World Amateur Radio Day 2026

Get involved with World Amateur Radio Day 2026!

Ottawa Amateur Radio operators will join others worldwide in celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, taking to the airwaves in celebration of amateur radio and commemorating the formation of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) on April 18, 1925. The IARU has announced that the theme for this year’s World Amateur Radio Day will be “Advancing the Spirit of Amateur Radio Through Innovation”.  Here are a few local activities:

• The newly created AuxComm services team, is planning an exercise in West Carleton, where they will set up radio stations in several locations to demonstrate passing messages between communities using both the VE2CRA and the  VE2REH repeater systems. There will also be a demonstration table at the Kinburn Client Centre where you can learn more about why this technology is becoming so popular for off-grid communication especially during emergencies. Drop by from 10:00pm to 3:00pm to find out what you need to get started.

• Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) is once again holding a “Get on the Air on World Amateur Radio Day” special event in which it encourage as many Amateurs as possible to get on the air and contact as many RAC stations as possible. Contact one or more of these stations will be eligible for a special commemorative certificate noting their participation in RAC’s Get on the Air on World Amateur Radio Day Event. Click here for more info on this special event.

• The Ottawa Valley Mobile Radio Club (OVMRC) are planning to do parks on the air (POTA) activities at several parks.