During the spring of '32 strong representations were made to the Dominion
Government by mining interests to provide communications in the widespread
and active mineral fields of the Great Bear Lake region. The equipment of
a privately owned station at Hunter Bay, where interesting copper veins
had been discovered the year before, was now idle and was purchased by RC
Signals from Dominion Explorers. Operator QMS Fred Raney was sent in with
orders to move the equipment and open a station at Lindsley Bay. This was
done early in 1932.
The
choice of Lindsley Bay by RC Signals as a site for a radio station for the
Great Bear Lake area apparently was not a happy one. Most of the mining
companies involved protested vigorously that, to make use of the Lindsley
Bay station, ninety percent of the operating companies were faced with a
day's hard travel by water or on foot, and that during the freeze up and
break up periods, the site was practically inaccessible. It was pointed
out that Cameron Bay was the logical site for such a station, as it was
the. base for the majority of aircraft working in the area and was centrally
located to the Eldorado, Consolidated, Bear Lake Mines and the other main
companies and highly favoured by the operators of all these companies. In
addition it was the headquarters of the Mining Inspector and Mining Recorder.
When
mining activity was brought to a close by cold weather in the fall of '32,
the RC Signals Radio Station at Lindsley Bay was also closed down. During
the winter the government examined the mining companies' protests thoroughly
and as a result, decided to re locate the Lindsley Bay station at Cameron
Bay.