Well-Known Contester, “Antenna Farmer” Paul Bittner, WØAIH, SK

What a full life he lead, an inspiration to us all I think. May he Rest in Peace.

 

Wow. Have him in the log several times over the years, terrible news. Not sure how to feel about the "how" part, on one side good from him to keep active and be climbing a tower, but on the other hand, you have to have a point at which you say "enough", and have someone younger do the work for you. RIP.

 

I worked Paul way back in 2004 when I had my novice MW3 callsign. I'd only just gained my ticket and he was genuinely pleased for me and full of encouragement for me to take the Intermediate, then Advanced levels, which I did.
It was the only time I enjoyed a QSO with him but heard him several times over the years, usually with his famously big signal in the many contests he loved so much.
My thoughts are with his family. God bless you Paul, the world of amateur radio, and the wider world is poorer for your passing..

 

In this weekends CW Sweepstakes contest it seems several veteran ops or groups, instead of using their own first year licensed, may have spontaneously chosen to use the number 49 as their QSO exchange CHECK number, in remembrance and honor for Paul WØAIH. A touching tribute.

 

W0AIH Interview July 2018 in Germany

By Paul K9PG,

During WRTC, K9NW, DM9EE and I were fortunate enough to drive around the
central German countryside for several hours with W0AIH visiting a few of
the sites. I thought it'd be a good idea to record some of the conversation
we were having.... here's 18 minutes of it. -

 

Like alot of us who contest, and remember how many new contesters grew out of Paul's direction, I will miss hearing his signals in the future. The silence form the North for me is deafening. 73 Paul....de K0XM

 

God called CQ.

Paul answered.

Please...be very, very, very careful climbing towers.

http://www.arrl.org/shop/Tower-Climbing-Safety-and-Rescue
https://www.comtrainusa.com/

 

I met Paul twice, once in the early 70's when I was living in the Chicago burbs and the station I operated contests at was a WB0???/9 who I forget and was a good friend of Paul from Minneapolis and we headed North as two couples with our wives. Our infant son stayed with neighbors.

The last time was in 98 when we traveled to Milwaukee to visit that same son, drove to Oshkosh to the EAA Air Venture Fly In, and then it was a short hop to Paul. We drove in my recently obtained 68 Impala SS 396 convertible which I still have.

I was shell shocked both times as Paul was one of the most wonderful men Ive ever met and instilled into me the "Buy Cheap" mantra which was the key to my own stations steady series of wins or in the top three. I built almost all my own antennas from accumulated scrap, hamfest specials and storm damaged yagis. Three of the 4 towers were bought used. Rotators were used that I rebuilt and the station gear was mostly second hand that I repaired and modified.

You will always be remembered Paul.

Carl

 

Here is another video, very well produced, for Paul and Mary's 60th anniversary. From a link at the end of the quite interesting prose and pictorial autobiography in the TCDXA newsletter (pages 15-19), it not only shows their progression as radio amateurs, but how deeply devoted they are to vocation and family.

John, WØPV

 

W0AIH was always an interesting man to chat with. The same enthusiasm on this video, was the same in person, no matter who you were, or what you looked like.

I first met him at a hamfest in Peoria, IL. I was passing by town, between jobs. Stopped by to look at all the stuff in the tail gate area, and there was the man himself! I looked nothing like a ham, only a drifting cowboy. (my work clothes) He closed his eyes, sounded out my call verbally in cw, opened his eyes and said, "that call sure has a ring to it". We talked about antennas for quite a while. His excitement was genuine, just as this video depicts.

73 Paul, es cul

 

We would like to thank the Bittner Family who during duress, unseasonable weather in a rural location, was still able to gather together to conduct an uplifting service, with so many present who had such adventurous Pastoral stories of their decades of travel promoting the church. An amazing man and an even more amazing servant of the Lord.

From our hearts,
Erika Ostlund K0DD and Husband Craig, Thank You.

 

Born just up the road in Beatrice.

W0AIH was a staple in the 'tests and I worked him a number of times as have many others so I'm not unique by any stretch. Just such a shock to see this headline today. R.I.P., Paul and my the Lord comfort your family.

Until we meet again, 73.

 

Wow, that is an amazing tribute. Great production.

 

I’d like to have a dollar for every hour he spent on a tower and on the air. He was the quintessential DXer. RIP.

 

You are correct. I spoke yesterday to a long-time op of his contest station, and the pulley was not fastened with a more durable 'shackle'.
He fell from about 60 - ft.
Often his wife would operate the winch raising him up a tower, but {perhaps fortunately} she was not there on that day. Still must have been terrible traumatic for whomever was running the winch.
Very sad . QRT-SK