Rideau Challenge Journey - RCJ

First off, thanks for showing your interest as a volunteer. Both New Hams Ottawa, NHO, and Rideau Challenge Journey, RCJ, groups are excited to explore how radio communications can support a wilderness based hiking challenge for scouting aged youth of the National Capital Region of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

If you have already registered for this year, thank you, we are still working on the back end of the system while we wait to get details of the event routes for this year. We will be in touch and if you need to get in touch with us before hand the group email is rcj at ve3ksm.net. It will likely be Wednesday or Thursday, May 1st or 2nd.

The RCJ usually takes place Mother’s day weekend. You are invited to join us for either or both days. Radio Operators will be required to have their stations operational 30 minutes before hiking starts.

The New Hams Ottawa “Offer of Service” to the Rideau Challenge Journey includes

• Saturday 8:00am to 5:00pm
• Sunday 8:00am to 1:00pm

The net will operate on a simplex frequency and stations may be required to relay traffic to and from NC. You will need a transmitter capable of at least 25 watts. If you have the ability to erect an antenna on a mast or hang one from a tree that will help improve your ability to communicate with the net.

This is the second year that NHO and RCJ are partnering. We are still in the process of gathering information and documenting procedures. In preparation for May 11&12, we will be organizing a “Radio Field Test”. Details to follow.

If you wish to volunteer for the event please complete the New Hams Ottawa Volunteer Registration form. This form will help us manage volunteer registrations and contact details. Upon submitting your registration we will follow up with some additional details concerning possible field tests and the actual event.

New Hams Ottawa (NHO) is an unincorporated group of new and seasoned Amateur Radio operators. Our goal is to provide new radio operators with some basic information about Amateur Radio and get them active in the hobby. The group hosts a weekly radio net for new and returning hams to provide a venue to practice participating in a VHF radio net that is also accessible through EchoLink.

The Rideau Challenge Journey (RCJ) has been running since 1990 when Rod Wilson, Alex Seaborn and a team of Ottawa area Scouters from the 1st Manotick Scout Troop first introduced the Rideau Challenge Journey. The RCJ is a program to assist Scouts to gain experience in travelling under their own steam at a level appropriate to their age and ability. Since its beginning the Rideau Challenge Journey has been an annual event hosted by the Rideau Area and is open to all scout groups on a first come first serve basis. Learn more about Rideau Challenge Journey.

We are organising event related documentation through Google Drive. If you are unable to access these resources please let us know and we can provide copies of the documents by way of e-mail attachments.

Maps

You can download the maps from this link. Please note that the PDF file is 27 MB in size. If you want the map without any markups use this link download with this link. Note that the date in the upper corner of the map is the date that Energy, Mines and Resources last updated the map.

Sample script to have Scouts use the radio to report their position.

You can download the sample script from this link. The .docx file is only 7 KB in size.

In case you cannot open .docx (Word) files, download a PDF version from this link.