RAC Field Day – June 26 to June 27th, 2021

The Comox Valley Amateur Radio Club (CVARC) invites you to to attend one or more of our public-inclusion venues as part of Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) Field Day, in association with the occurring from 11am Saturday, June 26th, 2021 to 2pm Sunday, June 27th, 2021. Who are we, and what is Field Day, you ask?

When there is a power outage, an internet outage, or a telephone or mobile outage, whether it’s an act of nature that may take days to repair, or a systems failure reset that could be measured in minutes or hours, this is where we can shine. We’re your neighbours, your friends, your colleagues, your employees or employers. We’re retirees and working professionals. We’ve been born and raised here, or we’ve come from afar, even from distant shores. We’re all passionate about our community and inclusive of everyone in it, regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. And we’re happy and proud that we’ve all chosen the Comox Valley as our home. You can call us hobbyists, enthusiasts, radio-geeks, or ‘hams’, but we’re also homebodies, hikers, hunters, adventurists, aviators, campers, boaters, and bicyclists. We even have a scientist or two.

As for Field Day? From its beginning back in the 1930’s, Field Day is an event that allows testing of field preparedness and emergency communications abilities of the typical amateur radio hobbyist. We can use high-frequency (VHF/UHF/HF) radio waves as a means to make contact using voice (and now data) modes, and even use multi-media digital voice modems to expand our communications out into the global world. We can have stations be home-based, mobile (in-vehicle), or even utilize hand-held radios, and there are formats that are used in combination with computers and laptops.

Field Day is a joint effort between the Radio Amateurs of Canada and the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) that has evolved into the largest on-the-air operation during the year for amateur radio. In 2020, event logs were submitted by over 10,000 clubs and groups (such as CVARC) from across the US and Canada. More than 18,000 individuals participated, with nearly 1.2 million QSOs (contacts) reported during the event. But it’s not just about preparedness for our club and other clubs and hams. Field Day is also an opportunity for amateur radio groups to do a literal “show and tell” exhibition, so we’re inviting you to come see us strut our stuff!

CVARC Director-at-large Yvonne HIGGS (callsign VE7YAH) is inviting the public to view her in operation from the front porch of her home at #171-202 31st St. in Courtenay, via open window to satisfy safety and social distancing procedures, where she will demonstrate amateur radio skills such as how to use emergency power for home-based equipment, utilizing batteries that are charged via portable solar panel.
CVARC member Margaret FERGUSON (call-sign VA7VF) and other club members will be setting up on Mansfield Dr. in Courtenay, using their amateur radio knowledge base to work a portable operation in the parking lot of the picnic area behind the Bayside Cafe, close to the waterfront walkway and just south of the children’s playground.
CVARC Vice-President John BRADBURY (callsign VE7XFA) will be operating two stations from his residence in Comox at 1351 Anderton Rd. He will be operating his own station, as well as a station representing the Comox Valley Amateur Radio Club (callsign VA7CVW) that will be host to club members and other amateur radio personnel who will be supporting the club.
While this is indeed an exercise for emergency preparedness, public awareness and availability, CVARC members are going to have some fun with it, participating in some contesting that occurs with events such as Field Day.
Points are received by making on-air contacts, performing public education and receiving public visits, as well as visits from various public service personnel, public safety personnel, and dignitaries of all levels of government. The more people that attend, the more points will add up for your local radio amateurs.
Come rain or shine, we will be out there, and we welcome you to come join us with the lessening of the public health orders, and the beckoning of summer and the recreation it brings! And, if what we are and what we do appeals to you? We’ll be happy to answer any questions you have, in person at the venues or by email at [email protected] so feel free to drop us a line.

http://comoxvalleyamateurradio.ca

Radio Amateurs of Canada

73!
(It’s ‘Best Regards” in ham-speak)
The Comox Valley Amateur Radio Club