[SEDXC] ZL1AMO,Ron Wright - SK

[Ralph]

Sad news about a great guy and well known DX'er.  Forwarded with 
permission - Bernie @ The Daily DX


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                      *** The Daily DX (TM) ***
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                                    March 6, 2012
                Editor/Publisher Bernie McClenny, W3UR
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              Silent Key – Tribute to ZL1AMO, Ron Wright
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It is with great sadness that I report the passing of the legendary
DXpeditioner ZL1AMO, Ron Wright.  He was 75.  Ron was admitted to
North Shore Hospital last week after he had a collapsed lung and was
in stable condition at the time.  He became a Silent Key earlier
today.

My first QSO with Mr. Wright was ZL3HI/C in 1978 in the 10 meter
Novice Band and as corny as it might sound he would later become one
of my DX heroes.  Ron was a serious CW op and would visit the US
Novice bands late in his DXpeditions.  He had probably well over 100
DXpeditions throughout the Pacific including 3D2RW, 3D2RW/R, 5W1CW,
A35EA, C21/ZL1AMO, FW0BX, H44RW, T28RW, T28RW, T30BH, VR6HI, YJ0RW,
ZK1CQ (South), ZK1CQ, (North), ZK1MB (North), ZK2RW, ZK3RW, ZL7AMO,
ZL8AMO and ZL9AMO just to name a few!  Many of these locations he
visited multiple times between the late 70’s and 2002.

Some will remember his last DXpedition where he was emergently air
lifted back home to New Zealand from Fiji back in late 2002.  After
his recovery he went back home and continued to give back to the
hobby as QSL manager for his good friend ZL3CW, Jacky Calvo.  For
many years he was also a BOD member of INDEXA and a member of the A1
Club.  Ron was the 23rd Amateur Radio operator inducted into the CQ
DX Hall of Fame in 1985, as well as recently (2009) the “2nd inductee
to the NZ DX Hall of Fame”.

AMO was one of the best CW ops and operated most of his DXpeditions
exclusively on his favorite mode.  His CW DXCC count was 339/346
(current/total), only needing one country to have them all on Code!
That one ironically was 3C0 – Annobon!

I had the pleasure of meeting Ron as a young man in the early 80’s
(http://www.dailydx.com/images/ZL1AMO-WB3JRU.jpg) at a National
Capitol DX Association (NCDXA) meeting in Virginia.  Throughout the
years we had many QSOs on CW.  One evening I found AMO at home on SSB
on 20 meters.  Knowing Ron always enjoyed life and had a great sense
of humor I broke in and said “Hello Mr. Wright, you’re on the wrong
mode”.  His quick witted response was “I guess you can call me Mr.
Wrong”!  So from that point on when I found him on SSB during his
DXpeditions I would give him reports of “59 Mr. Wrong!”  In all
seriousness I wish the Wright family (his wife Jeanette and daughters
Karen and Terri) my sincere condolences.  Amateur Radio and the DXing
Community have lost an extraordinary man and DXpeditioner!  Today’s
issue is dedicated to ZL1AMO.
______________________________________________________________________

Bernie McClenny, W3UR
The Daily DX
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