RAC Bulletin 111217

RAC Ontario Section Bulletin for December 17, 2011

NATIONAL NEWS

1. New NARED Manager

Effective immediately, Pat Barrett, VE3RNH, has been appointed
Manager of the National Amateur Radio Emergency Database (NARED). Pat
has an extensive management background and most recently sat on the
Ontario Restructuring Commission. She is active with ARES and the
Barrie Amateur Radio Club, and is looking forward to moving NARED
forward.

Our thanks to Merv Halvorsen, VA3TSA, the outgoing NARED Manager.

-- RAC Bulletin Service

ONTARIO SECTION NEWS

ITEMS OF INTEREST

2. Straight Key Night on OSCAR

You are cordially invited to participate in Straight Key Night on
OSCAR 2012, conducted by AMSAT for all radio amateurs throughout the
world. SKN on OSCAR is simple and informal. Just operate CW through
one or more satellites on 1 January 2012 (0000 to 2400 UTC), using a
straight hand key. There is no need to send in a log.

-- AMSAT News Service

3. Amateur Radio Balloon Sets Record

Ron Meadows, K6RPT, and his son Lee, successfully launched an Amateur
Radio high altitude balloon from California on December 11 at 4:43 PM
PST. At an altitude between 105,000 and 115,000 feet, it travelled
across the United States, the Atlantic Ocean and Spain and into the
Mediterranean Sea. For most of its trip, the balloon traveled at
about 150 miles per hour and eventually covered 6236 great circle
miles in just 57 hours 2 minutes. According to the California Near
Space Project, this is a new Amateur Radio balloon flight record for
both distance and duration. European hams retuned their APRS
stations to the North American frequency of 144.39 MHz so they could
track K6RPT-11's flight.

-- ARRL Web

4. 50th Anniversary of OSCAR 1

On December 12, 1961 the first Amateur Radio satellite took to the
skies. Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio, or OSCAR 1, was
part of a payload launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base aboard an
Agena rocket. The satellite was in orbit for 22 days and was heard
by more than 570 amateurs in 28 countries as it sent "HI" in high
speed Morse code on 2 meters.

-- ARRL Web

5. How To Use An Antenna Tuner

Tyler Pattison N7TFP has produced a 13-minute YouTube video about how
to use an antenna tuner, also called a Transmatch, to match your
antenna to your HF transceiver. See it at tinyurl.com/7hzntwz (Seven
Hotel Zulu November Tango Whiskey Zulu).

-- Southgate ARC News