Hi Everyone:
The meeting tonight is at Tsawwassen. Keep in mind next week is the AGM meeting. All positions (except for 2 directors) will be voted upon. Were always looking for new blood and ideas to move DARS along. Don’t be shy, throw your name in the hat. Any questions about the positions ask away tonight or next week.
See you tonight at 7
Gord

Hi Everyone:
The meeting tonight is at North Delta. We have a speaker tonight. Adam Farson is with us and his topic is German WW2 ECM. We have the large meeting room tonight.
Keep in mind the AGM meeting is coming close and election of most positions will be voted on. Interested in running? Feel free to ask John, Tom or myself what’s involved. Always good to get new blood into the group.
Keep in mind #2 that this weekend is the BCQP party. Get on the air and make some noise and don’t forget to submit a log.
Hope to see you all there at 7.
Gord

Hello BC amateur radio clubs,

First, I’d like to thank so many of you for spreading the word about BCQP 2015 to club members and helping to keep event profile high. I hope everyone who plans to get on the air remembers that the event is coming up very soon: 1600z Feb 7 to 0400z Feb 8. (8am to 8pm local time, Feb 7)

BCQP has acquired worldwide exposure. Capitalize on this! Call CQ!

BCQP appears on contest calendars and is included in radio-related bulletins, newsletters and news feeds with a national and global reach, so the profile is high. Q potential is therefore HUGE for BC stations, especially if operators call CQ. And listen in all directions because other stations in BC as well as beyond our borders — Japan, Europe, South America and of course the U.S. — will be looking for BC callsigns.

In the past few years, BCQP has attracted deeper participation in BC, with more operators getting on the air and staying in the chair. As a result, there has been sustained interest from the rest of Canada and beyond, and even a bit of friendly competition to capture one of the plaques available to stations outside BC.

In addition, we can all take advantage of the on-air activity generated by coinciding QSO parties in Minnesota, Vermont and Delaware, as well as the 10-10 Winter SSB contest and the Freeze Your Butt Off Field Day in Arizona. Trading Qs with stations in the host states not only builds bigger logs, reciprocally, but also keeps the bands buzzing, which creates more Q potential.

Resources

There are lots of resources on the BCQP section of the Orca DXCC website, including examples of how to trade Qs, an at-a-glance summary of same-day events and respective exchanges (good if anyone is planning to try trading Qs) and a multi-party log sheet, as well multiplier lists. For rules and tools — like multiplier lists and helpful hints — and background info, visit http://orcadxcc.org/bcqp.html

Tangible Rewards

This year, eight plaques are being sponsored. The ones applicable to BC stations are Top BC, Top YL, Most Federal Electoral Districts Worked, Top Rookie and Top Mixed Mode (new). Note: In the rookie category, it will be essential that rookies specify their status in the email sent with log submission or in the soapbox section of the log.

Additionally, top scores by stations in BC in all entry classes are eligible for photo-based certificates. Different every year and thus collectible!

Logging Software

With regard to logging software, BCQP is fully supported by N1MM logging software as well as CQ/X GPS-enabled software for mobile contesting and QSO party software by N3FJP. Other programs have generic QSO party options, but all software really needs the computer and radio to be interfaced to work as intended. So if that is not an option, paper logs are OK. No one should worry about logging software — or lack of it. Each operator can use whatever logging method works for him/her. And if the program used doesn’t generate an accurate score, no worries. The log-checking team at Orca DXCC will make sure everyone gets the points s/he is entitled to.

Suggested Frequencies

Beginning this year, we have alternate suggested frequencies for 80M, 40M and 20M—the NA Sprint bands—between 0000z and 0400z so that BCQP participants keen for CW QSOs can continue above the mayhem of the Sprint. These frequencies are quite high up in the respective bands, encroaching, at least on 40m, on a center of activity for PSK. So be aware and be courteous, and use the suggested frequencies as a guide and not a requirement.
RTTY and other digital modes… hover around the customary frequencies by mode.
See the recommended frequencies for PH and CW on the BCQP homepage.

If anyone has any questions about BCQP, there’s still time to ask. Email me at va7bec@rac.ca va7bec@rac.ca> .

Hope to give out lots of VA7ODX bonus points to stations near and far.

73 es GL
Rebecca VA7BEC
Orca DXCC, BCQP Contest Coordinator

Hi everyone:
The meeting tonight is at North Delta. We will keep it on the social side tonight. See you at 7
Gord

Anyone interested contact Dave directly. His email address is in his note

>
> Gord,
> I am placing a small order for more crimp connectors.
> Can you please do an email blast.
> It is short notice but if people are interested and get back to me by Wednesday noon I can increase the quantity to suit demand. They will be less that $6.00 per connector.
> Email me at ve7pke@gmail.com ve7pke@gmail.com>
>
> Thanks
> Dave
>

Hi Everyone:
The meeting tonight is at North Delta. We will spend some time making sure are i’s are dotted and t’s crossed on the library event this Sunday. Don, VE7DDG sent me an email about spotting the call sign so we can discuss that also. I sent out an email yesterday to all people who replied to my email around Christmas time confirming they were coming on Sunday. If you didn’t receive it please let me know. We have had several people use the call sign since Jan 1 but there is still time for others to get involved. Check the calendar on the website to see what is available and use Chris’s handy form to sign up for an hour(s) or a day(s). We will see you there at 7 tonight.
Gord

From VA7TU via VE7DID

Folks: The 2015 Communications Academy will be held this year over the
weekend of April 11th & 12th, again at South Seattle College. You’re
the contact person for a number of hams who may be interested in
attending CommAcademy and I hope that you’ll let them know.
Registration will open online in February for early bird specials.

I hope that you’ll save the date and plan to join us for an array of
presentations on all things emergency communications. Thanks for your
help in getting the word out – we anticipate another great conference in
2015!

My best,
Alan Jones, KD7KUS
17629 NE 138th St
Redmond, WA 98052-1226
Home: (425) 883-0405
Cell: (425) 736-4697

Hi Everyone:

Plans are falling in place for our special event station VC7SJAM for the month of January 2015. Checking QRZ.COM you will find the call sign listed with a brief description of the event. The QSL card has now been uploaded to globablqsl.com and awaits our logs in January. If you haven’t seen the webpage yet Chris has put a picture of the old radio display at the library. http://deltaamateurradio.com/sjam/?page_id=107

Our technical team (Tom and Dave PKE) have assessed both Mackie and Pioneer libraries and they have a plan of attack to place the antennas and run coax from the inside to outside. The libraries will even have birthday cake for us on the 11th. For those of you who left your names a couple of months ago willing to help out on the 11th look for an email coming shortly explaining everything.

What we are really in need now is for club members to sign up to take the VC7SJAM call sign for a period of time during the month of January. This can be for as little as an hour or for as long as you wish. It can be HF (any band and mode you desire on eligible bands) or VHF/UHF on simplex, or our repeaters and using echolink or DSTAR. The North Delta building is there for your use if you don’t have home equipment available to you. We can find an Elmer to help you with the equipment if you so desire. What a great time to learn!

It’s easy to sign up for a block(s) of time. Check the calendar on the website: http://deltaamateurradio.com/sjam/?page_id=19
The sign up process is just below the calendar and is very easy. Chris will be taking a Christmas vacation starting in a few days. He would like to get as many people logged into the system before he leaves as possible. He’s not sure what kind or access he will have to do updates once he leaves. If you have a time in mind please book now while Chris has the chance to log it into the system.

Potential is there for DARS to really promote ourselves and the hobby. Don’t hesitate please get involved in some small way.

Gord

Delta Libraries have installed a display of old radio communications equipment with the help of members of Delta Amateur Radio Society. The displays can be seen in the Ladner Pioneer or the George Mackie libraries for the next 30 days until January 11th.

Hi Everyone:

Jeanne will be putting in the food order this Thursday for the Christmas party. If you haven’t already let her know your coming and are planning to come please email her at: jdwil@telus.net and if your bringing a spouse/partner or friend.
Remember Wednesday night is the cutoff.

Congratulations to the 17 radio amateurs who wrote today’s advance exam – all passed and 3 achieved 100% on the test!

We had 16 students take the advanced course and 15 wrote the final exam, all of which passed with one student from the course achieving 100%. Plus, we had 2 extra folks from Vector who challenged the exam without taking the course. Of note, both from Vector were in the number receiving 100%. Also of other interest, we had several from the RCMP that took the course.

Don Middleton, VA7IQ and our lead instructor wrote:

I’d like to take a moment to congratulate all of our Advanced course graduates. The DARS course team are all delighted that everyone taking the course, and writing the exam, achieved a great mark and were successful in passing the exam.

As Darrel has indicated, your new credentials will be loaded later today, and in the next few weeks you should all expect to receive an updated certificate from Industry Canada as written confirmation. Naturally, it takes just a short while for your Advanced credential to be reflected on the call-sign database.

Our course participants have come from a wide variety of backgrounds and communities in Greater Vancouver. We encourage you all, wherever you live, to engage with your local amateur radio community as a way of building relationships, learning together, and serving others as a way of giving back.

There is a lot to do in amateur radio, and we trust that you will find great enjoyment, as well as opportunity to support your own communities.

All the best to each and everyone!   And if we don’t meet again this year, Merry Christmas!!

73, Don and the team