General News

SOTA Activations and Outdoor Operations

For those interested in SOTA or outdoor portable operations, I am attaching some recent photos of recent operating locations from which I have been working. In addition to SOTA activations, I do some maintenance and custodial work for the Alpine Club of Canada so I have been operating from the ACC back-country huts. The video link below is a short tour of one of the huts I visit frequently which has a short clip of my operation within the hut.

Sota set-up on Allstones Ridge

sota activation in Japan as JJ1TLL

With Troy (VA6TNA) on a SOTA activation of Corkscrew Mountain

Great Cairn Hut, Selkirks.

Elizabeth Parker Hut, Yoho

Fryatt Hut, Jasper

 

Snow birds fly over VE6BLD in Lacombe

The Canadian Snow birds flew over Lacombe in support of all the front line covid 19 workers.

 
Click the video below

 

Click the following link to watch full video from my YouTube channel

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeRi082bclQ

Snow Birds flyover

Watch the snowbirds fly over Saturday after 9:30 am

 

https://www.todocanada.ca/city/central-alberta/event/edmonton-red-deer-rocky-mountain-house-canadian-snowbirds-operation-inspiration/

ARISS is live now: ISS Space Chat – Airdrie Space Science Camp 5-15-2020

CHECK OUT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION CONTACT WITH STUDENTS IN AIRDRIE ALBERTA 

 

This will be the second test of the new-style radio contact, called Multipoint Telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio. The concept was developed for distance learning when schools closed worldwide due to COVID-19. The virus eliminated all opportunities for ARISS radio contacts at education organizations. A new ARISS telebridge radio ground station will be used this time, this operated by John Sygo, amateur radio call sign ZS6JON, near Johannesburg, South Africa.

https://youtu.be/2mflSlShPHA

https://www.ariss.org/

 

 

 

Long-Lost U.S. Military Satellite Found By Amateur Radio Operator

There are more than 2,000 active satellites orbiting Earth. At the end of their useful lives, many will simply burn up as they reenter the atmosphere. But some will continue circling as “zombie” satellites — neither alive nor quite dead.
“Most zombie satellites are satellites that are no longer under human control, or have failed to some degree,” says Scott Tilley.
Tilley, an amateur radio operator living in Canada, has a passion for hunting them down.

Click this link to read the complete story.

Bob VE6BLD

Cochrane Winter Rally 2020

 

There is an opportunities for public service at the upcoming Cochrane Winter Rally. This event is sponsored by the Calgary Sports Car Club and is one of the best radio service events of the winter season. Some of you have already helped us to advertise this event, so please accept my thanks for the efforts that you have made to date.

I am helping to organize the rally and one of my responsibilities is to recruit radio operators for the event. The rallies are some of the best field radio operations opportunities available to the Amateur Radio community in our region. They are challenging, fun, and a great way to test your equipment and skills in “real world” conditions. I hope that members of your club will consider joining us.

This year’s event takes place on Sunday 08 March in the Waiparous region northwest of Cochrane. Radio operators are needed to provide communication services and safety observation at various locations throughout the course. Training is provided, so no prior experience is required.

Additional information is available at the URLs noted below. Please consider circulating this invitation among your club’s members.

General event information is posted on the Rallywest website, at:

https://www.rallywest.com/events

Information that is specific to radio operators is posted in the following forum:
Registration instructions have been posted in this forum. Anyone interested in helping at the rally should check this forum regularly for updates.

Thank you for your assistance and please contact me with any questions you may have.

73,
Garry, VE6GDS
VE6GDS@gmail.com

‘I thought it was a dying art’: Why this Hamilton veteran wants to revive ham radio

‘I thought it was a dying art’: Why this Hamilton veteran wants to revive ham radio

Click this link for the whole story

The Annual CAARC Christmas Pot Luck Supper

The Annual CAARC Christmas Pot Luck Supper

was held on Sunday December 1st in  east Red Deer at the 

Eastview Estates Community Association Center.

About 43 people enjoyed a tremendous pot luck supper with ham turkey and tons of other dishes. Marvin VE6CJY was the lucky winner of the new and old GIZMO.