The Amateur station is located in Cabot Tower at Signal Hill National Historic Site.  The Society of Newfoundland Radio Amateurs operate this station in a partnership with Parks Canada. 

With the exception of the IMD celebrations (when VO1IMD is used) and other special events, the Club callsign VO1AA is employed. The station is open to operation by visiting amateurs from June until about December 12th each year. During the remainder of the year (December to May), the antenna is removed due to the severe winter weather conditions experienced. 

The station is also made operational for the IMD celebrations each year.

Signal Hill was used for hundreds of years before Marconi as a flag and mechanical semaphore, mariners and naval ‘Signal Station’.  It’s name has nothing to do with Marconi !

It was on Signal Hill St. John’s Newfoundland, then a separate colony of Britain and not then part of Canada, that in December 1901, Marconi RECEIVED the first trans-Atlantic wireless signal thus proving that such communication was possible. Immediately following announcement of the successful reception, Marconi was served notice by lawyers representing the Anglo-Newfoundland Telegraph Company, that they had exclusive rights to all ‘Telegraph’ communications through Newfoundland.  Trans-Atlantic telegraph cables had been in operation since 1855 and continued so until the late 1950s.

In disgust Marconi left, intending to go to the USA where he felt his enterprise would be better appreciated. Fortunately the Canadian  Government of the time realized the importance and persuaded him to set up in Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia was one of the original provinces that confederated to form Canada in 1867. The citizens of St. John’s seemed to appreciate the importance too and gave Marconi a rousing hero’s send off as he boarded the cross island train.  (In this day and age he would have been in New York or Boston or Philadelphia the next morning! Perhaps, for Canada, it was fortunate that it then took several days to reach even Nova Scotia by train and boat).

Also all broadcasting stations licensed after Newfoundland’s confederation with Canada use call signs such as CJYQ etc. However those licensed before have retained VO….. call signs. One example is VOWR, a station run entirely by volunteers, raising it’s own operating funds and in operation since 1926!   VOWR stands for “Voice of Wesley Radio” and the station is housed in the Wesley United Church premises. It is entirely ecumenical and volunteers come from all walks of life and with a variety of backgrounds including retired CBC announcers, telephone company technical staff, secretaries and some radio amateurs, etc. etc.

Other “Firsts” for Newfoundland include Alcock and Brown first flew the Atlantic shortly after W.W.I in their Vickers Vimy two engine plane from Newfoundland to Ireland ; the first trans-Atlantic telegraph cable in 1855, the first trans-Atlantic ‘telephone’ cable in 1956 and many others; all due to our unique most easterly location in North America. Newfoundlanders, generally, view the historic events with some pride and we get a bit touchy when it appears someone has us confused with somewhere else in Canada !

It is hoped that this information will give some idea of the role that Newfoundland has had in all types of Trans Atlantic communications and transportation.

Information kindly supplied by Mr Terry Sandford