W7LR-3B8AD Delayed QSL Exchange
The story about the W7LR-3B8AD delayed QSL
exchange was based on Bob's operating during the
Gatti-Hallicrafters expedition in 1948. You probably remember
that the logs for the 3 countries operated from (VQ3, VQ4, VQ5)
were lost by Hallicrafters after the expedition. Since Bob
was the main operator he made the bulk of contacts after W0LHS
quit the expedition. He had kept a list of the most interesting
stations worked, which is still shown under The Last QSOs
in PA0ABM's site https://www.qsl.net/pa0abm/ghe/03ghe.htm.
When I saw that list I told Bob I recognized a call of someone
who is still alive, VQ8AD, who I had visited some years
earlier. Bob was very excited when he realized there was a
possibility of exchanging a QSL with someone from those lost
logs. I put them in touch with each other, thanks to the
help of 3B8CF, and they were able to exchange Email and finally
QSLs.
Bob wanted to write an article about this, so he asked me if I
would help him. We exchanged many Emails over several months,
finally arriving on his article that was published in both CQ and
QST. I think it was something like "The Long Delayed QSL
Exchange." I don't have the issues, so can't reference
them, but they appeared 6 or 7 years ago.
My last contact with Bob was about a year ago, after Cobi died.
It was clear that dementia was entering his mind. I caught him at
his home one day when he made a rare visit there. I think he has
been living in a facility somewhere since Cobi passed away.
Wayne, N7NG has been trying to find out more through some mutual
friends, but everyone seems to be drawing a blank. I think Bob is
98 (2019).
73, Jim W6YA