091006 - Been going at the 'By The Farm' project hard the last few days.  The Compound is in, and the three Hydro poles are planted.  There is still work to be done to finish the swale, but the contractor is going away for a week.  It won't impact my project.  The weather is supposed to be nice for the next week - so we'll see what we can get done.  There is an awesome access road - and the Compound is done.  They used 3 inch and minus rock, and will put chips and dust on it Once I get the C cans moved in.  Check it out

090927 - Wow - it has been so long since I've updated this blog and my web page.  Last week I had a handshake deal with my two farmer brothers on access to their field.  We are moving ahead with the project.  Check out the web page devoted to this project.

Finally picked up a mount that can be used with my car Amateur Radio equipment - need to get it installed this week.  Spent last week in the Big Smoke (Toronto) on a project.  Things went well.  Rumours abound on what Ontario is, or isn't going to do, with implementing their cell phone legislation.

090728 - Updated the cell phone legislation page.  Bought a new vehicle this week - A 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid - fully loaded.  I picked it up on Saturday, after some extensive research by my son Daniel and to a lesser extent, myself.  I can't believe the reviews and kudos that this vehicle is getting.  I've been honest with both Ford and my friends - the thought that I would ever buy domestic, let alone Ford, ever again, in my life time, would have been unthinkable.  I'm very impressed with this product.  It has an unbelievable electronics package.  It includes Microsoft Sync - which gives voice commands to run virtually everything from the climate control to the satellite radio.  It integrates with my Blackberries (yes - two for me alone!), and multiple users can connect their phones (one at a time).

The car is rated at 51 MPG (Imperial) on the highway, and 61 MPG in the city.  We have been going through a very heavy hot spell in the Lower Mainland right now - and it is putting a beating on the  mileage. Air Conditioning runs off of electricity - not the engine, so when I am running the AC, it puts a huge load on the High Voltage (HV) battery.  I've only had the machine about 3 days - so it is still early.

Initial impressions - wow - was driving down 96th Avenue with Daniel when he asked me how fast I was going.  I looked at my speedometer and told him that I was driving 76 Kph.  He then said 'Dad - do you realize that you are running in EV (Electrical Vehicle) mode, or on battery, at that speed?'  I hadn't - so was pretty impressed.  I can now see why the rating for in the city is higher than the highway.

I've had two problems so far - the first is that the BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) has failed twice - both times it said the sensor was covered.  The second problem was that the Sync system quit working - and just generated static.  In both cases, a reboot (turn the car on and off), fixed the problem.  It is being looked at this Thursday by Ford.

I need to do some more research on what is needed for installing radios - HF and UHF/VHF in the Hybrid.  Needless to say - it is going to be tricky.  A buddy of mine may have helped me out without knowing it.  He provided me with some wire, towards my 'By the Farm' project.  It is a fully shielded wire.  It can be buried.  It contains two x six gauge wires - very small wires that make up the six gauge.  There are two other rubber shielded strands in the package - and I'm not sure what they are?  The overall thickness of the wire is about 5/8ths of an inch.  It is heavily shielded.  I think this may work to get me my power without interference from or to the system.  I think I am going to have to try and install a second battery in the trunk to run this equipment - just need to figure out how to isolate it and charge it - maybe solar?

My test in the farmer's field was successful.  I was as far East as I could go in the field, quite close to the High Voltage lines - zero noise floor.  Half way back to the gate - still no noise floor.  I worked a few stations, and there was a six meter opening that I managed to take advantage of.  It is back in my court to talk to the farmers about the next steps.

090707 - This sure isn't a daily blog!  No time.  So where are we with the various projects.  I've just gone back and talked to the two farmers about my 'By the Farm' project.  I believe it went well.  The location has so much going for it - private entrance to the field furthest from their farm buildings.  Only one neighbour, and they are a couple of hundred meters from where I want to build this environment.  I reviewed a PowerPoint with them, which went over the proposal.  We've agreed the next step is to validate the Noise Floor at the sites where I expect to set up antennas.  I was hoping to use a portable tower, but a little shy of volunteers, likely because it is summer.  I'll use my HY-Q 5-80 on the jeep, and it should give me what I want.

Next steps, if the Noise Floor looks ok (and I really think it is going to be), is to walk the land with the owners, and lay out what I want to do.  I've made some big asks, but you have to start somewhere.  I can back off from some of the asks without compromising too much.  Others, well - you know, too much to lose.

I've got the Flex-Radio 5000A up and running in my shack.  The SPE 1K Expert Amp is awesome.  The remote control of both is very good.  I've got some 'issues' I need to work on, but I have a plan, and I am working the plan.  Some of my issues are around having two USB to serial ports - one of them just 'quits' working.  I've ordered a USB to eight serial port adapter, and that is in.  I'm hoping / expecting that it will remove some of the problems.

Power to the site is still a concern.  My back up plan is a generator - diesel, gas or propane is still to be determined.  There is no doubt in my mind that utility power is a requirement to be successful moving forward, so it will have to be done sooner or later.  I think that getting cable and internet to the site will also hinge on this as well.

The Olympics - stay tuned there - we have a plan, and we are refining the plan.  BC will be on the air for the Olympics - and you will be wanting one of our QSL cards!

Finally, the Province of British Columbia is looking into Cellular phone and electronic device legislation.  This is a huge potential threat to Amateur Radio, and I have started a page on it.  Please see here.

090415 - So, another big step forward.  The Flex-Radio SDR 5000A has been ordered, and is expected in another 10 days.  The SPE Expert 1K solid state amplifier - I am on the waiting list for it - near the top I am told.  I also discussed with Steppir, the new distributor for SPE in North America, their Steppir DB36 - a huge antenna that will do 80 through six meters.

I need to get in front of the farmers, and make sure we still have something that is workable.

090405 - Another Swap meet today - did the RAC thing, flew the flag, and talked to a lot of fellow Hams.  I ordered the Flex-radio 5000A this week.  It should be delivered in about three weeks.  I need to get into the field, with a portable tower and and a Yagi and truly convince myself that the 500 KVA power lines aren't going to be a problem.  I also need to get back and talk to the farmers with my proposal, and see if we are going to have a deal.

Charlie and the team finished off the trailer this weekend.  I stopped by to see how they were doing, and it is looking great.  Al and Dave E., and Dave G., put on the decals and put on the pneumatic semi-automat 10 meter mast.  Sweet.  Check out www.langleyamateurradio.com and follow the links in What's New.

090402 - Mailed some more PSE from the Belize trip.  Continuing to work on the remainder that will go via the Bureau.

090329 - Went back to the farm yesterday, and did some more looking.  I need to walk the property and through the wooded section - to really understand what I can, or cannot do there.  Surrey Amateur Radio Club has (SARC) is having their swap meet this afternoon, so will be running the RAC table with help from Ed.  I've pushed up some more info on my 'Farm' project.  See here for dimensions, and here for my first cut at proposed plans - neither of which are entirely workable at this point.

090318 - Went and saw the township yesterday.  Much better meeting.  See my Remote HF section for more info.  Was elected, by acclamation, to the Board of Radio Amateurs of Canada as the Director for BC and the Yukon.  I'm taking over from Ed Frazer VE7EF, and I have some pretty big boots to fill.  I've been travelling a lot over the last four weeks.  A couple of trips to Toronto and one to Ottawa.  The time zone and the hours can be a bit brutal.  We (the Vancouver Olympic Amateur Radio Group - VOARG) have worked out our arrangement with VANOC, and have ordered the Special Event call signs for the Olympics.

090227 - Friday a.m., up at 5:15 and on the road to the 'farm'.  I had a conference call at 5:45 my time.  See the results of my testing here.  I'm continuing to do my research, and will put together a proposal for the brothers.  I'll give the Township another week to get their heads around it, and then will formally submit some paperwork.

090222 - Sunday morning, I'm up bright and early.  There is a Amateur Radio Swap Meet this morning.  It starts at 10:00.  I'm going to get there a bit earlier, and help Ed setup the RAC table.  I've decided that I am going to throw my hat on the table to replace Ed Frazer as the RAC Director for BC and the Yukon.  I've obtained more than enough sponsor's signatures to support the petition.  I need to get a 500 word or less Bio done up and send off the materials to RAC in the next few days.

I met with the two brothers who have a farm and who are prepared to rent / lease me access to the property.  To see the story of what I am trying to do with the Remote HF access, click here.  The plan is starting to gel.  We would keep the core group fairly small, but make some form of access available to those other hams that would like to operate, either on site, or remotely.  This is not going to be an inexpensive undertaking.  It would likely scale over several years.  We would be looking for a 10-20 year commitment, with options to renegotiate and renew at that time.

It looks like we can get power to the property line, and would need to go underground a hundred or so meters into the field.  We will need to build stable road access, as well as a pad for the Shipping Containers (C-Cans) which will store our equipment and operating positions.  It looks  like we can get Shaw Cable to the lot line as well, so that would give us high speed Internet access.  I've discussed with the brothers putting up several towers, as well as some utility poles to string dipole antennas, and maybe a square loop for 80 meters.  Need to do some work to figure out what kind of antenna we would put up for 160 meters..

The farmers grow hay in the field, as well as letting Hereford cows graze in it.  We would try and minimize any impact to the use of their land.  We would avoid using towers that required guys.  In addition, we would run all of the coax and control cables underground in conduits.  C-Cans are very secure storage facilities, and we could dress them up a bit for our use as operating stations.  I've cut and pasted some ideas here.