Like many of you on the VHF Reflector and the ham community I was shocked and
saddened by the news that Tom, WA2BPE had passed on.
Tom and I grew up just several blocks apart in Corning, N.Y.
We met before either one of us became hams through our mutual interest in
radio. He was two grades ahead of me in school so I was learning a lot from
him concerning theory and building techniques. Somewhere along the way another
close friend(Bob Cavallaro - K2UOR) and I got our ham liscense before Tom, so I
convinced Tom to learn the code(he was already profficient in the theory) and
get a ticket so he could get on the air. He had previously built a Heathkit
AR-3 receiver so he set out to build a 6AG7 crystal controlled transmitter from
a handbook design in anticipation of the arrival of his ticket. I tested it
out on the air at his house and he was set to go when the WA2BPE call arrived.
Tom had a well equipped workshop that took up half of the family basement. The
other half was occupied by shelves and benches set up pemanently for wrapping
Christmas presents. This was another hobby that Tom and his older brother
Richard shared. Their Christmas wrapped packages were a work of art just like
all of his ham projects.
After Tom got his Technician Class liscense he got very serious in 6 Meter
operation. A love that endured many years. He was the first person that I
knew of that operated double sideband (DSB) on 6M using a transmitter of his
own design.
We both joined the Corning Amateur Radio Association and enjoyed operating from
a prime mountain location where the club maintained a clubhouse with equipment
and antennas.
Whenever there was a good 6M band opening Tom would get me and we would drive
to the club station to work some exciting DX that we could not work from our
valley homes. We always dreamed of the day that we each could own and live on
such a mountain top location. That dream came to pass for both of us. After
Tom married Barbara he built a home on a mountain near Corning, and after I
retired I settled on a mountain in West Virginia.
After high school Tom went off to college at Alfred State Tech, but we would
always get together on his visits home.
He was like a big brother paving the way for me to follow. After we both got
jobs we found out that we had another common interest in sport cars. I had
bought a MGB and he upmanshipped me by buying a Corvette Stingray. On one trip
to Corning he took me out for a ride and then turned the wheel over to me for a
spin. I guess I never told him how proud I was that he trusted me behind the
wheel of that rocket.
My job with the CIA took me to a lot of overseas locations but Tom and I always
stayed in touch though our favorite medium of ham radio. While I was in
Liberia, West Africa, from 1978-1982 we did not have phones in our privte
residences so Tom built a phone patch so I could talk with my mother and father
in Corning. We had a regular twice a month schedule. During this period I
left my Johnson 6N2 Thunderbolt amplifier with Tom to use on 6M. I was
liscensed as EL2AV and got permission from the Liberian Telecommunications to
operate 6 Meters. We had some good band openings to the states and Tom, using
my amp, was one of my first stateside QSO's on that band. What a thrill that
was for both of us. Tom later went on to achieve 6 Meter DXCC, an award he was
very proud of. He was also very proud to be a member of the Rochester VHF
club. He was always excited about winning trophies from the club for his VHF
contest accomplishments. I know, like many of you, I will miss receiving that
FN12 grid multiplier from Tom.
I don't think he ever missed a Rochester Hamfest either. During our many, very
long, telephone conversations he always had to tell me of the treasures he
bought at each hamfest.
As a ham and a dear friend Tom has given me many wonderful and cherished
memories and he will be sorely missed. Rest in peace Tom DE K2UOP.
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