Gordon Skuttle, 104, on Aug. 4. Skuttle’s fascination with radio started young. By his early teens he had built a crystal set, by 18 he had secured his amateur radio license with the call letters VE4DG, and a year later had completed, by correspondence, the Radio and Television Diploma Program of the National Radio Institute in Washington, D.C., with a specialization in radio communications. Skuttle went on to study at the Radio College of Canada in Toronto, earning his Commercial Radio Operation Diploma and his Commercial Radio Operator license from the Department of Transport. While still a student, he started working at CKCL Toronto as a Special Events Operator, operating events ranging from big band performances to church broadcasts. Skuttle returned to Edmonton in 1943, working at CJCA as a Studio Operator. In 1957, he was named Chief Engineer. During his time with CJCA, he supervised the construction of two studio buildings and two new transmitter sites, installed a 200KW ERP FM transmitter, and managed the increase of AM power to 50KW. Skuttle was heavily involved with the Western Association of Broadcast Engineers (WABE) and recognized with WABE’s highest honour, the R.W. Lamb Award, in 1993.
Mel Hoyme, 88, on July 6. Hoyme, who grew up on a small farm outside of Camrose, attended the radio and electronics apprenticeship program at SAIT in Calgary, leading to a six-decade career in radio and broadcasting. While still in school, Hoyme started working part-time as a technician in 1957 at CKXL. Among his biggest accomplishments was helping launch CHQR Calgary in 1964. He built CHQR’s first state-of-the-art 50,000 watt transmitter in 1975. After retiring from the station as Vice President of Engineering at the age of 65 in 2000, he returned to assist with the technical requirements for the McMahon Stadium broadcast booth, still used for every Calgary Stampeders home game. He fully retired in 2020. Hoyme received a Retirement Award from the Western Association of Broadcast Engineers (WABE) in 2005.
