by Robin (Rob) Webb VE3UIX, President, Almonte Amateur Radio Club Inc.
The Almonte Amateur radio club held its fifth annual dinner at the Almonte Branch of Royal Canadian Legion on Saturday January 17th. Thirty eight people attended comprising club members and other “hams” from the local area. Robin Webb, club president said, ‘each year our dinners get better and better and members and friends look forward to gathering at this annual event’. He also told the attendees, that during the year the club expanded its D-STAR digital communications network to improve coverage in the Rideau Lakes area as well as along the Ottawa Valley to Renfrew.
A highlight of the evening was a presentation by Jim Morrow of the Motor Sport Club of Ottawa. Jim, also a ham, is involved with the Lanark Highlands Forest Rally that takes place once a year. During his talk Jim mentioned that the Motor Sport club runs winter driving courses at a site near Stittsville that includes driving on ice and how to control ones vehicle in winter driving conditions.
A number of organizations kindly sponsored the event by supplying door prizes and thanks go to Icom Canada for again providing one of their latest amateur radio products. Local sponsors included; the Superior Restaurant, Equator Coffee Roasters, Baker Bob’s, Levi Home Hardware, ENH Electrics and Spectrum products
(Weiser door hardware, Pfister faucets etc.).
Special thanks to the Ladies Auxiliary of the Almonte Royal Canadian Legion for catering the event.
Apart from being involved in the hobby of amateur radio the volunteers of the club provide supplementary communications in the Lanark County area in the event of an emergency that may affect the usual communication infrastructure such as the local telephone system and cell phones. In addition the club provides communication services for local community events. In association with the Almonte General Hospital an Emergency Operations Centre has been established there to support emergency communications for the hospital and the municipality. Club information may be found at www.almontarclub.ca.
