Ham of the Year Award

The "Ham of the Year Award" for the Kamloops club was instituted in 1971. It was felt that Club members who served with distinction should be recognized at the Clubs' annual banquet. The selection of the award winner, if any, was to be the sole responsibility of the current club President. The maintenance of this list was started by George Stephens (VE7YF, SK) and has been carried on by the incumbent president. The actual award is a brass Morse key mounted on a base that contains brass plaques with the call sign and the name of the recipient. The winner keeps it for a year. As a permanent keepsake, the winner is usually given a plaque and some other token gift.

2021 - VE7FET - Lee Woldanski Lee was recognized as the recipient of the 2021 Ham of the Year Award for his outstanding volunteer efforts and commitment to amateur radio. Lee was presented (virtually) with a handsome wood and brass plaque to recognize his outstanding devotion to amateur radio and to the countless hours of volunteer time, donated equipment, education, and the remote support he has provided to make amateur radio better and more enjoyable for all of us in the KARC and amateur radio fraternity.

2007 - VE7WWW - Bill Foster (SK)

2006 - VE7LKM - Betty Larkman

2005 - VE7TGV - Gerry Vermey Ever since Gerry obtained his Ham ticket he has been an active member of the club. He has served on the executive, participated in and organized many club projects, and is a member of the PEP communications group. As our resident mechanic Gerry has always been willing to help out whenever his mechanical skills were required. Many of you just know Gerry as our "coffee guy " at the club meetings. Believe me his contributions to the success of the club go far beyond that. When we have needed a helping hand Gerry has always been there for us.

2002 - VE7VGO - Vern Golmar The recipient chosen for this year has been very active for the past three years keeping the clubs finances in order and still had time to look for a location for a club station. He spent countless hours with CFJC, Government Agents and city officials in an attempt to aquire for the club, tax free, the CFJC AM Radio transmitter site.

2001 - VE7TRM - Al McKnight (SK) The person selected this year wrote his Basic and went on to get his Advanced and 12 WPM CW within a one year period. He has spent much time using his skills in handling traffic for the National Traffic System (NTS) and volunteering in various club functions. He also has been helping with the training of volunteers for various P.E.P. related events. His love for the code has prompted him to tirelessly introduce newcomers to the art of this fascinating aspect of Amateur Radio.

2000 - VE7GN / KGG - Gail Garneau (SK) The recipient of the Award this year has performed some very outstanding work in the past which includes the organization of obtaining Casino nights, a Lottery Grant and most recently, due to recent major changes in the system of grant applications, of which also required changes to our Constitution, adding to the overwhelming effort needed in getting our latest Lottery Grant. The work done this year should continue to benefit our Club in Grant applications in the years to come. The moneys raised from this effort has served to obtain invaluable equipment for our ongoing communications needs between mountain tops. It is also used for education, training and local experiments and projects to keep up with the ongoing technology involving Amateur Radio. Congratulations Gail.

1999 - VE7SJK - Stan Jones (SK) Stan has always gone out of his way to help out new or visiting hams. He has traveled many miles to help a new ham to build a new antenna, give info or help with the odd technical difficulties than a new ham will run into from time to time. He has even taken time out to tutor a new potential Amateur who, because of various reasons, could not attend the regular Ham classes that the club offered. He has also spent many hours working with other groups doing HAM related projects. i.e. Guides On The Air, both as an operator and in giving talks about Amateur Radio, etc. He has always been there, by my side, whenever I needed him and is a great asset and ambassador for our club and Amateur Radio. He IS, by the example he has quietly set, what Amateur Radio is all about.

1998 - VE7FFK - Fred Houghton (French Fried Kangaroo) Fred was selected as Ham Of The Year because of his vast efforts in building up the profile and importance of Amateur Radio in the Logan Lake Community and Region. As a result, through his creativity and enthusiasm, the Logan Lake group now have their own Repeater and Packet system. He has also worked tirelessly on behalf of our Club by finding volunteers from his group and helping us with some of our own local projects. I have always found Fred, because of his habit of acting in an impartial way, to be a great source whenever I needed advice, research or information to help deal with the odd issues I have encountered as President of this Club. His input has always been fair, educational and of great value.

1997 - VE7EJE - Rob Dover Rob has been the Sysop of the Kamloops Packet system for many years. In the early years, his dedication for digital communication prompted him to fund much of the system himself. To encourage the Amateur community to get involved in the new mode of Packet Radio, he established linking systems and provided a local BBS for them to use.. He has quietly gone about his business keeping the system alive and running. Somehow, the system appears to be magically there for anyone to use! He has always been very pleasant to deal with, no matter how dumb the questions being asked sound to him. If he detects complete frustration in a call for help and he can't solve the problem over the phone, he has been known to drop by and work his magic to make things go the way they should! Despite his busy schedule, he continues to keep up to date with developing technology and has been instrumental in getting our Internet Gateway and Website up and running. His continuing efforts have kept our present system on the leading edge!

1996 - VE7LGF - Glen Farrough Glen was selected for the dedication he has shown for the Amateur Radio Community and his Repeater work. He was instumental with his technical expertise to get the IPARN system up and running in Kamloops.

1995 - VE7EKT - Reg Parker Reg was selected for his "behind the scenes work in the club, including his current stint as editor of the club bulletin. Reg is a man of his word and can be counted on by the club executive, and other amateurs.

1994 - No Ham of the Year award was made, and no banquet was held.

1993 - VE7HRP - Ray Perreault Ray is an Otis elevator technician for the Thompson Okanagan region. Ray organized and helped give a series of very successful Ham Classes that took full advantage of the restructuring of the Amateur licences.

1992 - VE7DNE - Chris Russell Chris is a high school student who is the leading edge of the Amateurs in the future. He is energetic, and has shown the way for other young people to get into the club,

1991 - VE7EFL - Ken Mceachern (SK) Ken was the president in 1992-3 and is very active in PEP. He is a serious ex Forestry technician (and an ex Room 19'er) who has many connections in the province. He maintains at his expense, a 2 meter repeater for local use by all area amateurs.

1990 - VE7LDM - John Noakes John Noakes is a radio technician for one of the local radio service suppliers. He has been very generous with his time in working on our mountain top equipment.

1989 - VE7EKS - Peter Hayes Pete is a retired Air Force non com who has served in a number of executive positions in the club. He is faithful in his attendance and takes part in most club activities.

1988 - VE7KG - Ken Bain Every club should have a Ken Bain. He is an electrician by trade and one of the most practically helpful fellows you would want to meet. More than one of us has been rescued in a precarious road situation by Ken and his 4 wheel.

1987 - VE7ALN - Jim Milligan (SK) Jim is an Irishman who was a Department of Transport Electronic expert. Jim has been very active in maintaining mountain top repeaters. He is active in many club activities. He is a mountain climber of note, and a credit to the amateur fraternity. His teaching activities in the club training courses makes him special.

1986 - VE7DLM - (NOW VE7CV) Peter Pel Peter is a resident bachelor who is the idol of many of the new amateurs. He is very active on HF and his "countries worked" total is well over 300. He epitomizes the active HF Amateur. He is one of a few world class contest operators in Canada. He is a charter member of VE7ZZZ, the Prince George Contest station.

1985 - VE7YF - George Stephens (SK) George held the presidency a few times plus other positions. I am a long time member of PEP. I served as the Pacific Director of CARF for three years until the formation of RAC. I ran a Sunday net for the KARC for over ten years, and then after retiring, I ran a daily morning 2 meter net for the next 11 years. I am also a volunteer DOC examiner.

1984 - VE7ElT - Agnes McKay Agnes was never technically oriented and obtained her amateur license through sheer hard work. She was our secretary for many years, the organizer of the annual banquets and a cheerful participant in many events. When Agnes and her amateur husband moved to Campbell River, the club missed them and went through a readjustment period.

1983 - VE7DOX - George Smith George was a career RCAF warrant officer who retired in Vancouver. He is very technically knowledgeable, and like Colin Gowans was on the leading edge of the hobby. He is very active with Satellite operations. His current satellite operation is a wonder to behold. George is a little long on the tooth now, so doesn't attend meetings, but his presence is still felt.

1982 - VE7DNT - Trevor Jensen Trevor is a retired CN/CP communications supervisor who has been very active in the linking of mountain top repeaters and dealing with the Americans from the Boeing group. He has been quite effective in communicating with other Amateurs in the club around his age.

1981 - VE7ANH - Ernie Funk Ernie is a gregarious ex electrical inspector who was very active socially in the club. He almost single handedly brought the club into PEP and later the Search and Rescue team into Amateur radio. Ernie has held numerous executive positions in the club, and currently holds a Regional Amateur job for PEP. He has been a major part of a team to link mountain top repeaters. He is a volunteer DOC examiner. He is a Life Member of the club.

1980 - VE7DOZ - Fred Mazaro Fred is a teacher and a craftsman. He was very active in the club's executive, and always around for club projects. He moved from Kamloops to Vancouver.

1979 - VE7DMN - Mike Watt Mike was a serious public minded individual who loved the organization side of the club and was instrumental in a major rewriting of the constitution. Before he left Kamloops in 1993, he was very active in PEP, holding official Amateur positions in that organization. He has been on the executive of the KARC in one capacity or another ever since he joined the club. He is now in Penticton. He was a volunteer DOC examiner.

1978 - VE7DKU - Bill Macintyre. Bill was an enthusiastic young amateur who always gave 100 percent and helped others. Bill is deceased.

1977 - VE7BZl - Adrian Taylor. Adrian was a telegrapher and railway dispatcher who was converted to Amateur Radio as a hobby. He was and is a perennial volunteer for club positions and club projects.

1976 - VE7BNM - Colin Gowans. Colin was the clubs technical guru who was first into many Amateur things, such as the use of computers, packet, and satellite radio. He alone got the first two meter mountain top repeaters up for the club. His dedication in keeping the repeaters going was legendary. He has driven a four wheel truck for years and is a very qualified back road expert.

1975 - VE7CBN - Pete Stonier. Pete was the local pathologist at the Royal Inland Hospital. His father was a ham, and Pete's entrance into the club was a breath of life. He turned the awards banquets from another dull dinner to a lively affair. Pete had the outgoing type of personality that turned every outing into an event. Pete lives in Whiterock now.

1974 - VE7BAF - Simon Nankivell. Simon was a charismatic young school teacher who worked hard for the club and was quite idealistic. He was an avid DX'er who became disillusioned when the emphasis of the club changed to two meters and PEP. He quit the club in disgust.

1973 - VE7BHJ - Ken Hoshowski. Ken was a relatively young fellow who was a ball of fire in the club. He held various executive positions and was always on hand to help. Ken is a grocer who has his own business in Salmon Arm now.

1972 - VE7BYS - Reg Burton. Reg was a founder and very active in the club and brought along many a new Amateur. He participated in field days. He had a summer cabin at Lac La Jeune where he sometimes entertained club members. Reg is deceased.

1971 - VE7BMK - Colin Curtis. Colin was an etymologist with the government. He was an expert on mosquitoes. Colin faithfully attended all meetings and was a daily contact on the 3755 KHZ evening B.C. net for contacts to Kamloops. I guess Colin handled more phone patches into Kamloops than the total of all the other Amateurs in the City, before or since. He was a club officer for many years and a founding member. Colin died a number of years ago.