Thanks to Don K8MFO who called my attention to a QRZ.COM item about
the passing of Reno Goetsch, W9NA on February 25 at the age of 88.
It would be an unfortunate omission were his passing to go largely
unnoticed by the contest community at large. For so many years Reno
as W9RQM was "Mr. Contest" of Wisconsin. I grew up in that state and
was first licensed as WN9SZR there. Year after year from age 14 to
age 25 while I was resident there I tried as W9SZR to beat Reno in CW
SS and never succeeded. It seemed useless to try. While he had
Wisconsin competition from W9LNM and W9GIL and W9RKP in the ARRL CW DX
Contests, he was always a high finisher in that contest too even
though their stations were by and large better equipped. Reno did all
of his DXing with a rotary home brew 8JK for the higher bands and
dipoles and verticals for the lower bands.
For many years he also served as SCM of Wisconsin.
Here's an excerpt from my reply to Don's message:
At W9YT we saw guys arrive from all over the state of Wisconsin,
including many from areas far enough away from an FCC examination
point so that they were allowed to have "Conditional" licenses. You
can imagine the lack of CW talent we found on the part of guys from
those areas. However, even though Wausau was in that area, everyone
who came to W9YT out of Wausau was a good CW man. And I think Reno's
leadership was the main reason for that.
One time after I had graduated from the UW and while waiting for my
government security clearance to go through so I could be hired, I
drove to Minneapoils to take my Extra (unsuccessfully -- finally
passed it in Chicago later). On the way, I stopped by Reno's for a
visit. He and I sat in his shack and talked ham radio for several
hours. As you say, he couldn't have been more pleasant. At that
time I was treated to a close-up view of the famous 8JK. Later in
Thailand I heard its power; his signal was always one of the best
from the midwest over there.
The last time I saw Reno was in Visalia at the DX Convention a few
years ago. I believe one of his kids had settled in California and he
and his XYL had acquired a motor home and would drive out to see the
kids and grandkids around Visalia time. He showed up there two or
three times. Though age and disease had taken their toll, he was
still mentally sharp as a tack and always pleasant to talk to.
RIP Reno Goetsch...
73, Fred Laun, K3ZO
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