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As President of the Kitchener-Waterloo
Amateur Radio Club, the KWARC membership and myself wish to thank you for
supporting our organization and look forward to serving you during this
fiscal year and beyond.
As this months newsletter will be sent to
all radio Amateurs in the KW area I have included some background on the
value of being a KWARC member as well as some support information that you
will find useful when using our Phone Patches, the IRLP and ULR networks
and the clubs numerous local repeaters.
MEETINGS
KWARC has presented top class speakers who have brought informative
sessions from all areas of our hobby. Your Program Director will continue
to strive at maintaining the same high caliber line-ups in the 2000-2001
year.
KILOWATTER
KWARC deliver a quality publication on-time each month. This challenge has
been met and will continue to be a priority.
REPEATERS
KWARC recently invested over $2,000 to improve our VHF/UHF antenna
facilities on the new CKCO tower at Baden. This work has greatly
improved the coverage of VE3KSR but has also drained our financial
reserves. Your support is appreciated. KWARC provides it’s
members 4 voice repeaters as well as access to the world wide packet
network.
KWARC also operates a node on the Internet
Radio Linking Project (IRLP) that connects VE3RBM to other
repeaters around the world. This service is only available to KWARC
members.
PHONE PATCHES
A 911 Open Phone Patch service is naturally offered on most repeaters
providing peace of mind while our members traverse the Region. Phone
Patches on VE3KSR and VE3RCK are open to all, but we ask that non members
remember that the patches were created to serve our members.
THE ULR NETWORK
All KWARC members also enjoy the use of the ULR network which links VE3KSR
with most major centers in Southern Ontario. Now with a handheld radio you
can talk to your buddy in downtown Kingston, Toronto, Collingwood,
Kincardine and many more locations in the province. The ULR Network
also features a link to the IRLP network even further enhancing the
system.
THE IRLP NETWORK
KWARC now has a full time link to the world-wide IRLP (Internet Radio
Linking Project). This service is available via our VE3RBM UHF
repeater on 444.875 with PL of 131.8 and via a VHF Simplex frequency of
147.570. IRLP allows members to interconnect VE3RBM with over 153
repeaters around the world. More information at www.kwarc.org/irlp/
PACKET
KWARC and the WWPUG packet group provide access to the world wide packet
network. Through the generosity of Tedd Doda VE3TJD, KWARC members also
enjoy the services of the VA3SED BBS.
BEGINNERS CLASSES
Each January KWARC provides a beginners class providing a teaching
environment to anyone wishing to become a Radio Amateur. Our pass rate has
averaged over 80%, demonstrating the caliber of instruction from our
dedicated instructors.
FIELD DAY
For the past 55 years, KWARC has participated in the annual Field Day
competition and exercise. Sponsored by the American Radio Relay league,
this contest tests the emergency preparedness of our club as we set up and
operate for 24 hours under emergency conditions.
THE WWW
On the first day of our 75th year (Sept 96), we entered Cyberspace with
the inauguration of the KWARC web site. This addition to KWARC services
features over 900 pages of content which have been visited over 250,000
times by amateurs and interested parties around the world. We would be
amiss if we did not thank Don Sinclair VE3ICD for his generosity and
support at hosting the club's web site through his Waterloo based company,
K-W Information Gateway Services.
73
President KWARC Inc.
president@kwarc.org
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The
President's Report