Halton Amateur Radio Club is a community of passionate amateur radio operators located in Halton Region, Ontario.
The club brings together individuals who share a love for ham radio, fostering a collaborative environment for learning and experimentation. Members actively participate in local community events, offering essential communication services during emergencies and public gatherings.
Since its inception, the club has become a vital resource for both seasoned operators and newcomers, helping to bridge communication gaps while promoting the hobby of amateur radio.
Our History
1977 – On November 19th, the Halton FM Radio Association held its first meeting under the group’s ‘mother club’ the Peel Amateur Radio Club (Peel ARC). Four members were present.
1978 – The Halton FM Radio Association’s first homemade automatic radio repeater (6M) went into service on February 26th at the private residence of Frank S. [VE3OD]. The repeater was located at 17th Side Road and 5th Line in Georgetown, Ontario. Membership had now grown to six local radio amateurs.
1979 – On March 3rd, the Halton FM Radio Association welcomed its first woman radio amateur, Linda T. [VE3IXY], and membership grew to seven members after two years.
1980 – In June, the proposal was made to become an amateur radio club independent from the Peel ARC. The group voted unanimously in favour, and with the approval of the Peel ARC, the Halton Amateur Radio Club (HARC) was formed.
During the summer, a second automatic radio repeater (2M) was purchased and installed alongside the 6M machine.
In October 1980, HARC was asked by local police to provide an extra set of eyes and ears to ensure trick-or-treaters had a safe and fun Halloween. The club patrolled Acton, Ontario, throughout the night, radioing local police whenever they encountered mischief and unlawful behaviour. Local police forces were then able to respond directly to situations, as opposed to patrolling large areas all night. This became the club’s first public service event (PSE), using a portable amateur radio station that was installed at the police station.
Following this public service event, local police were impressed with the club’s ability to communicate information to them and across the network. A tower and antenna were installed at the police station, both of which are still standing with several technical improvements over the years.
1983 – In the spring, Murt A. (farmer and commissioner of then Georgetown Hydro) offered the HARC a piece of his land as a new home for the club’s equipment.
Now situated in Halton Hills, on the southeast corner of Murt’s property, the better elevation of the club’s equipment resulted in improved communications across the community.
In the summer of 1983, HARC’s repeater adopted the callsign VE3OD following the passing of founding member and host Frank S. Approval came from the Government of Canada’s Department of Communications, and the repeater continues to carry this callsign today.
On August 10th of that year, the provincial regulator approved the application to install a second tower on Murt’s land. Even though provincial approval was not required, the application was submitted as a courtesy.
1996 – On September 17th, Warren S. (BA, Math / LLM) had the HARC incorporated in the Province of Ontario as a not-for-profit organization. The club has four directors of this corporation and five elected members of the executive team.
1999 – The HARC’s repeater site was expropriated for Trafalgar Road North improvement project. Working alongside Mr. Tony F. (CET of Halton Region) and project engineer Jay B. (P. Eng of the MRC), the club repeater was relocated to a property owned by the Halton Region. The repeater was fully operational again by 2001 at its new location north of Georgetown.
The Halton Amateur Radio Club has been proudly serving our community for over 45 years. From charity events such as Classics Against Cancer to local community events such as the Santa Clause parade, to natural disaster response, HARC is ready to assist in providing communications services.