CQ Contest Hall of Famer W1BIH Silent Key

John Thompson, W1BIH/PJ9JT (SK)
(Photo courtesy W1RM)

John Thompson, W1BIH/PJ9JT, became a Silent Key in March at age 97. A ham since 1931, Thompson was a contester and DXer for over 70 years, competing - and often winning - from either his home QTH in Connecticut or in Curacao.

He regularly hosted guest operators at his island home at Coral Cliffs, Curacao, which became one of the world's best-known and most successful contesting locations, despite an "antenna farm" that consisted only of a tribander and wire antennas.

On the DX side of the ham radio ledger, John had an astounding total of 390 countries confirmed. He was inducted into the CQ Contest Hall of Fame in 1994. (Tnx W1RM)