[CQ-Contest] W7GG silent key

[John Laney]

Tree wrote:
> Thought I would share some W7GG memories (also known as AI7B or W7TDK).
> 
> It has been a couple of years since Bob has posted much to cq-contest.  
> His unique style of using mostly lower case characters - and speaking
> very openly about how he felt about things will be missed.  One post that
> I will never forget is this one:
> 
> http://lists.contesting.com/archives//html/CQ-Contest/2006-01/msg00091.html
> 
> Bob pushed the envelope on speaking ones mind.  He even seems to be very 
> supportive of the idea of there being a QRP reflector:
> 
> "why not take it to the QRP REFLECTOR for
> criss sakes and give the rest of us a break....
> and if there ain't a Qrp reflector it sure sounds
> like their outa be ....."
> 
> While Bob was dealing with his medical issues - I was invovled in taking 
> down some of this antennas and towers at his QTH in Culver, Oregon.  I 
> had never been to his place to operate and maybe those who have will share
> some of their experiences.
> 
> While one of the towers was already down before I was involved - there was
> still a very impressive 180 foot rotating tower with about half of the 
> antennas on it to take down.  You can see some pictures of it here:
> 
> http://www.kkn.net/~tree/gallery/W7GG2008
> 
> This station was located out in the "desert" (yes - over 2/3rds of Oregon
> is desert) on a 5 acre lot in an area that had no power lines.  I imagine
> that it was really neat operating many miles from any power lines.  Many
> of the houses there use wind and solar power.  Obviously that wouldn't be
> enough to power a big contest station, so Bob also had a couple of 
> generators that could be fired up for contests.  
> 
> This was clearly one of the biggest contest stations in the area - ranking
> right up there with the W7RM QTH (now owned by N7TT).  I was in awe at the
> parts that Bob had accumulated at this station.  Rumor has it that K3LR
> is thinking of renting a U-Haul truck and picking up some good stuff.
> 
> Bob was supportive of the CQ WW and Stew Perrry Plaque programs and his
> contributions will be missed.  
> 
> I remember during the first or second running of the Stew Perry contest,
> there was a morning opening to UA4HBW and we were all calling him on 160.
> Bob was the only one to make it through.  After seeing his QTH and half
> wave slopers coming down from 180 feet - it's easy to understand why he
> had a big signal on topband.  
> 
> His stacked 3/3 on 40 must have been bone crushing - as well as his other
> stacks.  
> 
> Some pieces from Bob's station were integrated into mine in time for the
> CW SS contest.  I was using a Six Pack and a tribander that used to be
> part of his station.  So - Bob's key will never be totally silent - just 
> some of the pieces are now going to be part of other signals you hear 
> on the band.
> 
> In fact - a very nice looking key that Bob had in his collection was 
> given away as the "Iron Man" award to Mike, RW0CN, at the recent FARS
> games here in Portland.  
> 
> Hopefully - other's who knew Bob longer and better than I have can share
> some other stories.  Bob was a long time friend of Stan, W7NI.  He also
> worked with OH2BH when they were both at Tektronix.  Recently, Bob ran
> a PC board manufacturing company that I believe makes PC boards for the
> Inrad folks.
> 
> RIP Bob.
> 
> Tree N6TR/7
> tree at kkn.net
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> 

Bob, W7GG, and his wife very kindly took me and my wife (and I think 
also WA4ILO) to dinner one night when we were at a judges' educational 
conference in Portland.  On the same trip, Tree took time out of being 
with his daughter in the hospital to meet me for a refreshment or lunch. 
  I vividly recall Bob recounting the story of his crew's rapid 
withdrawal from the eastern Washington contest station when a forest 
fire got uncomfortably close during a major contest operation there.  I 
am pretty sure that event was written up in an article in NCJ.

Thanks for all the QSOs, old friend, and RIP.

73,

John, K4BAI.