eHam
eHam Forums => Contesting => Topic started by: K3TN on January 04, 2023, 05:03:25 AM
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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 (https://ncjweb.com/features/sepoct15feat.pdf)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
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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
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No, he wasn't.
http://hamgallery.com/gallery/S/xv5ac.htm
--Shane
WP2ASS / ex KD6VXI
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No, he wasn't.
http://hamgallery.com/gallery/S/xv5ac.htm
--Shane
WP2ASS / ex KD6VXI
Thanks for the info.
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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 (http://hamgallery.com/gallery/S/xv5ac_logs.htm)
So, K1VSK was right in a way after all.
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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 (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
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Very sad. My last QSO with him was on May 29, 2022. He was a wonderful operator!
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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 (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.
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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 (https://www.pvrc.org/Newsletters/2023_02.pdf).
73 John K3TN
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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
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That was Fred! He was an awesome source of knowledge and always willing to share.
In 2022 (https://3830scores.com/showrumor.php?arg=xNa0zHvsiaiaE), 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 (http://V).
73 John K3TN