ROBBIE’S RESTAURANT
6:45 pm – 9:45 pm
1.
Welcome
President Dave Parks,
VE3AV, seated at the head table and chairing the evening’s proceedings,
welcomed 66 members and spouses to
the dinner meeting.
2.
Minutes of the 20 February 2007
Dinner Meeting
Acting secretary
Bob MacKenzie, VA3RKM, reported that the minutes were posted on the
Chapter web site. Bob moved that the minutes be approved, seconded by
Croft Taylor, VE3CT. Motion
carried.
3.
Secretary’s Report
Acting secretary Bob VA3RKM reported that Secretary Tom VE3ELM
had mailed pins and covering letters to Dave Goodwin, VE3AAQ, Richard
Ferch, VE3IAY, Gord Curling, VE3KKL and Kieran Shepherd, VA3KS.
4. FISTS report
Bob VA3RKM reported that the Chapter 70 website had information on
the FISTS programme and how to participate on behalf of the chapter.
5.
Thanks to Keith Bedal for website management
On behalf of the
Chapter Membership, Dave extended thanks and appreciation for service to Keith
Bedal for his great work on the Chapter 70 website. He then welcomed Doug VE3XK
as the new webmaster.
6. Antenna
By-law
Dave Goodwin, VE3AAQ, RAC director, brought us up to date on the
latest version of the antenna by-law proposed for Ottawa.
7. Certificates
and Pins
A Century certificate was presented to Ken Pulfer, VE3PU. Rod
Newkirk, VA3ZBB, former QST “How’s DX” editor as W9BRD, was
awarded a 70-year licensed certificate. Also, 60-year certificates were
presented to Ralph Cameron, VE3BBM; Brice Wightman, VE3EDR; Keith
Bedal, VE3GFI; and Bert Barry VE3QAA. A 55-year certificate was
awarded to Ken Holt, VE3VC, in absentia.
Pins for 40 years were presented to Dave Parks, VE3AV and Rick
Bandla, VE3CVG (absent). Pins for 35 years licensed were awarded to Joan
Powell, VE3ZC; Duncan Schuthe, VE3GXU (absent); and Ed Sieb, VE3ES.
Pins for 30 years were given to Don Heaslip, VE3NJH; and to Brian Jeffery, VE3UU;
George Morgan, VE3GM; and Frank Stratton, VE3YY (all absent).
As usual,
pins will be mailed to absentees.
8.
Guest Speaker
The guest speaker for the evening was Ernie Brown, VA3OEB, who spoke on the Northwest Staging Route. During the Second
World War, Ernie served in the Merchant Marine and later with the Department of
Transport. He was stationed at Aishihik in the Yukon Territory which served as a
station on the staging route. The route was used to help ferry aircraft from
Canada and the USA to the Soviet Union, and stations a hundred miles or so apart
provided radio ranging and direction as well as weather reports and emergency
service. The Radio Range frequencies were 200-400 kHz, with Air to Ground
communication at 3105 or 6210kHz. Inter-station contacts were made by 15-20wpm
CW on 6-8mHz. A 4-course Radio Range would transmit A and N Morse characters
from 4 different towers 125 to 500 feet apart. When a pilot heard a steady tone,
this would provide the course heading to be followed for that leg. By means of
phasing, other course headings could also be transmitted.
Ernie noted that many of the ferry pilots were women, and that while the
staging route afforded help in North America, in Soviet airspace pilots were
sometimes lost to bad weather or mechanical failure. Thousands of aircraft were
delivered to the front by means of the Northwest Staging Route.
Joe Parkinson VE3JG thanked Ernie for his engrossing talk on this
interesting aspect of radio and military history.
9. Adjournment
Prior to
concluding the evening, the draw(s) for the door prizes and the 50/50 draw were
conducted with several lucky winners taking home the various prizes.
President Dave Parks,
VE3AV, adjourned the meeting at 9:45 pm.
