Every week without fail I'd get a call from Bob (K9EID) to discuss aspects of amateur radio, the AM window, homebrewing rigs, or the Winterfest/W9DYV Symposium. The last time we visited at the St. Louis Winterfest -- just a few weeks ago -- he handed me his MM2 monitor scope to repair.
With the repair completed, I had been calling him a few times over the past two weeks to ask if he wanted it sent back or to hold it for the upcoming Dayton Hamvention...but heard nothing back...which was a tiny bit concerning since he would return calls usually within a day - emails within hours. I merely figured Bob was busy or just tired out from his cancer radiation treatments.
In Bob's normal way, he understated the severity of those treatments and never offered a hint he was doing poorly. In fact, at January's recent Winterfest he was the age-old Bob...looking for a good deal in the flea market and thrilled to visit with old friends and on-air acquaintances. His passing earlier this week has left a huge void and disappointment in myself for not sensing the seriousness of his most recent condition.
Bob and I first met in 1978 when I recruited him and Jerry Pettinger (an ARRL-published linear amplifier homebrewer) to conduct seminars at the New Orleans Hamfest & Computerfest on audio articulation for SSB transmitters (Bob) and how to properly design and construct high powered HF linear amplifiers (Jerry). We kept in touch over the many years and, of course, he was deeply involved in all things single sideband (SSB) via the phasing method, Wes Schum (W9DYV), and Central Electronics.
We've lost a great friend...both personally and for this wonderful hobby of ours. Bob had the type of outgoing personality that made even the most pedestrian activity fun. He truly would light up every room and quickly earn one's friendship. K9EID will forever be remembered as an amateur radio rock star and audio engineering genius.
73 & 88 OM. SK.
