Vancouver Hack Space

ARC members went out and attempted to connect to the VECTOR radio net.

Discussion after completion of VECTOR Radio Net

Round table

• sample copies of the Basic qualification exam were passed around for people to review.
• General discussion of the types and difficulties of questions.
• Suggestions to use the Industry Canada Amateur Radio Exam Generator (http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/h_sf05378.html)
• Discussion around setting up a non-permanent antenna on the roof of VHS; this would permit us to connect our radios to it and stay inside
• VHS Directors are happy to give us bench space for the HF equipment
• lock up the microphone when it can't be used
• discussion around the merits of creating a full course sufficient to give meaningful context for those taking both the Basic and Advanced qualifications
• decision to feed people to the VECTOR radio course
• creating a full open source amateur radio course is a massive undertaking
• the VECTOR course will get people through the basic exam
• decided to keep the meeting on Wednesday
• Tuesday is noisy, very busy
• VHS is getting a community table at FanExpo http://www.fanexpovancouver.com/
• Paul can dedicating part of the VHS sign to ARC

Round Robin:

• what skills do you have
• what have you done before
• what are you interested in now

Andrew (V47HEX)

• recently completed the VECTOR course last year
• interested in building basic skills
• Morse Code for broader recognition (outside North America)
• little skills, happy to help out

Jeremy (VA7NSA)

• 5 years, not very active
• interested in digital radio
• WinLink (http://www.winlink.org/), Backdoor
• microwave

Ian (VE7FTO)

• 25 years in the UK
• did a lot with them for emergency radio
• Canadian license last year
• interested in all new digital modes
• Continous Wave (CW)
• getting onto HF bands
• QRP HF Kit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QRP_operation)
• was a MFJ kit [ED: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/ ?]
• questionable reputation
• ARRL combo with HF manual and kit
• don't have advanced

William (VE6UUG)

• Ham since 1988
• started in Calgary with CARA course (http://cara.memberlodge.com/)
• computer scientist
• interested in packet radio
• not active since moving to Vancouver
• want to get back to doing things
• deemed to have advanced qualification
• studied electrical engineering for a few years
• know a little about digital, electronics
• foot in both camps, bring them together
• interested in digital modes

Farrell (VA7FSE)

• advanced qualification in 1976
• started in South Africa
• redid the exam here 2 years ago
• have advanced qualification
• like activities
• for example, fox hunting
• want to start up again this Summer
• mobile truck
• like to see an active station here
• anybody can listen
• shortwave not so great anymore
• HF satellite activity
• interesting experiments
• Earth-Moon bounce
• Continuous Wave/Morse code

Patrick (VE7SDI)

• got Basic 8 years ago
• Advanced 5 years
• involved in BCIT radio club, stilling running it [ED: http://ve7bfc.bcit.ca/ ??]
• have volunteered at VECTOR events like the fireworks
• interested in digital modes

Tom (no license yet)

• no preconceived ideas of what to learn
• know nothing
• saw posts for people talking about it
• recently decided to learn
• bought radio today
• pick up things

Sean (no license yet)

• aiming for advanced qualifications
• interested in everything from building, bouncing signal off Moon, talking to people in Japan

Paul (VE7PXG)

• just got license
• fresh
• want to learn my Morse
• want the Advanced qualification
• want to take people through the Basic course
• John Oliver school used to have a very active amateur radio club
• lost the callsign
• Farrel in touch with school, antenna still on roof
• neat community type project
• put it on the Member's only list
• lots of interest
• about half the number of people here who have talked about it on email

Andrew (VA7HEX)

• commonality in the discussion is digital radio
• looking for a way to keep everyone engaged
• two people looking to write the license exam
• need to write the Basic before the Advanced
• can write the Advanced right away

Action Items

• Paul, Farrell, and Ty to work out getting a portable antenna on the roof of VHS
• Membership Form for VHS ARC (Andrew)
• Paul to track down the handheld satellite antenna that a friend wanted to donate
• Everyone else: research ham radio satellites with a goal of downloading weather satellite images.