UPDATED - RAC October 2023 SET

[VA3-GUF-Frank]

Operations Dark Skies Part 1, October 14, 2023

If you are interested in evaluating the Solar Eclipse effect on radio communication capabilities, here is your chance on Oct 14th between 11:15 to 15:45?

RAC looking to gather RX and TX signal strength and quality along with your TX watts details on all bands and all modes of HAM radio communications with main focus within Canada, before, during and after the Solar Eclipse.

Owen Sound Area Solar eclipse times:
             Begins             11:52 hrs
             Maximum      13:06 hrs
             Ends                14:22 hrs

SET repeater net check-in during eclipse maximum on OSR repeater (146.940MHz) from 13:00-13:30 hrs.

Suggested gathering modes using VHF, UHF and/or HF; (you choose)
      Listening only or TX/RX
      GBARC NET check-in only during Eclipse MAX (Net open at 13:00 hrs till 13:30 hrs)
      ONTARS Contact
      HAM contacts
      FT8
      Winlink by radio
      Other Digital modes
      Beacons
      CW Skimmer
      CW
      QRP
      Other ( your personal preference )

SET station location and electrical power:
No limits. Can be done from home or remote site, with or without main line 120 volt electric power.  Report on LOG per guide TAB your electric power mode used; AC Mains, battery, generator, solar, combination.  Also report on your capabilities if only one mode of electrical power was used and you have other modes available.  Also identify on log if you have generator battery charging capabilities.

You can use the attached LOG file with included user guide tab or your own.

Forward a soft copy of your LOG file to Frank, V3-GUF ( va3-guf@outlook.com ) who will gather and forward a summary report of all LOG data.

Contact Frank by email or post reply with questions or clarification requests.

Have a great time this Saturday.

Cheers

Frank

VA3-GUF / VE0-GUF / VE0-VET
Grey County ARES/ACS co-ordinator

[VA3-GUF-Frank]

SET LOG summary reported to RAC on effect of Eclipse to radio signal and quality will be posted on this thread as well as forwarded in a news article for the November News letter.

Cheers

Frawnk

[VA3KOT John]

Propagation conditions weren't great today. I was monitoring the International Beacon Project signals on 14100KHz. I heard the beacon in California weakly but no others. The frequency was QRM'd by inconsiderate digital mode operators which didn't help.

We only had about a 28% solar eclipse in our area - not enough to even dim the sunlight. I did not notice any change in radio conditions during the eclipse. I didn't really anticipate that there would be any impact. Such a brief, partial eclipse maybe wouldn't be sufficient to change ionization levels in the D and F layers.

I checked VE3OSR for the scheduled eclipse net at 1:00pm. I heard one station which I believe was Frank VA3GUF but the signal was too noisy to copy properly. I called into the repeater but no response. It was very disappointing that no other stations had sufficient interest to check-in!

[Richard VE3OZW]

I know I wasn't anywhere near a radio at the time of the eclipse and was busy volunteering at another club that I belong to.  Too much volunteering...  The event wasn't organized very well across the province.  Many groups communicated to check into ONTARS, yet no one contacted Barry or I about making sure there was a controller available during that time.  Communication wasn't stellar from head office.  I just happened to pick it up on Frank's post.  Luckily Rob PCP picked up the hour for ONTARS. 

Perhaps during the next event on April 8, 2023 we will have an actual organized net on VE3GBT (and VE3OSR) and we might even be lucky enough to have a controller available for ONTARS too.

Sometimes life gets in the way of ham radio.