OWEN GARRIOT W5LFL, SPACE-SHUTTLE COLUMBIA. “The whole family went outside on December 1, 1983 at approximately 6:30 local time to look in to the clear night sky to see if we could spot the Space-Shuttle Columbia. Being an amateur radio operator or (commonly known as a Ham) I took my 2 meter FM handheld transceiver with me. And to my surprise, heard somebody calling, “This is W5LFL in the Space-Shuttle Columbia calling the West Coast of North America.” My wife standing a little further away said, “who’s that ham driving around Salmon Arm?” Now this resulted in some head-shaking and lecturing by the ham operator standing next to her.
Author Archives: Ron Essex
Eddie Turner chairs Nominating Committee
Eddie VE7ETE in conjunction with Tom Wrinch VE7AMM has agreed to phone all members of the club prior to the Annual General Meeting of March 14. Members of the club are reminded that 2012 dues will have expired on February 28 and that club dues are now $30. Please consider taking on a position on the board.
Ode to Silent Keys
ODE TO SILENT KEYS
We twist the dial and listen
for fists that are not there;
then sadly we remember
they are no longer on the air.
The signals that once streaked across
the silent, empty sea –
The Chief of all the Universe
has ‘broken’ — “QRT.”
Silent Key – Doug Gray VE7DNG
We are sad to announce that Doug Gray became a Silent Key on Monday, February 11, 2013 while in Palliative Care in Bastion after a long illness. There will be no formal service, but Doug’s wife Shirley has indicated that in a few weeks, there will be a small gathering of radio amateurs who have known Doug well. We will keep you informed.
Silent Key John Richard VE7ASC
We are sad to inform you that John VE7ASC became a Silent Key at Shuswap Lake General Hospital on Saturday, February 3, 2013. Daryl Chipman VA7DBC is in contact with John’s family. As soon as any update is received, we will post the information here as a revision to this post.
1979: Silent Key Ed Ginger VE7BYN
The first Silent Key reference found in our records was a Notice of a Memorial Service being held in April 1979 for Ed Ginger VE7BYN. Of special note is that the VE7BYN call is now presently held by Rick Ginger who relocated to his home town of Sicamous many years later, giving up his American call upon completion of the 2005 Basic Qualification Course run by SARC.
1978: First SARC Basic Qualification Course
Our records indicate that instructor Al Marr VE7CAL paid Eagle River School in Sicamous $5 to cover stencils and reproduction paper to reproduce materials related to the Basic Qualification Course held in that school.
Notice of Celebration of Life Service VE7ZAV
The Celebration of Life Service in memory of Duncan Zavislake will be held on Saturday, April 13, 2013 at 2:30 p.m. at the Pleasant Valley Funeral Home at 4303 Pleasant Valley Road in Vernon.
VE7RNH Repeater Licence Granted
The Shuswap Amateur Radio Club application of March 9, 1978 for a license to establish and operate an Amateur Radio Experimental station has received favourable consideration. “Authority is hereby granted for the operation of your Amateur Station Repeater in accordance with the regulations and schedule of frequencies determined by your Amateur certificate. The call sign VE7RNH is to be used to identify your station. 146.760 MHz Transmit and 146.160 MHz Receive. A formal license will follow.” issued by the Department of Communications, Kelowna.
Aquarius Trailer Floats Limited of Calgary and Sicamous
For what appears to be the first Field Day of the club and likely the most creative, the Field Day was held at Anstey Arm Provincial Park.