SEPAR in 2024
Over this last year SEPAR has continued to remain active in many areas. The line between SARC and SEPAR (the club vs emergency program) is quite blurry.
Activities have included, in no particular order:
- Field Day (setting up the portable towers and SEPAR trailer etc.
- radio communications for the race Run Surrey Run,
- supporting a Surrey School initiative for high school students,
- weekly nets (several from the recently cleaned up and reorganized Fire Hall 1 radio room, with some new net control operators
- monthly tests of the commercial Inter-municipal Emergency Radio System,
- meeting the Cross Border Agencies in Washington State in person to restart the Cross Border Working Group,
- attending many Swap Meets and talking about the emergency program,
- attending the annual radio direction finding "Fox Hunt"
- maintaining and enhancing capabilities at the Operations and Training Center (OTC).
- participating in the annual Great Shake Out event (this year with some high schools now involved)
- holding antenna building workshops,
- supporting our team of instructors with licensing classes and GOTA workshops
- setting up a satellite station at the OTC radio room
- POTA events and training
- Winlink training sessions
- several fabulous presentations on various amateur radio interest topics (satellite and balloon launches etc.)
- having an online advanced amateur training group begin with club members,
- public displays at two emergency preparedness fairs
- And, our weekly breakfast and OTC drop ins.
The above list is by no means exhaustive and I have likely missed several activities.
With each activity whether it is a club event or an emergency program event we end up with active amateur operators who have more experience or have grown in their ability to use their radios. To see younger people coming and become active is exciting. I am thinking of the movie Field of Dreams "If you build it they will come". By taking the time to have an active slate of events, participation is growing in our community. We see new amateurs asking about volunteering in SEPAR program. In all cases we have a community that is using their radios and becoming more proficient radio operators.
It has been about friendships and supporting each other with antenna projects and over the air radio testing.
Our hobby has so many exciting facets there is always something new to learn.
All of these events lead to a better prepared community. With the amateurs knowing how to use their equipment and what to expect in a disaster situation we are all better off. In fact, we were laughing that the most recent presentation on “Setting up Winlink” was cut short because the power went out. The funny part was this was already a rescheduled presentation because the power went out at the one before as well. The next presentation we will bring the generator…
As we were traveling home from the OTC with the widespread power outage people were on their radios informing others which areas had outages, where trees were blocking roads etc. A real-life example of how radio can be used to provide valuable information in this situation. Radio allows one-to-many communication, so those listening could get a picture of what was happening and help others coming onto the repeater later in the day.
We look forward to new activities and adventures in 2025 and as the Volunteer Emergency Coordinator I am grateful for the team surrounding this program to make it a success.
Please continue to be involved, every small contribution adds to the collective progress and helps build the team. Participate when and where you can, try something new this coming year. Most of all turn on that radio and use it, from home, in your car, in a park, it is an adventure that can take place wherever you are…
As always if you want more information on the SEPAR or SARC program please reach out.
~ Gord VA7GK
SEPAR Coordinator
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