from The NCDXC - DXer ; June 1987
Shig Mori, W6SSA
It was with great shock and considerable sadness that I learned that one -of my closest friends and member of the NCDXC, Shig Mori, W6SSA, became a silent key on April 20, 1987. Shig, in his quiet way, had a beneficial effect on all who knew him and was a major influence among young amateurs in the San Mateo area, as well as being an outstanding, albeit, unsung DXer.

As a DXer, Shig was somewhat of a "Johnny-comelately," even though he had been licensed since 1937, having less than 150 countries confirmed at the time he joined the NCDXC in 1984. Over the years, Shig had participated in virtually every type of amateur activity and particularly enjoyed multiple contacts with his many friends abroad and here in the states. Several years ago his eyesight began to deteriorate and he was unable to continue in his work as an audio-visual technician for the City of San Mateo Elementary School District. Rather than considering this a handicap, he felt it gave him the opportunity to explore DX on a more regular basis and spent many hours each day chasing DX stations and, more importantly, actually talking with the operators and making fr iends rather than just giving and getting signal reports.

Despite his very limited station, which consisted only of a TS- 820S and an old tribander at 25 feet, Shig not only increased his country total to 278 countries, he became a regular for many OX stations who wanted to chat. His soft voice and gentle spirit may have kept him from the limelight and out of the record books; however, he was a staunch supporter of the OX Community and participated in all NCDXC activities. Although Shig's station was modest, he entered almost every HF contest with surprisingly good results. More than anything else, he demonstrated that dogged determination, skill, patience, and outstanding operating techniques were equal to brute force. indeed, in the past three years, Shig never missed the rare station, including 3Y, VU4, VU7, HKO, CEOAA, and many others that some of the big guns were unable to work, or did so with great difficulty.

But Shig's OX amateur radio activities did not detract from his home and community life. Subsequent to his retirement, he began service as a volunteer at the Senior Citizens' Center, was President of his church, traveled with his wife Kitty to many far distant meetings of the Japanese American Radio Society (JARS) where he received many accolades, and was one of the faithful overnighters every Field Day for the San Mateo Radio Club. He was instrumental in founding Troop 700 of the Boy Scouts of America and taught, among other subjects, communications theory and practice to the scouts, many of whom entered the field of electronics because of his leadership. He said little about his many contributions but everyone who knew him had to be aware of all that he did. In this world of today, gentle people like Shig should not go unheralded, but they often do.

It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I send this letter and deeply regret that it is necessary to do so.

73.
J. D. Knochenhauer, K61TL