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KL7Y dies in motorcycle accident
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by df9cy on November 9, 2002
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Thanks DAN for beeing my first KL7. Thanks for the time you shared with us. Farewell !
Christoph
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KL7Y dies in motorcycle accident
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by MM0BRG on November 9, 2002
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To date, Dan was my one and only contact into Alaska from here in the West of Scotland, so I am very saddened to hear of his tragic and untimely passing.
Thank you so much for that contact Dan, I'm glad that I got to talk to you.
From a radio ham, and biker, Godspeed OM.
Heartfelt condolences to Dan's girlfriend,family and friends.
Roger Harman, Kilwinning, Scotland.
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KL7Y dies in motorcycle accident
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by ve3vv on November 10, 2002
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I was very sorry to hear about Dan`s death. I always looked forward to working him in a contest. He was a great operator and a gentleman.
73 Ted
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KL7Y dies in motorcycle accident
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by N9AB on November 11, 2002
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On behalf of Dan’s family, thank you for your comments and condolences. It is very comforting to receive your thoughts and memories of Dan. The web pages were printed and available for viewing at Dan’s wake and funeral. In addition, your kind thoughts were referenced during the service and a few of the comments were read aloud. The “ham community” was very well represented, as several of Dan’s friends traveled from out-of-state to pay their last respects and comfort the family.
Dan and I grew up together in the same town, and were first licensed at the same time in 1963. I have very fond memories of Dan’s early construction projects, tower climbing, and contesting. I can recall our early novice days using home brew crystal controlled transmitters. Dan had a Knight Kit Span Master regenerative receiver that drifted if he moved his hand from the tuning knob. Once in our youth, Dan helped me carry an assembled 15-meter beam over three miles to my QTH. We walked down the middle of the back streets, and headed for the safety of someone’s lawn if a car approached. We often did tower work together for elderly or disabled hams. We were happy to get the experience and were delighted to receive an old roll of RG-8 coax in return for our services. Working on a tower with Dan was always an “interesting” experience, filled with Dan’s humor and antics. I also remember Dan’s early contesting days. We formed a “non-club” group and operated several field days together. Throughout each contest, Dan would keep notes on improvements, which would be implemented the following year. Later in life, when Dan moved to Alaska, I always took pride when I referred my “cousin in Alaska”, the DX’er and Contester.
73 Andy N9AB
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KL7Y dies in motorcycle accident
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by KH6ND on November 12, 2002
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Daniel K. Robbins - KL7Y
Truly one of the finest men that I�ve ever known. In addition to this, a world class radio man. How lucky can I be to have called this man my friend? If I have ever known anyone on this planet that had earned the right to a long and happy life, it was he. My faith in a well ordered universe has been soundly shaken.
Near the end of the 2002 WPX SSB contest, KL7Y called our 20 meter station operator and set up a sked for 0015 zulu so that we could talk to our longtime friend, post contest. Dan had operated from here as a key member of our Multi-Mutli efforts on more than one occasion, was always a huge asset to the team, and was instantly well liked by all that had come in contact with him. He was elated when we told him that we had just met our goal of decisively breaking the Oceania WPX SSB M/M record, even though we had a very minimal crew.
The discussion then centered around the fact that Ken, KH7R, would very likely be passing on this historic site to a new owner sometime in the near future. I remember Dan's exact words.... "We should all get together for one last hurrah in the CQ WW Phone." The seed was planted, and how could any of us have known how terribly prophetic these words, as it turned out, were to become?
Six weeks later, I asked some of the SMC'ers at Dayton if any were interested in making a return journey to Hawaii to attempt what would most likely be the last opportunity of this cycle to break the CQ WW SSB Oceania Multi-Multi record. This same group of guys had been part of the team that had actually broken this record in '99, but not by enough to stand as a new record after log checking. All of the crew from '99 responded with a resounding "YES!", and the die was cast.
As the summer progressed, we worked through confirmations and cancellations from various ops, for various reasons, but when the final call was put out, we had 9 confirmed. Unfortunately, Ken, KH7R, would be unable to join us, but graciously agreed to let us proceed in his absence. In this regard, KH7R and KL7Y have always been two of a kind� remarkably generous hosts. Dan, as he had done in the past, planned his vacation around the contest, arriving the weekend before, and planning a return to KL7 the weekend after.
Dan showed up to meet me at the station as planned on Wednesday morning prior to the contest to start configuring the network, and setting up operating positions. The first thing I asked Dan to do upon his arrival was to help me move the picnic table into the garage that would be our dining area. I told him, �we�ll keep things a bit less comfortable when they eat, no television, no shag carpet, only operating and sleeping.� Dan smiled an approving smile, and we moved the table. The rest of the day went as smooth as silk. With Dan�s capable help, we got the network talking quickly, and some needed tower work done as well. This is the most memorable and enjoyable day I had ever spent with Dan. We got a great deal more accomplished than I could have hoped for, and had a lot of fun doing it. Just after dark, the UPS man showed up with the amplifier that we were expecting back from the repair shop, and a component for the security system that needed replacing. That night, KH7U and AH6OZ came up with two carloads full of equipment, and the four of us went into Haleiwa town for pizza..
The next day, Dan and I picked up where we�d left off. We started setting up all of the operating positions with radios, amplifiers, bandpass filters, stubs, did a bit more network and software configuration, and more antenna work.. When K9PG and K9NW arrived on Thursday afternoon with WA2GO and WL7E in tow, we had the majority of the setup done. We all looked forward to the coming battle. Thursday night, the six of us made the journey to Haleiwa town for some Mexican cuisine. Dan has never been shy about saying �I don�t miss many lunches�� from what I�ve seen, he never missed many dinners either. The man loved to eat, and we all had a truly enjoyable pre-contest dinner, knowing that the coming weekend held only the promise of grilled hot dogs at best.
On Friday, all but 2 of us were on site by 2200 zulu. Kimo, KH7U would arrive after his workday with all of our provisions for the weekend, and Brian, K9QQ/KH6 would arrive after work as well. I had distributed printouts of the rate sheets from our �99 effort as our barometer, and Dan and I decided to go with 2 hour shifts, at least to start out.
Starting time is at 2 PM local in Hawaii, with 20 meters all but useless for the first hour here at this point on the globe. 20 doesn�t start cooking here until several hours into the contest, so I had asked Dan to take the second shift on 20 to take advantage of his unparalleled ability to handle the European pileups, complete with the severe polar flutter that normally occur from here, and from KL7, where most of his experience lay. Dan, in his typical agreeable fashion, concurred with this plan.
An unforeseen problem with the 15 meter station had us all scrambling for the last half hour prior to the start, but we managed to arrive at a workable solution, and the battle was on. Our 10 and 15 meter operators had identical first hours of 357, with 59 Q�s on 20 meters, a great start on all 3 bands. We were ahead of the �99 pace. By 0500z we were 300 Q�s ahead of the �99 effort, very encouraging indeed. Then, at the end of the 0500 hour, we found ourselves behind �99. No 10 and 15 meter long path openings, as in �99, and terrible low band conditions took their toll on us. The coronal hole had done it�s despicable deed. For the remainder of the first day, and into the second, no matter how hard we fought, we slipped slowly, and painfully, further behind. Then, as darkness fell on the second night, we started to regain some ground. The low bands were much better, and it appeared there was still a glimmer of hope, if we pushed hard all night long. And push hard we did. By the time I finally took sleep at 1600z of the second day, we needed a Sunday morning with long duration openings to Europe on all bands to pull out a new record. After a very long night, I retired, with KL7Y still hammering away on 20 meters, and two fresh SMC�ers up and ready to tackle the higher bands. If the propagation Gods were to be with us, I knew we were in the best of hands�..
When I awoke at 1900z, although we had regained even more ground, a new record was an impossibility. The long, strong, polar openings that we had needed hadn�t materialized. We could all take satisfaction in the knowledge that we had pressed hard all weekend to set up a good Sunday, but it was not to be. I would have loved nothing better than to have set a new record during the last contest of KL7Y�s tenure in this world, but perhaps, after all is said and done, an even more fitting tribute to him is that Danno never gave up, kept pressing without regard as to the likelihood of achieving the goal, and never once thought about throwing in the towel. This is the mark of a world class contestor, and, in this case, a world class human being.
Shortly after the end of the contest, while most of crew were in the garage barbecuing, and watching game 7 of the World Series, KL7Y was inside working on the logs. We had experienced a brief RF problem with the 80 meter keyboard corrupting a few callsigns during the second night. Dan�s tireless nature kept him inside for the first hour or two of the game addressing this problem, and he stayed at it until the log was finalized. Thank you, Dan.
That evening, all but KH6ND made the trek to Haleiwa for dinner, with KL7Y and WL7E being the only ones returning to the station to stay the night. I deeply regret not having been up to joining them for this last dinner.
Immediately upon awakening on Monday morning, with only KL7Y, WL7E, and KH6ND still on site, Dan�s first words were, �let�s get this thing installed for Ken!� as he cut open the UPS box containing the security system component that had been delivered Wednesday night prior to the contest. We got it installed and working in short order, and after a few handshakes and farewells, Dan jumped into his car and headed for the airport, and the big island of Hawaii, to enjoy the final leg of his vacation. This was the last time he was seen by his friends here on Oahu.
An irreplaceable friend, mentor, and resource has been lost to all of us. Not only to those of us that had the good fortune to know him personally, but to so very many that knew him distantly. I would never attempt to describe Dan in only one word, but if I had to describe him in two words, �tireless generosity� are among the first that come to mind.
Treasure those that are close to you� savor the time that you have together� stick a camera in the face of someone that you care about� life is precious, fragile, and unpredictable.
Strive to be more like those that you admire, respect, and love. This is how I plan to keep Dan�s memory a daily part of my life�. I have a long way to go.
I could say rest in peace, but it seems to me quite likely that Dan may already be well into working on his next project, in a place that some of us, if we live as unselfishly as Dan did, may catch up with him when our time comes.
Fondest aloha, and only the best for you, Danno.
You�ve earned it.
Mike - KH6ND
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KL7Y dies in motorcycle accident
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by K9JF on November 16, 2002
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I had the pleasure of meeting Dan at the Anchorage Hamfest in September. We made arrangements to meet the following Wednesday when we came back from Fairbanks. Unfortunately, he was on the road and not able to meet.
I'll remember the many QSO's with him in contests and other operating events. His big signal will be missed by all of us.
73 OM & Godspeed
Jim K9JF
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KL7Y dies in motorcycle accident
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by K0AV on November 19, 2002
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I first met Dan in the summer of 1978 at an ARRL Convention in Anchorage. We had both just moved to Alaska the month or so before, and were interested in the same technical topic on the convention program: radio propagation through the auroral zones. I had just received my new AL7H call-sign while he was still WA9IXF/KL7. Within about six months he would become KL7Y.
I learned that Dan's original interest had been astronomy, having his first telescope at age nine. He continued to build on this interest. Propagation and auroral phenomena were just extensions of his study of astronomy and astrophysics. For Dan, astronomy was far more than just knowing the names of planets, stars and constellations. He looked at the night sky much differently than most people - not as twinkling dots - but rather great questions: some which had answers and some for which did not.
His perspective obviously had a way of humbling him. He knew man's very small place in the big scheme of things.
I think this is why Dan was so open, honest, straightforward, approachable and why he had a genuine interest in everyone he encountered.
Good DX'ing ol' Dozo Dan -- CUL
Alan K0AV ex-AL7H
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KL7Y dies in motorcycle accident
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by RV9UP on November 28, 2002
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I remember his voice since first SWL experiense at more than 20 years ago, than QSO's...
We'll remember your voice, Dan. We'll remember forever.
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KL7Y dies in motorcycle accident
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by N0AX on December 2, 2002
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Previous comments are right - there definitely was something missing from November this year and that was KL7Y. What a tough loss...Dan, your friends will always carry your memory fondly.
73, Ward N0AX
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