Despite a snowy winter backdrop, the holiday spirit was alive and well at this year’s OARC Holiday Party. Held at the popular KS on the Keys restaurant, the event saw a fantastic turnout, with more than 30 members braving the weather to celebrate another year of Amateur Radio fellowship.
The evening began with a hearty buffet dinner that left no one hungry. Members enjoyed a delicious spread of lasagna, penne pasta, fresh rolls, and garlic bread, followed by dessert, coffee, and tea. Everyone certainly had their fill!
During the formal portion of the evening, OARC President Roger, VE3EGY, took the floor to offer remarks. He extended a sincere thank you to Scouts Canada for their ongoing support and membership, emphasizing the strong relationship between the groups. Roger also offered a special word of thanks to West Carleton Disaster Relief for their continued dedication to the community. Rod, VE3RXN, spoke about the growing partnership between OARC and Scouts. We recognized Claude VA3VLW, for the amazing job that he did as Membership Coordinator over the past year and we gave him a Gift Card for Tim Hortons.
The group was also treated to a technical presentation by Ryan, VA3WSO. He walked members through the fascinating evolution of radio technology within the transportation sector, highlighting how the technology we use in our hobby has shaped critical infrastructure over the years.
The festivities wrapped up with the much-anticipated prize draw. It was a great night for the lucky winners who took home handheld radios and other special prizes. Prizes included:
- Several handheld transceivers (HTs) valued at $50-75 each. Two were donated by Roger, VE3EGY, and one by Greg, VE3YTZ, who had received it from Retivis after our Carp Hamfest in September.
- A pair of Baofeng FRS radios ($35), a Battery storage case ($20) with tester and a music coil soldering kit ($5), and a Cricket transceiver kit ($5) in an Altoid Mints container, all donated by Chris, VA3CJO.
- Several Propagation Card Games ($50 each).
Propagation is an Amateur Radio-themed card game, where players collect the most QSL points by rolling a ten-sided die, applying appropriate band, antenna, and other modifiers, and strategizing around the ever changing atmospheric propagation conditions. These card games were brought to our attention by Chris, VA3CJO.
Between the good food, the engaging presentation, and the camaraderie, it was a very successful evening for the Club. Thank you to everyone who attended!
Last Updated on 2026-01-05 by Joannadanna