All posts by va7mpg

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RAC Canada Day Contest 2024 Results: Updated

 

RAC Contest Managers:
Bart Ritchie, VE5CPU and Sam Ferris, VE5SF

Web Update November 30, 2024 – We had a misplaced log for Igor Mordick, VA3FF, in the SOABCW category and as a result he will now move into third place in the category with a score of 111,112.  This bumps Mark Mattila, VA7MM, out of third place in the category moving him to fourth place. Our apologies to all those who were impacted by this error. 

The RAC Canada Day Contest is Radio Amateurs of Canada’s way of celebrating the anniversary of the Canadian Confederation which took place on July 1, 1867. This year, Canada Day (July 1) fell on a Monday so we started the contest on a Sunday evening in Canada (Monday UTC time). Since it was not a holiday or a weekend for those outside of Canada, we did not expect another record-breaking year, but we were pleased to see a continuation in the overall trend of improved participation.

Despite it being a Monday, one of the factors contributing to high levels of activities was the improved propagation resulting from Solar Cycle 25 as the window for those outside of North America to get some propagation into Canada was even better than last year.

We continue to see Single Op All Band CW (22% of logs) and Single Op Assisted Low Power (18% of logs) as the two most favoured entry categories. The entry mix was very similar to last year across all the categories. The only new record this year was set by Igor Slakva, VE3ZF, in the relatively new Single Op Assisted Low Power (SOALP) category.

 

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RAC Website Encryption Registry November 2024

 www.rac.ca/encryption –  Available to all Amateurs!

Encryption in Amateur Radio: There are several Canadian Amateurs who are experimenting with encryption. Much of this experimentation uses some of the digital voice modes. Not all digital voice systems can be adapted to use encryption, but some can.

The Radiocommunication Regulations allow Amateurs to use encryption, but only if the codes they use are “published in the public domain”.  Secret keys or obscurely published keys are simply not allowed.

Our regulator – Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) – has agreed that an open webpage on the RAC website would meet this regulatory requirement. As a result, Radio Amateurs of Canada has created an open webpage (www.rac.ca/encryption) to allow Canadian Amateurs to publish their encryption keys.

RAC has made this page available to all Amateurs – members and non-members alike.

If you are experimenting with encryption, please fill in the form at the bottom of the encryption webpage to report the details of your experiments. The content will be reviewed by RAC volunteer Ted Reinhardt, VE3EDE.

If you have questions about the regulations, please contact RAC’s Regulatory Affairs Officer Dave Goodwin, VE3KG, at regulatory@rac.ca

If you have questions about the requirements of RAC’s Encryption Registry, please contact Ted Reinhardt, VE3EDE, at encryption@rac.ca
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TEST OF BC EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM NOV 20 2024

The semi annual test of the BC Emergency Alert System is scheduled to occur on November 20 2024 at 1:55pm.

This is only a test. As of this time there are no reported plans to cancel this test due to the coastal weather event.

 

During the test alert, a message will appear during that says:

“This is a TEST of the BC Emergency Alert system. This is ONLY a TEST. In an emergency, this message would tell you what to do to stay safe. This information could save your life. Click for more info: https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/test/ This is ONLY a TEST. No action is required.”

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Notice to Island Trunk Users November 2024

The following is forwarded for your information.  You usual cooperation is appreciated.

 

To all users of the Island Trunk System, please be advised that we are now in Winter operating conditions and users should minimize transmissions until we return to full operation in the Spring. Long conversations during the dark hours of the day are not showing due respect of the system.

                                                   NOTICE

Net controllers please inform users to be brief, no lengthy weather reports etc and remind users at the beginning of each net that we are now in Winter conditions and some repeaters have limited battery reserves which is exacerbated by low mountain top temperatures and short or no charge periods for many days at a time.

 

Many hams have put a lot of time, effort and funds into maintaining this system and are proud of it. They would really appreciate it if it was used in a respectful way during night time hours and low solar charging seasons. 90% of it is fully off grid and relies on batteries and solar power.

Thanks for your cooperation.