[600MRG] Andre Kesteloot SK

[Warren]

I am sorry to hear about the report the passing of André Kesteloot, N4ICK on 
January 4.
Many on the list knew André  better than I but for the benefit of those who 
did not know him I will summarize my recollections.

Andre was a founder of AMRAD, Amateur Radio Research and Development and led 
many of the efforts in digital modes and more relevantly to this group led 
the AMRAD LF effort getting the first U.S. LF Experimental license WA2XTF 
back in the 1999. As part of the AMRAD LF effort a high performance e-probe 
and LF downconverter and operated a long wave beacon on 137kHz. André 
participated in the RSGB LF Convention in 2000 and presented the Bobek award 
to David Bowman G0MRF for his transatlantic contact with Larry Kaiser.

André  worked for the CIA as an electrical engineer and retired around 2000 
or so but was called back to do consulting after the events of 9/11

  I met André only once, I purchased a Decca TX that André  had acquired 
from Dave Bowman, Dave having brought it over to the Dayton hamvention. ( I 
believe that originally  Harry Woodhouse of Cornwall obtained it from the 
Decca station on the Isles of Scilly.)   Deccas being scarce in this 
country, I gladly drove the 400+ miles from Boston to the Washington D.C. 
area where André  lived. André  was quite the gentlemen and we had a short 
conversation about LF and the people involved, he was very complimentary to 
the RSGB LF community and particularly to Jim Moritz.
The Decca needed some minor repairs and conversion from 71kHz to 137kHz and 
a driver board etc, it is still my primary large 137kHz transmitter. My last 
contact was a couple of years ago after I acquired one of the AMRAD LF 
transmitters, a Ropex owned by W4RI, André supplied me with the schematic 
and information on various modifications.

André will be missed by the LF community.

73 Warren K2ORS



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Frederick Raab" <w1fr at gmrr.biz>
To: <600mrg at w7ekb.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2015 9:36 PM
Subject: [600MRG] Andre Kesteloot SK


> January 6, 2015
>
> Gentlemen:
>
> Ralph Wallio passed on word that Andre Kesteloot N4ICK / WD2XSH/8 passed
> away on January 4.
>
> Andre was an active member of AMRAD.  Back in 2004 when I was trying to 
> get
> our 500-kHz project started, AMRAD was the first group to back the idea.
> They helped to convince ARRL to move on our experimental license.  Andre
> had been involved in the 137-kHz experimental license before this.
>
> This is the fourth SK from the WD2XSH group.
>
>
> 73, Fritz, W1FR, Experiment Coordinator
>
> Frederick H. (Fritz) Raab, Ph.D.
> GREEN MOUNTAIN RADIO RESEARCH COMPANY
> 1183 Jonquil Lane
> Boone, Iowa 50036  USA
> Tel.  +1 (515) 275-2141
> Cell:  (802) 598-9527
> E-mail:  f.raab at ieee.org
> Alt:  fraab at gmrr.biz
> Web:  www.gmrr.biz
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