My favorite memory of Bob -- among many -- is a mobile one too.
It was about 9 years ago on a Friday and I had just installed a new
screwdriver on my VW Jetta that covered 160-6 meters. Didn't have time
to try it that night, but my son Adam N3TTT and I were up early
Saturday, heading for the Timonium hamfest in Maryland. About an hour
before sunrise, Adam was driving across the Eastern Shore and I was in
the passenger seat, tuning Topband when I came across W8JI chatting with
Bob on CW. When they signed off, I called Bob and was totally amazed
when he came right back. We had a solid contact -- my first mobile
Topband DX and still the longest. Just to prove it wasn't a fluke, when
we crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge just before sunrise, I worked Bob
again and he gave me an even better report.
He had those great ears, and a nice quiet rural location, that could
pull out the weak ones. Best I can tell from skimming my old paper logs,
our first QSO was early in 1990, and our last this past October. In
between there were hundreds of others -- he was such a beacon by which
we could gauge the band. I heard him give many USA their first VK.
We often corresponded via email, about DX activity and his amps, and he
in recent years was quite active on the ON4KST lowband chat. In the off
season this summer, I haven't been too active on the chat but
fortunately on June 20 I took the time to log in about 08z as I was
getting ready for work. To my surprise, VK3ZL had logged in too -- first
time in months -- as Jeannie had gotten him a tablet to use in his
hospital room so he could stay in touch. We conversed a few minutes
before I had to leave, and I feel fortunate we had the chance one last
time. When I checked back for this conversation after his death was
reported, I found he had encountered a few others that day on the chat.
I'm including Bob's comments below; he only made a few short comments on
two subsequent days on the chat.
73/Jon AA1K
FROM THE ON4KST LOWBAND CHAT:
UTC CALL/NAME MESSAGE
2014-06-20 10:03:39Z *VK3ZL* Bobby read down the chat.info on my
doings there.i am using a small Samsung tablet.
2014-06-20 10:01:23Z*VK3ZL* Bobby Hi John.Great to see you
2014-06-20 09:47:20Z*VK3ZL* Bobby every day
2014-06-20 09:47:02Z *VK3ZL* Bobby she has been by my side all the 2ay
3very da
2014-06-20 09:38:38Z *VK3ZL* Bobby I will have email in this tablet in
next few days.
2014-06-20 09:37:44Z*VK3ZL* Bobby here to stay Dan.
2014-06-20 09:37:09Z *VK3ZL* Bobby Jeannie has passed all your
messages on to me,, nearly 6 monthsvin and out of hospital.
2014-06-20 09:36:05Z *VK3ZL* Bobby Read down the messages Dan so that
I don, t have to repeat stuff..Jeannie g
2014-06-20 09:34:30Z *VK3ZL* Bobby Dan..Wonderful to see you..Jeannie
got me a Samsung T blet so that I can catch up with you all here..It is
light as laptop was too heavy for me to handle.
2014-06-20 09:30:07Z *VK3ZL* Bobby hi robert..brand new nursing
home..my own private room with all mod cons..just like being
home..nurses and staff wonderful.l am under high level care and
everything is done for me.
2014-06-20 09:27:02Z *VK3ZL* Bobby I still have some new 31 and the
35b tubes as well as many gi7b and 6 b..these will sell well in vk.
2014-06-20 09:24:32Z *VK3ZL* Bobby I will have to get all my amplifier
pictures from my home computer..most of them have never been put on the
internet.
2014-06-20 09:20:32Z *VK3ZL* Bobby all my aamps are still working
fine..aOnly ever had to repair two over the years.
2014-06-20 09:19:18Z *VK3ZL* Bobby I mostly built 6 and 2 meter amps
for eme work.
2014-06-20 09:17:36Z *VK3ZL* Bobby I had no idea it was cancer until
last November..I just felt unwell and tired for 4 years or so..Typical
man never went aand asked doc what was wrong..by last Nov it suddenly erupt
2014-06-20 09:14:51Z *VK3ZL* Bobby I uusejd a water cooled 35b for
about 4 years..power unlimited.
2014-06-20 09:12:38Z *VK3ZL* Bobby vk ssb power limit only 400
watts...cw 120 watts but I broke all 4he rules
2014-06-20 09:09:27Z *VK3ZL* Bobby weighs 75 pounds..heavy for a
desktop..it was my own personal amplifier.
2014-06-20 09:08:18Z*VK3ZL* Bobby 160 only
2014-06-20 09:07:45Z*VK3ZL* Bobby I am very ill dado.
2014-06-20 09:04:46Z*VK3ZL* Bobby maybe in the next life eh?
2014-06-20 09:01:56Z *VK3ZL* Bobby it was a real wrench to me when I
found out it was all over as I loved using my hands building amplifiers
and other ham gear..I have thousands of dollars in parts tools and general
2014-06-20 08:58:01Z *VK3ZL* Bobby TKhanks Dado..Most other gear will
be sold locally.
2014-06-20 08:54:30Z *VK3ZL* Bobby 1.5 kw amp is 2.5k
dollars..shipping overseas would be about 500 dollars a bit pricy.
2014-06-20 08:51:28Z *VK3ZL* Bobby amplifier Inbuitblazt year..Over
the past 5 years I have hand made more than 3o amplofiers mainly for 6
and 2 mete4s.
