Subject: Re: Gene Wiggins & Herb Brier
From: Marvin Beach N4NY
Date: Sat, 18 Apr 2009 09:09:28 -0400
To: Stan Vandiver W4SV

Hi Stan:

I am a graduate of Valpo Tech and x-operator of W9SAL, the Valpo Tech
Club station.  I am also a friend of Gene Wiggins, W9CWG.  He taught me
several classes at Valpo Tech.  After leaving Valparaiso, he and I have
maintained contact mostly via snail mail these days.  Gene seems to prefer
that method.  I have worked him on the air - 40 meters from my old QTH in
Spartanburg, SC on some occasions in the 70's and 80's.  He is a
knowledgeable ham.  He was a tough instructor, but always fair.  I really
enjoyed his classes at Tech.

(regarding Herb Brier and W9SAL... some text omitted)

I was fortunate to work Herb one afternoon in the early 1970's from Valpo
Tech.  I am thinking the band was 75 meters.  I was tuning around and heard
the call W9EGQ which sure rang a bell.  I gave Herb a call, and he came
back.  I was so shocked and kind of nervous to actually be talking to a man
that I considered a great ham and a mentor of mine.  I recall mentioning
something about reading his articles and recognizing his call.  He seemed to
take everything in stride and not once bragging about the many things he had
accomplished.  We must have chatted for at least half and hour.  For some
reason, I didn't get a QSL for that contact.  I don't even recall if I ever
sent him a W9SAL card or not.  I sure wish I had a card for that contact
today.  I logged everything in the logbook at W9SAL and that book remained
there when I left Valparaiso Tech.  I have all the other logs from my ham
career except that one.

(continuing Herb Brier and W9SAL... some text omitted)

What Herb did continues to amaze me.  I don't know when I learned of his
physical condition.  It could have been in one of Larry Hall's or Gene Wiggins
classes at Valpo Tech.  Larry Hall is now SK, but was a ham also.  John T.
Frye was another amazing individual.

73,
Marvin W. Beach, N4NY



From a follow-up email...

Subject: Re: Gene Wiggins & Herb Brier
From: Marvin Beach
Date: Sun, 19 Apr 2009 14:03:06 -0400
To: Stan Vandiver W4SV

I received a Bachelor of Electronics in Engineering Technology from Valpo
Tech in 1973.  I was a student from January 1970 to mid 1972 at Valpo Tech
and loved every minute of it.

I guess I was the main op at W9SAL when I went there.  I had a lot of fun.
I also had an old military Collins TCS receiver in my dorm room.  I used to
listen to Wiggins and some of the other Valpo hams operating c.w. in the
evenings.

73
Take Care,
Marv - N4NY



(Ed. note:  More of Marv's comments will be posted to the Herb Brier page also.)