Doc Sheller K8RR (also WA8ZDF, KN8Z and several other calls) passed away
yesterday from complications of a lengthy bout of kidney problems and
diabetes. Doc was 69.
Some of you contesters, those of you that contested in the 70's and
80's for sure, will remember Doc as one of the more outrageous
personalities
in radiosport history. In addition to sometimes off the wall antics, he
was one of the most meticulous station builders I ever knew. And he grew
into
being a decent contester, after he built two great multi-tower stations
in
central Ohio.He once said, in that regard, "now I have this really fast
car....I better learn to drive it!"
Doc and I were close friends and still emailed up until about 3 weeks
ago.
Before K8TD and I had formalized our antenna company, Doc was our first
true major "client". In the early 70's, we helped take his Groveport OH
QTH from one to four
towers and make it truly contest competitive.
Here was my Facebook post earlier today,
"The most colorful ham radio contest personality I ever met passed away
today, Doc Sheller K8RR (WA8ZDF, KN8Z etc). Everything Doc did in
contesting
and DXing was done with a flair, over the top details, and with complete
obsession towards winning. Doc let nothing get in his way. Our friendship
began in 1971, when Doc solicited help in expanding his antenna system
and
continued as five of us began Mad River RC, and on to memorable multiop
efforts at his Groveport OH QTH. RIP Doc!"
There are many "Doc stories" out there. I am sure some of them will come
out in the next few days.Here's a sample of my memory of Doc.
I was going thru some old slides, from when we did all that antenna work
at Doc's Groveport QTH.(72-73 mostly). I came up with one slide of our
Multi-Multi group effort there (CQWW SSB) it showed the ops all standing
behind
a target with callsigns of the big M/M groups as target rings. W8TA
stands
on one side of the target with a 30-30 rifle. Doc stands on the other
side
with his Thompson machine gun. He later complained, violently, when CQ
wouldn't print the pic. ;-) Doc, the original "Outlaw".
Another episode I recall was that 1 am meeting in Dayton, 1971, when five
of us formalized the beginnings of the Mad River Contest Club. Doc was
the
ringleader, of course, and I cant recall if anyone in that group was
sober.
Some really funny stuff happened in that meeting. I wish video cams would
have been around then.
Or the time, when we were expanding his station, I came to him with the
need to buy something (I cant recall what) for $1000. He looked at me,
incredulously, and said, "Get it! And Don't bother me with anything
unless it
costs me a LOT of money". That pretty much summed up Docs stance on
station
improvement. ;-)
RIP Doc....there will never be another like you.
73, Bob K8IA (K8HLR "back in the day")
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