April 18th, 2023 was World Amateur Radio day, and as part of the celebration, RAC sponsored it’s Get On The Air (GOTA) event to encourage Canadian Amateurs to dust off their mikes and get some electrons flowing through their anteannae. Not so much a contest, as a chance for amateurs to make contact with each other and share in our global brotherhood of communication. Because the event runs from 0000 UTC to 2359 UTC, for us here in BC, that means that the event was from 5pm Monday the 17th to 5pm Tuesday the 18th.

As part of GOTA, RAC granted the use of the VE7RAC special event callsign to various stations throughout BC to act as its emmissary for World Amateur Day. Don, VE7ATJ was able to secure two slots for phone operation — 80m from 5pm to 9pm on Monday, and 20m from 1pm to 5pm on Tuesday!

Monday evening, with the help of Al (VA7MP) and Don (VE7AX) we fired up the OECT station at the ESS Office in Parksville (previously known as the Parksville Community Centre). There were some trials and tribulations with the dipole antenna, but we were able to run relatively successfully for the full 4 hours and make about 12 contacts. (5pm to 7pm on 80m is pretty dead on the best of days! 🙂 )

Tuesday afternoon, the two Dons (VE7AX and VE7ATJ) were joined by Bill (VE7EVS) and Kate (VA7KEF) to try out luck on 20m at the OECT station. Unfortunately, the noise levels were just too high (S9+10) and again, the antennae were not cooperating. So, the Dons moved to VE7AX’s station and ran the remainder of the 20m event from there. We were much more successful with over 126 contacts in just over 3 hours! Not exactly contest speed/volume, but highly enjoyable, with contacts all over North America. A number of stations mentioned we were the only RAC station they could hear on the air and many thanked us for being a huge part of their World Amateur Radio Day activity!

Listen for us again as VE7RAC on upcoming events and contests! And if you’d like to be part of the fun, just let either of the two Dons know….

73 Don VE7ATJ

DONALD TOLSON

By DONALD TOLSON

Licensed in 1972, upgraded to Advanced in 1973. Out of the hobby until 2015 and moved to Parksville/French Creek in 2021. HF, VHF/UHF