Radio Amateurs of Canada

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RAC Office

Temporary telephone problems at RAC Office have been fixed November 19 and 20

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For immediate release:

The RAC office ran into an unexpected technical issue with its telephone service on the afternoon of Thursday, November 19. The issue has now been resolved and telephone service has resumed.

Unfortunately any attempt to contact the RAC office between approximately 4 pm EST on Thursday, November 19 and all of Friday, November 20 may not have reached the office, and no phone messages left during that time period will be accessible.

If you contacted the office during this period and did not receive a response we would appreciate it if you would please contact us again.

For urgent requests please contact the RAC office at: 

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Adam MacDonell
RAC Office Coordinator

RAC Online Basic Amateur Radio Course Registration: Summer 2020 Registration has been closed. Thank you for a great response!

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Annapolis Valley Amateur Radio Club
Registration Form | Schedule and Cost | Instruction | Syllabus | Other Courses

RAC Online Basic Qualification Amateur Radio Course: Summer 2020

New RAC bulletin logo November 2019Thank you for another great response to our online courses!

Registration has now closed!

Background information:

In response to the Covid-19 crisis, Radio Amateurs of Canada is once again offering an online Amateur Radio course so that individuals can obtain their Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with Basic Qualification while continuing to practise social/physical distancing.

The course will once again be conducted with the assistance of the Annapolis Valley Amateur Radio Club (AVARC) of Nova Scotia.

This course prepares students for the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) Basic Qualification Level Operator Certificate exam to operate on allocated Amateur Radio frequencies.

Course Information:

Date: The course will start on Thursday, August 20 and will finish on Thursday, October 29.

Time: Classes will be held on Thursday evenings from 6 pm to 8:30 (1800 – 2030) Eastern Time (1900 – 2130 Atlantic Time) and Sunday afternoons 1 pm to 3:30 pm (1300 – 1530) Eastern Time (1400 – 1630 Atlantic Time).

Cost: The registration fee for the course is $50 plus GST/HST. The cost of the Basic Study Guide is extra and an order link will be provided upon completion of payment.

Instruction: 

The course will use the GoToMeeting web-based service. Students will receive instructions on how to log on to the online sessions once they have registered for the course.

The course instructor is Al Penney, VO1NO. Al was first licensed in 1977 and has been active in many areas of Amateur Radio including contesting, DXing, VHF/UHF weak signal, satellites, emergency communications and DXpeditioning. He has served as the President of six different Amateur Radio clubs in both Canada and the United States and currently chairs the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 2 Band Planning Committee. Al has taught the Basic Qualification Amateur Radio Course since 1994.

Course material pertaining to all topics covered in the course syllabus shown below will be provided to all registered students. Students must have a copy of the Canadian Amateur Radio Basic Qualification Study Guide provided by Coax Publications. For more information please visit the RAC Study Guides webpage.

It is essential that all students have the necessary equipment and bandwidth capable of taking the course – at least a tablet or PC and a DSL broadband connection.

Download (PDF, 443KB)

Course Registration: Thank you for another great response to our online courses! Registration has now closed!

Other Amateur Radio Courses:

Amateur Radio Qualification Basic and Advanced Qualification courses are also now being provided both online and in person by Canadian Amateur Radio Clubs and organizations.

Please visit the Amateur Radio Courses webpage for more information: 

https://www.rac.ca/amateur-radio-courses/

New RAC Membership Renewal Procedures Renewal reminder notifications are now being sent by email

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Renewal Notices | Renewal Options | Membership Benefits | “My Membership”
RAC President Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA, has arrived in Newfoundland
RAC President Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA
For immediate release:

On behalf of Radio Amateurs of Canada, I would like to thank you for your continued support of Amateur Radio in Canada and internationally.

Your membership has helped RAC in its two primary objectives: to support and promote Amateur Radio in Canada and internationally; and to provide valuable programs and services to RAC members (see below).

As a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the RAC Head Office in Ottawa has been closed temporarily and we are no longer able to send out membership renewal notices by mail and we will be sending out email notices instead.

We would appreciate it if you would please watch for these messages in your inbox and also in your junk folders – this is especially true if you have Outlook or Hotmail email addresses.

In addition, you can assist us by checking to see when your membership will expire by logging on to the RAC website and going to the “My Membership” webpage (https://www.rac.ca/my-membership/). You can also find it on the mailing label of the paper version of The Canadian Amateur magazine or by calling the RAC office as described below.

If you need to renew your membership you can do so by using one of the following options:

  • Online:by completing the online renewal form (or by clicking on the “Join Radio Amateurs of Canada” logo on the top right of the RAC website). Payments must be made by credit card or by PayPal.
  • By phone:by calling 877-273-8304 from 10 am to 4 pm EST/EDT, Monday through Friday (except statutory holidays). You may pay by credit card or you may send a cheque for the appropriate amount to the RAC head office.
  • By mail:if you prefer to have your renewal form processed via standard mail, you can download an application for your region from the Membership Renewals webpage and mail it to the RAC Office.

73, Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA
RAC President

RAC Maple Leaf Operator Member logos
RAC Maple Leaf Operator Memberships are available in Gold, Silver and Bronze levels.

RAC Membership Benefits: A Reminder

I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of just a few of the important services and benefits RAC provides to its members.

Radio Amateurs of Canada represents all Canadian Amateurs at all levels of government:

1) At the Local/Municipal Level: RAC works with municipalities on such issues as regulations governing the placement of antennas and assists Amateur Radio clubs and other organizations in Public Service and Emergency Services (ARES) functions throughout the year.

2) At the Regional/Provincial/Territorial Levels: RAC works with governments on such issues as Distracted Driving Legislation and Emergency Services.

3) At the National Level: RAC represents all Amateurs on the Canadian Amateur Radio Advisory Board (CARAB) and works with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) on important issues such as tower legislation, RF interference and spectrum grabs by business.

4) At the International Level: RAC is a member of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) which works with the United Nation’s International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to preserve and expand our frequency spectrum allocations. RAC sponsors a representative at the World Radio Conferences (WRC) and their Preparatory Meetings to protect existing spectrum and open new spectrum.

All of these items are intangible benefits that RAC members enjoy but members also enjoy tangible benefits including:

  • RAC’s membership journal, The Canadian Amateur (TCA) magazine – available in both print and digital (eTCA) formats – includes regular columns, features and technical articles of interest to Amateur Radio operators.
  • The RAC QSL Bureau System distributes QSL cards for RAC members to countries around the world.
  • The RAC Affiliated Club Program and Liability Insurance Program provides documents and other useful material to help local Amateur Radio clubs to be more efficient and also provides affordable $5 million liability insurance to their members.
  • Two annual contests – the RAC Canada Day Contest and the RAC Canada Winter Contest – and the RAC Operating Awards for Radio Amateurs worldwide.
  • The RAC Field Organization coordinates traffic-handling (National Traffic System) and emergency communications (ARES) across Canada.
  • The RAC Scholarship and Grant Program applies member donations to provide financial support through scholarships, research and equipment grants.
  • The RAC Youth Education Program provides support to teachers and schools wishing to implement an Amateur Radio program or project.

I hope this gives you a good idea of how a membership in Radio Amateurs of Canada is of direct benefit to you. Of course, what is not mentioned is that all of these services rely on the hard work of volunteers throughout Canada including those who serve on the RAC Board of Directors and Executive, as Section Managers and in Field Services, as volunteers at RAC Headquarters to name just a few.

The challenge for us is that we do not have the membership base that the American Radio Relay League has in the United States and we rely on and appreciate the support of every single member. We hope that you decide to continue to do so by renewing your membership.

73, Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA
RAC President

RAC Head Office building has been closed but staff are working remotely

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Membership Renewals | Mail delivery | Contacting RAC
New RAC bulletin logo November 2019Update as of March 21, 2020:

As previously reported the RAC Head Office in Ottawa has been closed indefinitely due to the global pandemic.

The majority of activities and responsibilities of the RAC administration are now being performed remotely. In addition, the RAC Board and Executive and all RAC committees and volunteers continue to work on behalf of all RAC members and for Amateur Radio in Canada and internationally.

Stay tuned to this website for more updates as the current crisis unfolds.

Renewing your membership

If you need to renew your RAC membership you can do so by sending a cheque to the address provided below or by completing the online form at the Membership Sign Up / Renewal Area. You may also contact the office by telephone to renew your membership if preferred (see below).

Radio Amateurs of/du Canada
720 Belfast Road
Suite 217
Ottawa, ON K1G 0Z5

Timing of Mail Delivery

Mail will now be picked up at the RAC Head Office intermittently so please take this delay into account if you are intending to send cheques, forms or applications to the RAC office. Please allow for extra time and to send out correspondence well in advance of any time constraints.

If you have already sent your renewal or any mail in the last two weeks it may not have yet reached RAC Headquarters and as result will not be picked up at the office until later this week. Please contact the RAC office if you have concerns about a renewal payment sent via regular mail.

Contacting RAC by telephone

We will be pleased to continue to assist RAC members by telephone at 613-244-4367 or 877-273-8304 from 10 am to 4 pm EST/EDT, Monday through Friday (except statutory holidays).

Please leave a message on the answering machine as usual if no one responds right away.

Contacting RAC by email

The RAC General Manager continues to be available by email at .

In addition, the regular RAC Headquarters email address at will also be monitored.

We understand this is an uncertain time for everyone and we are here to continue to support you and we ask for your patience.

We also stress the importance of listening to medical officials in your own areas and exercise all due caution with your own activities.

Important: Please do not go the RAC Head Office until you have been informed that it has been reopened.

RAC Office Phone Service Has Resumed

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New RAC bulletin logo November 2019

Tuesday, March 10, 2020 

For immediate release:

Service to the RAC phone system has been successfully restored and individuals who left messages yesterday will be contacted during the work day.

The RAC Office can once again be reached by calling 613-244-4367 or 877-273-8304 from 10 am to 4 pm EST/EDT, Monday through Friday (except statutory holidays).

Thank you again for your patience.

RAC Office Coordinator
Adam MacDonell

 

Monday, March 9, 2020 

For immediate release:

The RAC office is currently undergoing a technical issue with its telephone system.

Phone calls made to the RAC office will not be able to be completed at this time. We are working to restore service as soon as possible. 

All inquiries including renewal requests can also be handled via email to . 

If you require urgent assistance, you may also contact the RAC Office Manager at .

Plans for restoration of regular phone service are underway. There is no confirmed timeframe for full functionality, but we expect that full service will be restored later this  week.

Thank you for your patience.

RAC Office Coordinator
Adam MacDonell

RAC Office Phone Outage

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Update Monday, August 26:

The RAC Office is continuing to have issues with its VoIP phone system. The phone lines are working but there are still intermittent connection issues.

If you have difficulties reaching the RAC office by phone, all inquiries including renewal requests can also be handled via email. Voice mail services remain functional and messages can be left which will be received by the RAC admin.

If you require assistance, you may also contact the RAC Office at or via the online webmaster support form.

Plans for restoration of regular phone service are underway. There is no confirmed timeframe for full functionality but improvements are expected within one to two weeks.

Thank you for your patience. 

RAC Office Coordinator
Adam MacDonell

Dayton Hamvention 2019: May 17-19

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Thank you for visiting the RAC booth!

Another Dayton Hamvention is now over! It was great to see so many of you dropping by the RAC Booth 2504 in Building 2 to sign our guest book and have a chat.

An updated Dayton Hamvention photo gallery and slideshow is provided below. If you click on a photo it will open on a new page and show a larger image. 

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In the photo below, RAC President Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA, presents a Gold RAC Maple Leaf Operator Member pin to IARU President, Tim Ellam, VE6SH, on Saturday, May 18 at the Dayton Hamvention. Tim was the first RAC member to sign up for Gold Maple Leaf Operator status when the program was launched.

The RAC Gold and Silver Maple Leaf Operator Members pins are being sent to RAC members this week who have signed up for this special program. For more information please visit: https://wp.rac.ca/maple-leaf-operator/

Dayton Hamvention Photo Gallery: Updated with Day 2 photos

The Dayton Hamvention is in full swing and it is great to see so many of you dropping by the RAC Booth 2504 in Building 2 to sign our guest book and have a chat. If you haven’t dropped by already please head on over. We look forward to seeing you there. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at #RACatDayton.

Background information:

Note: the RAC HQ office will be closed from May 15-19 so that we can attend Hamvention 2019.

For the ninth year in a row, Radio Amateurs of Canada will be operating a booth at the Dayton Hamvention, the world’s largest Amateur Radio gathering.

The RAC booth 2504 will once again be in Building 2 along with the International Amateur Radio Union, the American Radio Relay League and other national organizations.

The above photo shows (from left): JT Mitchell, VE6OH (Alfa Radio and former RAC Alberta/NWT/NU Director), Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA (RAC President) and Tim Ellam, VE6SH (International Amateur Radio Union President) in front of the RAC booth.

This is the 68th year of the Dayton Hamvention, sponsored by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association. Each year, a specific theme – such as Amateur Radio clubs, global friendship or the advent of digital modes – spotlights one of the many facets of the Amateur Radio Service.

Dayton 2019 theme logo: Mentoring the Next GenerationLast year’s theme was “Amateur Radio…Serving the Community” which acknowledged the role that Amateur Radio operators play in their communities, especially in times of emergencies.

This year the theme both Hamvention and the ARRL 2019 National Convention, which is being held at Hamvention, will share the same theme: “Mentoring the Next Generation”.

The schedule is as follows:

Fleamarket and Inside Exhibits

Friday: 9 am to 5 pm
Saturday: 9 am to 5 pm
Sunday: 9 am to 1 pm (note: see info below)

Further information about the Dayton Hamvention including its new Mobile Event App can be found online at: https://www.hamvention.org.

For a look at last year’s event visit our Dayton 2018 photo gallery at:

https://wp.rac.ca/dayton-hamvention-2018/

So come visit the RAC Booth 2504 in Building 2 and talk to your RAC volunteers. Better yet contact us and volunteer to work at the booth: RAC Headquarters .

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at #RACatDayton.

RAC Affiliated Club Insurance Program: Applications Open for 2019

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Radio Amateurs of Canada is pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications from Amateur Radio clubs across the country for our Liability Insurance Program for 2019.

RAC runs the RAC Affiliated Club Insurance Program each year to provide Canadian Amateur Radio clubs with liability insurance coverage – often needed by clubs in order to operate in public venues or for public events – at rates well below standard commercial coverage packages. In addition, all RAC members who are also members of participating clubs will see the liability coverage extended, automatically and at no charge, to their own individual Amateur Radio activities.

There are no major limitations or restrictions to which clubs may apply to the program, but they must be an incorporated club within Canada and be either affiliated with RAC or be willing to affiliate as part of the application process. Note: for a list of RAC Affiliated Clubs please visit: https://www.rac.ca/affiliated-club-listing/

More information about the RAC Affiliated Club Insurance Program – including details of coverage, fee calculations and a step-by-step description of the application process for new clubs – can be found on the RAC website at: https://www.rac.ca/insurance.

Clubs that are not currently participating and are interested in more information about the costs of the program may contact the RAC office and provide information about their club for an estimate of the potential fees. The RAC Office may be reached via email at or by calling the toll free number 1-877-273-8304. RAC Office hours are 10 am to 4 pm, Eastern Time, every weekday.

Applications are open now and RAC will continue to accept applications throughout 2019. Please note that if your club requires official documentation by January 1, 2019, then the application should be submitted either physically or electronically to the RAC office by December 15, 2018.

If you or a member of your club have any further questions about the insurance program, please feel free to contact the RAC Office for assistance. Thank you!

Radio Amateurs of Canada
Suite 217, 720 Belfast Road
Ottawa, ON K1G 0Z5
T. 1-877-273-8304
E.

Delay in Delivery of The Canadian Amateur: July-August 2018 TCA

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For immediate release:

The distribution of the print version of the July-August 2018 issue of The Canadian Amateur magazine has been unexpectedly delayed.

Since this issue of TCA follows immediately after the RAC Annual General Meeting which was held on Saturday, June 16, we decided to delay sending it to the printer so that we would be able to include several important items from the AGM: the RAC President's Report to the Members at the AGM; the Minutes of the AGM; and the RAC Financial Statements 2017. In addition, this issue of TCA also includes several articles about RAC's formation in 1993 which were presented at the AGM as part of RAC's 25th Anniversary Celebrations.

Unfortunately, a scheduling problem at the printer has resulted in a further and unexpected delay. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this has created and we thank you for your patience. The digital version of the July-August 2018 TCA (eTCA) was posted online on June 30 and can be viewed by all RAC members in our Downloads section of the RAC website at: https://www.rac.ca/digitaltca/

For additional information please visit:

July-August 2018 eTCA is now available

 

RAC Affiliated Club Insurance Program: Applications Open for 2018

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RAC bulletin logoRadio Amateurs of Canada is pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications from Amateur Radio clubs across the country for our Liability Insurance Program for 2018.

RAC runs the RAC Affiliated Club Insurance Program each year to provide Canadian Amateur Radio clubs with liability insurance coverage – often needed by clubs in order to operate in public venues or for public events – at rates well below standard commercial coverage packages. In addition, all RAC members who are also members of participating clubs will see the liability coverage extended, automatically and at no charge, to their own individual Amateur Radio activities.

There are no major limitations or restrictions to which clubs may apply to the program, but they must be an incorporated club within Canada and be either affiliated with RAC or be willing to affiliate as part of the application process.

More information about the RAC Affiliated Club Insurance Program – including details of coverage, fee calculations and a step-by-step description of the application process for new clubs – can be found on the RAC website at: https://www.rac.ca/insurance.

If your club requires official documentation by January 1, 2018 then their application should be submitted by mail or email before December 15, 2017.

If you or a member of your club have further questions about the insurance program, please feel free to contact the RAC Head Office for assistance at . Thank you!

Radio Amateurs of Canada
Suite 217, 720 Belfast Road
Ottawa, ON K1G 0Z5
T. 1-877-273-8304
E: