July 8, 2007
Open Letter to Ed Frazer VE7EF, RAC Pacific Yukon Director
This is to notify you that the Westcoast Amateur Radio Association Repeater 146.66 MHz covering Sidney, Duncan, Nanaimo, Sunshine Coast, Vancouver to Hope BC has been shut down.
The BC Ministry of Forests pulled the plug on the VA7VIC repeater on Saltspring Island. With nothing more than ten minutes warning, by phone, it was off the air.
This repeater was used many times for public emergencies in its 30 year life on the Island. We have a contract with them that was never canceled or discussed. They felt that we should pay $20,000.00 towards their tower and tens of thousands more to their future building.
This was very sad for me personally, having spent a lot of time on this repeater site over the last 30 years.
Al Muir VE7BEU
Technical Director.
Westcoast Amateur Radio Assn
www.ve7vic.ca