The meeting was held in the Kanata Room at Sobey’s in Kanata.

The following members and guests were present:

Name Call Sign Position
David Conn VE3KL  
Al Penney VO1NO Guest
Shelley Jones Penney VE1NOS Guest
John Christensen VE3IAO  
Doug Leach VE3XK  
Tom Zinck VA3NFA President
Rick Bandla VE3CVG V.P. / Webmaster
Brad Smith VE3BSM  
Dean Denter VA3CDD  
Kieran Shepherd VA3KS  
Harold Hamilton VA3UNK  
Graham Ide VE3BYT Secretary

Ken Asmus, VA3KA, Treasurer, was absent.

Introductions were made around the table.

Tom showed photographs of his setup and locations from his successful Rover activities in the VHF/UHF contest in September. This was a great job by Tom and Brad, with lots of contacts. They drove 460 km and had 185 QSOs - around 14,000 points, on six bands in six grids. Tom plans to repeat the Rover effort again in June 2006, with some improvements to antenna mounting methods.

Dean is considering operating in Algonquin Park, FN05, in the June 2006 contest.

Rick reported that there have been lots of hits on the WCARC web site. Rick is searching for transverters for all the bands for which beacons will be aired - 144, 430 and on up to violet light. Rick’s plan is to feed all transverters from a common 28 MHz IF driver, and at the same time.

Rick showed the ATV downconverter that he and Ken, VA3KA, have built to receive VE3TVA on 914 MHz. These are the North Country Rx converter DCNV900, about $80C for the kit.

Doug noted that SSB Electronics offers a 900 MHz LNA with TR switching. Doug was able to receive good signals from VE3TVA with only some sparkle at his QTH in the western boonies.

When a number of stations are able to work through VE3TVA, it will be an asset for local Emergency/ARES activities.

Brad reported on APRS matters. He has acquired an MFJ TNC from Jeff, gratis. Jeff downloaded the utilities for operation on the 144.390 MHz network. Sean has a receiver for about $40 that will be installed in a rack at a site on Prince of Wales Drive. Another ROM has been burned and installed in VE3DVQ at Lavant - it’s working well.

Brad will possibly fix VE3UEZ near Kingston as well. This needs a new TNC.

Doug will approach Phil, VE3CIQ, about the possibility of mounting the 903 MHz beacon on Prince of Wales. (Note: Doug has spoken to Phil. This can be done. The antenna can be mounted on a second tower that is not used for commercial clients.) This should be a great site.

The 903 MHz Skew-Planar Wheel antenna for the 903 beacon was returned to Graham for refurbishing. This antenna, after a short period of installation on the Lee Valley Tools building, was suffering from corrosion and crud, and an element was broken. Graham will construct a new beacon antenna that will be better protected against the elements of nature, whatever kind they might be.

Rick reported that four stations are capable now on weak signal work on 903 MHz. Four Transverter kits remain to be completed.

Al Penney is active in the VHF/UHF contests. He will be on 1296 MHz with an FT857 and Transverter.

An active discussion took place presenting differing points of view on Helical Antennas - design, gain, and the relative merits of the Kraus, Cebik and Emerson models. This was followed by opinions as to the optimum spacing for stacking of antennas - over antennas in the same band, and in different bands.

A stimulating time was had by all present.

The next meeting will be on November 1, 2005.

Graham Ide VE3BYT
Secretary.