[UK-CONTEST] Sad news

[Clive Whelan]

I recently wrote some twaddle which included the following

> <My first contest was NFD in 1959- barely two 
> months after getting my ticket, when I was pushed onto the key by OM 
> Tom/GW3AHN who is still with us although no longer QRV. >


Sadly, I inadvertently mislead you. Tom recently became an SK- see this 
months Radcom. Tom had resigned from FOC a couple of years back, and 
about a year ago sold all his gear which for someone as active as Tom 
indicated a serious problem. To my great shame, apart from the odd 
contest QSO, I had lost contact with Tom, and therefore did not know of 
his ultimate demise when writing the above little more than 24 hours 
ago. The DXers amongst you might remember that Tom was already on the 
DXCC honour role when the rest of us were still only dreaming of DXCC, 
and in the early days much of this was done with 25w AM and CW. This was 
also in the days when DX-ing was a demanding pursuit requiring more than 
a cluster connection and the pressing of an F key ( sorry that's the 
cynic in me coming out!). Tom was licenced immediately after WW2, as 
evidenced by his callsign, some 62 odd years ago now. I remember hearing 
him giving 84 as an exchange in the AA contest a few years ago, so he 
was well up there.

Anyway Tom, thanks for all the QSOs over the years, and for (literally) 
pushing me into being an NFD operator.


R.I.P OM


73


Clive
GW3NJW