OTC

The home base of both SEPAR and SARC is our Operations and Training Centre (OTC) — a well-equipped facility dedicated to advancing amateur radio skills, emergency communications, and community outreach.

Roughly a decade ago, the City of Surrey provided space for our first OTC in an empty building near the old City Hall. It served us well until the evolving needs of the Surrey Police displaced us. The City supported us during this period with interim storage as we sought a new home. Fortunately, that new home was found quickly.

In 2021, SEPAR was granted the lease on a much-improved facility on 142nd Street, which became our new OTC. SARC, being SEPAR's associated organization, enjoys full rights and privileges in the OTC, based on the close and cooperative relationship between the two groups.  Today, both groups use the facility, often concurrently, to their mutual advantage.

Among the facility's key features, we enjoy our own secure, dedicated radio room, antennas, and storage, including a full-size container. These spaces are the heart of our operations, designed for serious radio work, education, and experimentation.  The building also accommodates South Fraser Search & Rescue in a separate capacity.  

In addition to our radio room and dedicated areas, we enjoy amenities including a kitchen, a classroom, two washrooms, and a comfortable social area which even has a pool table — ideal for collaboration, communication, and informal learning. Outdoors, the property houses our tower, beam antennas, wire antennas, and a storage container for larger equipment, providing the infrastructure to support advanced communications projects and to host training sessions, events, and club gatherings.  The OTC is fully wheelchair accessible.

Every Saturday, you'll find the OTC active with hands-on workshops, certification exams, contests, community-building and mentoring for new amateur radio operators. It’s a hub where members sharpen their skills, test new technologies, and contribute to local communications readiness.

Our radio room is well equipped:

• Two modern computers

• High-end HF transceivers

• Linear 1 kW amplifier for boosted signal reach

• Rotator controller for directional antennas

• High-power bandpass filters to ensure clean signals

• 220 MHz transceiver and a full-featured VHF/UHF satellite station

• All powered by a robust bank of 12V lithium iron phosphate batteries with intelligent charging systems, ensuring uninterrupted operation during power outages.

We also have a good assortment of testing equipment to help diagnose any antenna or radio problems you may be having.

Come visit us on a Saturday morning.  We'd be happy to see you.

SEPAR Operations and Training Centre

5756 142 St.

Surrey, BC

V3X 0H4

This is not a mailing address. Please do not send correspondence to this address.