered for this email service, please contact me at marcom@rac.ca and I will be happy to verify this information.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Tx Alan
Alan Griffin
RAC MarCom Directormarcom@rac.ca

ARRL Bulletin 32  ARLB032
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  November 2, 2020
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB032
ARLB032 W1AW 2020/2021 Winter Operating Schedule

Morning Schedule:

Time                  Mode     Days
——————-   —-     ———
1400 UTC (9 AM EST)   CWs      Wed, Fri
1400 UTC (9 AM EST)   CWf      Tue, Thu

Daily Visitor Operating Hours:

1500 UTC to 1700 UTC – (10 AM to 12 PM EST)
1800 UTC to 2045 UTC – (1 PM to 3:45 PM EST)

(Station closed 1700 to 1800 UTC (12 PM to 1 PM EST))

Afternoon/Evening Schedule:

2100 UTC (4 PM EST)    CWf      Mon, Wed, Fri
2100  ”      ”         CWs      Tue, Thu
2200  ”  (5 PM EST)    CWb      Daily
2300  ”  (6 PM EST)    DIGITAL  Daily
0000  ”  (7 PM EST)    CWs      Mon, Wed, Fri
0000  ”      ”         CWf      Tue, Thu
0100  ”  (8 PM EST)    CWb      Daily
0200  ”  (9 PM EST)    DIGITAL  Daily
0245  ”  (9:45 PM EST) VOICE    Daily
0300  ”  (10 PM EST)   CWf      Mon, Wed, Fri
0300  ”      ”         CWs      Tue, Thu
0400  ”  (11 PM EST)   CWb      Daily


                         Frequencies (MHz)
                         —————–
CW: 1.8025 3.5815 7.0475 14.0475 18.0975 21.0675 28.0675 50.350 147.555
DIGITAL: – 3.5975 7.095 14.095 18.1025 21.095 28.095 50.350 147.555
VOICE: 1.855 3.990 7.290 14.290 18.160 21.390 28.590 50.350 147.555

Notes:

CWs = Morse Code practice (slow) = 5, 7.5, 10, 13 and 15 WPM
CWf = Morse Code practice (fast) = 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 13 and 10 WPM  
CWb = Morse Code Bulletins = 18 WPM

CW frequencies include code practices, Qualifying Runs and CW
bulletins.

DIGITAL = BAUDOT (45.45 baud), BPSK31 and MFSK16 in a revolving
schedule.

Code practice texts are from QST, and the source of each practice is
given at the beginning of each practice and at the beginning of
alternate speeds.

On Tuesdays and Fridays at 2330 UTC (6:30 PM EST), Keplerian
Elements for active amateur satellites are sent on the regular
digital frequencies.

A DX bulletin replaces or is added to the regular bulletins between
0100 UTC (8 PM EST) Thursdays and 0100 UTC (8 PM EST) Fridays.

Audio from W1AW’s CW code practices, CW/digital bulletins and phone
bulletin is available using EchoLink via the W1AW Conference Server
named “W1AWBDCT.”  The monthly W1AW Qualifying Runs are presented
here as well.  The audio is sent in real-time and runs concurrently
with W1AW’s regular transmission schedule.

All users who connect to the conference server are muted.  Please
note that any questions or comments about this server should not be
sent via the “Text” window in EchoLink. Please direct any questions
or comments to w1aw@arrl.org .

In a communications emergency, monitor W1AW for special bulletins as
follows: Voice on the hour, Digital at 15 minutes past the hour, and
CW on the half hour.

All licensed amateurs may operate the station from 1500 UTC to 1700
UTC (10 AM to 12 PM EST), and then from 1800 UTC to 2045 UTC (1 PM
to 3:45 PM EST) Monday through Friday.  Be sure to bring your
current FCC amateur radio license or a photocopy.

However, please note that because of current COVID-19 restrictions,
W1AW is not open for visitor operations at this time.

The W1AW Operating Schedule may also be found on page 87 in the
November 2020 issue of QST or on the web at,
http://www.arrl.org/w1aw-operating-schedule .
NNNN
/EX

An interesting article on the use of ham radio assisting the rural areas during times of elections. This practice has been going on for over forty years. To learn more go to

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/local-polls-remote-areas-bank-on-ham-radios/articleshow/79357502.cms

Santa is disappointed that he can’t meet the children in person this year due to COVID restrictions. Talk to Santa on-the-air via local amateur operators. Santa is available from 5pm on Tue Dec 8 on VE7RPT (146.940 -600 136.5 tone) or IRLP 9009. A great intro to radio for a younger generation.