KENNETH W. (KEN) ASMUS – VA3KA QCWA # 33359

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Employment History:

1974-2010 Environment Canada – Atmospheric Environment Service/Meteorological Service of Canada

        1974-1976 - Meteorological Technician (Winnipeg, MB; Estevan,SK; Armstrong,ON; Resolute Bay and Mould Bay, NU).

         1976-1977 - Upper Air Technician (Alert, NU; and Resolute Bay, NU)

         1977-1978 - Officer-in-Charge - Lansdowne House, Ontario (Weather Station)

         1978-1979 - Meteorological Inspector - DEW Line East (based out of Hall Beach, NU)

         1979-1980 - Station Manager - Ennadai Lake, NWT (Weather Station)

         1980-1984 - Canadian Ice Service - Ice Services Technician - 3500 flying hours on a variety of aircraft (Electra, DC-3, Dash 7 and helicopters) contracted to Canadian Ice Service. Also spent 400 days at sea on icebreakers and research vessels - Canadian Cost Guard (Gulf of St Lawrence, Newfoundland/Labrador, Hudson Bay, Foxe Basin, Baffin Bay, North-West Passage, Beaufort Sea, Arctic Ocean to the North Pole), US Coast Guard (Barents Sea, East Greenland Sea), Norwegian Research Ship (Norwegian Sea, Barents Sea), Finnish Icebreaker (Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia), and German Icebreaker (East Greenland Sea, Fram Strait, Svalbard Islands, Barents Sea, and Labrador Sea).

        1984-2010 - Science Program Support Technician - Canadian Ice Service (Ottawa) - and Climate Research Program (Downsview)

      2010 - Retired after 35+ years

Amateur Radio History

1971 – First licensed as VE4KQ in Winnipeg, Manitoba

1974-1980 - Operated from several Arctic locations over this period as VE8MB (Resolute Bay, NU), VE8MC (Mould Bay,NWT), VE8ML (Alert, NU), VE8HB (Hall Beach, NU) and VE8MTE (Ennadai Lake, NWT).

1980 – Upon moving to Barrie, Ontario assigned call sign VE3MVV.

1992 – Operated as DL/VE3MVV while posted to Hamburg, Germany. During July/August 1992 operated as CE9/VE3MVV from General Bernardo O'Higgins Base (Chile) on the Antarctic Peninsula.

1993 – Applied for and received two-letter “initials” call sign VA3KA.

1994 – Operated from North Pole from Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St Laurent while enroute from Alaska via North Pole and Iceland to Halifax.

1994 – Moved to Carp, ON

Currently active on HF (SSB, CW and digital), VHF/UHF (FM, CW, SSB, digital)

Member of QCWA and Chapter 70. Gave a joint presentation with Rick Bandla VE3CVG called "What's That Racket - the Digital Modes" at the QCWA 2004 International Convention. Received QCWA "35 Years Licensed" Pin at the Chapter 70 September 2006 dinner meeting. Made another joint presentation with Rick Bandla VE3CVG on "D-STAR Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio" at the Chapter 70 February 2007 dinner meeting.

Biography prepared by VE3XK with assistance from VA3KA                                                                                                                                                   Updated202-02-16