Skywire began its life ca. 1948 and it was "Published monthly as: The Official Organ of The Montreal Amateur Radio Club of Montreal, Canada", edited by Mr. Fenwick Job, VE2TH, with a business address of 284 Guilbault Avenue, Longueuil, Quebec.
The earliest copy on hand is March 1949, Volume 2, No. 3, and was kindly supplied by Jim Walsh, VE3IOM of Orillia, Ontario.
By October 1949 Skywire was "Published monthly as THE CANADIAN RADIO AMATEURS JOURNAL" and no longer affiliated with the Montreal Amateur Radio Club.
From the April 1950 issue, Mr. Job wrote that he had moved to 435 Parkside Drive, Toronto and had a new call sign of VE3WO. By 1951 he had moved to 86 Invermay Avenue, Wilson Heights, Toronto, and in mid-1952 to 4 South Street, Brampton, Ontario.
Mr. Job was also involved in commercial broadcasting and in 1953, along with others, started CFJB-AM, (Canada Fenwick Job Brampton) on 1090 kHz running 250 watts, now CHLO-AM. For more details, see: CHLO-AM history at the Canadian Communications Foundation.
Sadly, Mr. Job was killed in a car crash on March 23, 1956.
Skywire contained advertisements of considerable interest and information to "Radio Men" for equipment and parts of all kinds, news, technical topics, club and hamfest activities, and "on-the-air" operating along with "for sale" and "wanted" advertisements. The format was 7" wide by 8 1/2" long and about 36 pages per issue including covers.
Skywire does illuminate the ongoing developments in the state of the radio art from a Canadian perspective and makes for very interesting reading.
According to a column by Bill Choat, VE3CO (SK), published in The Ontario Amateur, Vol. 1, No. 2, June 1966 pp 17 & 18, Skywire was published up to June, 1953. (See Radio Society of Ontario section of website.)
Since Mr. Job died in a car crash in 1956, and the most recent copy of Skywire on hand is June 1953, it seems probable that there may be other Skywires out there waiting to be found. Please contact me if you have or find issues later than June 1953.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to Ken Grant, VE3FIT, of Scarborough, Ontario for the loan of copies of Skywire for scanning.
Thanks to Jim Walsh, VE3IOM of Orillia, Ontario, for the copies of Skywire .
Thanks to the Calgary Amateur Radio Association and Dale Olson, VE6QDO of Calgary, Alberta, for their copies of Skywire for Oct. 1949; Nov. 1949; Dec. 1949; Jan. 1950; April, 1950; May, 1950, and June, 1950.
Text amended November 20, 2010 and again, November 27, 2016.