What is VECTOR?
Communications are a critical service in an emergency. Experience has shown when communications systems fail, and they often do, assistance efforts are hampered and loss of life and injuries increase. Amateur Radio has a long history of providing auxiliary communications services to support emergency and social services. Amateur Radio (Ham) radio enthusiasts practice radio communications as a hobby, routinely talk around the globe, and are well equipped and trained to provide these services. The term 'amateur' refers only to the fact that it is a not-for-profit service and is not a reflection of the skill level.  Practitioners include engineers, doctors, lawyers, blue-collar workers and others from all walks of life and many commercial communications applications were first developed by Amateur Radio hobbyists.

VECTOR is the acronym chosen for the City of Vancouver’s Amateur Radio program. VECTOR is somewhat unique in that it is not an Amateur Radio club but a community service organization that includes both licensed Amateur Radio operators and other communications volunteers involved in the city emergency program. VECTOR stands for Vancouver Emergency Community Telecommunications ORganization. The timing of the creation of this group coincided with the opening of the Vancouver Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in June 1999.  VECTOR has a fully equipped 8-position Amateur Radio room within this facility.

The Vancouver Emergency Operations Centre shares the building with the E-Comm 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Centre, which provides emergency services professionals (Police, Ambulance & Fire) with uninterrupted telecommunications from Squamish to Hope. 

VECTOR has been registered as a non-profit society and four classes of membership are offered. Full membership is offered to licensed radio amateurs; Affiliate membership is open to amateur radio clubs or organizations; Associate memberships to unlicensed volunteers who wish to assist; and Corporate membership for Corporations who wish to support the Society and for the City of Vancouver itself. The City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Police Board each have one appointed director on the VECTOR Executive.

Want to know more about VECTOR?
VECTOR was featured in a  GVTV video (8.3 Mb) and in an article on Amateur Radio titled Hamstrung. We also have a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.

VECTOR provides communications support for community events such as parades and charity runs as described on our Public Event Communications page. This provides our volunteer Amateur Radio operators with training and practical experience for emergency communications while operating in the field under various conditions. If you would like communications support for your charitable or community event in the City of Vancouver, VECTOR contact information is provided at the bottom of this page.

Click here for our current Newsletter and for VECTOR projects, meetings and events.

Click here for our membership brochure and our application form.

Click here for information on our next Basic Amateur Radio Course.
VECTOR supports the involvement of youth in the Amateur Radio hobby. Complimentary seats are set aside for Vancouver High School students at each Basic course. Please contact VECTOR for further information.




Contact Information
E-mail vector@vancouver.ca
Messages (604) 215-4815
Please note that the VECTOR office is not normally staffed

VECTOR's Mailing Address
VECTOR c/o E-Comm
3301 East Pender Street,
Vancouver, BC  V5K 5J3

All VECTOR written material is posted in Adobe Acrobat PDF format only, for version 4 and later. If you do not have a copy of Adobe Reader you can obtain one free at http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html