Founded in 1959, the York Region Amateur Radio Club (YRARC, formerly the York North Amateur Radio Club), serves the community of the Regional Municipality of York, which is part of the Greater Toronto Area and in the inner ring of the Golden Horseshoe in Ontario, Canada. Stretching from the northern border of Toronto, north to Lake Simcoe including Georgina Island, York Region includes the municipalities of Richmond Hill, Markham, Vaughn, Whitchurch-Stouffville, King, Aurora, Newmarket, East Gwillimbury and Georgina,

With almost 100 members coming from all parts of the region and beyond, the club meets on the first Tuesday of each month from September to June. We also host several other events for members and guests, including:

  • Daily nets on the club’s repeater. Our most popular net began during the COVID-19 lockdown to provide social interaction and support to amateurs, and since restrictions were lifted, has continued to be a great way to stay connected with others.
  • Weekly video chats using Google Meet to provide technical and operating assistance to anyone who needs it.
  • Participation in the annual ARRL Field Day on the fourth weekend of June.

The club also supports our municipalities by providing communications for coordination and safety at outdoor events and during states of emergency. These activities are very popular with our members and demonstrate our commitment to our community.

We operate a first-class repeater system which serves the entire region and beyond, with both analog and digital voice capabilities, emergency power, and global linking. We also support our public service, emergency communications, and ARRL Field Day events with both a fully equipped communications trailer and another equipped with 20-metre antenna tower.

Training is offered 2 to 3 times per year, as well as government-approved examinations to all prospective new amateur radio operators. Many of our new operators have told us that the best first step after obtaining their amateur radio qualification was to join a club, where their fellow amateurs were happy to assist them. Come enjoy the world’s greatest hobby with us!