[Fists] From a Sea Going FISTS Member

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

I think FISTS members might be interested in a posting on the Radio
Officers email list from the only active FISTS member who was never a radio
amateur but one who supported the aims of FISTS.  Old subscription lists
would have him listed as CZDO or CYWK two different Canadian ships he was
Radio Officer on..  At his retirement two years ago, he was the last
Canadian Radio Officer.

What was most important for me to share was his comments about the
collegiality among Morse operator's.

73
David N1EA

BT HERE IS THE MESSAGE

In case you ever need to confirm an incident or a particular QSO when I may
have been at sea on either vessels, I kept my log for the following periods:

May 6/87 ~ Jul 8/87 (CZDO)
Sep  15/89 ~ Nov 13/89 (CZDO)
Sep 11/93 ~ Nov 2/94 (CZDO)
Feb 12/97 ~ Jun 10/97 (CYWK)
Oct 17/00 ~ Jun 12/04 (CZDO)
Aug 9/05 ~ May 13/06 (CZDO)

Lots of stuff in those including last day of CW service in HF at Rome
Radio/IAR on Oct 27, 2005 in a QSO on 8670/8367kHz between 2131Z and 2135Z.
It was this IAR operator’s last shift in CW and his final words to me were
“BUONA FORTUNA ES CIAO” (good luck and goodbye). I must admit it was a
little emotional. I opened service on 22mHz for Singapore Rdo/9VG way back
in 1972 and now I was closing service with IAR. The emotions were obviously
different in both cases. Those were the days, my friend. There’ll never
again be such an example of camaradship amongst a group of professionals
from different backgrounds, countries, ethnic origins, etc... who could
work with one another in a peaceful and respectful way. The world is
definitely missing the best example of friendship now that we R/Os
communicating in Morse are no longer around to perform our art worldwide.

73

Paul D.


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