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Simply put, an amateur radio operator is a person holding written authorization to be the control operator of an amateur station. A central facet of this communications system is the call sign. As a member of the Empire, Canada, along with other Colonies, were issued signs beginning with the letters "V" shortly after the Great War. In Canada, the three-character prefixes ranged from VE1 to VE0 and were assigned to the provinces on an east-west basis. Therefore, the Maritimes were VE1, Quebec was VE2 and British Columbia was VE7, and so on …

The first license plates with amateur radio call signs on them were issued by Michigan in 1939. Legislation there allowed for a maximum of 3 letters and 3 numbers, corresponding with the operators sign, but the format proved too complicated for officials administering the program and Michigan discontinued the plates the following year.

Support for the plates would remain dormant until the 1950s and the beginnings of the Cold War. The need to quickly identify experienced ham operators in the event of an emergency became an important public safety issue. Florida would issues the first true, or modern ham plate in 1950 to be followed quickly by other state’s, while the first Canadian plates would be issued in 1952.

In British Columbia, the impetus to authorize ham plates can be traced back to the 1948 flood of the Fraser River, when 16,000 people were evacuated from the Upper Fraser Valley, 2,300 homes destroyed or damaged and all rail, road and air connections to the east severed. Lacking any special markings, ham operators with mobile equipment in their cars were turned away by police and other authorities at the flood zone, unable to get to their allotted positions and aid in the rescue operations.

For years afterwards, Stanley Carnell, the M.L.A. for Peace River and a ham operator himself, lobbied the Legislature every spring during license plate renewals for a special ham plate. At right is a newspaper column from 1959 reporting on yet another decision by the provincial government to not issue special plates for amateur radio operators. Below is a cartoon, also from 1959, that we believe reveals the pessimism that coloured hams hopes of when they might finally receive special license plates.

Only belatedly, after Carnell had shamed the provincial government by declaring that every other Canadian province and forty-six of fifty states had the plates did B.C. institute their own in 1963. Attorney-General Robert Bonner was quoted at the time as saying that; “if we are in fact the last province, I think we should review our position.”

It was estimated that of British Columbia’s 1,500 amateur radio operators in 1963, about 120 would apply for the special license plates. As the province’s designation was VE7, this would appear as the first prefix on all ham plates, to be followed by the users own two or three letters to complete the sign. More importantly, ham radio license plates would be the first specialty plates ever issued in British Columbia.

 

As noted above, one of the first to obtain a new Amateur Radio license plate in 1963 was Ray Tate of Victoria. Described by his peers as "an extraordinary member [of the Victoria Short Wave Club], a man of political idealism; the VSWC would never have been the same without him. A knowledgeable, talkative electronics man, he was a gifted craftsman who could produce HAM equipment of the finest quality ..." Ray also happened to be the Chairman of the VSWC's Licence Plate Committee in 1963.

After obtaining his first Amateur Radio plates, it was report that:
He drove around town for three hours with his licence plates and not one policeman gave him so much as a wry look. B.C. Forest Service radio technician R.J. Tait, 3307 Browning [Street], was the first B.C. amateur radio station operator to display car licence plates carrying his call letters "VE7 DV" ... Mr Tait thought that the initial appearance of his "VE7 DV" would cause a stir. But nobody paid him any attention.

We can only assume that this was no accident and a little touch of subversiveness by George Kitson! Read the following caption that accompanied the photo and see what you think;

Ham Radio operators with mobile communication equipment will have their own distinctive license plates for the first time in B.C. this year. Plates, specially made for the Motor Vehicle Branch, carry call letter of individual amateur operators, are issued only to those with equipment installed in their cars. Plates were requested by the B.C. Amateur Radio Operator's Association, which is committed to providing temporary communications in the event of emergency. About 120 plates will be issued. Inspector George R. Kitson of Vancouver Police (above) received his plates in Victoria Thursday. (February 7, 1963)

A police detective with an Amateur Radio call sign that includes a reference to alcohol? Things that make us go "Hmmmm ..."

In March of 1963 the following was reported:

The man largely responsible for getting B.C. amateur radio operator's call letters on auto licence plates was honored at a special dinner at the weekend. Jack Striha, Motor Vehicle Branch senior clerk, was guest of honor when 44 hams gathered at Tally Ho.They also put in the spotlight others who have aided the cause of amateur radio here: Ted Wills, of Western Agencies; Jack English of Ellison Queale Radio Supply; Charlie Hewitt of Hygrade Radio. Hams and guests came from abroad to attend the function. There was the country's acknowledged top ham Billy Wadsworth, VE7ZM, of Duncan, who is famed for his many wireless contacts with distant lands. Stanley Carnell, MLA for Peace River South, VE7GE; A.G. Sheffiled, VE7CB, Fulford Harbour; M.H. Anderson, VE7HM, Bridge River; Ted Toye, Vancouver, and Pete Heline, Duncan, were others introduced by Victoria Short Wave Club president, Brent Ewing, VE7AAF.

Issuing Statistics

Initial Series: Not applicable Registered: Unknown Over-run: Not applicable Issued: Pairs Manufacturer: Oakalla Prison Dimensions: 302 mm x 150 mm Material: Steel Comments: Plates were issued on an "as needed" basis when requested by licenced amateur radio operators.

Issuing Statistics

Initial Series: Not applicable Registered: Unknown Over-run: Not applicable Issued: Pairs Manufacturer: ACME Signalisation Dimensions: 300 mm x 150 mm Material: Aluminium Comments: Plates were issued on an "as needed" basis when requested by licenced amateur radio operators. Registration decals used on this base are the same as those issued for use on passenger vehicles for the years 1981-1986 .

Issuing Statistics

Initial Series: Not applicable Registered: Unknown Over-run: Not applicable Issued: Pairs Manufacturer: Astrographics Dimensions: 300 mm x 150 mm Material: Aluminium Comments: Plates were issued on an "as needed" basis when requested by licenced amateur radio operators. Registration decals used on this base are the same as those issued for use on passenger vehicles for the years 1986 to present. Introduction of "VA7" prefix occurred in 1999.

Issuing Statistics

Initial Series: Not applicable Registered: Unknown Over-run: Not applicable Issued: Pairs Manufacturer: Waldale Dimensions: 300 mm x 150 mm Material: Aluminium Comments: Plates were issued on an "as needed" basis when requested by licenced amateur radio operators. Registration decals used on this base are the same as those issued for use on passenger vehicles for the years 2002 to present.

Thanks to this submission from Bill Manners (VA7BMJ) we now know that the HAM base has been switched over to the dual decal as of October 2014 (and possibly sooner than this).

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