Ham Radio loses a good friend. October, 31 2000

Bill, W1AQM, was a regular on the CMARA Club net at 7:30pm on the Paxton repeater. He was known as the Mayor of Shrewsbury by most of the net regulars, and was well liked by all who ever worked him.

Bill loved CW and was one of the best. Bill kept a sched with a friend in Arizona, and I was lucky enough to run accross his QSO on 20 meters. I called him when he cleared his QSO, and what a great time I had. He seemed really pleased that I had called, and wanted to know right off how fast I wanted to go. Every time he would turn it over to me, he would ask, want to go faster? I'd say sure, and off he'd go. He had the sweetest fist I've ever heard, and I came away thinking, this is what Ham Radio is all about, and that Bill was probably the most gracious person I'd ever met. We could easily fill our ranks with great CW operators if everyone could just work Bill, CW, one time. We are going to miss Bill for a very long time.