WFD is quickly approaching. 

Winter Field Day is always held the last full weekend in January. For 2023, it will be held on January 28th and 29th. The 24-hour operational period starts at 1900 UTC (2:00PM EST) on Saturday, the 28th and ends at 18:59 UTC (01:59PM EST) on Sunday, the 29th. Stations may begin setting up no earlier than 19:00 UTC on Friday before. However cumulative set-up time shall not exceed 12 hours.

If you are thinking of improving your operating skills at contesting, contribute to club tally or just see if you can do better then previous year then your setup should be ready and tested before the contest. We seem to experience that every Field Day.

I have put together complete set of instructions in the attached pdf file to help you make WFD logging painless, you may find this useful if this is your first or just to refresher. 


  WFD Setup.pdf (Size: 542.36 KB / Downloads: 3)

Hope you find it useful and don't forget to include "Georgian Bay ARC" in the Cabrillo file.

eg. partial cabrillo file
 
START-OF-LOG: 3.0

Mini Ring Core Calculator Program

(Iron Powder Cores (AMIDON), Unknown Cores, Air Cores, Ferrite Cores (AMIDON), Ring Cores from EPCOS, Ring Cores from Ferroxcube (Philips))

Tools

• Determining and Permeability µi of Unknown Cores
  
• Resonant Circuits
  
• Calculating Resistance of Copper Wire
  
• Conversion Inch <-> Meter, AWG -> mm, °F -> °C
  

GBARC 2M net VE3OSR(146.94) & VE3GBT (146.73) Tone 97.4 Echo Link node 333014
On the air every Wednesday evening 7:30 local time(EST)  
Following check-ins and topic discussions, we revert to HF for the "73" round open mic on or about 3.783 MHZ.

Net Control Operator -VE3RQY - Greg-Owen Sound, ON
Topic for tonite: Surges, spikes and lightning - what are your experiences with them, what methods do you employ to mitigate their effect on your radio equipment?
Check-ins: 

Echo link:
KO4DXQ Bob -  Soddy Daisy Tennessee
VE3GIO - Larry - Woodstock, ON

VHF
VE3VCG - Marvin                                     HF                                                                
VE3EAC - Janet                                       VE3XBO-Bart
VA3MFO Jim                                           VE3GIO - Larry
VE3BQM - Bernie                                     VA3MFO - JIm
VA3TS - Tom                                           VE3VCG - Marvin
VE3PCP - Rob                                          VE3BQM - Bernie                                           
                                                              VE3PCP -Rob
Thats all for this week.
I will be unable to continue as Net Control  Operator for the time being. I will miss it and hope to return to the rotation soon.

73 Y'all VE3RQY - Greg

First, as a dedicated CW operator, let me state my total disapproval of this idea, harrumph! However, you softee phone/digital ops may find this very interesting:

TAP: A morse alternative mode for the HAM, with no need for training. http://qrp.gr/tap/

Net Controller — VE3OZW Richard - Otter Creek

Topic for discussion -
1. Modes - I have been enjoying AM mode.  What do you prefer and why?  
2. Do you have a New Year's resolution?  Are you willing to share?
3. OR OPEN MIC

There was not a 2m net due to VE3OSR not functioning as expected.

HF – 3.788 MHz

VA3MFO Jim - Mount Forest
VE3PCP Rob - Inverhuron
VA3TS Tom - Shallow Lake
VE3VCG Marvin - Paisley

We need your help by submitting ideas for topics via this forum.  This is a net for all of us.  Help out your fellow club members and net controllers by submitting topics for future nets.  Reply to this thread with any suggestions.

Consider being a GBARC Net Controller.  It is a positive learning experience and great fun.  The only scary part is when your pen runs out of ink while the calls are coming in!

Thanks to all, 73

We discussed this military HF comms exercise on the net tonight.  The information was from the ARRL ARES Newsletter, which I receive as a member.  I checked and ARRL permits republication for non-commercial educational purposes.  So I attached the article for your reading pleasure.

Hope everyone gets thru the storm OK.  Have a nice Xmas.

73
Dave, VE3WI

Attached Files

  NOBLE_SKYWAVE.pdf (Size: 62.21 KB / Downloads: 1)

Topic: What are your plans for spring 2023 (inspired by those of us who have to think 5 months ahead to book Ontario Parks campsites!)

VA3KOT John Owen Sound VHF NCS
KO4DXQ Bob Tennessee
VE3GIO Larry Woodstock
VE3PCP Rob Inverhuron
VE3VCG Marvin Paisley
VA3EAC Janet Paisley
VE3IXR Ron Walkerton
VA3MFO Jim Mount Forest
VE3FP Adam Elmwood
VE3RQY Greg Owen Sound
VE3WI Dave Port Elgin
VE3BQM Bernie Owen Sound
VE3OZW Richard Mildmay
VA3KOT John Owen Sound HF NCS 3783KHz
VE3VCG Marvin Paisley
VA3MFO Jim Mount Forest
VE3GIO Larry Woodstock
VE3BQM Bernie Owen Sound
VE3OZW Richard Mildmay
VE3WI Dave Port Elgin
VE3PCP Rob Inverhuron
VE3PJW Jim Elmwood

I came across a web site mentioned in groups.io  which explains how to learn CW. Morse Code Ninja created by Kurt AD0WE is fairly lengthy but contains huge amount of detailed information from different sources and strategies for learning. I can't cover everything without repeating things, I suggest you take some time to read it. As to popular misconception by some that CW is becoming obsolete, it's just opposite, it's on the rise. Check out CW Trends in Google search. 
From my own experience operating contests and POTA, I find more and more recently licensed ops are easily running upwards of 20 wpm. That is a very positive for the future of CW.
Hope to hear you in CW.

Last major contest of the of the year came to an end and was surprised the number of CW operators took part. I operated CW only but I thought I would do some SSB time permitting but got too busy although would have been nice to have another operator do SSB and enter Multi-Multi Category. Maybe next year. 
Bands were in good shape most of the time but as usual conditions change though out the day. 40m was open at the start of the contest following by 80m then 160m into the night. When things slowed down on 160m I decided to get some rest and start fresh in the morning. 80m was alive from abt 7am to 9am then 40m was productive for few hours. By 10am higher bands gained lot of activity for reminder of my activity which ended shortly after five. By then I've worked most of the stations I could hear. All in all was a very good contest for me. 
I hope to place in the top 10 in Single Op CW category. RAC doesn't post the result till May of next year so I see the actual result when posted.

Here are my results summary. 



Hope to see/hear GBAC members on the air in the next Contest. Looking forward to Winter Field Day.

Georgian Bay Amateur Radio Club Net
Wednesday December 14, 2022

Net Controller Marvin VE3VCG
Topic(s) Winter Field Day 2023, Favorite Christmas Memories

Participating stations:
Echolink:
KO4DXQ Bob (Tennessee)

2 Meters
VA3KOT John
VE3RQY Greg
VE3BQM Bernie
VE3DDY Doug
VA3TS Tom
VE3PCP Rob
VA3MFO Jim
VE3IXR Ron
VE3OZW Richard
VE3FP Adam
VA3EAC Janet

80 Meters
VA3MFO Jim
VE3BQM Bernie
VA3TS Tom
VA3KOT John
VE3PCP Rob
VA3RCA Kevin
VE3OZW Richard
VE3FTM Colin (Hamilton)