National Capital Chapter 70 - Ottawa, Canada
VE3BNO Biography
George Roach - QCWA# 8811 (Silent Key)
Background
Grew up in Renfrew, Ontario
Education / Employment History
- 1944-1945- Bell Telephone Summer employment ( Dug a lot of postholes !)
- 1946-1961 – Bell Telephone Company of Canada – Lineman, Cable-splicer, Frameman, Central Office Technician, Central Office Foreman, Repair Foreman, Installation Foreman, Special Services Foreman, Plant School Instructor, No 5 Cross-bar Foreman. (Special Services included Mobile Radio, Teletype, Government circuits, etc.)
- 1961-1997 – Radio Stations CFRA (50 KW AM) and CFMO (100 KW FM) (Ottawa) – Chief Engineer then Director of Engineering CFRA Broadcasting Ltd, CHUM Ltd and Canadian ontemporary News Service.
- 1967-1996 Served as President and on the executive of the Central Canada Broadcast Engineers (CCBE)
- Also have done some contract work for Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission
- 1942-1947 – Lanark & Renfrew Infantry Signals (Reserve) - Renfrew (C455679)
- 1947-1961 – Third Signals Regiment (Reserve) - Ottawa
Amateur Radio History
- 1937-1940 - Mentored by Bunny Utronki, VE3AVD
- 1946 - First licensed as VE3BNO in Renfrew, Ontario. That call sign held continuously except for one year in Quebec as VE2AQG.
- Operated all bands from 160M to 1.2 GHz and built a lot of gear and antennas.
- Member of ARRL, RSO, RAC, Amsat NA(# 247), Amsat UK(#246)
- Member of OARC and served as Vice President (1961-1962 and 1968-1971), President (1972-1974 and 2000-2002) and Treasurer (1993-1998) as well as organizing and teaching many of their Amateur Radio Courses. Still serving as Club Historian.
- 1963 Built and installed VE2CRA, Ottawa’s first 2M FM Repeater.
- 1981-1983 Worked on batteries and modules that flew on the Euosats.
- 1996-1998 Worked with the Telephone Amateur Radio Pioneers on the development and installation of Amateur Fast Scan Repeater VE3TVA.
Additional Information
Life Member of QCWA. 1998-2003 Director QCWA.
2002-2010 As a member of the QCWA Chapter relations Committee hold the positions of Convention Co-ordinator and Activities manager liasing with the various QCWA conventions and managing the national ssb and cw weekly nets. This includes managing the QCWA QSO Parties and awarding the various operating awards.
Received QCWA Meritorious Award(1996), QCWA Presidential Award (2006) and QCWA Roll of Honour Plaque (2010).
Also member of QCWA Chapter 70. Served as Director (1981-1982), 2003 and 2010. Served as President (1987-1988). Served on the Organizing Committee (Chair and Tours) for QCWA International Conventions 1996 and 2004.
Received QCWA Century Certificate at the Chapter 70 May 2001 dinner meeting, and the QCWA “60 Years Licensed” Golden Certificate and lapel pin at the Chapter 70 May 2006 dinner meeting. Awarded Chapter 70 Life Membership at the Chapter 70 November 2010 dinner meeting.
George passed away in June 2022.