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Bob White, W1CW SK

from Jim White, K4OJ on November 22, 2002
View comments about this article!

I was a Novice who didn't know squat but my Elmer suddenly had need of a 15 meter beam for the family antenna farm, which previously had had none. This is how things were with my Dad, W1CW - a giving man who always put his interests last and everyone else's first.

Dad was the guy who made the DXCC what it was - he checked and administered the program for almost a quarter century in Newington, and he didn't cut any corners - everyone was held to the same high standards - this is what made holding DXCC meaningful. That was during the "heyday" of DXCC, including the evolution of the DXpedition. Dad later went on to set up and run the "new" ARRL outgoing QSL Bureau.

Finally, when he moved to Tampa after Hurricane Andrew we had an opportunity to put together a big ham station - capable of being first through the pileups and supporting multi-operator entries in contests. For numerous hours in the early planning stages we would talk on the telephone while both sitting in front of computers running YO trying antenna designs for the new 15 meter beam for the station. Dad's final design has been a killer into EU ever since.

I was in heaven - we would work on the projects during the week while I was at work and on the weekends and I would install that needed special mounting plate or reinforcement - that would be Dad's project for the week.... and I would come over on Saturdays and piece by piece the antenna farm grew. W1YL (Mom) didn't always approve of Dad's priorities but I always thought they were in order. Multi-ops were hosted and certificates and plaques started showing up in the mailbox. This was ham-heaven.

During late nights when he could not sleep W1CW loved 40 meter CW - especially since his station now had something he had never had before - a rotary yagi - at 135 feet! Each year when I went to Dayton and saw friends they would usually say the same thing "I heard your Dad on 40". He was able to enjoy the station, talking to his friends in the First Class CW Operators' Club and at times marveling at radio - almost like a new ham excited about his first "run" of JA stations - he would tell me "two nights ago was really good - they just kept callin' and callin'" Radio filled almost all his life, ever since his step-dad W6APG introduced him to it.

After the end of each contest we would pow-wow over what could be improved and would this be one of the upcoming projects for the station. Over the years the station grew and outgrew itself - we had to put additional operating positions out on the porch when we went multi-multi but through it all we had a blast. Florida Contest Group multi-operations in all the major CW DX contests, being the hub for the W1AW/4 IARU, and a threepeat as first place finisher in the CW SS were some of the highlights. Mom would keep us ops all well fed - Dad would routinely walk around checking the meters [no Red LED's on the Alphas!]. A respectable contest station was born and raised by W1CW... be it the miles of burried ground system or the custom turnings from his lathe it all came together into a fine machine for making ham radio communications!

This morning my father passed away. His health had been failing and we had been graced with an "extra" year with my Dad after he survived triple by-pass surgery. I just had lunch with my Mom and my wife and my wife looked at me as I gazed out into the back yard and Teresa smiled and said - "their his monuments" - referring to all those towers and antennas squeezed onto his lot!

Dad had been licensed previously as: W6QEZ, W2QPZ, KH6QJ, W6YYN, and W1WPO. He was a radioman during WW II and a member of ARRL for over 60 years - my Dad would often joke at how the League was gonna lose money big time on his lifetime membership!

In my last talks with him he wanted to hear about the big efforts planned for this weekends CQ WW contest and especially how a fellow club member was coming on a major antenna project.

Radio - when I was little it separated me from my Dad, as I grew older it became the gift that turned by Dad into my best friend... thanks for the ride, Dad - say hello to W0DX and KH6IJ for me.

W1CW SK 11/22/02

73,

Jim, K4OJ


Member Comments: Add A Comment
Bob White, W1CW SK Reply
by K4TX on November 22, 2002 Mail this to a friend!
Sympathy and condolences on the passing of your dad. Jim, your story was a wonderful tribute to your dad and your relationship with him.

My dad wasn't a ham, but I also shared many experiences of the hobby with him. . .especially his willingness to help me put up antennas, etc.

Again - reading your story showed the great feeling and love you both shared. Take care - and we'll all miss Bob, W1CW.
 
Bob White, W1CW SK Reply
by KH7U on November 22, 2002 Mail this to a friend!
My condolences to you and your family,Jim. Having a relationship such as yours (and mine) with ones parents is a wonderful thing that should be cherished.

For me it has been a joint interest with my father in fishing in Alaska. Plus for my whole family...getting invited over to eat his outstanding cooking.

With the recent, sudden loss of Dan Robbins, KL7Y, I know some of what feelings you are experiencing. I pray that you will carry on the tradition and enrich more young people with this great thing, amateur radio, and especially contesting.

Congratulations on the fine memorial posting. Gee, is it overstepping bounds by using your father's call sign one last time this weekend? I would hope not.

I may not be able to participate this weekend but my thoughts will be with you and the fine people we have recently lost.

Aloha, 73 Kimo Chun, KH7U
 
Bob White, W1CW SK Reply
by K7JA on November 22, 2002 Mail this to a friend!
Bob White is already one of the most fun memories we'll ever know. He was so full of life, and full of so much more than just DX. . .but what a storehouse of radio know-how he was!

He ran us ragged a few years ago, as we churned out antenna projects ahead of a fabulous and memorable Thanksgiving Dinner (thanks for the pounds, LN!). Right in the middle of a dash around the yard, he'd suddenly collapse in an easy chair, go to sleep for 45 minutes, then jump back up at full speed without warning. At first we were alarmed, but then we learned that cat-naps were his way of ensuring proper rest so he could stay up all night on 40 CW!

And on the DX-Caribe Cruise in 1995, you could always count on finding OM Bob "holding court" on 40 until the sun came up. One can just imagine what he was thinking about the cruise ship, which Bob surely considered nothing more than a moving antenna mount on salt water: "I've gotta get one of these!"

Thanks for the memories, Bob; you'll always be 599!

73 for now,

Chip and Janet Margelli, K7JA and KL7MF
 
Bob White, W1CW SK Reply
by kr2q on November 24, 2002 Mail this to a friend!
I didn't know your dad real well, but my memory of him will always be bound in my first encounter at the DXCC desk in Newington (late 1960's). There he was...long hair and Ben Franklin glasses. I stopped by with G3VBL and he shared his photo of Rockall with us. What an image - forever frozen in my mind.

Best DX!

de Doug KR2Q
 
Bob White, W1CW SK Reply
by K7GM on November 25, 2002 Mail this to a friend!
In about 1971 or 1972 I went to work at the ARRL as a 20-year-old whippersnapper. I was the contest manager for three years. However, unknown to almost everyone, my very first job at the League was at the DXCC desk. My first real "boss" was Bob White. He taught me to look at things (not just QSL's) with a discerning eye, to take care in performing my job, to do things right the first time, to realize that nothing done well is easy, to take pride in my work, and to give an honest days work for a days pay. Those are lessons I have kept with me ever since. Thank you Bob. I'll miss you.
 
Bob White, W1CW SK Reply
by W4AN on November 26, 2002 Mail this to a friend!
Really sad to hear the news Jimmy.

I used to chat with your dad late nights, normally on 20 meter (cw of course). We were two of the few night owls prowling the bands from the states. Your dad was always happy to have a QSO postpone his DXing.

I'll miss finding him booming in to North Georgia in the early hours of a new day.

RIP Bob

 
Bob White, W1CW SK Reply
Anonymous post on November 26, 2002 Mail this to a friend!
I met Bob White in Little Rock many years ago at a ADXA meeting. He was a fine man. Sympathies to the entire family. He will be missed by all.

Tears filled my eyes as I read Jim's story and thought of the similarity to the relationship between my father and me and now between my son, N5DX, who now holds his grandfather's callsign, and me.

My most memorable "QSO" was with my father on 15M CW about 2:00AM after he passed away 13 years ago. There is no question that it was solid copy on his end.

Stan, K5GO
 
Bob White, W1CW SK Reply
by W1FJ on December 1, 2002 Mail this to a friend!
What a great tribute to a wonderful man. I had the pleasure of watching the station evolve while enjoying the GREAT hospitatlity of the "White House " each year. I always looked forward to seeing what marvels Bob had created in the shop and talking antennas with him. I will always remember the year he enlisted a bunch of us to install the most beautifly constructed top loaded "T" for 160 in the form of a multiwire cage. What craftsmanship!
I will miss those discussions and miss Mr. DXCC

RIP, mate

AL W1FJ
 
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