To commemorate the 400th anniversary of Quebec city foundation by Samuel de Champlain on the third of July 1608 marking the continuous french presence in North America a special call sign has been issued "VC3C"

I will activate this very special call sign on all available amateur satellite from July 7 to July 13. On July 13 the mobile communication unit "On the Champlain Road" who travel the same route along the St-Lawrence as Champlain does in 1608 400 years ago will be in Sorel-Tracy where Champlain enters in the Richelieu river (see below the ****) and was the first to european to discover the Lake Champlain. The station will be located at the Governors House in Sorel http://grandquebec.com/monteregie/maison-des-gouverneurs/ (The tower in the back ground is located on the roof of the Sorel-Tracy ARC HQ.)

People of French descent across North America can trace their history back to Québec City, recognized today as the cradle of French civilization in the New World.

At one point, Québec City was at the center of New France, an empire that covered all of Eastern Canada and almost half of the current US territory. French North America extended from the Gulf of St Lawrence to the Great Lakes and from Hudson Bay to the Gulf of Mexico.

Although this empire was not to last, Québec City, as the capital of Lower Canada and later, of Québec, has continued to grow and thrive.

A Timeline for Champlain

Around 1570: Champlain is born in Brouage to a seafaring family. He studies navigation and cartography.

1595-1598: He serves in the royal army of Brittany

1599-1601: He travels to Mexico and reports to King Henri IV

1603: First voyage to Canada. He explores the St. Lawrence River as far as the site of today´s Montreal. He publishes his first book, Des Sauvages.

1604-1607: First French foothold in Canada on the Acadian shore. He explores the coast as far as the site of today´s Boston.

1606: He meets with Marc Lescarbot, who returns to the Acadian colony, and writes Histoire de la Nouvelle-France (published in 1609).

1608: Champlain founds Québec.

1609: He discovers the Richelieu River and Lake Champlain. He allies with the Hurons against the Iroquois.******************

1610-1613: He sends Étienne Brûlé to the Montagnais.

1613: He explores the Ottawa River (the Outaouais). He publishes an account of his Voyages since 1604.

1614-1616: He discovers Lake Huron and Huronia.

1619: He publishes an account of his Voyages since 1613. As of 1620, he remains almost continuously in Québec.

1627: The Compagnie des Cent-Associés administers Canada.

July 19,1629: The British take Québec.

March 29,1632: The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye restores Québec and Canada to France.

1632: Champlain publishes a chronicle of all his Voyages since 1604.

December 25,1635: Champlain dies in Québec.

http://monquebec2008.sympatico.msn.ca/MonQuebec2008/?lang=en-ca

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Luc Leblanc VE2DWE Skype VE2DWE www.qsl.net/ve2dwe WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE