Silent Keys

The Gallatin Ham Radio Club (GHRC) fondly remembers our Silent Keys and wishes to pay respect and honor to them by mentioning them here.  This page is a special place for remembering our friends.  Please use the Honor a Silent Key webpage to send information about your friend.  If you see a Silent Key listed here and wish to share an additional story or more information please use the Honor a Silent Key webpage.  Please note that our listing of Silent Keys places our most recent Silent Key at the top and If no date of passing was given  then the Silent Key is listed in the order they were presented to the club.

Thank you from  the members of the GHRC.

Special Honors

The Gallatin Ham Radio Club Honors Earl Dawes by taking on his Call Sign of W7ED

Earl Dawes W7ED Bozeman, MT 1961
Earl was an old-time ham from the spark days and started with the call sign of ED.  Next he used 7ED, and finally W7ED.  Earl used to demonstrate his spark transmitter at Montana hamfests.  Earl gave his spark transmitter to the museum.   The Gallatin Ham Radio Club applied for W7ED as their club Call Sign after Earl became a Silent Key in 1961.
Silent Key Call Sign Location Date of Passing
Elden Morris N1MN   April 17, 2022
Elden got me started in Amateur Radio. When I passed TECH, the next thing he asked me was “When you testing for General.” He is the reason I have it as a hobby, my Extra Class, Teach TECH and GENERAL classes, and am a Laurel and ARRL VE. I blame him…. 🙂

THANKS, ELDEN! RIP Brother!

W4CEC, Chris Cancilla

 

Silent Key Call Sign Location Date of Passing
 Fred Cady KE7X   Bozeman, MT May 16, 2019
Todd, WA7U: I am very saddened to report that Fred Cady, KE7X passed away of cardiac failure yesterday evening while in Denver where his wife Katie was having surgery.    

Don, N7FLT: Sorry to hear that. Fred was a big part of Ham Radio around here for a long time.

Lyndel N7LT: It’s a sad day for Amateur Radio. Fred was one of the first elmers I had. I’ll never forget my first Field Day with him yelling out “RAW MEAT!!!” every time there was a ham station calling ‘CQ’ at the W7ED CW station. He made Field Day fun and addictive! Fred gave excellent pointers on improving my contest scores during the 10 meter contests at the W7YB MSU club station. My first experience working on repeaters was with Fred at the Bridger Ridge, green A-frame building that housed the 88 repeater. Fred was a class act! Whenever I’d say something that was way out there or off base when it had to do with ham radio, (which is often), he’d say with a big grin, “WELLLLLLL I don’t about THAT Lyndel!” When I got my Advance call KF7XJ, Fred said, “You cannot change your call! It has an X in it!” I could go on and on about the mighty KE7X! Fred is now comfortably ‘pounding brass’ up there in the ‘big ether’ and will be missed by Wendy and I. 73 Fred, it was a pleasure working you on the bands.

Rob, NR7B: Fred was the first person I met in Bozeman in 2001, when I interviewed for my EE faculty job at Montana State. He met my flight at the airport late in the evening, drove me to the off-site car rental place (which is how it worked back in those days), and then we had a quick meal and a beer downtown while he filled me in about my interview process. I wasn’t a ham when I first came to MSU, but eventually took the tests, partly due to Fred’s enthusiasm. It was a real privilege to work with him—a true professional educator who sincerely cared about this students and his colleagues. Rest in Peace, my friend.

Lee, K7NM: Wow! This was a shock – it was announced at the Contest Dinner last night here at Dayton and I had to do a double take. While Fred came to MSU long after I had finished grad school, nonetheless we became friends during visits to Bozeman and meeting up at Visalia. He was kind enough to give me one of his K3 books when I bought one. It is EXCELLENT in helping the novice user to navigate the button-ology of that radio. Ironically, Elecraft announced the K4 on Friday here at Dayton (Xenia) and my first thought was, “I wonder if Fred will do a set of books on it as well”. Now I know the answer – it won’t be in this life. The circumstances are similar to the loss of my father in late December 2017, Dr. Louis Barrett (Math). He was in Phoenix where my mother was receiving much needed back surgery when he passed away. It was tough to see mom suffering from the recovery of the surgery and at the same time the pain of loosing a 70 year soul mate. Mrs. Cady has a lot to carry for the time being. We will pray for her too. The good news is that when we all graduate from this school called “life” we will get to associate with Fred and those who have passed on before in our next level of progression. Best of wishes to Fred’s family and remember Fred is missing us as much as we miss him. 73

Lahra Flip Svare, KT9X: Hearing that Fred had passed was a crushing blow to those of us that loved him so much. Fred was much more than an incredible mentor to me. He helped me into my first technician class license and helped me all the way through to extra class. He was always willing to chat with me about cw or dxing or anything. Recently, he was helping me to learn my new Elecraft K3, as we chatted by phone and email. Fred was a great friend and a stellar ham radio operator and I am so grateful to have had his advice, teaching and friendship these last 25 years.  Fred IS the reason there is an “X” at the end of my call sign, and he will always be remembered in my heart. 73 ES 88 FRED KE7X DE KT9X AR

Please read more about Fred on QRZ.COM

Jack Myers
N7ODN Bozeman, MT May 10, 2019
       
Cobi Leo XYL of W7LR Bozeman, MT April 1, 2018
The XYL of Bob Leo W7LR , Cobi Leo passed away.  Cobi was 100. There is quite a story about her involvement with the Dutch Resistance during the second world war, specifically hiding American air men and helping getting them out of German occupied territory. Submitted by  Neil Ramhorst KL&JGS April 2, 2018 

From age 15, Bob (W7LR) took me under his wing starting as a teenager working at ERL were he was the Director. Incidental contact with Cobi grew to a great friendship over the years up through my MSEE under Bob awarded in 1977. From 1970 – 1972, I was on a church mission to Holland and became fluent in Dutch. Upon return, Cobi and I would frequently chat a little in the native tongue while I was out pestering Bob for one thing or another. I found out that I had actually been to the area of her youth in Holland. She was to gardening what Bob is to EE. She was a kind woman and often visited with my wife in later years when we visited the Leos while in Bozeman (from Utah).  Submitted by K7NM, Lee Barrett on May 30, 2020.

Butch Nottingham KD7ZCN Ennis February 6, 2018
Butch Nottingham, KD7ZCN, formerly of West Yellowstone died on February 6th, 2018 at the rest home in Ennis, where he’d resided for the last few years. Butch was a Navy Veteran, serving 6 years as an Electronic Tech. Butch was the former trustee for the TV translator district in West Yellowstone. He was one of the last, honest-to-goodness TV repairmen, as well as doing small appliance repair and overseeing a business-band radio system in for several local businesses in and around the Hebgen Basin area. Butch faithfully monitored the Sawtel Peak repeater for traffic around West Yellowstone and Island Park, Idaho. I had may QSO’s with him on my runs from Bozeman to Southern Idaho and Salt Lake, during the years I pulled a refer for Country Classic/Darigold.
Submitted by J Benson Feb 18, 2018
Don Regle KI7OJ Bozeman, MT November 12, 2017
Klein Gilhousen NA7NA Bozeman, MT April 14, 2016
Klein’s previous call sign was WT6G.  Klein was a Qualcomm co-founder.  Klein moved his family to Bozeman in 1991. He was very active in the community here.  He was presented with an Honorary PhD in Electrical Engineering from MSU in 2001.
Ian Elliot
W7JMX Bozeman & Harve, MT March 28. 2008
Ian was in the center of Bozeman 2m operations and spent a lot of time talking with my XYL, Judy (then WB7BRN). He ran the local cable TV company and had a lot of broadcast connections including with Stan Stevens (former MT Governor) who concurrently ran the cable TV company in Havre. This was before Stan was governor. Stan also was part owner in KOJM/KPQX-FM in Havre. When I finished graduate school at MSU with my MSEE, I wanted to spend some time in broadcasting. Looking for a job, Judy and I attended the WIMU hamfest at Mac’s Inn where Ian told me of the chief engineer’s job at the stations in Havre. I ended up with an interview and Lyle Leeds (Stan’s partner) hired me on the spot. I will always remember how Ian greased the skids to land in a great beginning job! It was a great adventure!
Submitted by K7NM, Lee Barrett on May 30, 2020
Ric Helvey KB7KB Bozeman, MT  
Submitted by W7LR  on April 5, 2016
Dave Ford KE7CAP Bozeman, MT  
Dave was a devoted member of the Gallatin Ham Radio Club and contributed much of his time to the Search & Rescue Division of ham radio as well.  Dave was a mentor to many and a friend to us all.  Submitted by KT9X  on July 28, 2015
Don Ward AC7VY Bozeman, MT  
 Submitted by W7LR on April 25, 2014
Mal Goosey N7GS      
Mal was a dear friend to many and a GREAT QRP CW operator. Ssubmitted by KT9X on December 2, 2008
Ian Elliot W7JMX     
Ian was a charter member of the Montana Chapter of the QCWA. He was a private pilot and had a great collection of Collins Radio equipment.  He was a regular on the Montana Traffic Net and the Saturday morning “Hams’N Eggs” at four corners in Bozeman. Submitted by Bob Leo W7LR on March 28, 2008.
Henry “Hank” Bouche W7YPN    
Hank was a contemporary and very good friend of Harry Roylance. Hank was responsible for my first interest in and education about ham radio. He also taught me other things as well. He was an excellent machinist, boiler welder, and a darn fine auto mechanic. This was in the early 60’s. Submitted by KE7WRN on November 26, 2008
 Wally Machut  N9SAS Random Lake, WI  
Wallay was a friend of KT9X & KD7AEO, Wally often traveled through Bozeman and could be heard on the local repeaters with KT9X and KD7AEO.
Leo Hoffart  WA7MDL     
“Kilowatt Ron” Zemljak  N7LDQ   Butte, MT  
Darrell Friend KC7BKS    
Trish Ramhorst N7OMZ    
Gene Olson WA7CAC    
Charles Gaines WB7TFL    
Charles Bowman WB7QXJ    
Jim Peterson W0LXW    
Keith Wheat KF7T       
Les Dame KA7YUK Butte, MT  
Paul Gamble KA7ISF   Belgrade MT  
Bill Rohlf K7JKT Helena, MT  
Bill’s previous call sign was KB7KVD
Dick Mack N0RM      
 Dick’s call sign N0RM   is now with the Natomas Amateur Radio Club
Asger Mikkelsen N7IQL    
Dutch Wheaton N7MRA     
 Dutch’s XYL Elizabeth now has his call of N7MRA .
Don Weaver WA7DLW    
Bea Clousing K7CZQ    
William J. Sullivan W7FC    
– Leslie C. Belyea N7AIK    
Clark S. Robinson NV7W    
Clark experimented with small loop antennas even for transmitting. He was also active in translating articles on nuclear physics from Russian to English. Submitted by W7LR.
John Duncan W7NJI    
Lawrence  Schumacher W7OZH    
Roy Peden W7OSR    
Harry Roylance  W7RZY Livingston, MT  
       

 

 

 

 

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