[NCC] Drew, W8GFG SK 03/01/11

[Jimk8mr at aol.com]

I too am saddened by the word on Drew.  
 
I did not know Drew as well as some of the others in the original Rutledge  
Road FD effort, and in a way feel bad that as I arrived, and with great  
help from certain other area youngsters (and others) turned that site into a  
great run of FD efforts, Drew and some of the original guys got pushed out 
of  the way. 
 
But I appreciate the loss of Tim and the others who had a lot more contact  
with Drew, and I also keep in mind several other SK hams from that bunch,  
notably K3SAN and K3QMR.
 
It was a lot of fun for all those FD efforts over the years.
 
RIP W8GFG.
 
 
73   -   Jim  K8MR
 
 
 
In a message dated 3/2/2011 11:48:01 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
k3lr at k3lr.com writes:

Several  NCC members have operated Field Day from the hill top on Rutledge
Road in  Transfer, PA under the callsigns W8GFG/3, W3VK and then K3LR. Guys
like  K8CX, N3RA, K8MR, AF3P, K8AZ, K3LA, K8NZ, N8AA, K3LA, K3MMM, AC8E,
K8CC,  WA3WIK, WA3BBJ (W3JL), K8CCV, WB3EUB, K3UA, W3YQ (KL7WV) and even a 
16
year  hot shot CW op who drove to WPA from Missouri, Jeff, N0AQK - the same
guy  that went on to win three WRTC gold medals (and holds the CQWW single  
op
WORLD records on both modes) - known today as N5TJ.   



1972 was my first Field Day and my first ever contest. W8GFG  was a radio
rock star to this 12 year old skinny Novice. I (WN3SZX) was  honored to be
operating in the same farm shed while Drew did 75 meters  right beside me.
Many of Drew's friends would say that he was monoband 75 -  at all times.

So many things happened to me on that hill top - that  Drew encouraged me to
be a part of. My love for contesting - dating the  blonde farmer's daughter
across the street (love and great QTH's go  together!) - being at the top of
a 40 ft tower when it fell (I was 16)  which could have ended really bad if
not for WA3WIK saving my life that day  (and 5 days in the hospital). 30 
days
later - stitches were out - I was up  on a 350 ft tower with Glen, WA3BBJ.



Drew loved Amateur Radio -  but he was "in love" with 75. You know it when
you see it. Drew was the  first guy to teach me about contesting, even
letting me stumble through  working a few guys with his HeathKit HW-12 on 75
SSB - that magic weekend  in June of 72'.



Drew was the first guy to take me to Dayton  when I was 14. All of you know
how I feel about Dayton - a place where all  of our friends are and will
always be.



Tom, K8CX knew Drew  very well and they operated contests together many 
years
before I was  licensed. 

Tom brought Drew over to see a K3LR multi multi contest  operation in action
a few years ago - I told him "Look what you started" -  as I always thought
that multi multi was just a W8GFG Field Day with  amplifiers. Drew told me
how proud he was of the "fire" he lit in 1972.  

We hugged - I cried then and again now - that he is gone. K8CX and I  were 
on
the phone last night for over an hour - with the awesome W8GFG  memories,



This weekend's DX contest at K3LR is dedicated to the  memory of Drew, 
W8GFG.


Seems very appropriate that I'll be on 75  meters - I know he'll be there -
hope you think of Drew this weekend  too



RIP W8GFG SK