From WHIO Dayton website:

XENIA — Organizers of the largest amateur radio event in the world said this year’s Hamvention was a record-setter.  A total of 35,877 people attended Hamvention from May 17-19, setting a new record, according to Hamvention General Chairman Jim Storms.  This convention took place at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center in Xenia.

Attendance last year was 33,861. This year it was rainy on Friday AM, but great weather after that.

73
Dave, VE3WI

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

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL NEWS

1.  Canada-Wide Science Fair and STEM Expo: May 26 to 31, 2024

The 62nd edition of the Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF), Canada’s largest
annual youth STEM event, will be held at Carleton University. This year,
387 student finalists from all provinces and territories will gather to
display their STEM projects and compete for over $1.3 million in
scholarships, awards and prizes.
On Thursday, May 30 and Friday May 31, representatives from RAC, the Ottawa
Amateur Radio Club and the Ottawa Valley Mobile Radio Club will introduce
participants to the “Wonderful World of Amateur Radio”.
They will be joined by Daniel Alvarez, VE3FCT, a young, enthusiastic Amateur
from the Toronto area who operates frequently from the Ontario Science Centre
station VE3OSC.
-- RAC website

2.   Dayton Hamvention 2024

Radio Amateurs of Canada hosted a booth at the Dayton Hamvention at the
Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center near Dayton, Ohio.

Hamvention is the largest annual Amateur Radio gathering in the United States
and among the largest in the world. The theme at Hamvention 2024 was
“Expanding Our Community”.

The RAC booth (Location 2504) was once again in Building 2 along with the
International Amateur Radio Union, the American Radio Relay League and
other national organizations.

We would like to thank everyone who visited the booth and all of the great
volunteers who helped out.

Further information about the Dayton Hamvention can be found online at:
https://www.hamvention.org.

-- RAC website

ONTARIO SECTION NEWS
ITEMS OF INTEREST

3.  ARRL Systems Service Disruption

ARRL is continuing to address a serious incident involving access to our
network and systems. Several services, such as Logbook of The World and
the ARRL Learning Center, are affected.

We have heard from many LoTW users, asking about the status of the service
and its data. This is not an LoTW server issue, and LoTW data is secure.

Our editorial and production team is preparing the July issue of QST magazine,
which is still going to press. It may be delivered a few days late to members
who receive print subscriptions. The digital edition should be published on time.

We appreciate your continued patience as our staff and others work
tirelessly to restore affected systems.
-- arrl website

4.   QRP is the Way to Go

I saw your note about checking into a Florida net with just 10 watts.
I operate Army MARS and check into the local 8 AM net with 3 watts every day.
It covers Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, and it works
every time.  I use a 180-foot random wire at about 35 feet.

Twice a month MARS has a liaison net with CFARS (Canadian version of
MARS) on 14 and for this net I use just 9 watts to a trap vertical on 14 MHz.
I check into SHARES HF nets every week also. Come vacation time, I use just
3 watts to a rain gutter at a lodge in Virginia.

High power (QRO) is just not necessary. Put a good QRP rig in your ARES
shelter; it runs on a battery you can hold in one hand. Keep it charged with a small
solar panel and forget the Big Rig -- after a while you will give it away.
-- Scott McCann, W3MEO  (From the ARES newsletter - 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

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

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL NEWS

1. Upcoming CANWARN Training

Canwarn training is again being offered via zoom on May 23 and Jun 20, 2024 
Both sessions 7pm eastern time.
The RAC website will have registration information shortly.

Beyond Canwarn discussion will be held on Jun 25, 2024 also at 7 pm Eastern.
The topic will be how climate change affects severe weather events, the CANWARN 
program and Canadians in general.

Further information on registration will also be provided shortly on the 
RAC website.

--- RAC Website 

ONTARIO SECTION NEWS

2. London Vintage Radio Club Flea Market

Sponsor:    London Vintage Radio Club
Date:        Saturday, June 8, 2024
Location:    Hammond Mfg. 394 Edinburgh Rd. North, Guelph 
Times:       7AM for public and vendors alike.
Cost:        $10.00 for vendors, no charge to public
Description:    This flea market is an annual club event, held outdoors at the 
        Hammond Manufacturing Ltd parking lot in Guelph. Bring your own table. 
        You will find antique and vintage radios, ham / amateur radio equipment, 
        tubes, radio collectables, parts, magazines and all sorts of radio goodies 
        for sale, trade etc. The club has over 150 members.
For more info:    Google "London Vintage Radio Club" or "LVRC"
Email:        larry.asp @ sympatico.ca
Webpage:    http://lvrc.homestead.com/fleamarket.html
--- RAC Events Page

ITEMS OF INTEREST

3. OPENWEBRX PROJECTS RECEIVE AMATEUR RADIO SOFTWARE AWARD

The fifth annual Amateur Radio Software Award has been awarded to the hams behind two 
innovative open-source software projects: OpenWebRX and OpenWebRX+ 

The projects and their developers are being honored with the international award for 
providing innovative, free and open software that enhances amateur radio.

The leader of the OpenWebRX project is Jakob Ketterl DD5JFK. OpenWebRX can be operated 
from any web browser on a computer with network access and has no need for additional 
client software. The SDR receiver was designed with a simple interface to make it easy 
for inexperienced people to experience HF reception.

The leader of the OpenWebRX+ project is Marat Fayzullin, KC1TXE. OpenWebRX+ is Linux 
software that contains various decoders to be used with OpenWebRx, providing access to 
SSTV, AIS, CW and RTTY.  It is considered a fork of the OpenWebRX project, which means 
it uses the source code of the original project to expand upon it.

--- Amateur Radio Newsline May 17, 2024

4. First Contact Made Through QO-100 from North America

The first contact through the QO-100 geostationary satellite made from North America 
took place on May 11th from Newfoundland, Canada. VO1/M0XUU (VU3HPF) made a trans-atlantic 
FT8 contact with G0MRF in London. The contact is significant considering the QO-100 
footprint falls beyond Newfoundland at -0.9° below the horizon.

---Ham radio daily news May 12, 2024

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

So we have two confirmed locations, Rotary Park in Paisley and the Grey Sauble park north of Inglis Falls ($113), lets get some feedback before we put it to a vote, which do you prefer.

Despite the major solar storm going on right now I just had a CW QSO with a station in Virginia. A-index=118 K-index=8!

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL NEWS

1.   Emergency Preparedness Week 2024  May 5-11th

Theme this year: Be Prepared, Know Your Risks

Tips on using technology during a disaster:
-If possible, use text messaging, email or social media.  These use less bandwidth than voice communications and may work even when phone service doesn’t.
-If you must use a phone, keep your conversation brief and convey only vital information. This will also conserve your phone’s battery.
-Unable to complete a call? Wait 10 seconds before redialing to help reduce network congestion.
-Cordless phones rely on electricity and will not work during a power outage.
-If you have a landline, keep at least one corded phone in your home.
-Keep a charger for your mobile device in your emergency kit.
-Consider getting a solar-powered, crank, or vehicle phone charger.
-If you don’t have a cell phone, keep a prepaid phone card in your emergency kit.
-Keep your contacts up to date on your phone. This will make it easier to reach important contacts, such as friends, family, neighbours, child’s school, or insurance agent.
-If you have a smartphone, save your safe meeting location(s) on its mapping application.
Conserve your smartphone’s battery by reducing the screen’s brightness, placing your phone in airplane mode, and closing apps you are not using.
You never know how long a power outage will last!
-Remember, in an emergency or to save a life, call 9-1-1 for help.
-You cannot text 9-1-1 in many locations.
-If your area offers 3-1-1 service or another information system, call that number for non-emergencies.
-- emergency planning canada website

ONTARIO SECTION NEWS

2.    Central Ontario Hamfest

Sponsor:    Guelph and Kitchener-Waterloo Amateur Radio Clubs
Date:        Sunday, June 2, 2024
Location:    Waterloo Regional Police Association Recreation Park
GPS:         1128 Rife Rd., North Dumfries, ON
         43.345, -80.419 (Decimal) or 43°20'46"N, 80°25'6W
Times:    Indoor vendors 7 am, Tailgate 8 am, Public 9 am to 12 noon
Cost:        $8.00 (Youths 12 & under are free)
Talk-in    Not Listed
Description:Approaching 50 years, and still going strong! Bringing together ham radio operators, hobbyists and enthusiasts just before Field Day and the summer heat. Indoor tables and tailgating, major vendors, loads of collectibles, free prize draws, tasty bar food and refreshments. Easy parking. Hand sanitizer available. Masks welcome.
Information: https://hamfest.on.ca/
E-mail: info @ hamfest.on.ca
-- RAC events

ITEMS OF INTEREST

3.  US Congress pushes law requiring new cars to have AM radio

The law will apply to all "motor vehicles manufactured in the United States, imported into the United States, or shipped in interstate commerce after the rule's effective date." If cars are on sale after that date and their  entertainment system can't pick up AM radio, the manufacturer "must inform purchasers of this fact through clear and conspicuous labeling."

Facing congressional questions on the matter, Ars Technica says, BMW, Ford, Mazda, Polestar, Rivian, Tesla, Volkswagen, and Volvo all said they were dropping AM radio support, partly because electrical interference from EV motors can muddle AM radio.  Interference is one of AM radio's weaknesses.

The fact that FEMA's emergency alert system partly relies on AM radio to get its message out during times of national distress led to this law. When the FCC carried out a test of the system in late 2023, just 1 percent of people received the alerts specifically by AM radio--nearly everyone else got the warning via their cell phones.

FEMA could update its systems to suit the 21st century, where we have space-based internet and even satellite-to-cellphone communication. The Radio for Every Vehicle Act document ends with a note saying the GAO must "study and report on whether a reliable alternative communication system exists."
-- inc.com newsite

4.    Club Pico Balloon Celebrates a Year in Orbit

A pico balloon launched by the Hualapai Amateur Radio Club will mark 1 year in orbit on May 19th. The balloon contains a 20 meter WSPR beacon from QRP Labs. Overcoming a damaged dipole antenna, telemetry from the balloon was recently received by stations in Australia.

The balloon is now starting another trip across the Pacific Ocean heading due east toward South America, so we probably will not hear from it for a while. The balloon is a hydrogen filled 32" Yokohama brand clear sphere purchased from Japan.
-- Source: Hualapai Amateur Radio Club

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