Derek G7OXJ

Today Saturday 03/02/2007 is a sad day, at 00:30 this morning Derek died in hospital. I shall miss him, it is with deep sadness that I write this, and regret that I only knew him for a few short years.

Derek had been a friend to me since I passed my foundation exam and became an M3, we had numerous QSO's on 2mtrs when I lived down south and he encouraged me to further my experience in amateur radio and thought that I would pass the intermediate with no problems, which I did in June last year. We continued our QSO's on 40mtrs after my move to Elgin. Derek rang me on new years eve to say that he was going into hospital for a minor operation on his toe and that he wouldn't be home for about a week. The week turned into two, with me ringing his phone to see if he was ok and leaving messages on his answerphone. He rang me to say that he was ok and out of hospital and we started our QSO's again on 40mtrs on the Sunday (21/01/07) he told me that he might have to go QRT suddenly as the district nurse was going to visit him to change his bandages, he had a knock on the door and said 73s. I didn't manage to speak to him again. On the Tuesday (23/01/07) he was rushed back into hospital and it seems that he got MRSA when he was in the hospital, and now he's gone.

The term for amateurs who die, is "Silent Key" Derek was so full of life that I prefer to think of him as a "Constant Carrier" Rest in peace my friend.

2m0ibo