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Web Site Message from the Pres…..

With the elections this past Sept it is only now that things are being updated on LARA’s web site. I would like to thank everyone for the confidence they have shown in me being elected as the President. It is indeed an honor and privilege and so far I have reflected on some of our challenges and look forward to the ones that are ahead. My thanks to the past executive members who have worked very hard to breath new life into the hobby of Ham Radio.  Your experience and guidance has been a great asset and we will continue to tap into that experience.  

We hit the road running in Sept as the club had 2 ISS contacts to complete in 5 days.  The first contact was with Belmont School in Langley where there were over 500 students getting their first exposure to the hobby. I believe that 15 students got the opportunity to talk to Dr. Robert Thirst who answered their questions. The 2^nd contact was at the Planetarium in Vancouver for Boundary Bay School. Both events received great reviews in the local papers.  Stayed turned for the upcoming article in (TCA), The Canadian Armature on the International Space Station contacts.   This project started with an idea from Dr. Greg Banta VA7GAB and for over a year solicited help from several hams within and outside the club.  Without the team effort and 100’s and 100’s of hours of work these contacts would have not taken place. It was a great event and their may be more contacts to come in the future using the clubs repeater and satellite components.  Congratulations to all who took part….

This revamped web site is the work of our own (guru) Dave Barber VE7IHY who has spent untold hours as well redesigning the site.  Sincere thanks for your efforts in getting LARA back on line and up to date.

Field day this year is looking like its going to be quite the event. LARA and the Surrey amateur radio club are in the beginning processes of planning a joint field day as in the past years. It will be great to network and meet others in the hobby.  So if you have not experienced a field day then come on out and get involved. It’s a great 24 hours.

Don’t forget to check out the farm project that our very own RAC Director Bill Gipps VE7XS is building…You can go to his web site and get the scoop.   http://www.ve7isv.com/by_the_farm.htm  

Last but not least congratulations to our new hams noted below who have just completed their basic course.  Our lead instructor Gary Skett VE7AS once again has done a great job working long hours in his day job and packing up all his equipment and going to teach a class at night.  I believe at last count LARA now has 63 members of which 30 have received their basic or advanced license within the last 2 years.  Thanks Gary for your many years of dedication to the hobby.

Ryan O'Connor got VA7FGC               

Bill Taylor is VA7BGB                           

Mark Frobb has VE7TLZ                       

Ron Gordon's call us VE7ESL             

Debbie Scrivens is VA7DKB               

George Matousek's call is VA7LNP 

Thanks again to all for your assistance so far this year. Let’s continue to build on the positives and continue to have a great year in amateur radio.

Regards and 73…

John MacKay VE7EEX

The Pres…..