#4 FEED BACK
GREY-BRUCE-HURON RADIO CLUB NEWS
Editor Bill VE3EFX
FEBRUARY 1974
Executive
President Jim Vamplew VE3CRV
Vice Pres. Dick Shave VE3BIS
Sec.Treas. Jack Avis VE3DTS
The January meeting was blessed with good driving conditions so we had 19 members and guests in attendance when the meeting got under way at 8pm. The seven guests all joined the club so the total membership now stands at 49. Welcome to Fred VE3WF,and the following list of budding amateurs, Dick Stegehuis, Ian Trenholm, Norm Biggar, Les Barnard, John Cotterell, and Tess Hardie.
Jack VE3DTS says that we have $50 in the bank and $32.21 in petty cash, so the club is in good shape financially. We are officially affiliated to the R.S.O. having received the good word by mail just prior to the meeting.
While on the subject of mail, I will be mailing this issue of FEEDBACK by first class mail so if any delays are noted I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know about it right away and Iwill get on to it immediately. At the end of this issue will be copies of my latest round of correspondence with the postal Authorities in relation to the poor service in this region.
In future issues of the newsletter I would like to feature an article by our licensed members titled "How I Got Into Ham Radio". It doesn't need to be a long story, just a brief outline of what roused your interest in the first place, what gear you have used ,and what facets of the hobby appeal to you most. We have Old TIMERS, and others who have not been in "HAM RADIO" very long so let's hear your story, I'm sure it will make interesting reading, and at the same time help me to produce a newsletter that has content other than my thoughts and views.
CLUB CONSTITUTI0N: As the constitution is an important matter that requires careful consideration and much deliberation on the contents thereof,it was decided to form a committee which would be responsible for drafting a constitution. The committee consists of Harvey Smith who will present his draft to the club at the next meeting.
The G.B.A.R.C. Net meets every Sunday on 3.783 Mhz at 14:30Z or 09:30 E.S.T.
The Owen Sound repeater 34/94 has been assigned the call VE3OSR by the D.O.C.
FIELD DAY: The club will be running a FIELD DAY station during the A.R.R.L. sponsored Field Day weekend in June. Bill VE3EFX was railroaded into the job of organizing the operation so, those who wish to take part should inform me of their availability and what part they would like to play in the operation.
We will decide how many stations to put on after we get a list of operators and equipment. The location has also to be decided upon but this can be done later on . I intend to make a W3DZZ type trap-dipole so that we will have a multiband antenna ready for use in an emergency situation and it can be given a workout on Field Day.
The first decision is whether to try to win the contest or to just go out to a pleasant location, operate the station, and have a good time. Bring along your thoughts on the matter to the meetings or let's hear from you on the Sunday morning net.
While on the subject of emergency communications, the E.M.0. would like to have information on those who are available so please get the following details in to Jack3 VE3DTS, as soon as possible.
NAME, CALL, TEL.NO.(HOME&BUSINESS) ADDRESS, EQUIPMENT /p /m and the bands you can operate.
Jack will get all the information in to the E .M.0. at the earliest opportunity in order to show Mr. Rankin that we are able to get ourselves organized with the minimum of delay. It might be a good idea if those who have had experience in operating under emergency conditions would indicate this in their letter to Jack.
VE3EFX has received the fourth certificate from Cape Kennedy for contacting WB4ICJ on the day of a skylab crew launch. This gives me the full set for the Skylab project and it looks as if the next chance to qualify for one of these awards will be when the joint U .5. Soviet manned space flight takes place next year. Did anyone else make contact with the Space Centre on Nov. 16th?
While on the subject of special stations, a QSL just came in from KH4NCA for a contact on Dec.l7th. the seventieth anniversary of powered flight by the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. This was the first KH4 prefix ever issued so the prefix hunters were keen to catch him.
If you hear stations signing with a VX prefix they are located in Newfoundland and the significance of the special call is to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of that provinces entry into confederation.
The slow code schedule for those taking the amateur radio course is as follows
VE3EFX 8p.m.Mon. & Wed. on 3.700 Mhz
VE3BSF 8p.m. Thurs on 3.700Mhz
VE3BIB 8p.m.Fri. on 3.700Mhz and 9a.m. Sun. on3.783Uhz
Hopefully this will give the beginners sufficient practice to get their speed up to ten w.p.m. but they should be copying WIAW and the novice stations as well. Receivers at a reasonable price are urgently needed by some of the students so if anyone has an old set that they don't need, contact VE3CRV so that he can get it to somebody who can use it.
By the time this reaches you Cy VE3DQA will be well on the way to recovery after his operation and our wishes for a speedy; 'recuperation from all the G.B.A.R.C. members are passed along to him. Hope to hear you on TWO soon Cy.
Now that we have a number of people in the club who are trying to get an Amateur License I hope to be able to put something of interest into the future issues of FEEDBACK for the beginners. Above is the circuit of a simple code oscillator, that can be built quickly and cheaply. Layout is not critical and if a pot isn't available you can put in a resistor that gives a tone to suit your ear. Battery drain is negligible so two C cells in series will last for years with normal use. One word of caution though, do not try sending code until you can copy about 5W.P.M. as by then you will know what the characters should sound like and won't get into bad habits.
For the information of those with general coverage receivers who want to check the calibration, look for WWV on 2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20Mhz. This station gives the time every minute with voice announcements. If you use a HAM band only receiver you can hear CHU on 7.335 Mhz. It also gives the time each minute in English and French.
Another amateur has arrived in the area and will be active as soon as his gear arrives and he gets settled into his new QTH. He is Charles Noakes G3UHR, and I first met him a few years ago when he was signing G3Uhr/VO2. I hope to bring him along to the club meeting so if you haven't worked any DX lately here is your chance to have an eyeball QSO.
The next meeting of the club will be on FEBRUARY 13th at 7.30 p.m. in the C.I.A.G. Computer Bldg. This is a Wednesday.
CORRECTION: The frequency of the ONTARIO PHONE NET was given incorrectly last month as 3.700 Mhz. It should have been 3.770 Mhz and it meets seven nights a week at 7 p.m.
Club members who took part in the SET over the weekend of January 27th and 28th should let me know of their activities in time for the March "Feedback"
Stations in the Brantford area are using the prefix CF3 to celebrate the l00th anniversary of Alexander Graham Bell's telephone coming into use. Work any three of these stations, send log information with 50 cents to Box 756, Brantford for the special certificate.
Have you got a self addressed stamped envelope in the QSL bureau? The QRA is; Mr R. Buckley VE3UW, 20 ALMONT Rd. DOWNSVIEW, ONT.
I have not been able to come up with an up-to-date list of repeaters yet but as soon as I can get one I plan to print it in "Feedback".
The weekly club net on Sunday morning is not being patronized by at least two thirds of the licensed members. The purpose of the net is to keep those who are not able to attend meetings, in touch with club activities and to allow them the opportunity to take part. Oddly , those who check in to the net are mostly the same ones who come to the meetings.
The response to our request for information from each member about his R.S.O. and A.R.R.L. membership is to date something less than overwhelming, even though I included a ready typed, handy form that requires the least effort and thought to complete. I ought to have mentioned on the form that $25 would be paid to the guy who got his reply in to Jack first and this would no doubt have produced the desired reaction. The good word is "Get forms in now" and make life a bit easier for your Secy./Treas. If you are tootired to fill it in or too tight to buy a stamp , call in to the net and tell Jack on Sunday morning, 9.30am. on 3.783 Mcs."