RAC Bulletin 2009-07-18

Subject: RAC Ontario Section Bulletin for July 18, 2009
Date: Saturday, July 18, 2009 8:08 AM

RAC Ontario Section Bulletin for July 18, 2009

NATIONAL NEWS

1. Simulated Emergency Test 2009

The Simulated Emergency Test is a North America-wide exercise in
emergency communications, administered by the ARRL and the RAC
Emergency Coordinators and Net Managers. Both the Amateur Radio
Emergency Services (ARES) and the National Traffic System (NTS) are
involved. The SET weekend gives communicators the opportunity to
focus on the emergency-communications capability within your
community, while interacting with NTS nets.

The 2009 dates are October 3 and 4. ARES units and other groups are
free to conduct their SETs anytime between September 1 and November
30 if an alternative date is preferred. The activity period should
not exceed 48 hours. The deadline for receipt of all reports is
January 31, 2010. For details visit www.rac.ca/fieldorg/ARES_set.htm

-- RAC Web Page

ONTARIO SECTION NEWS

2. Ontario Phone Net on the Web

The Ontario Phone Net (OPN) has a new presence on the World Wide Web,
thanks to the new Net Manager Bob Sharp, VA3QV. Point your browser to
ontariophonenet.wordpress.com and scroll down through the text for
up-to-the-minute information on the net and its operations. The site
is set up in blog style to facilitate addition of information quickly
and easily. There are also hotlinks in place to access other aspects
of the site.

-- Glenn Killam, VE3GNA / VA3OPN, Section Traffic Manager

ITEMS OF INTEREST

3. How to work Satellites with your Handheld

Clint Bradford, K6LCS, has published a four-page tutorial on how to
work amateur satellites with your Handi-Talkie. You can find it at
tinyurl.com/kmsdca (Kilo Mike Sierra Delta Charlie Alpha)

-- AMSAT News

4. New digital modes for W1AW

On August 17, W1AW will replace its AMTOR and ASCII transmissions
with PSK31 and MFSK16, respectively. RTTY (Baudot) will continue to
be the first digital mode used in the transmission schedule. The
frequencies used by W1AW for all its digital transmissions will
remain the same.

All regular 6 PM and 9 PM eastern time digital transmissions will
begin with RTTY. PSK31 and MFSK16 will be sent as time allows.
The Tuesday and Friday Keplerian data bulletins will be sent using
RTTY and PSK31.

The W1AW schedule can be found online at www.arrl.org/w1aw.html

-- ARRL Bulletin Service