North Okanagan Radio Amateur Club plays key role in Vernon Winter Carnival parade

Photo: NORAC

They work behind the scenes and may not even be noticed, but what they do is vital to the Vernon Winter Carnival parade.

Every year, the North Okanagan Radio Amateur Club (NORAC) plays a key role helping the carnival parade get organized and under way smoothly.

Equipped with mobile radios, the NORAC team of 14 volunteers assists the winter carnival committee by laying out the staging area, guiding parade entrants to the correct waiting spot and ensuring parade entries are in the correct order.

This year, NORAC volunteers used a club VHF radio repeater located in the Commonage area to provide instant communication along the parade route.

NORAC also operates another repeater site on the summit of Silver Star Mountain which provides coverage for amateur radio operators from Peachland to Sicamous.

The repeater also serves as an emergency backup for Vernon Search and Rescue should their own equipment fail. NORAC also assists other community events such as the Falkland Stampede.

"NORAC members have the capabilities to enable local communications right through to communicating globally from a remote location using portable equipment,” Ritchie Leslie, NORAC president said. “We're ready to assist with community needs should a local municipality or even a provincial organization need assistance. As amateur radio operators, we're all networked and can enable communications across the BC interior or further afield.”

"NORAC plays an integral role in the organization of the Vernon Winter Carnival Parade and has done so for many years. They have always been organized, efficient and a pleasure to work with. I am grateful for their collaboration, and look forward to their support in years to come,” said Camille McCluskey, VWC director.