Central Toronto Amateur Radio Club Newsletter
October 2011
Members and guests of the former Ontario Science Centre Amateur Radio Club (OSCARC) gathered at 19h49 EDT on 2011-10-04 at the Leaside Retirement Residence, 10 William Morgan Drive, Toronto, Ontario for the first meeting of the Central Toronto Amateur Radio Club (CenTor ARC).
Attending:
Peter VE3EYI, John VA3JE, Jeff VE3PRX, Bill VA3WTT, David VE3SB, Ward VE3WGK, Jean VE3WAD, Alex VA3XLO, Jay VE3EMP, Paul VA3PAW, Ori VA3XW, Tim VE3IXN, Dave VA3ETE, Bill VE3RYE, Fai VE3FAI, Cristo Risteski (n/a), Ben Lo (n/a), Richard Bozec (n/a), Ahmed Moussa (n/a) Regrets: Clayton Wozney, Ray VE3UKO, Bill VA3PPC, Gary VE3NMI
Peter VE3EYI asked if the group could agree in principle to ask the Executive and Appointees of the the former OSCARC to fill the same positions at CenTor ARC until September 2012.
President: Peter VE3EYI, Secretary: Jeff VE3PRX, Treasurer: Bill VA3WTT, Chairman: John VA3JE
A Motion to have the former executive and appointees of OSCARC fill the same roles at CenTor ARC was made by Ori XW, seconded by Dave ETE. Agreement was unanimous. Motion carried.
Initial Business:
-The President EYI declared the Club duly formed at 19h52 EDT 04 October 2011.
-He then declared that members in good standing of the former OSCARC were now members in good standing of the CenTor ARC.
-He declared that all funds ($500) and materials transferred by the former OSCARC were now the property of the CenTor ARC.
-He declared that a new Constitution would be drawn up and presented for ratification at the November meeting. A draft version will be circulated to the membership and feedback solicited well in advance.
-He announced that Ori XW would serve as Training Coordinator for the Club’s ham licence course initiative.
-He said that that CenTor ARC would serve as a working name but the official name was Central Toronto Amateur Radio Club.
-After welcoming those present to the CenTor ARC he turned the meeting over to the Chairman.
Reading of the Minutes and Business Arising:
-This being the first meeting there were no pre-existing Minutes.
President’s Report:
-EYI reported that CenTor ARC has been listed in the RAC database of clubs. Also an email account had been set up < va3cta@gmail.com > and the club is on Twitter.
Secretary’s Report:
-Jeff PRX reported that he had wrestled the website servers into submission and www.VA3CTA.net (or .com) was live. The recovery effort dictated that the new website was initially a mirror of www.oscarc.com but OSCARC content will be expeditiously moved to an archive page so CenTor content will be front and center.
Treasurer’s Report:
-Bill WTT acknowledged receipt of the funds ($500) from the former OSCARC.
-He stated that new members who joined the former OSCARC after Jan/2011, or members of the former OSCARC who recently renewed, will be considered to be paid up members of CenTor ARC until Sept/2012.
-If you are not in one of the above categories please get your renewal to the Treasurer as soon as possible. Dues are $10/yr.
Club Station Report:
-Ward WGK announced that he had applied for and received VA3CTA to be used by the club. He displayed the licence and pointed out there was a small typo which he would have corrected by Industry Canada. He also said the QRZ.com listing had been updated. Ward will be custodian of the Club’s radio licence until further notice.
-Peter EYI said that the space offered by LRR is currently used for storage but it would be cleaned out soon so station assembly could begin. Jeff PRX has donated a desk and that there have been offers of equipment from Jay EMP and others.
New Business:
-Ori XW, the club’s training coordinator, said that CenTor ARC would be conducting a ham licence course starting on Oct/19. Instructors will be Jay EMP, David SB, Dean SUG, Bill RYE and John JE with Ori XW administering the final exam. The syllabus will be based on RIC-7 and the items to be covered can be seen at www.emergencyradio.ca/course. Ori has set up a dedicated email address for use by course personnel and students If you know anyone interested in becoming a Ham have them contact <centor.course@gmail.com> as soon as possible for details.
-Peter EYI mentioned that he had received information from the York Region ARC that they will hold their annual Hamfest and Flea market on Nov/05 at the Markham fairgrounds. He will distribute details by email and via the website.
-In response to a question from the floor, Peter EYI presented some insight into the Club’s relationship with LRR and how it is to the mutual advantage of both. He mentioned Revera Living’s philosophy of having a variety of things going on at their Residences which have the potential to engage and inspire people who live there and are available for them to participate in. He talked briefly about LRR’s generosity in offering the Club an unused apartment to use for a radio shack, some of the plans we have for making it useable and how the club can increase our value to the community. He made special reference to Amanda Gordon, and her successor Anne Howatt, Life Style Consultants with Revera, for their energetic efforts in getting CenTor settled into its new home at LRR.
-Paul PAW brought a new 70cm repeater to our attention, VA3XPR on 441.950, + split, p/l 100.0. It is located on one of the building in the St Jamestown complex. http://www.eham.net/articles/26913
-Jay EMP provided a prototype sample of a very nice name badge. Due to time constraints a full discussion was deferred to the November meeting.
-Peter EYI has heard from Neil VE3NGS/ZL1NZ, past-president of OSCARC. Check out his website here http://radio1nz.com/amateur-radio-station-zl1nz/ and his local ham club’s page here http://www.nzart.org.nz/assets/branches/sarc/index.htm . Try not to drool.
-John JE talked about the ARRL’s Spectrum Defense initiative. The bandwidth we Hams occupy is valuable. We need to be vigilant to encroachment. Unless we use it, we will lose it. http://www.arrl.org/spectrum-defense-matters-newsletter
Member’s On-air Activity:
-Ori VA3XW reported big openings on 15m and 10m in recent weeks. Guam, Australia, NZ have been heard with some regularity.
-David SB (our contest specialist) participated in the California QSO Party and doubled his score from last year.
-Paul Va3PAW (one of our newest Hams) made about 18 contacts during the QSO Party
-Peter EYI worked CO5 CO8, KD7, KP3, XE1 on 10m while mobile on a recent trip to Ottawa.
Milestones:
Ward WGK celebrates 23 years w/ FedEx.
Future Presentations:
The Chairman is always open to suggestions for, or offers to give, a presentation at a meeting. Contact John JE in either case.
Break called for refreshments and eyeball QSOs from 20:50 – 21:21
Thanks to Jean WAD for the cookies and LRR for providing coffee.
Presentation:
In lieu of a formal presentation several members reminisced about what they found difficult, or not so, on the road to their first licence. Contributors included Ori VA3XW, David SB, Paul VA3PAW, Alex VA3XLO, John VA3JE.
Motion to adjourn at 21:53 EDT made by Jay EMP, seconded by Ward WGK. Carried.
The Club meets at 1930 local on the first Tuesday of the month, unless it is a holiday, in which case the second Tuesday. Check in with Front Desk at Leaside Retirement Residence, 10 William Morgan Drive, in Leaside. Turn North off Overlea Blvd, West of Don Mills Rd. Parking on the West side of the building. Monitor VE3TWR 145.410/r on the drive in. Visitors are welcome.
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Floobie Dust: (A term first coined in the 1976 National Semiconductor Audio Handbook, defined as “a contemporary term derived from archaic Latin miscellaneus, whose disputed history probably springs from Greek origins (influenced, of course, by Egyptian linguists) — meaning here “a mixed bag.” )
Check these out:
http://www.kwarc.org/swapshop/ . From David VE3SB
http://www.ontars.com/marketplace/index.html From Gary VE3TGH
http://www.wa3key.com/collins.html Drool.
http://www.marcradio.org/ Huge list of Radio Amateur magazines, lower right
http://www.cbc.radio-canada.ca/history/ 75 years on the air.
http://www.w8zr.net/vintage/index.htm Old radio nostalgia.
http://www.rac.ca/cdn_clubs/region_ontario_south.htm (reference)