Special Event Station TM80DDAY

Commemorating the 80th anniversary of
the Allied assault on Normandy beaches

From June 4 to 9, 2024, a number of crew members of the Plusscouts PA3EFR/J and other Radio Scouters will be traveling to Normandy (Omaha Beach) to support the international activities of the commemoration services around 80 years of D-DAY. 

Operators of this call are the operators of the PA3EFR/J-crew, a specialist group of Scouters, members of Scouting Netherlands through the national Fellowship called Plusscouts. In addition, we have invited some distinguished guests to join our team. This crew primarily brings TDOTA and JOTA to Scouting groups that are eager to get involved in the annual global Radio Scouting activities. Additional information on this years crew can be found on the Plusscouts Website. The station is valid for 2 points in the Dutch Radio Scouting Award scheme.

The good news is that we will be hosted again by the D-Day Museum at Omaha Beach. A radio shack in the backyard of the museum will be part of our radio station and associated radio scouting activities.

QSL cards will be sent out after the event. 

Some specific Radio details:

Radio waves (+- QRM)

1.882 MHz LSB

3.682 MHz LSB

7.182 MHz LSB

14.182 MHz USB

21.182 MHz USB

28.482 MHz USB

DMR TalkGroup 907 - JOTA

We join our fellow Amateur Radio Operators in remembering the brave souls who fought for the liberation of Europe. 

Please help to commemorate this historic event by attempting a contact during the period indicated.

~ Sander PD9HIX

   John VE7TI

JOTA / JOTI Scouts On The Air This Weekend

Media Release

SARC, SEPAR and LARA will be providing communications

Scouts Unite the World!

Demonstration of Emergency Communications Saturday, October 20

Surrey, BC  October 18, 2018 – Jamboree On The Air and Jamboree On The Internet (JOTA-JOTI) is the largest Scouting event in the world with over 1.8 million Scouts participating across 150+ countries.  Scouts and Guides across the world connect with each other during JOTA-JOTI using the airwaves and the Internet.

Despite the Internet, cell phones, email and modern communications, every year whole regions find themselves in the dark. Tornadoes, fires, storms, landslides, ice and even the occasional cutting of cables leave people without the means to communicate. In these cases, the one consistent service that has never failed has been Amateur Radio. These federally licensed radio operators, often called “hams” provide backup communications for everything from community events to local Emergency Operations Centres and even for the International Space Station. Surrey and Langley “hams” will join with local Scouting groups showing them their emergency capabilities this Saturday at Camp McLean, located at 20315 16 Ave, Langley, B.C.

JOTA/JOTI is an annual World Scouting event that was first held in 1957. The event unites Scouts with their Scout friends world-wide. The purpose is to meet each other, exchange ideas, learn from each other, and gain mutual understanding. Contacts between the Scouts are made via Amateur Radio and in a supervised Internet chat room. The youth attending will also learn about radio communication and Internet safety. Scouts Canada gives special thanks to the Surrey Amateur Radio Club, the Langley Amateur Radio Association, and the TELUS Wise® team for volunteering their time to facilitate this great event.

Over the past year, the news has been full of reports of ham radio operators providing critical communications during unexpected emergencies in towns across North America including B.C. wildfires, winter storms, landslides and other events world-wide. When trouble is brewing, Amateur Radio’s people are often the first to provide rescuers with critical information and communications. On the weekend of October 20-21, Lower Mainland Scouts will have a chance to meet and talk with Surrey and Langley’s ham radio operators to see for themselves what the Amateur Radio Service is about, as Scouts worldwide take to the airwaves using both voice and digital communications. There are also planned demonstrations of satellite contacts, Morse code training and hidden transmitter hunts to give participants a chance to experience all facets of the hobby.

Amateur Radio is growing in Canada. Recent amendments no longer require Morse code, although it is still used in the hobby. Amateur Radio is practiced as a hobby, as a sport, and as a reliable means of communications by outdoors enthusiasts and others, where cellular telephone towers do not exist. There are now over 30,000 Amateur Radio licensees in Canada, and more than 2.5 million around the world. Through the Amateur Radio emergency services program, ham volunteers provide both emergency communications for thousands of provincial and local emergency response agencies and non-emergency community services too, all for free. 

For more information about Scouts Canada, go to http://www.scouts.ca

For more information about JOTA/JOTI, go to https://www.jotajoti.info

For more information about The Surrey Amateur Radio Club, go to http://ve7sar.net

For more information about the Langley Amateur Radio Association, go to https://lngara.wordpress.com

Planned Activities   (Scout groups will rotate through these activities between 9am and 5pm on Saturday)

1.  Introduction to Amateur Radio

2.  HF Station 

• Worldwide communications using the 100 ft mobile tower
• Attempt to contact other Scout groups worldwide

3.  VHF/UHF Station

• Contacts with other Scouting groups worldwide using both voice and digital modes

4.  Public Service/Emergency Communication 

• Supervised hands-on communication exercise within camp area using radio

5.  Foxhunt

• A Radio ‘Sport’
• Hidden transmitter hunting techniques
• Search for 2 foxes within the woods surrounding the camp

6.  Morse Code (CW) and Phonetic Alphabet

• Using worksheet, practice sending name
• Using worksheet, print and learn to say name using phonetic alphabet 

7.  Satellite Contact 

• There are 5 daytime opportunities throughout Saturday to make an orbiting satellite contact

Any Scouting group wishing to make contact, we will be monitoring the suggested HF frequencies and can be contacted on VE7RSC 147.360MHz+ tone 110.9Hz or  IRLP node 1736, or our Echolink node number for VE7RSC-VHF: 496228

Update:

See the follow-up article in the Langley Times:
https://www.langleytimes.com/community/video-scouts-in-langley-learn-how-to-communicate-during-emergencies/

A Successful JOTA 2017

The Scouts Enjoyed Amateur Radio

It was International Scout Jamboree On The Air today and Surrey BC was represented by operators and stations from the Surrey Amateur Radio Club and the Surrey Emergency Program Amateur Radio. We operated from our Operations & Training Centre.

Stan VA7NF and the HF Station

Various ages and levels of Scouts circulated through five stations including:

1. Basic Radio Theory
2. Morse Code
3. VHF/UHF including IRLP and Echolink
4. HF (Shortwave)
5. Handheld Radio practise

Rob VE7CZV introducing VHF

They spoke with stations including London, England and Colorado. This is an annual event in October and it is highly recommended as a community involvement project. Next year it is on the weekend of 19-21 October. More on this year's event in the November Communicator.

More info: http://jotajoti.info/

SARC: VE7SAR.net    

SEPAR: separs.net

International Youth Day: Sat, August 12th

VA3RAC will be active on International Youth Day:

Saturday, August 12 Rob Noakes, VE3PCP, to operate VA3RAC for RAC Canada 150

Rob Noakes, VE3PCP, one of our newest RAC members, will be operating the VA3RAC station on International Youth Day this Saturday, August 12 as part of the RAC Canada 150 Award. He will be operating from Station Beach in Kincardine, Ontario at the Kincardine Area Youth Advisory Council (KAYAC) Beach Bash. 

International Youth Day is commemorated every year on August 12. The theme of International Youth Day 2017 is “Youth Building Peace”. Since the adoption of Security Council Resolution 2250 in 2015, there is growing recognition that as agents of change, young people are critical actors in conflict prevention and sustaining peace. International Youth Day 2017 is dedicated to celebrating young people’s contributions to conflict prevention and transformation as well as inclusion, social justice and sustainable peace.

Rob provided the following information: 

“My hope is that this will be the start of a wider interest in celebrating International Youth Day and getting more youth interested in Amateur Radio! It would be good if this could become a special event next year with more than one station! I would like to encourage other Amateurs to participate either by contact or by coming out to help with logging.

I will be running a single HF rig with a mobile antenna for 40m and 20m mounted to my enclosed event trailer. It happens to be a classic TS520 that I will be running. I will also have a 2m rig with a mobile antenna as well. I will probably put it on a mast to improve coverage as we will be on the beach. Here is the Google Map link for the actual location: https://goo.gl/maps/PbfRbkQhYUn

My intent is to operate on 20m and 40m phone as well as to monitor local repeaters and 146.52 simplex on 2m.
• 40m from 7.15 to 7.20 MHz
• 20m from 14.150 to 14.250 MHz.
• 2m – 146.52 Simplex

2m Repeaters
• VE3TIV – 146.610 Kincardine (No Tone)
• VE3OBC – 146.910 Goderich – Tone 123.0
• VE3RTE – 146.730 Paisley – Tone 156.7 (it is also linked to VE3OSR on 146.940 – Tone 97.4 and maybe others as well)”

Additional Information:

The following information is courtesy of the International Youth Day website:
In 1999, in its resolution 54/120, the General Assembly endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, August 8-12, 1998) that August 12 be declared International Youth Day. The Assembly recommended that public information activities be organized to support the Day as a way to promote better awareness of the World Program of Action for Youth, adopted by the General Assembly in 1995 (resolution 50/81).

International Youth Day is commemorated every year on August 12. The Focal Point on Youth selects a theme for the day often with input from youth organizations and members of the UN Inter-Agency Network in Youth development. It also organizes a commemoration of the Day at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The Program encourages youth around the world to organize activities to raise awareness about the situation of youth in their country. Youth are encouraged to send in a description of their planned activities to youth@un.org. The most creative activities are featured on the Program’s website to provide a sense of how International Youth Day is being commemorated around the world and to encourage other youth to take action.

The theme of International Youth Day 2017 is “Youth Building Peace”. Since the adoption of Security Council Resolution 2250 in 2015, there is growing recognition that as agents of change, young people are critical actors in conflict prevention and sustaining peace. International Youth Day 2017 is dedicated to celebrating young people’s contributions to conflict prevention and transformation as well as inclusion, social justice and sustainable peace.

The official commemorative event to celebrate International Youth Day at the United Nations Headquarters in New York will take place on Friday, August 11, 2017.
For more information please visit the United Nations website:
IYD 2017 info: https://www.un.org/development/desa/youth/international-youth-day-2017.html

General information: United Nations website: https://www.un.org/development/desa/youth/what-we-do/international-youth-day.html

For information on RAC Youth programs please visit:

Youth Education Program: http://wp.rac.ca/youth-education-program/
RAC Scholarship and Grant Program: http://wp.rac.ca/grant-information/

Alan Griffin
RAC MarCom Director

JOTA - Scouting Jamboree On The Air

On Saturday, October 21st we will host area Scouts for the 60th annual Jamboree On The Air. JOTA is the largest Scouting event in the world with over one million Scouts participating across 150+ countries. They have an opportunity to discover the exciting communications possibilities that Amateur Radio offers and, in doing so, make contacts with other Scouting groups around the world. See http://jotajoti.info/

This year, SEPAR, the Surrey Emergency Program Amateur Radio is hosting the event. Depending on sign-up numbers and weather, Surrey JOTA will be either at our Operational Training Centre or outdoors with a field station. 

We hope to offer additional activities this year including some Morse code practice, an exercise using hand-held radios and 'Fox hunting'. No, not real foxes but a hidden transmitter that is found using radio direction finding techniques.

Stan VA7NF coaches a JOTA 2016 participant

We are excited that this year, Canada's 150th birthday offers us the opportunity to use the callsign VE7RAC. This is part of a contest by Radio Amateurs of Canada challenging stations from around the world to make a contact with all Canadian Provinces and Territories and, in doing so, win a commemorative award. See http://wp.rac.ca/rac150-ve7rac-operating/

If your Scouting Unit would like to participate, please send an email to communicator@ve7sar.net. Space will be limited so preference will be given to units from the Surrey area.

The On-line Communicator: August 2017

The Month in Review: JULY 2017

We do not publish the regular monthly edition of the Communicator in July and August, but it was another month worthy of a news brief; so here are some items to keep you up to date.

An OTC Work Party

Last week there was a work party at the Surrey Amateur Radio Operational Training Centre, 'The OTC'. Priority was to install the new Alfa-Spid rotator on the mast and get it hooked into the radio room.

Rotary Bike-A-Thon For Hearing Loss

This annual benefit event occurs every July and spans a distance of 120 Km from Burnaby to Harrison Hot Springs along the Lougheed Highway. Riders collect pledges from their sponsors. Amateur Radio provides assistance all along the route and specifically at a number of rest stops. Many of the radio volunteers are SARC members but the group also includes Amateurs from other organizations. 

This year, the 33rd edition, about $140,000 was raised for treatment of children with hearing impairment. A nice dinner followed at the Harrison Hot Springs Hotel. Kudos to SARC member Ken Clarke VE7BC who has been an organizer from the beginning.

SARC Fall Basic Class

Sign up soon...

The RAC Canada 150 Award

The RAC Canada 150 Award is a celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday since Confederation in 1867. The Award is issued for contacting the RAC stations between July 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017. In addition to the RAC Canada Contest, the RAC Canada Winter Contest and the IARU HF Championship Contest, the RAC stations will be activated by volunteers at other times by pre-arranged schedule. SARC-SEPAR member Fred Orsetti VE7IO is coordinating the use of the VE7RAC callsign in BC. 

RAC has prepared a few Guidelines and Procedures to assist making contacts with participating stations. SEPAR is planning to operate SSB from the OTC on August 19 and/or 20th using VE7RAC.

More on this in the September Communicator

JOTA - Scouts On The Air

SEPAR has been asked to provide the support for local Scouts to participate in JOTA - Scouts On The Air again this year. Last year the event was held at the OTC with about 15 Scouts participating. We hope to expand the program for 2017 to include Morse Code practice, a hand-held radio exercise and possibly a small foxhunt so that they can remain busy while one of them is on the air via HF. If you would like to assist on Saturday, October 20, contact John VE7TI at communicator@ve7sar.net. For more information on the exercise browse http://jotajoti.info/

GNU Radio Workshop

Hopefully the SARC members who have signed up for this workshop on September 30 have already ordered their dongle. If not, the time is now! Kevin McQuiggin VE7ZD will follow up on his excellent presentation from our March general meeting.

ARDF Events in August

August 3rd: Presentation by Michael Sterba, KG7HQ talking on the general subject “Radio Direction Finding” at the North Shore Amateur Radio Club.

August 12th: ARDF fox-hunt event, 80m - Day Trip to Victoria. A venue to be selected, hosted by Victoria Friendship Amateur Radio Society. More info will be available at http://www.ardf.ca. We plan to car pool, please RSVP if you can drive and how many people you can take, or you will be on foot and need a ride.

Contact Amel at akrdzalic@gmail.com or http://www.ardf.ca site for more details.

Are Your Dues Due?

Our fiscal year ended on May 30th so if you have not renewed, a friendly reminder to do so. You can bring it to a meeting, a Saturday morning coffee or use this link to pay your Membership Via PayPal. 

Weekly Coffee

Our weekly meet-up continues through summer at the Kalmar Family Restaurant, King George Blvd at 81st Avenue. Come join us any Saturday between 8 and 10am.  

August Social

We will get together for an informal gathering in lieu of a regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, August 9 at 7pm at the OTC. Our regular general meetings resume September 13th at EMBC.

See you next month when we start our new season with a full issue Communicator

An Amateur Radio FoxHunt

Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF, also known as radio orienteering, radiosport, FoxHunt or Bunny Hunt) is an amateur racing sport that combines radio direction finding with the map and compass skills of orienteering. It is a timed race in which individual competitors use a topographic map, a magnetic compass and radio direction finding apparatus to navigate through diverse wooded terrain while searching for radio transmitters. The rules of the sport and international competitions are organized by the International Amateur Radio Union. The sport has been most popular in Eastern Europe, Russia, and China, where it was often used in the physical education programs in schools. It is also frequently used as an educational recreational activity in Scouting.

ARDF events use radio frequencies on either the two-meter or eighty-meter amateur radio bands. These two bands were chosen because of their universal availability to amateur radio licensees in all countries. The radio equipment carried by competitors on a course must be capable of receiving the signal being transmitted by the five transmitters and useful for radio direction finding, including a radio receiver, attenuator, and directional antenna. Most equipment designs integrate all three components into one handheld device.

The Surrey Amateur Radio Club hosts a FoxHunt annually in May. The event is held at Crescent Park in South Surrey.

SARC 2016 FoxHunt

The 2017 Event

Saturday May 20, 2017 at Crescent Park, South Surrey 

Pre-Hunt Coaching, Registration & Instructions 0900 - 1000 Foxhunt commences at 1000 with a barbeque at 12 noon.

To participate, you need a 2 meter handheld radio or scanner with a directional antenna. For those who have built kits, an 80 meter foxhunt is also planned. However, if you are a beginner or don’t have a radio, then come anyhow! You can be part of a more experienced team or we will have equipment that you can use. Talk-in 147.360+ (110.9 tone)

FOXHUNT – NO CHARGE  

BARBEQUE $10 

All are welcome, but we ask that you RSVP Anton James VE7SSD jamesadf@shaw.ca to indicate if you plan to attend the foxhunt, the BBQ or both.

To get there, take Crescent Rd. west from King George Blvd near Hwy 99, & turn off at 129th St. to the parking & assembly area and walk into the park.

Map: https://goo.gl/maps/M4Sqk4vLNPG2