Through the Amateur of the Year Award, Radio Amateurs of Canada recognizes the outstanding contributions made by Canadian Amateurs. It is the intent of the Board of Directors of Radio Amateurs of Canada to recognize the outstanding Canadian Radio Amateur of the Year, each year such candidates are nominated.
To qualify for the title “RAC Amateur of the Year”, an individual should have made an outstanding contribution to Amateur Radio in the past year or have contributed consistently to the welfare of Amateur Radio over a period of several years. Serving Directors, Officers and Section Managers of Radio Amateurs of Canada are not eligible for this award while in office, nor in respect to their term(s) of office.
Supporting documentation should consist of at least a cover letter by an Amateur Radio operator or organization that describes and outlines the contributions made to Amateur Radio by the nominee. Other documentation that supports the description of these contributions, in other formats, may also be included if applicable.
Nominations: Deadline September 30
Nominations with supporting documentation are to be sent to the RAC Corporate Secretary by email to .
Each year, nominations must be received at RAC Headquarters by the close of the last business day of September (Friday, September 30).
Selection of the winning candidate will be by majority vote of the RAC Board of Directors based on the supporting documentation submitted with the nomination. The winning candidate will be notified.
Due recognition will appear in The Canadian Amateur magazine and a suitable plaque will be presented at an appropriate time and place.
Recipients of the RAC Amateur of the Year Award
The “Radio Amateur of the Year” Award was created by the Canadian Radio Relay League which merged with the Canadian Amateur Radio Federation to form Radio Amateurs of Canada.
- 2021 – Hiroshi Takahashi, VA7LET
- 2020 – Al Penney, VO1NO
- 2019 – Cary Rubenfeld, VE4EA
- 2018 – Gabor Horvath, VE7JH
- 2017 – Don Studney, VE7DS and Keith Witney, VE7KW
- 2014 – Alex Shovkoplyas, VE3NEA
- 2012 – Scott Wood, VE1QD
- 2011 – Cezar Trifu, VE3LYC
- 2006 – John Sluymer, VE3EJ
- 2004 – Ian Procyk, VE7HHS
- 2003 – Bill Elliott, VE1MR
- 2002 – Tom Domonkos, VE3FCK
- 2001 – Charles Leggatt, VE3CFL
- 2000 – Glenn McLeod, VE3GLN
- 1998 – George Fanjoy, VE3PEB
- 1992 – Will Melhuish, VE3AOY
- 1991 – Tom Atkins, VE3CDM
- 1988 – Libby Stevens, VE3IOT
- 1986 – Ralph Cameron, VE3BBM
- 1985 – Jack Strangleman, VE3GV
- 1984 – Doug Lockhart, VE7APU
- 1983 – Bill Gillespie, VE6ABC
- 1982 – Gwen Burnett, VE3AYL
- 1981 – Bert Anderson, VE4AP
- 1979 – Fred Hammond, VE3HC
- 1977 – Noreen Nimmons, VE3GOL
- 1976 – Brit Fader, VE1FQ
Note: In the above list, the 1998 through 2002 Awards were sponsored by the Radio Amateur Educational Society of Edmonton, Alberta.