Amateur Radio

First licenced (as VO2AC) in 1985 at age 16, I was on the air for over a year without ever writing an Amateur Radio exam! I grew up in a small (pop. ~800) isolated town in Labrador called Churchill Falls, about 400 miles from the closest radio inspector. Considering I was still in High School at the time, I wasn't about to pay $1000 for a return airline ticket just to write an Amateur Radio exam.  As well, the then Department of Communications (now Industry Canada) wasn't about to fly in a radio inspector, put him up in a hotel for 3 nights (we only had 2 flights per week, Mondays and Thursdays), just to give me the exam. So with the help of VO2CP (now VE3SJP), the only ham in town, we persuaded the DOC to issue me a callsign and allow me to get on the air. In return I had to sign an affidavit stating that I was capable of passing the exam, and that I would write the exam at the first opportunity.  So, in May 1985, I got on the air, CW only. The following summer while on family vacation in St. John's, I passed the Advanced Amateur exam and the 15 WPM CW exam.

In November 1985, six months after I got on the air, I entered the CQWW CW Contest, SO 20m. I made 333 QSOs with a straight key, a separate TX & RX, and a dipole at 25 feet. I thought I'd set the world on fire! I've been hooked on contesting ever since.

I operated as many contests as I could while in High School and scarcely any while in University. Since graduating and moving to the Ottawa area, I've been trying to upgrade my station and get back on the air. I've had the opportunity to operate in several Multi-Single contests with VE2ZP and have also done a few single ops from Dave's.  I've also operated 1997 RAC Winter Contest from VO2WL, 1997 CQWW CW MM from VE3EJ, 1998 CQWW SSB MS from WP2Z, 1998 CQWW CW MM from VE3EJ, 1999 CQWW SSB MS 1999 from VO2CQ, 2000 CQWW SSB MS from VO2CQ, and 2003 CQWW CW M2 from VE3EJ.

I currently hold two callsigns: VO2AC and VE3FU. I also handle QSL cards for VA3ZC (my old call from 1995 -1997), VA3ZC/8, VE3FU/NP2, and VO2CQ.

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Last Updated October 14, 2004 by Chris Allingham VE3FU / VO2AC