W3IY, Bill Seabreeze, SK. VHF and microwave enthusiasts lost a true friend
and supporter today when Bill Seabreeze succumbed after a long struggle with
cancer at 54.
Bill was first licensed as WN3EIY in 1965. He quickly found his lifelong
passion of VHF and microwave radio. Virtually every VHF operator on the
east coast knew Bill as a friend. Throughout his life he Elmered
up-and-coming VHF operators. His laboratory was always available to help
solve our technical problems and to get our equipment working. His web site
http//users.adelphia.net~w3iy/ was a treasure-trove of valuable vhf
information, propagation data, and rover tips. He was a member of the
Potomac Valley Radio Club.
Bill's pride and joy was his rover, the official Intergalactic Roving Battle
Jitney. He never missed a VHF contest until this September, when he was
confined to bed. He didn't enter for score, but to give out rare grids to
his friends. He developed a circuit starting in FM15 and FM25 on the outer
banks of North Carolina, and continuing up through the eastern shore, taking
advantage of coastal tropo to give these rare grids to stations as far up
the coast as Maine. In recent years he was joined by his friend Christophe,
ON4IY, who flew over from Belgium for each contest to rove with Bill. I
will always remember Bill's whispering yet reliable 10-GHz signal from the
outer banks. His perennial admonition, "don't forget to listen for the weak
ones" is known to us all.
Bill was Vice President for Engineering of Microcube Corp. in Leesburg VA.
He is survived by his wife Kathy, his son Billy, and his daughter Kristine.
Viewing will be at the Loudoun Funeral Home and Chapel, Catoctin Circle,
Leesburg, VA, to be followed by a brief service, date and time to be
announced.
Well, 73, Bill. I know from now on the propagation will be a bit more
difficult. But we will still be listening down in the noise for you, just
like you taught us.
de W4RX
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