[RVRC] FW: Marlon Brando was FO8GJ

[N2GJ_AMSAT]

Thank, Mike...I edited this a little to make it easier to read.  Thanks,
Mike (W2GEZ) for sharing the link!  Marlon Brando FO8GJ (SK) has been on my
Famous Hams site <http://www.famoushams.org> for many, many years.  I think
he may have been one of the first actors I ever listed there!

73,

GJ

Gerry Jurrens N2GJ
mailto:n2gj at amsat.org
---

*Ham Radio Buff and Famous Actor Marlon Brando*

By:

*William G. “Bill” Moneysmith W4NFR*
127 Rainbow Dr. - POB 2786
Livingston, TX 77399

Via:  "Mike Gottfried" <w2gez at yahoo.com>

http://www.eham.net/friends/displaystory/2147

Here is a little condensed write up about Marlon Brando and my time with him
in Tahiti. The photos were taken in Tahiti near his ham radio station,
outside on the white sandy beach. On July 1, 2004, Marlon Brando passed away
in Los Angeles California and became a silent key. He is survived by 3 wives
and 8 children and 4 adopted children. His daughter Cheyenne died in the
mid-90s and he was buried in Tahiti. You saw the obituary, tributes,
opinions, his ups and downs to his successful acting career, so I won't
dwell on that.

My contact with Marlon Brando was through the Hobby of Ham Radio. While
watching the TV news reports of his passing, I could not help but notice the
large "Ham Beam" antenna on his antenna tower. The helicopter hovered above
his estate on Mulholland Dr. and the news reporter never mentioned the
antenna, but those of us that have experienced ham radio knew what it was
and what it was for!

In 1983 and 1986, I took annual leave and went down to Tahiti to install
some Ham antennas for movie actor Marlon Brando. His ham radio call was
FO8GJ and later his most recent call sign was KE6PZH in California. A ham
friend of mine named Hank Scharfe (SK) was friends with Marlon and
introduced us back in 1983. Marlon wanted some special directional antennas
designed and installed on his island in Tahiti, so he could communicate
better with his ham shack in Los Angeles. I came up with a rather large
rhombic wire antenna system that would definitely do the job and still fit
on his island! He liked the design and had the materials bought and sent
down to the island.

My wife Lydia and I flew down for a three week stay while I installed the
antenna. Lydia enjoyed the beach and warm weather while I worked! I know, it
sounds pretty easy, but it really was a lot of hard work to bull-doze the
palm trees and clear the path for the large wire spans. The diamond shaped
antenna was 600 feet on each side, so a lot of trees had to go in order to
make the runs.

I had two local helpers that knew little English and I knew even less French
or Tahitian! We managed to communicate and got the job done by "drawing
pictures" of what I wanted done. They did know some English, like "Knock
Off" 4 O’clock! After two weeks, the antenna was up, the feed line ran and
contacts on the air were made! The antenna was a great success and performed
well. We got lots of nice strong reports over the air and the reception was
super. The project was on time and under budget! Lydia and I got to tour the
island of Tahiti and enjoyed some of the local culture and art.

In the year of 1985, five storms (Typhoons) went through the area of Tahiti
and ruined the rhombic antenna system, so I got another trip down to
reinstall the antenna in 1986.  I was sorry the antenna did not hold up in
the storms, but not much else did on that island. I was glad for another
trip to rebuild it. This time I went down for two weeks and my helper this
time was Marlon Brando. We measured and stretched out the wire, secured the
insulators and hung them from the large Palm trees.

This went on for many days, we had a lot of fun and the project went very
well. We got to know one another fairly well and became friends by working
together. I soon learned that Marlon had a great sense of humor and was very
interested in technical things. He liked gadgets, electronics and technical
things. He had a serious side and probably would have been an Engineer if
not for the acting career. It paid well and provided him with the funding
and time off to pursue his other interests like Ham Radio.

Most people did not know he was a Ham radio operator. When on the air, he
liked to disguise his voice and put on the folks, so they would not know who
he was! He liked his privacy and did not particularly like the public lime
light. His closer friends like Jack Nicholson, James Caan, Larry King and
others, all had good things to say about him and knew him well. We sure
enjoyed meeting and working with him.

The Tahiti trip was a great once-in-a-life-time experience for us and one we
will never forget!  Furthermore, I got to do it twice! Marlon Brando lived
life well and enjoyed traveling the world. His movie career spanned over 55
years and ranked up there with the best. He had 80 great years with us and
the world is better off because of his talents. Marlon Brando entertained us
all, his movies will live on, and he will be greatly missed! 73's Bill,
W4NFR

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On Mon, May 17, 2010 at 6:16 PM, Mike Christiansen <kb2vrm at embarqmail.com>
wrote:
> You probably knew this but here it is.  Mike