[NLRS] Ron W0PN

[Bill Davis Jr]

  VERY SAD news indeed. Ron was a great VHF sparkplug for many years, ACTIVE on the bands as well as AMSAT. The work he 
and John WOLER provided for AMSAT command work was amazing.

  Ron had LOTS of fun during that period on 2m tropo across the lake when he lived in Duluth. Bummer since he was over the 
hill, it was difficult for me to work him unless conditions were up or AU. He had a tower for years that was on the ground, 
I bugged him and bugged him.... "can't get the hole dug" ... I went over and dug the 6ft/6ft/6ft hole for the tower not far
from his back door stoop.... well then he was too busy to form it up and get it poured. The back stoop almost fell into the
hole before the Universal Tower ever stood where it belonged.

Many visits about his work at Orbital Science Corp. If you aren't familiar with Orbital, Google them. Ron was in with them at the
beginning... ground BREAKING stuff! 

  Great man, great friend and great ham... His friendship will be remembered for as long as this OM is "QRV". 

73 Bill  K0AWU 


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I wanted to let all of our group to the death of W0PN. Ron was a very 
active weak signal VHFer in the 70s and 80s from Minnesota. Ron was also 
active with Amsat and was a Command Station for the Phase III Program. 
All of us older VHF/UHF and Satellite users will be missing a good friend.
Rons health had declined over the past ten years and he had suffered two 
strokes the last being about two months ago. He never fully recovered 
from the last stroke. Ron donated thousands of hours developing both 
hardware and software for various amateur activities. He retired from 
IBM and worked for Minnesota Power and Light and then went on to work 
for Orbital Science Corp.
He  was a significant contributor to any effort to which he directed his 
time. Ron was the 1984 winner of the John Chambers award from the 
Central States VHF Society and received many technical accolades over 
the years. He was always ready to help when needed and truly loved 
Amateur Radio over the course of his life time.
R.I.P  my Good Friend
 
Dick Philstrom W0TLE