Central Alberta Amateur Radio Club
General News
2019 Fathers Day Picnic raffle tickets
Dec 12th
The 2019 Fathers Day Picnic raffle tickets will be available at the January general meeting. I am making sure to have proper front covers this time.
VE6xy
President CAARC
SSO-A mission with Amateur Radio satellites launched December 3
Dec 5th
From AMSAT.UK
Spaceflight’s SSO-A SmallSat Express mission, carrying many amateur radio satellites, launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 18:34 GMT on Monday, December 3.
Watch the launch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq8kS6UoOrQ
ESEO 437.000 MHz beacon received by Surrey Space Centre
64 small satellites from 17 countries were launched on this mission, some with amateur radio payloads. A full list of satellites, can be found at
https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/content/-/article/sso-a
Four microsatellites including ESEO, carrying an AMSAT-UK FUNcube-4 transponder, were deployed about 2 hours and 13 minutes after launch.
60 CubeSats including Jordan’s JY1SAT carrying a FUNcube-6 transponder and capable of transmitting Slow Scan Digital Video (SSDV) images deployed about 2 hours later.
EMO worker tries to drum up enthusiasm for ham radio
Oct 14th
EMO worker tries to drum up enthusiasm for ham radio
In an emergency, ham radio is an essential form of communication, Mike Johnson says
A free workshop about ham radios will be held in Sackville on Oct. 22. (Nicole Williams/CBC)
A ham radio probably isn’t the first form of communication a person thinks about in an emergency, but sometimes, it’s the only one that works.
Ham radios can use wireless transmission to send messages to battery-operated radios.
And they can be useful when large storms knock out telecommunications, says Mike Johnson, the Cumberland Regional Emergency Management co-ordinator.
He is partnering up with EOS Eco-Energy and the West Cumb Amateur Radio Club to hold a free workshop in Sackville to try get more people interested in ham radios.
Different technology
Johnson, who is also a member of the WestCumb club in Amherst, N.S., said that when we lose essential communications such as cellphones, landlines and the Internet — a ham radio can come to the rescue. Hurricane Michael, which struck Florida this week, devastated normal channels of communications.
Storms that knock out telecommunications for long periods of time create more problems for co-ordinated emergency response, he said.
He said he’s already seen how ham radios could help in New Brunswick.
In January 2017, a massive ice storm knocked out power to thousands in the northeast for days.
Operators dwindling
“It became very difficult,” said Johnson.
Today, ham radios are considered a hobby more than a necessity, and not many people know how they work.
“Our numbers are dwindling,” Johnson said of the amateur radio clubs.
But younger members are needed, especially since the clubs’ services may be needed even more as the climate changes.
“We still use Morse code to this day,” he said.
Requires a test
Johnson said there are a few steps to becoming a ham radio operator.
“You need to study, take the test, once you pass it’s a one-time cost,” he said. “It’s good for life.”
After that, it’s just buying the equipment to use. Equipment for amateur radio costs between $300 and $5,000.
The workshop will be held at the Sackville Royal Canadian Legion on Monday, Oct. 22, at 6:30 p.m.
SET 2018 Oct13
Oct 12th
SIMULATED EMERGENCY TEST 2018 October 13
The Scenario: Please see Stephen’s post below
Possible useful info:
National HF ARES Frequencies
SSB Frequencies Tactical
75 M ‐ 3.675 MHz LSB Alfa
40 M ‐ 7.135 MHz LSB Bravo
20 M ‐ 14.135 MHz USB Charlie
17 M ‐ 18.135 MHz USB Delta
15 M ‐ 21.235 MHz USB Echo
10 M ‐ 28.235 MHz USB Foxtrot
CW Frequencies Tactical
80 M ‐ 3.535 MHz Golf
40 M ‐ 7.035 MHz Hotel
20 M ‐ 14.035 MHz India
17 M ‐ 18.075 MHz Juliett
15 M ‐ 21.035 MHz Kilo
10 M ‐ 28.035 MHz Lima
Digital Frequencies Tactical
80 M ‐ 3.596 MHz Mike
40 M ‐ 7.096 MHz November
20 M ‐ 14.096 MHz Oscar
17 M ‐ 18.096 MHz Papa
15 M ‐ 21.096 MHz Quebec
10 M ‐ 28.096 MHz Romeo
IRLP Reflector 9302
ARES Red Deer system
| Frequency | Offset | Tone | Location | State | Call | Use | |
| 146.5550 | 0 MHz | 103.5 | Rimbey | AB | VE6YXR | OPEN | |
| 444.5500 | +5 MHz | 91.5 | Red Deer | AB | VE6YXR | OPEN | |
| 447.6000 | -5 MHz | 110.9 | Buck Lake | AB | VE6YXR | OPEN | |
| 448.7500 | -5 MHz | 107.2 | Crossfield | AB | VE6YXR | OPEN | |
| 449.8750 | -5 MHz | 107.2 | Alix | AB | VE6YXR | OPEN | |
| 449.8750 | -5 MHz | 103.5 | Sundre, Limestone Mtn | AB | VE6YXR | OPEN |
Simulated Emergency Test (SET) – October 13, 2018
Oct 11th
The 2018 Simulated Emergency Test will be held on Saturday, October 13, starting 9am local time on the Central Alberta Amateur Radio Club repeater network, VE6QE etc.
This will be a virtual exercise for a train derailment. As a virtual exercise there is no need for anyone to travel to take part.
The exercise will use a Net Control Station (NCS) plus a minimum eight other stations.
Each operator participating in the exercise will receive a script detailing station location.
The following link includes the instructions and minimum specific messages noted above: SIMULATED EMERGENCY TEST 2018
Hope you are able to take part.
73
Stephen Lee, VA6SGL CEC
CAARC and Red Deer & Area EC
Cell: (403) 307-1643
SABRE-27 High Altitude Balloon
Sep 17th
Hi
The weather is looking promising so we’re going to give it another try this Saturday, September 29.
Please pass this on to anyone you think may be interested.
73, Bruce – VE5BNC
Unfortunately we’ve had to postpone the flight due to terrible weather. (near freezing, 40km winds and a mix of snow and rain).
I’ll re-send an announcement when we have it rescheduled.
Thanks
Bruce
Hi Bob
The Saskatoon Amateur Radio Club is planning on flying a VHF voice repeater on our next flight on September 22. Please pass this on to anyone you think will be interested. More >
Report on CAARC 2018 Field Day
Jul 18th
Well, ARRL Field Day is over for another year. Some Central Alberta amateurs operated this event from the Red Deer County EOC Amateur Radio Station. I would like to thank CAARC for encouraging me in this venture. I also thank Rod, VE6XY, and Stephen, VA6SGL, for trying to keep me grounded. And a special thank you to Brian for helping me understand the radios and correcting the aim of the HF beam antenna and for serving as Safety Officer. Ric Henderson, now Assistant County Manager of Red Deer County, found a way to let it happen. Ryan Mysko of Red Deer County served as the Red Deer County EOC member of our planning team. And a big Thank You to him for being patient with the preparations and testing and facilitating our access to the county’s radio station.
