During emergency response there may not be telephone communication and thus as a backup system, it is necessary to have your local Ham Radio Operator assist with communications.

John Meskes is the Amateur Radio Emergency Services Co-ordinator and the official ARES liaison to C&NS. He has worked closely with C&NS over the last several years and developed this easy method of back up communications for contact and deployment. He is willing to co-ordinate the information.

How to locate a local Ham Radio Operator in your neighbourhood:

1. Obtain local Ham Radio Operator addresses:
   • If you have access to the web, you may go to http://www.rac.ca/callbook and enter your postal code where indicated, and those of nearby streets (if you have a postal code directory). This will give you a list of nearby hams. Also, print the handout located at http://ares.meskes.ca/ve3poj/iert.htm (on coloured paper if available) ; or
   • Contact John Meskes VE3POJ via email at

     ve		poj		rac
     	3		@		.ca

     giving your name and home postal code and work fax number. If you have a postal code directory, you should also give a few surrounding street postal codes. You will be sent a list of nearby hams, and a handout
2. Visit one or more of these hams and cover the following:
   • Confirm that the person you are talking to is the named ham radio operator
   • Introduce yourself with your name, employer, and emergency position
   • Explain the need for emergency communications when an emergency happens
   • Request their assistance in providing this communications
   • Exchange name and other information.
3. Report back to John Meskes indicating which ham(s) are your contacts
   • callsign, club affiliation and ARES/public service experience if known.
   There are several possible outcomes from your visit:
   • The ham is completely understanding, willing and able to assist.
   • The ham is not equipped for the frequencies required for the task. Ham radio has so many other facets, such as extra channels for model airplanes, morse code, television transmitting, or just building radio equipment without actually being a talker.
   • The ham is uncooperative. If you have other choices, you can leave these rare ones alone. Under the terms of their license, the Regulations and Acts below apply.
   Notwithstanding any of the above, obtaining your own ham radio license is advantagious and not as difficult as it used to be. There are no morse code requirements for a Basic license, which can be obtained in a timeframe equivalent to a night school course - about 40 hours. Contact John Meskes for further information.

   http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/r-2/sor-96-484/172288.html
   Radiocommunication Regulations -- SOR/96-484
   Emergency Communications
   48. In a real or simulated emergency, a person operating radio apparatus that is licensed in the amateur radio service may only communicate with a radio station that is licensed in the amateur radio service in order to transmit a message that relates to the real or simulated emergency on behalf of a person, government or relief organization.

   http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/R-2/index.html
   Radiocommunication Act -- CHAPTER R-2
   Possession by Her Majesty
   7. (1) Her Majesty may assume and, for any length of time, retain possession of any radio station and all things necessary to the sufficient working of it and may, for the same time, require the exclusive service of the operators and other persons employed in working the station.
   Control by Government
   7. (2) The person who owns or controls the station of which possession is assumed pursuant to subsection (1) shall give up possession of it and the operators and other persons employed as described in that subsection shall, during the time of possession thereunder, diligently and faithfully obey such orders, and transmit and receive such signals, calls and radiograms, as they are required to receive and transmit by any duly authorized officer of the Government of Canada.