March 2005

 

Amateur Radio Society of Dryden

 March 9, 2005 Meeting Minutes

Dryden Fire Service Training Centre

 

 

President Bob, VA3GUN, brought the meeting to order.

 

Minutes of the January 12, 2005 Meeting were read. 

Participants at the Chamber of Commerce's Santa Parade were not included in the minutes posted on the club's web site. They were:

  Bob, VA3GUN
     
  Alf, VE3EFT
     
  Neil, VE3VNM
     
  Garry, VE3MOR
     
  Dick, VA3DIK
     
  Arnie, VA3NOL
     
  Kim, VA3KMM
     
  Joy, VA3JYA
     
  Bryan, VA3BRY
     
  Rick, VA3RGA
     
  Brendan, VA3BJM

       

M.S. Rick, VA3RGA; Bryan, VA3BRY that the minutes of the January 12, 2005 meeting be accepted as read.  Carried.

 

Old Business

 

Radio Class--three students have written and passed their Basic Exams.  They are waiting for their call signs.  The Advanced Class has been postponed due to time constraints.

 

Emergency Communications Centre--addition of partitions, shelves, equipment and documents has been completed.

 

Can Warn Training--Environment Canada has put us on their 2005 course list.  Actual date has yet to be established, subject to instructor availability, funding, etc.

 

New Business

 

Bob, VA3GUN, reported that eight members assisted with communications at the Eton Rugby Winter Festival dog sled races:

  Bob, VA3GUN
     
  Neil, VE3VNM
     
  Bob, VE3YDN
     
  Dick, VA3DIK
     
  Arnie, VA3NOL
     
  Janis, VE3JNS
     
  Bob, VA3UDP
     
  Dave, VE3LMU

 

 

Scott, VA3EXT, reported that Garry, VE3MOR and himself have completed the upgrading of the UHF link between Dryden and Sioux Narrows.

 

VA3SXN (Sioux Narrows) Before

Radios

RX 

RX duplexers -antenna

TX

TX duplexers -antenna

Antenna

           
MSR-2000

0.2uv

0.25uv

25w (0 ref)

21 w 

(0.5 reflected)
           
Link 1 GE Royal

1uv

1.3uv

10w - dummy load

10w (0.5 reflected)

(50 out 50 ref, lots of desence) -  between radio & duplexer
           
Link 3 GE Royal

5uv

(0.75uv pre-amp)

3uv

(0.9uv pre-amp)

10w

8.5 w

(0 reflected) minimal desence

 

 

VA3SXN (Sioux Narrows) After

 

Radios

RX 

RX duplexers -antenna

TX

TX duplexers -antenna

Antenna

           
MSR-2000

0.2uv

0.25uv

58w (0 ref)

50 w 

(0.5 reflected) (Tweaked notch capacitors on duplexers to get good zero desence with increased power)
           
Link 1 GE Exec

0.3uv

0.4uv

18w

12 w

(0 reflected) - (Had to tune up Sinclair MR356 left over from Black Hawk Link 2, to get good pass & zero desence)
           
Link 3 GE Mastr II

0.2uv

0.25uv

60w

50 w

(0 reflected) - Used new Sinclair Q3220 duplexer & achieved zero desence

 

 

RX Audio input settings with new radios at squelch card.

 

3.2 KHz deviation input signal with tone "5" on keypad of handheld

TP 1 - Local Repeater   425mv AC

TP 2 - Link 1 Radio     318mv AC

TP 4 - Link 3 Radio     461mv AC

 

Unfortunately, the VE3LWR, Link 1 to Sioux Narrows is down for transmitter repairs.  Kenora will be upgrading their end of the link this spring, and then they will work on upgrading VE4FAL, Falcon Lake.  Bob, VA3GUN, mentioned he is now able to hit the Sioux Narrows repeater at Bill's Half-way House/Stewart Lake.  The noise bursts we are hearing on the VE3DRY repeater originate at VE4FAL.  The Manitoba Repeater Society has upgraded their linking radios at VE4FAL on the Manitoba side, ie, from Milner Ridge into Falcon Lake.  However, the noise is still there.  Hopefully that problem will clear once Kenora upgrades the radios on the Ontario side (Falcon Lake to Kenora).

 

Rick, VA3RGA, congratulated and presented Assistant Emergency Coordinator Certificates to Bob, VA3GUN; Bryan, VA3BRY; Dick, VA3DIK; Adrian, VA3ALC; Bob, VE3YDN; Arnie, VA3NOL on completing their Assistant E.C. training.

 

Rick also mentioned the possibility of needing amateurs for a hobby demonstration day at Riverview School sometime in April.  Volunteers should contact him for more details.

 

Warren Paulsen, VE3FYN, asked for volunteers to assist with communications at the July 13th R.C.M.P. Musical Ride.  Volunteers should contact him for more details.

 

Scott, VA3EXT, instructed members on how to operate the linking system and the VE3DRY repeater.  Scott guided members through the Pinetree Intertie System Operations Manual, pointing out that we have a unique resource with coverage from Portage la Prairie / Minnedosa to Sioux Lookout.  He also gave an overview of future plans for linking.

 

Bryan, VA3BRY, won the 50/50 draw.

 

Bob, VA3GUN adjourned the meeting.  Some members stayed behind to practice sending linking commands over their handheld radios.

 

 

Attendance:

 

Bob, VA3GUN Kim, VA3KMM  Arnie, VA3NOL
     
Rick, VA3RGA  Bob, VE3YDN  Merv, VE3MFX
     
Alf, VE3EFT Roy, VE3BJD Bryan, VA3BRY
     
Scott, VA3EXT Dick, VA3DIK Adrian, VA3ALC
     
Joe, VE3EEX  Jim, VE3JLN Jim, VE3JRU
     
Jake, VE3JWV Lucy, VA3LUX Kate, VA3KKI
     
Doug, VA3HTN Janis, VE3JNS Bruce, VE3HDM
     
Melba, VE3MEB Warren, VE3FYN Tim, VA3TME
     
Dave, VE3LMU    

 

 

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