Special Interest Groups

The Calgary Amateur Radio Association has a number of special interest groups. All CARA members are automatically members of all SIG's, so there are no separate "memberships" as such. Simply show up to a few meetings and the SIG will consider you one of "them".

Asset Disposal Group    disposals@caraham.org

In service to the estates of amateur radio operators, who often have great amounts of great equipment they would like to move on to the shacks of other hams where it can be loved again, CARA members will inspect what is available, and suggest how we could re-home the precious items of the dearly departed.  Options include pricing items so the estate may sell privately, or accepting them as donations to CARA.  Donated items are made available first to our interest groups, and then to members for sale.  Unsold items may then go to our annual flea market, or given to other amateur radio clubs, or sent to maker groups, and then, finally, to recycling.  If you would like to assist with this task, please drop us a line.  We have web pages on our web site where things are advertised.  Click here to see what is available.  CARA members have access to addition pages with info on sales to members and disposal items.

CARATels Group    caratels@caraham.org

No precise definition of "senior" is used by these folks. CARATELS, the seniors group, meets for lunch during the week once a month and have some of the more unusual programs.

CARATELS has become the "fun" group within CARA. With noon-time meetings, most attendees do have grey hair and are, in fact, retired. However, in no way is the group restricted to grey hair and retirees. Don't attend if you don't want to have a good time but, if you are free at noon once a month, come to CARATELS for an inexpensive lunch, some good laughs, interesting programs and plenty of time to eyeball and yak with fellow hams.

Normally, meetings are on the first Wednesday of each month. Check out the Events Calendar for details and exceptions.

Communications Trailer Group    commtrailer@caraham.org

This technical group is the one that designed, built, and maintains the mobile units that is deployed to events.  It has a raiseable mast, gasoline generator, VHF/UHF/HF antennae and on-board base station radio, 120VAC and 12VDC power systems, APRS capability, interior space heater, and can accommodate users bringing their own radios.  It is used at events like Winter Field Day, ARRL summer field day, car rallies, and public exhibitions.

DX Group stationteam@caraham.org

The DX Club encourages all types of activity on HF frequencies; from 1.8 MHz to 30 MHz and point to point long distance operation is also pursued on the VHF and UHF bands.  This is "traditional" Ham radio, and at meetings we discuss working DX, QSL cards, contesting, HF mobile radio, antennas, linear amplifiers and all the many things that go into successful HF operation. Our members are involved in SSB, CW, Slow Scan TV, RTTY and other digital modes.  Contesting events include the Winter Field Day, ARRL summer field day,

Educators Group     educators@caraham.org

Do you have experience in teaching, and do you have a good knowledge of amateur radio?  If so, are you interested in becoming an instructor with the CARA instructional team, and teach things like the ISED Basic and Advanced certifications?  Or maybe be a teaching assistant at the classes.  If so, drop us a line and let us know what you might like to do.

Repeater Group     repeaterteam@caraham.org

This technical group is the one that designs, builds, and maintains the system of repeaters stations which facilitate the the wide area communications that standalone portable and mobile rigs cannot achieve.  Repeater stations can be in urban areas, rural prairies, and on mountain tops.

Station Group     stationteam@caraham.org

This technical group is the one that designs, builds, and maintains CARA's world class base station of radios, towers, power supplies, and cabling.  CARA's station has the call sign of 'VE6AO'.  From here, much world wide contesting is done, along with participation in global nets, and personal QSL chat with individual hams around the world.

Web Presence & Social Media Group     webdev@caraham.org

This savvy team maintains our caraham.org web site, along with our social media feeds, currently a FaceBook group, Twitter, and YouTube.  Currently we are looking for content creators who can populate our social pages with announcements, accounts & photos of recent events, and conversations on topics pertinent to the amateur radio community.  This role requires a high comfort level with internet software, and a good knowledge of happenings in CARA and the ham radio world.

VHF/Digital Group    vhfgroup@caraham.org

This is the group that finds so many ways to use the VHF/UHF amateur bands, in both simplex mode and over the repeaters built by the repeater team.  The sport of radio direction finding aka "fox hunting", is one of the pastimes of the VHF group.  foxhunters@caraham.org

Of course these repeaters are open to all amateur operators in the repeaters service area . They are also used to provide organizational and safety communications requirements for public service events that need this service.