Central Alberta Amateur Radio Club
Next General Meeting April 25 PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF DATE
Apr 12th
PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF DATE The next General meeting will be April 25th at the Search and Rescue building on the corner of 19th Street and 40th Ave. Please be there by 7:15 as the meeting will start at 7:30.
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See you at the meeting
New 60M band
Apr 5th
RAC Bulletin 2012-021E – Update on 60 Metres*
2012-04-04
RAC has been pursuing channelized access to 60M since early 2010. Our request was for an allocation identical to the US allocation, with one additional unique Canadian channel, and with fewer restrictions (the US allocations were restricted to USB voice only, with power and antenna restrictions). Amateurs will recall that one of the rationales for RAC requesting a 60M allocation was to enhance emergency communications including cross-border interoperability. IC responded by indicating that they were prepared to support access in synch with US amateur allocation and regulations. In late 2011, in response to an ARRL petition for change, the FCC issued a final Report and Order that, once it has been published in the Federal Register, will result in a change to the frequency of one of the channels and will enable the use of CW and data modes in addition to USB voice. These features had already been in the original RAC request. The FCC Report and Order has cleared the way for Canada to move ahead with finalizing its allocation to match the new US allocations, including the ability to use CW and data modes. This allocation, which will be on a secondary basis, requires a public consultation through the Canada Gazette, which RAC anticipates will occur in the second quarter of 2012.
It is important that Canadian Amateurs comment on the draft once released. RAC will continue to keep our members aware of the status of this important initiative.
An important offer has been made by IC with regards to 60M. Industry Canada is prepared to licence operators in channelized 60M operation pending the results of the consultation process. The licencing process will be managed out of ICs regional offices and is open to any Canadian amateur. The process requires a formal licence application, payment of a licence fee, and the use of a special call sign instead of the licensee’s amateur call sign. RAC regards this as an important interim step allowing amateurs to get on the air in the 60M band as soon as possible and thanks IC for this initiative. RAC`s objective, however, is to ensure that Canadian amateurs have the 60M allocation available to all amateurs as part of their amateur radio certification, i.e. without licence applications, licence fees or special call signs. RAC is cautiously optimistic that this will come about in the summer of 2012.
If you wish to obtain a temporary, paid license to operate on 60M, please contact your local Industry Canada Regional Office to complete the application form.The total fee depends upon the date of your application but in any case is less than $100.
Bill Gade, VE4WO
Regulatory Affairs Officer – Radio Amateurs of Canada
Google does it again!!!
Apr 1st
Check out the gmail tap
https://mail.google.com/mail/help/promos/tap/index.html
Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park Hamfest
Mar 20th
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Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park Hamfest
“Oldest continuous running hamfest in the world”
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78 years and still going strong!
July 20-22, 2012
Always the third full weekend in July!
Registration for the 2012 Glacier Waterton Hamfest is now open! Register and join us for another great fun filled family event!
48°15’58.75″North113°26’35.88″West
Can’t join us this year? Make your plans now for next year!
Future Hamfest Dates:
July 19-21, 2013
July 18-20, 2014
Always the third full weekend in July!
Special Event Station – VO1AA
Feb 28th
Special Event Station – VO1AA – April, 25, 2012
2012-02-26
The Society of Newfoundland Radio Amateurs (SONRA) will make history on April 25, 2012
April 25th each year marks the birthday of Guglielmo Marconi, who received the first wireless signal at Signal Hill, Newfoundland on this date. This April 25th, SONRA will celebrate the event with making an Amateur Radio contact with Princess Elettra (Marconi) who will be in Bologna Italy to celebrate her father’s birthday. It is planned to have the Canadian Heritage Minister, the NL Premier , the City of St. John’s Mayor along with the NL Lieutenant Governor, exchange greetings with the Princess via Amateur Radio from VO1AA at Cabot Tower.
This is the first time that this event has been attempted, and it is anticipated that it will be a high level media exposure for Amateur Radio in Canada.
SONRA appreciates the wonderful relationship that it enjoys with Parks Canada, Signal Hill National Historic Site, and looks forward to many years of commemorating this important event.
73
Doug Mercer, VO1DTM/VO1DM
Chief Field Services Officer – Radio Amateurs of Canada Inc.
VE6NM silent key
Feb 27th
It is with regret that Radio Amateurs of Canada has learned that Earle Smith, VE6NM, a RAC past President, passed away peacefully after an illness on Friday, February 24th.
Earle had served as President of RAC from late 2004 to the end of 2007 and was well respected by amateur radio operators both within Canada and Internationally. He was a gentleman and friend to all hams and a strong advocate for amateur radio and for the Radio Amateurs of Canada.
All who knew Earle respected him as a leader, a friend and a force for good in the amateur radio community. We will miss him. The amateur community can post condolences which will be forwarded to the family at http://earlesmith.rac.ca.
Geoff Bawden, VE4BAW
President and Chairman of Radio Amateurs of Canada
Service be held on Thursday March 1 at 11:00 Am
St. Paul’s United Church
10206 100 Avenue
Grande Prairie, Alberta
T8V 0V6
http://www.stpaulsuc.ca/
CAARC Spring Social
Feb 15th
The annual spring social was held on Saturday March 17 at the Black Knight Inn on the south side of Red Deer. The winners of the best “green outfit” for St Patrick’s Day were VA6BMC Brendon and Ryan McKinney . VA6LDY Karen and VA6TRB Bob were the very close runners up. 
Everyone had a great time and thanks to to all those who were dressed in green!
Create Your Website with WordPress
Feb 11th
Hi, this is Dennis King (Bob VE6BLD’s son)…
If you’ve been meaning to create a website or if you’re frustrated with your current website, then this may be exactly the help you need.
I’ve put together a Free Website Starter Kit and you can get more details here:
Website Starter Kit for CAARC Visitors
Why the Wrong Tools Make You Miserable
It’s getting easier to create and publish websites BUT ONLY IF you start with the right tools.
If you’re not a web techie, you’ll stumble into problems and confusion pretty fast.
You’re smart, but even today all the choices and details are overwhelming – even for a web techie!
The story goes something like this…
Should you use a free blogging tool? What about a web builder tool that was “tossed in” with your internet service provider?
Maybe you should get your own hosting or buy a domain name?
But how do you choose and register a domain name? Should you?
What about configuring new email permanent accounts at you domain?
Even if you get this far, you’ll still have no website.
If you buy a separate hosting package then maybe you have high hopes for the “all include 1-2-3-you’re-done website builder tool”.
After countless wasted hours going in circles, you’ll realize that the hyped-up freebie website building tools offered at most web hosts are a total joke.
Now what?
Why be a sweaty trail blazing explorer fighting for every yard?
It’s easier and faster to follow a clear step by step path – a ready-made trail to the destination.
Leave the trail blazing or blind wandering to someone else.
I created the Website Starter Kit to help people escape the “bush-whacking frustration” of starting a proper website that they actually enjoy updating.
I created a page just for CAARC visitors that gives you some more details about the Website Starter Kit.
Just click the link below:
Website Starter Kit for CAARC Visitors
These days you can start a proper website without programming or internet-techie stuff of the past.
Just a few years ago it was hard to build a basic website. You had to be a web techie.
You had to know how HTML code, CSS, and how to transfer files with FTP. Plus you had to buy software for your computer.
That’s all changed.
Now you can easily build your own website BUT ONLY IF you start with the right tools.
Proper Websites Made Easy with WordPress
The CAARC website is a good example. This site uses software called WordPress.
WordPress is FREE and Website Starter Kit give you more details about what it can do for you.
WordPress is high-quality open-source software that is completely FREE to use for a personal or business website.
Anyone can use it and all you need is hosting and a web browser. It works on Windows computers and it works for Mac too.
You just need an internet browser, so it doesn’t matter what kind of computer you use.
I’ve talked with many people who have struggled with websites and web designers.
They were frustrated – either because they couldn’t get started or they were stuck using some old program that they hated! Some of them had wasted a lot of money too.
I created the Website Starter Kit to help beginners start a proper website with WordPress.
It is designed to show you exactly what to do. Every detail of every step is included.
You can start your website with this kit even if you’ve never created a website before and you feel like a total beginner. If you know a bit about websites – then you’ll do fine too.
It shows you exactly what to do. You won’t stumble around without a map.
It includes PDF guides, Audio, and Video. 
If you’d like to start a proper website for your business or a personal interest then check out the Website Starter Kit. The kit is free and packed with helpful information.
You’ll also get the 16 Reasons to Love WordPress audio report and PDF guide to help you decide if the Website Starter Kit is right for you.
To get your free Website Starter Kit click the link below.
http://localwebformula.com/hamradio
You’ll land at a webpage I created just for CAARC visitors. You’ll see a form asking for your email address, but don’t worry – your email is completely safe and you can easily unsubscribe anytime.
Dennis King
P.S. WordPress is free software that runs millions of websites. It is fast becoming the tool of choice for creating websites. The Starter Kit explains all the details, so go and grab it and judge for yourself.
Another video test
Feb 11th
Another video test
This is a time lapse video I shot of the VE6QE repeater new package installation.
Bob VE6BLD and Skip VE6BGT
