Category Archives: Community

VA3XPR Supports The 2013 Walk So Kids Can Talk

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Kids Help Phone VA3XPR 2013 Walk So Kids Can Talk Toronto amateur radio ham repeater

The VA3XPR repeater sponsor, Don, VA3XFT, is supporting the 2013 Walk so Kids Can Talk fundraiser for the Kids Help Phone, Canada’s only toll-free, 24-hour, bilingual and anonymous phone counseling, web counseling and referral service for children and youth. Walk so Kids Can Talk is Canada’s largest walk in support of child and youth mental health and well-being. Funds raised by Walk participants go to help kids in over 2,500 communities across Canada.

All cash donations to the VA3XPR repeater received over the past 12 months will be donated to the Kids Help Phone. If you enjoy using the VA3XPR repeater, then please consider a pledge so that kids have a place to turn when they need someone.

Pledge Button v2

 

 

Ontario Science Centre Demonstrates Ham Radio Digitially Remastered

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Jean VE3WAD Ontario Science Centre DMR digital mobile radio repeater Toronto ham amateur VA3XPR

Jean Moffett, VE3WAD, demonstrates the use of Digital Mobile Radio, otherwise known as DMR, at the Ontario Science Centre Amateur Radio Station in Toronto, ON, using the VA3XPR digital DMR repeater. Photo courtesy of Ward Kennedy, VE3WGK.

It’s the same ham radio your grandfather used to use, but now digitally remastered and on display at the Ontario Science Centre!

On January 27th, the Ontario Science Centre Amateur Radio Station, which operates under the call sign VE3OSC, made it’s first contact using Digital Mobile Radio, commonly known as DMR. Jean Moffett, VE3WAD, who is a long time volunteer operator at the VE3OSC station, made the station’s first DMR contact with Bill Barber, NE1B, of Hudson, NH, using her newly acquired DMR radio and the VA3XPR digital DMR repeater. “I just love this new mode of ham radio communications” exclaimed Jean about using DMR. “It’s so much fun talking to people all over the world and they sound so crystal clear using DMR” she added. Jean, who enjoys demonstrating the capabilities of amateur radio to youth visitors to the station, will now be able to provide demonstrations using DMR, exemplifying the evolution of amateur radio from its early beginnings.

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VA3XPR T-Shirt

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VA3XPR Toronto repeater amateur radio ham t-shirt digital DMR mobile radioVA3XPR Toronto repeater amateur radio ham t-shirt digital DMR mobile radio

Want to be the envy of everyone at your next ham club meeting or local hamfest? Then we have just the thing for you! Above is a sample VA3XPR t-shirt that we’re thinking of making available to our loyal users, or the below hat. Interested in getting one? Click the Facebook “Like” button below and be sure to also “Share” it with your ham buddies!

VA3XPR HAT Repeater Toronto amateur radio ham digital DMR mobile radio

Blind Ham Receives Radio Gift From Fellow Hams

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Rudie VE3OUA Scarborough amateur radio club VA3XPR HT Christmas Giving Toronto ham

Rudie, VE3OUA, with his new Yaesu FT-60 dual band HT. Photo courtesy of Ray Chow, VE3ZXC.

As everyone knows, the holiday season is all about sharing with others. And what could be better than to give the gift of ham radio! Just ask Heratch Toroian, a.k.a. “Rudie”, VE3OUA, a longstanding member of the Scarborough Amateur Radio Club (SARC) in Toronto, ON, who recently received a brand new Yaesu FT-60 dual band HT from his fellow SARC members. Rudie, a visually impaired ham that uses his HT frequently, had been experiencing problems with his old Yaesu FT-60, which kept him off the air and prevented him from using IRLP & EchoLink on the VA3XPR repeater, one of his favourite modes of communications. So the good members of SARC thought they would help him and that’s exactly what they did.

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