Very sad news this morning. Dale Benton, W4OP of the Boatanchors list wrote to
inform us of the passing of Jimmy Long, W4ZRZ. Jimmy was the former owner of
Long’s Electronics in Birmingham, as well as many other business ventures.
Jimmy was also an Honor Roll DXer, EME pioneer, avid VHF contester, and
experimenter. From his hilltop home in Springville, AL, W4ZRZ was one of the
loudest stations in the Southeast on as many as 12 bands.
On a personal note, Jim was one of my VHF mentors, and my 2nd ever contact on 2
Meter SSB. He encouraged me, taught me with great patience, and prodded me when
I struggled in my quest to earn VUCC on 2 meters using indoor antennas. An
effort that he thought was complete folly, BTW.
More than once, as he struggled to hear me on 1.2 Ghz, he’d shout— “Les, why
don’t you just move to someplace that allows you to have antennas!”
Jimmy loaned out more gear than most of us will ever own. He loaned me gear for
5 Ghz, 10 Ghz, and more when I was roving during contests—and would stay up
half the night during contest weekends to work me from a new grid. He drove 35
miles to my house once in the middle of the night to loan me a Belko 432
amplifier. It was at my shack for so long he seemed surprised when I returned
it. He had honestly forgotten the loan. That’s the kind of guy he was.
He will really be missed. Can’t imagine a VHF contest without hearing “Radio
Zebra Radio.”
73,
Les Rayburn, N1LF
les@highnoonfilm.com <mailto:les@highnoonfilm.com>
121 Mayfair Park
Maylene, AL 35114
EM63nf
NRC & IRCA Courtesy Program Committee Chairman
Member WTFDA, MWC
Perseus SDR, AirSpy + Discovery, SDRPlay RSP Duo, Sony XDR-F1HD [XDR Guy
Modified], Korner 9.2 Antenna, FM-6 Antenna, Kitz Technologies KT-501 Pre-amps,
Quantum Phaser, Wellbrook ALA1530 Loop, Wellbrook Flag, Clifton Labs Active
Whip.
“Nothing but blues and Elvis, and somebody else’s favorite song…”
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