IN MEMORY OF
BOB JACKSON VK7NBF
1911-1998
CHARCT MEMBER No 2
Former Vice President
Friend and mentor to all met him.
Radio
shack at
his home
at
Falmouth
(Click on
either
photo)
His final
resting
place at
St Helens,
reunited
with his
wife.
I first met Bob on air while he was conducting the "Tassie Devil" net on 80 meters in 1982. I had been inactive as an Amateur for some time and after moving into a new (old) house, installed an 80 meter vertical on the pitched roof. I must have impressed Bob with the speed with which I could work a number of stations for the Tassie Devil award without the need to ramble on repeating the same things over and over. He seemed to take a liking to me and our friendship grew on air. It wasn't very long before we met face to face at a "Sewing Circle" BBQ. We got on as though we had always known each other, not just the brief period on air.
After that meeting, I visited him In Falmouth every year on my annual golf trip to St Mary's. I had a meal and drink with him at his house on the Saturday evening, before being driven by him, back to the pub at St Mary's later that evening. About 10 years ago, this all got too hard for various reasons so I would stay the night and be picked up by a fellow golfer the next morning. In 1988 we formed the Central Highlands Amateur Radio Club of Tasmania (see history) and Bob became Vice President, a position which he kept and exercised until his passing on 16 August 1998. He was the backbone of our weekly net which was later to become the Quiz Night. Many a CHARC function or weekend was held at Bob's place. We only needed the feeblest of excuses to go and visit him and enjoy his company.
Antenna erection weekends were the most popular of all excuses, but many others were enjoyed by a vast number of amateurs. Bob seemed to always be on the "must visit" list for all visiting mainland amateurs, and he had a continuous stream of North Islanders banging on his door, usually all bearing gifts of Snake Bite Cure. Bob stood for all he believed in and would not suffer fools. Many a wayward operator has felt the wrath of tongue over the years, only to become a close friend on and off air later. He was a stalwart for the Tassie Devil Net, Sewing Circle net, Charct net, Land Forces Amateur radio net and the VK1 Award Net, and this was just a few.
He would always be there to answer back after the
WIA broadcasts, take part in Charct field days and most nights could be heard on
80 meters. He was also active to the end with his monitoring of VHF and HF
marine frequencies.
I was so saddened to hear of his passing and
worst of all, to be overseas with no hope of attending his funeral, or the wake
afterwards. From the reports I have received, Charc members (and others) gave
him the kind of send-off we would all want for ourselves.
So long Bob, we will eventually be joining you in
the big antenna farm in the sky. We are all missing you.
Bob Geeves.
President.
Central Highlands Amateur Radio Club Of Tasmania.
"LEST
WE
FORGET"
Click on thumbnails for full sized photo
(courtesy of Bob vk7kz)
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