N7UVL is SK

I'm sorry to report the passing of Gary Altig N7UVL of Steamboat Nevada.

>From QRZ.COM:

Originally licensed in 1962 as WV6ZBQ. -US Navy Radioman with Technical Controller; Teletype, Crypto, & Radio Equipment Repair specialties. -Career in a variety of Computer & Data Communications aspects. including Field Service for TRE Semiconductor; Control Data; Federal Express; & Senior Field Engineer for General Data Comm. -Past Member & Secretary for Nevada Division Of Forestry Volunteers In Prevention (NDF-VIP) program. -Past District Emergency Coordinator for Northwest Nevada ARES. -Founding Member of Nevada Volunteers Active in Disasters (N-VOAD). -Life Member of Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA). -Life Member & past Board Member of Wide Area Data Group (WADG). -Member & past Vice Director of Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network-Reno (SATERN). -Member, & past-Secretary of Sierra Nevada Amateur Radio Society (SNARS)

Gary was a friend of mine and I am extremely saddened by his passing. He was an elmer of mine and I learned quite a bit from him. He was one of the first hams I met after I got my ticket.

Gary, you will be missed.

 

N7UVL Gary Altig
As a new ham I was struggling around, finding my role and position in this hobby, and I still am.

Just after I got my general upgrade, in May 2009, I ventured out in the big ham land and did "Field Day".
I had no clue what I was doing, how to do it, and why I was doing it.
It was just a really cool opportunity to go camping/four wheeling and do radio at the same time.
So we set up camp at "Crystal Mine" on the Peavine complex.
We got the station up, and was blasted away with call "CQ Field day"......
We listened and tried to figure the whole ordeal out, I had received some email from Gary before, but understood little of them.
A couple of hours after we set up camp and got on the air, who else than N7UVL arrived at the camp.
He knew what we was doing, how we was supposed to do it, and why we was doing it.
He helped us figure it out, and encouraged us, and shared his knowledge.
He elmered us how to improve our antennas at the site, he explained the rules and how the "contest" part worked and much much more.
Gary saved field day for us.
Not only that, but he wrote a very nice story about us in SNARS club newsletter, and by that gave me a "public acknowledge" as a ham.
It was many things Gary and I did not agree about, especially emergency communication, we came from different directions and I think my point of view some times amused him, but it did not get in the way of our friendship or his support of me as a ham.
Gary would send me a furious email if he thought I messed up, on the other hand, he would send me an email if he thought I was doing good.
Unfortunately, most of these emails got lost in a "e-mail clean up" and I really regret that.
Gary was a good friend and a great mentor, both to Kati and me. a good man that was more than willing to share of his knowledge and experience, if you was willing to listen.
Kati and I will miss Gary alot.......
N7UVL Gary 73
de
KF7AMY

Gary visiting our Field Day 2010



Photo by Gary Grant K7VY

 

This is indeed very sad news. I've known Gary for just about 20 years, when I first got licensed around 1993. Gary was also one of the many folks who was an elmer to me, and had a ton of knowledge that he enjoyed sharing with everyone. This is a huge loss.