Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: K3ZO SK  (Read 672 times)

K3TN

  • Member
  • Posts: 1013
    • My Blog
K3ZO SK
« on: January 04, 2023, 05:03:25 AM »

The Potomac Valley Radio Club lost a giant last night when Fred Laun K3ZO passed away at age 85. Fred was a top DX contester for over 50 years, an incredibly knowledgeable DXer and one of the nicest hams you would ever meet. Fred was unique and is already missed

If you never met Fred, the excellent interview by K1AR in the September 2015 National Contest Journal here captured him pretty well.

Finally, a quote from Fred in 1999 when there was a debate on how to define the Single Op category:

"If anyone wants to invent a new category that will fit me, I will gladly
change to that category and continue to have fun in the contests. Until
then, I will continue to operate SOHP.
73, Fred"


73 John K3TN
Logged
John K3TN

K1VSK

  • Member
  • Posts: 1947
Re: K3ZO SK
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2023, 08:11:53 AM »

Is this the same guy who operated XV5AC during the war and was the only station active from Vietnam we could work then? One of the few memorable pileupsand he managed it very well
Logged

KD6VXI

  • Member
  • Posts: 1021
Re: K3ZO SK
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2023, 09:26:42 AM »

No, he wasn't.

http://hamgallery.com/gallery/S/xv5ac.htm

--Shane
WP2ASS / ex KD6VXI
Logged

K1VSK

  • Member
  • Posts: 1947
Re: K3ZO SK
« Reply #3 on: January 04, 2023, 09:40:52 AM »

Logged

K1JX

  • Posts: 72
    • HomeURL
Re: K3ZO SK
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2023, 02:26:14 PM »

Chester was indeed the licensee for XV5AC.

However, the station itself apparently was kind of fluid in where it was actually located and who was operating.  K3ZO, K7ZZ, K4GKD, WB4UZP and a few others were often behind the microphone or paddle.  (Including 9N1MM and K2TT - figure out the connection.)

In fact, I think Don and Fred were the first ones on the air from Chester's station when Vietnam was removed from the banned list.  Chester was in DC at the time making that happen!

You can look at some of this here:  http://hamgallery.com/gallery/S/xv5ac_logs.htm

So, K1VSK was right in a way after all.
Logged

K1VSK

  • Member
  • Posts: 1947
Re: K3ZO SK
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2023, 03:34:29 PM »

Chester was indeed the licensee for XV5AC.

However, the station itself apparently was kind of fluid in where it was actually located and who was operating.  K3ZO, K7ZZ, K4GKD, WB4UZP and a few others were often behind the microphone or paddle.  (Including 9N1MM and K2TT - figure out the connection.)

In fact, I think Don and Fred were the first ones on the air from Chester's station when Vietnam was removed from the banned list.  Chester was in DC at the time making that happen!

You can look at some of this here:  http://hamgallery.com/gallery/S/xv5ac_logs.htm

So, K1VSK was right in a way after all.
Glad to know my memory hasn’t disappeared. Thanks. Wasn’t eager to look through hundreds of qsl cards
« Last Edit: January 04, 2023, 03:39:12 PM by K1VSK »
Logged

US7IGN

  • Posts: 75
    • https://www.us7ign.com/
Re: K3ZO SK
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2023, 11:04:01 PM »

Very sad. My last QSO with him was on May 29, 2022. He was a wonderful operator!
Logged

K0RS

  • Member
  • Posts: 1501
Re: K3ZO SK
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2023, 05:52:44 PM »

Chester was indeed the licensee for XV5AC.

However, the station itself apparently was kind of fluid in where it was actually located and who was operating.  K3ZO, K7ZZ, K4GKD, WB4UZP and a few others were often behind the microphone or paddle.  (Including 9N1MM and K2TT - figure out the connection.)

In fact, I think Don and Fred were the first ones on the air from Chester's station when Vietnam was removed from the banned list.  Chester was in DC at the time making that happen!

You can look at some of this here:  http://hamgallery.com/gallery/S/xv5ac_logs.htm

So, K1VSK was right in a way after all.

It wasn't a paddle, it was a bug, at least some of the time.  I have a Vibroplex Original Deluxe bug that is engraved on the bottom:  "Property of John C Lunsford, W4EVG/XV5AC."  The serial number is 272*** which would make it 1973 vintage.  I no longer remember how I came in possession of it.  Sure would be interesting to know the key's itinerary since the Viet Nam war.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2023, 05:55:09 PM by K0RS »
Logged
"90% of the people in a pile-up have no idea what's going on.  It's up to you to be in the remaining 10%."  *W9KNI*

K3TN

  • Member
  • Posts: 1013
    • My Blog
Re: K3ZO SK
« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2023, 05:51:33 AM »

The February Potomac Valley Radio Club February newsletter has a about 12 pages of tribute to and memorial of Fred K3ZO. You can see it here.

73 John K3TN
Logged
John K3TN

WG5G

  • Member
  • Posts: 246
Re: K3ZO SK
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2023, 03:47:22 PM »

Hello,

I just wanted to say how sorry I was to hear about Fred's passing, seems like I just heard him during the DL phone dx contest.
The memory I have of Fred was when I wrote to him about how he was feeding his dual driven quad - I had never met or spoke to him prior to the letter & he sent me about a 4 page handwritten letter detailing all aspects of the design - a true gentleman, Dan WG5G
Logged

K3TN

  • Member
  • Posts: 1013
    • My Blog
Re: K3ZO SK
« Reply #10 on: February 01, 2023, 04:54:23 AM »

That was Fred! He was an awesome source of knowledge and always willing to share.

In 2022, at age 85 he operated in more than a dozen contests and scored over 21M points!

In the CQ WW CW in November, less than 6 weeks before he passed, Fred operated 31 hours and made over 3.4M points.

73 John K3TN
Logged
John K3TN
Pages: [1]   Go Up