Geoff Smith, VA3GS (SK) Appointed to Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame 2025

The Board of Trustees of the Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame is pleased to announce that Geoff Smith, VA3GS (SK), has been named to the Hall of Fame. Radio Amateurs of Canada recognizes deserving Amateurs by appointments to the Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame.

The Constitution for the Hall specifies that the appointment as Member of the Hall is made for “outstanding achievement and excellence of the highest degree, for serious and sustained service to Amateur Radio in Canada, or to Amateur Radio at large”.

The Trustees of the Hall have interpreted the Constitution to mean that the person has performed significant service over many years to enhance the well-being of Amateur Radio.

Born on February 18, 1942, Geoffrey Read Smith was a man of strong values and a lifelong commitment to service – both within his local community and around the world. He believed deeply in the importance of kindness, never letting a day pass without offering an encouraging word, a helping hand, a smile, or a quiet act of goodwill.

Geoff was a Graduate of Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick. In his professional career, Geoff spent 35 years (1964-1999) at St. Andrew’s College in Aurora, Ontario as a Teacher, Housemaster, Counsellor, Coach, Assistant Headmaster, University Advisor, and Cadet Corps Commander. He was also the initiator of Computer Science at the College.

He was appointed Headmaster of King’s-Edgehill School in Nova Scotia between 1988 and 1990, and after his retirement he spent 12 rewarding years as Principal at Canadian College in Lanciano, Italy.

Geoff passed his Amateur Radio Operator’s Qualification in 1977 and was first licensed as VE3KCE, and in 1992 he obtained the call sign VA3GS to go along with his initials. He was a valued and popular member of the York Region Amateur Radio Club (formerly the North York Amateur Radio Club) for over 40 years.

He became the club’s Chairman of the Board in 1978 and he held several positions between 1978 and 2019 including Membership and Activities Director, Hamfest Director and President. He also involved himself in many of the club’s Public Service Events, volunteered at the 2015 Pan Am games and was a member of the York Region Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES). He also taught many of the Amateur Radio courses for the club.

Geoff served as the Ontario South Director, Assistant Director and Vice-President of the Canadian Amateur Radio Federation and was the Ontario South Director for Radio Amateurs of Canada from 2004 to 2009. He was also Net Controller on several ONTARS Public Service nets.

From 1982 until he became a Silent Key on December 4, 2019, Geoff was Secretary and co-founder of Coax Publications Inc. and was actively involved as co-author in the preparation, editing and writing of the Canadian Amateur Radio Basic and Advanced Study Guides and in editing the Instructor Guides.

Radio Amateurs of Canada and the Board of Trustees of CARHOF sincerely congratulate Geoff Smith, VA3GS, on his appointment to the Hall of Fame.

A detailed account of his achievements will be presented in an upcoming edition of The Canadian Amateur magazine.

For more information on the Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame please visit: https://wp.rac.ca/carhof/

Prepared by John Grow, VE2EQL
Chair, Board of Trustees
Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame