EMRG - Emergency Measures Radio Group

EMRG CEASED OPERATION IN 2021
The Emergency Measures Radio Group (EMRG), also known as Ottawa ARES, has ceased operation. In 2021 the management team, with input from members, assessed the current state of operation for the group and the likelihood that Amateur radio would ever be called on to provide communications assistance. There had been no training or exercises for several years and the last callout for communications services for the City of Ottawa was in the 2003 power outage. We felt we needed to be honest with members about the reality of ever being called and honest with the City about our state of readiness as a group.

THE RISE & FALL OF AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS IN OTTAWA
In the mid 1990s, the City of Ottawa was made up of multiple Municipalities and cell phones were new and expensive. The communications used by Police, Fire and Public Works consisted of analog base stations, while a few agencies had repeaters. The communications capacity available to most agencies was barely sufficient to support their operations, so in an emergency, alternate communications were needed. This was the same technology used by Amateur radio in Ottawa and with Multiple Amateur radio clubs and a lot of innovation in repeaters, Amateur radio in Ottawa could provide significant communications capability.

Over time, the analog systems used by local agencies have given way to digital trunked systems with significant capacity, and almost everyone has a cell phone. At the same time, Amateurs have gotten older, clubs are folding and access to repeater sites for club repeaters has become more difficult, so some are no longer in operation. The capabilities and capacity that Amateur radio can provide, compared to what organizations normally rely on has reached a point where Amateur radio is no longer a viable emergency communications resource in Ottawa.

When all else fails, there is still Starlink and other satellite systems, commercial radio systems as well as portable cellular and radio sites. It’s also important to realize that if everything else has failed, Amateur radio infrastructure may also have failed. This does not mean that Amateurs can’t still provide emergency communications. There are search and rescue groups, the Red Cross and others, who would welcome members who have radio communications skills. Amateurs are encouraged to look for ways to continue to provide service to their community. Amateur radio remains an innovative and interesting hobby.

REPEATERS
The EMRG repeaters were installed around 2005, in Ottawa Fire Services locations that were previously dispatch centres for individual municipalities, prior to amalgamation of the current City of Ottawa. EMRG got access to the towers and antennas on the agreement that installation and testing of repeater equipment was done by Glentel, now Bell. Glentel did all the repeater installations. When EMRG shut down in 2021, Peter Gamble arranged with OFS to continue to operate the repeaters for another 5 years.

The 5 year time limit for EMRG repeaters provided time for local clubs to make plans and implement new repeaters to replace repeaters like MPC, TWO and TEL that had been shut down. (This has not happened for many reasons). Another reason for the 5 year limit, is that EMRG always knew 3 of the 4 repeater sites were available on a conditional basis and would eventually have to close. One of the key things to remember is that these antenna sites had been operational for at least 15 years prior to amalgamation, so the towers and antennas are now at least 40 years old.

With Ottawa Fire Services no longer using these antennas and towers, plus the age of these sites, the towers and antennas will be removed from service. As a result, EMRG will be shutting down the following repeaters in 2026; (The equipment

     VA3EMV West -VHF (Stittsville)
     VA3EMV East -VHF (Orleans)
     VA3OFS VHF & UHF (Barrhaven)

VE3OCE will remain in service. The VE3OCE repeaters are open to anyone who wants to use them.
   VHF Analog Voice 146.880 - (Tone: 136.5),
    UHF Analog Voice   443.800 + (Tone: 136.5)
    VHF 1200 Packet   145.030
    VHF 1200 Packet   145.010 (VA3OFS)

The equipment from the repeaters being shut down will be used to upgrade and maintain the repeaters at VE3OCE.

The website will remain available for now in case anyone wants to take a look through the files, although many of the files are now out of date.

Peter Gamble – VE3BQP