Gregory J MUMLEY, KA1FJ (SK)* 1961 - 2003 became a Silent Key unexpectedly on April 20th, 2003.
Gregory J Mumley, 1960-2002 KA1FJ (SK) *
* "SK" stands for "Silent Key" to refer to a callsign of an amateur who is deceased.
Greg was from Alburgh Vermont, up near the Canadian border. He was first licensed as WB1BZR in 1976 when he was fifteen years old. Other calls held included KA1FJ, briefly W1RNA and finally, KG1M.
While in high school Greg started a CB radio club, NEW ENGLAND INTERNATIONAL (NEI), and sold many ?membership? certificates for $10.00. He sent one as a gift to First Lady Betty Ford who returned the courtesy with a nice ?thank you? letter on official White House stationery. Greg earned enough money from this enterprise to buy a nice new Kenwood R-599/T-599 HF station, a tri-band beam antenna system and more while he was still in high school.
Greg chose a career in broadcasting as a radio announcer; he and Ernie Farrar, W1EF, were the morning drive team at WVMT-AM 690 in Burlington VT for many years. He was one funny guy.
On May 3rd, 2008 the amateur radio station provided by NEAR-Fest at the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium, as it was known then, was formally dedicated in memoriam to Greg's. His wife Lisa and children, Nickolas and Jessalyn were present and participated in the dedication.
While Planetarium staffer Kate Michener, K1KTE, operated the controls of the station's Kenwood TS-2000, Jessa made the station's first contact with K1CKL, a station in Hillsborough NH. Seeing a photo on the wall of one of the Apollo missions Jessa wanted to know if there was a flag on the moon. Sid, the operator at K1CKL said he believed there was.
Nine year-old Nick takes a turn at the microphone with his sister, Jessalyn,
and CVRC club president John, N1FOJ, delightedly look on.
KA1FJ embodies the very essence and spirit of the young people we are trying to interest in radio technology and attract to our hobby. It was because of his intense interest in amateur radio at such a young age Greg chose to make his career in broadcasting as an on-air personality at WVMT.
It is a privilege and an honor to dedicate the station at KA1SKY in memoriam to my friend K-YAY-ONE-EFF-JAY, "Kill Any 1 From Jersey".
FIFTY DOLLARS?
May you forever rest in peace, Greggie! We all miss you on the air and off it tou. You really were one of "the comic boys".
73,
"Maakl..................Arrrr yew from Schveeden?"
