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Ellen White, W1YL SK

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by WN1MB, Nov 8, 2022.

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  1. WN1MB

    WN1MB Ham Member QRZ Page

    SB SPCL @ ARL $ARLX011
    ARLX011 Amateur Radio and ARRL Devotee Ellen White, W1YL (SK)

    ZCZC AX11
    QST de W1AW
    Special Bulletin 11 ARLX011
    From ARRL Headquarters
    Newington CT November 8, 2022
    To all radio amateurs

    SB SPCL ARL ARLX011
    ARLX011 Amateur Radio and ARRL Devotee Ellen White, W1YL (SK)

    Ellen White, W1YL, of Brandon, Florida, passed away on Sunday,
    November 6, 2022. She was 95. White became a radio amateur in 1946
    and devoted over 75 years of her life to ham radio, including more
    than 25 years on the headquarters staff for ARRL, The National
    Association for Amateur Radio. She retired in 1978 as Deputy
    Communications Manager and became the editor of the column "How's
    DX?" for ARRL's membership journal, QST. White was an ARRL Life
    Member and donor.

    At its meeting in January 1978, the ARRL Board of Directors adopted
    a resolution recognizing White and her husband Robert (Bob) L.
    White, W1CW (SK), after having "completed a quarter-century of
    faithful service to the American Radio Relay League." The resolution
    cites that Ellen White had "built a reputation for thoroughness and
    objectivity on a mountain of contest logs," and celebrated her
    "intelligent and creative work as Deputy Communications Manager."

    White was admired by the worldwide amateur radio community. In 2019,
    she was the sole US radio amateur to be awarded the Russian E.T.
    Krenkel Medal, a prestigious award granted to individuals and
    organizations for outstanding global contributions to amateur radio.

    Director of ARRL's Publications and Editorial Department Becky
    Schoenfeld, W1BXY, reflected on the news of White's passing. "Ellen
    was a trailblazing woman in amateur radio. She and I corresponded
    over the years [before] finally meeting up at Orlando HamCation in
    2020. Ellen often marveled at how much farther women had come in the
    ham radio hobby, service, and community since she got her start.
    Every time I talked to her, I thanked her for paving the way," said
    Schoenfeld.

    Remembrances for White began arriving at ARRL Headquarters early
    Monday morning.

    First Class CW Operators' Club (FOC) Membership Secretary Tyler
    Barnett, N4TY, sent a message to all club members. "Ellen joined FOC
    in May 1966, and was active in retirement from her Florida contest
    station, and most recently remote via the W7RN Comstock Memorial
    station. This is a very sad day. She will be missed on the air, and
    at the Florida dinners." Barnett said White was FOC member #875.

    White was also referred to as the "founding grandmother" of the
    Florida Contest Group (FCG). President Chris Plumblee, W4WF, added,
    "It is fitting, in a few ways, that Ellen passed away during SS
    [ARRL Sweepstakes] CW, a contest that she administered for years
    while she worked at the ARRL."

    White had already learned Morse code in high school, and only rarely
    operated any other mode. "Ellen loved CW, contesting, and DXing,"
    said Rosalie White, K1STO (no relation), former ARRL Field And
    Educational Services Manager, who was hired by Ellen White to work
    for ARRL in 1973. "Ellen and I got a lot of hams asking, 'Are you
    Ellen's daughter?' or 'Are you Rosalie's mother?'" said Rosalie
    White. "We always replied, 'No, but that would've been cool.'"
    Rosalie White is now an ARISS-International US Delegate representing
    ARRL.

    Rosalie White recounted that in the 1940s, Ellen and Bob White
    earned First Class Radiotelephone and Second Class Radiotelegraph
    commercial licenses. "She [Ellen White], being a maverick, also took
    the Class B FCC Amateur Radio test to become W2RBU, and promptly
    joined ARRL. Radio broadcast station KPOA based in Oahu, Hawaii,
    hired her (then KH6QI) as station engineer in the day when it was
    unheard of for a woman. She and Bob then headed to San Diego,
    California, where she took another radio broadcast engineer job, and
    also ran for and became ARRL San Diego Section Communications
    Manager (now called Section Manager). This was prior to their
    applying for jobs (at ARRL) in Newington in 1947."

    The article "A Conversation with Ellen White, W1YL," by Rosalie
    White appeared in the May/June 2015 issue of NCJ, published by ARRL.
    That article can be found at,
    https://ncjweb.com/features/mayjun15feat.pdf .

    Eric Guth, 4Z1UG, of the QSO Today Amateur Radio Podcast, introduced
    Ellen White as the "Grande Dame" of amateur radio in an interview
    recorded on April 27, 2016. The interview can be found at,
    https://www.qsotoday.com/podcasts/w1yl .

    Ellen White was preceded in death by her husband Bob in 2003, and
    her son Jim White, K4OJ (SK), in 2004.
    NNNN
    /EX
     
    W4HMB, KN4YEM, KG2U and 18 others like this.
  2. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    Ellen White was a remarkable lady, liked by everyone, gracious with hams of all ages, smart, friendly, just wonderful.

    Irreplacable.

    73
    Chip W1YW
     
    NE0S, KB5IAV, W8KIC and 9 others like this.
  3. 4Z1UG

    4Z1UG Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    I was so grateful to have known Ellen and interview her for the QSO Today Podcast. May her memory be for a blessing.
     
    NE0S, K3LU, W8KIC and 8 others like this.
  4. N7XCZ

    N7XCZ Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    God Bless her and RIP.
     
    W8KIC, KJ1TLB, N4FZ and 5 others like this.
  5. KA0SOH

    KA0SOH Ham Member QRZ Page

    She and her family are remarkable examples of ou hobby. RIP.
     
    W8KIC, KJ1TLB, N4FZ and 4 others like this.
  6. KE0EYJ

    KE0EYJ Ham Member QRZ Page

    I had a CW contact with her from Korea, a few years ago. One of my furthest CW contacts (if not the furthest). We exchanged an email afterwards, because I almost couldn't believe it was that far.

    RIP.

    Kind lady.

    From her page:

    [​IMG]
     
    VK6RR, KN4YEM, K9CTB and 19 others like this.
  7. N6XVO

    N6XVO Ham Member QRZ Page

    Awesome article. What a Lady...RIP Ellen.
     
    KB5IAV, W8KIC, KJ1TLB and 1 other person like this.
  8. N4FZ

    N4FZ XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    A remarkable pioneer in Amateur Radio. Thanks for your contributions to our Hobby! RIP Ellen.
     
    KB5IAV, W8KIC, KJ1TLB and 2 others like this.
  9. WN1MB

    WN1MB Ham Member QRZ Page


    Ambidextrous, too. Match that, CW hotshots!
     
    N3HOE, W8KIC, AK5B and 7 others like this.
  10. G3SEA

    G3SEA Ham Member QRZ Page

    Aloha Oe Ellen
    A truly Akamai Wahine.
    G3SEA/KH6
     
    W8KIC, KJ1TLB and (deleted member) like this.
  11. AE7XG

    AE7XG Ham Member QRZ Page

    With a grin I might add.
     
    W8KIC, KJ1TLB, G0SDG and 3 others like this.
  12. KB2QQM

    KB2QQM Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    She had the nicest sounding CW signal. I last worked her Dec 28 2021. I had just purchased a Yaesu FT818 and was only using ONE Watt...to my Vertical. She came right back and we had a nice QSO.. So sad that she is gone. I hope she is in Spirit with her Husband and Son and Content... What an amazing life.. I hope I am still around doing CW at THAT age... Inspiring :)
     
    W8KIC, WN1MB, KJ1TLB and 1 other person like this.
  13. KE0EYJ

    KE0EYJ Ham Member QRZ Page

    I was working her at 8wpm on my straight key. She slowed for me and said I did a good job, after ai verified it was her by email. She was working with a remote station. If memory serves, the station was in Oregon or Washington, but she was on the East coast. Hard to remember.
     
    KJ1TLB and (deleted member) like this.
  14. NQ9I

    NQ9I XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    She will be missed dearly.
     
    W8KIC and (deleted member) like this.
  15. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    I believe that W1YL operated (over the last few years) remotely , with the remote station in Arizona.

    73
    Chip W1YW
     
    1 person likes this.

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