In this issue: Reminder about the new day and location of the OARC Monthly Meetings (this month, it is Monday, September 28th at 4026 Old Richmond Road (Bell’s Corners); September launch of the OARC’s new Special Interest Groups (SIGs).
What Do You Want to Do With Amateur Radio?
September is here, and with it comes the start of another OARC season. A reminder of the new OARC Monthly meeting day and location:
- NEW DAY: the fourth Monday of every month. This month, that is Monday, September 28th.
- NEW LOCATION: Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 593, 4026 Old Richmond Road, Ottawa (Bell’s Corners). The Royal Canadian Legion is celebrating 100 years of service this year.
Over the summer, I’ve had a lot of conversations with members about what they enjoy about amateur radio—and, just as importantly, what they would like to do but haven’t yet had the opportunity, the knowledge, the equipment or the people to do it with.
That last part keeps coming back to me.
The people.
Because that’s really what a club is supposed to be about.
You can learn almost anything about amateur radio from YouTube. You can buy equipment online. You can download software, read manuals and join online forums.
But none of those things quite replace sitting around a table with a few other hams who are just as interested as you are and saying:
“Let’s try this.”
That’s the thinking behind OARC’s new Special Interest Groups.
Let’s see what happens
At our September meeting, we’re going to launch the SIG program—but we’re not going to hand you a finished list of groups and tell you what you’re interested in.
Instead, we’re going to ask you.
What do you want to learn?
What do you want to build?
What do you want to experiment with?
What do you want to do on the air?
And perhaps most importantly:
Who would you like to do it with?
We’ll spend some time at the meeting generating ideas and identifying the areas that get people excited. From there, we’ll start forming the first SIGs.
And I’m deliberately calling this a start.
We don’t expect to have everything figured out in September. The SIGs should evolve as members discover new interests and new opportunities.
You don’t have to be an expert
One thing I really want to emphasize is that SIGs aren’t intended to be groups of experts talking to everyone else.
Quite the opposite.
If you’ve been licensed for 40 years, you have something to contribute.
If you’ve been licensed for four months, you have something to contribute too.
Sometimes the person asking the “obvious” question is actually the person who helps everyone else understand something better.
And you don’t have to volunteer to lead a SIG. You don’t have to organize a major event. You don’t even have to know exactly what you want to accomplish.
You just have to be interested.
Let’s turn membership into participation
One of the things I think we can do better at OARC is helping members move from being interested in something to actually doing something. We already have an excellent foundation, including:
- Our superb columnists, who provide ideas and inspiration every month about becoming more involved, including: Mike, VE3FFK, who regales us with stories about local nets and operating events; Ralph VE7DQS, with his deep-dives into technical experimentation; and Michelle, VA3PZA, who shares the lessons, questions, successes, and occasional mishaps of a new ham.
- Our dedicated activities organizers, including: Greg, VE3YTZ (Field Day), Ed, VE3WGO, (Carp Hamfest), Bill, VA3IEN (Radio in the Park); and the small team that helps deliver our lively monthly meetings. Just to name a few!
The Club can build on this foundation – that’s the opportunity I see with SIGs.
You’re interested in satellites? Find some other people who are too. Learn together. Build an antenna. Try an activation.
Interested in digital modes? Let’s experiment.
Want to get better at HF? Find some other operators and get on the air together.
Want to build something? Find a few people who are willing to learn alongside you.
And maybe, six months from now, the person who started out saying “I don’t really know how to do this” will be showing someone else how.
That’s exactly the kind of thing I want to see happening at OARC.
So, here’s my challenge to you
When you walk into the September meeting, don’t ask:
“What is OARC going to do for me this year?”
Instead, ask yourself:
“What would I really like to do with amateur radio—and who would I like to do it with?”
Then come to the meeting and tell us.
You might discover that several other members have been thinking exactly the same thing.
And that’s when the magic starts.
See you at 6:30 on Monday, September 28th at 4026 Old Richmond Road (Bell’s Corners).
73,
Roger Egan
President, Ottawa Amateur Radio Club
Last Updated on 2026-09-05 by Joannadanna