CQ CQ CQ

This is VE3 FCQ, Victor Echo Tree Foxtrot Charlie Quebec.

Welcome to VE3FCQ.ca, my Virtual Ham Shack. The name here is Dave and my QTH (location) is Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. I have been a certified Amateur Radio Operator since July 20, 2020.

CQ CQ CQ is often used by Amateur Radio Operators as a means of letting other operators know they are reaching out to someone or everyone listening.

CQ is a code used by wireless operators, particularly those communicating in Morse code, (— · — ·  — — · —), but also by voice operators, to make a general call (called a CQ call). Transmitting the letters CQ on a particular radio frequency is an invitation for any operators listening on that frequency to respond. It is still widely used in amateur radio.^[1]

Wikipedia: CQ

Thanks so much for responding to my CQ. I hope this is the first of many QSO’s (contacts) we will have. I look forward to learning more about you and I hope I have some interesting things to share about me.

What is Amateur Radio? Great question, I intend to explore this question myself and share my experiences through this site. So far I gather that Amateur Radio is different things to different people. To some it is simply a regulated government service, while others it is a community service. In some respects it can be viewed as a hobby, while others make it a vocation. Some use radios as a pass time while others rely on radios as a life-line.

What is VE3 FCQ? Every Amateur Radio Operator is assigned a call sign. From my call sign you can learn a lot. For instance, the prefix VE3 tells you I am located in Ontario. While a call sign is fun to use on the air it is kind of formal, and since we’ll become good friends here, you can just call me Dave. In Canada, all call signs are assigned by the Amateur Radio Service which is part of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, the federal department responsible for regulating Canada’s Radio Frequency Spectrum.

So what is a Ham Shack you ask? In the hobby of Amateur Radio, a Ham is an Amateur Radio Operator and the place where they keep their radio equipment is affectionately referred to as a Ham Shack.

“During radio‘s early days, equipment was experimental and often home-built. The first radio transmitters used a loud spark gap to generate radio waves, and so were often housed in a separate outbuilding or shed. When radio was first adopted by the U.S. Navy, a small, wooden structure placed on deck to house the ship’s radio equipment became known as the “radio shack”.^[2] Today, a radio shack can be anywhere that radio equipment is housed and operated, usually a room such as with amateur radio stations, but for some the entire “shack” may consist of a hand-held radio or two while others may operate mobile equipment in a vehicle.^[3] In amateur radio use, the room housing the equipment is often called a “ham shack”. ^[4]“

Wikipedia: Radio Shack

In the world of modern Amateur Radio, a Ham Shack has lots of electronic equipment. Besides at least one radio, most modern shacks will have at least one computer, and that computer is usually connected to the internet. My goal is for VE3FCQ.ca to be a virtual extension of my physical ham shack where I will share my adventures in amateur radio with both the Amateur Radio community and those interested in its many related topics.

So what does Amateur Radio mean to me? So far, in my short experience, Amateur Radio has been a fun and challenging hobby that combines many of my personal interests. I also feel as though I have have joined an open and welcoming community who are supportive and patient. Right now it is a hobby for me, but I do see potential in contributing more to the domain, perhaps some day developing some product or service for the community. It also represents a hopeful future, as I hope to immediately start contributing to the community by helping to further Amateur Radio in my community.

Well, thanks for responding to my CQ call and having a short initial QSO with me. I will work hard to keep updating this site by adding updates, content and resources. I hope you find it useful.

Until next time

73 (Best Regards)

VE3 FCQ Clear (signing off)