Articles

SuitSat-1

Feb 4th

Posted by VE6BLD in ARES

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This is SuitSat-1 Amateur Radio Station RS0RS!

WOW!!  It has been 20 years ago today that I had the most fun I have ever experienced since getting my ham license in 1977! 

I received 14 sstv pictures and 90 audio clips from the space suit as it orbited the globe every 90 minutes for two weeks.

Here is one of the audio clips

On February 3, 2006 a decommissioned Olan Russian space suit was placed in orbit around the earth. The Expedition 12 International Space Station crew Flight Engineer Valery Tokarev and Commander Bill McArthur, KC5ACR launched the space suit by pushing it into orbit at the beginning of their space walk to repair outside equipment on the ISS. The space suit had been fitted with an amateur radio transmitter. The Suit Sat-1, as it is now being called, was designed to send telemetry from the space suit as well as pre-recorded audio by students from around the world. Special greetings in German and Spanish, Russian, French, Japanese, and English had been pre-recorded by these students from different countries. A Slow Scan Television Picture (SSTV) in Robot 36 second format was also included in the Suit Sat-1 microchip to be received and decoded by amateur radio operators and students around the globe. The transmission was to state the elapsed mission time, the suit’s internal temperature, and finally the battery voltage.

The sequence of the transmission was a voice ID (5 seconds), an international voice message, telemetry data or a SSTV Image (15-45 seconds), and then a 30 second pause.

 

VE6BLDs antannas in TCA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Annual CAARC Christmas Pot Luck Supper

Jan 21st

Posted by VE6BLD in Articles

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The Annual CAARC Christmas Pot Luck Supper was held on Sunday December 7th at 4:30PM in  east Red Deer at the Bower -Kin Community place. There were over 36 in attendance and everyone enjoyed a great meal and lots of visiting. Thanks to the decorating committee and everyone for attending. 

 

 

 

 

Darryl VE6VYT.. presented his  addition to the GIZMO..


Cam VE6AAT won the GIZMO along with the addition to the GIZMO 

 

 

 

Cold Lake Airshow

Jan 14th

Posted by VE6CIA in ARES

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Note from VE6CIA: All input, ideas or suggestions from Alberta amateurs is welcome, to save this event from extinction, whether it be ARES/ACS related or not.
Gentlemen,
I’m writing today in hopes of getting long term ARES/ACS training in place for Alberta.
Cold Lake Amateur Radio Society (CLARS) has been supporting the Cold Lake air show for a little over 20 years. We support this event with assistance from amateurs all over Alberta, and it has become a very well supported and anticipated event. Cold Lake holds airshows every two years, and we support this event by spreading amateurs throughout the crowd and looking for issues. If issues are discovered we report through our net control, who then forwards the issue to the Military Command Post for resolution.
Our assistance is highly valued by the airshow organizing committee, who in turn supports us with free admission, lunches on both days, as well as free airshow T shirts and ball caps.
This event perfectly mirrors the work that ARES/ACS would be called on to support in a real life event.
Our Club is aging, and our membership has dwindled. In the past our club could support the event on our own (albeit with reduced effectiveness)- that is no longer the case. As a result our club is reluctant to proceed as hosts, in that if support from other amateurs doesn’t happen we’re unable to do what we promised- and that’s a risk we cannot take. In addition, I’ve been doing the bulk of the work organizing the event, and I too am aging out of being able to continue.
I suggested that Alberta ARES/ACS take this event over from CLARS, and to date no one has been willing to step up. I understand the reluctance- however I believe that I may have a more palatable option- have ARES/ACS take ownership of the airshow and use it as our Alberta SET.
If the ARES/ACS leadership owns the event, they could allow a different radio club (or clubs) the opportunity to run the event every second year. This would provide tremendous training for both the ARES/ACS team lead, as well as ARES/ACS support personnel throughout the province.
Note that Cold Lake and Edmonton International Airport are both on a two year opposing cycle for airshows- the SET could be a yearly event if we included the Edmonton show.
We are at a critical junction with ARES/ACS- our relevance as “last chance” long haul communications is at an end (internet, satellite phones and Starlink have pretty much ended our usefulness). However, we have a huge potential for use in emergencies as observers- be it fire, floods, or whatever, a self led, self supporting group of people is a huge bonus for any emergency manager. This airshow is an exemplary example of that, and one I’d hate to see lost.
I have one more go left in me, and would be very happy to assist in getting the airshow scheduled for this summer organized. I have the routine down pretty well, and the bulk of the difficulties have been identified and overcome. However, if I do not have someone to pass the torch to then I’m done- and more importantly we’ll have lost a tremendous training opportunity.
Please note that CLARS will happily provide full access to the local VE6ADI repeater, as well as free camping at Mike’s and my farms.
Thanks for your time- and I’m available anytime to amplify this email and discuss options.
Cheers- Garry
FG Naylor
VE6FGN
ARES/ACS rep, CLARS
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Christmas Pot Luck Supper

Nov 16th

Posted by VE6BLD in Articles

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The Annual CAARC Christmas Pot Luck Supper will be held on Sunday December 7th at 4:30PM in  east Red Deer at the Bower -Kin Community place  85 Boyce Street.

 Please bring a food item dish and or dessert. The club will provide the turkey, ham and other fixings. If possible please bring a cash donation and or a non perishable food item for the Red Deer Salvation Army. We will meet at the hall from 4:30 PM until supper around 6:00 PM. Please bring your own cutlery and plates.

 

 

There will be a draw for the Gizmo also at this meeting. Please be prepared to add your personal touch to enhance this ongoing fun project.

Please click on view larger map below , then click on directions in the larger map for driving directions from your QTH

 

November 2025 CAARC ANNUAL General meeting

Oct 26th

Posted by VE6BLD in Articles

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CAARC Membership

The  CAARC ANNUAL General Meeting will be on Wednesday, November 19, at 19:30 hours.

Meet after 19:00 hours at the Calder School at Sunnybrook Farm 2879 Botterill Crescent . 

The Calder School entrance is behind Sims Furniture just north of the Bower mall at the south end of Red Deer.

At this AGM there will be a draw for a Baofeng radio and a basic RAC membership. You must be a paid up member and be in attendance for this draw.

The gates will be open at 1900 hrs. 

 

 

 

 

CAARC Field Day 2025 June 27th – 29th

Jul 21st

Posted by VE6BLD in ARES

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CAARC Field Day 2025

June 27th – 29th

Here are the pictures and videos of the field day. Thanks to those who sent me the pictures and videos.

The CAARC field day started out with a downpour just after we got the first tower and antenna up in the air! 

Make sure you click the second page of the pictures.

Thanks to all those who came to help set up Friday and take down Sunday afternoon.

Thanks to those who operated as the band conditions were pretty good again this year. 

 

 

 

Make sure you also click the second page of the pictures.

 

 

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CAARC 2025 Field Day

Jun 8th

Posted by VE6BLD in ARES

1 comment

Be Radio Active – Attend CAARC Field Day June 27th – 29th

 

Your CAARC executive is currently conducting extensive planning for ARRL Field Day operations.

We invite all CAARC members and interested parties to attend and participate.

CAARC plans to have two (2) fully operational HF stations and a VHF station dedicated for this ARRL contest.

The venue location is excellent, within a short drive from Red Deer and has onsite camping and facilities available.

Thank you for your continued support of CAARC.

We look forward to seeing you at this event.

Click this link for driving directions 

73

Don Westacott VE6HQ

CAARC President

 

Please click this  link to fill in the Goggle Form to volunteer your help to make this years Field Day a success again! 

Thanks in advance for your help to make this Field Day a success!

 

 

 

 

Amateur Radio Test Equipment 2025

Nov 1st

Posted by VE6HQ in Articles

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New CAARC Executive and winner of the new handheld.

Nov 21st

Posted by VE6BLD in Articles

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The November AGM was held on Wed Nov 15 with a great turnout. The draw for the new handheld radio donated by Mike VE6MIM was won by Tadd who is working on getting his license, CONGRATULATIONS. We hope to hear you on the repeater soon.

New CAARC President Don VE6HQ

Don VE6HQ

 

MikeVE6MIM presenting new Handheld to Tadd.

 

 

New 2023-2024 executive

Click this link to see the new executive.

Flight tracking

Jun 7th

Posted by VE6CIA in Articles

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ADSB Aircraft Tracking
2023-05-19
Have you ever wondered about that aircraft flying over your head? Perhaps you are already aware that
most aircraft are required to transmit location data. Anyone can easily receive that publicly available
broadcast data. Maybe you already receive that data and are feeding it to one or more of the flight
trackers. This article will help explain the fascinating hobby of aircraft tracking and will help you set up a
receiving system or tell you why it is desirable to send the data to other flight trackers.
Most aircraft worldwide are required to transmit data using a system known as ADS-B meaning More >

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