W9ZN SK

[Imre Forro]

Hi Gentlemen. I just found out, that Bill Crane, W9ZN CFO#158 has passed away on October 26. 2023. He was 84 years old. https://www.kb6nu.com/w9zn-sk/   RIP Bill. 73 Imi, KV1I 

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

I understand Bill Crane, W9ZN (SK October 26, 2023) built several kW sets that he rack mounted and he pre-tuned them into the dedicated antenna for that particular band. 

His exciter was crystal controlled, that's why you always heard him calling CQ. 

He used:

7035

10114

14034

18079

The reason he could shift frequently so quickly was because just like a commercial station he had a dedicated transmitter and antenna all warmed up and prep tuned. 

He operated his station just like a commercial radio station.

I forgot the relationship Bill had with the original W9ZN the amateur radio station of the founders of Z-Nith (later Zenith) radio sales agency for Chicago Radio Laboratory.

https://www.madeinchicagomuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Zenith20Story20A20History20From201919.pdf

Interesting reading for sure.

73

DR

N1EA

There is also a tribute that his longtime employer WGN made for him.

Bill "Butterball" Ford Crane - W9ZN

https://youtu.be/Znyqq9f93r0

Rest in eternal peace, my dear friend, Bill.

73

DR

On 12/2/2023 2:21 AM, David J. Ring, Jr. wrote:

I understand Bill Crane, W9ZN (SK October 26, 2023) built several kW sets that he rack mounted and he pre-tuned them into the dedicated antenna for that particular band. 

His exciter was crystal controlled, that's why you always heard him calling CQ. 

He used:

7035

10114

14034

18079

The reason he could shift frequently so quickly was because just like a commercial station he had a dedicated transmitter and antenna all warmed up and prep tuned. 

He operated his station just like a commercial radio station.

I forgot the relationship Bill had with the original W9ZN the amateur radio station of the founders of Z-Nith (later Zenith) radio sales agency for Chicago Radio Laboratory.

https://www.madeinchicagomuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Zenith20Story20A20History20From201919.pdf

Interesting reading for sure.

73

DR

N1EA

[w8au]

Dave, tnx for the news about Bill Crane, as sorry as I am about his
demise.
I was so used to hearing him on a regular basis on 40 and calling him
periodically to
get the latest info about things at WGN and if he would ever retire. He
said they would have to carry him out. The sad fact in my case is not
realizing
I had not heard him in the past year and faulting myself for being an
"out of sound out of mind" individual.

As an early entrant into CFO, (127) I have gotten so used to losing
those great
ops, many of which became personal friends, from Big Bird, Stan-W9WBL,
etc, etc
that I just got used to it. Not good. Tnx to your updates I hope to be
more
attentive to the status of CFO ops still with us.

I'm now occupied in keeping my xyl alive which cuts down my air time but
hopefully I can keep an ear open while remotely monitoring 40-M during
the day. This duty also kept me from crewing on the LST on it's recent
trip
to Port Arthur, TX, for dry dock. First things first, of course.

Hoping you are in good health and radio-active;

73/ZUT
Perry

On 2024-02-07 21:49, D.J.J. Ring, Jr. wrote:
> I understand Bill Crane, W9ZN (SK October 26, 2023) built several kW
> sets that he rack mounted and he pre-tuned them into the dedicated
> antenna for that particular band.
>
> His exciter was crystal controlled, that's why you always heard him
> calling CQ.
>
> He used:
>
> 7035
> 10114
> 14034
> 18079
>
> The reason he could shift frequently so quickly was because just like
> a commercial station he had a dedicated transmitter and antenna all
> warmed up and prep tuned.
>
> He operated his station just like a commercial radio station.
>
> I forgot the relationship Bill had with the original W9ZN the amateur
> radio station of the founders of Z-Nith (later Zenith) radio sales
> agency for Chicago Radio Laboratory.
>
> https://www.madeinchicagomuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Zenith20Story20A20History20From201919.pdf
>
> Interesting reading for sure.
>
> 73
> DR
> N1EA
>

> There is also a tribute that his longtime employer WGN made for him.
>
> Bill "Butterball" Ford Crane - W9ZN
>
> https://youtu.be/Znyqq9f93r0
>

> --
> --
> Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, CLUCK! - CFO Lives!
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> [1].
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>
> Links:
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[Fabio Bonucci]

Hi guys.

I apologize for failure to provide information Bill's death.I knew Bill passed away because he was a FOC member but I didn't realize he was a CFO as well.So I didn't infor CFO group, sorry.

May he rest in peace.

73 Fabio, IK0IXI (W3IX)

--
--
Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, CLUCK! - CFO Lives!
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[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

I would have loved to take the LST to Port Arthur.  Do they go on with a gangway or Jacob's ladder, as I need a cane these days and the only thing I trust is gangways.

73

DR

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[Mike Cizek W0VTT]

I really enjoyed chatting with Bill over the years.  My log shows our first QSO was 13 May 1982; our last was 20 April last year.  I grew up in the Chicago area and WGN used to have some very good kiddie shows that we watched regularly.  Of course, Bill knew ALL the actors, so we would talk about them.  Some of them were more of a “character” in real life than their on the air persona.  It was fun.

 

Flawless fist!  Even on a straight key.  Very musical.  One afternoon tuning across 40m (I think it was 40m), I heard a catchy sounding combination of dots & dashes; no letters or words, just long alternating strings of dots and dashes, finally followed by his callsign.  I called him and asked what he was doing.  He said it was an old military straight key training exercise to warm up his fist.  That sound and rhythm are firmly embedded in my head, but when I send it, it just doesn’t sound as smooth as what Bill sent.

 

I think he abandoned those crystal controlled rigs later in life because I have him on several different freqs on 30 and 40m.  I think I remember him saying he was using an FT-1000 at one time.

 

Fabio – you may have W9ZN confused with Gene N9SW, who passed away last fall.  Gene was both FOC and CFO.  W9ZN was not an FOC member, but there may have been a note about him on our reflector because he was such a long standing fixture on 40m.

 

---

73,

Mike Cizek WØVTT

Rest in eternal peace, my dear friend, Bill.

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[John Whitt]

Way too many. Rest in peace Bill - W9ZN.

John

On Wed, Feb 7, 2024 at 9:29 PM Imre Forro <qrq...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Gentlemen. I just found out, that Bill Crane, W9ZN CFO#158 has passed away on October 26. 2023. He was 84 years old. https://www.kb6nu.com/w9zn-sk/   RIP Bill. 73 Imi, KV1I 

--

--
Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, CLUCK! - CFO Lives!
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[w8au]

In port the gangway is wide enough to drive aboard for those crew
members
bringing gear aboard. On tours the entry for the public is via the open
bow doors using
an L shaped gangway to the shore.

I miss checking in with KPH on 12 mHz when they were active Wednesdays
and Saturdays.
For fun used to get crew to send radiograms to family, etc and KPH would
email them using RadioMarine forms attached.

I remember your visit about 15 years ago? Don't remember the port.

73
PB

> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/Chicken-Fat-Operators-Club/CADO5Rbj7sSwskAkAiRekc_jeVeSdk1D5mO-iMADWs5hvGDUm6A%40mail.gmail.com

> [1].
>
>
> Links:
> ------
> [1]

> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/Chicken-Fat-Operators-Club/CADO5Rbj7sSwskAkAiRekc_jeVeSdk1D5mO-iMADWs5hvGDUm6A%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

24-15= 2009 15 years ago, must have been when you were up in Massachusetts because I haven't been out of New England since 1994.

What email program are you using?  The way it makes links at the bottom reminds me of text email program mutt.

73

DR