An unforgettable ham friend Sam W6TSQ

 When I came back on the air in 1980, I often saw this experienced ham, Sam W6TSQ near SF. He often stayed up late and came on the air around our early evening hours. Those days, he was using Collins S line. That combo should be old. In the beginning of every transmission, his signal was drifting a little bit and also sounded slightly chirpy. Together with his proficient keying with a bug key, it was not difficult for me to tell him from others anywhere.

It won't take us too long to become close friends. My memory about what we talked about has slipped away for now. But a couple of things are firmly in my memory. One is that, when he knew I had been a music lover, he told me his favorite had been pan flute music. He has kindly sent me an LP record of pan flute. I was very surprised to receive the parcel from him. I still owned a record player those days and remember listening that LP for many times. It was soothing beautiful music I had never listened to. I thought it reflected his personality. Whenever recalling of him, I remeber that music sounding in the small resident dormitory. Sadly, I gave up that LP system and several LP records including that pan flute LP when I moved here. 

The other memory is more personal. I believe it was early '90s. Reflecting it at present, I know it was symptoms of male menopause. I felt a sense of uneasiness or low grade fever. When I complained of that to Sam, he told me it was a critical period everyone went through and advised me to get it through not being troubled so much. It was more than any encouragement to me then. Even though I have had that symptomes for a few more years, I was less concerned about it and have forgotten it. As he told me, it was only transient. Actually, I have consulted to a doctor and even to my wife regarding this issue. His words were the best treatment for me. He might not have any knowledge of male menopause but sure had a knowledge of wisdome he acquired through his life. He has given that advice as if it were nothing so serious.  

I am not sure when it was but had an opportunity to visit him. In my visit to Bob W6CYX in 1992, he has brought me to Sam's home. It was located close to the Gulf of SF in a suburb of SF. Surrounded with a lot of cedar trees. You may see a wire hung on a tree. I was surprised he sounded that strong on 40m with such a simple antenna. Partly because it was close to the sea.

Sam and me on the veranda. The house was located on a steep slope. There were a lot of cedar trees all around.

At his operating position. It seems the S line has been replaced to a modern radio by this time. The amplifier was a model of Ten Tec. The bug key he had spun so beautiful Morse code was only an old ordinary key. It was his fist done all the job. He might be eager fixing or modifying radios. There was a parts storage cabinet on the table.

I have not expected this was the only chance to see him in person. Our lives still go on as they are. I haven't heard of his life in young days and knew only little of his life. But he is still a friend unforgettable for me.  

I happened to have found his obituary by a QCWA member lately, which told me what a life he had spent. I didn't know he had lived the very last era of spark radio engaged as a radio operator.

https://www.qcwa.org/w6tsq-02684-sk.htm