Canadian Amateur Radio Heritage

The story behind Keewatin’s Amateur Radio station call sign – VA3VGC

SS Keewatin’s original signals identification was VGMC as issued by the Canadian government when she was registered in Montreal in 1907. The Marconi radio station installed onboard Keewatin also operated under the same call sign identification, as per maritime protocol at that time.

While on display as a museum ship at her home base in Port McNicoll, an amateur radio station was established and operated under the call sigh VA3VGC. The folks at Port McNicoll have kindly granted continued use of that call sign for SS Keewatin at her new retirement home here in Kingston. Sponsorship of the VA3VGC call sign was originally transferred through ISED to Ron Walsh VE3GO, and then subsequently transferred, and currently held by myself VE3ORY.