RAC Bulletin 2009-08-22

RAC Ontario Section Bulletin for August 22, 2009

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
1. Hurricane Bill Radio Net

The National Hurricane Center Amateur Radio Station WX4NHC will be
standing up operations Sunday at 0800 EST (1200 UTC). The
Hurricane Watch Net will be up at the same time as will the VoIP
Hurricane Net. The VoIP Hurricane Net will hold its normal 0000 run
Saturday evening with coordination beginning at that point. It will
probably be up throughout the night to take reports prior to official
start at 1200 UTC by WX4NHC, as it has an automated method to submit
data to them.

-- Dennis C. Dura, K2DCD, ARRL Manager, Emergency Preparedness & Response

NATIONAL NEWS

1. New BC/YK Section Manager Elected

Congratulations to Drew Watson, VA7DR, who was recently elected
British Columbia/Yukon Section Manager for a two-year term of office
that will begin on November 1, 2009. He ran unopposed, eliminating
the need for a balloted election. Incumbent Section Manager Mike
Hale, VE7DXD, did not stand for nomination.

Congratulations are extended to Drew on his election, as well as
thanks to him and to Mike for their volunteer service to the RAC
Field Organization and to the Section.

-- Doug Mercer VO1DTM, RAC Vice President Field Services

ONTARIO SECTION NEWS

2. Edgar D-Star Repeaters

D-Star repeaters for 2m and 70cm are now fully operational at the
VE3LSR site in Edgar. The VHF repeater is 145.19 MHz (- offset), and
the UHF repeater is 444.350 MHz (+ offset). Both of these repeaters
are located on the 400 ft Point to Point communications tower.

This is a special project of VA3LM, VE3OXX, and VE3ODR, with
technical assistance from VE3IE. It is not funded by the LSR
Repeater Association. We hope to have 1.2 GHz repeaters running
sometime this fall or winter.

D-Star is a digital voice system for amateur radio. Visit
www.dstarinfo.com for more information.

-- Robert Simpson VE3ODR

ITEMS OF INTEREST

3. Send Your Name to Mars

Your name and call could be headed to the Red Planet in 2011, printed
on a microchip in the Mars Science Laboratory Rover. Just log on to
the JPL Web site for the mission at tinyurl.com/mnvmtb (Mike November
Victor Mike Tango Bravo), and enter your name and location. You can
put your callsign as part of your last name. You'll get a
certificate that you can print out.

-- ARRL Contest Update

4. New Satellite Location Maps

A map showing the current satellite location for most of the
amateur satellites are now available on the AMSAT web site.

From the AMSAT front page, www.amsat.org, click on 'Satellite
Information' on the left side, then select 'Satellite Status'.
Next click on an underlined satellite name in the left hand column.
This will display a satellite summary, scroll to the bottom of the
page and there will be a map showing the current location of that
satellite and the illuminated and dark portions of the earth.

-- AMSAT News

5. Antenna Book Free Download

"Radio Antenna Engineering," published in 1952 by Edmund Laport has a
lot of excellent material on common antennas, materials, and
technique. Long out-of-print and now out-of-copyright as well,
lulu.com offers it as a free PDF download. Visit tinyurl.com/ldb2w4
(Lima Delta Bravo Two Whiskey Four)

-- ARRL Contest Update