Lots on in WC for World Amateur Radio Day

WEST CARLETON – Friday, April 18 is World Amateur Radio Day and West Carleton will be a big part of the celebration.

Good Friday? It’s going to be a great Friday, especially if you love ham radio.

“Mayor Mark Sutcliffe proclaimed April 18, as World Amateur Radio Day in Ottawa,” Ottawa Amateur Radio Club (OARC) Presdent Roger Egan told West Carleton Online last week (April 9). “The proclamation coincides with the global celebration of World Amateur Radio Day, the date of the formation of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), 100 years ago in 1925.”

The OARC will be collaborating with West Carleton Disaster Relief (WCDR) to operate portable amateur radio stations at several locations in West Carleton to help demonstrate how amateur radio can be used to connect communities together, especially during an emergency or natural disaster.

The locations are:

• Constance and Buckham’s Bay Community Centre, 262 Len Purcell Dr.
• The West Carleton Client Service Centre, 5670 Carp Rd.
• The Huntley Community Centre, 108 Juanita Ave.

Volunteer amateur radio enthusiasts will be at all three locations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. communicating through their radio set ups and answering questions about amateur radio for anyone who drops by.

“Amateur radio is an increasingly popular radio communication service that uses the radio-frequency spectrum for non-commercial, person-to-person voice and other communication,” Egan said. “Amateur radio offers an invaluable way to stay connected without reliance on the Internet or cell network during emergencies and natural disasters.”

Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) will also be hosting Get on the Air on World Amateur Radio Day on April 18, an event that encourages amateur radio operators to get on the air and contact as many RAC stations as possible.

West Carleton Online has covered a few West Carleton Amateur Radio Club events over the years and you can find that coverage here.