[CQ-Contest] W7RM SK

[K1ZM@aol.com]

Re W7RM's passing....

I'll add my two cents here - from the perspective of an EAST coast competitor 
to W7RM. I recall only too well the competitive REACH of that station - to 
wit:

1963 - ARRL SS Phone - pretty sure this was the 2nd SS phone weekend - Sunday 
morning on 75 Phone (SSB).  Someone said "Hey 'CLQ - listen up! -  W7ESK from 
Washington state is calling you OM!"  I listened again and there he was - 
straight up S9 on my dilapidated 80m dipole about 30 feet above ground.  I still 
remember that contact 42 years later......It was the only W7 I worked that 
year on 75 phone in the SS.

1972 - ARRL DX CW - 2nd CW weekend (yep - I am old enough to have operated 
when ARRL DX was still two (2) weekends per mode!)

Operatiing as DL5BR (read that DL5 "Big Radio") on Sunday afternoon on 15CW, 
I recall to this day watching the S-meter around 2000z when this ENORMOUS 
signal started calling CQ - W 7 R M - Mind you, I did not know who that was - but 
l sure wanted to find out where that signal came from. I think I later saw a 
photo in QST of a tower loaded with MANY 3el yagis all aimed at Europe - 
stacked up and down a very tall tower - someone said that was the EU system at W7RM 
at the time.

1976 - CQWW SSB Single-Op All Band - operating from W1ZM.  I am initially 
ecstatic at the score I made in my first attempt at a single-op from Jerry 
Scarano's station.  Seems I beat all the EAST coast guys handily - then someone 
calls me on the phone and tells me K7VPF's score from W7RM - also single op that 
year.

Chip works about 40 pages of JA's I think it was and my joy has turned to 
tears as I am now #2 USA.  So, it's "wait until next year time....."

1977 - Dayton - somehow a group of us go out on Saturday night to the Tall 
Timbers Inn at Needmore Rd.  Rush somehow winds up at our table - K1DG is 
sitting next to me and Rush is directly seated across from us.  I remembering asking 
ALOT of questions about W7RM and him patiently answering every one of them - 
for hours.

1979 - Gales Ferry, CT - Rush is on business and arranges to stop in for a 
visit with Jerry Scarano, W1ZM.  Jerry invites me up to go to dinner with the 
two of them on Friday night - we talk for hours...

Rush and I spend the night at Jerry's and the mini-hamfest continues the next 
morning before, during and after breakfast - for several coffee pots before 
Rush has to go.  We give Rush the nickel tour of our 6 tower antenna farm (not 
all that bad really with 4 towers better than 100 feet) - but in the end I 
knew he was being very polite as his stuff **dwarfed** what we had in the air.

It seems that Rush and Jerry knew probably 20 of the same people in 
Washington - and both had called on them over the years in their respective businesses. 
 I recall listening mainly - simply spellbound just to have been fortunate 
enough to have been *present* when two of the GIANTS of their time were trading 
stories and reminiscing together....

Later years - I know I saw Rush several times at Dayton - probably around 5 
years ago for the last time.

In 1999 or 2000 he called me on Cape Cod to ask about a 160M antenna I had 
installed and I think that was probably the last time I actually spoke with him.

I guess the "BOTTOM LINE" here is that guys like Rush Drake, Ed Bissel, Tom 
Perruzzi, Jim Lawson, Buzz Reeves, Lenny Chertok, Jerry Scarano & others have 
each been largely responsible for allowing alot of us "young bucks" to cut our 
teeth at their stations - and we are all the better for it today.  I know I 
got my first taste of REALLY competitive antennas and a well-engineered station 
at W1ZM where Jerry and I built a world-class station from 1973 - 1985 - with 
the help of K1XX, K1RX, K1OX , W1FV, K1AR and others who over the years came 
to operate with us in Jerry's garage.  I remember K1AR on 20m and W1FV a year 
before that - and Dan Street, K1TO, working his first real Dx contest on 40CW.  
I remember Dan going to sleep about 0800z too and me yanking him out of bed 
because when I tuned 40M myself I found a few signals we had not worked yet on 
the band.  Sleep when the band is open - what's that???!!!

All these guys are gone now - except for W1ZM - who is still with us.  I 
played golf with Jerry near Tampa about three weeks ago - and except for a bum 
knee, at 90 years old he can still drive a golf ball pretty well.  We parred the 
same number of holes after two days of play - which sounds pretty strange - 
but true.

Yes, for sure - Rush Drake was one HELL of a SWELL GUY!  We all were lucky 
indeed to have been touched by this giant of a man in contesting.  I suspect 
those who knew him won't ever really forget his gentle manner and smile.  At 
least I know I won't.

RIP OM - we'll all miss you and that enormous signal of yours!

73 JEFF

K1ZM/VY2ZM