This year VA3RAC will operate the RAC Canada Winter Contest on December 30 from the Diefenbunker, Canada’s Cold War Museum (https://diefenbunker.ca/).
The Diefenbunker, now a National Historic Site, is a four-story underground building located in Carp, west of Ottawa. The Diefenbunker was originally designed to house key elements of the Government of Canada and military officials in the event of a nuclear attack. Today, the Diefenbunker serves as a museum dedicated to the Cold War era.
An Amateur Radio station was an integral part of the bunker during its active period. That station, now assigned the call sign VE3CWM, has been resurrected and is operated regularly from its original site by the Diefenbunker Volunteer Radio Group.
As part of the RAC Canada 150 Award program, for the 2017 RAC Canada Winter Contest that station will be activated as VA3RAC by members of the Ottawa Amateur Radio Club and the Diefenbunker Volunteer Radio Group. Some of the original equipment will be used in the contest. The photos shown here are from the OARC’s previous Amateur Radio operations from the Diefenbunker.
Please listen for us and give us a call. All QSOs with us will be logged for the RAC Canada 150 event. And remember, while we’re on the top floor of the building, we will actually be 25-feet underground. But not to worry, our antennas are all on the surface. Hope to hear you in the contest.
Note: On New Year’s Eve, Sunday, December 31, members of the OARC will also be activating VA3RAC, but club members will be operating from their own stations that day.
73, Dave Green, VE3TLY
Ottawa Amateur Radio Club