PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE for May, 2021
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE for May, 2021
Good evening all amateurs and enthusiasts of radio, I’m just sitting here at the radio waiting for the CQ-M INTERNATIONAL contest to start. I am hoping that the propagation is better than it was during today and that the bands will open up. As you know the A and K factors were ideal, however, the SFI was only 71 and things would be much better if that number was 114 as an example. I certainly hope you are all taking advantage of this lockdown by getting lots of radio time whether it is practicing cw or honing your hf skills on sideband: some of you by now are digital experts at using ft4 /ft8 and are making many contacts that way. There is something for each of you to get at and practice.
Club news is very simply “very quiet” there is nothing new since last message not even the mail as it has slowed to nothing as well. Sometime later this summer we will start to put up our satellite tower and get that in place along with its antenna system and rotors. We have suspended the Operation Handshake from the club station on the last Tuesday of each month until further notice. With Covid cases on the rise ( 227) as I write this note, activities will be severely restricted and or cancelled.
I would like to thank Scott, VE1QD for arranging our guest speaker for last month’s meeting. Alan did a super job on his presentation even though he was on Manatulin Island in northern Ontario. Don’s, VE1DTR effort at bringing in the Lunenburg club members through Zoom was well managed and has prospects for future presentations- thank you Don.
Along with the Zoom presentation we have been doing a cw class hosted by Dick and set up by again Don and Jason using Zoom. There are about 10 people taking Dick’s cw course and speeds are approaching 10/12 wpm, this is going really well and now about to go live via radio and making real contacts.
Once again we are having success with the open sessions discussing many topics in a very relaxed atmosphere, lots of questions and positive feedback. Bill, VE1MR put on a presentation regarding our 2 meter network for the Maritimes. Bill was able to keep the material understandable even as complex this network can be with routing variables and connectivity.
I doubt very much if we will get into the museum again this summer due to Covid rules,
Field Day as we know it will most likely be from home again with a combined score of the HALIFAX ARC MEMBERS,
I am not sure that even the Greenwood Flea Market will take place; however, it is off in the future and JUST may be possible.
The Shearwater Hobby show will not happen again this year as our presence has been in the past… The 2 MS “THONS” (WALK AND BIKE) have not requested our participation as in years past..
We have not heard about the rally races and our participation in them yet
There is no decision whether or not Halifax Waterfront days or Museum Ships weekend will go ahead.
I‘m not sure if I missed any events but this is a rough summary of what is NOT happening so far this summer.
And the cruise ship industry is not scheduled to come to Halifax as a port of call.
The good news is that VACCINES are available to just about everyone now; however, most or all of us won’t get second shots till July or August which for me puts any involvement in any event impossible till much later in the year. It is almost impossible to run an event not knowing who has or not have their shots thus jeopardising all other participants especially where we are all (majority) senior people in age and have under lying conditions. I will not put any member in harm’s way – this is a hobby; HOWEVER, if there is an emergency call out I know we will respond accordingly
That’s all for now. I will keep everyone up to date as new info comes along. With that, please, everyone be safe, stay home, no parties and above all PLEASE GET YOUR SHOTS WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO DO SO. This is important to you as well as your family, friends and FELLOW CLUB MEMBERS.
– Respectfully, Brian Allen, VA1CC, President of the HARC
