SK: Wally Green VK6WG

[VK3ALB]

For those of you that do not subscribe to the VK-VHF reflector the following announcement has just been posted.

It is great regret that I announce the passing of Wally Green yesterday 7 March.


Even after his 100th birthday celebrations in August last year, Wally continued his activities on 144 MHz and above, continuing a long tradition of providing signals from Albany across the Bight and towards Perth.


His pioneering work with the late Reg Galle VK5QR in the late 1970s on propagation across the Great Australian Bight, with world record distances on 1296, 2304 and 3456 MHz using home constructed equipment, set the scene for others to challenge the then accepted theories of propagation at these frequencies.


A self-taught man he used his mechanical skills to fabricate parabolic dishes, parts of the "plumbing" required for the waveguide needed for those frequencies, and showed extreme patience in locating the rare components needed and then successfully constructing the transmitters and receivers without elaborate test equipment.


More than all of that, Wally has to be praised for his willingness to share his knowledge and experiences with others and "to be there" when conditions were both promising and not so promising for long distance propagation!


He will be sorely missed!


Vale Wally Green VK6WG


Wally Howse
VK6KZ

[VK3PY]

Yes, kind of sad in that Wally is no more, but I would rather celebrate his long contribution to Amateur Radio during his extraordinarily long and productive life. I first worked Wally on 2m in January 1976 (along with Aub VK6XY). My last contact with him was just over a month ago on 25 January, also on 2m. It just seemed that Wally would go on forever, a universal constant.

Chas
VK3PY

[VK2KRR]

I was very sad to read of Wally VK6WG's passing while I was away attending a wedding over past few days

Wally was a remarkable fellow and iconic operator of the VHF UHF and microwave bands in Australia and around the world.
Wally still lived at home until his passing (as far as I know) and still operated on the radios.

I was quite honoured to be able to give Wally his first 2m contact to VK2 and later his first 70cm VK2 contact, distance of 2650 Km.

Wally held a number of world record distances for VHF UHF Microwave distances at one time or another. An amazing gentleman who will always be remembered for his amazing life & contribution to the advancement of electronics and radio.

73 for now Wally.

[G8VHI]

I was in Albany some 4 years ago. I met both Wally and his son. I cherish the day I sat in Wally's shack and had a chat to him. He was a wonderful man and led the way in pushing the limits on VHF and above!

Reg G8VHI