Dennis Wells, ZS1AU ex ZS4AU from Durbanville, Cape Town, South Africa passed away 27 April 2023.
He was 94.
Dennis was active Radio Amateur.
Information from his QRZ page:
TOP DXCC #1 Honor Roll in AFRICA , with 340 / 361 MIXED & 340 / 360 PHONE.
and 330 on 20M, all as from 5 March 2022. ALL IN HARD COPY QSL CARDS.
I was licenced on 26 July 1950 as ZS1AU, then QSY'd to Bloemfontein as ZS4AU from 1970 to 1979. During this period, the call ZS1AU was taken over by Ian McGregor, who came to live in Cape Town, after having held the call ZE1AU in the then RHODESIA. When I returned to Cape Town in 1980, he very sportingly handed the callsign ZS1AU back to me & he acquired the callsign ZS1A which had become available & as a CW man this was what he was very happy about & so was I, to get my old callsign back. !!!!!! We lived a block away from one another & were very close friends & we could operate with no QRM problems.
Sadly, Ian Mac Gregor ZS1A became a Silent Key in 1992. Ian was a fine CW radio operator & was awarded the Jack Twine Merit Award for his dedication, love of his hobby & he was popular amongst his fellow radio amateurs.
I have been blessed with the most wonderful experiences & memories from a very early age, from the day I was born on 7th December 1928, & at that time my father was a "real " Amateur Radio Pioneer from as early days, when he was a BOYSCOUT in his teens
I got my Operators License in July 1950, 3 months after he became a SK.
I have been a licensed operator for over 72 years & now at 2022 & counting........ ????
My father LEN WELLS, born August 1905 & died 13 April 1950. He was the first person as a young boy scout to hear Mr Streeter A1A, the first wireless experimenter to successfully transmit over the ether in Cape Town, RSA., in the early 1910's. I have those headphones which were used by my Father, in my shack. !!!
My Grand Father James ( Jimmy ) Wells, became A1B, as LEN was too young to acquire an experimenters license, being in his early teens. LEN started work as a professional telegraphist in the GPO in Cape Town & got licensed as ZS1AU ( 1930 to 1938 ) in Cape Town, ZS6FB ( from 1938 to 1939 ) in PRETORIA & was posted to Windhoek in South West Afrtica as Chief of Telegraphs from 1941. Because of WW2 he was not licensed as a ZS3. In post WW2 1946, returned to Cape Town & after a spell of ill health, became a SK rather tragically at the young age of 45 yrs.
From 26 July 1950, when I got my license, I was restricted to CW for the first year & managed 99 DXCC countries. It was not easy in those days & then onto AM. All frequncies were crystal controlled, until I built a stable VFO. That was a BIG step forward. !! Having had so much CW during my fathers days, I became more fascinated when he built his first modulator for AM. I took part in SARL Contests. I was runner-up to Roy Larsen ZS5QU in 1968 SARL CW Contest & worked the odd DX on CW. I rebuilt the RF Final using an 814 with 150 watts output. !! I started enjoying my DX on AM using a dipole & long wire (171 feet) antennae. I became hooked on Phone DX & had many sked QSO's, but never thought of being a very serious DXer, although it was fun working ATNO rare DX & receiving the QSL cards. These I managed to preserve in a safe container for 70 years. !!! I can now also boast 360 DXCC entities, ALL confirmed in hard copy QSL cards.!!!
I had KOSOVO confirmed a few times & now that DXCC eventually recognised KOSOVO, I claimed my # 360 DXCC Certificate sticker MIXED. On 5 March 2022, ARRL DXCC gave me credit for DELETED VQ9DC on PHONE for a QSO in July 1972. It gave me 360 on PHONE & 361 on DXCC MIXED.
In 1952 I had my first surprise & experience when a W called me on SSB / USB & I used the BFO on my HRO, instinctively, to read him. My first SSB transceiver was on loan to me in 1963. In 1965 I got my own 1st SSB Transceiver, the YAESU FTdx 100 & a 300 ohm tape Folded dipole. for 20M. !!!!
I never owned a LINEAR until I obtained a COLLINS 30 L1, from the late OM Harold ZS1VW in 1980.
The 30L1 was replaced in 2010 with the the FL-2100Z with the WARC bands.
The LEN WELLS Ham Spirit trophy in the CTARC is in memory of my Father & also to recognise & promote Ham Spirit. It was awarded at the end of each year to a radio amateur in the greater Cape Town area, who has displayed true ham spirit during the year. It was awarded for the first time in 1967 to one of our finest radio amateurs, Ray Alexander ZS1IM, who was the Chairman of the Cape Town Branch as it was known in those days. Ray was awarded the Jack Twine Merit Award in 1972 & a short while after, sadly, Ray joined the ranks of the Silent Keys. The last time the LWHS trophy was awarded, for the 50th time, was to OM Fred Ziss ZS1FZ in 2017. It is now awarded to a CTARC club member by the CTARC committee, at the club AGM, each year.
In 1966 received an illuminated address " for services rendered & regular attendance over a period of 20 years ", from the then Cape Town branch of the SARL ( now known as CTARC ). The Chairman was Theo Karlsson ZS1P & the Secretary was Rolf Kersandt ZS1VM. I have now been a foundation member of CTARC for an unbroken period of 75 years.
In 2003 elected Life Member of the Cape Town Amateur Radio Center. The Chairman was Dr Bud Voortman ZS1B & the Secretary was Peter Henochsberg ZS1PMH.
At the 2006 SARL AGM in Durban, was elected Life Member of the South African Radio League.
In 2007 I was awarded the LEN WELLS Ham Spirit trophy by the CTARC Committee, with the Chairman Dr Dave Reece ZS1DFR & Secretary Peter Henochsberg ZS1PMH.
In 2008 I was appointed as the Custodian of the LWHS trophy by the CTARC committee, who also proposed that the trophy be made available to any radio amateur in the Cape Town area via one of the local Clubs. It was my duty to arrange the presentation of the trophy & a certificate is also awarded to the winner, at the last function of the year of the winners Club. The LWHS trophy was awarded each year & the year 2017 was the 50th year. This was the nicest job I have ever had to do. !!! The trophy is still in beautiful, shiny condition, indicating that every winner from the past has displayed it in a very safe place & looked after it with pride. I can assure you all, that Ham Spirit is still very much alive amongst us & this makes our hobby so enjoyable & special.
In 2022 the SARL presented me with a framed certificate of Special Recognition & grateful appreciation for dedicated membership of the SARL, since 1947.....75 YEARS.
The LEN WELLS HAM SPIRIT Trophy for 2017 was presented on 25 November 2017 at the CTARC, with our CONGRATULATIONS to OM Fred Ziss, ZS1FZ /DJ3VV being a very worthy recipient in the 50th year of the trophy's existence.
Fred is a "permanent"resident in Cape Town for 6 months of each year and he also resides in Germany for 6 months for the European summer He was awarded the highest CTARC Buck Taylor Award in June 2017 for his services to the Club. Following this, he invited a fellow radio amateur Paul ZS1S to come & visit him in GERMANY & then tour 3 countries in Europe & then end at FRIEDRICHARFEN Hamfest, with a knee that was in urgent need of replacement. He saw to it that Paul enjoyed his holiday & then went for surgery. Fred is recuperating with 2 walking sticks in Cape Town where he is also licensed as ZS1FZ.
Fred displayed true consideration for his guest by putting his friend from Cape Town before his own health problem. He is truly one of us & is a long standing member of the SARL & the CTARC.
In the year 2017, there were 6 nominations from the 4 Clubs in the CT area who were all worthy of displaying various forms of very fine HAM SPIRIT. Thanks to those who did the nominations & the runners-up. Sorry that there is only one Trophy. !!
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It was a privilege to have served on the Cape Town Branch / Club committee, from 1946 to 1966, as a committee member, vice-chairman & chairman. I was elected & served as a councillor on the Council of the South African Radio League, 1966 to 1970 with one of the greatest SARL Presidents Willy Wilson ZS1BF, who was President for 12 consecutive years. I have Willy's GELOSO microphone which he used & is now situated in my shack.
In 1970 I was then transferred to Bloemfontein for 10 years, as ZS4AU & returned to Cape Town in 1980 as ZS1AU.
In 1993, I was diagnosed with lower colon Cancer. After major surgery by Dr Keith Brice, I was given 2 months to live & to get my house in order. !!! Chemo from the USA & eventually all of 54 litres was administered over a period of a year & now 29+ yrs later, I am still enjoying my retirement ( 33 yrs as in 2022 ) & Amateur Radio, thanks for the support of my wonderful wife, JOAN, 5 yrs of courting & just short of 62 years of happy married bliss & my family & friends. Deo Gratius & also grateful thanks to the worlds finest Surgeons, Oncologists Dr L Serfontein & the surgeon Dr Keith Brice & medical staff, also the most reliable supplier The Cancer Association of SA., to allow my recovery to make for an almost normal life & is proof that CANCER CAN BE BEATEN. !!!
In 2007, I was diagnosed with Glaucoma in both eyes. The immediate action taken by my Opthalmologist Dr Deon De Wet, saved the sight of my left & 30 % of my right eye. This was also a saving grace in being able to see & to express my grateful THANKS for making it possible to reach the DXCC # 1 Honor Roll on PHONE & MIXED, in April 2014.
He was 94.
Dennis was active Radio Amateur.
Information from his QRZ page:
TOP DXCC #1 Honor Roll in AFRICA , with 340 / 361 MIXED & 340 / 360 PHONE.
and 330 on 20M, all as from 5 March 2022. ALL IN HARD COPY QSL CARDS.
I was licenced on 26 July 1950 as ZS1AU, then QSY'd to Bloemfontein as ZS4AU from 1970 to 1979. During this period, the call ZS1AU was taken over by Ian McGregor, who came to live in Cape Town, after having held the call ZE1AU in the then RHODESIA. When I returned to Cape Town in 1980, he very sportingly handed the callsign ZS1AU back to me & he acquired the callsign ZS1A which had become available & as a CW man this was what he was very happy about & so was I, to get my old callsign back. !!!!!! We lived a block away from one another & were very close friends & we could operate with no QRM problems.
Sadly, Ian Mac Gregor ZS1A became a Silent Key in 1992. Ian was a fine CW radio operator & was awarded the Jack Twine Merit Award for his dedication, love of his hobby & he was popular amongst his fellow radio amateurs.
I have been blessed with the most wonderful experiences & memories from a very early age, from the day I was born on 7th December 1928, & at that time my father was a "real " Amateur Radio Pioneer from as early days, when he was a BOYSCOUT in his teens
I got my Operators License in July 1950, 3 months after he became a SK.
I have been a licensed operator for over 72 years & now at 2022 & counting........ ????
My father LEN WELLS, born August 1905 & died 13 April 1950. He was the first person as a young boy scout to hear Mr Streeter A1A, the first wireless experimenter to successfully transmit over the ether in Cape Town, RSA., in the early 1910's. I have those headphones which were used by my Father, in my shack. !!!
My Grand Father James ( Jimmy ) Wells, became A1B, as LEN was too young to acquire an experimenters license, being in his early teens. LEN started work as a professional telegraphist in the GPO in Cape Town & got licensed as ZS1AU ( 1930 to 1938 ) in Cape Town, ZS6FB ( from 1938 to 1939 ) in PRETORIA & was posted to Windhoek in South West Afrtica as Chief of Telegraphs from 1941. Because of WW2 he was not licensed as a ZS3. In post WW2 1946, returned to Cape Town & after a spell of ill health, became a SK rather tragically at the young age of 45 yrs.
From 26 July 1950, when I got my license, I was restricted to CW for the first year & managed 99 DXCC countries. It was not easy in those days & then onto AM. All frequncies were crystal controlled, until I built a stable VFO. That was a BIG step forward. !! Having had so much CW during my fathers days, I became more fascinated when he built his first modulator for AM. I took part in SARL Contests. I was runner-up to Roy Larsen ZS5QU in 1968 SARL CW Contest & worked the odd DX on CW. I rebuilt the RF Final using an 814 with 150 watts output. !! I started enjoying my DX on AM using a dipole & long wire (171 feet) antennae. I became hooked on Phone DX & had many sked QSO's, but never thought of being a very serious DXer, although it was fun working ATNO rare DX & receiving the QSL cards. These I managed to preserve in a safe container for 70 years. !!! I can now also boast 360 DXCC entities, ALL confirmed in hard copy QSL cards.!!!
I had KOSOVO confirmed a few times & now that DXCC eventually recognised KOSOVO, I claimed my # 360 DXCC Certificate sticker MIXED. On 5 March 2022, ARRL DXCC gave me credit for DELETED VQ9DC on PHONE for a QSO in July 1972. It gave me 360 on PHONE & 361 on DXCC MIXED.
In 1952 I had my first surprise & experience when a W called me on SSB / USB & I used the BFO on my HRO, instinctively, to read him. My first SSB transceiver was on loan to me in 1963. In 1965 I got my own 1st SSB Transceiver, the YAESU FTdx 100 & a 300 ohm tape Folded dipole. for 20M. !!!!
I never owned a LINEAR until I obtained a COLLINS 30 L1, from the late OM Harold ZS1VW in 1980.
The 30L1 was replaced in 2010 with the the FL-2100Z with the WARC bands.
The LEN WELLS Ham Spirit trophy in the CTARC is in memory of my Father & also to recognise & promote Ham Spirit. It was awarded at the end of each year to a radio amateur in the greater Cape Town area, who has displayed true ham spirit during the year. It was awarded for the first time in 1967 to one of our finest radio amateurs, Ray Alexander ZS1IM, who was the Chairman of the Cape Town Branch as it was known in those days. Ray was awarded the Jack Twine Merit Award in 1972 & a short while after, sadly, Ray joined the ranks of the Silent Keys. The last time the LWHS trophy was awarded, for the 50th time, was to OM Fred Ziss ZS1FZ in 2017. It is now awarded to a CTARC club member by the CTARC committee, at the club AGM, each year.
In 1966 received an illuminated address " for services rendered & regular attendance over a period of 20 years ", from the then Cape Town branch of the SARL ( now known as CTARC ). The Chairman was Theo Karlsson ZS1P & the Secretary was Rolf Kersandt ZS1VM. I have now been a foundation member of CTARC for an unbroken period of 75 years.
In 2003 elected Life Member of the Cape Town Amateur Radio Center. The Chairman was Dr Bud Voortman ZS1B & the Secretary was Peter Henochsberg ZS1PMH.
At the 2006 SARL AGM in Durban, was elected Life Member of the South African Radio League.
In 2007 I was awarded the LEN WELLS Ham Spirit trophy by the CTARC Committee, with the Chairman Dr Dave Reece ZS1DFR & Secretary Peter Henochsberg ZS1PMH.
In 2008 I was appointed as the Custodian of the LWHS trophy by the CTARC committee, who also proposed that the trophy be made available to any radio amateur in the Cape Town area via one of the local Clubs. It was my duty to arrange the presentation of the trophy & a certificate is also awarded to the winner, at the last function of the year of the winners Club. The LWHS trophy was awarded each year & the year 2017 was the 50th year. This was the nicest job I have ever had to do. !!! The trophy is still in beautiful, shiny condition, indicating that every winner from the past has displayed it in a very safe place & looked after it with pride. I can assure you all, that Ham Spirit is still very much alive amongst us & this makes our hobby so enjoyable & special.
In 2022 the SARL presented me with a framed certificate of Special Recognition & grateful appreciation for dedicated membership of the SARL, since 1947.....75 YEARS.
The LEN WELLS HAM SPIRIT Trophy for 2017 was presented on 25 November 2017 at the CTARC, with our CONGRATULATIONS to OM Fred Ziss, ZS1FZ /DJ3VV being a very worthy recipient in the 50th year of the trophy's existence.
Fred is a "permanent"resident in Cape Town for 6 months of each year and he also resides in Germany for 6 months for the European summer He was awarded the highest CTARC Buck Taylor Award in June 2017 for his services to the Club. Following this, he invited a fellow radio amateur Paul ZS1S to come & visit him in GERMANY & then tour 3 countries in Europe & then end at FRIEDRICHARFEN Hamfest, with a knee that was in urgent need of replacement. He saw to it that Paul enjoyed his holiday & then went for surgery. Fred is recuperating with 2 walking sticks in Cape Town where he is also licensed as ZS1FZ.
Fred displayed true consideration for his guest by putting his friend from Cape Town before his own health problem. He is truly one of us & is a long standing member of the SARL & the CTARC.
In the year 2017, there were 6 nominations from the 4 Clubs in the CT area who were all worthy of displaying various forms of very fine HAM SPIRIT. Thanks to those who did the nominations & the runners-up. Sorry that there is only one Trophy. !!
.................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ..
It was a privilege to have served on the Cape Town Branch / Club committee, from 1946 to 1966, as a committee member, vice-chairman & chairman. I was elected & served as a councillor on the Council of the South African Radio League, 1966 to 1970 with one of the greatest SARL Presidents Willy Wilson ZS1BF, who was President for 12 consecutive years. I have Willy's GELOSO microphone which he used & is now situated in my shack.
In 1970 I was then transferred to Bloemfontein for 10 years, as ZS4AU & returned to Cape Town in 1980 as ZS1AU.
In 1993, I was diagnosed with lower colon Cancer. After major surgery by Dr Keith Brice, I was given 2 months to live & to get my house in order. !!! Chemo from the USA & eventually all of 54 litres was administered over a period of a year & now 29+ yrs later, I am still enjoying my retirement ( 33 yrs as in 2022 ) & Amateur Radio, thanks for the support of my wonderful wife, JOAN, 5 yrs of courting & just short of 62 years of happy married bliss & my family & friends. Deo Gratius & also grateful thanks to the worlds finest Surgeons, Oncologists Dr L Serfontein & the surgeon Dr Keith Brice & medical staff, also the most reliable supplier The Cancer Association of SA., to allow my recovery to make for an almost normal life & is proof that CANCER CAN BE BEATEN. !!!
In 2007, I was diagnosed with Glaucoma in both eyes. The immediate action taken by my Opthalmologist Dr Deon De Wet, saved the sight of my left & 30 % of my right eye. This was also a saving grace in being able to see & to express my grateful THANKS for making it possible to reach the DXCC # 1 Honor Roll on PHONE & MIXED, in April 2014.