about us

One of the founding members of Skywide Amateur Radio Club in 1952 was the early Canadian amateur radio pioneer and telegrapher Lewis James Lomas, VE3LL (SK) of 104 Mimico Street. Lomas operated his first amateur radio station when he was 15 years old in 1908. He served as a radio operator in the 75th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force in World War 1 where he was seriously wounded, September 1916 at Courcelette, during the Battle of the Somme. Following his discharge from the military, he was an active member of the Canadian Amputations Association, amateur radio organizations and the community of Mimico.  In 1956, a memorial Cup designated the Lou Lomas Trophy was donated by Herb Clark to be presented yearly to the Skywide member who has given the most effort to promoting the betterment of the club. The posted picture is of the 75th Battalion in Courcelette, 1916, with a wounded soldier being evacuated and a telegraph operator in the trench at his post.

Bill Dmytrasz VE3DNY at the controls of the Skywide VHF Field Day station in 1956. Although the beer bottles are staged, it does make a statement when the band suddenly goes dead and there are no contacts to be made.

This QSL card was sent to Bill Dmytrasz VE3DNY from Alan Smith VE3DNP, one of the charter members of the Skywide Club. Circa 1954.

This was the very first contact made by Bill Dmytrasz VE3DNY. It was a DX contact on 50 MHz to Tennessee and was made with the gear pictured in the photo above. Power was fed into a 4 element beam on a 12 foot pole outside bedroom (shack) window.