Paul Bailey (VS6DO)

June 22, 2008

For many hams Paul Bailey, VS6DO was their first Hong Kong on the low bands. Paul was an Officer in the British police force when Hong Kong was still a British Colony. His QTH in the 70s and 80s was a top floor apartment and roof access of a multi-story apartment building located on Broadcat Drive, Kowloon. A 4-1000 linear and substantial antenna gave him the one of the biggest signals out of SE Asia on 80 meters in the early 70's. Leaving the police force he then joined the Securities Exchange Commission until his retirement several years ago. During his term with the commission he had moved his QTH from Bradcast Drive to Fotan in Shatin and was mostly inactive on HF. He took an interest in music and playing golf. Upon his retirement he moved to Clovis, California. VS6DO, Paul Richard Bailey, died in an automobile accident in california, news link: (http://tinyurl.com/6he54k) on Sunday June 22nd. He was 62 years old and his death was untimely. Paul had a big signal on Topband during the early 80s. He was a dear friend and the news of his death was extremely sad, Paul will be missed by may of us. Steve, VR2XMQ (ex. VS6XMQ)

Contributed by: Steven Sebastian Beesley (VR2XMQ)

http://93bmwm5.googlepages.com/vs6dobyw0zv This is a story I wrote about Paul in Radiosporting magazine, February 1987 issue.

Contributed by: Bill Tippett (W4ZV)

Contributed by: Steven Sebastian Beesley (VR2XMQ)

How very, very sad. Paul and his then young family were, through chance, our next door neighbors in an adjoining apartment block of the former British colonial government quarters at Broadcast Drive, Kowloon, between 1987-88. I had then only been in Hong Kong a few years, working as a crown counsel to the government. I did not know, at first, who owned the massive antenna farm next door, due to being inactive on the air at that time. Paul's 160m ‘long wire’ (or one of them) actually came across to our block just above our bedroom window. Then, one day, our 10 year old daughter, told me that some of the children she played with downstairs in the development playground and attended the local school with, said their father was also a radio ham and was curious about my ham identity. Through her, I passed my name/call/contact details on, and shortly afterwards was rather shocked to receive a phone call from the, of course very famous, VS6DO. I had worked Paul from my UK station several years before, but had not guessed he was the ham living next door. Paul and I chatted on the phone about radio and expat interests for a while. I did not actually meet Paul until a couple of years later, at a local ham society dinner. Paul was a gentle, soft spoken man, and a tremendous enthusiast for radio and his family. My deepest condolences go to Paul’s family. VR2AX (formerly VS6UK) GW3YGH

Contributed by: Wyn Hughes (VR2AX)

This is sad news. I remember well working Paul from my Utah in the 70s (W7OHR and VE4AH/W7). Paul's booming signal and signature "VS6DO Hong Kong" were instantly recognizable to me and thousands of other DXers. Paul was a legend.

Contributed by: Harris Leck (VK6AV)

I first knew Paul in 1968/69. We here the same age so I spent some time at his apartment.. He had recently married his Chinese girlfriend and I was trying to marry mine. They had just had a baby. Unfortunately it fell on Paul to tell me my girlfriend had agreed to her family’s request for an arranged marriage. Recently I had a medical accident when a tumour was removed from my neck. This accident caused brain damage which made me want to relate to my past. When I tried to find my old friends from Hong Kong. Paul was the only one still alive. We were in contact recently by E-mail. But now I’m devastated to hear that he also has joined the silent Keys.

Contributed by: Dave Digby (G8DHQ)

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