Peter T Pitts, G3GYE, 12th May 2020

Peter T Pitts, G3GYE died on 12 May 2020 aged 92. Peter started building radios at around the age of 10, joining the RSGB circa 1942 and remaining a member for the ensuing 77 years until his death.

G3GYE operating as VP8JP

One of Peter’s main interests was aerials and signal propagation. In 1968 Peter spent a year in the Antarctic, taking a Heathkit receiver and transceiver with him and, with the help of the base doctor and a few others, managed to erect a quad aerial on the ice. Peter was then the furthest south British amateur radio operator and was using the call sign VP8JP. Peter’s setup was better than that which the base radio operator had at his disposal!

Soon after returning from Antarctica the family moved back to Cornwall and a property with 2 acres of land, ideal for erecting aerials. Several aerial systems naturally followed, including a 40 foot high tower topped by yet another quad aerial, which could be rotated from the radio room.

G3GYE’s AX4GC QSL card

The limited job opportunities  in Cornwall encouraged Peter to look overseas. An assignment to the Island of Masirah in 1975 to 1976 was followed by several missions to the Omani mainland between 1977 and 1986. Peter managed to obtain a local amateur radio licence (no easy feat) and operated as A4XGC.

Peter retired at the age of 59 due to ill health but a triple bypass operation gave a new lease of life and led to a long retirement, which until recently included amateur radio.

Tribute by Peter Pitts (son of G3GYE)

Category: Silent Keys