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June 7–8, 2025
Radio Room 1 aboard HMCS HAIDA
Welcome Aboard!
We’re delighted to announce that HMCS HAIDA will once again light up the airwaves for this year’s Museum Ships On-The-Air Weekend—a global celebration that unites maritime heritage with amateur radio—sponsored by the USS New Jersey Radio Club (NJ2BB). Proudly, our volunteer crew from Friends of HMCS HAIDA (FOH) is gearing up to showcase a living piece of naval history, where past and present converge in every radio contact. Parks Canada has generously granted us permission to operate an amateur radio station in Radio Room 1 aboard HMCS HAIDA, ensuring that our activation remains authentic and respectful of the vessel’s storied past.
A Nostalgic Radio Resurrection
For those who cherish the crossroads of history and technology, this event offers a rare and mesmerizing glimpse into the past. In the early 1960s, when HMCS HAIDA’s amateur radio station operated under the historic call sign VE0NV, it functioned much like the “Internet of the 1960s.” Back then, amateur radio was the vital connection that allowed sailors on deployment to reach out to family members across the globe—an indispensable lifeline in a pre-digital era. In keeping with common Royal Canadian Navy practice, many of our navy ships using a VE0 prefix call sign reached out to the world on the amateur bands. Al Goodwin, who served aboard HAIDA as the POTEL (senior radio operator) from May 1960 until the ship was paid off in October 1963, fondly recalls those vibrant days. He remembers, for instance, operating VE0NV from early 1962 with up to five operators on duty—a record staffing that brought in a flood of worldwide contacts. Remembering this period was during the tense days of the Cold War, one unforgettable moment was when the Commanding Officer, marveling at the QSL cards proudly displayed in Radio 1, noticing a QSL card from Russia once queried, “What would you talk to him about?” to which Al replied, “Crypto codes—of course,”
Honoring a Historic Legacy
Today, as modern equipment stands side by side with time-tested techniques, HMCS HAIDA’s amateur radio activation for Museum Ships On-The-Air Weekend is a tribute to that pioneering spirit. By revisiting the golden era of VE0NV, we celebrate not only a historical milestone in naval communications but also the enduring legacy of connecting people across vast distances—decades before email or cell phones transformed our world.
Bringing Radio Room 1 to Life
Under the guidance of Rick Bialachowski and Chris Cuthbert Radio Room 1 is buzzing with preparations. Utilizing the decades-old dipole antenna alongside the forward starboard whip antenna, our early low-power tests reached across the Atlantic. This rigorous pre-event setup not only pays homage to HAIDA’s technical heritage but also lays the groundwork for an exhilarating on-the-air weekend.
HMCS HAIDA’s Museum Ships On-the-Air Call Sign
HMCS HAIDA will be using VA3WWV as its call sign during the Museum Ships On-The-Air Weekend. We also remain hopeful of securing special event approvals to use VB3HAIDA and CF3HAIDA as additional call signs for the weekend.
What to Expect
Join us from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday as we broadcast from Radio Room 1. Over 100 museum ships from all over the world registered for the event this year! Over approximately three hours each day, our licensed amateur radio operators will make radio contacts with fellow amateur radio enthusiasts from museum ships around the globe—reconnecting historical traditions with modern excitement. Find HMCS HAIDA in the list of participating ships and the radio frequencies for the event at: https://www.nj2bb.org/museum
Join Us on This Voyage
Museum Ships On-The-Air Weekend is far more than a contest—it’s an immersive, educational celebration of our shared heritage. With the dedicated efforts of FOH volunteers, expert operators, and invaluable support from Parks Canada, HMCS HAIDA’s radio room transforms into a beacon of history and technology. We warmly invite radio enthusiasts, history buffs, and curious visitors to join us on board or on the air as we honor the pioneering spirit of maritime adventure and communication.
73, and see you on the air!
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