Another gem in the email inbox from the newsgroups. I guess I must of p!ssed someone off as I used to get these directly (or unoffically leaked) in the past… Now I find them posted to newsgroups…
Anyway… in case you don’t read the same newsgroups as I do…
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To Amateur Radio Clubs and Organizations in Eastern Ontario: Almonte ARC, Chapter 70 Quarter Century Wireless Association, Iroquois ARC, Kingston ARC, Manotic AR Group, Ottawa ARC, Ottawa Valley QRP Association, Ottawa Valley Mobile RC, Prescott-Russel ARC, Quinte ARC, St-Lawrence Valley ARC, West Carleton ARC, 3730 Group
If you, members of your executives or other active members will be in Ottawa for the Hamfest September 8 please stop by the RAC booth to meet Mike Hickey, the new Section Manager Ontario East, and Glenn MacDonell, Deputy Director North/East Ontario. We are particularly interested in discussing the new reorganization of the Ontario Section of RAC that takes effect September 1 and how we can work together to strengthen amateur radio in the region.
The reorganization of RAC’s Ontario Section aims to provide better communication with and better representation of the interests of the overall Ontario amateur population. Ontario contains 60% of the RAC membership. Dividing the province into 4 new sections, one of which will be Ontario East (Section ONE), will bring RAC representatives closer to amateurs and clubs in the province. This is being done to bring decision making around field operations closer to the membership. One specific objective of the reorganization is to improve support for local clubs and we would like to discuss how we can make this happen.
The reorganization implements a significant change – broadening the responsibilities and functions of the regional organization. In the past the focus of Section Managers has been the operation of the Field Service in their region – most prominently the Amateur Radio Emergency Service but also including the National Traffic System, Official Bulletin Service, Official Observer Service and the Regional Amateur Radio Alert network.
RAC has now decided to implement a Field Organization something that has not existed before in any national Canadian amateur radio organization. The Field Organization will undertake activities in four areas : provincial government liaison, public information, support to RAC affiliated clubs and technical coordination. These will provide the basis for a new communications and accountability relationship between amateurs (speaking through their clubs) and the RAC Section Management team.
The scope of the four functions is not yet fully defined and the volunteers to support these activities remain to be found. As we all know identifying objectives and creating structures designed to achieve them, while important, will not on their own deliver results. We need to identify specific activities and the people that will help achieve them. Better communications is key and we look forward to hearing the views of active amateurs in the region – they will help us refine the structure and identify the people required to support a growing and active amateur radio community.
As some of you already know, amateur radio clubs are able to have a table at the Ottawa Hamfest free of charge (individual vendors pay $15) so that they can describe their activities, sign up new members or get renewals and sell surplus equipment to raise money for their club. Although the time is short, if you want to take advantage of this please contact the Ottawa Hamfest Manager, Ed Sich, VE3WGO.
If you know of other amateur radio clubs or organizations in you area that we have missed please let us know. The email list we used did not exist before this email – just one example of what we need to do to build better communications!
Mike Hickey, VE3IPC, was named as Ontario East Section Manager on August 12, 2012. He will be known to many of you from his previous roles as Emergency Coordinator and District Emergency Coordinator in the ARES Capital Seaway District. He will lead the delivery of RAC services in the Region.
Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA, was named Deputy Director Ontario North/East on April 20 2012. Bill Unger, Director Ontario North/East, is our representative on the RAC Board of Directors that manages the organization. Bill lives in Thunder Bay and consequently can only rarely visit clubs in our area. Glenn advises Bill on issues and concerns of amateurs in our part of the region, participates in RAC Board of Directors meetings and votes when Bill is absent.
We look forward to meeting you at the Hamfest and are open to meeting your executives or members at one of your your club meetings or events.
73
Mike Hickey Glenn MacDonell
VE3IPC VE3XRA
Section Manager Ontario East Deputy Director Ontario North/East
Radio Amateurs of Canada Radio Amateurs of Canada
ve3ipc@aol.com
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For more info on RAC please go to http://www.rac.ca
For more info on the Ottawa Amateur Radio Club Hamfest please go to:
http://www.oarc.net/fleamarket/
73bob
Tags: amateur radio, Carp Hamfest, Ottawa Amateur Radio Club, RAC Ontario East Section
