San Antonio Hams

With great sadness, Jim Devno KG5UHP a member of AARO went silent key yesterday. Cousin In-Law to Mario K5NKK. He was U.S. and Reserves Army. Mario asked AARO to pass this along via FB. Jim final QRT and 73s. God Speed. Prayers going out to the family.

Service Information: Friday the 29th July 2022
Place: Puentes & Son
14315 Judson Rd, San Antonio, TX 78233
Time: 1500 – 2000 (3pm – 8pm)
*Masks will be required for the safety and protection of the family and other loved ones.*

Date: Friday the 5th August 2022
Place: Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery 1520 Harry Wurzbach Rd, San Antonio, TX 78209
Time: 10:45-11:15
* his site will be shelter #5. This will be outside so mask is encouraged but not required*

Posted on July 6, 2021 by Stan Waghalter

Gilbert Santana (N5CDA) has become a SK. He had been in poor health for several years, undergoing an organ transplant, but finally gave up the struggle. Most of us knew Gilbert from the AARO Ham Club where he served on the board and was even president for a while. We also know him from Altex Electronics.

Funeral services have been announced. On Monday, July 12, visitation and viewing from 3:30PM – 7:30PM at Castillo Mission Funeral Home, 520 N General McMullen. Rosary at 6PM.

On Tuesday, July 13, 9:30AM, depart the funeral home to the Mass of Christian Burial at St. Paul Catholic Church, 350 Sutton at 10AM with burial at San Fernando Cemetery 11.

Ron, WA5BUG, was on his roof and was headed to come down the ladder and probably had a stroke that resulted in a hard fall to concrete.  The fall also resulted in a very bad head injury and multiple fractures to many of his bones. 

He was in the ICU at SAMMC for a week and a few days and never regained consciousness.  His children and his wife were always at his side while hospitalized. 

Ron was a good man, a mentor, and a Texas ham celebrity of sorts.  He often would express his love for his family on the air. 

Sadly, Ron succumbed to his injuries Tuesday morning, 3-23-2021. 

Rita has received an outpouring of sympathy and tributes from hams all over Texas and beyond for which she is extremely proud and grateful.  Although now a Silent Key, Ron touched so many and his impression live on in all of us.

Ron’s daughter Elisa has established a “Go Fund Me” page to help his loving wife Rita with expenses.

Https://Gofundme.com/f/ron-berry

Update March 31st: Rita would like to share service information for Ron…

There will be a Memorial Service held at the First United Methodist Church on San Antonio St in New Braunfels May 6th at 11am

Fort Sam service will be May 7th at 11am. Not sure which specific spot there at this time.

73,

Mark
AC5RN

From Carol Watson, via her Facebook post…

It is with a broken heart that I share the news that my husband, business partner, and best friend, Andrew J. Watson, K5NNN, passed away on Wednesday, March 10th at the age of 65. His death was due to complications of living with Type II Diabetes.

The family will be preparing a “Memory Book” so that future generations will know how Andrew loved life, cared about people, and had an amazing sense of humor. Please send your thoughts and stories for the memory book to friendsofandrewwatson@gmail.com. Please provide your name and contact information in the email.

Condolences may be sent to friendsofandrewwatson@gmail.com or mailed to 3530 Huntwick Lane, San Antonio, TX 78230. The family is grieving and unable to respond to personal calls at this time.

Estate sale at 634 Pilgrim, SAT 78213.

Lots of Ham Radio stuff belonging to SK, W5UBJ, William Kiley. Tubes, tools, Kenwood, miscellaneous parts. Today and tomorrow. (3/11-3/12)

http://www.grissomroadcoc.org

https://www.estatesales.net/TX/San-Antonio/78213/2777103

Just received this info courtesy of the San Antonio Radio Club… better late than never, I guess.

_____________________

Mr. Curtis Edward Swafford, born on July 24, 1941 in Riceville, Tennessee, passed away at age 77 on September 17, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from Calhoun High School and TN Wesleyan College. Curtis served in the Air Force and he devoted his career to working at Randolph Air Force Base – Civil Service. Curtis is survived by his son, Mark Morga and wife Tara Morga; daughter, Christine Garza and husband Mark Garza; sister, Faye Burger and husband Carey Burger; and grandchildren, AnneMarie Garza, Stephanie Garza, Karina Morga, and Gabriela Morga. Some of Curtis’ hobbies were ham radio – W5PKE and bowling league.

Normally that would be the end of his story, but his family graciously allowed members of SARC to attend an estate sale of his treasure trove of years of collecting amateur radio equipment. Apparently, Curtis was into a lot more hobbies than just ham radio and bowling. He was into graphics art and computers from what we could see.

His memory will live on as other club members use his equipment to talk around the world. By the huge stack of QCL cards sitting by his desk, he made many contacts around the world. (A QSL card is a written confirmation of either a two-way radio communication between two amateur radio stations)

Curtis is gone but not forgotten by members of San Antonio Radio Club. While many of us did not know him while he was alive, we bonded with him through purchasing his equipment. His legacy will live on though many SARC members using his equipment once more to talk around the world.

Via: San Antonio Radio Club newsletter editor

It is with extreme sadness, that I announce the passing of Bill WX5W Roney.

Bill was an Amateur Radio operator for over 56 years and for over 4 decades was a powerful voice and influence in San Antonio Amateur Radio, I was fortunate to meet Bill on the air early 2005, and in person a few months later. A strong friendship and bond developed and in 2006 Bill and I founded the Unusual Suspects Amateur Radio UNCLUB. This grew rapidly into one of more popular Groups, with our UNCLUB format, of just having fun and taking the politics, formal meetings, etc out of the mix…….We could just be hams being hams.

Read the rest of this entry »

With Heavy Hearts we are sadden to report the passing of a fixture to the 147.380 repeater. W8SYD, Byron passed early Monday Morning. Survived by His Wife Christy and children. We will keep up to date once arrangements/memorial service has been made.

There will not be any public services.

SILENT KEY – W8SYD – Byron’s history

Started in Barberton, Summit County, Ohio with WN8SYD August 4, 1954 at the age of 12. My elmers were my Dad (electronics guy but nonham) and W8KAY who ran a KW on 144.300 CW for decades. I guess he was responsible for putting CW in my head forever. First rig was a Philmore NT-200 kit 6L6 (25w), an old S-40 with HBAVC, S-Meter & Q-multplier, 450 ft long wire at 50 ft., and a knife switch for T-R.

Mom was licensed WN8SYE at same time. Her station was upstairs NC-125, HB 2E26 A@30W AM and 8 half-waves in phase at 60 ft on 2M and a TBS-50D on 6m and a 4-el Yagi at 40ft.

1955 Built Johnson Ranger, HB 3-807s@2KV 811A mods, @ 500W AM. Sat for the General with the infamous FCC Engineer W8DX at one of the first Dayton Hamventions at the Dayton Biltmore Hotel in 1955. Received W8SYD May 5, 1955 and now attend Dayton regularly. Was active on AM & CW in the 50s, SSB & CW in the 60s (back in the days of phonepatches and traffic nets with real traffic). 1960 converted 807s/801s to 3-400Zs/810s to KW AM and 2KW SSB. In ’66 went into the USAF, travelled, had kids, etc. So was inactive for a while, but I’m back!! Rigs became SDRs, 3-500Zs and towers and beams.

Have had several enjoyable careers: Radar Intercept Controller (Man & SAGE) USAF Electronic Warfare, Electronics & Computer Programming, DoD contractor, then scrapped my techie hat and pay, to become a Clinical Social Worker, and the friendly neighborhood shrink.[g] Retire 2 years ago due to med problems. Now back to age 12 and on air 24/7.

2015 Equipment: SDR-1000, SDRTEC WonderRadio, FT-100D, TS-930S, NCX-3, Drake 4C Twins, NC-300, Ranger I, S-40, HW-16 and lots of other STUFF. Several 2m / 70cm rigs. LK-500ZC and SB-220 Amps. Homebrew 4-1000As in progress. Several HTs.

Antennas: A4S, 160m G5RV, 5el on 6m, 22el on 2, 5 el on 1.25, 27el on 70cm. 6m and 10m vert. 144/440 multi-el vert collinear. All are on a recently added 100′ Aluma crank up. old tower 40ft homebrew (1957) tiltover with 50 ft pushup out the top.) Also have 80m and 40m NVIS beams.

Software Defined Radio (SDR) is everything I everdreamed about as a kid (the penultimate rig). Computer software and SDR make everything possible. I acquired a WonderRadio (SDR-1000 clone) to develop some new ideas.

I am very sorry to announce that fellow HAMster and long time Amateur Radio Operator Harry Jordan W5CRS passed away yesterday at 4:pm.

Harry has been hospitalized for little over a month after suffering a sever stroke and unfortunately did not recover from the results of the stroke which left him unable to speak, or open his eyes.

Harry will be remember for his sense of humor, and his high energy level and enthusiasm for Amateur Radio, even though he was in his 80’s he was still full of energy and excitement like a kid when it came to HAM Radio and was hard at work to build a high quality 2 meter SSB Station to take part in many of the HAMster activities, building a repeater and was hard at work building a 6 meter repeater.

Harry will be missed.

Please keep Harry and his family in your thoughts and prayers during this rough time.

Service Announcement for Silent Key Harry Jordan W5CRS.

Visitation will be Wednesday June 27th from 6-9pm, Funeral will be June 28th at 11:am.

Both will be at Mission Burial Park South, followed by as procession to Oakley Cemetery on Hardy Rd, then a reception to follow.

Greg N5XO

I am sad to announce that Royce Taylor KA5OHJ passed away on Friday, May 25, 2018 of Heart Failure. Voice had suffered multiple heart attacks in the past in had been suffering poor health for the past couple of years.

He and his wife Diane, just gone shopping and returned home. He collapsed as he entered the house. EMS was called, But they could not revive him. A private ceremony was held this past Saturday, on June 16th for family and close friends of the family only.

Discussion was held regarding a memorial service being held at a later date, but I have no information concerning it.