It is with sadness that we update all local amateurs on the death of a long-time GHARC Member,

Robert Raymon Carter - W7TSS - Montesano

Bob became a Silent Key on December 18th, 2022 and had been a longstanding member of The Grays Harbor Amateur Radio Club and had a well known collection of tube radios and amplifiers. Bob's call was W7TSS and he was 87 years old at the time of his passing.

Here are two links with more information and with one noting the following service:

Friday January 20th, 2023 @ 11am

St. John's Catholic Church

414 East Broadway Ave

Montesano, WA 98563

https://www.thedailyworld.com/obituaries/robert-raymon-bob-carter/

https://www.tributearchive.com/.../robert-raymon-carter

This text from QRZ - saved here for future reference and was written by John Adams

I WAS INTRODUCED TO RADIO BY A NEIGHBOR, HARVEY CARR. HE AND I ROAD THE SAME SCHOOL BUS. HE USED TO BRING THINGS ON THE BUS. ONE DAY HE BROUGHT A ALLIED RADIO CATALOG TO SHOW ME AND LET ME READ. I ORDERED A CRYSTAL RADIO KIT. ONE OF THOSE GURMANIUM CRYSTAL THINGS. I ALSO ORDERED A SET OF EARPHONES FOR IT.  IT WAS EASY TO PUT TOGETHER AND BOY WAS I SUPERVISED, IT WORKED. THE NEXT THING HARVEY BROUGHT ME TO CHECK OUT WAS A RED AND BLACK BOOK CALLED A ARRL STUDY MANUAL AND OFF I WENT.  I WORKED ON THE CODE IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS, I PASSED MY TEST, GOT MY FIRST HAM LICENSE. MY CALL LETTERS WERE KN7DGU. I DON'T REMEMBER WHERE I GOT MY S-40B HALLICRAFTER RECIEVER AND MY HEATHKIT DX-35 TRANSMITTER.  I BELIEVE I ORDERED A BRASS TELEGRAPH KEY FROM THAT ALLIED RADIO CATALOG.  I GREW UP ON A HOG/TRUCK FARM SIX MILES WEST OF PASCO, WASHINGTON. WE HAD AN OLD WOODSHED ABOUT 50 FEET FROM THE MAIN HOUSE. MY DAD HELPED BY CONVERTING IT INTO A BUNKHOUSE/RADIO SHACK. IT WAS ABOUT 12X12. MY DAD BOUGHT SOME 1/4 " AC PLYWOOD AND SOME INSULATION AND WE WIRED IT WITH LITES AND POWER OUTLETS. WE THEN VARNISHED THE WALLS AND INCLOSED THE CELLING. I BOUGHT A SORT OF A TOY TELEPHONE THAT I RAN FROM MY BUNKHOUSE TO THE BACKPORCH SO MY MOM COULD CALL ME TO GET UP IN THE MORNING OR WHEN EVER MY FOLKS NEEDED ME  TO DO SOMETHING.  MY NEXT HURTLE WAS WORKING ON MY CONDITIONAL HAM TICKET. I KEPT MY NOVICE FOR ALMOST A YEAR. I HAD TO STUDY FOR AWHILE FOR THE TEST AND TO GET UP TO 13 WORDS A MINUTE WITH THE CODE . I HAD TO TAKE THE CONDITIONAL TEST THREE TIMES TO PASS IT.  I DID GOOD ON THE CODE.  I HAD A LOT OF FUN IN THOSE DAYS.  I LATER BOUGHT A HAMMERLAND HQ-129X RECEIVER AND A DX-50 FROM ANOTHER HAM BY THE NAME OF GLEN BAKER WHO OWNED A POTATO PROCESSING BUSINESS IN KENNEWICK. WHAT A GREAT SETUP.  I ALSO AQUIRED A VF-1 VFO. I HAD A 129 .FT. 80 METER ANTENNA, A 40 METER FOLDED DIPOLE AND A QUAD  FOR 10 AND 20 METERS.  I LEFT HOME IN 1963 AND LET MY LICENSE LAPSE.  I RELICENSED IN 2000 AND THE REST IS AS YOU WOULD SAY,  IS HISTORY.  I FEEL VERY BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO AGAIN BE A HAM.  I ENJOY DOING A LITTLE TRAFFIC AND NETS AND DX.  I AM WORKING ON MY W.A.S.,  AND AM NEEDING ONLY 1  STATE.  DO SOMEONE A GREAT TURN AND SHARE THE AMETEUR BUG WITH THEM.  I AM 74 YEARS OLDAND I SO ENJOY THE HOBBY. THANKS FOR THE QSO AND GOD BLESS YOU. 73'S JOHN

Silent Key- January 23, 2020

The following text was from Bob and posted on his QRZ page, posted here to save the text for all. Visit www.qrz.com

I am currently revisitng a child hood love, ham radio and electronics.  I got my novice ticket in 1962 and made general by 1965.  Using military surplus gear for the most part.  Right around 1967/68 I discovered rock and roll and girls.  I let things lapse.  Then came college, 6 years active Navy, 8 years Navy Reserve Special Warfare, back to college, 35 years Robotics/management/software development.  In 2014  I decided that my day job was no longer fun, so I retired to the beach. Got back into the hobby in 2015.  Spending more time with my wife, travel, photography, motorcycles,  Ham radio/electronics, bonsai and amateur astronomy.  I am active in Air Force MARS, SHARES and the local ARES/EOC.  I recently discovered the fun of FT-8 digital communication.   I am also a published photographer and a up and coming bonsai artist.

I am a hardware geek here is what I have.  Some of which I got because it was inop and I repaired it.  My shack is full of gear my main rig is a Yaesu FTdx 1200 with a SCU-17 sound card interface.  I use a Vibrples keyer when I want to really embarace my self.  One of the joys of the Ham Radio community, they have mercy on beginners.