RAC Bulletin 130330

RAC Ontario Section Bulletin for March 30, 2013

NATIONAL NEWS

1. RAC Section Managers reaffirm support of NTS

Section Managers representing all RAC Sections coast to coast
concluded discussions recently regarding NTS (National Traffic
System), and they confirmed ongoing support of NTS encouraging
operators to continue to support NTS by passing traffic on a regular
basis. NTS digital and Win link 2000 is the preferred system for ARES
Units to remain interoperable and functional in a digital world and
operators who have digital capability are encouraged to keep the
system busy.

-- Doug Mercer VO1DTM/VO1DM, RAC Chief Field Services Officer

ONTARIO SECTIONS NEWS

ITEMS OF INTEREST

2. Montreal Spring Fleamarket

The Montreal Amateur Radio Club will hold its spring fleamarket on
Saturday, April 13, at Royal Canadian Legion Hall Branch #212, 7771
Bouvier (Corner of Shevchenko), Ville LaSalle, Quebec. General
admission at 9 am; talk-in on VE2BG repeater, 147.060 (+). For more
information visit www.marc.qc.ca

-- RAC Events Database

3. Young Ham of the Year Update

Last week's bulletin mentioned that amateurs from the "10 Canadian
Provinces" could be nominated for Young Ham of the Year Award. In
response to a query, Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, has confirmed that young
hams from the three Canadian territories -- Yukon, Nunavut, and
Northwest Territories -- are also eligible. The deadline is May 30;
for more information visit www.arnewsline.org/yhoty

-- Bill Pasternak and Amateur Radio Newsline

4. World Amateur Radio Day April 18

April 18 is World Amateur Radio Day, commemorating the founding of
the International Amateur Radio Union on that day in 1925. 2013 is
also the 100th anniversary of the first recorded instance of amateur
radio providing communications in a natural disaster, during a 1913
flood in the U.S. Accordingly, the theme of this year's World
Amateur Radio Day is "Amateur Radio: Entering Its Second Century of
Disaster Communications." IARU member societies are encouraged to
arrange demonstrations and public displays during this week.

-- IARU News

5. CANWARN Training April 16-20

CANWARN training will be offered on the following dates:

Leamington, April 16, 7 PM, at the Kinsmen Recreational Complex, 249
Sherk St.

Sarnia, April 17, 7 PM, at the Upper Hall Clearwater Arena, 1400
Wellington St.

London, April 18, 7 PM, at Fanshawe College Building T Room T1003,
1001 Fanshawe College Blvd. Free parking at any metered spots on
campus after 6 PM

Hamilton, April 20, 9 AM, at the Nash Auditorium, Chedoke Hospital,
Sanatorium Road. Free parking in lot across from the auditorium.

Please RSVP by email to canwarn.ontario (at) ec.gc.ca with the
session you plan on attending. For those attending the Sarnia
session, please RSVP directly to Bill Hoad at bhoad (at) xcelco.on.ca

6. Smartphone-based Ham Satellite Now in Orbit

The University of Surrey has launched the UK's first cubesat, called
STRaND-1. The satellite is built around a Google Nexus One smartphone
with an Android operating system. It has a 9600 bps AX.25 packet
radio downlink on 437.568 MHz. The purpose of the project was to
demonstrate the feasibility of using a smartphone to control a
spacecraft. For more information visit tinyurl.com/cum2rm8 (Charlie
Uniform Mike Two Romeo Mike Eight).

-- CQ News Service