Welcome to our Amateur Radio Club website! qarc.ca

We are the premier Amateur Radio Club in Belleville and surrounding areas.

For complete details of our up-coming meeting, please click here.

Industry Canada Call Sign Lookup

Weekly Breakfast Join us for breakfast every Saturday @ 08:00 hrs at Quinte Restaurant located at 135 Cannifton Rd, in Belleville, Ontario. The food is terrific and the costs are quite reasonable. For directions and a map, click here.

Weekly Breakfast Join us for breakfast every Saturday @ 08:00 hrs at Quinte Restaurant located at 135 Cannifton Rd, in Belleville, Ontario. The food is terrific and the costs are quite reasonable. For directions and a map, click here.

Field Day Summaries 2016 2017 2018 2019

Field Day Summary 2016 Call Used: VE3RL GOTA Station Call: (none) ARRL/RAC Section: ONE Class: 3A Participants: 15 Club/Group Name: Quinte and Prince Edward Radio Clubs Power Source(s): Generator Power Multiplier: 2X Bonus Points: 100% Emergency power 300 Media Publicity 100 Set-up in Public Place 100 W1AW Field Day Message 100 Submitted via the Web 50 Total Bonus Points 650 Score Summary: CW Digital Phone Total Total QSOs 108 49 386 Total Points 216 98 386 1298 Claimed Score = 1,400 Submitted by: Al Law, VE3FZ E-mail: allaw44@gmail.com Comments: Band/Mode QSO Breakdown: CW Digital Phone QSOs (W) QSOs (W) QSOs (W) 160m 80m 9 40 53 100 40m 95 100 16 40 157 100 20m 13 100 21 40 173 100 15m 3 40 1 100 10m 1 100 6m 1 100 2m 1.25 Other Satellite GOTA TOTAL 108 49 386

Field Day Summary 2016 Call Used: VE3RL GOTA Station Call: (none) ARRL/RAC Section: ONE Class: 3A Participants: 15 Club/Group Name: Quinte and Prince Edward Radio Clubs Power Source(s): Generator Power Multiplier: 2X Bonus Points: 100% Emergency power 300 Media Publicity 100 Set-up in Public Place 100 W1AW Field Day Message 100 Submitted via the Web 50 Total Bonus Points 650 Score Summary: CW Digital Phone Total Total QSOs 108 49 386 Total Points 216 98 386 1298 Claimed Score = 1,400 Submitted by: Al Law, VE3FZ E-mail: allaw44@gmail.com Comments: Band/Mode QSO Breakdown: CW Digital Phone QSOs (W) QSOs (W) QSOs (W) 160m 80m 9 40 53 100 40m 95 100 16 40 157 100 20m 13 100 21 40 173 100 15m 3 40 1 100 10m 1 100 6m 1 100 2m 1.25 Other Satellite GOTA TOTAL 108 49 386

Field Day Summary 2016 Call Used: VE3RL GOTA Station Call: (none) ARRL/RAC Section: ONE Class: 3A Participants: 15 Club/Group Name: Quinte and Prince Edward Radio Clubs Power Source(s): Generator Power Multiplier: 2X Bonus Points: 100% Emergency power 300 Media Publicity 100 Set-up in Public Place 100 W1AW Field Day Message 100 Submitted via the Web 50 Total Bonus Points 650 Score Summary: CW Digital Phone Total Total QSOs 108 49 386 Total Points 216 98 386 1298 Claimed Score = 1,400 Submitted by: Al Law, VE3FZ E-mail: allaw44@gmail.com Comments: Band/Mode QSO Breakdown: CW Digital Phone QSOs (W) QSOs (W) QSOs (W) 160m 80m 9 40 53 100 40m 95 100 16 40 157 100 20m 13 100 21 40 173 100 15m 3 40 1 100 10m 1 100 6m 1 100 2m 1.25 Other Satellite GOTA TOTAL 108 49 386

QARC Directors (2024-2025) Club email: ve3qarblvl@gmail.com President Dave Ackerman VE3OX dackerman13@gmail.com Vice President Matthew Dwight VE3FL matthew@mdwight.com Secretary Dennis Kinnear VA3DWK va3dwk@gmail.com Treasurer Attila Kostya VE3KAS kassat@xplornet.com Director at Large :Cameron Hall VE3GVG hall.f.cameron@gmail.com --- Appointed --- Past President & QRM Newsletter Editor: Tim Pekkonen VE3UO ve3uo@myrac.ca Radio Comms Peter Hodgson VE3UR ve3ur@myrac.ca Training Co-ordinator: Dennis Kinnear VA3DWK va3dwk@gmail.com Webmaster Chris Wiesner VA3SM va3sm@protonmail.com (Encrypted)

VE3QAR Repeater Information Page

VE3QAR 146.985 MHz 91.5 Hz PL tone access in and out

AllStar Node 547731 444.475 MHz(+5) is a Yaesu DR-1X Fusion Repeater normally in C4FM mode only. 118.8 Hz PL tone access in and out Node ID: 30589 - Room ID: 40589

QARC Bylaws CORPORATE SEAL 1. The seal, an impression whereof is stamped in the margin hereof, shall be the seal of the Corporation. CONDITIONS OF MEMBERSHIP 2. Membership in the Corporation shall be limited to persons interested in furthering the objects of the Corporation and shall consist of Full Membership, Associate Membership, Family Membership, Life Membership and Honourary Life Membership. I) Full Membership: shall include members holding a Certificate Of Proficiency in Amateur Radio issued by Industry Canada. Full membership requires payment of the annual dues and entitles one vote per member in Corporation business. II) Associate Membership: shall include all others interested in Amateur Radio. Associate members are required to pay 2/3 of the annual dues and are not allowed to vote on Corporation matters. III) Family Membership: shall include any family of two or more members in the same household who hold a Certificate Of Proficiency in Amateur Radio. Dues are not required to be paid by the second and/or any further family members. Such members are deemed to have Full Membership, with the right to vote on Corporation business, but shall not receive copies of the bulletin. IV Life Membership: a) having been a member for twenty consecutive years, a person may purchase a Life Membership by paying two (2) year's dues at the current rate, and shall have Full Membership voting privileges. b) a person may purchase a Life Membership at any time by paying fifteen (15) years dues in advance at the rate of dues in force at the time of purchase, and shall have Full Membership voting privileges. V) Honourary Life Membership: (a) any person, whether an Amateur Radio Operator or not, having rendered distinguished service to, or in the field of, Amateur Radio, shall be eligible for Honourary Life Membership and accepted as such by a vote at any meeting of the Corporation when a quorum of the membership is present. His rights and privileges shall be those of an Associate Member and not subject to dues or assessment. If elected from the membership, he would not be deprived of his rights as a Full Member. However, such privileges do not include membership in any other Amateur Radio organization when an additional expense to the Corporation is involved. (b) when a person purchases a Life Membership, or is elected an Honourary Life Member, his name, call, and the date shall be added to that section of the Regulations of the Corporation reserved for that purpose. 3. There shall be membership dues. Dues are to be renewed on or before the beginning of the fiscal year starting July 1 of said year, and the amount of annual dues is to be fixed by the Board of Directors, and approved by a quorum of members present at any regular meeting or annual meeting. Members not renewing their dues prior to January 1 of fiscal year shall cease to be members of the corporation and their names removed from the membership list. 4. Any member may withdraw from the Corporation by delivering to the Corporation a written resignation and lodging a copy of the same with the secretary of the Corporation. 5. Any member may be required to resign by a vote of three-quarters (3/4) of the members at an annual meeting or a regular meeting provided that any such member shall be granted an opportunity to be heard at such meeting. HEAD OFFICE 6. Until changed in accordance with the Act, the Head Office of the Corporation shall be in Belleville, in the Province of Ontario. BOARD OF DIRECTORS 7. The property and business of the Corporation shall be managed by a board of 5 directors of whom 3 shall constitute a quorum. Directors must be individuals, 18 years of age, with power under law to contract. Directors must be Full Members or Life Members of the Corporation. All Directors must be elected by the membership at an annual meeting. A person who is not a member may be elected a director, but must become a Full Member or Life Member within ten (10) days of election or else cease to be a director. 8. The applicants for incorporation shall become the first directors of the Corporation whose term of office on the Board of Directors shall continue until their successors are elected. At the first May annual meeting of members, they shall elect a new Board of Directors who shall replace the provisional directors named in the Letters Patent of the Corporation, to be effective on the first day of the next fiscal year. 9.Directors shall be elected at each annual meeting for a 1 (one) year term. 10. The office of director shall be automatically vacated: a) if a director has resigned his office by delivering a written resignation to the secretary of the Corporation; b) if he is found by a court to be of unsound mind; c) if he moves his place of residence to a place far enough outside of Belleville, in the Province of Ontario, that he cannot effectively perform his duties because of the distance; d) if at a special general meeting of members, a resolution is passed by two- thirds (2/3) of the members present at the meeting that he be removed from office provided that any such member shall be granted an opportunity to be heard at such meeting; e) on death; provided that if any vacancy shall occur for any reason in this paragraph contained, the Board of Directors by majority vote, may, by appointment, fill the vacancy with a member of the Corporation. 11. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at a time and place that shall from time to time be determined by the directors provided that 48 hours written notice of such meeting shall be given, other than by mail, to each director. Notice by mail shall be sent at least 14 days prior to the meeting. There shall be at least one (1) meeting per year of the Board of Directors. No error or omission in giving notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors or any adjourned meeting of the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall invalidate such meeting or make void any proceedings taken thereat and any director may at any time waive notice of any such meeting and may ratify, approve and confirm any or all proceedings taken or had thereat. Each director is authorized to exercise one (1) vote. If all the directors of the Corporation consent thereto generally or in respect of a particular meeting, a director may participate in a meeting of the board by means of such conference telephone or other communications facilities as permit all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other, and a director participating in such a meeting by such means is deemed to be present at the meeting. 12. The directors shall serve as such without remuneration and no director shall directly or indirectly receive any profit from his position as such; provided that a director may be paid reasonable expenses incurred by him in the performance of his duties. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any director from serving the Corporation as an officer, or in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. 13. A retiring director shall remain in office until the dissolution or adjournment of the meeting at which his retirement is accepted and his successor is elected. 14. The Board of Directors may appoint such agents and engage such employees as it shall deem necessary from time to time and such persons shall have such authority and shall perform such duties as shall be prescribed by the Board of Directors at the time of such appointment. 15. A reasonable remuneration for all agents and employees shall be fixed by the Board of Directors by resolution. Such resolution shall be in force and effect only until the next meeting of members when such resolution shall be confirmed by resolution of the members, or in the absence of such confirmation by the members, then the remuneration to such agents or employees shall cease to be payable from the date of such meeting of members. INDEMNITIES TO DIRECTORS AND OTHERS 16. Every director or officer of the Corporation or other person who has undertaken or is about to undertake any liability on behalf of the Corporation or any company controlled by it and their heirs, executors and administrators, and estate and effects, respectively, shall from time to time and at all times, be indemnified and saved harmless out of the funds of the Corporation, from and against; a) all costs, charges and expenses which such director, officer or other person sustains or incurs in or about any action, suit or proceedings which is brought, commenced or prosecuted against him, or in respect of any act, deed, matter or thing whatsoever, made, done or permitted by him, in or about the execution of the duties of his office or in respect of any such liability; b) all the costs, charges and expenses which he sustains or incurs in or about or in relation to the affairs thereof, except such costs, charges or expenses as are occasioned by his own wilful neglect or default. POWERS OF DIRECTORS 17. The directors of the Corporation may administer the affairs of the Corporation in all things and make or cause to be made for the Corporation, in its name, any kind of contract which the Corporation may lawfully enter into and, save as hereinafter provided, generally, may exercise all such other powers and do all such other acts and things as the Corporation is by its charter or otherwise authorized to exercise and do. 18. The directors shall have power to authorize expenditures on behalf of the Corporation from time to time and may delegate by resolution to an officer or officers of the Corporation the right to employ and pay salaries to employees. The directors shall have the power to enter into a trust arrangement with a trust company for the purpose of creating a trust fund in which the capital and interest may be made available for the benefit of promoting the interest of the Corporation in accordance with such terms as the Board of Directors may prescribe. 19. The Board of Directors shall take such steps as they may deem requisite to enable the Corporation to acquire, accept, solicit or receive legacies, gifts, grants, settlements, bequests, endowments and donations of any kind whatsoever for the purpose of furthering the objectives of the Corporation. OFFICERS 20. The Officers of the Corporation shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary,Treasurer, and any such other officers as the Board of Directors may determine. Officers must be elected by the membership at an annual meeting. Any two offices may be held by the same person. Officers need not be directors, but shall be Full Members or Life Members in good standing. 21. Officers shall serve as such without remuneration and no officer shall directly or indirectly receive any profit from his position as such; provided that an officer may be paid reasonable expenses incurred by him in the performance of his duties. 22. The Officers of the Corporation shall hold office for a term to be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors, beginning on the first day of the next fiscal year from the date of election, or until their successors are elected or appointed in their stead. Officers may be removed by a motion sustained by 3/4 of the members present at a regular meeting. DUTIES OF OFFICERS 23. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation. He shall preside at all meetings of the Corporation and of the Board of Directors. He shall have the general and active management of the affairs of the Corporation. He shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect. 24. The Vice-President shall, in the absence or disability of the president, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the president and shall perform such other duties as shall from time to time be imposed upon him by the Board of Directors. 25. The Treasurer shall have the custody of the funds and securities of the Corporation and shall keep full and accurate accounts of all assets, liabilities, receipts and disbursements of the Corporation in the books belonging to the Corporation and shall deposit all monies, securities and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such chartered bank of trust company, or, in the case of securities, in such registered dealer in securities as may be designated by the Board of Directors from time to time. He shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be directed by proper authority taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the president and directors at the regular meeting of the Board of Directors, or whenever they may require it, an accounting of all the transactions and a statement of the financial position, of the Corporation. He shall also perform such other duties as may from time to time be directed by the Board of Directors. 27. The Secretary may be empowered by the Board of Directors, upon resolution of the Board of Directors, to carry out his affairs of the Corporation generally under the supervision of the officers thereof and shall attend all meetings and act as clerk thereof and record all votes and minutes of all proceedings in the books to be kept for that purpose. He shall give or cause to be given notice of all meetings of the members and of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or president, under whose supervision he shall be. He shall be custodian of the seal of the Corporation, which he shall deliver only when authorized by a resolution of the Board of Directors to do so and to such person or persons as may be named in the resolution. 28. The duties of all other officers of the Corporation shall be such as the terms of their engagement call for or the Board of Directors requires of them. EXECUTION OF DOCUMENTS 29. Contracts, documents or any instruments in writing requiring the signature of the Corporation, shall be signed by any two officers and all contracts, documents and instruments in writing so signed shall be binding upon the Corporation without any further authorization or formality. The directors shall have power from time to time by resolution to appoint an officer or officers on behalf of the Corporation to sign specific contracts, documents and instruments in writing. The directors may give the Corporation's power of attorney to any registered dealer in securities for the purposes of the transferring of and dealing with any stocks, bonds, and other securities of the Corporation. The seal of the Corporation when required may be affixed to contracts, documents and instruments in writing signed as aforesaid or by any officer or officers appointed by resolution of the Board of Directors. MEETINGS 30. The annual or any other general meeting of the members shall be held at the head office of the Corporation or at any place in Canada as the Board of Directors may determine and on such day as the said directors shall appoint. The Auditor(s) shall be appointed at the annual meeting for the ensuing year. 31. At the first meeting of the fiscal year, in addition to any other business that may be transacted, the report of the directors, the financial statement and the report of the auditors shall be presented. The members may consider and transact any business either special or general at any meeting of the members. The Board of Directors or the president or vice-president shall have power to call at any time, a general meeting of the members of the Corporation. The Board of Directors shall call a special general meeting of members on written requisition of members carrying not less than 5% of the voting rights. 15% of the membership present in person at a meeting plus the presence of 3 of the Directors will constitute a quorum. 32. Fourteen (14) days' written notice shall be given to each voting member of any annual or special general meeting of members. Notice of any meeting where special business will be transacted shall contain sufficient information to permit the member to form a reasoned judgement on the decision to be taken. Notice of each meeting of members must remind the member that he must be present in person to vote. Each voting member present at a meeting shall have the right to exercise one vote. There shall be no proxy voting. 33. No error or omission in giving notice of any annual or general meeting or any adjourned meeting, whether annual or general, of the members of the Corporation shall invalidate such meeting or make void any proceedings taken thereat and any member may at amy time waive notice of any such meeting and may ratify, approve and confirm any or all proceedings taken or had thereat. For purpose of sending notice to any member, director or officer for any meeting or otherwise, the address of the member, director or officer shall be his last address recorded on the books of the Corporation. MINUTES OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS (AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE) 34. The minutes of the Board of Directors (or the minutes of the executive committee) shall not be available to the general membership of the Corporation but shall be available to the Board of Directors. A copy of the minutes of each meeting shall be made available on request to each Director. VOTING OF MEMBERS 35. At all meetings of members of the Corporation, every question shall be determined by a majority of votes unless otherwise specifically provided by statute or by these by-laws. FINANCIAL YEAR 36. Unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors, the fiscal year shall start on July 1 and end on June 30 of the following year unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors and approved by a majority of members at a regular meeting or annual meeting. COMMITTEES 37. The Board of Directors may appoint committees whose members will hold their offices at the will of the Board of Directors. The directors shall determine the duties of such committees, and may fix any remuneration to be paid. AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS 38. The by-laws of the Corporation not embodied in the letters patent may be repealed or amended by by-law enacted by a majority of the directors at a meeting of the Board of Directors and sanctioned by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the members at a meeting duly called for the purpose of considering the said by-law, provided that the repeal or amendment of such by-laws shall not be enforced or acted upon until the approval of the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs has been obtained. AUDITORS 39. The members shall, at each annual meeting, appoint an auditor to audit the accounts of the Corporation for report to the members at the next annual meeting. The auditor shall hold office until the next annual meeting provided that the directors may fill any casual vacancy in the office of the auditor. The remuneration of the auditor shall be fixed by the Board of Directors. BOOKS AND RECORDS 40. The directors shall see that all necessary books and records of the Corporation required by the by-laws of the Corporation or by any applicable statute or law are regularly and properly kept. RULES AND REGULATIONS 41. The Board of Directors may prescribe such rules and regulations not inconsistent with these by-laws relating to the management and operation of the Corporation as they deem expedient, provided that such rules and regulations shall have force and effect only until the next annual meeting of the members of the Corporation when they shall be confirmed, and failing such confirmation at such annual meeting of members, shall at and from that time cease to have any force and effect. INTERPRETATION 42. In these by-laws and in all other by-laws of the Corporation hereafter passed unless the context otherwise requires, words importing the singular number of the masculine gender shall include the plural number or the feminine gender, as the case may be, and vice versa, and references to persons shall include firms and Corporations. ****************************************************************** REGULATIONS OF THE CORPORATION Quinte Amateur Radio Club Incorporated 1. Terms of Office The Executive of the Quinte Amateur Radio Club are to be elected at the May (annual) meeting of the Club.Their term of office shall be one year, commencing at the start of the next fiscal year immediately following the date of election,that is from July 1 to June 30. 2. Honourary Life Members: Bill Barrie VE3AAS 2006 Life Members: Syd Horne VE3EGO 2005 Tim Pekkonen VE3UO (ex.VE3HCM) 2005 Michael Papper VE3OX (VE3VMP) 2003 Ivan Graham VE7GTT (VA3IG, VE3GTH) 1992 Don Davenport VE3BPL 1992 The names of any deceased Honourary Life members, or Life Members shall be removed from these rolls, and added to the Roll of Honour. 3. Roll of Honour · James Allan (Al) Smith VE3GI (Hon Life Member 2006; SK July 29, 2013) · Al Taylor VE3WV (Hon Life Member 2008; SK Jan 26, 2012) · Richard (Dick) Hayes VE3EER ( Life Member 2008; SK Nov 2, 2011) · Bob SandsVE3BOB (Hon Life Member 2006; SK May 5, 2011) · Albert BakytaVE3BHK (Hon Life Member 2006; SK Aug 28, 2010) · Ronald ChapmanVE3IVC (Hon Life Member 2000; SK Dec 23, 2009) · Harold CarruthersVE3NW (Hon Life Member 2006; SK Dec 9, 2006) · Al Smardon VE3OX (Hon Life Member 2005; SK Aug 3, 2005) · Gerry Ingles VE3HBR · William Thompson VE3RW · H.R.(Reg) Varcoe VE3RR (Hon Life Member, 1977) · T.W.R. (Ross) Dryden VE3AUU (Hon Life Member, 1992) · W.B. (Buster) Doubleday VE3NF (Hon Life Member, 1974) The Roll of Honour posthumously honours the memory of individual members of the Quinte Amateur Radio Club who contributed significantly to the Hobby of Amateur Radio. 4. Dues At the time of Incorporation of the Quinte Amateur Radio Club, dues are $15.00 per fiscal year. Dues were set to $ 20.00 per fiscal year at the February 1994 meeting. Dues were set to $ 25.00 per fiscal year at the March 1998 meeting. Those persons who are Full-time students of a High School or other institution of higher education may become Full members of the Corporation upon payment of 1/2 of the annual dues provided they are qualified to become full members. (Amendment April 1994) Those persons eligible to join the club during the fiscal year shall pay dues as follows: First Quarter: (July August September): $25.00 Second Quarter: (October November December): $20.00 Third Quarter: (January February March): $15.00 Fourth Quarter: (April & May): $10.00 Note: It is expected that new members joining in June would normally pay Full Dues for the following fiscal year. Amendment: September 16, 2015: New dues will be $10 for RAC members, and $15 for non-RAC members. 5. Amendments and Additions These Regulations may be amended or added to by a 2/3 majority vote of members in attendance at a regular meeting where a Quorum is present. Proposals for amendments or additions shall be submitted in writing at any regular meeting, but may not be voted on until the next regular meeting. Only Regulation No.8, Rules for the Reg Varcoe Award, may be amended by the Executive. 6. Club Property a) Club property is the property of the members as a whole. b) Club Property shall only be disposed of by a majority vote at a regular meeting when a quorum of members is present. One month's notice shall be given to all members before any vote shall be taken. c) Proceeds from the sale of Club Property shall be placed in the Club treasury. d) In the event of dissolution of the Quinte Amateur Radio Club, all club property shall be disposed of. The proceeds from such sales shall be donated to a charitable organization chosen by a majority vote at a regular meeting when a quorum is present. 7. Reg Varcoe Fund In 1977 Mr Reg Varcoe VE3RR who since 1961 has donated the Reg Varcoe Award together with a subscription to the Radio Society of Ontario, donated the sum of $100.00 to the club.The interest from this fund is to pay the subscription mentioned above as requested by Mr Varcoe. Due to the fact that the R.S.O. is discontinued, a subscription shall be made on behalf of the member to a magazine as selected by the Club Executive. 8. Reg Varcoe Award a) This award was instituted by Mr Reg Varcoe VE3RR to encourage Amateurs to take part in emergency work,experimenting, or any other activity that will add to the prestige and pleasure of the Amateur Radio fraternity. b) The trophy is awarded annually covering the period ending June 30. It is to awarded to the club member or associate member (including officers and directors) who, in the opinion of the membership, has made the greatest contribution to Amateur Radio in general or to the Quinte Amateur Radio Club. c) The trophy may be for outstanding work in any of the following: emergency service; assistance to members in obtaining their license; pioneering work on unused frequencies or new techniques; traffic handling; or any other outstanding Amateur Radio activity or service to the community. d) The award shall be a plaque to which a tab shall be added each year showing the name of the winner,his callsign and the year. The winner may keep the plaque for one year. In addition to the plaque, there will be a subscription for one year to an Amateur publication as selected by the Executive. This subscription will be paid for by the Reg Varcoe Fund as per Quinte Amateur Radio Club Regulation No 7. e) Nominations will be submitted in writing to the Executive, stating the reasons for nomination,and signed by two members or associate members,including officers and directors,of the Club.The winner shall be decided by a ballot of the members present at any regular meeting. f) Rules for the Reg Varcoe Award, Regulation No 8, may be amended by the Executive at the beginning of the contest year.