RAC Bulletin 2014-03-15

RAC Ontario Sections Bulletin for March 15, 2014
NATIONAL NEWS
1. New Amateur Radio Exam Generator and Question Bank
Industry Canada has released a new set of amateur radio exam
questions, and a new exam generator, based on recommendations made by
RAC in March 2013.  The new exam generator can be found at
tinyurl.com/new-ic-exam
RAC will prepare information identifying where changes have been made
to assist instructors in modifying their course materials and
examiners in preparing for the change. The curriculum has not been
changed; the topics addressed in the exams remain the same.  The
changed questions are clearer, more accurate, more understandable and
more relevant to modern amateur radio.
-- RAC Bulletin Service
ONTARIO SECTIONS NEWS
ITEMS OF INTEREST
2. Laval Hamfest
The Club Radio-Amateur Laval-Laurentides will hold its hamfest on
Saturday, March 29, at the Georges-Vanier High School, 3995 Blvd
Levesque East, Laval, Quebec. General admission at 9 am; talk-in on
VE2REL repeater, 147.315 (+).  For more information visit
www.ve2crl.qc.ca
-- RAC Events Database
3. Ham Radio to be Highlighted at Preparedness Summit 
The importance of amateur radio in emergency response will be
highlighted by a special event station at the Preparedness Summit,
the largest public health preparedness conference in the U.S., being
held in Atlanta from April 1-4. Special event station N4P will be on
the air on April 2 and 3.  For more information visit
www.preparednesssummit.org/ham-radio or look up N4P at qrz.com.
-- CQ News Service
4. "HamTV" on the Air From ISS 
The "HamTV" digital amateur television transmitter aboard the
International Space Station was installed on March 6, and initial
transmissions on March 8 were successfully received on the ground and
streamed over the Internet by the British Amateur Television Club
(BATC).  The project will allow space station crew members to include
live video as well as audio in their contacts with school groups.
For more information visit www.facebook.com/Hamtvproject
-- CQ News Service
5. Amateur VLF Signal Crosses Atlantic
For perhaps the first time, a very low frequency (VLF) signal from a
radio amateur in New York was heard across the Atlantic. Bob Raide,
W2ZM, transmitted on 29.499 kHz under a US Part 5 experimental
license, WH2XBA/1.  His very slow-speed CW signal was initially
detected in the UK just before 0000 UTC on March 3 by Paul Nicholson,
an SWL, and later by Mike Dennison, G3XDV, and Markus Vester, DK6NM,
in Germany.  Nicholson also copied a 29.501 kHz transmission from Dex
McIntyre, W4DEX, in North Carolina, operating as WH2XBA/4.
-- ARRL Web