Due to the current pandemic Surrey Amateur Radio Club’s basic radio course was interrupted so they made some changes. To see those changes go to

https://ve7sar.blogspot.com/2020/03/our-basic-amateur-radio-course.html

The following was received from the ARRL

ARRL Bulletin 9  ARLB009
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  March 24, 2020
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB009
ARLB009 W1AW to limit transmit schedule

In response to an executive order from Connecticut Governor Ned
Lamont that all non-essential businesses and not-for-profit entities
reduce in-person workforces because of COVID-19 pandemic
concerns, W1AW has slightly altered its transmission schedule.

W1AW has suspended its morning code practice and qualifying run
transmissions, beginning March 24, 2020.  However, W1AW’s evening
transmissions, including qualifying runs, will be sent as usual —
there are no changes to the evening transmit schedule.

W1AW remains closed to the public.

Please see http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-headquarters-is-closing for
further details.
NNNN
/EX

Message from the RAC President
Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a part of our daily lives for several weeks now and will most likely continue to be for some time. The pandemic is of particular concern for Radio Amateurs because ours is a hobby that can be practised by people of all ages from elementary schoolchildren to senior citizens. In fact, it is frequently one of the activities that many take up as they near or begin retirement and finally have the time and resources available to participate. Consequently, we have a high proportion of seniors among our members and indeed some of the Amateur Radio clubs affiliated with RAC are senior citizen organizations.

Canadians are being directed to stay home in order to limit their contact with other people and to “flatten” or “plank” the coronavirus curve. As result, Amateur Radio club meetings and public events have been cancelled and clubs are investigating ways to keep in touch with their members – who are being encouraged to limit direct personal contacts through social/physical distancing and self-isolation – by using existing or new Amateur Radio nets (see below) and/or internet-based communication tools such as Zoom, GoToMeeting, WebEx and many others.

Isolation can have its own potential problems for people who live alone. Amateur Radio is all about communicating and we have the necessary hardware and expertise to enable individuals to stay in touch with their families, friends and colleagues.The Canadian Red Cross has prepared a “Psychological First Aid Pocket Guide” (PDF file, 631 kB)  which “provides emotional and practical support to individuals, families and communities who are having difficulty coping. It is about establishing a connection with people in a compassionate non-judgmental manner to bring calm and comfort.” 

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is assisting the effort at every level. Some regions have already activated their Emergency Operations Centres to help coordinate agencies working the frontline and because of the current state of emergency declared by provinces, territories and municipalities. This does not mean that Amateur Radio Emergency Services are active or will be activated for this event. We provide communications services to mitigate potential failures and currently, despite the reports of concerns, there have been no reported issues.

Amateur Radio nets regularly connect individuals on a scheduled basis, but perhaps they can play additional roles during these difficult times such as helping isolated seniors keep contact with one another and allowing their colleagues and club members to help out when needed. We do not have a complete list of all Amateur Radio nets in Canada but the links at the end of this Message will provide a good start.

The impact and duration of the unprecedented global pandemic we now face has yet to be determined and it is difficult to plan in an uncertain future. However, although the RAC Head Office in Ottawa has been closed indefinitely, the majority of activities and responsibilities of the RAC administration are now being performed remotely. In addition, the RAC Board and Executive and all RAC committees and volunteers continue to work on behalf of all RAC members and for Amateur Radio in Canada and internationally.

The Amateur Radio Service consists of a diverse population, both in age and abilities, and Amateurs and Amateur Radio organizations are adapting to the current crisis and using their skills and knowledge to help in any way they can. RAC is also rising to the challenge and is now looking at ways to do things differently and to take advantage of our technical skills and recent technological advances. For example, we are now in the final stages of organizing both a Basic and an Advanced online Amateur Radio course.  More information about this new initiative will be posted on the RAC website in the coming days.

It is interesting that we are discussing this new need for Amateur Radio to provide assistance as we approach World Amateur Radio Day which is held every April 18. It was on that day in 1925 that the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) was formed in Paris and Radio Amateurs worldwide now take to the airwaves each year in celebration.

Appropriately, the theme of World Amateur Radio Day is “Celebrating Amateur Radio’s contribution to Society” and Amateur Radio will play its part as the current global crisis unfolds. RAC is planning to celebrate World Amateur Radio Day this year on the air by inviting Amateurs in Canada and around the world to contact RAC official stations (VA2RAC, VA3RAC etc). The details are still being worked out and we will provide more information about this event in the near future.

Thank you for your continued support and understanding during this time of crisis. Please take care of yourself and your loved ones. 

Stay safe and, wherever possible, let us help one another during this extraordinary time.

Amateur Radio nets:

Radio Amateurs of Canada:

The Battleford’s Amateur Radio Association:

http://ve5brc.amateur-radio.ca/net.htm

The North Okanagan Radio Amateur Club:

http://norac.bc.ca/index.php/nets

—-

Canadian Red Cross Document:

Canadian Red Cross Psychological First Aid Guide:

https://www.rac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/CRC-Psychological-First-Aid-Guide-2019.pdf

The CQ WW WPX Contest will be held the weekend of March 27 2020. For all the information you need go to

https://www.cqwpx.com/rules.htm

Radio Amateurs of Canada is pleased to announce that Paul Coverdale, VE3ICV, is now the RAC Special Advisor at the World Radiocommunication Conferences and their Preparatory Meetings. It is the job of a WRC to review and, if necessary revise, the Radio Regulations, the international treaty governing the use of the radio-frequency spectrum and the geostationary-satellite and non-geostationary-satellite orbits.
Paul was first licensed in 1965 as G3TZJ in England. Emigrating to Canada in 1974, he became VE3ICV. His Amateur interests are primarily HF DXing and CW contesting, with outdoor QRP operation in the summer. He also enjoys antenna experimentation.
Paul has been a member of the Ottawa Amateur Radio Club for many years, serving twice as its President, and is a member of Radio Amateurs of Canada.
Professionally, Paul spent 30 years with Nortel Networks, where he held a number of engineering and management positions related to the specification, design, verification and standardization of wireline and wireless products, He took early retirement in 2004 and since then has acted as a consultant in the area of Quality of Service / Quality of Experience of telecommunications networks.
Paul has been active for many years in international Standards Forums and has participated in many meetings of the International Telecommunications Union’s Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T). He is a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and is a registered Professional Engineer.
Going forward, Paul’s main activity in participating in ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) meetings as a RAC Special Advisor will be to monitor proposals, and lobby to protect Canadian and worldwide Amateur Radio interests, in the run-up to WRC-23, the next World Radiocommunication Conference.
Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRARAC President and Chair
Note: For additional information about World Radiocommunication Conferences visit: https://www.rac.ca/wrc/

Alan Griffin
RAC MarCom Director

On March 20, 2020, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont ordered workers at all non-essential business to stay home.

In keeping with the guidelines issued by the CT Department of Economic and Community Development (“DECD”), the ARRL has enabled those employees whose jobs allow them to work from home do so.  Compliance with this executive order may delay some services.  Issuing LoTW certificates will be sporadic at best. 

The LoTW support personnel are working remotely and will answer your e-mail questions.  We ask that you use the online documentation < https://lotw.arrl.org/lotw-help/ > before sending an e-mail to the help desk < LoTW-Help@arrl.org >  LoTW support is by e-mail or help ticket.  Please do not call HQ for LoTW support.

We greatly appreciate your understanding.

73,

Norm Fusaro, W3IZ
Director of Operations

ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio™
225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111-1494 USA

The following was received from the Maritime Historical Society

The Wireless Institute of Australia has cancelled their 2020 Conference. More information can be found at

https://www.wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2020/20200319-1/index.php

The Dayton Hamfest folks are working on refunds for various events that have been cancelled. More information available at

http://www.arrl.org/news/refund-procedures-in-place-for-dayton-hamvention-associated-social-events

March SEA-PAC Email Newsletter

SEA-PAC is still a GO

First of all, thank you for your emails of concern.  As with many others (individuals, private companies, state public health officers, the CDC, the WHO and the Seaside Convention Center), we are watching the COVID-19 status daily.  A cancellation would be extremely serious and is being treated accordingly. At such time as it becomes an imminent threat to the attendees at the convention, or we are directed by a competent authority, we will process a decision.

If we cancel, we will put the information out in a timely manner on a special email newsletter and the website. Convention fees will be refunded.

In the meantime, and with cautious optimism, it is business as usual as we gear up for another successful convention.  I hope to see you all there!

73, Gary, K7GJT, 2020 SEA-PAC Chairman

Flea market tables still available

One and two-day flea market tables are still available. If you sign up through the registration page you’ll be put on the waiting list and contacted by the flea market coordinator to complete your table purchase. Or you can contact the flea market coordinator at fleamarket@seapac.org and get a code to complete your purchase through the SEA-PAC registration page. If you have questions, contact the flea market coordinator, Tom Hill, WA3RMX, at the above address or 503-780-6940.

Volunteers needed

Volunteers are needed for the following areas; Flea Market, Registration, Security, Seminars and Exhibitor Loading. If you can help out, even for an hour or two, send an email to  volunteers@seapac.org or leave a message on the SEA-PAC message line, 503-882-7388. You can also contact the appropriate coordinator directly as listed on the Contact Us page off the SEA-PAC home page, www.seapac.org .

SEA-PAC workshops (Friday, June 5, 2020)

Surviving the Disaster: Topics covered include First Aid and Triage, Food Choices and Preparation, Sanitation and Water Purification, Shelter and Emergency Kits, and Protecting your Gear during a Disaster. The latter topic will include information on Electromagnetic Pulses and other protections.

            DX and Contesting Success: Topics confirmed include Experiences on the other side of the DX at PJ2T, Getting the second hundred after DXCC and Improving your Contest and DX results. Other presenters have been invited and will be announced when confirmed.

            Full Technician Privileges: Topics confirmed include Contesting and Grid Hunting for fun, Changes coming in Technician privileges, How Repeaters work and how to use them effectively, and Signals in Orbit: How to work ham satellites. Other topics forthcoming that will showcase the possibilities with a Technician license.

SEA-PAC seminars are piling up (Saturday-Sunday, June 6-7, 2020)

We have 27 seminars confirmed so far, and more on the way. Topics include; Advanced WinLink, ARRL Forum, Contesting Forum, EMF with 5G, Flex Radio, Using FT8, HF noise mitigation, Intro to SDR, Limited space antennas, Portable operating, Linux-based repeaters, Protect yourself from Malware, Sounds of ham radio, Space weather, Why SWR matters, and a YL Forum. We are still seeking a few more presentations, especially on Sunday morning.  If you have one to offer, email Delvin at seminars@seapac.org.

For more information, see the SEA-PAC website, www.seapac.org .