As Septembers go, this one will be a bit different.
Usually, we get the long last weekend of summer, then the return of the Pot Lid net, hamfest, VHF contest, OARC meeting, Radio in the Park …and exhale. Now add Morse classes and an on-line Basic course just to make sure there is no slacking off.
This year, instead of coming in the middle of all that, our meeting is at the end, and on a Monday of all days. It occurs to me that I have never heard of the OARC, (with the exception of special meetings to accommodate speakers from out of town), getting together on other than Wednesday nights.
New QTH, new day. I hope it all works out, but wonder about what it does to the Capital City Net. Will the net change days? Secede the band to the other 5 two metre analog FM nets in town? Maybe run the net from the meeting, with a play-by-play of the action inside? What do you think? You know how to find me.
Lately, I seem to have been doing a lot of exams, with at least one more to go before the usual batch at the hamfest. It is easier on everyone if they do them before, rather than at the show in Carp, since things are a bit more relaxed. Also candidates can try an exam before Carp, and if they don’t quite pass, they can always try again there. As usual I have had inquiries from the Carleton U. Aerospace group, “CU inSpace”, but haven’t heard back about a preferred time and date. Maybe they will show up at Carp also. Fortunately I have a new toner cartridge in the printer and some extra table space for the 12th.
The same weekend as the Hamfest is the ARRL VHF Contest, for 50 MHz and up ..and up. Maybe I will get a few more grid squares into the 6m log. If not, I think the initial Pot Lid Net of the season (number 54 if the arithmetic works out) takes place within the contest time, so there’s a few contacts for the record.
Radio in the park, at Walter Baker park is always a good time, especially since I have stopped hauling the toys out on the bike. I’m not sure what I will be bringing this year, but even without the toys, it is fun to see what everyone else is doing, from satellites to the antennas designed to go up in a hurry for POTA activations.
Speaking of which, I hear there is a new thing called canparks (canparks.ca), that recognizes municipal parks and similar areas not covered by POTA. It looks like the Radio in the Park site qualifies for that program (ON4458).
The year is starting with a bang, as usual.
See you at one of the spots above.
73
mk
VE3FFK
Last Updated on 2026-09-03 by Joannadanna