VECTOR May 2021 News

Posted in newsletter

Previous newsletters can be found in the archive.

Our next members' meeting will be held May 5 online using Zoom. Presenting earthquake scenarios and potential impacts to people and places.

1. Coming Meeting | 2. News | 3. Learn | 4. On Air | 5. Notable | 6. Secondaries | 7. Meetings

1. Coming Meeting

Details attached to mailed version.

  1. As the Quake Unfolds: Impacts and Planning - Dr. Tiegan Hobbs - 20 minutes
  2. Brief Practical Exercise - Receive Radiograms - 15 minutes
  3. O&I Forum - New VA7EOC Winlink, Partner Updates, Field Day and Special Events, CERV Update, Highlight on New Packet Radio - All - 55 minutes

2. Community News

Guest Speaker: As the Quake Unfolds - Impacts and Planning
External Seminar: Bold Steps to Mitigate Earthquake Risk
Disaster Support Hubs Use the Resilient Neighbourhoods Toolkit
VECTOR and VEMA to start updating the MOU
Sponsoring 5 people to BCARCC AGM in May
Surrey Amateur Radio Direction Finding in May
Party Planning for Disaster Preparedness Recording
COVID-19 Update
VECTOR seeks Techs, Devs, Helpers, and Teachers

As the Quake Unfolds - Impacts and Planning - 2021-05-05, 18:30

Dr Tiegan Hobbs presenting earthquake scenarios and potential impacts to people and places

  • new tool to understand possible scenarios coming
  • what a magnitude 9 earthquake could look like here, in detail
  • how we might use this understanding to become more ready

We will learn about the National Seismic Risk Profile and walk through a magnitude 9.0 Cascadia earthquake scenario. We will look at impacts such as injuries, fatalities, housing disruption, damages, financial losses, and generated debris in British Columbia communities. We will also touch on possible ways people can use these tools to reduce risk through emergency management, community planning, and other measures.

To prepare for and respond to natural hazards, decision makers need a robust and well-communicated base of evidence. For earthquakes, the Geological Survey of Canada created the upcoming National Seismic Risk Profile to meet ths need. This model assesses risk using probability and covers many earthquake scenarios. People will be able to use the risk assessment and quake scenarios with guidelines for use. Expect to find a purpose-built web platform available soon for using the model scenarios.

More:

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Bold Steps to Mitigate Earthquake Risk - 2021-05-19, 09:00, 1.5 hours

Christine (Zone C ESS): You might enjoy an online session about reducing earthquake risk. Explore 4 key questions and more.

  • US annualized losses from earthquake $ 6 billion per year
  • How is risk perceived?
  • How can we finance activities that reduce impacts?
  • What barriers get in the way of seismic retrofits?
  • How can we partner to act and mitigate risk across the country?

Sign Up on Eventbrite

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Disaster Support Hubs Use the Resilient Neighbourhoods Toolkit

Resilient Neighbourhoods

  • City needs community help to make sure we have Disaster Support Hubs

  • Local hams serving DSHs allow VECTOR to focus on DSAs and ESS

  • We can help communities get gear and find local hams for DSHs

  • Kerrisdale and Dunbar already have ham systems and DSHs

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VECTOR and VEMA to start updating the MOU

  • Memorandum of understanding solidifying our city relationship needing update to account for change to City Volunteers

  • VEMA agreed we need key updates to clarify our standing, protect our relationship, and protect volunteers

  • Emerging communications roadmap reveals x areas involving richer VECTOR opportunities: more deployable kits, teaching communication skills, exercising (testing) communications equipment monthly, and more

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Sponsoring 5 VECTOR Reps to BCARCC AGM on Zoom in May: 2021-05-20 10:00

BCARCC Notice and Agenda

  • Help our community keep repeater frequencies open

  • Understand latest federal government update covering repeaters

  • VECTOR will pay dues for 5 members to attend as VECTOR delegates: “Tally ho, I’m in”

  • VECTOR among largest radio organizations in BC

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Surrey ARDF event - Saturday, 2021-05-08, 09:00, 3 h

SARC | Event Sheet

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Party Planning for Disaster Preparedness Recording

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VECTOR COVID-19 Update - Stay local with your core bubble

Use Jitsi for pop-up meetings when you need to share screens

Latest Pandemic Awareness and Restrictions

Summary information and links | Direct link

  • Vaccinations available for people 40+ in high-transmission areas (and 30+ at select pharmacies for the AstraZeneca vaccine)
  • Respect people’s core bubbles (10 people)
  • Outdoors only updated details – next checkpoint: May 25
  • Limit outings to essential travel and careful neighbourhood walks
  • Travel regions: Vancouver Island, Lower Mainland Fraser Valley, Northern and Interior (map)
  • Our sites remain restricted as noted previously with our work rules posted in the members section of the website

Thank you for being a protector for people in our communities who could suffer from the impacts of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC Provincial Health Officer:

“Be kind, be calm, and be safe.”

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VECTOR Seeks Technicians, Helpers, Devs and Teachers

  • Give as much commitment as fits your life as a helper finishing jobs

Get advice | Help a team | Get the code.)

  • Teach radio handling to Lookout Society’s Harm Reduction Workers?

    Tamara VA7ETR has coordinated with the Lookout Society about how we can help. Would you help? Let us know.

  • Be an instructor for the Basic Amateur Radio Proficiency Course

    Best way to learn is to teach another person. Find full details on the course page.
    You can also become an organizer and help keep the course going.

    Training Team | Ask Anthony VE7XAK

  • Free the ideas from our Brainstorming Session recording

    Can you pull the treasure trove of ideas out of recording we have from the August 2018 Brainstorming Session and into a spreadsheet?

    Email Jesse VE7DET | Check it out

  • Become an examiner for VECTOR

    VECTOR will help you become an examiner if you are interested and you can give time to invigilate exams for the Basic Proficiency Course.

    Ask Linda VE7LMP

  • Help local widow find new home for amateur radio gear

    Are you interested in an HF receiver or an Icom IC-706 Mark II G radio from a Silent Key in Vancouver? The family of Doug VE7FGU hopes we can help. Let us know.

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3. Upcoming Training & Practice Opportunities

Review Learning Program | Dive into Exercises

Radio Skills | Tech Nights | Net Control

Level-up - Tech Night replaces Packet Night

Session Overview | Add to Calendar

  • Help each other solve someone’s latest communications problem
  • Come together monthly - first one: May 11, 19:00
  • Get help with a problem that frustrates you

Level-up - become a Net Control Operator

  • Write an email to Andrew VA7YAA to join the list
  • First step: attend the introduction to the net control operator program on Zoom

Get Perspective - Radiograms

YT:KD8TTE

  • Found a new source for brief (concise, clear, compelling) advice on radiograms
  • Sure beats the hour-long seminar videos previously available

Find more

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4. On Air Radio Activities

Local Nets | Program | Calendar | Jessé VE7DET | Team Page | Team Mail

Connect Casually Any Night - 19:05 nightly on VE7RVF

Time Estimate: 30 minutes

Find like-minded operators at Check-in and Chat Nets. Members have run these nets for over 280 nights (since 2020-04-01). The nightly Net Controller chooses a question or topic to share; anything from radio to food to entertainment to no topic at all. Connect to around 15 fellow members. A slow night might cover 8 check-ins, but several times 35 operators have joined and shared.

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New VECTOR Winlink Gateway active - 441.025 MHz simplex

Time Estimate: 15 minutes

Tune your radio (441.025) and run your Winlink session to become more comfortable using Winlink email over radio. Finicky 440 reception means repositioning your antenna by a foot can make a difference.

  • Added new Lenovo M90n after rack server hard drive packed it in

  • New Lenovo M90n running RMS, BPQ, and APRS-IS

  • VA7EOC-10, 441.025 MHz simplex

  • Next Winlink exercise at a meeting: June

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Keep Formal Net Skills Sharp on Weekly Net - 20:00 weekly on Wednesday, VE7TEL

Time Estimate: 30 minutes

Checking in on Wednesdays stretches a few less-used skills. Details below in 6. Weekly Nets.

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5. Announcements, Notable, etc.

Get to know other members on air

Nightly Check in and Chat | Monthly Exercises

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Field Day extends your abilities in a fun way

ARRL:

It is a time where many aspects of Amateur Radio come together to highlight our many roles. While some will treat it as a contest, other groups use the opportunity to practice their emergency response capabilities. It is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate Amateur Radio to the organizations that Amateur Radio might serve in an emergency, as well as the general public. For many clubs, ARRL Field Day is one of the highlights of their annual calendar.

  • Why might someone who enjoys amateur radio join Field Day?
  • Field Day reinforces our ties, let’s us play disaster, gives us a wide on-air contact pool
  • We can operate from home again this year([ARRL][arrlupdate]):
    • may contact any other stations
    • may mark your submission as part of an organization’s efforts
  • Stations operating from home must limit power to 150 W PEP.

Join | Learn more

[arrlupdate]: http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-to-extend-field-day-rule-waivers-from-2020-add-class-d-and-e-power-limit)

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View recordings from West coast emergency communications conference

CommAcademy | Recordings

  • “Disasters Here, There, and Everywhere - Are We Ready?”
  • 10 talks, training, and information sessions for emergency communications
  • Checck out Tom Cox, Alberta Emergency Management, on “The Importance of ICS in Addressing the Big Ones”
  • Continue conversations on Slack

Talk about it with other members: Discuss group.

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Starting to Refit grab-and-go prototypes with aluminum-screen panels

Team Grab and Go

  • Starting to retrofit prototypes and assemble new kits
  • Still waiting for 1 more radio and laptops
  • Planning for next year
  • Next team huddle (bi-weekly) on Tuesday afternoons in Zoom: 2021-05-18, 16:00

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See map showing possible fallen buildings in Vancouver from one scenario

URBC | Full talk | YouTube

  • Map shows scientific model output
  • Areas where streets may be blocked jump out on map
  • Find map on page 5 – listen here

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New city-wide amateur radio club for Vancouver

Lower Mainland Radio Room | Details

After serving as VECTOR’s training coordinator for over 6 years, Hiroshi VA7LET has stepped down to grow a fun-focused amateur radio club for Vancouver.

Please let Anthony VE7XAK know if you wish to join the team that carries the Basic course forward.

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Want to make your own VECTOR-compatible kit?

Team GnG

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6. Weekly Net

Catch the weekly net at 20:00 every Wednesday on the VE7TEL repeater: VECTOR channel 2, 145.170 MHz -600 kHz.

Each week, a secondary net follows on a different frequency, providing opportunities for amateur radio operators to test radios using other bands and modes of operation.

Schedule for upcoming secondary net frequencies:
Date Channel Frequency Information
May 05 44 146.430 MHz
May 12 20 147.200 MHz +600 kHz T100.0 Hz
May 19 7 147.450 MHz T100.0 Hz simplex
May 26 4 146.580 MHz simplex
June 02 1 145.450 MHz -600 kHz T100.0 Hz

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7. Monthly Members' Meetings

VECTOR gathers on the first Wednesday of every month to keep its operations flowing. Connect in our Zoom virtual space unless otherwise noted.

The next 4 Monthly Members' Meeting dates:
  • May 05 at 18:30 - Guest: Dr Tiegan Hobbs - what the aftermath would look like
  • June 02 at 18:30 - Guest: Kevin Bernardin VE7TDK - evolving VECTOR-VPD relationship
  • July 07 at 18:30 - Guest: VFRS?
  • August 04 at 18:30 - Guest: Erich VE7EEF - Electric Car as Power Source
  • September 01 at 18:30 - Guest: Gabriel VA7GXM - Being in Earthquakes

Connect with others before and after the main session:

  • Join early (15 minutes) at 18:15
  • Hang around after (20 minutes) until roughly 20:50
  • We’ll have breakout areas available

Please find the link to the Zoom online conference room in your email edition of the newsletter for joining remotely or on your BetterImpact homepage. You can sign up for upcoming members' meetings in BetterImpact to log your meeting time automatically.

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Tnx es 73,

VE7DET || Jessé Neri, Director (he|him)
[email protected]

VA7SWZ || Simone Hoedel, Writer and Communications Consultant (she|her)

VA7DPO || Darryl Pogue, Director (he|him)

https://vectorradio.ca/members/discuss/
https://keybase.io/team/helpingvector
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