Ottawa Chapter AESS - Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society - last updated 18 April 2008

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Coming up in Fall 2008: A Distinguished Lecture presentation - Navigation
A satellite presentation - Telesat Spacecraft & modulation techniques
The usual publicity will be used - e-mails to AESS local members and announcements via the IEEE Ottawa Section monthly email announcements - and web site

Radio Astronomy in Canada:
60 years of monitoring at 10.7 cm
the little index that could

Ken Tapping, Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory

National Research Council, Penticton, British Columbia

Thursday 1st May 2008, 8 - 9.30pm

RA Centre, 2451 Riverside Drive - Courtside A Room, East Block

Optional pub supper, 6.30 pm Fieldhouse Restaurant - just along the hall - 2 course specials $12

Reservations for meeting and supper appreciated but not absolutely necessary David Boteler - boteler -at - iee.org

The story of how measurements with WWII radar parts became an international solar index used in everything from satellite drag models, radio propagation predictions, weather radar calibrations, space weather forecasting and climate change studies.

In 1946, Arthur Covington and his colleagues at the National Research Council in Ottawa used the receiving part of a wartime radar to make Canada's first radio telescope. Its operating wavelength. 10.7 cm, was simply what the radar was designed to operate at. The small antenna and crude receiver meant that the radio telescope was only sensitive enough to detect the Sun. So Canada's first radio astronomers used the instrument to measure the intensity of solar radio emissions and how they changed with time. Completely serendipitously, wavelengths around 10 cm are the best ones for monitoring the general level of solar activity, and Covington's measurements marked the beginning of a programme that has continued for more than 60 years, providing information on the level of solar activity to users in science and industry. In this talk we will look at the history of the programme, the equipment and how the data is used. The future is bringing increasing numbers of users and applications for the data, which is leading us to the design for the next generation of solar radio monitoring instruments. This small programme has brought Canada worldwide recognition, and the 10.7cm solar radio flux is acknowledged internationally as one of the two most widely used astronomical quantities.

Ken Tapping started radio astronomy as a backyard hobby, and then found it possible to do it for a living. He received a BSc in mathematics and physics from the University of London (UK), an MSc in space science from University College London (UK), and a Ph.D in astrophysics at the University of Utrecht, The Netherlands. He worked with the Science Research Council in the UK and in 1975 joined NRC in Ottawa. In 1985, when the last of Arthur Covington's group retired, he became Head of the Solar Radio Monitoring Programme. In 1990, following the closure of the Algonquin Radio Observatory, Ken and the programme were transferred to the NRC's Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory, near Penticton, BC.

meeting sponsored by IET-UK Ottawa Network with support from IEEE-AESS Ottawa Chapter

MEOSAR - a 21st Century Satellite System for Search and Rescue

Jim King, Communications Research Centre

8pm Tuesday 22 January 2008
RA Centre, Riverside Drive, Courtside B Room
optional pub supper in the adjacent Field House Restaurant, 6.30 pm.

The international satellite-based Search and Rescue System - SARSAT - has a number of limitations. Despite payloads on newer synchronous spacecraft, which reduce problems with the LEO constellation to a degree, both time delays and limited coverage create problems for distress detection. Jim will talk on the new MEOSAR system, which overcomes these difficulties; his presentation includes details of the configuration, including pictures, graphics and some satellite orbit animations.

Jim King is a Director at Industry Canada's Communications Research Centre in Ottawa, where he works on various Canadian and international satellite programs. Jim has over 25 years experience on Cospas-Sarsat, including 10 years at the Cospas-Sarsat Secretariat in London, England. He participated in the development, launch and testing of the first SARSAT satellite in the early 1980s, and continues to work on the next generation MEOSAR enhancement. Jim has a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, specializing in satellite communications.

Attendance IET 8 IEEE 14 total 17 supper 7 - see photo at: http://www.iee-ottawa.org/MEOSAR.htm

This event is run and funded by IET-Ottawa Network, with publicity assistance from IEEE AESS Ottawa Chapter

Tuesday 11th December 2007, 8 - 9.30pm - RA Centre, Riverside Drive

meet the speaker in the lecture room, 6.15pm; optional dinner 6.30 pm; Presentation 8pm

An informal presentation about some of the ways Google does things, and some of the "projects in progress". The presentation will include a tour of the companies headquarters. For more details about the company see http://www.google.com/corporate/tenthings.html "The perfect search engine would understand exactly what you mean and give back exactly what you want." says Google co-founder Larry Page. To that end, Google has persistently pursued innovation and pushed the limits of existing technology to provide a fast, accurate and easy-to-use search service that can be accessed from anywhere. To fully understand Google, it's helpful to understand all the ways in which the company has helped to redefine how individuals, businesses and technologists view the Internet.
Google is involved in everything from space exploration: http://www.googlelunarxprize.org/
to cheap clean energy: http://www.google.com/corporate/green/energy/
to electric cars: - http://www.google.org/recharge/

Neil Fraser was educated at Lisgar Collegiate Ottawa, a Batchelor's Degree from Carleton University & a Masters Degree in Software from the Open University, UK. To find out more about his life and interests, see http://neil.fraser.name/

Pre registration requested (state whether dinner required, in the adjacent Field House Restaurant, in the RA Centre) - Hugh Reekie 613-728-5343
Attendance 50: IET 15; IEEE 10; guests 25 (CRC Friends 8, BIFHSGO 2) - including 2 teenagers
Sponsored by IET-UK Ottawa Network with support and publicity from
IEEE AESS & Computer Society Chapters, Ottawa

SuperDARN - an HF Radar to Investigate the Northern Ionosphere

George Sofko, University of Saskatchewan

The Crowsnest, Naval Officer Mess - 78 Lisgar St

Wednesday 25 July 2007 - 7.30 pm - 9.30pm - bar available
reservations appreciated - h.reekie@ieee.org 613-728-5343

SuperDARN is an International Radar Network of 12 specialist HF Radars used for Studying the Earth's Upper Atmosphere, Ionosphere, and Connection into Space. See http://superdarn.jhuapl.edu/index.html Prof Sofko is responsible for radars at Rankin Inlet, Prince George BC and Saskatoon; he will give an overview of the entire prgram. The web pages shows some real-time results.The initial part of Prof Sofko's research career in radar studies of the ionosphere was done at VHF; however, it was realized that, at HF, there is enough refraction to allow the ionospheric rays to reach perpendicularity with the magnetic field (i.e. perfect magnetic aspect sensitivity) over a considerable range interval from a few hundred km away from the Tx to thousands of km away. Since the scatterers are believed to have their greatest cross-section when we look perpendicular to the source, the return to HF began in the late 80's and the 8-18 MHz range has been used ever since.

Prior to the presentation, Hugh Reekie will give a brief overview of some other general aspects of HF Radar. The Nostradamus HF Radar, installed near Paris, France and reviewed in AESS Systems Magazine, Oct 2006, will be described, together with newer CODAR sea-surface Radars, developed in part by the University of Maine, and installed worldwide for sea state measurements. 18 attended.

Dr. Sofko is the leader of the Canadian SuperDARN Super Dual Auroral Radar Network team, funded by an NSERC CSP for which he is the Principal Investigator and including collaborators at the Universities of Alberta, Western Ontario and New Brunswick. SuperDARN is an international network of HF radar pairs.

Plasco Processing Plant - Trail Road Ottawa

Saturday 21 July 2007 - 10 am - 11.30 am
Arrangements made though Plasco's Ken Campbell

By prior registration only. Please reserve by 18 July. Limit - 18 persons

Plasco have now started days of "Trials Mode" for their plant. The selected date is during a scheduled "Maintenance Mode" timeslot, but this may change, so the trip may be cancelled - but unlikely

Plasco Energy Group began construction on its plasma gasification demonstration project at the site of Ottawa's Trail Road Landfill in September 2006, in a partnership with the City of Ottawa. The $27 million plant will to divert 85 tonnes of waste a day from the city's landfills - while generating enough electricity to run the facility and power 3,600 homes. A recent CBC page reports an Ontario Funding Announcement: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2007/04/27/plasco-070427.html

To get there: South on Moodie, over Fallowfield. Keep going. Just beyond the top of the hill, see Trail Rd on the left. The Plasco building is "straight ahead" where the garbage trucks turn left to the dump; it is unmarked. Park in the side lot, through the entrance gate. Wait in/near your vehicle until all are assembled. All attending will be issued with CSA metal-toed Wellington boots and CSA helmets. Bring your own metal-toed boots and CSA helmets if you have them. You will get to see the site, including the process area and the powergenertion island. It is likely that we will also tour the control roomand electrical room, unless maintenance work schedules preclude it.

Lunch in Bells Corners - afterwards - the Irish pub D'Arcy McGees - please reserve with Stan.

The Northwest Passage: Is Canada's Sovereignty over its Waters at Risk?

Gerry Kenney - Wednesday 30th May 2007

The Crowsnest, Naval Officer Mess - 78 Lisgar St - 1 pm - 2pm - Sandwich lunch - noon

luncheon: $5 IEEE members, $10 others with advance reservation,

$15 with no reservation - all welcome - meeting no charge - 613-728-5343 - h.reekie@ieee.org

Gerard Kenney, or Gerry, as he likes to be called, is a Graduate of McGill University of Montreal in Communications Engineering. Gerry's work as a telecoms engineer has taken him to many countries of the world for the Canadian International Development Agency, as well as to the northern reaches of his native land while with Bell Canada in the 60s and 70s. For Bell, Gerry was responsible for the engineering management aspects of the telephone system based on short wave radio that served the eastern half of the Northwest Territories, Labrador and Nouveau Quebec.

In the late 60s while he was travelling on Ellesmere Island, Gerry was shown the horizontal member of a wooden burial cross, which had been found near Grise Fiord. The cross was in memory of a Norwegian sailor, Ove Braskerud, who had left his bones in the frigid waters of nearby Harbour Fiord in 1899. That chance encounter with Braskerud's cross eventually led to some research and finally three books on the Arctic. Dangerous Passage, published last year, is Gerry's third book about the North. His previous books are: Arctic Smoke & Mirrors, published in 1994, and Ships of Wood and Men of Iron, published in 2004.

Gerry is now retired which gives him more time to pursue his interest in writing about - and exploring - things northern. Last September, he traveled to Gjoa Haven on Prince William Island, Nunavut where he met with the grandchildren of Roald Amundsen, the Norwegian sailor who was the first captain ever to take a ship through the Northwest Passage in 1903 to 1906. Gerry lives in Ottawa and has two daughters, Amanda in Montreal and Jessica in Ottawa. Attendance 14. 4 IEEE LM; 8 IEEE; 6 IET.

A Royal Air Force Engineer - some personal observations

Something old, something new, something technical - and it's all true!

Squadron Leader Alan James, RAF - Courtside A Room, RA Centre, 2451 Riverside Drive

Thursday 15 March. 2007, 6.30 pm for optional dinner - 8.00 pm for the meeting

The presentation is open to all. Please reserve by contacting Hugh Reekie max-com@allstream.net or phone 613-728-5343. attendance 20; 10 IEEE 10 IET

Social hour in Courtside A 6 pm; Dinner 6.30 pm in the Field House Restaurant, presentation in Courtside A at 8 pm. Bar available. -

Fugro's Airborne Geophysics Survey Activities

Hosted by Richard Smith - Fugro N.V. - at Uplands Airport

Thursday 8th March or Wednesday 14th March. (date to be established) 2007, 8.00 pm

A rare opportunity has recently been offered: Fugro, a world-wide airborne geophysics company headquartered in The Netherlands, has an aircraft and offices in Ottawa, and the companyís Richard Smith is pleased to welcome a small group of engineers for a short tour. There is an opportunity to look at their CASA 212 aircraft during one of its layovers in the city; it has an active airborne electromagnetic system installed. This will be followed with a presentation describing the company, the services offered, and how the data gathered from the airborne measurements are processed to produce end-user information ñsuch as maps and reports. Visit http://www.fugroairborne.com/

We meet in the lounge inside the main entrance at the north-west corner of the Shell Aerocentre, 300 Comet Pvt at 5.50 pm, for a 6 pm start. After a review of the electronics and hardware on the aircraft we will adjourn to a boardroom for an informal presentation. This activity is in support of Fugroís Outreach Program for the International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE); it has been co-ordinated by IET's David Boteler and Hugh Reekie, together with Peter Fernberg of NRCanís Geomagnetic Laboratory in Ottawa. The two selected date opportunities suggest a good chance that the aircraft will be available. Please reserve by contacting Hugh Reekie by 3rd March. The selected date will be known by 5th March; soon afterwards you will be contacted with a firm date and any other possible changes of arrangements. Attendance 12 - 7 IET & 5 IEEE.

Some of us are likely to go on to a local hostelry for a pub supper after the visit - probably the Royal Oak, Hunt Club. Everyone is welcome to join us. This activity is jointly planned by the IET Ottawa Branch and the IEEE-AESS Ottawa Chapter. It is limited to 18 persons on a first-come basis; open to all. For reservations contact Hugh Reekie max-com@allstream.net 613-728-5343.

How to get there: Go south on the Airport Parkway and approach the airport. After passing the underpass, take the first street left (Airbus Pvt). Then, at the junction, turn left. The Aerocentre is on the right; there is a big parking lot.

Radio Frequency Identity (RFID) Tags are changing the way we do things. Over 90% of what you have read about RFID is nonsense.
But the 10% that is true is going to have a huge impact on you. Find out how and why. The presentation is hosted jointly by the Ottawa Branch of the the Institute of Engineering and Technology - the IET - formerly the Institution of Electrical Engineers - IEE at the IEEE AESS Ottawa Chapter. The presenter, John Rivenell, C.Eng. MIEE. MIQA. MIAM has considerable experience in the field.

The presentation is open to all. Please reserve ( state if dinner is required) by coacting Hugh Reekie max-com@allstream.net or phone 613-728-5343. Please provide name and contact information - and identify any guests that you intend to bring. 12 + 12 attended IET IEEE

 Social hour in Courtside A 6 pm; Dinner 6.30 pm in the Fieldhouse Restaurant, presentation in Courtside A at 8 pm.
Park in the East lot of the RA Centre and enter by the corner door. Dinner reservations appreciated by 15 January, but walk-in dinners without reservations are acceptable. Details - Hugh Reekie max-com@allstream.net or phone 613-728-5343 How to get there: The RA Centre is located near Bronson and Riverside Drive

 

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Organized by: IEEE Ottawa Reliability Society and Power Engineering Society Chapters and Educational Activities Committee with support from AESS Ottawa Chapter

Title: Software in Safety Critical Aeronautical Products

Speaker: Branimir Dulic, P.Eng.,Aircraft Certification Branch, Transport Canada

Date & Time: Tuesday, October 31, 2006, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm, Algonquin College, Ottawa
Details: To ensure a seat, please register by email to raedabdullah@ieee.org
IEEE members: Free Non-members, Retired/Job Seekers: $5 Non-members, Students: $3 Non-members: $10

Visit to NEPTEC, Kanata - host Ian Christie

A plant tour, including an overview of Neptec's optical camera assistance with Space Shuttle tile examination system. For a company profile, see http://www.neptec.com/

Neptec is located at 303 Legget Drive, Kanata - between Herzberg Road and Schnieder Road - close to the old Canadian Marconi Building. Registrants are asked to be in the parking lot by 6.50pm, to permit an orderly entry by the main door; pub visit afterwards. Attendance - 15 - prior registration only

Avionics for Manned Space - by Myron Kayton, Santa Monica, California

The Crowsnest, Naval Officer's Mess, 78 Lisgar St., Ottawa  Monday 10 April 2006 - 7.30pm

+ Earliest spacecraft, X-15  +  Ballistic Spacecraft, US and Russian +  Space stations, US and Russian +  Space Shuttle +  On-board vs Ground Navigation + Tracking networks and TDRS  +  Shuttle upgrade, return to Moon +  Manned missions to Mars

Reservations appreciated - contact Hugh Reekie 613-728-7343   Free admission - bar available - By car, go north on Cartier and turn right (eastern end of Lisgar is 2-way)

Myron Kayton has over 50 years of experience designing avionic, communication and computer-automation systems. As a consulting engineer, he has served many clients with various design and analysis activities. He has worked on automated process systems, upper-stage spacecraft, commercial communication systems and many land, sea and air navigations systems. From 1968-1981 he was chief engineer for Spacelab Avionics. From 1965-1968 he directed contractors at the NASA Johnson Space Center - on inertial navigation systems, flight controls and radars. From 1960-65 he designed multi-sensor navigation systems at Litton industries. A Life Fellow of IEEE, he has served as President of IEEE-AESS. He has written many papers and books; standard texts are Avionics Navigation Systems and Navigation: Land, Sea Air and Space; he has served on standards committees and has presented many specialist lectures at UCLA. He is an IEEE-AESS Distinguished Lecturer. Dr Kayton has a PhD (MIT 1960) MS (Harvard) and a BS (Cooper Union). He is interested in history, languages and tennis.
Members and friends of the Canadian Royal Astronomical Society are most welcome to attend

Sponsored jointly by IEEE Ottawa Chapters AESS and Robotics/Control Systems and IEE-UK Ottawa Branch - 20 attended - 8 AESS 12 IEEE 4 IEE-UK

A Backside Lunar Observatory - an Innovative Proposal - Myron Kayton, Santa Monica, California

RA Centre, 2451 Riverside Drive - Courtside A Room - 11 April 2006 - 8 pm; 6.pm Social hour; Dinner 6.30 pm

 + Radio Astronomy  + Lunar librations  + Location of Observatory+ Data transmission to Earth  +  Relay stations  +  Lagrangian Satellite +  Lunar Trajectories  + Relay Station Construction  +  Maintenance + Organization of Preliminary Design Team  +  References

Use East parking lot and access by the new, corner entrance - meet in "Courtside A", 6.00 pm for social hour- punch & meeting people 6.30pm - go to The Field House Restaurant (30 seconds away!) for dinner - four special main courses about $11, and dessert/coffee about $2.50 available send an e-mail stating numbers, and yes/no for dinner - Hugh Reekie - 613-728-5343
24 attended - 10 IEEE 12 IEE-UK, 6 AESS 3 Life members
A CV for Myron Kayton is available - Sponsored jointly by IEEE Ottawa Chapters AESS and VTS, and IEE-UK Ottawa Branch

Space Weather and its Effects on Technology - by David H. Boteler
The Crowsnest, Naval Officer's Mess, 78 Lisgar St., Ottawa Thursday 16 February 2006 - 7.30pm - 9.30pm

Abstract: During solar eruptions high energy particles are thrown out from the Sun and travel to the Earth where they cause the aurora, ionospheric disturbances and magnetic storms. This sequence of phenomena is now referred to as "space weather". These phenomena affect technological infrastructure in a variety of ways. . A recent magnetic storm, in October 2003, was more focussed over Europe - and caused a power blackout in Sweden. Natural Resources Canada operates the Canadian Space Weather Forecast Centre (www.spaceweather.ca) which provides forecasts of magnetic storms and related hazards to Canadian industry and emergency organisations. In addition we work closely with industry to understand the physical processes involved, assess the hazard and look at ways of mitigating the impact. This talk will give an overview of these processes, the forecast services available and will describe work being done to mitigate the effects. Attendance 12 - 8 IEEE members.

David Boteler has a B.Sc in Electronic Engineering, M.Sc in Geophysics and Ph.D. in Physics and extensive experience in engineering and geophysics, including work on multidisciplinary projects in the Arctic and Antarctic. He is a Fellow of IET and a Senior Member of IEEE.

Reservations appreciated - contact Hugh Reekie 613-728-5343   Free admission - bar available By car, go north on Cartier and turn right (eastern end of Lisgar is 2-way)
Members and friends of the Canadian Royal Astronomical Society are most welcome to attend

here is a listing of other specialist Society Chapters of the IEEE in the Ottawa Section.
The AESS Ottawa Chapter officers are presently:

• Chairman: Hugh Reekie 164 Bayswater Ave OTTAWA Ontario Canada K1Y 2G3
• Vice Chair Mel Walker

Meetings are often held usually on Monday or Tuesday evenings of the winter months on a range of specialist topics, sometimes in conjunction with other technical chapters or societies. See the IEEE Ottawa Section Home Page ; see the list of upcoming events. 

Tour of The Diefenbunker, Carp - 7 pm, 25 October 2005

Buried deep under a hillside in the village of Carp, the Diefenbunker was designed to house crucial elements of the Canadian government in the event of nuclear war. Exhibits and recreated areas provide a startling glimpse into Cold War history. You will be able to take a guided tour of this unique facility, which covers over 100,000 square feet and occupies four stories underground. Some of the focal points include the Prime Minister's suite, the War Cabinet Room, the CBC radio studio, the Bank of Canada vault, and the Emergency Government Situation Centre.The Diefenbunker is a privately funded museum which relies upon tour admissions, philanthropy and grants to survive.

Brian Jeffrey, one of the most experienced and knowledgeable of the Diefenbunker volunteer guides, has agreed to conduct the tour. More information about the Diefenbunker visit www.diefenbunker.ca). 32 attended - 16 IEE and 16 IEEE. 14 went to the pub.

Communications and Aids to Navigation at the Joint Arctic Weather Stations - A Retrospective covering 50 years
The Crowsnest, Naval Officer's Mess, 78 Lisgar St., Ottawa  Thursday 9 June 2005 - 11am - 2pm
John Gilbert - formerly with Transport Canada, Communications Canada and Industry Canada

The talk will cover the facilities, operations and use of communications and aids to navigation at the five Joint Arctic Weather Stations (JAWS) with emphasis on 1957 - The International Geophysical Year (IGY). The first part of the talk will provide an historical overview of communications and aids to navigation across Canada comparing the populated areas of Canada with the extreme isolation of the Arctic. The establishment of the Joint Arctic stations will be described briefly. The stations, and their date of establishment, were Eureka (1947), Resolute Bay (1947), Isachsen (1948), Mould Bay (1948) and Alert (1950). The second part of the talk will illustrate, through anecdotes and key events, the challenges of communications and navigation at the stations. Illkustrations shown have been mainly gathered and identified over the past three years at the web site:
http://groups.msn.com/MouldBayEurekaIsachsenAlert/_whatsnew.msnw This brief retrospective of the communications and navigational activities of the JAWS in the 1957 provides a baseline against which to contrast the dramatic technological advances in these fields over the intervening 50 years.

Register with Hugh Reekie before 1st June - h.reekie@ieee.org or 728-5343 The presentation is in 2 parts - 11am - 11.50am and 1 - 2pm.
An AESS Ottawa Chapter meeting will be held at 12.50pm, for officer elections. A light sandwich lunch will be served, noon, $5 for pre-registrants (IEEE & IEE members), $7 pre-registrant non-members and $10 without reservations. Cash Bar. Attendance 12; IEEE members 8 . LM - 1.

Dr. Bill Ward, MIT Lincoln Lab, Boston, MA - an AESS Distinguished Lecturer - his CV is below
Thursday 10th February 2005, 8 pm

RA Centre, Courtside A Room, 2451 Riverside Drive
use East parking lost and access by the new, corner entrance
send an email stating numbers, and yes/no for dinner - Hugh Reekie - 613-728-5343
reservations appreciated, but walk-in dinners without reservation is acceptable
80 attended the lecture -- 47 IEEE members, 20 IEE-UK members - 65 attended the dinner

Northern Canada Distant Early Warning Radar -- MIT Lincoln Labs "From the DEW Line to the Texas Towers"

Dr. Bill Ward, MIT Lincoln Lab, Boston, MA - an illustrated presentation

Friday 11th February 2005, 9.30 am - CRC Auditorium, Bldg 2A - 3701 Carling Avenue
Bill Ward is an AESS Distinguished Lecturer - pre-registration is required for all visitors without card access to Building 2, CRC

Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory has pioneered advanced electronics since its beginning in February 1951 as a Federally Funded Research and Development Center. Its fundamental mission has remained little changed since its inception: the application of science and advanced technologies to critical problems of national security. Early Lincoln Laboratory research focused on the design and prototype development of the Dew Line and BMEWS networks of ground-based radars and aircraft control centers for continental air defense.  Attendance - 24 total - 12 IEEE members

A History of Navigation - Myron Kayton, Santa Monica, California -- RA Centre, 2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa
Tuesday 4 Feb 2003, Dinner - 6 pm - presentation 7.45 pm for 8 pm

There has been interest from various sources for an active IEEE Life Member group in Ottawa, and informal lunchtime gatherings have been held. A midwinter dinner and presentation have been arranged. The Dinner is at the Fieldhouse Restaurant in the new East Block of the RA Centre. For the dinner, select from the full menu and make payment as in any restaurant; there is no set menu..  Myron Kayton, who has his own consulting company in California, is well informed about all types of radars and navigation systems. He is an excellent speaker, and is coming to Ottawa under the AESS "Distinguished Lecturer" program. There will be a discussion at 7.45 pm to consider the formal creation of a Life Member group in Ottawa - presently it is informal. The technical presentation will start at 8 pm. The "Courtside A" lecture theatre is just a moments walk from the restaurant - there is a special elevator for those unable to take the stair - Attendance 18 - IEEE 8, non-member 10

The St Lawrence Seaway Vessel Automatic Identification System - AIS -- Bert Tepper - Canadian Coast Guard

Ship-Shore Communications in Canada, and the Introduction of Digital Selective Calling -- George Olmstead - Canadian Coast Guard - Fisheries and Oceans Canada

both presented on Mon Apr 28 2003 - Attendance 18 - IEEE 10, non-member 8

Inertial Navigation Systems - Myron Kayton, Santa Monica, California
Monday 3 Feb 2003, 1.30 - 3.30 pm - Auditorium, Bldg 2A, Communications Research Centre - 3701 Carling Ave, Ottawa - Attendance 37 - IEEE 16, non-member 21