World Amateur Radio Day Award Certificates: now ready for download for those who successfully contacted a RAC official station as described below.
Thank you for participating in the first RAC “Get on the Air on World Amateur Radio Day” (WARD) Special Event!
- RAC official stations will operate across Canada from 1200Z to 2359Z on April 18. The RAC official station call signs are VA2RAC, VA3RAC, VE1RAC, VE4RAC, VE5RAC, VE6RAC, VE7RAC, VE8RAC, VE9RAC, VO1RAC, VO2RAC, VY0RAC, VY1RAC and VY2RAC.
- Those contacting one or more of these stations will be eligible for a special commemorative certificate noting their participation in RAC’s Get on the Air on World Amateur Radio Day Event.
- Participants simply need to complete one or more contacts, on any band and mode, with RAC official stations to earn their certificates.
- No logs need to be submitted, simply visit the following webpage and enter your call sign in the space provided and then click on the “Submit” button.
Certificate generator site: https://www.rac.ca/certificates/
We will also be including an article about the special event in the July-August 2020 issue of The Canadian Amateur and I would appreciate it if you would please send any comments to me at .
Alan Griffin
RAC MarCom Director | TCA Editor
RAC “Get on the Air on World Amateur Radio Day” Special Event
Radio Amateurs of Canada has decided to hold a new “Get on the Air on World Amateur Radio Day” special event in which we encourage as many Amateurs as possible to get on the air and contact as many RAC stations as possible.
- RAC official stations will operate across Canada from 1200Z to 2359Z on April 18. The RAC official station call signs are VA2RAC, VA3RAC, VE1RAC, VE4RAC, VE5RAC, VE6RAC, VE7RAC, VE8RAC, VE9RAC, VO1RAC, VO2RAC, VY0RAC, VY1RAC and VY2RAC.
- Those contacting one or more of these stations will be eligible for a special commemorative certificate noting their participation in RAC’s Get on the Air on World Amateur Radio Day Event.
- Participants simply need to complete one or more contacts, on any band and mode, with RAC official stations to earn their certificates.
- Note: The download date has been changed to May 8. No logs need to be submitted, simply check back on the RAC website after May 8, 2020 and enter your call sign to download your certificate.
Note: Starting at 1800Z, VA3RAC will be active in the Ontario QSO Party and will be sending the contest exchange. Stations contacting VA3RAC after 1800Z are encouraged to send their contest exchange in return (state/province/country or Ontario county).
Thank you for your continued support and understanding during this time of crisis. Please take care of yourself and your loved ones. Stay safe and, wherever possible, let us help one another during this extraordinary time.
For more information on World Amateur Radio Day please see the information provided below.
World Amateur Radio Day
Every year on April 18, Radio Amateurs worldwide take to the airwaves in celebration of Amateur Radio and to commemorate the formation of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) on April 18, 1925.
World Amateur Radio Day is the day when IARU Member-Societies can show our capabilities to the public and promote global friendship among Amateurs worldwide.
The theme of World Amateur Radio Day (WARD) is “Celebrating Amateur Radio’s contribution to Society” and this is especially relevant given the important role Amateur Radio will play as the current global crisis unfolds.
IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, provided the following message:
“As I write this the world is in the midst of battling the COVID-19 crisis. A few short weeks ago many of us could not imagine the levels of isolation that we are now dealing with and the sacrifices of many on the frontlines of the pandemic. As we have done in past challenges to our society, Amateur Radio will play a key part in keeping people connected and assisting those who need support.
Having come off my own 14-day isolation after returning from an overseas trip, I am touched by the kindness of strangers who assisted me when I was unable to leave my house. It strikes me Amateur Radio operators, who give so much during these times of crisis, are not limited to assisting over the air. Amateurs are true volunteers and I would encourage everyone to assist in the community as they are able to.
My wish for this World Amateur Radio Day is for everyone to stay safe, follow the advice of medical professionals and use Amateur Radio and your skills to help us through this crisis.”
Additional Information
The following information is courtesy of the International Amateur Radio Union.
Every April 18, Radio Amateurs worldwide take to the airwaves in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day. It was on that day in 1925 that the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) was formed in Paris.
Amateur Radio experimenters were the first to discover that the short wave spectrum — far from being a wasteland — could support worldwide propagation. In the rush to use these shorter wavelengths, Amateur Radio was “in grave danger of being pushed aside,” the IARU’s history has noted. Amateur Radio pioneers met in Paris in 1925 and created the IARU to support Amateur Radio worldwide.
Just two years later, at the International Radiotelegraph Conference, Amateur Radio gained the allocations still recognized today — 160, 80, 40, 20, and 10 metres. Since its founding, the IARU has worked tirelessly to defend and expand the frequency allocations for Amateur Radio. Thanks to the support of enlightened administrations in every part of the globe, Radio Amateurs are now able to experiment and communicate in frequency bands strategically located throughout the radio spectrum. From the 25 countries that formed the IARU in 1925, the IARU has grown to include 160 member-societies in three regions. IARU Region 1 includes Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Northern Asia. Region 2 covers the Americas, and Region 3 is comprised of Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific island nations, and most of Asia. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has recognized the IARU as representing the interests of Amateur Radio.
Today, Amateur Radio is more popular than ever, with over 3,000,000 licensed operators!
World Amateur Radio Day is the day when IARU Member-Societies can show our capabilities to the public and enjoy global friendship with other Amateurs worldwide.
We have provided a poster for World Amateur Radio Day. Any club may download it and use it to promote WARD in their area. The poster comes in two sizes: 61cm x 91cm and a small (A4) flyer.
Groups should promote their WARD activity on social media by using the hash tag #WorldAmateurRadioDay on Twitter and Facebook. The IARU will list all WARD activities on this page. To have your WARD activity listed, send an email to IARU Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ.
April 18 is the day for all of Amateur Radio to celebrate and tell the world about the science we can help teach, the community service we can provide and the fun we have.
We hope you will join in the fun and education that is World Amateur Radio Day!
For more information visit the World Amateur Radio Day webpage at https://www.iaru.org/on-the-air/world-amateur-radio-day/