Celebrate Canada Day with us
https://www.rac.ca/rac-canada-day-contest-rules-july-1-2024/
Each year on July 1, the anniversary of Canada’s Confederation, Radio Amateurs of Canada sponsors the RAC Canada Day Contest and Amateurs all over the world are invited to celebrate Canada’s Birthday Party on the air.
Chaque année, le 1er juillet, date anniversaire de la Confédération canadienne, Radio Amateurs du Canada parraine le Concours RAC de la fête du Canada et invite les amateurs du monde entier à nous retrouver sur les ondes pour célébrer avec nous l’aboutissement d’un processus capital pour l’histoire de notre pays.
 
RAC Contest Rules updates | July 1, 2024
This year there are several changes including:

• In support of the new RAC Headquarters Amateur Station, the RAC contests will now recognize its call sign VE3RHQ as a new 20-point bonus call sign as part of the contest scoring. All the major software authors have implemented this change, so please update your software if you have not recently done so. If the software you use does not support this additional bonus scoring, rest assured that our contest management software will correctly add the value to your score when appropriate.
  
• Commencing with the 2024 contest season we are no longer accepting paper logs.
  
• The RAC Contest Management Teams Web Log System at https://contest.rac.ca/ is the preferred method to submit logs and email logs will still be accepted for the near term.
  
• The Winnipeg Amateur Radio Club and the Manitoba Repeater Society have amalgamated into the new Radio Amateurs of Manitoba. They will now be the sponsor of the Rookie Plaque.
  
• We have received several inquiries about how the 10-minute rule was adjudicated in the Multi-Operator Single-Transmitter categories for High Power (MOSTHP) and Low Power (MOSTLP). There have also been other inquiries regarding transmitted signals, band and mode of operation. As a result we have extensively rewritten Category Note 4 to provide more clarity. 
  

If you have questions about these rules or need help with preparing or submitting your log or have any other questions, please contact Bart Ritchie, VE5CPU at ve5cpu@myrac.ca.
For the previous year’s contest results, visit the RAC website in the Contest section at: http://wp.rac.ca/contesting-results/
We look forward to celebrating Canada’s birthday on the air with you on July 1.
Bart Ritchie, VE5CPU –
RAC Canada Day Contest Manager

This is V_3___, Official Bulletin Station for Radio Amateurs of Canada
with this week's bulletin.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL NEWS

1. Celebrate Canada Day with RAC on the air.

Each year on July 1, the anniversary of Canada’s Confederation, Radio Amateurs of Canada sponsors the RAC Canada Day Contest and Amateurs all over the world are invited to celebrate Canada’s Birthday Party on the air.  Look for a new 20 point bonus station VE3RHQ.

see rules: https://www.rac.ca/rac-canada-day-contest-rules-july-1-2024/

-- RAC Bulletin

ONTARIO SECTION NEWS

  2. Hamilton city councillor visits H.A.R.C. Field Day site

Spent a fascinating afternoon at the Winona Rifle Range with members of the Hamilton Amateur Radio Club and military personnel from the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals for their annual 24 hour Field Day.  I heard stories from club members communicating with operators from as far away as the Indian Ocean and New Zealand - and even had the chance to chat with an operator in Connecticut.  If the communication grid ever goes down these volunteers and service personnel will keep the lines of communication open.  Many thanks to Ward 10 Resident, and longtime Fruitland Community Advocate, Cal (VA3CDV) for the invite.

Pictures:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/nSXsxyNqbYdQB83P9

--  Jeff Beattie: Ward 10 Hamilton Councillor via Hamilton ARC

ITEMS OF INTEREST

3.   World Amateur Radio Day Certificate now available

Thank you for participating in the RAC “Get on the Air on World Amateur Radio Day” special event on April 18, 2024. If you were able to contact at least one RAC station on World Amateur Radio Day you are eligible for a special commemorative certificate.

To generate your certificate, please visit this page on the RAC website:
https://www.rac.ca/rac-get-on-the-air-on-world-amateur-radio-day-special-event/

-- RAC Website

4.  Meme appreciation month! (June 15 - August 15)

The archives say it started in Canada as a way to spread joy & cheer to all the good hams on the RF spectrum.  Honestly it's a way for young hams to have some fun, use a cool callsign and do a neat activity together.

The shenanigans started in 2022 with the first ever Meme Apprecation Month and iconic callsigns such as VB4LIGMA, VB3YEET, VC9CATGIRL, VC3RIKROLL, VC3DEEZ and many more.

The second event in 2023 birthed callsigns such as VC9FEMBOY, DZ2NUTS, PD33ZDOGE and DL0NGCAT.

To make it short, a meme is something most young people know and find funny.

Meme Appreciation website:    https://mememonth.ca/
-- amateur radio daily news.

This concludes this week's bulletin. Does anyone require repeats or
clarifications?
Hearing none, This is V_3___ returning the frequency to net control.

Bulletin sent from Official Bulletin Manager VA3PC

Surprise visit from an old member of the club who just happened to setup for Field Day/Pota not too far way from our location. He is an avid hiker and QRP op. It was great to touch base with Carson again. 

A short video he posted on You Tube of his weekend and meetup with some of the club members at our FD site.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da6QnPYy9Go

This is V_3___, Official Bulletin Station for Radio Amateurs of Canada
with this week's bulletin.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL NEWS
ONTARIO SECTION NEWS

1.   50th Ontario Hamfest (July 13, 2024)

Sponsor:    Burlington Amateur Radio Club
Location:    Milton Fairgrounds, Milton ON
Times:    Commercial Vendors and Tailgaters 7:00, Public 9:00
Cost:        Guest admission $8.00, under 12 free with an adult.
Description:Large venue with room for many tailgaters. No preregistration required. Some commercial vendors will be present.
More info:    https://www.barc.ca/ontario-hamfest
-- rac events page

ITEMS OF INTEREST

2.  A Wiki for Open Source in Amateur Radio

OpenSource.radio is a new wiki started by DK1MI which aims to highlight all things open source in amateur radio. From hardware to software, this project is designed to provide hams with a free source of information to help further their exploration into the ham radio hobby.

DK1MI is looking for additional contributors and has provided a how-to document for those interested.

Wiki URL:   https://opensource.radio/
-- via Amateur Radio Daily Website

3.   US Military to Improve Tracking of Hobbyists' Balloons

NORAD - the North American Aerospace Defense Command has been making a concentrated effort to track and identify objects that might be high-altitude weather, research or hobbyist radio balloons, such as ones launched by amateur radio clubs and school groups. NORAD is now studying numerous websites to determine as best as it can what balloons are flying over North America at any given time. US fighter jets shot down three hobbyists' balloons in 2023 after detecting - and shooting down - another high-altitude balloon, which the government department identified as a spy balloon from China.

NORAD is now taking a closer look at raw radar returns to ensure more hobbyists' balloons don't meet the same fate. NORAD now reaches out to hobbyist or researcher groups when it is practical to do so.

It seems to be working. In April, NORAD confirmed there was a hobbyist balloon that had been launched but concluded it did not pose a threat.

-- Patrick Clark K8TAC (Ham Radio Newsline)

4.  ARRL Systems Service Disruption (Updated 6/21/2024)

ARRL staff continue to work with outside industry experts to ensure that all servers have been remediated, tested, and all data has been confirmed.
We have also been working to ensure that the network is secure.

As noted in previous updates, Logbook of The World® servers are fine and working. LoTW® has dependencies on other servers, e.g. membership data, which have not yet been returned to service. We will announce when LoTW is open for user access. We anticipate that the queue will grow quite large
once live, and we are evaluating ways to manage that potential issue.

This story will be updated as new developments occur.
-- arrl news

This concludes this week's bulletin. Does anyone require repeats or
clarifications?
Hearing none, This is V_3___ returning the frequency to net control.

Bulletin sent from Official Bulletin Manager VA3PC

Net Controller — VE3OZW Richard - Otter Creek

Topic for discussion -

1. Sporadic 'E' and tropospheric ducting/inversion, two different types of of VHF propagation.  Sporadic 'E' typically falls within 25MHz-150MHz range while tropospheric ducting or inversion has been occasionally observed down to 40 MHz, the signal levels are usually very weak.  Higher frequencies above 90 MHz are generally more favourably propagated.
OR
2. Open mic 

VHF/Echolink

VE3RQY Greg - Brooke
VE3BQM Bernie - Georgian Bluffs
VA3TS Tom - Shallow Lake
VA3DNY Dan - Owen Sound
VA3RCA Kevin - Alliston
KO4DXQ Bob - Soddy Daisy, TN
VE3DDU Ray - Nottawa
KD8RMY Paul - Dover, OH
VE9ANT Eddie - Dalhousie, NB
VA3SMC Steve - Brantford
VA3MFO Jim - Mount Forest
VE3VCG Marvin - Paisley
VA3EAC Janet - Paisley
VA3VBE Mark - Mildmay
VE3MTV Norm - Owen Sound

HF – 3.783 MHz

VA3MFO Jim - Mount Forest
VA3TS Tom - Shallow Lake
VE3MTV Norm - Owen Sound
VE3VCG Marvin - Paisley
VE3BQM Bernie - Georgian Bluffs
VE3DDU Ray - Nottawa
VA3RCA Kevin - Alliston
VA3DNY Dan - Owen Sound
VA3EAC Janet - Paisley
VA3VBE Mark - Mildmay

Multi sport race day is getting closer!

The Bruce Peninsula Multisport Race (BPMR) 2024 will take place Saturday, August 10th. As usual the organizers have asked for GBARC to provide radio support for their event.  The BPMR event takes place over a 100 KM course in the countryside area around Wiarton. As the name suggests, the race involves several sports and multiple stages. A hundred or more racers participate in Canoe/Kayaking, Biking and Running as they progress around the entire course.  The course is laid out over different terrain features with stages that are “on road” as well as “off road trails”. Racers are physically challenged by the demanding course with status monitoring by course marshals and radio volunteers positioned around the course communicating with organizers to ensure the racers safety.

GBARC members and Amateur Radio operators interested in joining a group of experienced operators provide radio communications to the race management team for the 100km race course on security situation report and race location status.  Amateur radio operators can now volunteer as Radio Operators.

With the length of the course, the more volunteers we have the better we are able to cover the whole course. The course offers up challenges for radio operators given a range of terrain issues creating opportunities to practice working as a group. The race also provides an opportunity to use our new mobile club repeater.

Volunteers are a vital part of the racers support ensuring communication coverage in an area that has many cell dead spots that we cover where regular race marshals cannot.  Our contribution to the event is very much appreciated by the racers knowing we have their back to get them help from the race management team since we communicate directly with them during the race event.  To give you an idea how seriously the race Management Team takes the contribution of Amateur radio, one of organizers is a Amateur Radio Operator driving around the course taking care of issues that may crop up as soon as we reach by radio in his vehicle.
If you are new to this event or have participated in the past and are able to assist with such an important community event that raises monies for local charities, then join us on the 100 km Long Course race day August 10th.  Complete the BPMR online volunteer registration form found at:

                          https://forms.gle/MHJxCkpZnTmCAjxN6

Answer all the contact information requests and the questions that follow as it pertains to the communication role.
Since the 100km run starts early in the morning and we cover their course and it takes a long time to complete, we typically indicate our availability for race day as:

    EARLY morning (5 am)
    Morning
    Afternoon

It is okay to not make the early morning as some of the locations need to have the radio operator in place by morning and does not require EARLY morning.  We do need a few operators though for early morning set-up and postings for the first 2 hours of Race Start.
Race organizers will let me know who has signed up so that we can get in touch with you all and get you the confidential course information as early as possible to assign your location in advance of showing up.  On event day, we will run a race Radio Net till the race is closed, usually by 16:00 Hrs.

So sign up now and get your names in early.

Till I hear from the race organizers and get back in touch with each of you directly.

Field Day 2024 is upon us this coming weekend.  Hope to see you all there at this great event that I think will be quite the event.

We are looking for folks to operate stations as well as possibly assist with set-up Saturday morning and tear down Sunday afternoon as well as bring an item to heat up supper.  A heating plate or BBQ or camping stove to heat up supper would be great.  That would complete the event requirements. 

Aside from the above, do come out to see what we have to display for any guests that show up.

  -  Mobile Repeater
  -  Off grid 100W HF stations
      >  Generator powered
      >  Solar powered
  -  HF radio email
  -  Portable HF antenna Tower with rotor
  -  Variety of antenna types
  -  Variety of emergency HF station set-ups

If you are going to bring something or would like to operate a station at any particular time, contact the club from the web site indicating what you will bring and/or what times you wish to operate.

Looking forward to seeing you there. 

Till Field Day, this is Frank, VA3-Golf Uniform Foxtrot saying 73.

This is V_3___, Official Bulletin Station for Radio Amateurs of Canada with
this week's bulletin.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL NEWS

1.   Russia withdraws from Worldwide Flora and Fauna

The Russian Flora and Fauna organization has severed ties with World Wide Flora and Fauna and will no longer participate in its awards program.

The coordinator of the Russian Flora and Fauna awards programme announced on the RFF website that it is withdrawing from World Wide Flora and Fauna activities effective immediately. Vitaly, RN3ANT, wrote that the decision was made with regret because of recent actions by the WWFF Committee, including the elimination in April of Crimean RRF park references.

Vitaly said in the June 7th posting that award applications that have already been approved will be completed but new RFF-H applications through WWFF will not. He said that Russia's own Flora and Fauna programme will continue to operate and issue awards.

-- Jeremy Boot G4NJH. (Amateur Radio Newsline June 14 edition)

ONTARIO SECTION NEWS
ITEMS OF INTEREST

2.  Shortwave Radiogram: Digital Modes that are not Phony.

Shortwave Radiogram program 358 will transmit digital and text images over shortwave frequencies June 13-19. The program utilizes MFSK modes transmitted from WRMI in Florida and WINB in Pennsylvania.
The following lineup will be followed:

1:46 MFSK32: Program preview
2:52 MFSK32: More phony than real US newspaper sites
7:38 MFSK64: Low-income New Yorkers rely on cell for internet
11:33 MFSK64: This week’s images
27:54 MFSK32: Closing announcements
See https://swradiogram.net/ for frequencies and times.

-- Shortwave Radiogram net blog

3.   Society of Broadcast Engineers: Malware attack

The ARRL is not the only membership organization to have suffered a malware attack recently. On May 30, the Society of Broadcast Engineers had its website  content and pages removed by malware, according to an earlier announcement.

On June 5th, an updated article posted on Radioworld.com said that the malware has since been removed and the SBE's website is back up and running. The  society assured members that none of their data had been compromised and they are now running scans to verify that any remnants from the attack have been eradicated.

The SBE comprises 116 chapters and more than 4,500 members who work in the broadcast and multimedia technology fields.

-- Radioworld.com news

4.  ARRL Systems Service Disruption  (Jun 6 update)

ARRL is working with industry experts, including cyber crime attorneys and the authorities, who have directed us to be conservative and cautious with our  communications while restoring the ARRL network.  ARRL’s association membership system was not impacted by this attack.  Additionally, the online ARRL Store is operating as normal. ARRL Field Day merchandise is still available for immediate shipping.  The digital edition of the July 2024 issue of QST will be available as
scheduled, on Friday, June 7. The print edition will go to press on Monday, June 10.  
As previously reported, the ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator is processing Amateur Radio License applications received from Volunteer Examiners who  completed candidate exam sessions. As of June 6, our staff are processing applications from exams given on May 22.  The publication of most ARRL 
e-newsletters, including the weekly ARRL Letter, has resumed with minimal disruption to regular schedules. A new platform for emailing newsletters has been implemented, leading to some variations in layout.

-- arrl website

This concludes this week's bulletin. Does anyone require repeats or
clarifications?
Hearing none, This is V_3___ returning the frequency to net control.

Bulletin sent from Official Bulletin Manager VA3PC