Good work by amateur radio operators on both Vancouver Island and the lower Mainland when a call came to the assist of a ham on central Vancouver Island. The ham had been travelling behind Horne Lake when the vehicle slid off the road. Using the Island Trunk system a call for assistance went out. The RCMP attended and assisted those who had slid off the road. Good work by all involved.
W1AW Will Activate for Winter Field Day 2020
The ARRL has announced that W1AW will activate for Winter Field Day 2020. More information at
http://www.arrl.org/news/w1aw-to-be-on-the-air-for-winter-field-day
2020 Winter Field Day January 25/26
The 2020 Winter Field Day will be held on the weekend of January 26. For all the information you need go to
HB9HI Special Event Station until Jan 31 2020.
A special event station will be on the air until the end of the month celebrating Youth Olympics in Switzerland. More information can be found at
2020 EDITION OF BC QSO PARTY Feb 1 and Feb 2 2020.
British Columbia QSO Party 2020
presented by the Orca DX and Contest Club
Date/Time: 1600z Feb 1 to 0359z Feb 2 AND 1600z to 2359z Feb 2 (That’s Feb 1, local time, 8am to 8pm PST AND Feb 2, local time, 8am to 4pm PST)
Band conditions remain challenging, particularly from the perspective of operators in the Pacific Northwest, but that doesn’t mean QSOs are impossible. It just means we have to refine our operating strategies.
Objectives: BC stations contact anyone anywhere. (BC stations can contact other BC stations,stations in the U.S., stations in other provinces/territories of Canada, and stations in other countries.)
Stations outside BC have to contact VE7/VA7s.
Exchange: BC stations give a three-letter code representing the federal electoral district in BC + RS(T) Confirm district at elections.ca/home.aspx and use the multiplier list (see URL below) to determine the corresponding three-letter code for BCQP.
Stations outside BC give province/state/”DX”
*In BCQP, Hawaii and Alaska are not considered DX. Stations in KH6 and KL7 will give “HI” and “AK”, respectively. Stations outside the U.S. and Canada will give “DX”.
There is NO OTHER EVENT like BCQP for BC operators. The potential for a tangible award is super high for BC stations.
Top scores in every class of entry receive a one-of-a-kind certificate showcasing beautiful BC — different photo every year taken especially for this event. In addition, top scores in each federal electoral district — the multipliers in BCQP — are awarded one-of-a-kind certificates, too. Very few contests hand out photo-based certificates and NO OTHER REGULAR ON-AIR EVENT uses a different photo each year. Collectible! Shack-worthy!
Follow links at http://orcadxcc.org/bcqp.html for rules, multiplier list, FAQs, in-depth event analysis/reports and scores from past years, and examples of photo certificates and plaques.
Note that BCQP runs in two segments: 12 hours on Saturday and eight hours on Sunday. The segments are NOT split by mode. Operate PH, CW and/or digital as you wish, on one day or both during the designated blocks of time. Everyone can work all 20 hours of the contest or a few hours on Saturday and a few hours on Sunday, or just Saturday or just Sunday. Completely up to each person. There is no required off-time, but there can be NO activity during the gap between the 12-hour block on Saturday and the eight-hour block on Sunday.
If you have questions, I am, as always, just an email — use my callsign @ rac.ca — away.
GL and 73!
Rebecca VA7BEC
BCQP Contest Coordinator
US Amateurs Deploy to Puerto Rico January 2020
In the light of events caused by the recent earthquake in Puerto Rico several US amateurs have been deployed to assist the Red Cross. More information at
http://www.arrl.org/news/puerto-rico-volunteers-deployed-to-red-cross-arrl-sending-equipment
Ireland Now Has A 60 MHz Beacon
EI1KNH is now on the air as a 60 MHz beacon from Ireland.The press release can be found at
http://www.arrl.org/news/new-60-mhz-beacon-now-on-the-air-from-ireland
Aussie Hams on Alert Due to Fires
Australia’s hams have been asked to be extra vigilant due to communications failures caused by the bush fires. Find out more at
W1AW 2020 WINTER SCHEDULE
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 1 ARLB001
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT January 2, 2020
To all radio amateurs
SB QST ARL ARLB001
ARLB001 W1AW 2020 Winter Operating Schedule
Morning Schedule:
Time Mode Days
——————- —- ———
1400 UTC (9 AM EST) CWs Wed, Fri
1400 UTC (9 AM EST) CWf Tue, Thu
Daily Visitor Operating Hours:
1500 UTC to 1700 UTC – (10 AM to 12 PM EST)
1800 UTC to 2045 UTC – (1 PM to 3:45 PM EST)
(Station closed 1700 to 1800 UTC (12 PM to 1 PM EST))
Afternoon/Evening Schedule:
2100 UTC (4 PM EST) CWf Mon, Wed, Fri
2100 ” ” CWs Tue, Thu
2200 ” (5 PM EST) CWb Daily
2300 ” (6 PM EST) DIGITAL Daily
0000 ” (7 PM EST) CWs Mon, Wed, Fri
0000 ” ” CWf Tue, Thu
0100 ” (8 PM EST) CWb Daily
0200 ” (9 PM EST) DIGITAL Daily
0245 ” (9:45 PM EST) VOICE Daily
0300 ” (10 PM EST) CWf Mon, Wed, Fri
0300 ” ” CWs Tue, Thu
0400 ” (11 PM EST) CWb Daily
Frequencies (MHz)
—————–
CW: 1.8025 3.5815 7.0475 14.0475 18.0975 21.0675 28.0675 50.350 147.555
DIGITAL: – 3.5975 7.095 14.095 18.1025 21.095 28.095 50.350 147.555
VOICE: 1.855 3.990 7.290 14.290 18.160 21.390 28.590 50.350 147.555
Notes:
CWs = Morse Code practice (slow) = 5, 7.5, 10, 13 and 15 WPM
CWf = Morse Code practice (fast) = 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 13 and 10 WPM
CWb = Morse Code Bulletins = 18 WPM
CW frequencies include code practices, Qualifying Runs and CW
bulletins.
DIGITAL = BAUDOT (45.45 baud), BPSK31 and MFSK16 in a revolving
schedule.
Code practice texts are from QST, and the source of each practice is
given at the beginning of each practice and at the beginning of
alternate speeds.
On Tuesdays and Fridays at 2330 UTC (6:30 PM EST), Keplerian
Elements for active amateur satellites are sent on the regular
digital frequencies.
A DX bulletin replaces or is added to the regular bulletins between
0100 UTC (8 PM EST) Thursdays and 0100 UTC (8 PM EST) Fridays.
Audio from W1AW’s CW code practices, CW/digital bulletins and phone
bulletin is available using EchoLink via the W1AW Conference Server
named “W1AWBDCT.” The monthly W1AW Qualifying Runs are presented
here as well. The audio is sent in real-time and runs concurrently
with W1AW’s regular transmission schedule.
All users who connect to the conference server are muted. Please
note that any questions or comments about this server should not be
sent via the “Text” window in EchoLink. Please direct any questions
or comments to w1aw@arrl.org .
In a communications emergency, monitor W1AW for special bulletins as
follows: Voice on the hour, Digital at 15 minutes past the hour, and
CW on the half hour.
All licensed amateurs may operate the station from 1500 UTC to 1700
UTC (10 AM to 12 PM EST), and then from 1800 UTC to 2045 UTC (1 PM
to 3:45 PM EST) Monday through Friday. Be sure to bring your
current FCC amateur radio license or a photocopy.
The W1AW Operating Schedule may also be found on page 91 in the
January 2020 issue of QST or on the web at,
http://www.arrl.org/w1aw-operating-schedule .
NNNN
An Interesting Story of How Ham Radio Made An Impression
This is an interesting story covering over twenty plus years. Times may not have changed as much as we thought
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/ham-radio-operators-hamilton-1.5408797