Tree wrote:
> Thought I would share some W7GG memories (also known as AI7B or W7TDK).
>
> It has been a couple of years since Bob has posted much to cq-contest.
> His unique style of using mostly lower case characters - and speaking
> very openly about how he felt about things will be missed. One post that
> I will never forget is this one:
>
> http://lists.contesting.com/archives//html/CQ-Contest/2006-01/msg00091.html
>
> Bob pushed the envelope on speaking ones mind. He even seems to be very
> supportive of the idea of there being a QRP reflector:
>
> "why not take it to the QRP REFLECTOR for
> criss sakes and give the rest of us a break....
> and if there ain't a Qrp reflector it sure sounds
> like their outa be ....."
>
> While Bob was dealing with his medical issues - I was invovled in taking
> down some of this antennas and towers at his QTH in Culver, Oregon. I
> had never been to his place to operate and maybe those who have will share
> some of their experiences.
>
> While one of the towers was already down before I was involved - there was
> still a very impressive 180 foot rotating tower with about half of the
> antennas on it to take down. You can see some pictures of it here:
>
> http://www.kkn.net/~tree/gallery/W7GG2008
>
> This station was located out in the "desert" (yes - over 2/3rds of Oregon
> is desert) on a 5 acre lot in an area that had no power lines. I imagine
> that it was really neat operating many miles from any power lines. Many
> of the houses there use wind and solar power. Obviously that wouldn't be
> enough to power a big contest station, so Bob also had a couple of
> generators that could be fired up for contests.
>
> This was clearly one of the biggest contest stations in the area - ranking
> right up there with the W7RM QTH (now owned by N7TT). I was in awe at the
> parts that Bob had accumulated at this station. Rumor has it that K3LR
> is thinking of renting a U-Haul truck and picking up some good stuff.
>
> Bob was supportive of the CQ WW and Stew Perrry Plaque programs and his
> contributions will be missed.
>
> I remember during the first or second running of the Stew Perry contest,
> there was a morning opening to UA4HBW and we were all calling him on 160.
> Bob was the only one to make it through. After seeing his QTH and half
> wave slopers coming down from 180 feet - it's easy to understand why he
> had a big signal on topband.
>
> His stacked 3/3 on 40 must have been bone crushing - as well as his other
> stacks.
>
> Some pieces from Bob's station were integrated into mine in time for the
> CW SS contest. I was using a Six Pack and a tribander that used to be
> part of his station. So - Bob's key will never be totally silent - just
> some of the pieces are now going to be part of other signals you hear
> on the band.
>
> In fact - a very nice looking key that Bob had in his collection was
> given away as the "Iron Man" award to Mike, RW0CN, at the recent FARS
> games here in Portland.
>
> Hopefully - other's who knew Bob longer and better than I have can share
> some other stories. Bob was a long time friend of Stan, W7NI. He also
> worked with OH2BH when they were both at Tektronix. Recently, Bob ran
> a PC board manufacturing company that I believe makes PC boards for the
> Inrad folks.
>
> RIP Bob.
>
> Tree N6TR/7
> tree@kkn.net
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>
Bob, W7GG, and his wife very kindly took me and my wife (and I think
also WA4ILO) to dinner one night when we were at a judges' educational
conference in Portland. On the same trip, Tree took time out of being
with his daughter in the hospital to meet me for a refreshment or lunch.
I vividly recall Bob recounting the story of his crew's rapid
withdrawal from the eastern Washington contest station when a forest
fire got uncomfortably close during a major contest operation there. I
am pretty sure that event was written up in an article in NCJ.
Thanks for all the QSOs, old friend, and RIP.
73,
John, K4BAI.
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