North Canterbury Amateur Radio Club: Keeping the Plains Connected

In the heart of North Canterbury's sweeping farmlands, the North Canterbury Amateur Radio Club (Branch 68) operates as a vital communications hub from its Woodend base. With repeaters stretching from the foothills of Mount Grey to the Waimakariri River mouth, this group of enthusiasts proves that in rural New Zealand, radio remains as essential as ever.

Monthly Meetups with Country Hospitality

The club's rhythm follows the agricultural calendar:
🗓 2nd Thursday monthly: General meetings at 7:30pm (Woodend Lions Youth Centre)
🤝 4th Thursday: Committee strategy sessions
🌾 February AGM: Timed post-harvest season

"Farmers, firefighters and techies all find common ground here," says President Don MacDonald ZL3DMC, who doubles as AREC Group Leader. "When floods took out cell towers last year, our repeaters became lifelines."

Critical Infrastructure Guardians

The club maintains key regional assets:
📡 Mount Grey Repeater (managed by Simon Hill ZL3SI) covering the Hurunui
🏔️ Mount Noble Repeater (overseen by MacDonald) serving the coastal plain
🚨 AREC emergency team trained for alpine rescue support

Learning the Ropes

With exam supervisors including Geoff Clark ZL3GA (club callsign trustee), the club offers:
✅ Rural-focused licensing courses
✅ Farm radio maintenance workshops
✅ Youth STEM initiatives with local schools

Join the Canterbury Wave

Visit: 2nd Thursdays at 38 Rangiora-Woodend Road
Contact: Secretary Geoff Clark ZL3GA (geoff.clark22@gmail.com)
Details: NCARC Website

In a region where distance matters and emergencies loom, these radio operators keep North Canterbury connected - proving that sometimes the oldest technology is the most reliable.

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[Did You Know?]
The club's Mount Grey repeater has an exceptional 120km range - on clear days, operators can chat with boats off Kaikōura. Their ZL3RR/ZL6WG callsigns commemorate the region's aviation history.