After 8 hours of trying to work through this loss of my friend and colleague of over 25 years, I still find it difficult to write this, but I must, for John's sake and the wonderful memories.

John and I met and instantly hit it off in the mid 80's through involvement in Fine Tuning. He's the only guy that could ever convince me that I had something worthwhile to contribute to the hobby, even on the technical side of it, and a techie I'm not! That was evidenced by his volunteering me to participate in a jointly edited article (with John Clark) for one of Fine Tuning's Proceeding ventures...we wrote about the JRC NRD-515.

First time we met was at my house way out in the boondocks in north-central Oklahoma (9 miles NE of Newkirk, Oklahoma) in about 1985 I think (maybe 1986). He, Mitch Sams, and Glenn Hauser all came up and we spent the next 6 or 7 hours cussing and discussing the radio hobby. That was back when there were SO many great SW target stations to try for. Glenn brought his new (at that time) slides from his recent vacation to Hong Kong, and I recall he and John discussing some of the finer points of Chinese architecture...that was John's profession-architecture...John studied the Chinese forms of the profession by going to China on more than one occasion I believe. He was very intrigued with the Eastern styles. Mitch and I just said "uh-huh" and "yea", that sort of thing. We didn't want to sound stoopid or anything.

John and I always had a non-declared competition going on it seemed. Although neither of us ever declared war on the other, it was, at times, a state of war. Back in the 80's and first half of the 90's we were competing for the most Indonesians heard and verified on SW. More recently we had a competition for the XE stations on MW. A typical conversation between us sometimes included expletives that could lead some to believe we hated each other. That was certainly not the case! How he and I ever got that going is beyond me. I think that we just enjoyed challenging each other to extend oneself to the limit! That's the best way I can put it. John just had a natural ability to bring out the best in other people. God bless his heart for that! I will never ever forget what he helped me discover about myself. Challenged I was by John's influence. Thank you, John, for helping me find out for myself that I can do much more than I thought possible.

Most recently, John introduced me to ultralight DX'ing. I wasn't at first really keen on the idea, but after he personally brought me a Sony SRF-59 which I still am using today, I began to get the DX'ing bug again after a 13 year (more or less) hiatus in the hobby. Once again it was John that got to me to get off my butt and do a little writing about the hobby. Like him, I haven't had this much fun in radio in many years. As John would put it, "...having a barrel of fun..." Once again I have to say, "Thank you, John!"

I could write much more than I already have. I will leave it at what's been typed here. Tomorrow a letter will be sent to Linda, who courageously tolerated more than one DX'er at their place through the years. She's a gem just as John was!

Thanks, John, for always being such a wonderful friend. I will miss you Buddy. Until we meet again I will remain,
Your Friend,
Kirk Allen
Pasadena, TX

From: Kirk <kirk74601@...>
Subject: [ultralightdx] John Bryant
To: ultralightdx@...
Date: Wednesday, February 10, 2010, 8:35 AM

 

After 8 hours of trying to work through this loss of my friend and colleague of over 25 years, I still find it difficult to write this, but I must, for John's sake and the wonderful memories.

John and I met and instantly hit it off in the mid 80's through involvement in Fine Tuning. He's the only guy that could ever convince me that I had something worthwhile to contribute to the hobby, even on the technical side of it, and a techie I'm not! That was evidenced by his volunteering me to participate in a jointly edited article (with John Clark) for one of Fine Tuning's Proceeding ventures...we wrote about the JRC NRD-515.

First time we met was at my house way out in the boondocks in north-central Oklahoma (9 miles NE of Newkirk, Oklahoma) in about 1985 I think (maybe 1986). He, Mitch Sams, and Glenn Hauser all came up and we spent the next 6 or 7 hours cussing and discussing the radio hobby. That was back when there were SO many great SW target stations to try for. Glenn brought his new (at that time) slides from his recent vacation to Hong Kong, and I recall he and John discussing some of the finer points of Chinese architecture. ..that was John's profession-architec ture...John studied the Chinese forms of the profession by going to China on more than one occasion I believe. He was very intrigued with the Eastern styles. Mitch and I just said "uh-huh" and "yea", that sort of thing. We didn't want to sound stoopid or anything.

John and I always had a non-declared competition going on it seemed. Although neither of us ever declared war on the other, it was, at times, a state of war. Back in the 80's and first half of the 90's we were competing for the most Indonesians heard and verified on SW. More recently we had a competition for the XE stations on MW. A typical conversation between us sometimes included expletives that could lead some to believe we hated each other. That was certainly not the case! How he and I ever got that going is beyond me. I think that we just enjoyed challenging each other to extend oneself to the limit! That's the best way I can put it. John just had a natural ability to bring out the best in other people. God bless his heart for that! I will never ever forget what he helped me discover about myself. Challenged I was by John's influence. Thank you, John, for helping me find out for myself that I can do much more than I thought possible.

Most recently, John introduced me to ultralight DX'ing. I wasn't at first really keen on the idea, but after he personally brought me a Sony SRF-59 which I still am using today, I began to get the DX'ing bug again after a 13 year (more or less) hiatus in the hobby. Once again it was John that got to me to get off my butt and do a little writing about the hobby. Like him, I haven't had this much fun in radio in many years. As John would put it, "...having a barrel of fun..." Once again I have to say, "Thank you, John!"

I could write much more than I already have. I will leave it at what's been typed here. Tomorrow a letter will be sent to Linda, who courageously tolerated more than one DX'er at their place through the years. She's a gem just as John was!

Thanks, John, for always being such a wonderful friend. I will miss you Buddy. Until we meet again I will remain,
Your Friend,
Kirk Allen
Pasadena, TX

Kirk;
I remember when i met John.Yourself,Mitch Sams and i met John at a restaurant on I-35 if i remember correctly.For at least 2 hours, maybe more, we discussed sw dxing and particularly the Indonesian tropical band stations.I believe it was at this meeting that John told me that he was not very interested in dxing anything above 7 mHz.I believe he pretty much stuck to that to the end.This meeting was in the 80s .I do not recall what year.
When i got back into sw dxing in late 1982,you were the first dxer i met and i believe John was the second.When i read the Popular Communications article about ulr dxing ,in which John was prominently mentioned and featured,i had my interest reawakened in mw dxing .After a phone conversation with John i got back to being active after at least an 11 year hiatus from mw dxing.About that time i bought my first ulr,a Sony SRF- M37V.At John's encouragement ,i bought my first serious ulr,an Eton E-100.The move from Oklahoma to Tennessee cut short any serious ulr dxing from there as i left before the fall season of 2008.
The reason i am back in the mw dxing hobby is largely due to John Bryant.He and his encouraging manner will be sorely missed.

73 and good dx.
Carl DeWhitt
Maryville,Tn.



--- In ultralightdx@..., "Kirk" <kirk74601@> wrote:

After 8 hours of trying to work through this loss of my friend and colleague of over 25 years, I still find it difficult to write this, but I must, for John's sake and the wonderful memories.

John and I met and instantly hit it off in the mid 80's through involvement in Fine Tuning. He's the only guy that could ever convince me that I had something worthwhile to contribute to the hobby, even on the technical side of it, and a techie I'm not! That was evidenced by his volunteering me to participate in a jointly edited article (with John Clark) for one of Fine Tuning's Proceeding ventures...we wrote about the JRC NRD-515.

First time we met was at my house way out in the boondocks in north-central Oklahoma (9 miles NE of Newkirk, Oklahoma) in about 1985 I think (maybe 1986). He, Mitch Sams, and Glenn Hauser all came up and we spent the next 6 or 7 hours cussing and discussing the radio hobby. That was back when there were SO many great SW target stations to try for. Glenn brought his new (at that time) slides from his recent vacation to Hong Kong, and I recall he and John discussing some of the finer points of Chinese architecture...that was John's profession-architecture...John studied the Chinese forms of the profession by going to China on more than one occasion I believe. He was very intrigued with the Eastern styles. Mitch and I just said "uh-huh" and "yea", that sort of thing. We didn't want to sound stoopid or anything.

John and I always had a non-declared competition going on it seemed. Although neither of us ever declared war on the other, it was, at times, a state of war. Back in the 80's and first half of the 90's we were competing for the most Indonesians heard and verified on SW. More recently we had a competition for the XE stations on MW. A typical conversation between us sometimes included expletives that could lead some to believe we hated each other. That was certainly not the case! How he and I ever got that going is beyond me. I think that we just enjoyed challenging each other to extend oneself to the limit! That's the best way I can put it. John just had a natural ability to bring out the best in other people. God bless his heart for that! I will never ever forget what he helped me discover about myself. Challenged I was by John's influence. Thank you, John, for helping me find out for myself that I can do much more than I thought possible.

Most recently, John introduced me to ultralight DX'ing. I wasn't at first really keen on the idea, but after he personally brought me a Sony SRF-59 which I still am using today, I began to get the DX'ing bug again after a 13 year (more or less) hiatus in the hobby. Once again it was John that got to me to get off my butt and do a little writing about the hobby. Like him, I haven't had this much fun in radio in many years. As John would put it, "...having a barrel of fun..." Once again I have to say, "Thank you, John!"

I could write much more than I already have. I will leave it at what's been typed here. Tomorrow a letter will be sent to Linda, who courageously tolerated more than one DX'er at their place through the years. She's a gem just as John was!

Thanks, John, for always being such a wonderful friend. I will miss you Buddy. Until we meet again I will remain,
Your Friend,
Kirk Allen
Pasadena, TX