Ottawa Amateur Radio Club

COSPAS-SARSAT Presentation Video

Diane Bruce — Thu, 20 May 2021 18:53:08 +0000

At the May 12 OARC talk we were fortunate to have Henrik Smith give us a presentation on the Cospas-Sarsat satellite rescue system.

Minutes of September 9, 2020 meeting

Diane Bruce — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 12:55:21 +0000

Ottawa Amateur Radio Club September Zoom meeting during Covid-19 Pandemic September 9, 2020 19:38 Meeting started by President Dave VE3BOW

Announcements (Dave VE3BOW)
(Arthur VA3BIT) Radio in the Park / ARDF Fox Hunt in Walter Baker Park will be held Saturday, September 19, from 9am to 5pm. Roger VA3EGY will be making presentations to his ARDF stakeholders, ie, the IEEE, Scouts, Christie Lake Kids and Ottawa Orienteering Club from 9am to 1:30pm. Roger will welcome hams to take part in the Fox Hunting from 1:30pm to 5pm. Roger will be using the picnic shelter for his presentations. Arthur pointed out that hams who want to operate portable should expect to do so outside the picnic shelter and may do so from 9am to 5pm. The area has been busy with families and kids during recent weekends, so hams should arrive early and be prepared to bring their own operating table and chairs. Due to Covid-19, we will not be gathering for breakfast prior to the event. Bring your own lunch, snacks and drinks as they will not be provided.
Carp Hamfest, normally scheduled for this coming Saturday, is cancelled due to Covid.
Greg VE3YTZ is now our Treasurer, so we need a new Vice President. If you'd like to volunteer, please contact any executive member.
OARC membership for the upcoming year is free! Please check our website at oarc.net for more information. Diane VA3DB, our webmaster, has spent considerable time recently overhauling our website and you should now be able to log in and update your profile and membership.
Greg received notification from the City of Ottawa that stated that the club will not have access to City Hall for in-house meetings until at least January 2021.
Preliminary results for the RAC Winter Contest 2019 are in...361,728 points for the members of OARC/VRG that operated in the Diefenbunker as VA3RAC last December!
Norm VE3LC OVMRC's first meeting of the new year will be held next Wednesday, September 16. A Zoom invitation will be sent to the usual participants. For anyone not receiving the Zoom invitation, please contact Norm at ve3lc@rac.ca to get the contact details.
Glenn VE3XRA The RAC AGM will be held on Sunday, September 20 featuring an interactive mini-conference during the morning with the AGM held in the afternoon. Morning presentation topics include a talk about ham radio during Covid, a short history of ham radio in Canada, DXpeditions, STEM and more! Also covered, en francais, is a possible entry level license below Basic. The RAC AGM business meeting will be held in the afternoon. Arthur VA3BIT asked how IC/ISED feels about an entry level license. Glenn replied that RAC is still in discussions with stakeholders how an entry license might be structured in Canada, and has yet to approach ISED. Tim VE3TXB: Wondering whether another advanced virtual course would be offered by RAC. Glenn said there would be, and details will be on the RAC website. Mike VE3MKX: has a recording of the net on Sunday in which Norm's QRP signal was heard loud and clear; Mike will make the recording available to Norm.
Presentation Greg introduced Ian, our long serving editor of the Groundwave. Prior to being Groundwave editor, Ian was the club Secretary. Ian is an electrical engineer and has been a ham for many years.
Spilsbury and the SBX-11A SSB Transceiver: The Iconic HF Radio of the North by Ian Jeffrey VE3IGJ A Canadian radio legend used extensively by mining companies as well as the Canadian military, the SBX-11A is a portable, low power SSB transceiver developed in Canada by Spilsbury & Tindall in Vancouver Ian proceeded to entertain us all with Jim Spilsbury's fascinating biography with how he got into radio design and construction, culminating with the SBX-11A. The SBX-11 and its successor, the SBX-11A, were solid-state transceivers sold in Canada from 1970 to 1984. Spilsbury died in 2003. Spilsbury's company was sold to Racal Canada in 1984. Matthew Kendall, a former employee of Racal Canada, has published a website dedicated to the transceiver: sbx-11a. Locally, a group headed by Stuart VE3SMF operates and maintains the SBX-11A. Questions? Norm VE3CZI: The two books about Spilsbury and his transceiver are fascinating. Norm has some information on Spilsbury and the SBX-11A, including Spilsbury literature at his website rodemi.com Stuart VE3SMF: Expressed his appreciation for Ian's detailed presentation. Stuart made use of the radio during the time he spent in Canada's north, where he said they are still in use. The radios are used at relatively low frequencies on the order of 5-8MHz with antennas in NVIS orientation. Stuart further commented that the QRP Society will also be operating from Rideau River Provincial Park on September 19, and suggested if anyone operating during the Radio in the Park event hears them, please respond!
Dave VE3BOW, with the help of his archery neighbour, has erected a G5RV at the cottage he's staying at north of Maniwaki, and would welcome skeds to chat on 80m.
Mike VE3MKX expressed his appreciation for Ian's presentation and recommended several antennas for use with the SBX-11A. A discussion on finding crystals for the radio ensued. Stuart pointed out that synthesizers are also available. Meeting ended at 20:58.
Thanks to Harrie VE3HYS for use of his Zoom subscription.
Minutes taken by VA3BIT.

Winner of 2019 Hamfest Grand Prize

Diane Bruce — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 15:42:35 +0000

The Winner of the 2019 Hamfest Daniel Lavoie (VE3DCL) With Bryan Rawlings (VE3QN) being presented his grand prize a ICOM IC-4100A from Rose LeBlanc (VA3RZZ) of ICOM.

Field Day 2018

Diane Bruce — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 12:01:46 +0000

Photo of most of the gang participating

April 11, 2018 Homebrew night

Diane Bruce — Mon, 23 Apr 2018 14:26:51 +0000

Photos from 2018 Homebrew night

March 14, 2018 meeting

Diane Bruce — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 01:17:21 +0000

Our speaker was Ron McFadyen, VE3YXY, who gave a talk on "Building Linked Repeaters Above 7000 Feet".

Last meeting February 14

Diane Bruce — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 14:47:41 +0000

Highlights of last meeting February 14, 2018

Douglas King VE3YDK (left) receiving the 2017-2018 Joe Norton award from Glenn, VE3XRA

A short discussion was held on the last Canadian Ski Marathon with Amateur radio operators stepping in at the last minute to handle a commercial digital system but finding their amateur radio gear worked better when it snowed.

A free beginning morse code course with a followup course (TBD later) will begin as a joint project with the OVMRC. There was plenty of sufficient interest from the OARC meeting to start, possibly as early as the last week of February 2018. Email db _AT_ db.net for details.

There was not much interest in doing a Pixie II build session but again email db _AT_ db.net if you are interested.

Dave Conn VE3KL gave a talk on helping a blind ham using an Arduino to simply a complex menu system.

Dave Conn VE3KL.

Last meeting January 10

Diane Bruce — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 18:19:28 +0000

Last meeting's speaker was Jack Scrimgeour who gave a talk on everything from galena crystal sets to early WWII radar.

We have several options for a CW course which will probably start in February. email Diane, VA3DB db _at_ db.net for details.

Harrie, VE3HYS is looking for volunteers for the Canadian Ski Marathon email harriej59 _at_ gmail.com

NVIS event this coming Sunday

Diane Bruce — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 19:36:24 +0000

The goal of this event is to make contacts and talk to other operators using NVIS techniques.

No restrictions on operation, just get on the air and operate with your best NVIS antenna. Bands of interest are 40 m, 60 m, and 80 m, depending on conditions. We suggest this identifier when calling to make it easier to identify participants: ‘CQ NVIS Ontario “Call Sign”’.

Sunday Sept 24, 2017, 13:00 – 18:00 EDT

Suggest frequencies:

SSB: 3.700-3.750; 5.3305, 5.3465, 5.3570, 5.3715, 5.4035; 7.040-7.070

CW: 3.550, 5.3305, 5.3465, 5.3570, 5.3715, 5.4035; 7.030

(via https://ve3xr.wordpress.com Peel Amateur Radio club)

Everyone is welcome to come and join in.

For local information contact either David Conn, VE3KL <dave{REPLACE WITH AT SIGN}ve3kl.com> or Tyler Tidman, VA3DGN <tyler.tidman{REPLACE WITH AT SIGN}draak.ca>

OARC 2017 Portable Station Demonstration

Diane Bruce — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 23:03:08 +0000

If you attended a recent OARC meeting, you would have seen the presentation on the planned Portable Station Demonstration. Well, we’re good to go! Date: this Saturday, i.e. September 16, 2017 Time: set-up: 9:00 am; station demonstrations: 10:00 am to noon; tear down: noon to 1 pm Place: Picnic Shelter area of Walter Baker Park in Kanata (corner Terry Fox and Hazeldean) (Note: This is a change from last year. Our old venue was not available.) Breakfast: For those so inclined, we will meet at 8:00 am for breakfast, at your own cost, at Rockin’ Johnny’s, 486 Hazeldean Road, Kanata. If you did not sign up and still want to demonstrate your portable station it’s no problem, come on out and set up on September 16. I won’t be providing any infrastructure, except for the location. Bring a chair and table, there do not seem to be too many around. For the rest of us, come on out and take a look at the proud handiwork of our members and perhaps make a contact or two yourself. HF (CW, digital, phone) and VHF/UHF portable stations are all welcome. Mark that date on the calendar, September 16th. The weather promises to be good, though warm. Recent visitors have indicated that even at 09:00, the grass was still soaked with dew. You might want to wear waterproof footwear for putting up antennas. Greg/CG3YTZ Map

Winner of grand prize from ICOM at Hamfest

Diane Bruce — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 22:26:47 +0000

Hamfest prize

Diane Bruce — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 01:35:07 +0000

ICOM presents prize to OARC staff

ICOM will be at our Hamfest!

Diane Bruce — Sun, 13 Aug 2017 00:57:45 +0000

OARC Hamfest!

Diane Bruce — Sun, 13 Aug 2017 00:50:01 +0000

Portable Station Demo 2017 - New Site

Diane Bruce — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 02:01:35 +0000

Portable Station Demonstration 2017 - New Site! Due to continued popular demand the Portable Station Demo is back again this year. However, our traditional sites were no longer available. But not to worry the new location at Walter Baker Park in Kanata is actually very nice. VE3KL and myself checked the noise and it was low. There are a lot of picnic tables around and nearby free parking. Most importantly, there is not a single goose in sight - so no need to fear the dreaded poo-shoe.Here are all the details:Date: Saturday September 16, 2016 (The Saturday after Hamfest.)Time: set-up 9:00 am; station demonstrations: 10:00 am to noon; tear down: noon to 1 pmPlace: Covered Picnic structure at Walter Baker Park (I am sure you will like it) Here is a link to the locationSee you there.

Hamfest 2017

Diane Bruce — Sun, 14 May 2017 21:02:35 +0000

OARC Club Project

Diane Bruce — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 18:49:08 +0000

We had a massive turn-out for the first session of this year's Club Project. Dave Conn/VE3KL is leading the group that is designing antennas using 4nec2 antenna simulator software as a design aid. They are building and then testing a 10m dipole. Group members are also building and testing 50 Ohm 1:1 Baluns and 50 Ohm Line Isolators. The first session was a great deal of fun. In the next blog entry you can find some photos.Our sincere thanks to Algonquin College for allowing us to use their lab.

Club Project 2017 photos

Diane Bruce — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 17:20:09 +0000

2017 project photos

10 m Beacon VE3TEN out of service

Diane Bruce — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 21:25:47 +0000

VE3TEN is off the air while we troubleshoot a problem with the identifier ... VE3HYSVE3TEN is back on the air as of May 23

RAC Winter contest photos

Diane Bruce — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 18:28:48 +0000

RAC Winter Contest photosThanks to Greg VE3YTZ for the photos!