Topband: VK3ZL SK today

[Michael Tope]

I am very sad to hear this news. There are some things you count on in 
life. The sun rises every morning and then sets in the evening; and back 
when I was really active on topband and up every morning at some 
insanely early hour, it was just a given that Bobby was lurking there 
somewhere in the noise.

I just looked in my log and my first QSO with Bobby was on July 15, 
2003. I had only been in this house for less than a year and I think my 
topband antenna was still an 80 meter inverted-V hung on a 40 foot Rohn 
push-up mast lashed to the side of the house with the coax shield and 
center conductor tied together and fed against a ground rod. On many an 
early morning in those days, I would listen to Tom W8JI keeping his 
daily sked with Bobby. Those were some really good times for me, so I am 
truly sad to know that Bobby will no longer part of my early morning 
topband landscape, except in fond memory.

Rest in peace, dear Bobby.

73, Mike W4EF/6
Tujunga, Ca

On 7/8/2014 6:56 AM, Dan Edward Dba East edwards wrote:
> I too will surely miss bobby;  we had a lot of fun making contacts almost all summer long, for several
>   seasons.  He nearly always heard my 'wet string' short tx marconi. His expertise with GS35b's was well  established,  and he shared freely all relevant technical advice.
>
> RIP VK3ZL....W5XZ, dan
>
>
>
> On Tuesday, July 8, 2014 8:21 AM, W2PM via Topband <topband at contesting.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> RIP And 73 Bob.  Some of the best qsos on 160. Copied his top hat design.  Gone but not forgotten.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Jul 8, 2014, at 1:15 PM, dl8yhrfrank--- via Topband <topband at contesting.com> wrote:
>>
>> RIP BOB....
>> Best wishes....you was a great operator...
>> vy 73
>> Frank
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Ursprüngliche Mitteilung-----
>> Von: Eduardo Araujo via Topband <topband at contesting.com>
>> An: Topband List <topband at contesting.com>
>> Verschickt: Di, 8 Jul 2014 5:44 am
>> Betreff: Re: Topband: VK3ZL SK today
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Very sad news indeed.
>>
>> We will miss you Bob. Rest In Peace....
>>
>> Eddie, LU2DKT
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>>
>>
>> -----Mensaje original-----
>> De: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces at contesting.com] En nombre de LB3RE LJ3RE
>> Stein-Roar Brobakken
>> Enviado el: lunes, 07 de julio de 2014 11:12 p.m.
>> Para: David Raymond
>> CC: topband at contesting.com; SidShusterman; robert briggs; Jean Briggs;
>> K3JJG; tree at kkn.net; Bob Garrett; Bernie McClenny, W3UR
>> Asunto: Re: Topband: VK3ZL SK today
>>
>> Sad to hear this.He was always on the topband and made it clear that the
>> band was open, he will be missed. 73s SK
>>
>> ---Sent by iphoneLB3RE LJ3RE K3RAG ex: LA6FJAwww.lb3re.com ~ Rag ~ Stein
>> Roar Brobakken
>> e-mail:post at lb3re.comhttp://la5o.wordpress.comwww.contesting.no
>>
>> Bob was truly a remarkable person.  Not only did his homebrew skills far
>> surpass the vast majority of us but he also put out a remarkable signal with
>> a modest station.  A lot of topbanders may be unaware that Bob's signal came
>> from a homebrew 42' vertical (yes, forty two foot) .  Capped off with a
>> hefty top hat and a very good ground radial system, he was able to work the
>> world daily.  He and I had other shared interests and enjoyed exchanging
>> emails.  I will surely miss his friendship and his signal on 1824.5 on those
>> cold, winter morns.
>>
>>
>>
>> 73 Bob. . .rest in peace OM.
>>
>>
>>
>> Dave, W0FLS
>>
>>     ----- Original Message -----
>>     From: SidShusterman
>>     To: topband at contesting.com ; Jean Briggs ; robert briggs ; Bernie
>> McClenny, W3UR ; Bob Garrett ; K3JJG ; David Raymond ; tree at kkn.net
>>     Sent: Monday, July 07, 2014 6:23 PM
>>
>>     Subject: VK3ZL SK today
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>     I received an email from Jeannie this afternoon. Bob succumbed to the
>> effects of bladder cancer today. Bob was  many things. He was one heck of a
>> builder.  His amplifiers won the SERG homebrew competition so many times
>> that they finally gave him a lifetime achievement award.  He was a fixture
>> on TopBand and gave many their first VK QSO. He was also a beacon until
>> recently.  If there was any propagation at all Bob was there to work it.
>>
>>     Over the years Bob and I and I am sure some others developed a
>> relationship that transcended ham radio. I found that Bob was a fire
>> communications officer who provided essential communications and control for
>> the intense fires that happen in that part of Australia amongst other
>> interests.
>>
>>     Above all Bob was our friend.
>>     Bob told Jeannie his wife  he wanted the following on his grave marker:
>>
>>     Robert William Briggs..
>>
>>     ..loving husband of Jeannie..
>>
>>     ..17 Oct 1942 ---7 July 2014..
>>
>>     .......vk3zl   s k......
>>
>>     and that is what she will do.
>>     Jeannie can receive your emails at both her email address: Jean Briggs
>> <jabi77 at bigpond.com>
>>
>>     and also she is keeping Bob's account open: VK3ZL at bigpond.com
>>
>>     Sid K3SX
>>
>>