Hello all.
I'm sure you'll be sad to hear the news that Steve GW4BLE passed away in the
early hours of Friday the 2nd of December, his wife Mandy was with him to the
end.
He was born in South Wales in 1952. He grew up in what was probably the
hey-day of Amateur Radio. As a teenager he was a member of the local
Blackwood Amateur Radio club, where he rapidly progressed from SWL to fully
licensed Amateur. He became a keen DX'er but what really motivated him was
contesting. He simply loved it. His favourite was, of course, CQWW SSB.
Anyone around the world who has ever taken part in an SSB contest will
recognise his callsign. Steve was one of the good guys, fiercely competitive
but always ready to offer help and encouragement. Scrupulously honest in every
respect he was an excellent operator who was always ready to adopt new
practices and squeeze the most out of his station. He crammed more antennas
into his small garden than one might have thought possible!
Steve had been diagnosed with cancer a while back. It seemed as though the
surgery had been successful in eliminating it. He was a a fighter and always
positive. Unfortunately, over time, complications developed and in the end his
cancer returned with a vengeance.
Amazingly , even in very poor health, Steve managed to put in an entry for this
year's CQWW SSB contest. He simply said he wanted to be a part of the greatest
contest in the calendar. Many of us have lost a dear friend and the world of
Amateur Radio will be a poorer place without him.
73 Ian G3WVG
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