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

The following members were present:

Name Call Sign Position
Tom Zinck VA3NFA President
Rick Bandla VE3CVG V.P. / Webmaster
Steve Attfield VA3SAX  
Harold Hamilton VA3UNK  
John Christensen VE3IAO  
Brad Smith VE3BSM  
Barney Baker VA3BGB  
Graham Ide VE3BYT Secretary

Tom, VA3NFA, greeted everyone. There were no visitors at the meeting.

Rick, VE3CVG, reported that the web site is up to date - with the minutes. He and Ken, VA3KA, are waiting to hear about the requested grant to support the D-STAR project. They have a number of radios converted for the 902 MHz band, two receivers for the repeaters. Rick has a repeater controller on hand.

The 903 MHz beacon is functioning, apparently with a gain antenna pointed somewhere towards the south.

Rick mentioned an MFJ base station antenna for around $100 that has 4.5 dB gain on 2m, around 8 dB on 440 MHz, and about 12 dB on 1290 MHz. This is the MFJ-1532N, 5.5 feet long. (Note also the MFJ-1538 - 4 bands; 2+ dB on 6m, 6+ dB on 144, 7+ dB on 222, and 8+ dB on 440 - 8 feet long - $120US.)

Ken, VA3KA, was not at the meeting but reported a respectable bank balance, $70 received from donations and sales at the fleamarket at Carp, and a membership of 30 - a record (recently, anyway).

Tom reported that he had lots of fun with his Rover in the last VHF/UHF contest. He had 12 contacts on 903 MHz, and worked 4 grids on 10 GHz - total score around 8200 points. Tom is looking for a better location in FN24.

Rick showed his 1-watt transmitter for 10m - home brew. Very neat.

Rick showed as well a 50 mW transmitter and receiver for ATV. These are frequency programmable in the 1.2 GHz band.

Tom demonstrated his flashing oscillator working in the mid-Terahertz range (red). Tom showed too his 200 mW transmitter on 144 MHz, for use as a FOX.

Rick and Ken will be constructing transverters for narrowband work on 10 GHz. These will be DEMI, 3 watts output. Anyone interested can get in on the order for delivery in January. Cost will be in the $500 range.

Graham, VE3BYT, noted that the Saint Lawrence Valley Repeater Council will be having its fall meeting in Brockville on November 4th. The club will try to have a representative on hand to report on the WCARC repeater and beacon projects.

The next meeting will be on November 7, 2006. Al, VO1NO, will report on his experiences on the DXpedition to the Magdalen Islands.

The December meeting will feature the elections for officers, a party and a door prize or two.

Graham Ide VE3BYT
Secretary.