The Kirkland Lake (Northern Ontario) Hamfest- 1947
(This report is gleaned from the pages of "XTAL",
issue of October, 1947)

This hamfest was the first of what was to be many
Northern Ontario Hamfests (followed the following
year by one in Sudbury, then thereafter held in
North Bay on the north shore of Lake Nipissing).
I was then living in Kirkland Lake, but not yet
licensed (that came in 1948 as VE3EAA), so have
little remembrance of my attendance at some part of
this one. However, names and calls sure are part
of my memory.
Would be interested in those reading this message who
might have been there - or later No.Ont. Hamfests,
that would like to put memories to paper - thence to
my own archives, and possibly for later publication.

        Registration opened at the Park Lane Hotel at 9.30 am.
The Technical Sessions were held at the Lake Shore Mines
recreation hall at 2.00 pm. A very interesting talk by
Jack Bain of Northern Electric on the P.A. and Sound Systems
installed at the C.N.E. was enjoyed by the gang.
Alex Reid, C.G.M. for the A.R.R.L., was at the Hamfest, and
while he was at the Technical Session, the xyl's had a tea
and ragchew at the Y.W.C.A. Then the second speaker of the
afternoon, Les Haimes of General Electric, presented a paper
on FM from the service engineering end of production.
        The banquet at the Park Lane Hotel was under way at
6.30 pm, (the punch bowl part - prepared by Bud Clement -3TZ).
Brain Shellon, the manager of Radio Station CJKL, was the
master of ceremonies at the dinner, and the principal speaker
was Alex Reid (VE2BE), with a report on the conditions to date
from the Atlantic City conference. Alex Reid made quite a hit
with our lady Reeve, Ann Shipley, who is the boss of Kirkland
Lake and Teck Township. Ann welcomed all the hams to Kirkland
Lake and hoped they would enjoy themselves.
Bert Knowles, 3QB, gave a short talk at the Technical Session
on the QSL Bureau, and at the banquet Bert read a letter from
a British amateur telling of the rations they are allowed.
Immediately, Ted Barker (VE3ALU) asked the hat to be passed
for contributions to British hams in the form of food parcels.
A sum of $21.43 was collected. Everyone sat still for a picture
and that ended the banquet. O yes, we did eat also.
        The dancing party at the Lake Shore hall was the next
feature and the most important from hams' views on the subject.
        Prizes were displayed at the party and the orchestra had
a difficult time trying to get going as all the hams would rather
mill around the prize table. Tommy Carpenter, 2RK, old 3BD,
shooed them all away and the dance started. Then the prize drawing
started.
        The ham coming the greatest distance was Hugh Wilson, 3BJI
of London, Ontario. He was given a bug as a prize (awarded by CJKL).
Hugh Wilson had hitch-hiked from London! Gordon Browne, 3PH, of
Kirkland Lake won a $25.00 credit note on Northland Radio Supply.
Jack Loader, 3EN, of Iroquois Falls, won $15.00 note from Northland,
and Tom Watson, of Kirkland Lake, won the $10.00 note, also from
Northland. Marconi sent up a 5BP1, won by the hitch-hiker, Hugh
Wilson, 3BJI. Payette & Co., of Montreal, sent a box of oil-filled
condensers, which were very popular as it seemed everyone present
was re-building. The 814 tube, supplied by Crawford Radio, Hamilton,
went to Gord McKay - he has been running 15 watts for a long time.
A peanut tube was awarded Charlie Dunlop, 2SC, for he was running
the legal maximum. General Electric, Northern Electric and Marconi
sent tubes which everyone could use. Canadian Marconi sent Tommy
Thompson with a very nice display - three National receivers, a
complete Temco transmitter and an Abbott transceiver. Other
wholesalers who donated prizes were - Canadian Electrical Supply,
A. & A. Radio. Also, local business men also donated prizes for
the yl's and xyl's. The dance happened during a lull in prize
drawing, they tell me. October 5 was visiting day, and hams from
out of town made calls around Kirkland Lake and met the boys in
their shacks.

Notes: I worked at Northland Radio Supply in Kirkalnd Lake., in various job
capacities - counter, mailorder, minor bookkeeping, and co-editor of
the K.L. ARC (VE3BAT) newsletter. Ted Barker, 3ALU, was my mentor
(Elmer), along with Gord, 3PH, and Alex Snider, 3PA.
Would love to hear from anyone who resided in K.L. 1945-50. Wat sa?

-----end of HISTOR15 --------------- de Gil, VE4AG, ex-VE3EAA