VK0WR 1969 Heard Island

Operators: Bill Rohrer W7ZFY, Henry Roesing WB4HWP

Bill Rohrer spent 30 years in the U.S. Coast Guard. He was aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Southwind when it visited Heard Island in 1969.

Bill's other calls: WN7ZFY (1955), KC4USF from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Southwind in the Antarctic, KH6IAB (1971-1973) and W7IJ since 1975.

Operator: Henry Roesing, WB4HWP, later KL7XN, U.S. Coast Guard radio technician.

William Noel Rohrer, W7IJ, Silent Key (1939-2013). Several years ago I ran across the VK0WR card and remembered that I had met Bill at Visalia or Dayton and we had coffee and chatted about his Heard Island trip. I attempted to contact him by email and received a response from Henry, the other VK0WR operator. Bill was ill. Henry promised to dig up some photos from that trip, but no contact since. For some reason, this morning I decided to check on Bill and learned that he was SK. He had cancer.

Bill W7IJ (2009).
Photo courtesy of K7LXC.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter "Southwind"

QSL from the estate of W8UAS
Info & Photos courtesy of W5KNE, K7LXC, US Coast Guard