The HamSCI Antarctic Eclipse Festival in December is seeking Amateur Radio participation.
As the shadow of the moon passes across Antarctica on December 4, it will generate traveling ionospheric disturbances that will, in turn, affect radio propagation.
The unusual geometry of this year’s eclipses will give researchers an opportunity to investigate complicated ionospheric dynamics over the poles as the long daytime of polar summer is briefly interrupted by the eclipse.
During this and other HamSCI eclipse festivals, Radio Amateurs and citizen-scientists are asked to collect Doppler-shift data from time-standard stations, such as WWV.
All that’s needed is an HF radio connected to a computer. A GPS-disciplined oscillator is helpful for collecting data, but it is not required. Data collection will run from December 1 through December 10, and the results will be made available for scientific analysis.
All Radio Amateurs and shortwave listeners are invited to join in, even those located far from the path of totality. In 2020, more than 100 individuals from 45 countries took part in eclipse festivals.The instructions are available in multiple languages.
HamSCI is an initiative of Amateur Radio operators and geospace scientists dedicated to advancing scientific research and understanding through Amateur Radio activities. Eclipse festivals are pilot campaigns for the Personal Space Weather Station (PSWS), HamSCI’s flagship project. The PSWS team seeks to develop a global network of citizen-science stations. Participants monitor the geospace environment to deepen scientific understanding and enhance the radio art.
For more information on the Antarctic Eclipse Festival and how to participate, visit the HamSCI website. – Thanks to Kristina Collins, KD8OXT
For the results of the December 2020 Eclipse Festival please visit:
IORS (Kenwood D710GA) – STATUS – Configured. Supporting packet operation (145.825 MHz up & down). Next mode change is to cross band repeater and targeting late August.
Radio will be powered off July 28 about 17:30 UTC for Progress /MLM arrival. Scheduled to be powered on TBD due to MLM issues impacting ISS activities.
Supporting USOS scheduled voice contacts, packet and voice repeater ops.
Service Module radios:
Kenwood D710E – STATUS – Radio usually off.
Radio will be powered off July 28 about 17:30 UTC for Progress /MLM arrival.
MAI SSTV experiment sessions planned for Aug 6 and 7. Setup about 10:50 UTC on August 6 and stop around 19:10 UTC. The activation on August 7 should start about 09:50 GMT and stop around 15:55 UTC. .
Starting on June 29, all applications filed with the FCC must include an email address for FCC correspondence. After receipt of the initial announcement that all future applications would require an email address, ARRL was concerned for the privacy of its members and requested that amateurs’ email addresses not be made public. This week, the FCC agreed, stating in an email to ARRL counsel that it will continue to “mask” amateurs’ email addresses from public view in the Universal Licensing System (ULS). The FCC will use the email address supplied by amateurs to correspond with applicants, including to send a link to the official electronic copy of the license when an application is granted.
The FCC is transitioning to fully electronic correspondence and no longer mails hard-copy licenses. Amateurs are able to view, download, and print their official license grant, using the ULS. When a license is first granted, each applicant will receive an email with a direct link to the license. Although the link expires in 30 days, the license itself will remain available in the ULS and may be downloaded at any time by signing into the licensee’s account using their FCC Registration Number (FRN) and password.
On or after June 29, a valid email address must be provided with each application, and must be kept current by filing a modification application as necessary. Under the amended Section 97.23, “The email address must be an address where the grantee can receive electronic correspondence. Revocation of the station license or suspension of the operator license may result when correspondence from the FCC is returned as undeliverable because the grantee failed to provide the correct email address.”
CANWARN (CANadian Weather Amateur Radio Network) – SESSION COMPLETED
For immediate release:
Jason Tremblay, VE3JXT RAC Community Services Officer
Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC), the national association for Amateur Radio in Canada, is pleased to announce that we have partnered with the Ontario Storm Prediction Centre Team (OSPC) to provide CANWARN Training this spring.
This will be a one-time session for this season, offered through the Zoom online meeting platform.
Topics covered in the training session will include the basics of thunderstorm formation, the types of damage severe thunderstorms can produce and what to look for in the sky. Winter severe weather will be touched on as well.
The training also provides ways that storm reports can be provided to the OSPC and a number of safety tips to keep storm spotters safe.
Registration:
To register for the training session please visit the RAC CANWARN webpage at:
https://www.rac.ca/emergency-services/canwarn/
Additional information about CANWARN
Severe storms can occur at any time of the year. Spring and summer thunderstorms can flare up suddenly and race along at speeds in excess of 80 km/h. Large hail, damaging winds, flash floods and tornadoes are all linked to severe thunderstorms.
Large-scale fall and winter storms can deliver significant impacts over a broad area. Heavy snow, freezing rain, rain and strong winds can occur with these storms.
CANWARN volunteers are trained to look for clues in the sky as to which spring and summer storms may produce damaging weather. They can also report information like hail size and any damage that has resulted from the passage of a storm.
For fall and winter storms, CANWARN volunteers can report things like occurrences of freezing precipitation and snowfall amounts.
These volunteers come from all walks of life: Amateur Radio operators, first responders, government employees and members of the general public with an interest in providing a service to others.
Reports are passed on via Amateur Radio to a net controller at the Environment Canada Weather Centre in Toronto. This information is then passed directly to the forecasters for incorporation into the forecast.
In Ontario, their reports are sent to the Ontario Storm Prediction Centre (OSPC) in Toronto through social media and/or a special email address. These timely reports can help the forecasters better understand the nature of a given storm and help to tailor the messages they send to the public about them.
Radio Amateurs of Canada is once again offering an online Amateur Radio course so that individuals from all across Canada can obtain their Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with Basic Qualification while continuing to practise social/physical distancing.
This course prepares students for the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) Basic Qualification Level Operator Certificate exam to operate on allocated Amateur Radio frequencies.
Schedule and Cost:
Date: The course will start on Thursday, January 14 and will finish in late March.
Time: Classes will be held on Thursday evenings from 6 pm to 8:30 (1800 – 2030) Eastern Time (1900 – 2130 Atlantic Time) and Sunday afternoons 1 pm to 3:30 pm (1300 – 1530) Eastern Time (1400 – 1630 Atlantic Time).
Cost: The registration fee for the course is $50 plus GST/HST. The cost of the Basic Study Guide is extra and an order link will be provided upon completion of payment.
Instruction:
The course will use the GoToMeeting web-based service. Students will receive instructions on how to log on to the online sessions once they have registered for the course. Classes will be recorded, so occasional absences are not a problem.
The course instructor is Al Penney, VO1NO. Al was first licensed in 1977 and has been active in many areas of Amateur Radio including contesting, DXing, VHF/UHF weak signal, satellites, emergency communications and DXpeditioning. He has served as the President of six different Amateur Radio clubs in both Canada and the United States and currently chairs the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 2 Band Planning Committee. Al has taught the Basic Qualification Amateur Radio Course since 1994.
Course material pertaining to all topics covered in the course syllabus will be provided to all registered students. It is also provided in PDF format below.
Students must have a copy of the Canadian Amateur Radio Basic Qualification Study Guide provided by Coax Publications. For more information please visit the RAC Study Guides webpage.
It is essential that all students have the necessary equipment and bandwidth capable of taking the course – at least a tablet or PC and a DSL broadband connection.
Amateur Radio Basic and Advanced Qualification courses are also now being provided both online and in person by Canadian Amateur Radio Clubs and organizations. Please visit the Amateur Radio Courses webpage for more information at the link provided below.
In December each year, Radio Amateurs of Canada sponsors the RAC Canada Winter Contest. Amateurs all over the world are invited to participate.
Contest Period: 0000 UTC to 2359 UTC December 19, 2020.
The global pandemic will most likely still be a fact of life on Saturday, December 19 when the RAC Canada Winter Contest takes place and we want to make sure that everyone participates safely. The RAC Contest Committee is therefore asking all participants to follow the guidelines provided by the government and health officials in your respective area for any of the multi-op categories enabled within the contest. If you do carry out an operation in any of the multi-op categories, please advise as part of your log submission that you have followed your locally applicable guidelines for group sizes and social (physical) distancing.
Mode:
CW, Phone
Bands:
160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6, 2m
Classes:
Single Op All Band (QRP/Low/High) Single Op CW Single Op Phone Single Op Single Band Single Op Overlay: Rookie Multi-Single (Low/High) Multi-Multi
Max operating hours:
24 hours
Max power:
HP: >100 watts LP: 100 watts QRP: 5 watts
Exchange:
VE: RS(T) + (province/territory) non-VE and VE0: RS(T) + Serial No.
The new “Rookie Plaque” will be sponsored by RadioSport Manitoba and the Winnipeg Amateur Radio Club and will begin with this year’s RAC Canada Winter Contest which will be held on Saturday, December 19.
“Rookie” is defined as a single operator who was first licensed as a Radio Amateur less than 36 calendar months (three years) before the date of the contest being entered in this subcategory. Any level of Amateur Radio licence available from the licensing jurisdiction qualifies for the subcategory.
The participating licensed Amateur is required to self-declare their eligibility, but the RAC Contest Management Committee reserves the right to request proof of eligibility to assist in resolving any disputes.
Eligible Categories for the Rookie Plaque:
Participants are eligible for the new Rookie Plaque in the following categories. Note: only one plaque is available across the three categories designated below.
Single Operator All Band Low Power (SOABLP)
Single Operator All Band High Power (SOABHP)
Single Operator All Band QRP Power (SOABQRP)
Qualification for the Rookie Overlay Category:
Any Single Operator All Band entrant, in the categories noted above, who meets the Rookie requirements will need to select or enter the Rookie category by adding a new “Category-Overlay: Rookie line” in the Cabrillo log file header. You may need to manually enter this line if the logging software you use does not support this category overlay.
In addition, entrants will need to indicate the date they were first licensed by adding a comment with that information in a “Soapbox:” field in the Cabrillo header. An example would be: “Soapbox: First licensed in January of 2019.”
Rookie participants will still qualify for the plaques in the three eligible categories should they receive the highest score in one of those categories. Previous rookie winners are ineligible for an additional Rookie Plaque in future contests.
RAC Cabrillo Guidelines:
As indicated above, as part of the contest rules update around the new Rookie subcategory we have updated the RAC Contest Cabrillo Guidelines document to reflect these changes. Specifically there is now a Category-Overlay field in the specifications with the expected input to be “Rookie”.
We hope that contest software authors will be able to update their software to include these changes. Until that time, contesters will have to manually enter the following line in their Cabrillo log: “Category-Overlay: Rookie” if they qualify as a rookie and wish to compete for this new plaque.
We have also aligned our Cabrillo document to update to all the current Cabrillo specifications to the published standards that apply to our contests based on the 2020 publication of the V3 standards.
At 01:02 GMT on September 2 a cross band FM amateur radio repeater with a downlink on 437.800 MHz was activated on the International Space Station.
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) announcement reads:
The ARISS team is pleased to announce that set up and installation of the first element of our next generation radio system was completed and amateur radio operations with it are now underway. This first element, dubbed the InterOperable Radio System (IORS), was installed in the International Space Station Columbus module. The IORS replaces the Ericsson radio system and packet module that were originally certified for spaceflight on July 26, 2000.
Initial operation of the new radio system is in FM cross band repeater mode using an uplink frequency of 145.990 MHz with an access tone [CTCSS] of 67 Hz and a downlink frequency of 437.800 MHz. System activation was first observed at 01:02 UTC on September 2. Special operations will continue to be announced.
The IORS was launched from Kennedy Space Center on March 6, 2020 on board the SpaceX CRS-20 resupply mission. It consists of a special, space-modified JVC Kenwood D710GA transceiver, an ARISS developed multi-voltage power supply and interconnecting cables. The design, development, fabrication, testing, and launch of the first IORS was an incredible five-year engineering achievement accomplished by the ARISS hardware volunteer team. It will enable new, exciting capabilities for ham radio operators, students, and the general public. Capabilities include a higher power radio, voice repeater, digital packet radio (APRS) capabilities and a Kenwood VC-H1 slow scan television (SSTV) system.
A second IORS undergoes flight certification and will be launched later for installation in the Russian Service module. This second system enables dual, simultaneous operations, (e.g. voice repeater and APRS packet), providing diverse opportunities for radio amateurs. It also provides on-orbit redundancy to ensure continuous operations in the event of an IORS component failure.
Next-gen development efforts continue. For the IORS, parts are being procured and a total of ten systems are being fabricated to support flight, additional flight spares, ground testing and astronaut training. Follow-on next generation radio system elements include an L-band repeater uplink capability, currently in development, and a flight Raspberry-Pi, dubbed “ARISS-Pi,” that is just beginning the design phase. The ARISS-Pi promises operations autonomy and enhanced SSTV operations.
ARISS is run almost entirely by volunteers, and with the help of generous contributions from ARISS sponsors and individuals. Donations to the ARISS program for next generation hardware developments, operations, education, and administration are welcome — please go to https://www.ariss.org/donate.html to contribute to these efforts.
ARISS–Celebrating 20 years of continuous amateur radio operations on the ISS!
As announced in The Canadian Amateur magazine, the RAC Band Planning Committee has completed the new proposed 2m band plan.
Radio Amateurs of Canada band planning committees coordinate the development of National Band Plans to provide guidance for the usage of the Canadian Amateur bands. These committees are made up of representatives from all regions of Canada.
The committees prepare interim band plans after consulting with Amateurs across the country. These plans not only take into account the wishes of Canadian Amateurs, but are also coordinated with band usage in other countries through membership in the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).
The RAC Board of Directors extends thanks to the members of the RAC Band Planning Committee for undertaking the task of reviewing and updating the VHF and UHF band plans over the next year.
A draft of the band plans is provided below for final input before it is submitted to the RAC Board of Directors for approval. If you have any comments or suggestions please send them to Serge, Bertuzzo, VA3SB, RAC International Affairs Officer, at [email protected].
RAC Band Planning Committee
Chair: Al Penney, VO1NO
Members:
Bill Elliott, VE1MR
Don Falle, VE2DFO
Stuart Truba, VE2XX
Dana Shtun, VE3DS
Derek Hay, VE4HAY
Ken Oelke, VE6AFO
Skip MacAulay, VE6BGT
Ernest Clintberg, VE6EC
Don Moman, VE6JY
Mitchell Goodjohn, VE6SM
Grant Furnald, VE6TA
Ed Frazer, VE7EF
George Merchant, VE7GM
Dave Miller, VE7HR
Serge, Bertuzzo, VA3SB RAC International Affairs Officer [email protected]
Modes and Possible Uses (please see the Notes provided below)
144.000 –144.100
EME, Narrow Band Digital, CW, Weak Signal Modes. See Note 1 below.JT65 centred on 144.085 JA Window. See Note 2.
144.100 – 144.180
CW, SSB, Narrow Band Digital, EME, Weak Signal Modes. See Note 1.144.174 FT8, 144.144/144.150 MSK144 Meteor Scatter, 144.115 – 144.135 Digital EME centred on 144.125 MHz. See Note 2
144.180 – 144.265
CW, SSB, Narrow Band Digital, EME, Weak Signal and other Narrow Band Modes. See Note 1.Other modes with bandwidths less than 3 kHz, including FAX and SSTV.144.200 SSB and CW Calling Frequency. See Note 3.
144.265 – 144.270
No transmissions – Guard Band to protect Beacon Network.
144.270 – 144.300
Propagation Beacon Network Exclusive.Note that 144.300 is the IARU Region 1 Calling Frequency, and could be used for Trans-Atlantic Attempts.
144.300 – 144.310
No transmissions – Guard Band to protect Beacon Network.Note that 144.300 is the IARU Region 1 Calling Frequency, and could be used for Trans-Atlantic Attempts.
144.310 – 144.500
Wide Band Digital Modes (e.g.: Packet, APRS). See Note 1 and Note 4.144.340 – National ATV Voice Coordination Frequency FM.144.390 – National APRS Frequency. See Note 5.144.489 – National WSPR Frequency.
144.500 – 144.900
FM / Digital / Linear Repeater Inputs. See Note 6.
No transmissions. Guard Band to protect Satellite Sub-band.
145.800 – 146.000
Amateur Satellite Uplink / Downlink and ARISS Exclusive.
146.000 – 146.010
No transmissions. Guard Band to protect Satellite Sub-band.
146.010 – 146.370
FM / Digital / Linear Repeater Inputs. See Note 6.
146.400 – 146.595
FM Simplex. See Notes 9 and 10.146.520 – National FM Calling Frequency. See Note 3.
146.610 – 147.390
FM / Digital / Linear Repeater Outputs. See Note 6.
147.420 – 147.570
FM Simplex and Digital Hotspots using a 30 kHz raster. See Note 11 and Note 12.Note that Digital channels are interwoven between these FM Simplex channels.
147.435 – 147.585
Wide Band Digital. See Note 1 and Note 13.Note that these Digital channels are interwoven between the FM Simplex channels at 147.420 – 147.570.
147.600 – 147.990
FM / Digital / Linear Repeater inputs. See Note 6.
Notes for Proposed Two Metre (2m) Band Plan:
Note 1: Narrow Band Digital 2m modes are those with bandwidths of 3 kHz or less; for example, WSJT modes. Wide Band Digital 2m modes are those with bandwidths greater than 3 kHz but less than 30 kHz; for example, Packet.
Note 2: Consult with the WSJT community regarding frequencies for EME and Terrestrial operations as these change with modulation schemes.
Note 3: Once contact is established on a Calling Frequency, operators should QSY to another frequency. For 144.200 MHz it is generally down for CW, and up for SSB. For 146.520 MHz FM, it is to any other clear FM simplex channel.
Note 4: Seven frequencies on a 20 kHz channel raster: 144.37, 144.39, 144.41, 144.43, 144.45, 144.47 and 144.49. Occupancy is to occur only when available Digital frequencies within the sub-bands 144.9 – 145.1 MHz and 145.59 – 145.79 MHz are exhausted. Consult with your local digital coordination body regarding maximum ERP, Bandwidth and coverage area within this sub-band. Operation may occur on 144.31 MHz provided operating bandwidth and ERP do not cause harmful interference within the propagation beacon network sub-band.
Note 5: Consult with your local coordination body.
Note 6: Repeaters include FM, Digital (DMR, Fusion, DSTAR and related) and linear modes. Consult with your local coordination body for frequencies and modulation scheme allocations specific to your area, if available. Hotspots are not to be used on Repeater frequencies.
Note 7: Ten frequencies on a 20 kHz channel raster: 144.91, 144.93, 144.95, 144.97, 144.99, 145.01, 145.03, 145.05, 145.07 and 145.09. Consult with your local coordination body.
Note 8: Eleven frequencies on a 20 kHz channel raster: 145.59, 145.61, 145.63, 145.65, 145.67, 145.69, 145.71, 145.73, 145.75, 145.77 and 145.79 MHz. Consult with your local coordination body.
Note 9: The frequencies 146.40, 146.43 and 146.46 MHz continue to be used as repeater inputs in some areas. Consult with your local coordination body.
Note 10: Thirteen channels on a 15 kHz channel raster: 146.415, 146.430, 146.445, 146.460, 146.475, 146.490, 146.505, 146.520, 146.535, 146.550, 146.565, 146.580 and 146.595 MHz.
Note 11: Six channels on a 30 kHz channel raster, 147.420, 147.450, 147.480, 147.510, 147.540, 147.570 MHz.
Note 12: The use of Digital Hotspots is not recommended on 2m. If they are used however, maximum power output should not exceed 500 mW. Gain antennas should not be used. The control operator must monitor the Hotspot whenever it is operating.
Note 13: Six channels on a 30 kHz channel raster: 147.435, 147.465, 147.495, 147.525, 147.555 and 147.585 MHz. Consult your local coordination body for available frequencies, ERP and bandwidth.
Serge, Bertuzzo, VA3SB RAC International Affairs Officer [email protected]
I have had my HD1 DMR radio for a couple of weeks now and the hotspot for about a week. After spending somw time fine tuning the hotspot BER%, I am pretty happy.
DMR has opened a new window, and access that I couldn’t get with AllStar. Not being reliant on a repeater for access at home is pretty cool too.
I will be updating my ham pages and adding more detail to the DMR and local repeater pages as well. I’ll also will be adding a page for the MMDVM hotspot, with the history and details on how I set mine up.
This is a great opportunity to get the CQ WPX award for those missing some unique Canadian prefixes, or just to add another fun aspect to the hobby while staying at home!
This prefix is IN ADDITION to the other special callsigns we have in Canada now: VC2STAYHOM (until May 6, special QSL card available!), VC3STAYHOM (until May 10), VE9HOME (until May 10).
Stay safe!
How long can I use this prefix?
The ‘special event’ prefix is valid from April 20, 2020 – June 20, 2020.
Which prefix can I use?
Amateurs and clubs whose regular call signs start with VA will be able to use the CF prefix instead of VA (for example, VA3RAC will be authorized to use the CF3RAC call sign).
Amateurs and clubs whose regular call signs start with VE will be able to use the CG prefix instead of VE (e.g., VE4RAC will be authorized to use CG4RAC).
Amateurs and clubs whose regular call signs start with VO will be able to use the CH prefix instead of VO (e.g., VO1RAC will be authorized to use CH1RAC).
Amateurs and clubs whose regular call signs start with VY will be able to use the CI prefix instead of VY (e.g., VY2RAC will be authorized to use CI2RAC).
