It is with sad heart that I received the bad news of the passing of one of my DXpedition heroes. Earlier today I received word from SM0OTG, Eva, via SM3EVR, Tord that Globetrotter and DXpeditioner SM0AGD (SM3AGD, SM5AGD), Erik Arild Sjolund, from Balsta, Sweden, became a Silent Key yesterday.
He was born in 1934.
Over the past few years Erik had been living in a nursing home, suffering from dementia.
My story with Erik began in 1981, shortly after I got my General license, when I worked his team at J5AG, a somewhat rare one for the time period.
The following year I worked SM0AGD at a number of locations throughout the Pacific including the rare C21NI, T31AE and SM0AJD/KH1. Those last two were very unique QSOs as he was operating from the same location but every other day he would switch callsigns, giving this (at the
time) young DXer two new ones. These were also memorable QSOs as Erik would show up on 10 Meters SSB and had pre-programed his radio to operate split on channels up every 5 KHz. So he would start the first Q at 5 KHz up, followed by 10, 15, etc. This was back in the day when we used a 2 meter spotting net and one of the locals figured out his pattern and informed all the locals. Once you knew the modus operandi it was like fishing in a barrel.
Several months later I received a phone call from N3US, Ed Berkowitz, asking if I wanted to join him and SM0AGD for dinner at a local restraint. That was the beginning of our friendship that I will never forget. Over the years we meet several more times at DX conventions and when Erik was visiting a relative in Maryland he would stop in at W3LPL. So my condolences to Eva and the Sjolund family. Today's issue is dedicated to my friend Eric in memory of all the great times both on the air and in person. You can see a listing of many of the place Erik operated from at https://www.qrz.com/db/sm0agd
73 Bernie, W3UR
He was born in 1934.
Over the past few years Erik had been living in a nursing home, suffering from dementia.
My story with Erik began in 1981, shortly after I got my General license, when I worked his team at J5AG, a somewhat rare one for the time period.
The following year I worked SM0AGD at a number of locations throughout the Pacific including the rare C21NI, T31AE and SM0AJD/KH1. Those last two were very unique QSOs as he was operating from the same location but every other day he would switch callsigns, giving this (at the
time) young DXer two new ones. These were also memorable QSOs as Erik would show up on 10 Meters SSB and had pre-programed his radio to operate split on channels up every 5 KHz. So he would start the first Q at 5 KHz up, followed by 10, 15, etc. This was back in the day when we used a 2 meter spotting net and one of the locals figured out his pattern and informed all the locals. Once you knew the modus operandi it was like fishing in a barrel.
Several months later I received a phone call from N3US, Ed Berkowitz, asking if I wanted to join him and SM0AGD for dinner at a local restraint. That was the beginning of our friendship that I will never forget. Over the years we meet several more times at DX conventions and when Erik was visiting a relative in Maryland he would stop in at W3LPL. So my condolences to Eva and the Sjolund family. Today's issue is dedicated to my friend Eric in memory of all the great times both on the air and in person. You can see a listing of many of the place Erik operated from at https://www.qrz.com/db/sm0agd
73 Bernie, W3UR
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