Was a fixture on the Sunday Morning net on 144.205 from FN20 in the Tri-state area with that big signal. When I first started to dive into VHF SSM on 2M, Roger was very patient and encouraged me to check in and provided good advice on equipment and band conditions. Our thoughts and prayers go out.. RIP David
Correction- The Sunday morning net was 144.250 and SSM s/b SSB but you get the idea. We will miss Roger, and the first Sunday morning net is today at 10.30am, after his passing.
He will be greatly missed. He was wonderful raconteur, vhf pioneer and one of the great software pioneers of the 1980's as a developer of the VALDOCS word processing and OS for the Epson QX-10 Desktop Computer circa 1984. From a 1984 article in InfoWorld https://books.google.com/books?id=DS8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA55&dq=Roger+Amidon+Epson+Valdocs&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjQx5ucrdzMAhWHmx4KHQv9CdkQ6AEIQzAG#v=onepage&q=Roger Amidon Epson Valdocs&f=false George
A person that departs from this earth never truly leaves, for they are still alive in our hearts and minds, through us, they live on. Please keep the Sunday Morning net going in Rogers absence and please accept my condolences, he will not be forgotten. LONG LIVE 144.250!
Sorry to hear of Roger's passing. My favorite memory of Roger was his mobile set-up with 6m, 2m, and 70cm. yagis on a mast and a rotor bolted to the rear quarter panel of his car. Condolences to the family. Kal 4X1SO/KE2SO
Roger W. Amidon, K2SMN SK SK May 13, 2016 Roger Walker Amindon Jr. HOPEWELL Roger Walker Amidon Jr., 73, of Hopewell, NJ, died May 13, 2016. He was the son of Roger and Laura (John) Amidon of Verona, NJ, and was the loving husband of Nancy, his wife of more than 37 years. Roger died at the University Medical Center of Princeton in Plainsboro, NJ, after a long battle with COPD. He is survived by Nancy; his two sons, David and Roger; his daughter-in-law, Elizabeth, and granddaughter, Pearl. He also leaves his four siblings, his brothers, William and Douglas Amidon, and his loving sisters, Kathryn Coffey and Lesley Sheehy, as well as many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. Roger, an electronics engineer and computer programmer, began his career by creating innovative software and hardware for the developing personal computer industry, from its earliest "hobbyist" days in the 1970's and, one way or another, for most of his. Both an innovator and entrepreneur, he helped found several early personal computer companies. Roger will be remembered for his contributions to the first multiplexing LCD display, the first personal computer software development tools, the TPM operating system, and Zapple, a diagnostic tool for the Z-80 chip that worked at the machine level. As the chief engineer of Rising Star Industries, a fierce competitor to Microsoft in the early days of home computing, he shepherded the development of the Epson QX-10 personal home computer, providing a true WYSIWYG environment for the user and introducing the concept of integrated office software that predated Microsoft's Office Suite. Later, he would go on to create his own business, the DX Computer Company, and got caught up in the booming game industry. He was the primary programmer on many games for the Game Boy entertainment system including, "Turn and Burn," "Home Alone 2," and the first handheld "Star Trek: The Next Generation" game. Roger was also a well-known amateur radio enthusiast, starting from a very young age. He held the call letters K2SMN for 60 years, was a long-time ARRL member, and conducted the East Coast VHF Society's Sunday morning net for more than 20 years. His eclectic interests included the music of the Beatles, science fiction movies, and adventure games such as the Legend of Zelda and Dragon Warrior. He was a storyteller and a dreamer who loved his wife, children, and grandchild immensely. He was a determined force of nature, generous, and will be missed by those who knew and loved him. In lieu of flowers, donations to the ARRL Historic Preservation Fund at arrl.org/memorial-gifts, (860) 594-0397, will help provide a Silent Key memorial honoring Roger. Friends may call on Thursday evening from 6 to 8 p.m., and Friday morning from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Hopewell Memorial Home, 71 E. Prospect St., Hopewell, NJ 08525, HopewellMH.com. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home Friday at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Highland Cemetery, Hopewell. Hopewell Memorial Home and Cremation 71 E. Prospect St. Hopewell, NJ 08525 (609) 466-3632 Funeral Home Hopewell Memorial Home 71 E. Prospect St Hopewell, NJ 08525 609-466-3632 Funeral Home Details Send Flowers Published in The Times, Trenton, from May 17 to May 18, 2016 - See more at: http://obits.nj.com/obituaries/tren...pid=180015471&fhid=13815#sthash.Jm67Kq1L.dpuf
Sad to read this. I never met Roger on the bands or in person, but I was running his "Zapple" Z80 monitor program on my first home brew computer at the beginning of the 1980s. This computer printed Zapple 3.0> on the teletype at power on with that specific sound I heard thousands of times and still have in my ear. That computer is still existing. How small this world is...
I only recently heard about this, and I only got to know Roger over the air in recent years as a new enthusiast in the VHF arena, but he and the East Coast VHF Society were fundamental in my early VHF experience. Allowed me to test my receive/transmit range as I traveled to mountaintops and coastline spots - because I could count on the activity on Sunday mornings regularly - from all over. It provided a platform for VHF learning and discussion and an "on air" meeting place for people who shared similar passions. An inspiration. Truly respect his history, commitment and dedication to the hobby - and no doubt he leaves a legacy. Shawn N2DXT https://www.facebook.com/dxtour/ https://www.youtube.com/user/N2DXT
I'm saddened to hear this also. I did know Roger personally and visited his hilltop shack a few times. His was the first application of the "truck mirrors" I'd ever seen. At the time, mid-80s, Roger had two 100' towers with a lot of VHF antennas on them. They were not visible out his 'attic' hamshack windows, so he installed large "truck mirrors" outside the windows and wherever needed so he could watch the beams rotate while sitting at the station, looking out the window and then around corners and such. Brilliant! After seeing that, I did the same thing, myself. He had a phenomenal VHF-UHF setup even then. And a dedicated 2m SSB mobile station in a car used for nothing except that: It was a Mustang with a mast and rotator on the rear bumper and a bracket to secure them, with an 11 element 2m horizontally polarized beam turning a few feet above the car roof. He could use it, and rotate the beam, while driving. The car's "passenger seat" had been removed and that space completely occupied with VHF gear, including a 200W amplifier -- so it became a "one person" car, dedicated just to operating portable on 2m. Nice guy and gung-ho VHFer. R.I.P., Roger.
Roger was a real inspiration to me he will be missed. I remember the 1st time I worked him. It was before I had any real interest in the VHF, UHF and Microwave bands. I was returning from Boston, Ma to Sweetwater, NJ. He talked to me the entire way. I used to look forward to checking into the Sunday morning NET on .250. Over the years I climbed both of his towers to help him. I was always impressed with his 2 meter station. Roger, Russ K2TXB and Ron W3RJW (ex WA3AXV) were all instrumental in motivating and helping me build a VHF and up contest station. Roger you will be missed rest in peace. 73, de AA2UK, Bill
I truly agree with NRNQK.! Even though they may not be physically present with us...they are certainly connected to us through their souls.
[/QUOTE] I KNEW RODGER BACK IN 1960,ME AND HIM WERE TO YOUNG PARTYING DUDES BCK THEN ..REST IN PEACE MY FRIEND....73,WA2MLN, PHIL...
