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Harry J. Dannals Charlottesville, VA QCWA # 07425 Chapter 155 |
Monitoring Times Nov 2009 Monitoring Times Contents page W2HD Article - Interview with W2HD
Harry's son Bob W2GG presenting Harry his QCWA 75 Anniversary Award a few days before he became a Silent Key
ARRL President Emeritus Harry Dannals, W2HD, SK
09/01/2022
Harry Dannals, W2HD, President Emeritus of ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio®, died on August 30. He lived in Charlottesville, Virginia. In April, Dannals celebrated his 95th birthday and over 80 years of involvement in amateur radio. He served as ARRL President for 10 years, from 1972 - 1982, and his President Emeritus status was conferred in 1984. He was also an ARRL Life Member.
In an interview, Dannals said that when he was 10 years old, he practiced Morse code with his best friend and was able to master 50 - 60 words per minute.
Dannals served in the Navy after graduating from Balboa High School in the former Canal Zone on the isthmus of Panama, where his father was Officer in Charge of a radio receiving site. Eventually, Dannals himself would become the supervisor of more than 20 radiomen and support personnel. He was discharged in mid-1946 and attended Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (now Polytechnic Institute of New York University), where he prepared for his amateur radio license.
In writings shared by one of his children, Dannals wrote, "I found a way to prepare for my amateur license by doing a research paper for an English class using amateur radio as a resource. Among my references was the American Radio Relay League's (ARRL) Radio Amateur's Handbook with the latest ARRL license manual on the side! It worked, and my call sign, W2TUK, was received that year with a great deal of joy by me and my dad."
After graduation from college in 1950, he went on to work for the Sperry Corporation, where he worked in radar and other engineering programs. "During almost 40 years of my employment there, the company provided a club station, W2YKQ, which was on the air during lunch periods, a fact that made the more than 200 ham radio operators that worked at Sperry very happy," wrote Dannals.
While at Sperry, he met his future wife, Kay, and they were married for over 60 years. Dannals lived in Dix Hills, New York, prior to his retirement to Charlottesville, Virginia, in the early 1990s.
Dannals volunteered for several appointments in the ARRL Field Organization: Official Relay Station (ORS); Official Phone Station (OPS); Official Observer (OO), and Emergency Coordinator (EC). He held elected positions as Section Communications Manager (SCM), Vice Director, and Director of the ARRL Hudson Division. He was elected President by the ARRL Board in 1972, and served for five two-year terms. During his office, he traveled extensively to help represent ARRL -- visiting all 50 states, the Canal Zone, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru, the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the United Kingdom. International travel fulfilled his role as US Representative to Region II of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).
Dannals recounted that during his presidency, preparations were made for the World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC) of 1979. Through the efforts of ARRL staff, volunteers, and the FCC, the conference led to the worldwide allocation of the 30, 17, and 12-meter bands (the WARC Bands).
"Without question, the time devoted to ARRL matters, working with the very capable and dedicated staff, and my association with the board of directors was a wonderful experience," wrote Dannals. "Each year was punctuated by new developments for ham radio. A volume of great memories will never be forgotten."
"Since the time that he was President of ARRL, I always called him 'Prez.' And Prez would enjoy chatting about all of the wonderful people at Headquarters," said his son, Bob Dannals, W2GG, in a remembrance he shared with ARRL. "My dad considered each ham that he met to be a member of his extended family. He cared greatly and fought mightily for all hams in his administrative roles with ARRL. He would say that we are all members of the worldwide community that started with Marconi and continued with [Hiram Percy] Maxim. It's a wonderful legacy and I'm happy that he shared it with me (and everyone else he met)."
Dannals was the oldest member of the Albemarle Amateur Radio Club, an ARRL Special Service Club. In 2018, Dannals received a visit from ARRL Roanoke Division Director Jim Boehner, N2ZZ, and Vice Director Bill Morine, N2COP, who presented him with the Roanoke Division Award for his dedicated leadership to all amateur radio operators.
Dannals was also President Emeritus of the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA), having served as President of the QCWA from 1989 to 1994. In 2016, Dannals was honored by QCWA for his 70 years as a radio amateur. In comments about the honor bestowed on him, Kay Craigie, N3KN, who was ARRL President from 2010 - 2016, said that Dannals set an example of "cheerfulness and enthusiasm, and friendliness to all hams, whether they qualify for QCWA twice over or are so new that they haven't memorized their call signs yet.
A viewing will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2022, at 10 AM ET at the Church of the Incarnation, 1465 Incarnation Drive, Charlottesville, Virginia, followed by a church service at 11 AM ET. Interment will be at Holly Memorial Gardens.
Courtesy of ARRL
http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-president-emeritus-harry-dannals-w2hd-sk
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August 31, 2022
From QCWA Headquarters
QCWA Bulletin 2022-008 - Former QCWA Director & President Harry Dannals, W2HD - Silent Key
It is with sadness we report the passing of QCWA Life Member # 7425, Harry Dannals, W2HD of Charlottesville, VA on August 30, 2022 at the age of 95.
Harry was first licensed in 1946 as W2TUK. He was a member of QCWA Chapter 155 andAlbemarle Amateur Radio Club. A name synonymous with ham radio for nearly eight decades, was one of four Members elevated to President Emeritus in 2010. The others elected to this prestigious position were Leland W. Smith, W5KL, (1989), Lewis 'Mac' McCoy, W1ICP
(1996) and Bob Roske, NØUF in 2019.
Dannals was best known for his decade (1972 to 1982) serving as President of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) and also serving as President of the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA) from 1989 to 1994. He is the only person to have ever held this leadership position in both organizations. Harry also served as QCWA Director from
1983 to 1985.
Dannals served in the Navy where his father (Earl Dannals, W2GG (SK)) was the commanding officer, and was discharged in mid 1941. Harry then enrolled at Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (now Polytechnic Institute of New York University), majoring in electrical engineering with an emphasis on electronics. After graduating from college in 1950 he applied for a direct commission as a naval officer, which resulted in a new Ensign being added to the ranks. He served several decades as commanding officer of two highly rated Security Group divisions, an association with the communications world, ending with his retirement from the Navy as a full Commander in 1987. During this time he was employed by the Sperry Corporation where he worked in radar and other engineering programs for nearly 40 years.
In addition to his work with both the QCWA and ARRL, he is a Fellow in the Radio Club of America, a member of the Society of Wireless Pioneers, the Old Old Timers Club and Veteran Wireless Operators Association. In
2002 he was inducted into the CQ Magazine Amateur Radio Hall of Fame.
During his involvement with the ARRL he held many offices at various levels. As part of the League's Field Organization, he held appointments as Official Relay Station (ORS); Official Phone Station (OPS); Official Observer (00), and Emergency Coordinator (EC). He held elected positions as Section Communications Manager (SCM), (now Section Manager) (SM)), Vice Director and Director of the ARRL Hudson Division.
When Harry turned 95 in April, he mentioned that when he was 10 years old, he learned Morse code with his best friend and was able to master
50 - 60 words per minute. On his 95th birthday he was visited by his friend, Jim Wilson, K4BAV, and his son, Bob Dannals, W2GG, who holds a Ph.D. and is a professor in the Johns Hopkins Medicine Department of Radiology and Radiological Science in Baltimore, Maryland.
"On August 27, 2022, Harry Dannals (W2HD) was visited by his youngest daughter Mary Dannals-Johnson (from Long Island) and his 2 sons Tom Dannals (W2TUK, Harry’s old call, from Winston-Salem, NC) and Bob Dannals, W2GG, (Harry’s father’s old call, from Sparks, MD) at Our Lady of Peace retirement community in Charlottesville VA. Bob read to his father the words on the QCWA 75 year anniversary certificate that QCWA recently presented to Harry. Harry reminisced about old times with his close friend (regarded as a member of the family), Warren Lueck, W2VKS (SK).
My father had lots of friends, but “Uncle Warren”, as my siblings and I called him, was one of the closest (as close as his brother, Frank Dannals. W2DRL). Warren passed in 1997, but I recall Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners shared between the 2 families each year when I was going up. It’s interesting that it’s his memory that my dad is now holding so close as he moves in and out of consciousness. It must have been a very deep connection.
My dad considered each ham that he met to be a member of his extended family and cared greatly and fought mightily for all hams in his administrative roles with the ARRL.
We are all members of the worldwide community that started with Marconi and
continued with Maxim. It’s a wonderful legacy, and I’m happy to be part of it.
73,
Bob Dannals, W2GG
And former Chapter 155 President Bob Pattison, K4DU wrote;
"I am writing to inform you that Harry Dannals, W2HD, became a Silent Key today. An active member for years of the AARC, Harry led a life devoted to promoting amateur radio, demonstrating the hobby, and helping people get their licenses.
He served as President of the ARRL for 10 years, longer than anyone else other than “The Old Man” Hiram Percy Maxim, founder of the League. He also served as President for two terms of the Quarter Century Wireless Association. At his death, Harry was President Emeritus of both organizations.
I do not have information about when his service will be. As soon as I know I will pass that along."
Bob, K4DU
47 & 73,
Ken Oelke, VE6AFO
President, Quarter Century Wireless Association, Inc.
