Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) is the national association for Amateur Radio in Canada. It is a not-for-profit membership association with headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, representing the interests of Amateur Radio all across Canada.
Speaking on behalf of Canadian Radio Amateurs, RAC provides liaison with government agencies and carries the Amateur voice about regulatory and spectrum issues to the discussion table with government and industry leaders, nationally and internationally. RAC is the Canadian voting member society of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).
RAC provides many services, publications and supplies to its members to enhance their enjoyment of Amateur Radio. To do so RAC relies heavily on countless volunteers across Canada from coast to coast to coast.
From time to time RAC will have a need for a specific volunteer and we will post that information on the Volunteers webpage and also in The Canadian Amateur magazine. We will also use this page to recognize our great volunteers. If you do have a volunteer that you want to recognize please let us know by using our Member Stories webpage.
Donations in Support of Amateur Radio
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Defence of Amateur Radio Fund (DARF) Trust
The sole purpose of the Defence of Amateur Radio Fund (DARF) Trust is to support the travel expenses of a certified Amateur(s) as a member of the Canadian official delegation at the International Telecommunication Union’s World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRC) and Preparatory Meetings which are usually held in Geneva, Switzerland.
World Radiocommunication Conferences – organized and held by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) every four years – update the Radio Regulations, the international treaty that, among other things, sets out the frequencies on which radio services such as the Amateur Radio Service may operate.
The RAC delegate’s role is to assist our regulator – Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) – with all WRC agenda issues that may influence allocations to the Amateur Radio Service. This may include helping defend existing Amateur bands from being reallocated or being subject to harmful sharing by other interested parties. There may also be an agenda item offering the opportunity to advocate for a new allocation or to defend the use of existing Amateur Radio spectrum by other Services seeking to gain access to the spectrum.
Radio Amateurs have a seat at the table – in fact, there is a specific Working Party which includes the Amateur and Amateur Satellite Service in its title – but they need to be able to participate directly. While allowing RAC membership of the Canadian delegation, ISED does not provide any funds towards their participation. As most of these meetings are usually held in Geneva, one of the most expensive cities in the world, DARF’s funding is essential.
Visit the DARF webpage for more information.