11/08/2022

Ellen W1YL has passed away

Early yesterday morning, I knew Ellen W1YL had gone silent key the day before by a post of her relative in Facebook. It was expected but still was a sad news in fact. She has been undergone downhill for her health issue for the past weeks, I knew. Ned W1RAN, her old friend, has let me know how she has been doing from time to time. 


It was in late '80s when I got a personal acquaintance with her. She often got on 40m CW late at night in our time. But it seemed Bob, her OM, used to take the seat oftener than her. With the ideal set up with a beam there, their signals were always booming in here. 


It was the time when I joined FOC and had become a crazy DX chaser. After a DX pedition to XU as XU0JA, I was asked to write an article for a DX club by her when she was the editor of the club magazine. In early millenium years, she has lost her beloving son Jamie K4OJ and, in a couple of years, Bob. What losses they were for her! But she never told me the words of lingering attachment to them but was always proud of the days when she enjoyed the same hobby together with them. She moved to an apartment in a few years, I believe, where she had to give up oprating radio.


It was 2016 when she appeared before me all of sudden. With generosity of Tom K5RC and much help from her friends, she could start operating the big station of W7RN through remote control. This is the post in this blog which I made after that reunion after several years' absence.


 http://nuttycellist-unknown.blogspot.com/2016/02/w1yl7.html


Late in the afternoon, when I finished gardening/farming work and came in the shack with a can of cold lager, I often ran across with her on 40m CW. In several days interval. She has had insomnia problem and always got out of the bed very early in the morning there. Around 2 or 3 AM there. We have yakked on good old days, our cats or even the current issues in the world. I learned she had been a firm believer in democracy. She sounded like a real young girl when she was talking through CW. Very vivid and sensitive. I was not conscious that I was talking to a legendary ham in the US at that time. 



Through our friendship, I always felt and admired that she was a lady of independence. Her favorite phrase was that she had been lucky to be able to live independently by herself in the apartment even if she should use the walker or, later, the wheel chair. Whenever she has met hardship in life, which she won't mention about such a thing too often, I was inclined to offer any help to her. She always seemed unhappy at such a proposal or even at such an attitude of me. She has enjoyed social activities, whether it might be for ham radio or not. She always spent a few days when expecting friends or family members visiting her. I could picture how excited she was having them there. Her friends and family members were affectionately caring for her from time to time, I knew. In fact, for the last few days, her daughter in law, Teresa, and her children have cared for her at the apartment.


When I decided to quit radio this summer, she gave me a short note telling me to withdraw that decision. She said ham radio won't be the same for her without me. It was really touching words for me. But I have crossed the Rubicon at that time. It was an honor to me to be told that way, though. 


Our very last QSO was on May 8th this year. Again it was late in the afternoon. The remarks in the log says she could not sleep well, 20m was excellent reminding her of good old days and one good thing was that her good friend Nita was visiting the next week. The interval of QSOs was longer. I felt her health condition was going gradually downhill. But, as if we would meet again in a few days, we parted each other. Without realizing that it was the very last one.


It is a big loss for me to have her passing away. But now she is free from anxiety and pain on earth. I am pleased to imagine she is enjoying reunion her beloving son and husband. I would thank all of her friendship through ham radio and wish her RIP.   




9 comments:

  1. Shin... Heard about Ellen a first day of so ago. I met her once at Dayton... And her son K4OJ. Looking at three logs, I worked here twice, both CW. A huge part of this hobby has passed. RIP Ellen.

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    1. You were lucky to have met her and Jamie in person. I was wondering if I should attend FOC dinner in Orlando a few years ago, where she was supposed to attend. I have missed that chance. BTW, could you please add your call sign in your comment? Thanks for your comment anyway.

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  2. I am very sorry Ellen SK. I had a pleasure to meet her during my first trip to USA for a marketing meeting in 1976. During that time, I was able to visit ARRL and operate W1AW, she invited me at her for a dinner where I also met her OM Bob, W1CW. Bye Ellen and R.I.P. Gian, I7SWX

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    1. So you might have gone up the nose bleeding slope at her home in CT? You may have fond memories with Ellen and Bob. Thanks for your comment.

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  3. Lovely tribute! - Jim AD1C

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  4. I QSO'd with Ellen many times, when she was W1YL and from Nevada remote /7, when she had a big signal of course. She always called me by my name and asked how things were. She was very patient and I always looked forward to meeting her on the air again. Unfortunately that is no longer possible, may she rest in peace.
    With Shin going QRT and Ellen SK, life as a CW operator in Asia is becoming a lonely hobby. All I have are macro/code reader operators around here. Maybe it is time for me to find another interest soon.
    All the best.

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    1. Hi John, she was always thrilled working VK/ZL and SE Asia. Maybe, you were included among them. Having worked her for the past several years, I could not help expecting we had this sad thing occurring. For the past decades, I have lost a lot of good friends on radio/CW like Ellen. They have disappeared suddenly or gradually. It is an inevitable thing. Being conscious of that, every QSO could be much more meaningful even if we talk of trivial topics. And it also teaches us we will go after them someday. You are still young. I remember you have come on the air like a bright star with your bug and have told of your experience that you had unconsciously read each signs and ads on the street with Morse code. That was why you came on the air, as you said. It was a touching story to me. Remeber that and keep up being on the radio. You may encourage younger hams to enjoy as you have done. Me? Maybe, in some time, a simple set up will be ready here and pund the brass again then. It seems a new variant XBB more evasive than previous strains is prevailing in your area. Be careful and stay active. Shin

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