The RAC Report

The following are selected excerpts from the RAC News pages

Interference on 80 Metres removed ? (99-10-27)
Courtesy Martin Potter VE3OAT, IARU Region II Monitoring coordinator

 A  successful action has resulted in the removal of a strong and annoying 125 Hz "buzz" interference from the 80 metre band.  The signal was found to be from an HF over-the-horizon (OTH) radar located near the Atlantic coast of the eastern province of Newfoundland, Canada, and used for coastal surveillance by the Canadian government. The radar used frequencies of 3500,   3600, or 3700 kHz at any one time and had a bandwidth of about 25 kHz.    It's distinctive 125 pulse/second signal was widely heard in eastern Canada   and the north eastern United States.  

Information gathered and shared by  National MS Co-ordinators Don Moman, VE6JY, of RAC (Canada) and Tom Hogerty,  KC1J, of ARRL (USA) was instrumental in identifying the source of the harmful interference.   Negotiations by Jim Dean, VE3IQ, of RAC, with several  departments of the Canadian government were finally successful in having the  radar moved outside of the 80 metre Amateur band on October 7.  At last  report, the radar continues to operate on frequencies outside of the 80 m band.  In Canada the sub-bands 3500-3750 and 3750-3950 kHz are exclusively allocated to the Amateur Service.  Our congratulations and hearty thanks to  RAC and ARRL for their successful work on this interference problem.    

ARES and Affiliated club documents moved to open web site (99-10-29)

In response to many requests, several downloadable documents and files that have been in the password-access portion of this web site  have been moved to the open-access area. 

These include:

1. the RAC ARES Emergency Coordinator's Manual - the ARES EC's bible.
2. the RAC Section Manager's Survival Guide - also useful for other Field Organization leadership appointments
3. the RAC Affiliated Club President's Workbook and associated documents for RAC-affiliated clubs.

 It is hoped that the wider availability of these documents will encourage greater participation in ARES and other RAC Field Organization programs, as well as the RAC Affiliated Club Program.

Doug Leach - VE3XK, 
, Radio Amateurs of Canada.

Official Canadian Amateur Radio Call Sign Data Base Amended to Show Qualifications 

The official Canadian Amateur Radio Call Sign Database on the RAC web site now includes the qualifications held by individual Canadian radio amateurs.

The RAC web site is updated automatically daily from Industry Canada, so that the data displayed is as accurate and as current as possible.

This database is a collaborative development by Industry Canada, RAC and Information Gateway Services in response to requests from individual amateurs, clubs and Accredited Examiners across Canada to have the qualification data included in the call sign data base on the Internet.

The database has been made as accurate as possible, but some errors may still exist.

Industry Canada has requested that all amateurs check their information and report any errors or omissions to the Industry Canada Amateur Radio Service Centre at the phone numbers or addresses listed below.  Clubs should verify the currency of the information for their club station sponsor and report any changes.

All amateurs who obtained the former Amateur or Advanced Amateur Certificate of Proficiency in Amateur Radio prior to 1990 should be shown as holding Basic, Advanced and 12 WPM Qualifications.

Contact the Industry Canada Amateur Radio Service Centre at:
Phone: 1-888-780-3333 (toll free)
Fax:(613) 991-5575
E-mail: spectrum.amateur@ic.gc.ca 

Industry Canada Amateur Radio Service Centre
P.O. Box 9654 Postal Station "T"
Ottawa, ON
K1G 6K9