Yesterday was the Falkland Stampede Parade and it all went off without a hitch. Thanks to Colin VA7EEH, Bud VE7KBK, Paul VE7PDE, Doug VA7CPS, Howard VA7PWF, Richard VE7NT, and Ritchie VA7RLX and Rose for coming out! Nine volunteers with eight radios made for a light and breezy affair.
Speaking of breezy, the weather was exactly that (puffs of some sort of tree pollen blowing everywhere) with bouts of sun and cloud, but no rain. We were all adding or removing layers as the moment demanded. But it wasn't too hot or too wet so it was perfect.
The parade organizer Sabrina expressed her thanks and pointed out that the event wouldn't happen without us. Just having plenty of people in (shiny new and stylish) vests there to answer questions is half of the job.
Thanks again, everyone, and see you on May 23, 2027!
73,
Felix VA7VOL
PS: Special thanks to Trudy VA7US who took over my scheduled spot hosting the Sunday Net. She did a great job and I found it entertaining how many of us checked in as mobile while driving out to Falkland, and how my reception changed along the road.
PPS: With 9 volunteers in attendance plus prep time NORAC members contributed (9*4)+4=40 community service hours for this event.
We're excited to welcome you to the new NORAC Community Group on Facebook — an open space created especially for all members of the North Okanagan Radio Amateur Club and amateur radio enthusiasts across British Columbia!
Through this group, we hope to extend that same spirit online — offering a friendly place to connect, share knowledge, collaborate, and keep in touch about everything happening in the world of amateur radio.
Here, you can:
- Stay updated on club activities, meetings, and regional events.
- Exchange technical tips, projects, and on-air stories.
- Ask questions, learn from others, and just talk shop.
Whether you're an experienced operator or just getting started, you'll find a welcoming space full of like-minded operators ready to help and inspire.
We invite you to jump in — introduce yourself, share what you're working on, and make this group an active hub for all things NORAC. Together, let's keep our signal strong across the Okanagan and beyond!
👉 Join the group here: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1DVp6SwTvG/
73,
NORAC Executive
On March 22, 2026, NORAC participated in the Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association's propagation test on the 60m band. As before, a 60m dipole was setup at the DND grounds coupled with Howard's Yaesu FT-710 to try to make contacts with NARA. Unfortunately, it wasn't a great start. Due to recent solar activity, nothing was heard on the band except for a couple of NORAC members reaching us via ground wave. However, all was not lost. After an hour and a half of eating donuts, the band started to open up, slowly! Finally, after hearing only faint signals, the voices started to become more legible. We managed to all contact NARA control in Nanaimo albeit challenging. Thanks to Felix VA7VOL and Colin VA7EEH for helping me setup and for Paul VE7PDE, Wilf VE7OHM and Peter VE7PAE who came up and participated in person.
Howard VA7PWF
In British Columbia, we have 1,455+ Provincial Recreation Sites, 750+ Recreation Trail networks, and 10+ Interpretive Forests. These do not qualify as POTA entities, so we are developing a BC focused "On the Air" program featuring these amazing places to activate ham radio from.
For more information please check out:
February 7, 2026 - Vernon, BC
Another Carnival Parade Successfully Delivered!
Big thanks to all the NORAC members who turned out today to support the Vernon Winter Carnival parade. It was a great event and the NORAC team pulled off another successful parade organization with great support from the VWC executive.
This is a very important event to serve our community while creating awareness of the club and amateur radio service.
Team members included:
Alex VE7NOC
John VE7JWS
Doug VA7CPS
Howard VA7PWF
Colin VA7EEH
Mike VE7KPZ
Paul VE7PDE
Jake VE7WEA
Richard VE7NT
Felix VA7VOL
Bud VE7KBK
Mike VA7XDM
A special thanks goes out to Felix VA7VOL who did most of advanced planning, and Wilf VE7OHM for providing the mobile VHF repeater setup used for the event.
In total, with pre-event planning plus on-the-day efforts, the club provided approximately 12+(12*4)=60 hours of service to our community.
Check out the 2026 Winter Carnival Parade gallery for event pics by contributing photographers Wilf VE7OHM and David VA7SZ.
