RAC Bulletin 2009-11-14

RAC Ontario Section Bulletin for November 14, 2009

NATIONAL NEWS

ONTARIO SECTION NEWS

ITEMS OF INTEREST

1. Newest Ham Satellite is SO-67

South Africa's SumbandilaSat, the most recent amateur satellite to be
successfully launched and activated, has been designated as
SumbandilaSat-OSCAR 67, or SO-67. Former AMSAT-NA President Bill
Tynan, W3XO, is the internationally-designated OSCAR Number
Coordinator and issues numbers to amateur satellites once they are
put into service, upon request by the sponsoring organization.

-- CQ News Service

2. Female Wireless Operators During WW II

Perhaps a little known fact is that over 2000 Canadian women served
during World War 2 on Norwegian ships and that at least 22 of these
were wireless operators. The following link takes you to a page
within the RAC website, where some of their stories and brief
biographies are chronicled. It bears checking out before the records
of these gallant women are lost forever. Visit tinyurl.com/ydmbawr
(Yankee Delta Mike Bravo Alpha Whiskey Romeo)

-- Glenn Killam, VE3GNA, Ontario Section Traffic Manager

3. Ireland to Canada on 500 kHz

Finbar O'Connor, EI0CF, in County Donegal, Ireland reports that he
has had a QSO with Joe Craig, VX9MRC. Craig was on 507.77 kHz while
O'Connor was on 507.056 kHz. Signal reports were 559 for EI0CF,
and 529 for VX9MRC. The mode was CW, using straight Morse keys.
This is the first Ireland to Canada contact on the 500 kHz band.

-- Amateur Radio Newsline

4. Simple Sound Card Interface

Skip KH6TY has published a simple design for interfacing sound cards
and radios. PTT is derived from the output audio, and therefore does
not need a USB port or a serial port for operation. The design is at
tinyurl.com/ydoxnvo (Yankee Delta Oscar Xray November Victor Oscar)

-- ARRL Contest Update

5. Battery Tool Kit

The Battery Tool Kit Web page by John AE5X includes projects such as
a Battery Booster, a Battery Voltage Monitor for 6 V & 12 V, Battery
Chargers based on the QRPme.com PTO kit, and a Self-Powered 12V
Battery Desulfator. Visit it at www.w5usj.com/batterytoolkit.html

-- ARRL Contest Update