National Capital Chapter 70 - Ottawa, Canada
VE3PY Biography 
Vernon (Vern) McCourt - SK - QCWA# 8821 (Silent Key)
Background
Education/Employment History
- 1940 - Vern joined Dept of National Defence and was soon in charge of the Anti-Submarine Test Lab
- 1941 - Joined RCNVR and attended HMCS Electrical School at Halifax
- 1942-1945 - Had various anti-submarine postings in Canada and the UK
- 1947-1972 – Head of the Naval Section, Mines Branch, Energy Mines and Resources doing SONAR work for the Royal Canadian Navy until retirement in 1972
- During this latter period at Mines Branch:
- 1951-1958 - Vern was Electrical Officer at HMCS Carleton and retired with the rank of Commander RCNVR
Amateur Radio History
- Vern was taught Morse Code over a couple of wires between the houses by Rolly Smith VE3WC who lived two doors away.
- 1937 - First licensed as VE3PY.
Additional Information
He was a member of Ottawa Amateur Transmitting Association and served as President (1940).
When World War II broke out he received a call from Department of Transport to ask local amateurs to cease operations. This was confirmed in letters from the Minister of Transport C.P. Edwards. There were tears on the bands that day.
1945 – With the help of Arn Petch - VE2SD, a meeting was called and the club was reactivated under a new name Ottawa Amateur Radio Club.
By 1975, Vern was operating 80, 20, 15 and 10M SSB. He was a member of the Top Star Group handling phone patches and traffic messages out of the North.
Other interests were rag-chewing and DX. His building eventually had to be curtailed as his eye-sight began to fail.
Vern joined QCWA in 1974 and was one of the 21 Charter Members of Chapter 70. He served as a Director of Chapter 70 in 1979-1981.
Vern passed away on June 25, 1981 in his 74th year.