Jim, VE7BCJ — in his radio shack, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
🕊 In Memory
Jim, VE7BCJ, was a proud Canadian Army veteran, a dedicated amateur radio operator, and a warm and generous member of the ham radio community in British Columbia, Canada. He held his amateur radio licence since January 1990 — earning it alongside his friend Ted Lee, VE7LEE, in an examination administered by Government of Canada radio inspectors.
Jim brought the same discipline, loyalty, and love of learning to amateur radio that he had shown throughout his military service and working life. His shack was a testament to his passion — packed with HF, VHF, UHF, C4FM, and DMR radios, always ready to reach out across the continent and around the world.
He is remembered with deep respect and affection by his fellow hams, his friends, and all who knew him. 73, Jim. Rest well, old friend.
🎖 Military Service
Jim answered the call to serve his country, joining the Canadian Army in 1966. After completing his training he became a Signal Man, Driver, and Gunner with 3 RCHA (Royal Canadian Horse Artillery) in 1968. His skill and dedication earned him a posting to NATO forces, where he served with 1 RCHA for three years — stationed in Lahr, Germany during the Cold War.
Service Record
Joined: 1966
Trade: Signal Man / Driver / Gunner
Equipment: M109 155mm Self-Propelled Howitzer (Driver)
Units: 3 RCHA (Artillery) · 1 RCHA (NATO)
Posting: Lahr, Germany — Cold War NATO deployment
Discharged: 1973 — Honourably discharged as an Engineer, Chilliwack, B.C.
Jim was honourably discharged in 1973 in Chilliwack, B.C. when his tour was complete. His years of military service — including his Cold War posting in Germany — gave him a lifelong appreciation for radio communications, discipline, and the bonds forged between people who rely on each other in demanding circumstances.
📻 Amateur Radio Journey
Jim was first introduced to radio in the Canadian Army, where communications were essential to everything his unit did. That early experience planted a seed that would grow into a lifelong passion for amateur radio.
In January 1990, Jim sat his amateur radio examination alongside his good friend Ted Lee (VE7LEE), with both men being licensed by Government of Canada radio inspectors. From that day forward, Jim held the callsign VE7BCJ and remained an active member of the amateur radio community for the rest of his life — more than three decades on the air.
📅 Licensed
January 1990 — Government of Canada radio inspectors
📡 Callsign
VE7BCJ — Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
🌍 DX Contacts
Australia (SW), Japan (West), Bosnia (furthest East) — all mobile from his truck
🏕 Field Day
Hi-Q NVIS 6/160 system with IC7000 or Yaesu 991A
Jim was especially proud of his DX contacts — made entirely from his truck's mobile installation. Reaching Australia to the south-west, Japan to the west, and Bosnia as his furthest contact to the east, all while mobile, was a source of great satisfaction and fun.
👷 Biography & Working Life
After leaving the army in 1973, Jim built a varied and productive working life in British Columbia. He worked at Burrard Shipyards and at B.C. Sugar — now known as Rogers Refinery (Lantic Sugar). He then pursued trades training at B.C.I.T. as a Bus and Truck Mechanic.
Jim's career took him across several fields: driving semi-trucks and buses, working as a mechanic, and providing security for the Commissionaires at Vancouver International Airport. He also worked for the Department of Oceans and Fisheries in the radio room — alongside another amateur radio operator — a role that kept his love of radio communications alive in a professional setting.
In 1995 Jim joined the docks in Vancouver as a longshoreman, a career he held with pride for more than twenty years before retiring in 2015.
🔧 Radio Equipment & Shack
Jim's shack was a reflection of his passion — well-equipped for HF, VHF, UHF, C4FM, and DMR operation, and always ready to make contacts near or far.
HF / VHF / UHF / Digital Radios:
Icom IC7000 · Icom IC 2820 · Icom IC 51A · RFinder B1 with HCP-1 Chillypepper Hotspot ·
Yaesu FT-991A · Yaesu FT400XDR · Yaesu FT2 DR · Yaesu FT 100 DR with HRI-200 for
his WiresX node
HF Antennas:
Hi-Q 5/160 inch vertical on the roof for HF ·
Hi-Q NVIS 6/160 system for Field Day ·
Icom mobile vertical on roof for digital (IC7000 with AH4 tuner)
Microphones & Audio:
Heil PC 40 with HM-10 dual cartridge ·
W2IHY EQplus and 8-Band Equalizer and Noise Gate for HF audio control
🚛 Mobile Operations
Jim loved operating mobile from his truck — and his mobile setup was nearly as capable as his home shack. He made DX contacts from Australia, Japan, and Bosnia entirely while operating mobile, which he considered one of the highlights of his amateur radio experience.
Mobile Radios:
Icom IC7000 (HF in the truck) · Yaesu FT400XDR (VHF/UHF/WiresX mobile)
Mobile Antenna:
Hi-Q 6-inch antenna for HF mobile — enabling worldwide contacts from the truck
— Jim, VE7BCJ
✉ Final 73
73 de VE7BCJ
edited NOV 2020
Jim's final edit to his QRZ biography was in November 2020 — a reminder that he remained active, enthusiastic, and proud of his hobby right to the end. His callsign, VE7BCJ, is now silent, but the memory of the man behind it endures among all who knew him on and off the air.
🔗 Related Links
VE7LEE Amateur Radio Home — Ted Lee · VE7BCJ on QRZ.com · KB0ZSG Silent Key Memorial · KC9SIO — KB0ZSG International D-Star Net