André Saunders, GM3VLB, 23rd May 2019
André Saunders, GM3VLB (SK), seen in May 2019
André Saunders, GM3VLB, born of Scottish and French parents, became a silent key at his home in Kelso on the 23rd of May 2019. He would have been 81 on the 28th of May.
A physics teacher by profession, he was an active DXer in Kenya from 1967 as 5Z4KL, gaining the ARRL Honor Roll in 1973. He returned to his native Scotland in 1978, founding Kelso ARS in 1981 where over 1,000 cars would enter the town annually for that one radio rally as it became the largest one in the south of Scotland.
His main interest was /M and /P operation, activating 282 islands worldwide, 256 of them within the “SCOTIA” SCOTtish Islands Award programme, which he administered, including all GM IOTA islands apart from 2005 “new one” Rockall. His rig was his trusty and relatively-QRP Kenwood TS-50s.
André Saunders, GM3VLB (SK), in his shack in December 2015
André was also a collector, constructor and restorer of antique radio sets, from crystal sets to WWII suitcase sets as used by the SOE.
He is survived by his XYL Veronica, who assisted him in all his island expeditions, his son Niall GM6GMZ/VP8NJS and daughter Fiona. His website, www.gm3vlb.com contains much interesting material.
Tribute by Alan J Masson, GM3PSP
Category: Silent Keys
