Tribute to Michael L. Shapiro

Tribute to Michael L. Shapiro AD6GY, WA6O
1950 - January 15, 2023

Mike lived in San Jose, CA., originally from Moscow, Russia, has lived in the USA for the past 31 years. First licensed as UA3AIW, he operated mostly from UK3ABF, UK3ACL, and other club stations in Moscow. In 1998 he received AD6GY and WA6O in 1999. He was a member of Northern California Contest Club. He was the 40 meter captain in the N6RO contest team. In 2003 he held a CQWW CW world record in Single Op / Single Band / 15 Meters / Low power category. He was a member of the A1 Operator Club. Mike was 72.

Over the years Mike participated in many CW contests from DX locations - with "Team Vertical" from Jamaica as 6Y2A, 6Y8A, 6Y9A, Fiji 3D2OK, 3D2XA, Bahamas C6AAW.
He also operated from HC8N WA6O/HC8, CE0Y/WA6O, FO0SHA, ZK1WAL.

Mike was also on many DXpeditions including TX5K Clipperton Island 2013, VK9MT Mellish Reef 2014, VP6D Duice Island 2018, TX3X Chesterfield Islands 2015, VP8PJ South Orkney 2020, and probably others.

In his professional life, he was a software engineer with a Ph.D. degree in computer science. He works for HP Labs in Palo Alto, CA, Mike is married and has two sons.

I've included below some excerpts of NCCC Reflector posts about WA6O, a great guy who emigrated from the Soviet Union to the US decades ago. He operated at UK5MAF more than once in the 70's. Sad TV Bob

Terrible news. A huge loss. 73 de Bob, K6XX

Wow. I'm shocked and very saddened. Mike introduced me to PED way back when. It made a huge difference in my radio sport skills. He also spoke at length about what it took to leave the USSR and make his way to USA via Hungary and Austria. He was a special person. Rob K6RB

For those who don't know Mike well, he was one of those "interesting" people you occasionally meet if you're lucky. I was fortunate to spend a few days at sea with him and operate an expedition. We would swap stories about taunting the Soviets. Mike was one of the "refuse-nicks" and was arrested many times for protesting in Moscow before moving to CA. He was a damn good CW operator and it was hard to kick him out of the chair so I could get a turn. This hurts. 73, Alan AD6E

He made friends with his guards! They would play cards into the night. He would be released in the morning to go work for the government. Protest again after work. Be arrested. Play cards. Be released. Go to work. Rinse, repeat. His saving grace was he worked on "things" important enough to not be sent to Siberia... A truly interesting man with incredible stories and an iron spirit. I shared a cabin on the trip to South Orkney and we had many hours to discuss history, past and future. We also worked together at HP followed by a startup where we spent many hours discussing not only software and AI, but his insights into our current world informed by his experiences in the former Soviet Union. He loved radio, CW, expeditions and contesting. I even saw him make one phone QSO from VP8PJ, but only because I made him do it :-).
I will miss him deeply. RIP Mike ...-.- Steve W1SRD

Still reeling from the news, can quite put together even a couple of coherent sentences. Mike will definitely be missed. Denis - K7GK/6

2011

K3EST, WA6O

K6RB, WA6O

2013

N5KO, WA6O

WA6HHQ, WA6O, AE6Y

WA6O

2015

K2RD, W2GD, WA6O

KD4POJ, WA6O

2016

WA6O, N0AX

N6XG, WA6O

WA6O, RAYMA, N6BV, W6RGG

N6WM, WA6O, VERONICA (XYL of N6WM)

2017

N6XG, WA6O

2019

W2SC, N6KT, KI6OY, N6XI, WA6O

K6TD, WA6O, N6ED

WA6O

KH2TJ, WA6O at Comstock Memorial Station W7RN operating W1AW/7 in Nevada

Y84X, our call in WRTC-2018
July 13, 2018, Yessen (near Wittenberg) Germany.
WA6O

Tribute comments courtesy of N6TV, K6XX, K6RB, AD6E, W1SRD, K7GK/6, K8CX
Ocean photo from Clipperton Is. DXpedition
Photos courtesy of N6TV
Constock Station photo courtesy of K5RC
NCCC Tent photo courtesy of K6XX