News of Interest to Wisconsin Club Members

It seems that there is good news for the Wisconsin.  Check out this video from WAVY-TV 10. (It is a large video file, it could take a minute or two(2))

Museum Ships on the Air 2009

Museum Ships on the Air was held this year on June 6th and 7th.  N4WIS was operational both days from the decks of the Wisconsin.  We logged 563 contacts operating between 10AM and 4PM each day.  You can check if your contact was logged by loocking your call up in our log search.  Thank you all for participating and making this a very successful event!

Jack Main - W4YCZ
1928 - 2009

We have the sad duty to report the passing of one of our own, Jack Main, W4YCZ.  Jack became a silent key on Saturday, March 28th 2009.  Jack served the community, both amateur and public with great dedication for many years.  You can read Jacks obituary Pilot online.  Jack served as secretary of the USS Wisconsin Radio Club from it's inception through the end of 2008 and we are grateful for his service to us here at the Wisconsin and indeed for his service to the entire amateur community.  

Jack leaves his wife Sally, two sons and three grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 1st,  in First Church of God, Anderson with Pastor Dennis McQuown officiating.  The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorial donations be made to the First Church of God, Anderson General Fund.

Jack Main W4YCZ (SK)  1928 - 2009

Jack Main retired from the National Weather Service after 40 years of dedicated service as a meteorologist, spending more than 20 years of that time at sea on Coast Guard Cutters in the North Atlantic. I’m not sure what year Jack was first licensed as a ham radio operator but I’m sure Jack must have spent lots of hours on the shortwave bands during those off duty hours at sea.

One local ham, Wally K4OGT, recalls that he was on a Troop ship, in 1952 headed for Europe. The ship Wally was on had a Zenith Transoceanic short wave receiver and the ship listened to Jack’s weather broadcasts due to severe storms off Bremerhaven England. Twenty years later (1972) Wally met Jack in person for the first time.

Wally and Blair Blanton, W4CEU (SK) talked Jack into running for president of SPARK, Southern Peninsula Radio Klub. Jack ran and was president for two years.  

Later Jack was one of the first operators to be trained and then regularly work a weekly volunteer slot at the Virginia Air and Space Center radio station. Jack volunteered there until recently when his doctor told him to quit extra travel and outside activities. When Jack was at Virginia Air & Space and down on the USS Wisconsin he would use a Morse code oscillator & key to send "My Name is Jack". He was surprised more than once to have a visitor walk up and say "Hello Jack”.

In the year 2000 Bus Ethridge K4IX (SK) found out the battleship USS Wisconsin was coming to Norfolk and would be docked at Nauticus. Bus formed the USS Wisconsin Radio Club and Jack being an old salt could not resist becoming involved. Jack became a charter member and the club secretary from 2000 until December 2008 when he gave up the position due to health concerns. Jack and Sally N4VIY, his wife of 25 years enjoyed coming to the battleship to be Radio Docents during radio club special events. Jack enjoyed telling visitors about ham radio and life at sea.

Jack’s last radio operation was probably during the Wisconsin QSO Party the weekend before his passing. When Jack had to go to the hospital he worried about turning in his log so the stations he contacted would get credit in the contest.

We will all miss Jack; he was a real gentleman and a great friend of ham radio and the USS Wisconsin Radio Club.

Written by: Ron W8RJL

Here is something that should be of interest.  

If you Google "I Remember Jack Main" you will find out some things about our own Jack Main that I'm sure some of you didn't know.  Jack is remembered fondly by some of those upon whom he once cast a shadow.  Here is what they had to say.

www.jacksjoint.com/jackmain.htm

Our new QSL card is ready and now being shipped to those who work the USS Wisconsin on any of our "Special Event" operations.  Take a look below and see what you will receive for working N4WIS!

You can also get a feeling for the history of this grand old vessel from the short history below.