Category Archives: Announcements

RAC Basic Qualification Amateur Radio Course: Fall 2021

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Registration is now underway

Radio Amateurs of Canada is once again offering an online Amateur Radio course so that individuals from all across Canada can obtain their Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with Basic Qualification while continuing to practise social/physical distancing.

Course information

The course will 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.

Schedule and Cost:

Date: The course will start on Thursday, September 23 and will end on November 28.

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 instructor is Al Penney, VO1NO, and he has taught the Basic Qualification Amateur Radio Course since 1994.

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. 

Al 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. In addition, he is also currently serving as the RAC Director for the Atlantic Region and is the recipient of the Amateur of the Year Award for 2020.

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.

https://www.rac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/RAC_Basic_Online_Course-Fall-2021.pdf

Requirements for RAC Basic Course: Fall 2021

  • 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.
  • Course material pertaining to all topics covered in the course syllabus will be provided to all registered students. It is also provided in PDF format below.
  • 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 – which will be conducted using the Zoom conference platform. You do not need your own account on Zoom to take part in this course, but you may have to download a Zoom applet to participate.
  • Students will receive instructions on how to log on to the online sessions once they have registered for the course. Classes will be recorded, so occasional absences are not a problem.

Registration

Registration for the Fall 2021 Basic Qualification Course is now underway on our registration page at the following link:

https://www.rac.ca/rac-basic-course-registration-form-fall-2021/

For more information about the course please contact the Course Administrator at basiccourse@rac.ca.

Other Amateur Radio Courses:

Amateur Radio 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 at the link provided below.

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

Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA
RAC President and Chair

Recipient of the RAC Amateur of the Year 2020: Al Penney, VO1NO

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The RAC Board of Directors takes great pleasure in selecting Al Penney, VO1NO, as the recipient of the RAC Amateur of the Year Award for 2020 in recognition of his tireless efforts to promote Amateur Radio in his home province of Newfoundland, throughout Canada and internationally.

Al Penney

Through the RAC Amateur of the Year Award, Radio Amateurs of Canada recognizes the outstanding contributions made by Canadian Amateurs. The RAC Board considers nominations for the RAC Amateur of the Year Award and presents it if and when the nomination demonstrates the exceptional contribution made. If there are several nominations the best for that year is approved.

Alphonse (Al) Penney, VO1NO, was born and raised in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. A Remco crystal radio kit Christmas gift, and the acquisition of a Hallicrafters S-38D shortwave receiver as a boy sparked a lifelong fascination with the “magic of radio”. Al was licensed in early 1977 after taking an evening course sponsored by the local Department of Communications (DOC) Radio Inspector.

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RAC Online Basic Amateur Radio Course: Winter 2021

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Registration is now underway for RAC Basic Winter 2021 Course!

RAC logoRadio Amateurs of Canada is once again offering an online Amateur Radio course so that individuals from all across Canada can obtain their Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with Basic Qualification while continuing to practise social/physical distancing.

The course will 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.

Schedule and Cost:

Date: The course will start on Thursday, January 14 and will finish in late March.

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. Classes will be recorded, so occasional absences are not a problem.

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 will be provided to all registered students. It is also provided in PDF format below.

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.

Registration: 

If you would like to take part in this course please register now by completing the registration form provided on the RAC website at:

https://www.rac.ca/basic-course-registration-form-winter-2021/

Other Amateur Radio Courses:

Amateur Radio 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 at the link provided below.

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

Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA
RAC President and Chair