Thomas (Tom) A. Buchanan

 

Served as a Sparker (Radioman) in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) from 1962 to 1965 and from 1967 to 1969.

A servi comme Sparker (Radioman) dans la Marine Royale Canadienne (MRC) de 1962 à 1965 et de 1967 à 1969.

 

Thomas (Tom) A. Buchanan

 

My name is Thomas A. Buchanan and I was a Sparker (Radioman) in the RCN (Royal Canadian Navy) from 1962 to 1965 and 1967 to 1969.  I achieved the rank of LS (Leading Seaman) and was a watchkeeper aboard the destroyers HMCS Mackenzie, HMCS Ottawa, HMCS Yukon and HMCS St. Croix.  I have been an Advanced Amateur Radio operator in Canada since 1965 and used to run phone patches aboard ship for the crew to contact their families back home while on cruises to the Far East and the South Pacific.  I was wondering if I am eligible to be on your list?
73
Thomas A Buchanan, VE6ARG

22 April 2021
ve6arg@shaw.ca
 

 

Good afternoon Thomas. Nice to hear from you. I was also a Sparker in the RCN from 1965 to 1973. I served onboard destroyer HMCS Gatineau and submarines HMCS Onondaga, HMCS Okanagan and HMCS Ojibwa. I also served at Naval Radio Stations NRS Mill Cove (which replaced NRS Albro Lake), NRS Newport Corner and NRS East Chezzetcook. I left the Navy in 1973 to join the Department of Communications (DOC) as a Radio Inspector. I later served with the CRTC, Telesat Canada and Industry Canada.  Like you, I got my Advanced Amateur Radio Certificate in Halifax in the 1960s when I was in the Navy. I look after this website RadioAlumni.ca / Spectralumni.ca. As a Navy Sparker (RM), which is the military equivalent to a commercial radio operator (RO), you are definitely eligible to be added to this website. Military RMs and commercial ROs have all participated in Canadian epics in radiocommunication and have shared the adventure of radio. Therefore I will create a page for you in the Alumni section. If you have more info on yourself and/or photos from you days as a Sparker, please send them to me by email and I will add them to your RadioAlumni page.

73
Donald Courcy, VE2GW

22 April 2021
 


 

Hi Donald. Thanks very much for the prompt reply. And thanks for working on the webpage for me too.  I appreciate it very much.  As we both know these were pivotal times during our lives and ones that formed us as to who we are today. I don’t have any really personal pictures from when I was in the service as I was not a photographer in those days.  Today I am a professional photographer with a studio in Coaldale AB. I’m a member of the Professional Photographers of Canada and the Professional Photographers of America as well.  You can visit my website at https://tombuchananphoto.com if you wish. I’ll dig through my archives and see what I have that might be of interest. I am also the Vice President of one of the oldest amateur radio clubs in the country the Southern Alberta Amateur Radio Club SAARC out of Lethbridge AB. I do all the communications for the club and in fact write a weekly newsletter for subscribers to our club. www.saarc.ca I will put your email on the list and you will get your first edition tomorrow sometime.  If you don’t want to read it, just send me a note to unsubscribe.

73

Tom VE6ARG

22 April 2021

 

Links   -   Liens

Tom's Photography Website

 

Southern Alberta Amateur Radio Club SAARC

 

Once a Ham Always a Ham