I added sub forums to the GBARC forum to cover events like the QSO party or world amateur radio day. Now members can make post there to plan the vent ... and for the webpage I will just link to that forum page... if you have an idea for additional forums let me know

Net Controller — VE3OZW Richard - Otter Creek

HELP WANTED, please apply within!  Consider being a GBARC Net Controller (NC).  It is a positive learning experience and great fun.  The availability of extra Net Controllers means less work for everyone plus more variety.  It's a lot of fun and we are available to help anyone that is willing to step up and try.  

Topic for discussion -

1. Propagation.  Do you follow propagation?  What do you use?  VOACAP, MUF, Beacons, Spotting websites like dxsummit.fi, PSK reporter, hamclock, Simon's world map, geochron or something else...
2. Open Mic

I am going to leave this here from my last evening as Net Control as the topic popped up a few times during the net.  

Bernie mentioned the image for KM4ACK Build-a-pi contains HamClock and much more.  https://github.com/km4ack/pi-build

I have also used the HamPi OS image which contains HamClock and many other programs for the ham radio hobby.  https://sourceforge.net/projects/hampi/


VHF/Echolink

KO4DXQ Bob - Soddy Daisy, TN
VE3DDU Ray - Nottawa
VA3RCA Kevin - Alliston
VA3MFO Jim - Mount Forest
VE3VCG Marvin - Paisley
VA3EAC Janet - Paisley
VE3RQY Greg - Brooke
VA3DNY Dan - Owen Sound
VE3BQM Bernie - Georgian Bluffs
VE3WI Dave - Port Elgin

HF – 3.783 MHz

VE3IJD Gene - Honey Harbour
VA3MFO Jim - Mount Forest
VE3BQM Bernie - Georgian Bluffs
VA3RCA Kevin - Alliston
VE3DDU Ray - Nottawasaga
VE3VCG Marvin - Paisley
VE3WI Dave - Port Elgin
VA3DNY Dan - Owen Sound

Bonus question (for fun) - What is your favourite flavour of potato chip.

Sour Cream and onion - 2
BBQ - 1
Jalapeno - 1
Sour Cream and Bacon - 1
Plain - 1
Salt and Vinegar rippled (w/ dip) - 1
Rippled plain - 1

Non potato chip responses

Corn chips w/ hint of lime - 2
Veggie chips - 1
Curly chip - 1
Plantain chips - 1

Thanks to all, 73

Canadian Amateurs Invited to Participate in Solar Eclipse Project in April 2024
https://www.rac.ca/canadian-amateurs-invited-to-participate-in-solar-eclipse-project/
"The Case Amateur Radio Club W8EDU of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio is excited to invite Canadian Amateurs to participate in our upcoming eclipse research project!"
 
 
Attention all Canadian Amateurs:
The following item is courtesy of the Case Amateur Radio Club:
The Case Amateur Radio Club would like to invite you to participate in the CHU Eclipse Data Collection Project!
We will be monitoring the reception of the Canadian time standard CHU before, during, and after the eclipse to measure the recombination time of the ionosphere. In other words, we know that the ionosphere changes in response to the presence of UV radiation in the sun by ionizing during the day and ‘de-ionizing’ at night (which is why many frequency bands propagate differently during the day and the night).
We understand how the ionosphere changes over a normal 24-hour period in response to the relatively slow transition from daytime to night time, but want to learn more about how it changes over a much shorter period (which is what the eclipse provides). We want you to help!
Our goal is to study how the eclipse affects radio wave propagation, helping us understand the ionosphere’s recombination time. To achieve this, we need your help recording Canada’s time standard station CHU for two weeks surrounding the April 8 eclipse. Anyone with a KiwiSDR or a rig capable of interfacing with analysis/recording software like Fldigi is encouraged to join the effort!
This project has already garnered enthusiastic support from various communities, including the American Radio Relay League, the Radio Amateurs of Canada, and the Ham Radio Citizen Science Investigation HamSCI. 
We have over 20 stations across the continent participating, from universities and high schools to representatives from the Radio Amateurs of Canada and even a station in Mexico!
To join us and contribute valuable data, simply visit our website and follow the instructions (https://w8edu.wordpress.com/chu-eclipse-data-collection/) to set up your station and notify us about your participation.
Please reach out to eclipse-research@case.edu if you have any questions or comments. – 73,
Adam Goodman W7OKE, President, Case Amateur Radio Club
David Kazdan AD8Y, MD, PhD, Faculty Advisor, Case Amateur Radio Club
Chistian Zorman, PhD, Faculty Advisor, Case Amateur Radio Club, Associate Dean for Research, Case School of Engineering
Alan Griffin
RAC MarCom Director
Copyright © 2024 Radio Amateurs of Canada, All rights reserved.
You have subscribed to the "RAC Notifications" list as a membership related transaction with respect to the Radio Amateurs of Canada. Please contact us at the RAC Office if you have any questions.
 
Our mailing address is:
Radio Amateurs of Canada
720 Belfast Road
Suite 217
Ottawa, ON K1G 0Z5
Canada

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

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL NEWS

1.    March-April 2024 eTCA is now available

Welcome to the March-April 2024 issue of The Canadian Amateur.  The digital (eTCA) version of the March-April 2024 TCA is now available for viewing or download.  The paper version is now at the printer.
To download your copy please visit: https://www.rac.ca/digitaltca/

-- Alan Griffin, RAC Marcom Director

2.   Special Event Celebrating Dominican Republic Independence

 From February 27 to April 30, 2024, the HI180RD Special Event Station will be activated, with the participation of Radio Amateurs from five clubs. With more than
25 Radio Amateurs participating, the initiative seeks to project the Dominican Republic to the world through the airwaves, sharing the patriotic spirit and rich culture of the country.
The Special Event Station will issue electronic certificates, available in seven languages, to each international Amateur Radio station that makes contact during this
period.  Special Event Stations are authorized by INDOTEL to Amateur Radio clubs, to carry out activities commemorating historical dates or for competitive events in Amateur Radio.
“Hotel-India-One-Eight-Zero-Radio-Delta” calling CQ!
For more information visit:   HI180RD – INDEPENDENCIA 2024
-- RAC website

ONTARIO SECTION NEWS

ITEMS OF INTEREST

3.  AO-73 to Temporarily Pause Transponder Operations

After a good period of transponder activity FUNcube batteries need a short rest. We plan to switch the transponder OFF between March 3rd to 15th subject to operational conditions.  The satellite will be placed Safe mode and will still provide low power telemetry First launched in 2013, AO-73 (FUNcube-1) is a popular satellite among amateur radio operators taking advantage of its VHF to UHF transponder. The satellite also transmits telemetry data which is used as an educational component in schools.
-- AMSAT weekly bulletins

4.  Bob Heil, K9EID, Silent Key

The man who defined the sound of live rock ‘n’ roll music and brough taudio engineering principals into mainstream amateur radio use, Dr. Bob Heil, K9EID, has
passed away at the age of 83. A Facebook post from Heil Ham Radio paid tribute “Bob fought a valiant, yearlong battle with cancer, and passed peacefully  surrounded by his family.”

Heil founded Heil Sound in 1966, through which he created the template for modern concert sound systems for musicians like the Grateful Dead, The Who, Joe  Walsh, and Peter Frampton.

Parallel to his commercial and artistic success in live music, was his passion for amateur radio.  He was active in ham radio from a young age and merged his  expertise in audio engineering with his love for radio. Heil Ham Radio was founded to produce microphones, headsets, and other gear for radio amateurs with an emphasis on high-quality audio.

-- 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

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

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL NEWS

1.  Reports of phishing attempts by someone posing as RAC official.

The Feb 21st phishing attempt falsely states that it originates from “Phil A McBride” and this is not the case. Radio Amateurs of Canada will never ask you to
provide a login and password in email communication.  To date, there have been no direct successful attacks on the RAC computer system.

We are planning on making available to members the use of complex passwords as well as Two-Factor Authentication to log in to our website. We will provide
additional information on security updates as they are made.

Here are a few tips on how to avoid email scams:

1. Don’t trust unsolicited email.
   
2. Treat email attachments with caution.
   
3. Don’t click links in email messages unless you are confident you know who the sender is.
   
4. Install antivirus software and keep it up to date.
   
5. Install a personal firewall and keep it up to date.
   
6. Configure your email client for security. 
   
7. Never provide your login and password in response to an email.
   

February 21, 2024 Net 
Topic: Who invented the Nickel-Cadmium Battery. 1899 Swedish Engineer Waldemar Jungner
Batteries aaa, aa, 9v, c cell, d cell
Host: Ve3bqm Bernie

2MT:
KO4DXQ Bob
VE3DDU Ray
VA3RCA Kevin
VA3MFO James
VE3VCG Marvin
VA3EAC Janet
VE3OZW Richard
VE3RQY Greg
VA3TS Tom
VE3DGY Douglas
VA3DNY Dan

HF:
VE3DDU Ray
VE3RQY Greg
VA3TS Tom
VE3VCG Marvin
VA3RCA Kevin
VE3OZW Richard
VA3DNY Dan
VA3MFO James
VE3WI David Leslie

GBARC 2M NET                                                                                                                                                    14 Feb 2024
146.94 &146.73 Mhz
VE3OSR &VE3GBT Tone 97.4 Echo link node 333014

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

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL NEWS

1.  Barrie Crampton, VE3BSB, appointed to Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame

The Board of Trustees of the Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame is pleased to announce that Barrie Crampton, VE3BSB, has been named to the Hall of Fame, and Radio Amateurs of Canada and the Board of Trustees of CARHOF sincerely congratulate Barrie on his appointment to the Hall of Fame.

A detailed account of his achievements will be presented in an upcoming edition of The Canadian Amateur magazine.

For more information on the Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame visit:
https://wp.rac.ca/carhof/
--- RAC website

ONTARIO SECTION NEWS

ITEMS OF INTEREST

2.  Potential for Canada to Ban SDR Devices

Over concerns of devices such as the Flipper Zero that can record and replay wireless signals used for remote keyless entry in cars, Public Safety Canada is proposing a ban of such devices which could include software defined radios (SDR).  Pursuing all avenues to ban devices used to steal vehicles by copying
the wireless signals for remote keyless entry, such as the Flipper Zero, which would allow for the removal of those devices from the Canadian marketplace through collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
Flipper Zero has requested evidence that their devices have been used in criminal activity, suggesting there currently is none.

-- : RTL-SDR.com        https://www.rtl-sdr.com/

3.  Magic Band Revealed (3rd edition) PDF booklet.

We call it the magic band because magical propagation occurs just when we least expect it.  A more accurate name might be the fickle band because 6 meters provides short periods of random excitement followed by long periods of severe quiet. And that is why we like it so much.  Jim Wilson K5ND recently completed the third edition of the book Magic Band Revealed.
Of course, I had to read it and I surely did enjoy this book. Jim hits all of the different operating and propagation modes that hams use on 50 MHz: sporadic-e, F2, TEP, meteor scatter, ionoscatter, etc. The WSJT-X modes have had a huge impact on what’s possible on the band, so Jim provides a good overview of the various options (FT8, FT4, MSK144, Q65).
Jim also provides some helpful information on VHF contests and operating as a rover.  The best attribute of the book is that it is primarily written as a first-person account of K5ND’s operating experiences. Reading the book is just like having a friend tell you about what they’ve experienced on the band, along with some great operating tips. Great work, Jim!
The book is available as a free PDF download from Jim’s website or in
print version via Amazon.
Go to https://k5nd.net/2023/11/magic-band-revealed/
-- de Bob K0NR

4. New Page On VE7SL Radio Notebook!

Thanks to May (VA7MAY) and Mark (VA7MM) spending the time to scan my 630m QSL card collection, I have now been able to complete their work by posting a dedicated page for the cards.

If you've ever wondered what can be worked on this 'below the broadcast band' MF amateur band, then viewing the cards and reading their comments may give
you some insight into its character.
The new page can be found here. https://qsl.net/ve7sl/630mqsls.html

--Steve McDonald VE7SL via Amateur Radio.com

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