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Updated 2008-10-03
What is the Official Observer Service?
First of all, it is NOT for "policing" the Amateur Radio bands. It IS a volunteer effort wherein Radio Amateurs help other Radio Amateurs, in good faith and in the mutually friendly spirit of the Guidelines for the Radio Amateur.
This program was developed to encourage the traditional high standards on the Amateur Radio Bands.
The program objective is to reinforce good operating habits. Punishing bad operating habits is the task of the enforcement side of Industry Canada, not OO stations.
A thorough knowledge of the Radiocommunication Regulations and the Radiocommunication Information Circulars (RICs) is a necessity in performing Official Observer functions.
The Official Observer actively looks for and reports on stations that have unusually good signals or operating procedures and which set an example for the rest of the community by displaying the best that Amateur Radio has to offer. At least 70% of notices sent every month by Official Observers will be Good Operator Notices.
The Official Observer also notes troubling operating practices or technical difficulties by a few amateurs. It is quite common for an amateur to be unaware of a harmonic or spurious signal strong enough to be heard in distant places, sometimes outside the amateur bands. Even experienced Advanced Qualification holders, especially those running high power, or involved in control operations, are not immune to excessive harmonic radiation.
The operator of a station with key clicks or chirp on his CW signals may be unaware that they exist. Broad signals, with by-products of splatter and distortion, are frequent on the phone bands, while FM signals are prone to over-deviation. These technical difficulties are subject to Advisory Notices. However, key clicks and phone splatter can also result from receiver overload due to extremely strong or local signals. Consequently, the Official Observer must make sure that any noted discrepancy is not the result of deficiencies in their own receiver or careless monitoring practice.
The recipient of an Advisory Notice expects absolute accuracy. Advisory Notices are the result of detached objective monitoring in which the Official Observer is not otherwise personally involved. Official Observers will not be sending a notice to someone interfering with them or a net or repeater in which they are operating
Official Observer appointments are made by the Section Manager or the SM's designee, the Official Observer Coordinator. Initially, the program is limited to one or two Official Observers per RAC Section. However, more may be appointed to expand or supplement the existing system.
Download a pdf version of the Official Observers Guide. Files with a .pdf extension are in Adobe Acrobat format. You can read them using Adobe Acrobat Reader, which may also be downloaded free of charge.
Official Field Organization Badges may be ordered using this order form.
A list of Official Observers and Coordinators currently in place is shown below.
Don
Moman, VE6JY
Box 127,
Lamont, AB T0B
2R0
Thomas (Tom) Martens, VE6TRM
Box 1024,
Raymond, AB T0K 2S0
Phone: (403) 752-4486
Coordinator
Dennis Wight VE7IJJ
4832 Mills Avenue
Terrace BC V8G 1C2
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