Tribute to Donald G. Murray - K4FMA, ET3FMA, W4WJ
June 23, 1943 - February 6, 2022

Don was living in Fredricksburg, TX. Don was first licensed in March of 1959 as KN4FMA in Miami, Florida. He upgraded to General in 1959 as K4FMA. A few years later he upgraded to Extra and then in 1976 received his W4WJ callsign. Don was a member of the A1 Operators Club, FOC, CWops and the South Florida DX Association, where he was the President for 9 terms. Don achieved Top of the DXCC Honor Roll in 1993 with 327 countries. His ARRL Mixed DXCC Standings were 339/357 confirmed. He operated overseas as BV0W, G5DAD, ET3FMA, 9E3FMA and 9F3FMA (1965 - 1968).

Don was a collector of the Ethiopia and Eritrea QSL cards. He was a member of G4UZN's QSL Card Collectors email reflector group. He was a big contributor to Hamgallery.com sending many scans from his QSL card collection. I remember working Don several times when he was operating ET3FMA. He will be missed. RIP my friend. K8CX

 


The following was taken from Don's QRZ.com page!

Life Member ARRL

Life Member AMSAT #1743

Life Member CWOps #654

Life Member QCWA #17737

MAR '59 KN4FMA Novice - Miami

SEP  '59 K4FMA General

FEB  '62 A1-OP

MAR '64 K4FMA Amateur Extra

JUL   '65 - JUN '68 ET3FMA - Asmara, Ethiopia

OCT  '76 W4WJ Callsign Application To FCC

NOV  '76 W4WJ Assigned - Not A Vanity Call

JUN   '77 -  JAN '98 FOC #1334

MAY   '79 CW DXCC #749 - 150 countries

DEC   '93 DXCC TOP OF THE HONOR ROLL All CW 327/327

JUN    '08 W4WJ - Fredericksburg, TX

AUG '10 CWOps #654

APR  '17 FOC #2102

 

Alias  
G5DAD Previous call
ET3FMA Previous call
K4FMA Previous call... W4WJ since Nov 1976
K2USA Operator 1964/65
BV0W Operator 1984
ET3USA Operator 1965-68
9F3FMA Previous Callsign
9E3FMA Previous Callsign

 


 

 

 

KN4FMA as a Novice June 1959.

 

Don January 1960.

 

Don K4FMA operating ET3FMA.

 

SM6JSM, W4WJ, Don's XYL Gabrielle on the front porch of their home in Fredricksburg, TX., October 2015

 

SM6JSM, W4WJ looking at Don's extensive Eritrea / Ethiopia QSL collection! October 2015

 

Don's license plate!

 

 

License good for one year, renewable. Cost for a Category 4 license, at 100 watts for one year was $40 ETH, or about $28 US.
The Category 4 license included stations established for tests, research, experiments and stations established by radio amateurs.

 

Regulations for operating in Ethiopia.

 

 

 

QSL cards, License from W4WJ
Comments, Tribute courtesy of K8CX
Last 3 Photos courtesy of SM6JSM


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