Central Alberta Amateur Radio Club
Please Volunteer for the MS Bike Tour June 8 and 9.
Apr 20th
PLEASE CONTACT KAREN VA6LDY IF YOU CAN HELP WITH COMMS FOR THIS MS BIKE TOUR
I have received the following from Ellen at the MS society.
“I am writing to ask the Central Alberta Amateur Radio Club to consider helping us again with our 2-day MS Bike Tour this coming June 8 and 9.
The Start-Finish location will be Festival Hall again, the same set-up as last year.
Also, regarding our Volunteer Appreciation Night, it is this coming Tuesday, April 23 at the Sheraton Hotel– 7:00PM to 9:00PM. Can you attend? I sure do hope so…..and if some of your radio experts could come too that would be wonderful! You all have helped us SO MUCH!
I do require an RSVP very quickly….like tomorrow 
The Sheraton needs numbers.”
Please note the Appreciation Dinner on Tuesday April 23. Ellen needs a reply today for the caterer.
Ellen Geddes| Events Co-ordinator | Central Alberta Chapter | AB Division
MS Society of Canada | 105, 4807 – 50 Avenue | Red Deer AB T4N 4A5
Phone: 403-346-0290 | Fax: 403-341-3955 | Email: ellen.geddes@mssociety.ca
“Together we will endMS! Thank-you for your support.”
Click link below to download your own Schedule
Tour Weekend Schedule of Activities.
Click link below to download your own Map
Click link below to download your own Map
Thank you in advance for your help
CAARC Executive
IARU GlobalSET
Mar 23rd
From: doug mercer
Date: Sun, Mar 10, 2013 at 2:29 PM
Subject: [ARES_chat] IARU 2013 GlobalSet
Good afternoon,
This is a reminder that this year’s IARU GlobalSET takes place April 13 and April 20. Please see the attached for a complete list of rules, frequencies and times. If you plan to participate, please note that you must register by contacting me at vo1dtm@rac.ca. This is a great opportunity to practise your traffic passing skills. Best of luck!
73
Please click the following link for a complete list of rules, frequencies and times.
index globalset 2013
CARA Repeater Conference – 2013 April 20, Calgary
Mar 7th
Calgary Amateur Radio Association – 2013 Repeater Conference – 2013 April 20, Saturday pg 1 of 2 R2013-02-17 R3
Registration: http://cara.memberlodge.com/Default.aspx?pageId=1513540&eventId=637810&EventViewMode=2&CalendarViewType=1&SelectedDate=4/20/2013
Calgary Amateur Radio Association presents
2013 Repeater Conference
2013 April 20, Saturday
Irish Cultural Centre 6452-35 Avenue NW Calgary, AB
in conjunction with CARA Annual HAM Flea Market next door at Bowness Seniors Centre
“Design, Equipment Selection, Build, and Configuration of an
Amateur Radio VHF / UHF Repeater Station”
(Product Knowledge and Training from Industry Representatives)
conference organizer contact info: VA6RPL “Peter” VA6RPL@techworld.ca
Cost: included in flea market entrance fee of $5
Register via PayPal thru April 20 Conference Link on April Events Page of CARA’s web site
Limited Seating! Pre-registration includes a pre-reading list.
This event is designed for certified, or budding, amateur radio operators with a minimum level of
radio theory and protocol knowledge as granted by Industry Canada Spectrum and certifying
agencies from other countries. Whether your repeater station will be mountain top or urban house
top, there will be applicable info at this event for your application. As you can see, we have packed
a lot of learning into just one long day.
Yep, it’s a long day but well worth it. We will endeavor to have food available, it is suggested to
attendees to bring snacks and drinks for the day.
Note: This is a training and orientation event. Any HAM operator who wants to actually operate
and/or own an amateur radio repeater station is required by Industry Canada to have achieved the
Amateur Radio Advanced certification.
Program (all presentations allow for Q and A at end)
Presenters have been requested to bring product literature and business cards for distribution.
Speakers and times may be subject to change on conference day.
08:00 – 10:00, 10:20 – 12:00 “Taking the Mystery out of Antennas and Duplexers”
Sinclair Technologies, a Norsat Company www.sinctech.com
Western Canada Director of Sales and Marketing, Martine Cardozo and colleagues, coming all the way
from Ontario, will deliver their standard training session as presented around the world to their
customers. What an opportunity for us! Training materials will be provided to those who advance
register (to VA6RPL@techworld.ca). Power, propagation, terrain, antenna selection, will be covered.
Learn how to either set up separate antennae for each of your rigs (VHF, UHF, UHF linking, APRS), or
combine all TX/RX traffic on one tuned antenna.
12:00 – 12:30 Lunch Break and Draws
50/50 draw; door prize; coffee, pop, first hot dog or burger free with flea market admission
Calgary Amateur Radio Association – 2013 Repeater Conference – 2013 April 20, Saturday pg 2 of 2 R2013-02-17 R3
Registration: http://cara.memberlodge.com/Default.aspx?pageId=1513540&eventId=637810&EventViewMode=2&CalendarViewType=1&SelectedDate=4/20/2013
12:30 – 13:20 “Adding Automatic Packet/Position Reporting System (APRS) to a repeater”
VA6DBA “Dave”, CARA President and APRS aficionado, will present on this package messaging
technology developed for HAM radio. Equipment, i-gates, suppliers, and tracking web site www.aprs.fi,
will be included in Dave’s presentation. This technology is applicable to applications like GPS tracking
of vehicles and foot traffic for events like rallies or ARES emergency public assistance situations, or for
sending data such as from a weather station at a remote repeater site.
13:30 – 14:20 “ICOM VHF / UHF Repeater Radios”
ICOM Canada www.icomcanada.com
Paul Veel, ICOM Canadian Sales Manager for the amateur community, of Surrey BC, will introduce his
current models of repeater radios, including using a laptop computer and software to demonstrate the
streamlined setup of these units. The IC-FR3000 / 4000 / 5000 / 6000 units will be covered in Paul’s
presentation. Learn how to set up PL tone encoding and decoding, the CW & voice identifier, and how
to connect to other equipment like controllers, duplexers, antennae, … Note that frequencies on each
unit are required by law to be set up by the local dealer, which in Calgary is NTF Communications.
14:30 – 15:20 “Daniels VHF / UHF Repeater Radios”
Codan Radio Communications www.danelec.com (formerly Daniels Electronics)
Want to learn about repeater radios for both urban AND extreme conditions? Doug Bigrigg, B. Eng.,
US Federal and Canadian Sales Engineer, hailing from Victoria BC, will be with us to introduce his line
of “extreme” radios. Daniels/Codan units, adapted for amateur use, are an excellent choice for
mountain tops, polar ice caps, or just the gusty pinnacles of city office towers. Well known for
robustness and reliability in unforgiving environments, Daniels/Codan can be the units of choice.
15:30 – 16:20 “Powering Off the Grid – Solar Panels!”
Sky Fire Energy Solar Energy Systems www.skyfireenergy.com
Dave Kelly, from right here in Calgary, has been a leader in the solar industry for more than a decade.
He is currently serving his third term on the board of the Canadian Solar Industries Association
(CanSIA) and continues to teach the CanSIA Solar Thermal Installer’s certification. David Kelly speaks
regularly at solar events across Canada. Dave’s home is partially powered by a 2 kW solar electric
system and a two collector solar water heating system. Dave’s session will include panel selection
based on local sunlight/latitude conditions, power draw requirements, physical sizing, regulators, and
climatic conditions for radio repeater stations.
16:30 – 17:20 “Better Batteries Make Better Repeater Stations”
Battery World, Calgary Barlow location www.batteryworld.net
Ken Waldrum, a long time supporter of CARA HAM’s, will attend to bring us up to speed on the
selection and engineering of batteries for radio repeater installations. Battery types for specific
conditions, such as lead acid, gel cel, absorbed glass matte (AGM), or lithium ion will be discussed.
From there learn about deep cycle modes, amp hour availabilities, 12V vs 6V, levels to which a battery
should be discharged, rates of recharge, life cycle, and, of course, safety, will all be covered. Dave has
all the info and will make us experts.
17:30 – 18:20 “Towering Solutions to Bring your Antennae to New Heights!”
Hutton International www.huttoncom.com
Sharon Hotchkiss, Calgary sales representative, will bring us up to speed on towers for amateur
repeater sites, be it a snow drifted mountain top in gale force winds to a sheltered urban backyard
enclave. Sharon’s info will include info on towers such as those from Trylon and Delhi, plus clamping
and attachment methods for antennae unto masts. Lightning rounding, guying systems, climbing
safety, and tower base anchoring topics will round out Sharon’s presentation. Whew! Lots to cover.
Glacier Waterton Hamfest
Mar 7th
Hamfest Time!!!
Registration is open! Available here is the 2013 registration. Hope to see you there!!
www.gwhamfest.org
George Forsyth AA7GS
212 Skyline Drive N.E. (Home)
Great Falls, Montana 59404 aa7gs@arrl.net
George Forsyth (work)
207 2nd Ave So. (shipping)
Great Falls, Montana 59405
george@securemontana.com
FEMA training: http://training.fema.gov/IS/crslist.asp
Montana’s Ham Radio Forum: www.w7eca.net/forum
Director: Glacier Waterton International Hamfest
Member: North Central Montana Auxiliary Communications Group
ICS 100-200-230-250-288-700-702-800-802-813-907-ARECC-CERT-FEMA AUX COMM-FEMA COML-
North Central Montana Auxiliary Communications Group Net:
AE7OC 7PM Thursdays 146.740 (N7YO) Echolink 37656 IRLP NODE #7908 (147.300)
Contact ISS
Feb 19th
All visible passes over the next five days starting Feb.19, 2013 of the ISS for us are at about 54deg N and occur between 6:30PM and 8:30PM.
Rx on 145.800 and Tx on 144.490
Basic Amateur Radio Course
Jan 21st
There is a basic amateur radio class being offered March 23 and 30.
Preclass study material available at http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf01900.html and http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/h_sf05378.html .
To register and prepay required preregistration fee of $10 via email transfer, send to Garry ve6cia at gmail.com.
Raffle tickets 2013
Jan 4th
Raffle tickets are available for members to sell. Please call me to make arrangements to pick up your books. 403-318-8320
Karen, VA6LDY
Volunteers provide key emergency communications
Dec 18th
Volunteers provide key emergency communications
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS: Russell Storry, emergency radio coordinator, recently participated in a practice session during which an email was sent and received using ham radios and netbook computers.
Equipment allows emails to be sent using ham radios and battery-powered computers
by Laura Walz | editor@prpeak.com
Published: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 11:21 AM PST
Ham radio operators in Powell River are a key part of the region’s emergency response system. Members of Powell River Amateur Repeater Society and Powell River Amateur Radio Club volunteer to be part of the emergency radio communication unit, which comes under the umbrella of Powell River Regional Emergency Program (PRREP).
A major disaster on the West Coast would have the potential to knock out communications, including telephone and Internet service. The unit would activate equipment kept in an emergency communications trailer, which can be set up wherever an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) would be established. Both the Powell River Regional District and City of Powell River have contributed funds for equipment, as well as a grant from BC Gaming.
The emergency radio communications group, which has 10 regular members, is part of Emergency Management BC (EMBC), said Russell Storry, emergency radio coordinator. “We have identify cards and coverage through WorkSafeBC for a tasked event,” he explained. “We complement Emergency Social Services [ESS] and ground search and rescue.”
The trailer is equipped with generators and fuel, Storry explained. “Our task is to pass messages. We provide backup communications in the event that telephones and Internet are not available.”
The group recently added a system which enables them to send digital messages within the region and also to Victoria, using a combination of amateur radios and other equipment. The system allows an EOC in Powell River to have outside communications and both send and receive messages.
Digital messages can be sent between two ham radios connected to netbooks or laptop computers that can run off batteries, explained Derek Poole, a radio operator with the unit. “With the software we’re using and that hardware, we can send text messages, emails back and forth,” he said.
Without the system, communications would be voice-to-voice over the radio, Poole said, or actually picking the message up physically and delivering it. “The problem with a real large-scale event can sometimes be the radios can really get tied up with the urgency of the communications,” he said. “This uses a different system, a different set of frequencies and it’s very fast. When you send a message with this method, once it’s all set up and you push the go button, it’s a matter of a few seconds and it passes the whole message. It doesn’t tie up the airways to any extent at all.”
Currently, the system works radio-to-radio directly, so it is restricted by distance. The plan is to install a digital repeater on Texada Island, which would allow the group to work in more isolated areas, Poole said.
While the system is somewhat slower than normal Internet service, it is possible to send small attachments, Poole said. “For example, if you had specific, written instructions that you had to pass on, the commander or whoever was in charge could sign that off and send it off signed to another location,” he said. “They could receive it and it could be an official document as part of whatever exercise you are involved in.”
Poole said he was excited about the new capabilities, which he said has applications for search and rescue as well. “If we were in the backcountry and there were poor communications back into the front, we could do equipment requests or resource requests using this system.”
The group is looking for more members, said Storry. “The issue for us would be if we had an event, to provide volunteers on a continuous basis around the clock for a number of locations takes a lot of people.”
People interested in volunteering don’t have to have their own ham radios, but most do. People do need an amateur radio licence to use amateur radio bands, Storry explained, and computer skills are helpful.
Members of the society assist newcomers with learning how to become an EMBC registered radio communications volunteer. The society meets on the first Saturday of the month from September to June at the Cranberry Training Centre.
Interested readers can find more information by following the PRREP links on the regional district’s website.
Bob Heil, (video casts) with various co-hosts and guests, will cover the excitement and importance of ham radio
Nov 24th
Bob Heil, with various co-hosts and guests, will cover the excitement and importance of ham radio – from tossing an antenna wire in a tree allowing you to talk to the world, to the importance of ham radio operators in time of disasters.
Records live every Wednesday at 6:00pm PT/9:00pm ET. Also see drop down menu under ARTICLES.
Weather Radio Net
Nov 20th
There is a fairly new net on Saturday nights called the Weather Radio Listeners Newsletter Net. It is hosted by Gordon Maybee, VA3WXA out of Toronto. It begins at 8pm Atlantic, 7pm Eastern on IRLP Reflector 9034 and if you have a computer, Echolink node 223557. It has information about Weather Radio and also CANWARN. It will also include weather warnings across Canada and power outages. We are trying to make this a Cross Canada Net to include all provinces and Territories.We are looking for station from Québec to participate as we do not have any stations checking in from there yet.
We are looking for stations who are interested in weather to take part. If you have a weather station, you can report your findings at your QTH or if you have any local severe weather going on, you can report on that.
For more information about the net, go to The Maritime Amateur website http://www.maritimeamateur.ca/ and click on CANWARN. Once there, click on CANWARN news where you will find articles on this net. Here is the direct link: http://www.freewebs.com/ve1jbl/canwarnnews.htm
