Tribute to William M. Smith

Tribute to William M. Smith WA2DPU, NF2L, K2WS, K4WMS
May 22, 1937 - October 6, 2023

William M. Smith, passed away Friday, October 6 after a short illness. He was from Richmond, Virginia. He was active as as a contester and DXer. He was a Captain in the US Army. Bill got a master's degree in education and he worked in the New Jersey Department of Education as a program manager for 22 years. Bill owned Smith & Son Trucking. He was a race boat driver, a pro bowler, and loved fishing. He moved from New Jersey to King & Queen County, Virginia, near Chesapeake Bay in 1999. He had been club president of the Mt. Airy VHF Club and Frankford Radio Club.

Bill was a friend that I always talked to at the Dayton Hamvention. He was an interesting and easy going guy. Bill was an icon in amateur radio! He had many friends and will be missed. RIP Bill. Tom K8CX

I'm very sad to pass along the news that one of my very best friends, Bill Smith, K4WMS (ex WA2DPU, NF2L) passed away last night. Some of us on this list will remember some great multiops in the 1990's from Bill's station in Southern NJ. Bill loved having us drive his station. Bill was an amazing guy and very competitive in many activities. Speed boat racing and bowling come to mind. He has several 300 games under his belt. We were talking about some low band improvements at his station only about 2 week ago. That was Bill -- always aiming higher.RIP old friend. John N2NC

This is such terrible news! Bill Smith is one of my special ham guys that I will always remember and be thinking about. I first met Bill at the 80th birthday party and gathering event for K2GL at the famed K2GL/N2AA MM station at Buzz Reeves’ QTH. Bill was an FRC guy and with so many FRCers there it made sense that Bill was amongst them. I even have a picture of Bill there during the tour of both the outside and inside the station. Gonna have to dig that picture out. Several of us N2RM MM ops took a hiatus from N2RM to the QTH of Bill’s (when he was NF2L) and did two back to back M2 operations - one Phone and one CW (CIRCA 1994 and 1995). Bill had recently acquired two Icom 781 radios back when they were first introduced so I was certainly getting that FB radio tingling all over! We used N2NT in both efforts. The thing I remember most about those operations was just how gracious a host Bill and his XYL were. They made us all feel just like family. I also remember feeling so comfortable and relaxed there that when I was taking off time just to nap maybe a few hours I ended up sleeping a lot longer and ended up with someone drawing the short straw to come get me up out of the slumbers and back to the grind. Ops included W2RQ, W5OV, N2NT, N2NC, WM2H, W2HMH/K2BU plus Bill. Those efforts at Bill’s SNJ QTH started a great friendship which has lasted ever since - mostly with Dayton eyeball QSOs but many many radio Qs as well. Managed to also be surprised twice at the K3LR contest efforts when Bill made a surprise visit. Many smiles and stories continued on with all of us together. RIP ole friend! Phil K3UA

The W2RQ operating table is the old NF2L operating table, built by Bill Smith. It will NOT be going out with the trash ANY TIME soon, and Bill will now be in my thoughts every time I sit down to operate. Bill W2RQ

My sincere condolences to John, Andy, Tim and others on this list who knew Bill well. Bill was always warm and friendly, and his zeal for this hobby -- and his genuine love for his wide group of radio friends -- were evident each time I saw him (usually at Dayton.) Tim, W3YQ, emailed me about Bill just yesterday. Tim had been at Bill's to work on a rotator problem the previous week. Tim said that Bill did not look well, that he could barely walk, was extremely weak and appeared to be "skin and bones". Tim received a call from Bill Thursday or Friday, and learned that Bill had been hospitalized with Covid. Tim told me that he was greatly concerned that Bill might not make it through that battle. RIP K4WMS. The radio world has lost another of its legendary men. Tom K8AZ

We have been dealing with this privately, but appreciate all the comments. Bill was a gem of a man, and really loved radio. We were very close until he moved to VA., then always stayed in touch. I won my first DX contest from his QTH in SNJ. With a primitive SO2R setup before it was commercially available. W3YQ was his tower guy, and N2NC was his computer support. He even made a long trip, coming to N2NC's dad's funeral from VA. He felt the ham community was his family. Last time we saw him was at K3LR. W3YQ drove him up to see all the boys, it was a great time. He made it a point to work us in every contest, either HF or VHF. Bill will be sorely missed. RIP ole buddy. Andy N2NT

Bill was one of my sponsors into the Frankford Radio Club.
I had shown an interest in FRC and though W3BGN, had gotten on the newsletter list. This was over the summer of 1988 (?). Then the September newsletter came, and K3WW had scrawled in very neat ledgeable writing, "last one." So I decided to drive down to the meeting, not knowing exactly where I was going.
I got on the 147.27 repeater and asked for directions. NF2L comes back and asks me where I am. Told him I was on I-295 (in New Jersey). Bill asked me where, so I told him the exit I was coming up to. He said, "slow down and you can follow me right in." And that was the start of a wonderful friendship.
I don't remember much of the meeting, but I do remember meeting Bill and other FRCers and of course W3BGN. I filled out a membership form and signed it.
After the meeting, I followed Bill to his house.We talked briefly. Since it was dark, I could not see the towers and antennas, but he showed me his impressive station.
He asked me to come over another time, so we made plans for Friday night. I arrived after work and was throughly impressed. I actually ate dinner with his wife Vivian and their family, which became an almost weekly occurrance on Friday afternoons.
From then on, it was a teaching moment for him. Teaching me, as a very green contester, how to operate.
The October meeting was coming around, and Bill said to come over so we could ride in together.
I was a bit anxious about getting voted in, but Bill said not to worry. I don't know what he said to the FRCers in attendance, but thanks to Bill, I became a member of the best contest club in the world.
Over several years, I operated with Bill and other FRCers. We didn't have the biggest scores, but I learned how to contest from Bill. Over that time, I helped Bill with some station upgrades. Interfacing his radio (a Kenwood TS-940S at the time), computer logging (CT by K1EA), and also was ground crew for many of his antenna upgrades. He also taught me the basics of tower climbing.
In 1993, N2NT put a crew together to win ARRL CW M2. On Friday afternoon of the contest, I had stopped by after work to do something (forget what). Andy and the guys (W2RQ, N2NC, K3UA, and KR2J/W5OV) were already there. Andy asked me to stay and operate. I told him that i wasn't up to their caliber of operators. Andy said, "we need you." So I went home grabbed a change of clothes, a sleeping bag, and came back for the weekend.
I owe my FRC and contest "career" to Bill. If it wasn't for him, I would not be the contester I am today.
This one really hurts. Tom, N2SR (ex KY2T)

PERSONAL INFORMATION (From QRZ.com):
Birth Date: May 22, 1937

Education:
St. Clare Walker High School - Middlesex County, VA - 1956
Virginia State University - Bachelor of Science Degree - Agricultural Education & Commissioned 2nd. Lieutenant U.S. Army (Infantry) - 1962
Antioch University (New England Campus)- Masters of Education- Education Administration - 1975
Additional Study at The College of New Jersey and Seaton Hall University

Military Service:
U. S Army - 1963-1967 - Rank of Captain

Retirement:
Reired from The New Jersey State Department of Education - Progam Manager -October 1998 (1976-1998)
Retired as President & CEO of Smith & Son Trucking, Inc. - 2017 (2000-2017).

Inspiration:
Christian Followship & Bible Study - Since age of ten (10)
Family and Friend

Hobbies:
Professional Race Boat Driver - American Power Boat Association - (1968-1974) (Race Boat Number 499)
Professional Bowler (2008 - 2016) - Current member of the PBA
League Bowling - 1985 to present
Fishing

AMATEUR RADIO HISTORY:
Licenced: 1976 while living in Burlington County, New Jersey. Moved to King & Queen County, Virginia in 1999.
Previously held call signs: WA2DPU, NF2L. K2WS
Club Affiliation: Mt. Airy V.H.F. Club, Inc. (Served as Club President)
The Frankford Radio Club (Served as Club President)

EQUIPMENT:
HF Radio (s); Icom 7300 & Icom 7610; VHF Radio: Icom 9700
Amplifier (s): Icom PW1 & OM Power OM2500A

ANTENNAS:
2m: Stacked pair of 12 el, LFAs @ 98'
6m: Cubex 6 el. "Killer Bee" Quad @ 60'
10m/15m JK 1015 @ 77'
12m/17m: JK 12/17 @ 86'
20m: JK 206 @ 86'
30m: JK 303 @ 96'
40m: JK 404 Grande @ 130' and Inverted Vee @ 60'
60m: Inverted Vee @ 45'
75m-80m: Homebrewed 4-Square w/Elevated Radials
160m: Homebrewed Inverted L 4-Square w/Ground Mounted Radials
Receiving: Five (5) 485 ft. DX Engineering Beverages; One (1) 500"Bev Flex-4 (Reversible Beverage) SE/NW
VHF Antennas: M2 6m: 7 Element M2; 2m: 15 Element Directive Systems & Engineering; 432: 33 Element Directive Sysyems & Engineering

Activities: CW, SSB, RTTY & FT8

Bill's hamshack!

Top antenna: Stacked pair of 12 element LFAs on 2M / 23'6" Boom
Middle antenna: JK206 6 Elements on 20M / 44 Foot Boom @ 86'
Bottom antenna: JK1015 5 Elements on 15M / 6 Elements on 10M / 35 Foot Boom @ 77'

JK404 Grande 4 Elements on 40M on a 46 Foot Boom @ 130'

Top Antenna: JK303 3 Elements on a 24' boom @ 99'
Second Antenna: DSEFO 432-33 on a 24' boom @ 95
Third Antenna: DSEFO 144-15 on a 24' Boom @ 91'
Bottom Antenna: JK12/17 4 Elements on 17M/5 Elements on 12M on a 24" Boom @ 87'

6 Element 6M CUBEX KILLER BEE Quad @ 62'

I hope this makes you smile. He wasn't too happy with me when he caught me taking his picture. : ) Tim W3YQ

K4WMS doing tower work with W3YQ!

Photo from the 1986 birthday party for K2GL.
It was at the K2GL MM station with lots of us being invited who had operated from big MM's like W2PV W3AU W3LPL etc.
Shown in the picture is Steve W3BGN (facing left), Susan K5DU, Chas K3WW, Bill K4WMS, Rob KT3M, and Buzz Reeves K2GL.

2015

K4WMS, K3LR

2016

K4WMS

2022

W2RQ, K4WMS

Dayton 2016

AC4BV, K4WMS

W3YQ, W3LPL, K4WMS

Dayton 2018

K4WMS, KO4YC

K4WMS, N2NT, KO4YC

Dayton 2022

K4WMS, K3UA, N2NC

K4WMS, W3YQ, AL7A

1990

Bill's wife Vivian, Bill K4WMS

K4WMS operating in 1990 CQWW SSB!

Tribute courtesy of K8CX, K3LR, N2NC, K3UA, W2RQ, K8AZ, W3YQ, N2NT, N2SR
Personal Info, hamshack photo, antenna photos from Bill's QRZ.com page
K2GL Birthday party photo courtesy of K3UA
Photos courtexy of W3YQ, N6TV
Dayton Photos by K8CX
Last 2 photos courtesy of N2SR