What Are The Odds?

Several weeks ago I received an e-mail from Tony Ricicki W2VRK who is seeking old QSL cards.  His email said:

I just finished reading Jim Cooper's account of early 20s radio and found it terrific.  Is he still well and healthy?  Are there any more books or articles about Canadian amateurs or should I just comb through the old QST from that period.  I've always wanted to know how many pioneer operators lived in Canada around 1925.

 I am a collector of vintage ( pre-1935 ) QSL's and specialize in Canada but find that cards from the Western Provinces are a bit scarce especially from the early 20's.   Would you know of any hams that collect old cards that live in Canada?

Appreciate any assistance.
Tony W2VRK

I responded to Tony that we had a number of Sr. members and if he could scan a couple of cards I would do a small article for our newsletter (this is it) and see if there are any old cards taking up space in a shoe box.

Tony scanned three cards at random one from London, one from Woodstock and one from Mimico.  As unbelievable as it sounds, two of the cards were from KWARC members who still carry their original call.

The 3NV card was from Charlie Shedden VE3NV who sent this card in 1927.  Charlie has been licenced since 1918 and is currently living in a nursing home in Kitchener. Upon hearing that Charlie was still alive, Tony was kind enough to send the original card to me. 

Early calls did not use a VE or W prefix. Tony explains.... "Prior to 1925, most hams in US and Canada only made contacts within the states and provinces. However after 1925, when use of the short waves began (40 and 20M),  DXing became routine but there were no official international  prefixes assigned. That didn't come until 1928 when the IARU was established.   So what you have is operators using / putting on QSL's a NC (North America - Canada) designation. US stations used NU.   Australia  OA ( Oceania- Australia).  

Some of the DX cards are confusing like SA - CA1 = South America / Argentina  1CA  or as translated into today terms, LU1CA"

The next card was from Ted Bodman VE3CD who at the time lived in Mimco (Toronto). Ted moved to the KW area in the 50s and operated Waterloo Electronics for years.  He is a long time member of the KWARC club.   

If anyone has any old cards especially from the West I would like to pay Tony back for his kindness in donating the original card of Charlie's.

Can anyone assist me?  The older the better.

Paul VE3SY
634-5139
paul@ve3sy.com