This year, more the 200 people came through the doors on Sat., Apr. 7 with nearly 30 tables of exhibitors and vendors inside the gym hall. VECTOR, SEPAR and 39 Service Battalion , Canadian Armed Forces showcased their communication vehicle in the parking lot. In spite of the bad weather during that morning, the event attracted attendees from as far as Chilliwack and Kelowna. (Scroll down for more pics from event)

Happy winner of 50/50 raffle, Ken Clarke, VE7BC with prize of $148.50 cash, 50 percent of proceeds from sale of raffle tickets during event (BC Gaming Licence #104561). Winning ticket number is 877201. Ken runs the QSL Bureau at local Amateur radio events.

Proud winner of grand door prize, Larry Lee, receiving Icom ID-4100A D-STAR Mobile Duo-Band transceiver presented by Paul Veel, Amateur Sale Manager of Icom Canada.

Another well-anticipated door prize, a Kenwood TH-K20A provided by Burnaby Radio Communication, won by Chris Cowx, VA7KWX.

PRIZE WINNERS - RARC Swap Meet and Emergency Communications Display, April 7, 2018

Grand Door Prize - Icom ID-4100A from Icom Canada
- Larry Lee

Door Prize - Kenwood TH-K20A from Burnaby Radio Communications
- Chris Cowx, VA7KWX

Door Prize - Circuit-Test LED Magnifier Floor Lamp from RP Electronics
- Christine Pires, VE7NLF

Door Prize - $25 Gift Cards from Radioworld (Toronto) / GPS Central (Calgary)
- Greg Sue, VA7TO
- Larry Lee
- Chris Lowe, VA7XZZ
- Clodualdo Sibayan, VA7QAS

Door Prize - $25 Coupons from Fleetwood Digital Electronics
- Chris Cowx, VA7CWX
- Richard Young, VE3RYY
- Peter Walsh, VE7XPW
- Jessica Shao

Door Prize - One year free membership provided by Radio Amateurs of Canada
- Larry Lee

Other Prizes - Legendary Platter Coupons from White Spot (Ackroyd)
- Jason Biggin, VA7ITJ
- Fred Meier,VE7FMN
- Pedro Catalan, VA7XP
- Wayne Muster, VE7HM
- Pedro Catalan, VA7XP

Other Prizes - Icom branded hats and beverage containers
- Barbara Bowman, VE7SE
- (name unavailable) (ticket no. 420058)

Other Prizes - DX World Map donated by Richmond Amateur Radio Club
- Slava Erilw(?), VE7LM(?)

50/50 Raffle - BC Gaming Licence #104561 - Prize from 50 percent of ticket sales: $148.50
- Ken Clarke, VE7BC (Winning ticket number: 877201)

PROVIDER OF DOOR PRIZES AND GIVEAWAYS FOR 2018 EVENT

Living history making history in capturing history. Very long-time RARC member Elizabeth Anderson, VE7YL shows hisorical photos to Tom Brent, military radio collector and historian who is doing research on civilian radio listening activity on the west coast during the Seocnd World War when Elizabeth served as one of the listners based in Point Grey monitoring enemy radio traffic. Looking on is Barbara Bowman, VE7SE, volunteer at the SPARC museum (left) and RARC member Lynn Keeling, KI6HNG (right). Tom is also a volunteer at SPARC involved with the military collection. Such RARC events not only bring together vendors and exhibitors but also provide a venue for individuals to get together and exchange information to promote and preserve Amateur radio. The event is more a celebration of Amateur radio than just a swap meet and next year's event should be renamed to more accurately reflect the festivity. (hint)

Not only does one often see VECTOR's Community Emergency Response Vehicle (CERV) out in Richmond but to have it displayed in the same parking lot as Surrey's SEPAR trailer (out of photo to the right) and a radio command vehicle (VM90) from the Canadian Armerd Forces, 39 Service Battalion is a rare sight indeed. Too bad that Richmond Emergency Programs communications vehicle and The Salvation Army Community Response Unit van were not able to make it for this year's event. RARC sees value in promoting awareness of Amateur radio's role in emergency communications and the successful outome of the past two annual events justify plans to grow this segment of the annual event for next year.

Roger Andrews, VA7VH and his SEPAR team displays their radio go-kit outside its case to show the 'guts' of the communications unit. That's what show-and-tell (and learn) is all about. Abbotsford Amateur Radio Emergency Services Society (AARESS) and Richmond Amateur Radio Club (RARC) also had radio grab and go kits on display. (note: background is vacant because gym is not yet open to the public)

Happy winner, happy ham radio operator, happy father. Chirs Lowe,VA7XZZ, a VECTOR member who frequents such Amateur radio events, is one of many door prize winners on that morning. RARC plans to grow the event to include children and family and involve the community. Aren't children our future, as well as the future of Amateur radio?

Venue: South Arm United Church (Gym Hall)
Address: 11051 No. 3 Road, Richmond, BC (SW corner Steveston Hwy. & No. 3 Rd.)
Hours: 9 AM to 12:30 PM
Admission: $5 per person (free admission to children under age of 12)
Parking: FREE (Church parking lot)

Vendor Table: $20 each, includes 2 free admissions
Half Vendor Table: $10 (shared with another vendor)
Exhibitor Table: no charge (no sales permitted)

Vendor and Exhibitor set up: 8 AM
Doors open to the public: 9 AM
Final prize draw: 12 Noon
Premises must be vacated by vendors no later than 1 PM

Coffee, beverages and snacks available for sale at the 'RAR Cafe'
Door prizes and raffles (licence pending)

MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES FOR DONORS AND ADVERTISERS

The RARC Swap Meet on Apr. 7, 2018 presents marketing opportunities for vendors of Amateur radio and related computer and electronics products and services to the Amateur radio community in the Greater Vancovuer area. This event takes place in the Vancouver and Richmond part of the Lower Mainland, drawing attendees from a new market segment along with regular Amateur radio enthusiasts from the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.

RARC welcomes support from corporate vendors through donations of Amateur radio related items (to be raffed as door prizes at the event) in exchange for advertising and publicity benefits.

Donors and advertisers sigining up share in the publicity by being a part of the RARC marketing for the Exhibition & Swap Meet. Advertising and publicity benefits include:

E-mails - Messaging with planned follow-up content are sent to identified groups in the community that may be target markets for the event. These groups include local Amateur radio organizations, groups that are related to the electronics hobby, groups that have potential interests in Amateur radio, and businesses that may be interested in products at the sawp meet.

Posters - Printed posters will be distributed at locations that are frequented by a broad section of the community (e.g. local community centres, coffee shops, business with community activities bulleting boards). Posters will also be posted at venues where there will be high-traffic events (i.e. Christmas craft fairs, community concerts, etc.). Posters will be periodically updated with new donors and advertisers on the list.

Web Site presence - Updates on the event and related Amateur radio information will be posted on the RARC Website (www.rarclub.ca) and event Website (www.richmondarc.ca) to generate frequent visits to the page and cultivate conversation about upcoming events.

CONSIDER THE MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR COMPANY BY BEING ON RARC'S PROMOTION PROGRAM FOR THE SWAP MEET.

For more information on marketing opportunities with RARC's promotion program for the swap meet, please contact: Urey, VE7URE

Information about RARC: www.rarclub.ca

To RARC main Website