Welcome to the fascinating world of Amateur Radio!  

Amateur radio is ...
a form of communication; a hobby; a community service.  It could be a school teacher in Nova Scotia making friends over the radio with another Radio Amateur in New Zealand; an Alberta teenager using her computer to upload a chess move through her radio which is retrieved by a fellow chess fan in Florida via an amateur radio space satellite; or a truck driver in Manitoba contacting Radio Amateurs in a hundred countries during a single weekend contest. Radio Amateurs also save lives as part of an emergency communications network.     

This unique mix of fun, convenience and public service is what distinguishes Amateur Radio. People get involved in Amateur Radio for many reasons, but they all have in common a basic knowledge of radio technology, regulations and operating principles. All have passed an examination leading to an authorization to operate on the "Amateur Bands." These frequency bands are reserved for use by Radio Amateurs at intervals from just above the AM broadcast band all the way up through the microwave frequencies. Even though Amateur Radio conversations may be heard around the world by anyone with a suitable radio receiver, given the right frequency and propagation conditions, Amateur Radio is basically two-way communication between Radio Amateurs.

The appeal of Amateur Radio is the ability to communicate across the country, around the globe, and even with astronauts on space missions. Some Radio Amateurs build and experiment with radio. Computer hobbyists find digital modes to be a low-cost way to expand their ability to communicate. Those with a competitive streak enjoy "DX contests" where the object is to see how many distant Radio Amateurs they can contact. Some like the convenience of a technology giving them portable communication. Others use it to open the door to new friendships over the air, or through participation in an Amateur Radio club. Many combine Amateur Radio with the internet in various ways.

Typical Radio Amateurs come from all walks of life - lawyers, entertainers, missionaries, doctors, ministers, politicians, students, workers, shut-ins and retired folks - all ages, sexes, income levels and nationalities. Some like voice communication on a hand-held radio. Others prefer Morse code through a low-power transmitter. Many transmit computer messages through amateur radio satellites. They all use radio to communicate with their fellow Radio Amateurs.

History of Amateur Radio in Canada started In 1901, Marconi transmitted the Morse code letter "S" from Poldhu in Cornwall, England, to St. John's, Newfoundland.  Soon early radio experimenters were trying out the first "spark gap" transmitters. To control interference to marine shore stations, Parliament passed the Radiotelegraph Act in 1913. In 1914 the Radiotelegraph Regulations were issued, prescribing the first operating and technical proficiency examinations for Amateur Radio operators in Canada.  Administered by various government departments, Amateur Radio grew in Canada to over 50,000 certificates at present.

Amateur Radio different from Citizens' Band or Family Radio Service?   -    These unlicensed services are legally limited to voice operation over low powered equipment on a single frequency band. Amateur Radio may involve voice, Morse code, computer data, or television modes on any of a number of bands, either direct or via repeater stations or earth-orbiting satellites, and may use considerable power and directional antenna systems.

Radio Amateurs must pass an examination even though a major purpose of Amateur Radio is recreation, it is called the "Amateur Radio Service" because it also has a serious face. The government created this "Service" partly to fill the need for a pool of experts who could provide communications in times of emergency or war. Countless lives have been saved when these skilled hobbyists acted as emergency communicators to render aid during or following a hurricane, tornado, ice storm, earthquake or other disaster. In addition, the government acknowledged the ability of Amateur Radio to advance communication and technical skills, and to enhance international goodwill.

Most Amateur Radio clubs meet weekly or monthly. Hamfests are popular events that often feature the sale of new and used equipment and parts. Various radio contests are held throughout the year. Most important is Field Day. This contest, with emphasis on emergency conditions, is held on the last full weekend of June. Operation, using temporary antennas and generator or battery power, adds to the realism and complicates operations.

Amateur Radio operators are most likely to be active after disasters that damage regular lines of communication due to power outages and destruction of telephone lines. They may set up and operate local and long distance communication networks, as backup for failed or overloaded communication networks. They may also provide non-commercial communication for both private citizens affected by the disaster, and their worried families and friends outside the disaster area.
Many Radio Amateurs are active as communication volunteers providing backup communications for their local public safety organizations. In some disasters, radio communications among public safety or relief officials fail, when radio towers or other elements in the normal communication infrastructure are damaged. Radio Amateurs may be able to help using their technical skills and their own portable or mobile radio equipment.
Radio Amateurs may organize "traffic nets", operating through the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) or the National Traffic System (NTS). Most ARES groups have formal agreements with their local municipalities and are included in the municipal Emergency Plan, for callout in an emergency. The Canadian Red Cross, as the lead relief agency, coordinates support for other relief agencies, and has a formal agreement for ARES across Canada. In areas that are prone to tornadoes and hurricanes, many Amateurs are involved in CANWARN, under Environment Canada.
Radio Amateurs in a disaster area are usually very busy helping with immediate relief problems. Since they may be called upon to assist emergency officials, you should wait until the crisis has passed and restoration efforts have begun. At that time, local Amateurs may begin handling what is known as "welfare traffic." If you know a nearby Amateur in your community, he or she may be able to send a message into a traffic net that can then relay it to the affected site. The message should be brief (e.g. "Fred, We're worried. Call home. Mother"), with the addressee's name, address and phone number. Once received at the disaster site, your message may take a considerable time to reach the addressee. Amateurs there may have no way of reaching your loved one because of road blockages, or outages in telephone service.

Media representatives often use Amateur Radio as a source of information and news about conditions in the affected region. Many Radio Amateurs will provide interviews concerning information from the disaster site. In addition, reporters may wish to develop stories on the role of Amateur Radio in disaster relief.  However, Amateur Radio may not be used to assist the news media in gathering information in a professional capacity, nor may radio or TV broadcasts be transmitted by Amateur Radio.

Recent examples in Canada include the 1998 Ice Storm that, paralyzed Eastern Canada and the US. For days, throughout the rural areas, hundreds of Amateur Radio Operators provided communication to the outside world.

On May 5th, 2005 Edmonton serious toxic waste fire, the Edmonton Amateur Radio Operators helped by monitoring wind direction and speed for the smoke plume, and in addition providing communications support for the Salvation Army who were assisting the fire personnel, providing logistics vehicles and preparing to staff the evacuation centre.

On August 26th, 1996 Severe damage in Pilot Butte, a few kilometres east of Regina. Late afternoon, the skills of the local emergency personnel, and local amateur radio operators were put to the test. Devastating Wind and hail storm attacked Pilot Butte, where Homes, farms and businesses in and around the small town were severely damaged. Power was out and the fire department's communications were disrupted because their tower was destroyed. A state of emergency was declared, and municipal authorities and local hams, setup communications for the town. Local amateur radio operators assisted the R.C.M.P. with traffic control, and help direct emergency vehicles to the proper destination. Amateur's repaired the fire department's antenna to get their communication system back in operation, these were a couple of ways that local hams helped in a dangerous situation.

On October 15th, 1954 Hurrican Hazel which impact a historic 210 mm (8.5 in) of rain fell on the watersheds of Toronto, Ontario's Don and Humber rivers, and the Etobicoke and Mimico creeks. Mountainous waves lashed the shoreline of Lake Ontario. The Holland Marsh north of Toronto, a major muckland agricultural region, was completely submerged and highways through the marsh were made impassable by the storm. Radio ham operators established and maintained communication networks. Squads headed to Bradford, Woodbridge, Aurora, Weston, Scarborough and patrolled the Humber with Walkie Talkies aiding search for bodies. It was the deadliest hurricane to hit Canada in recorded history, and no natural disaster since has led to such a high death toll on Canadian soil.

Recent examples in the US include the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in Manhattan, the 2003 North America blackout and Hurricane Katrina in September, 2005, where amateur radio was used to coordinate disaster relief activities when other systems failed.

On September 2, 2004, ham radio was used to inform weather forecasters with information on Hurricane Frances live from the Bahamas. On December 26, 2004, an earthquake and resulting tsunami across the Indian Ocean wiped out all communications with the Andaman Islands, except for a DX-pedition that provided a means to coordinate relief efforts.

The largest disaster response by U.S. amateur radio operators was during Hurricane Katrina which first made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane just north of Miami, Florida on August 25, 2005, eventually strengthening to Category 5. More than a thousand ham operators from all over the U.S. converged on the Gulf Coast in an effort to provide emergency communications assistance. Subsequent Congressional hearings highlighted the Amateur Radio response as one of the few examples of what went right in the disaster relief effort.

Above are only a few examples of how Amateur Radio Operators have helped with communication in a disaster situation, as you, might be aware, of how communication can make a bad situation, even worse.