National Capital Chapter 70 - Ottawa, Canada
VE3DH Biography 
John McCalla - SK - QCWA# 3927 (Silent Key)
Background
John grew up on the Niagara Peninsula.
Education / Employment History
- John graduated from Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph, Ontario with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree, specializing in Chemistry. He served a two-year fellowship in Chemistry at OAC, then joined his father on their fruit and vegetable farm.
- 1940 – He joined the RCAF Signals Branch to begin a 19-year career in the RCAF. Served most of the war on staff at all four RCAF Wireless Schools.
- 1943 -1944 – Posted as Signals Officer to Eastern Area Command HQ (Halifax) and then to Gander, Newfoundland.
- 1944 - After taking a six-month radar conversion course he was posted to the RCAF Radar School at Clinton, Ontario
- 1945 - 1949 - After the war he was posted to RCAF HQ (Ottawa) in the Ground Training Directorate, and finally as Senior Staff Officer in charge of all RCAF E lectronic Training.
- 1949-1951 - Posted to No 6 Repair Depot (Trenton)
- 1951-1954 – Canadian Joint Staff – London, England – Senior Telecommunications Liaison Officer.
- 1954-1959 – RCAF HQ (Ottawa) Deputy Director of Communications.
- 1959 – Retired from RCAF career
- 1959-1972 – Civilian Electronics Engineer until Integration of Services in 1972.
Amateur Radio History
- After a couple of years playing with Ford spark coils and crystal detector John applied for an amateur radio certificate.
- 1924 - First licensed as VE3DH at St Catharines, Ontario.
- Since 1959 active from Ottawa on CW and SSB with an SB-102. Liked CW traffic-handling, QSO Parties and contests though not a serious contester. Reported regularly into the Ontario-Quebec CW Traffic Net.
Additional Information
Member of the American Radio Relay League and held ORS, OTC, WAS, WAC and has an ARRL 30-WPM Morse Code Proficiency Certificate (limited by hand-writing speed as he couldn’t type).
Member of QCWA and one of the twenty-one Charter Members of Chapter 70.
He passed away in 1979.