From June 9th to 12th, the West Carleton Amateur Radio Club will once again participate in the ARRL June VHF contest. This will be our 14th year competing as a multi-operator station (VE3WCC). We’ll be operating from the Kinburn Community Centre, which is located West of Ottawa, between Carp and Arnprior.

Helping with setup of the station is a great opportunity for beginners to get experience setting up a station. You’ll learn how to assemble antennas, towers, rotors, coax, radios, and logging software.

Although we have scored very well in past years, this isn’t our primary focus. More importantly, we want to have fun and encourage our members and visitors to try operating VHF and above. We encourage you to come visit the station and try your hand at operating, even if it’s only for a short time. VHF contests have a much more relaxed pace than HF contests, so anyone should be able to participate. No contesting experience is required.

We’ll be active on all bands from 50 MHz through to 24 GHz. Please contact us during the contest if you’re able to do so, whether from your home station or as a rover. Every contact makes the contest more interesting and helps us increase our score.

More information about the contest can be found below.

What?

The ARRL June VHF Contest: https://www.arrl.org/june-vhf

Where?

Kinburn Community Centre, 3045 Kinburn Side Road, Kinburn, ON
Maidenhead grid square FN15vj

When?

Outdoor setup (towers, rotators, antennas, coax) will begin on Friday morning (June 10) around 09:00. We’ll have access to the inside of the community centre starting around noon. Final setup will take place on Saturday morning. The contest begins at 14:00 (local) on Saturday (June 11) and continues until 23:00 (local) on Sunday (June 12). We’ll dismantle the station on Monday morning (June 13) from about 09:00 to 12:00.

What to bring?

  • Work boots and work gloves, if you’ll be helping with tower setup or teardown
  • A smartphone, tablet or laptop (to make 2.4 GHz microwave contacts over WiFi during your visit)
  • A transmit-capable SDR (e.g. HackRF, BladeRF, LimeSDR), if you have one
  • A Ramsey laser kit, if you have one
  • A handy-talkie to make FM contacts with the station
  • Food and drinks for yourself

Contact information:

Bert Zauhar (VE2ZAZ)
Email: ve2zaz@myrac.ca