With emergency preparedness constantly in the news, the Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association is offering a radio training course to the public beginning Feb. 9.
The course provides the necessary technical knowledge and required operating regulations to enable the student to obtain an amateur radio license issued by Industry Canada.
Registration takes place Feb. 2 at 1415 Wingrove St. at 7 p.m. The course runs every Wednesday night for 13 weeks. Cost is $139 per student and includes course materials, individual tutoring and a one-year membership in the Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association.
Ham radio is a fun and interesting hobby. Licensed radio amateurs can communicate with other amateurs across town, throughout the Island, across the province, the country and world-wide using everything from small hand-held transceivers to high frequency radios.
An important part of amateur radio is the public service it brings to the community. The association is part of the Provincial Emergency Program and plays an important role within the City of Nanaimo and Regional District of Nanaimo emergency management programs.
Amateur radio provides a reliable means of emergency communications should conventional telephone, cellphone and Internet services fail.
For more information about the course and the Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association, please visit www.ve7na.ca.