01/09/2025

By HWN Net Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV ÿ

It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of Terrence "Terry" Redding, Sr., Ph.D., W6LMJ, SK. Just before Christmas, I heard from one of Terry's daughters that he suffered a bad stroke a few months earlier. Sadly, he passed away January 4, 2025. His daughter said he passed holding the hand of his bride as they listened to their favorite song.

According to information Terry posted on his QRZ page, he was born in 1948 in Torrance, California. He became interested in amateur radio as a result of helping his father recover electronic components from old television sets. From those, he built crystal radio sets, strung antennas, and built solid-state beat frequency oscillators. He was later introduced to amateur radio by a good friend while taking electronic classes at Torrance High School.

As Terry stated on his QRZ page, he "attended El Camino College pursuing an EE degree, and worked for the Electron Dynamics Division, Hughes Aircraft Company. The plant moved from the Los Angeles airport site to Torrance, which involved me working 12 hours a day, seven days a week for about six months, during which I lost my college deferment and became eligible for the draft."

Terry was drafted into the US Army in 1968. He was selected for Field Artillery Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in 1969. Terry later served in Vietnam. He retired as a Major. Over the years, he was stationed in Augsburg and Aushaffunsburg, Germany, Fort Sill, OK, Fort Ord, CA, and the Panama Canal Zone. He co-authored the Field Acquisition Training Manual with General Tommy Franks and, through ham radio as part of his doctoral degree, met and interviewed the man who became aware of the pending attack on Pearl Harbor. Terry was well-known wherever he lived. He loved his family, astronomy, and amateur radio.

I first met Terry shortly after I joined the Hurricane Watch Net back in early 2000. Terry was one of the longest-serving active members of HWN...40 years. He also served as a board member of Hurricane Watch Net, Inc. for 9 years. ÿ Terry joined the Hurricane Watch Net[1] in 1984 while stationed in Panama, using the call sign HP1XTR. His first storm to participate in was Hurricane Diana, which made landfall just north of the North Carolina/South Carolina border. In 1987, he returned to the US, living in Lawton, OK, and held the call sign of WB5LMJ. In 1995, he relocated to West Palm Beach, FL, and was active using the call sign W6LMJ. While living in West Palm Beach, Terry and his family, unfortunately, experienced numerous tropical storms and hurricanes. However, during those hurricanes, he found himself in the position of being a reporting station.

In late 2016, I had the honor of making Terry an "Honorary Member" of the Hurricane Watch Net for his 32 years of dedicated service. But this honor did not slow Terry down. He would find a way to make himself available to assist in whatever capacity needed every year, as he had always done. Terry's on-air help, and more importantly, his friendship, will be greatly missed.

Terry leaves behind Barbara, W5HKY, his wife of almost 55 years; and his children Terry Redding, Jr., KB5EHV, (Kelly); Sandra King (Harvey); Cynthia Smith, KB5FIQ, (Joseph); Mary Elizabeth Fabian-Redding, KC5UFZ; Sarah Lynn Redding, KC5YYT; and Michael, N4WTW, & Kirsten, KD4GUN, Glowaski; along with 17 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

Editor's note: Redding was an ARRL Life Member, Teacher, Instructor, and Volunteer Examiner. ÿ


[1] http://www.hwn.org

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þ Synchronet þ Whiskey Lover's Amateur Radio BBS

05/23/2025

In September 1965, Hurricane Betsy hit Florida, the Bahamas, and the central US Gulf Cost. The damage was nearly $1.42 billion, earning the storm the nickname Billion Dollar Betsy. Forecasting for storms like Betsy was still in its infancy.ÿ

Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, the current Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) manager, shared that amateur radio operator Gerald E. "Jerry" Murphy, K8YUW, then 28 years old, was stationed at the U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Center in Davisville, Rhode Island. "During his time off, he handled countless phone patches and messages to and from military-deployed personnel as a member of the Intercontinental Amateur Radio Net (IARN) on 14.320 MHz. The public was becoming concerned," said Graves. "In 1965, there wasn't any access to 24-hour news and weather reports. Murphy suggested to the IARN net manager to move those interested in the storm up 5 kHz to get them off the net, and the net manager agreed. Marcy Rice, KZ5MM, located in the Canal Zone (Panama), followed Murphy, and together they established the first Hurricane Watch Net on 14.325 MHz."

Murphy[1] passed away in March 2025. Marcella E. Rice (Marcy) died in 1989.

Now, the HWN will host a two-day on-air special event to celebrate its 60th anniversary on June 7 - 8, 2025. Net control stations, located across the United States, will all operate using the callsign WX5HWN on or near 14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz at the following times:

oSaturday, June 7: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM EDT (1400 - 0100 UTC)

oSunday, June 8: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM EDT (1400 - 2100 UTC) Note: Operations on 7.268 MHz will conclude at 3:00 PM EDT (1900 UTC).

A special commemorative certificate will be available by sending an email request to wx5hwn@hwn.org[2] no later than June 30, 2025. This special event has been scheduled for the early days of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through November 30. While the season typically peaks from mid-August to late October, tropical cyclones can form at any time.

For more details about this event and the Hurricane Watch Net, visit: www.hwn.org[3].


[1] https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zMzQyNzM1JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTgxODI4NCZsaT0zODE3MTIyNQ/index.html
[2] mailto:wx5hwn@hwn.org
[3] https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zMzQyNzM1JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTgxODI4NCZsaT0zODE3MTIyNA/index.html

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þ Synchronet þ Whiskey Lover's Amateur Radio BBS