The Ikeda Wireless Station, built at the entrance to Ikeda Cove, on Moresby Island in Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands), served several purposes. The first was to act as the intermediate station between Digby Island and Triangle Island, the second to communicate with vessels in the vicinity, and thirdly to supply communications for the Ikeda copper mine. The station was built on Ikeda Point, the north point of the bay. The station was at an elevation of 150 feet and had a 228 foot tree mast, four feet thick at the base, and was the tallest in the wireless service. Its weight reported as some 10 tons. Mast was constructed by D. Skinner of Victoria and erected by Capt. McDougal. Ikeda was the first of the four northern stations to be commissioned. Triangle, Dead Tree and Digby came soon after.
This photo looks north easterly up the cove, clearly showing the station's location on the point at the top right. The copper mining was carried out in the area at the lower left.
The location received its name from Arichika Ikeda, a Japanese fisherman who spent time along the British Columbia coast. In 1898 he found a copper ore body in this cove, staked it, and by 1906 production was in full swing. The ore body was not large and by 1909 most of the easily obtainable material had been removed and all mining activity ceased by 1920.
The location received its name from Arichika Ikeda, a Japanese fisherman who spent time along the British Columbia coast. In 1898 he found a copper ore body in this cove, staked it, and by 1906 production was in full swing. The ore body was not large and by 1909 most of the easily obtainable material had been removed and all mining activity ceased by 1920.
Information regarding Ikeda wireless had been very sketchy. There were no photos and the exact location were unknown when I started this site. I had a latitude and longitude from a local newspaper article which was little help. When position was applied to a chart the location turned out to be some kilometers to the east of Ikeda Cove. This error no doubt exists due to the difference between the standards (datum) used in creating the early charts. In 2009 I received a photo album made by operator "Lofty" Harris. He spent a couple of years during World War 1 operating the station and took a few photographs. See his album area.
See the few photos we have of 1918 Ikeda station here.
See the few photos we have of 1918 Ikeda station here.
Ikeda winter 1919. Harris Collection
Thanks to the efforts of the Canadian Hydrographic Service in March 2010 the station's exact location was found marked on a 1911 survey. It shows a building and a WT (wireless telegraph) mast. Newspapers of the day refer to it being built on Skeeda Point, but that name no longer exists in the British Columbia place names gazetteer and may have been a corruption of the word Ikeda (the words rhyme) by the newspaper reporter. An operator of the time remembers a four mile hike from the mine to the station. The chart shows a supply dock about a 1/2 mile from the station. The tall mast was dropped when the station closed.
Google Earth location here and a full survey here.
Google Earth location here and a full survey here.
1909 Construction materials and a work gang are loaded into the 'Quadra' on September 11 and steam for Ikeda Point. Wireless expert McIntyre supervises the latest Marconi equipment installation. At the beginning of October, C.P. Edwards reports construction is well underway. Ikeda is commissioned on November 23, 1909. Clearly heard at Gonzales, much to everyone's surprise. Local weather reports begin appearing in the Colonist newspaper during the last week of November.
1910 2 kW spark Marconi transmitter installed. Call sign AKD. (1910 U.S. Navy list says DKD.) A.F. Whiteside is OIC. Telephone link installed to the Ikeda mine at the head of the inlet. Ikeda a great success as its signals can be received at Victoria/Gonzales. In February the vessel carrying the operator's dwelling materials could not unload due to bad weather.
1911 Census lists Ronald Dundas and Charles McIntyre as operators earning $900 per annum.
1912 Call sign changed from AKD to VAI in accordance with the Berlin Conference. 1912 Federal accounts show A.R. Barrow of Prince Rupert was paid $23/day and travel expenses to survey Lot 46 Queen Charlotte Island for fifteen days. Station is open for traffic from 8 AM to Midnight. McIntyre returns to station in June.
1913 Some thought is being given to moving the station to Cape St.James and erecting another on Langara Island (southern and northern extremities of the Queen Charlotte Islands) with an aim of improving communication along the west coast.
1914 Operator Jim Arnold resigns and goes to the UK and joins the military for World War 1. Fisher on station.
1915 Wireless operator Lofty Harris arrives on station.
1919 Lofty's photos show him there in the summer of 1919.
1911 Census lists Ronald Dundas and Charles McIntyre as operators earning $900 per annum.
1912 Call sign changed from AKD to VAI in accordance with the Berlin Conference. 1912 Federal accounts show A.R. Barrow of Prince Rupert was paid $23/day and travel expenses to survey Lot 46 Queen Charlotte Island for fifteen days. Station is open for traffic from 8 AM to Midnight. McIntyre returns to station in June.
1913 Some thought is being given to moving the station to Cape St.James and erecting another on Langara Island (southern and northern extremities of the Queen Charlotte Islands) with an aim of improving communication along the west coast.
1914 Operator Jim Arnold resigns and goes to the UK and joins the military for World War 1. Fisher on station.
1915 Wireless operator Lofty Harris arrives on station.
1919 Lofty's photos show him there in the summer of 1919.
1920 The September 15th edition of the Victoria Daily Times newspaper lists Ikeda for the final time under the "Station Weather Reports" listing.
October 19, 1920 Victoria Daily Colonist paper has a Notice to Mariners advising the station has been discontinued.
Ikeda's machinery was shipped to Bull Harbor and the huge mast dropped.
In 1926 Point Grey's call sign, VAB, was transferred to the Vancouver Merchant's Exchange Building's new station. Point Grey was then assigned Ikeda's unused VAI identifier. See Point Grey's area for details.
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October 19, 1920 Victoria Daily Colonist paper has a Notice to Mariners advising the station has been discontinued.
Ikeda's machinery was shipped to Bull Harbor and the huge mast dropped.
In 1926 Point Grey's call sign, VAB, was transferred to the Vancouver Merchant's Exchange Building's new station. Point Grey was then assigned Ikeda's unused VAI identifier. See Point Grey's area for details.
Ikeda Point
DKD/VAI
Ikeda Point
DKD/VAI
DKD/VAI