Topband: Remembering my friend Bill Fisher, W4AN

[William H. Hein]

The best thing about our hobby is not the radios, the QSLs, or the QSOs,
it's the great friends you make.  I am deeply saddened the untimely passing
of my friend Bill Fisher, W4AN.

I know of only two people in the world with my odd mix of passions--radio
contesting, bicycle racing and, new for me in 2003, parenthood: Bill W4AN
and Mark N5OT (if you saw a photo of a bicycle mounted high up on a Rohn
tower in QST, that's Mark).

Bill and I first met thru radio contesting and kept in touch even when I
took a hiatus from ham radio '96 - '01.  During this time, both Bill and I
launched Dot Com companies and frequently compared notes.  Bill & his Spoke
Technologies colleague Garth once flew down from Seattle to visit the Enigma
Digital office in Santa Monica.  After a couple of hours talking e-biz shop
at my office, we hit a 3rd Street bar and talked contesting for a few more
hours.  This conversation was the main catalyst for getting me back on the
air--Bill's enthusiasm was contagious and it rekindled my ham radio flame.

Bill and I also shared an interest in bicycle racing.  Bill had started
riding again recently and I frequently got IM messages from him that said
"just got back from a 50 miler" or similar.  Not too a long ago, he did one
of these marathon rides thru very bad weather and ended up half-frozen.
Just like Bill not to let something like freezing rain get in the way of
something was determined to do.

My personal Website (www.AA6TT.com, don't bother checking it, it's way out
of date) and personal email account are hosted by Akorn.  I always made
contributions to eHam, but Bill wouldn't take my money for Website hosting.

When I started rebuilding my contest station last year, I spent hours and
hours and hours talking strategy and technique with Bill via IM, email and
phone.  Lots of W4AN ideas have been and will be incorporated into my
station.  I can never hope to be as good an operator as Bill (he's contest
Hall of Fame bound, I'm sure), but some W4AN DNA will be in my station
design.

Bill was happy when I told him last year my wife was pregnant.  He said this
will be the greatest thing that ever happens to you.  Bill was right.

What a great friend Bill was.  Always had time to chat or help with a
problem despite a busy life.  Always aimed for excellence in everything he
did.

I will be at the memorial service in Georgia Saturday morning.  If anyone
would like to have a contester's wake afterwards and swap W4AN anecdotes,
I'm game.

I also want to remember my friend Joe Clement W6MR (ex-KF6OG).  Joe died in
a car crash recently while driving to a drag race (he was a pro racer).  Joe
was an incredible rigger who installed all of my Malibu and Colorado towers
and antennas.

Bill NT1Y (ex-AA6TT)