In Memoriam
For many years, SBE 49's good friend, and one of its founding members, Jim Dunn maintained the chapter web site. On September 9, 2010, Jim passed away in Springfield, Illinois.
(photo courtesy of Tim McDonough)
In addition to being the best darn radio engineer many of us ever met, mentoring countless individuals along the way, Jim loved to operate as extra-class, amateur radio operator K9CNP. His favorite mode was CW, and "texting" laws be damned, he did so, even mobile, balancing his home crafted key on his knee, as he drove down the highway! I'll let one of Jim's many friends, Tim McDonough tell the rest of the story in this nice memorial.
Read more information about Jim's life here.
Harold James "Jim" Dunn, 71 of Auburn, Illinois, passed away Thursday, September 9, 2010 at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, Illinois. He was born on February 26, 1939 in Niantic, the son of Herbert and Helen Hild Dunn. Jim was preceded in death by his step mother, Laura Lee Huffman Dunn and two brothers, Bryce and Paul. Survived by his daughters, Stephanie J. Martin (Mark) of Columbus, Ga.; Diana Lyall of Carbondale, Illinois; Susan Carnahan of Niceville, Florida; grandchildren, Elliott and Jane; a sister, Linda Blakeman (Terry) of Illiopolis, Illinois; companion, Linda Wade of Auburn; nephews and nieces.
Jim is buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Illiopolis.
Gary L. Glaenzer Jacksonville, Illinois writes:
Jim Dunn, mentor and friend...
I first met Jim in August 1970. I was a wet-behind-the-ears first-job engineer at WJIL Jacksonville IL. Jim helped me assemble a new studio and get the remote control set up as the station moved from the old Morton building on US-36 east to downtown.
Along the way he interspersed his assistance with tid-bits about "watch out for's" regarding this or that piece of gear.
He helped me get the WJIL tower array back into adjustment a couple of times... made challenging by the infamous "water tower in the main lobe" set-up. The water tower is long gone but the memories of de-tuning it remain. Jim helped me document the partial proof needed when switching to remote control operation.
Jim would stop by my house after those mid-night to 2 a.m. Annual Proofs and usually would have a micro-mini transceiver of some type in his pocket. He'd pull it out, clip an antenna lead to a window screen, and proceed to work some CW at the kitchen table while the coffee was brewing.
God's speed, Jim, may all your contacts be solid 599s.
I'm Ed Davison CPBE. in 1950 I joined WMAY as transmitter supervisor and helped finish station construction. I left in 1953, and another person took over. A new owner came in and Jim was appointed chief engineer.
We were an NBC affiliate station but Jim had a regular remote gig for CBS in St Louis at KMOX.
I have stayed in Springfield and worked with Jim on various projects. We worked together in SBE Chapter 49, and also at WUIS when Jim was their CE.
I later became part owner of WNNS and became its CE. Jim gave me a hand out there with a Bird wattmeter to document the transmitter power and other advice that no one would question.
A finer engineer and good friend I've never met. Jim, I and the rest of your brother engineers dearly miss you. Rest in piece.
God's speed, Jim. We miss you!