[JMS] Silent Key - Roger Zaun W9UVV

[Don Buska - The Radio Lab Works]

It is with deep sadness that I report the passing of JMS member Roger 
Zaun, W9UVV.  Roger was an early member of the society, Having joined in 
December of 2000.  A refurbishment virtuoso, Roger always had a fondness 
for the National Radio equipment.  He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin 
back in 1917 and spent most of his working years in the electronics 
industry.  As a young engineer at Thordarson (Chicago) in the late 
1930’s, during a time when they were producing transmitters and 
transmitter kits for the amateur radio market, he was privy to work with 
  and meet many of the great names in radio history.  This includes 
James Millen who did purchase transformers from Thordarson over the 
years for use at National and later Millen manufacturing.

My personal relationship with Roger came about in the late 1990’s.  At 
the time Milwaukee had a successful vintage ham radio store called Radio 
Recyclers.  I would often visit the store just to check what new old 
gems had recently appeared on the shelves.  On one of my visits a 
beautifully restored National NC-100XA laid before me and I knew I just 
had to have it.  This was my first introduction to the pre-1940 National 
equipment and the workmanship on this particular unit was something to 
behold.   Upon returning home, and after many hours of playing with my 
newly acquired receiver,  I found some typed note pages inside the 
manual.  They described circuit changes and operating guidelines for 
using this 100XA receiver.  Naturally I didn’t bother to read the 
warnings about turning off the B+ switch before changing the band switch 
until I had already violated that rule for the previous hours of 
listening, but at least I found them before I could do any real damage! 
  At the end of those notes was the authors name and call.  It was Roger 
Zaun.  This started me on my journey of collecting, refurbishing and 
using all things Millen.  After a few weeks I called Roger on the phone 
and was greeted with a most enjoyable conversation that probably lasted 
well over an hour.  Perhaps Roger felt a kindred spirit on the other 
side of the phone as I was so intrigued by his knowledge and experience 
that I knew Roger was going to play a big part in my future radio 
collecting endeavors.

Over the years I would keep in contact with Roger.  Albeit we only met 
face-to-face twice.  Just before the formation of The James Millen 
Society,  I also purchased another almost mint HRO-5TA1 receiver, again 
via Radio Recyclers, that was another creation from the W9UVV workshop. 
  A few years later Roger phoned me and asked if I was going to be 
attending one of the local summer hamfests.  He had something he wanted 
to bring and give me.  At the meet I was so pleased to receive a 
Thordarson T22K37 35W AM-CW transmitter from Roger.  It looked brand 
new!   Not only was this a great example of his kindness, but it was 
also a radio very near and dear to his heart.  For this was one of the 
transmitters he constructed in 1939-1940 that was used in the Thordarson 
catalog to advertise this kit model.  Both this transmitter and that HRO 
receiver will be part of my vintage equipment lineup for many years to 
come as they will remind me of the man who inspired me toward a new 
direction in vintage radio collecting.

One of last encounters with Roger was again at a summer hamfest and he 
was so happy to report that after wanting one for so long he had finally 
acquired a National HRO-500 receiver.  I guess this one came out of a 
lab environment and was in like new condition.  For me it was always an 
inspiration to talk with Roger as he maintained that “ham” spirit right 
up till the end.  Thank you Roger it has been a wonderful journey.

A link to Rogers obituary:

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/jsonline/obituary.aspx?n=roger-c-zaun-wuvv&pid=150035112&fhid=5712&eid=sp_shareobit

I want to thanks fellow JMS member Bob Nickels, W9RAN for forwarding on 
the information about Roger’s passing to me.

73

Don N9OO