Thirty-five Years and No Regrets

 

Wayne Choi, Regional Director of Spectrum and District Operations, recently presented Frank VanderZande with a 35-year Service Award. Frank, Manager of Spectrum Operations, has had a vast and varied career that has taken him to remote corners of our country.

 

Frank began his career as a Radio Operator in August 1963. He attended the Department of Transport Air Services Training School to learn aeronautical and maritime rules, regulations & communications. His first posting was in Churchill, Manitoba with the Department of Transport. At that time, Morse code was the only reliable means of communications for most northern and arctic outposts.

 

"I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to spend many an eight-hour day communicating exclusively in Morse code, the first digital communication, and getting paid $3990/year to do it," Frank says.

 

From there, he worked just about everywhere, from Chesterfield Inlet, N.W.T. to Swift Current, Sask. to Sioux Lookout, Ont. He has been a radio operator, an electronics technician and a telecom station manager.

 

When Frank switched to radio regulations, his first posting was as a Radio Inspector with the Department of Communications in Fort Smith, N.W.T. This was followed by a five-year stint in Prince George, B.C. He continued on his Canadian journey, moving to Whitehorse, Yukon, Cranbrook, B.C. and back to Prince George, as Manager, Spectrum Operations. Frank is currently involved in initiatives to de-licence the aeronautical and maritime services, and the streamlining of amateur radio service.

 

Frank sums up his stellar federal career; "Twice I have received a letter indicating that my position was eliminated. I was fortunate that my family was able to be reasonably mobile and that there always was another job offered, although in another place. As a result, I have seen much of Canada and have worked with many great people. The bottom line is that I’ve had a good career with no regrets."

This May (May 1999), Frank will retire from the Public Service, and plans to embark on a seasonal career in construction.

 

 

A few pictures from the past

Here are some of the pictures I promised to dig up for Laval many years ago! I finally purchased a scanner and have started to dig through a pile of old slides.

73 - Frank VE7AV

31 August 2010

 

1964-1966 - FrankVanderZande at the Model 19 in Coral Harbour NWT

1964-1966 - Transmitter site at VFU2 Coral Harbour NWT

1967-1968 - Hard to get in and out of the buildings during a blizzard.

This is Frank Vanderzande at the door to the operations room at Resolute Bay NWT

1967-1968 - The new operations room at Resolute Bay NWT