As reported in the January-February 2021 issue of The Canadian Amateur magazine, following the call for nominations for Directors of Radio Amateurs of Canada’s Atlantic, Ontario North/East, Midwest and British Columbia/Yukon Regions, RAC would like to welcome the following Radio Amateurs to our Board of Directors 2021:

• Al Penney, VO1NO, was elected as the new Director for the Atlantic Region (see bio below)
• Ed Richardson, VE4EAR/VE4VT, was elected as the new Director for the Midwest Region (see bio below)

RAC would also like to welcome back the following Radio Amateurs to our Board of Directors:

• Keith Witney, VE7KW, was re-elected as the Director for the British Columbia/Yukon Region
• Allan Boyd, VE3AJB, was re-elected the Director for the Ontario North/East Region.

Alphonse (Al) Penney, VO1NO, was born and raised in Corner Brook, Newfoundland.

A Remco crystal radio kit Christmas gift, and the acquisition of a Halicrafters S-38D shortwave receiver as a boy sparked a lifelong fascination with the “magic of radio”.

Al was licensed in early 1977 after taking an evening course sponsored by the local Department of Communications (DOC) Radio Inspector.

Al has served on the Executives of many clubs throughout Canada and the USA, including Vice-President of the West Island ARC in Montreal, and President of the VE2CMR ARC, Halifax ARC, West Carleton ARC in Ottawa, and the Pike’s Peak Radio Amateur Association in Colorado Springs while serving at NORAD Headquarters.

More recently he co-founded the Annapolis Valley Amateur Radio Club in Nova Scotia, a “virtual” club that appeals to those who do not like to take part in more traditional clubs.

Al has been involved with teaching prospective Amateurs since the early 1990s. He is one of the primary instructors for the Halifax ARC for their Basic and Advanced courses, and organized and taught the RAC Online Basic Course in response to the global pandemic. 

Al has been the RAC Band Planning Coordinator since 2013, and spearheaded the effort to update the Canadian HF band plans and have them published in a graphic format. He is currently coordinating the update of the VHF/UHF band plans. He lives in Aylesford, Nova Scotia on 10 acres he would like to turn into an antenna farm!

Ed Richardson, VE4EAR/VE4VT, has been a licensed Amateur Radio operator since 1983.

He was bitten by the radio bug in the early 1970s after discovering the excitement and challenge of listening to distant radio stations.

Introduced to the hobby of “ham” radio by his neighbour, Sandy, VE4SZ, Ed made the decision to get his licence and at the same time decided that a career in electrical engineering was what he wanted to do.

Professionally, Ed has worked as a microwave design engineer. Designing amplifiers, oscillators, filters, mixers and power amplifiers all the way to 28 GHz. Since 1998, has been Ed employed as the Communication Systems Engineer for the City of Winnipeg.

Ed joined the Board of Directors of the Manitoba Repeater Society in 1994. After five years as Technical Director, he assumed the role of President in 2000 and held this position until 2019.

As the Manitoba Frequency Coordinator for the past 14 years, Ed has worked with his counterparts in Saskatchewan, Ontario, Minnesota and North Dakota to keep the VHF/UHF bands organized in this region.

Ed is a founding member of Radiosport Manitoba and is currently serving as its President.

Both Al and Ed began their two-year term on January 1 and I look forward to working with them.

Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA
RAC President and Chair

Alan Griffin
RAC MarCom Director