01/11/2021
Former Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) President John Farrell “Hoppy” Hopwood, VE7RD, of North Vancouver, British Columbia, died on December 8. He was 91. Hopwood was instrumental in the founding of RAC and was inducted in 2015 as a member of the Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame.
Hopwood spent his career in telecommunications, once working as a telegraph lineman. In 1971, he formed a Systems Coordination Centre (SCC) to help British Columbia Telephone Company and other large business users to install new telecom networks, and he managed the SCC until he retired in 1992.
Licensed in 1955, Hopwood was an early member of the Canadian Radio Relay League (CRRL), the Canadian Amateur Radio Federation (CARF), and ARRL. As Vice President of CARF, Hopwood encouraged the CARF and CRRL boards to resume talks to consider creating one national society.
QRZ Callsign Search Former RAC President Farrell (Hoppy) Hopwood, VE7RD SK
Radio Amateurs of Canada has received the sad news that former RAC President,
Farrell Hopwood, VE7RD, became a Silent Key on December 8, 2020 at age 91. The following information was extracted from the online obituary notice which was published in North Shore News on December 30. “Farrell worked for BC Tel for many years and was active in St. Stephen’s parish, North Vancouver as well as instrumental in the founding of the Radio Amateurs of Canada. He is survived by his son David, brother Brendan, sisters Eileen and Deidra, sister-in-law Lee, their spouses and many nieces and nephews.