Friday, 9 June 2023
Rotten Band Conditions...
Wednesday, 7 June 2023
Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour...UPDATED
Next weekend, June 10th & 11th, is the 50th running of the Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour, and the 15th year the Frontenac Radio Group has provided communications support for the event.
We do have the threat of rain on us this weekend. It's only a 40% chance, but it's not a thing we need or want. The last time we got hit with cold rain was 11 years ago, that year 60% of the riders went down with hypothermia with the tour being abandoned half way, and riders evacuated by bus back to Ottawa.
There are only 1300 riders registered this year, the numbers being reduced from the more normal 2100 due to covid concerns.
For those hams who regularly use the VE3FRG C4FM repeater here in Kingston, please note it will be out of service next weekend and reserved for the Bike Tour traffic only. If you need a repeater please use the VE3KBR repeater on 146.940- with a 151.4 tone.
As of yesterday, June 6th we are under an air quality watch due to forest fires in Ontario and Quebec. We, here in Kingston, are in the worst of the smoke and as a result our air quality is the worst. I'm actually hoping they cancel the tour as I don't think it's safe....but the decision to go / no go, will be made tomorrow.
Here's the air quality map:
Stay Safe Out There !!
Sunday, 4 June 2023
POTA Sunday...
It was a fast activation this morning after spending all day yesterday playing radio or doing radio "things". The bands had changed since yesterday afternoon, and 40m was not much good at all.
Todays propagation was: SFI=165, SN=96, A Index=5, and the K Index=2.
I activated Parrotts Bay, VE-5142. Unfortunately the place was full with about 50 people having large family gathering and picnic, and the place was overrun with small screaming children running all over the place with no adult supervision. Not a good place for ground radials!The radio for a change was my FT-817ND with my hamstick antennas. I started on 40m and it was very short, and I managed to put four of my usual customers in the log and then the band got very noisy and just disappeared. I looked at the other bands, 20m was very busy and I couldn't find a free frequency to start calling on. So I decided to move to 15m, and was lucky enough to get another eleven in the log before that band died as well. By this time I was tired of the constant screaming of the children and decided to pack up and go home. To be honest I found it strange that 15m was that busy, normally it's dead.
Here's today's contact map:
Smiths Falls...
So what made it so good? Well, meeting with friends from Ottawa and Smiths Falls, a good social lunch, and an afternoon of POTA beside the Rideau Canal National Historical Site made up for the disappointment of the flea market.
Eric VE3DN, Ranson VE3RCD, Don VE3MNE, and I went to Matti O'Shea's Irish Pub for lunch. It was the first time we had been there, other than Ranson who recommended the place. The food was great and the locally brewed beer was excellent. I'm sure we'll be back next year.
After lunch we all headed back to Lower Reach Park, which is along the Rideau Canal, VE-4882, and active it for a few hours. The weather was superb, we couldn't have asked for better. I managed to activate the park on 40m with 15 contacts, including 9 P2P's. Don spent his time hunting and made several good contacts. Ranson activated with his digital station, and Eric chased European DX unsuccessfully.
Saturday's Contact Map |
The propagation was pretty decent, other than some deep QSB. SFI=162, SN=109, A Index=5, and the K Index=0.
Here's some pictures of the afternoon:
Eric VE3DN figuring out Ranson's IC-705 |
The VE3FI and VE3MNE mobiles at the Canal. |
Thursday, 1 June 2023
One Canadian ????...
In late April this year I took part in this years QRP to the Field Contest, and really enjoyed myself doing it. The weather was decent - for the time of year - and for once the propagation gods aligned and the bands behaved.
I was astonished earlier today to see the results posted, with myself in seventh place, and surprised to find I was the only Canadian to submit a score sheet, and even more shocked to see I was the only QRP SSB entry. It is surprising that there is not more interest in this beauty of a contest north of the border.
Here's this years scores:
I'm already looking forward to doing this contest again next year!
Stay Safe Out There!!
Tuesday, 30 May 2023
This Week on the Radio...
Sunday, 21 May 2023
The JPC-12 and a Hamstick...
Friday, 19 May 2023
There's Definitely an Improvement...
The bands are definitely improving. Here's the latest contact map: