104-year-old Radio Ham who Helped put Humans on the Moon

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A newspaper reports on the contribution of scientists and radio amateur J. Cary Nettles W5SRR to the US space program. Cary celebrated his 104th birthday on 8th July 2019.

Cary was licensed 74 years ago in 1945 and is currently active on the 40m, 2m and 70cm bands.

“At 103 [article published July 7], Nettles works on rebuilding steamer train engines in his basement. He spends an hour or two on ham radio each day. He watches his beloved Atlanta Braves, makes himself lunch and gets around the house just fine, often without using a walker.”

Nettles, believed to be the nation’s oldest living rocket scientist, helped save the U.S. space program that put humans on the moon 50 years ago.

More Information - https://tennessean.com/story/news/2019/07/07/moon-landing-1969-rocket-scientist-j-cary-nettles/1499131001/

Hiram Percy Maxim 150th Birthday Celebration

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The ARRL is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of ARRL’s first president and co-founder Hiram Percy Maxim (HPM), W1AW, born on 2nd September 1869.

The ARRL will hold an operating event this summer to celebrate HPM’s legacy from 0000 UTC on August 31st, and continue until 2359 UTC on 8th September 2019. It is open to all radio amateurs.

W1AW and all ARRL members will append “/150” to their call signs during this event (DX operators who are ARRL members may operate as <call sign>/150, if permitted by their country of license.)

More Information - http://www.arrl.org/news/view/arrl-announces-happy-150-hiram-percy-maxim-birthday-celebration


DXer and DXpeditioner Anath Pai, VU2PAI, SK

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Well-known contester and DXpeditioner Anath Pai, VU2PAI, of Mangalore, India, died on 13th July 2019. He was 47 and was reported to have suffered a heart attack while on a business trip. He was on the VU4CB, VU7AG, 8Q7KP, HB0/VU2PAI, and VU7LD excursions, among others. On his QRZ.com profile, Pai described himself as “a die-hard DXer.”

Licensed in 1995, he was active on all bands from 160 through 6 meters on several modes. A businessman and world traveller, Pai had visited the US and attended Dayton Hamvention in the past. He was a member of the Mangalore Amateur Radio Club and served on the Governing Council of the Amateur Radio Society of India (ARSI), his country’s IARU member society.