Alex, "Polly", Polityka, W8FLA

Became a Silent Key on Sunday, May 18, 2008, at the age of 95 years.

First licensed in 1931, Polly became a member of QCWA, Michigan Chapter 10, in 1964, and was issued QCWA Membership #4270. In May of 2006, Polly was presented with his 75th Anniversary Of Licensing Award and his an Honorary Life Membership. He had received all of the other QCWA service awards, including the Century Club Award.

Polly was very active on SSB and CW, with the ability to make his Vibroplex Bug "sing a variety of tunes" to those of us who were fortunate enough to have a "rag chew" with him on CW. He was active on the air up until early this year when his health would no longer permit him to operate.

He is survived by his wife, Naomi, of Fort Pierce, FL.

Per his request, there will be no viewing or services. Cremation has taken place and internment will be in Michigan at a later date.

Submitted by:

James F. Bishop, W8JFB
Secretary/Treasurer
QCWA Michigan Chapter 10

It is with a heavy heart that I must notify you of the following Silent Key:

Alex A. "Polly", Polityka, W8FLA, who was called to his Heavenly home at 4:10 AM, this morning, Sunday, May 18;, 2008.

Born on July 16, 1912, Polly first became licensed as an Amateur Radio Operator in 1931. He was active on the air on both SSB and CW. He was a Life Member of QCWA, having been assigned the QCWA Membership Number : 04270.

I spoke with his dear wife, Naomi, earlier this evening and she told me that it was Polly's wish that there be no showing or services. Cremation will be followed by internment back here in Michigan.

I will pass along more details as I learn of them myself.

A card will be sent to Naomi, from the Chapter 10 Membership, expressing our condolences to her.

We do have several very nice photos and articles about Polly, in our Chapter History Book, which we can all view with fond memories.

Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Rest in Peace, Dear Friend, "Polly" - W 8 F L A

. . .     _ . _

73,

Jim Bishop, W8JFB
Sec/Tres QCWA Chapter 10

From the QCWA On Line Museum @ http://www.qcwa.org/w8fla_station.htm


Photo courtesy W8FLA

Alex "Polly" Polityka, W8FLA has been licensed with the same call since 1932. His station in 1934 included (from left, on the desk): National FB-7 receiver, Vibroplex, a carbon mike, and a speaker from a BC receiver. The transmitter on the left is a pair of 210s for 160m phone. On the right, the CW rig has four 210s in parallel. Polly's antenna was a half-wave Zepp with 600 ohm feeders, and he remembers, "Them were the days!"

Snippet from http://www.eham.net/articles/12866
Welcome to the hobby. I have NEVER in my 10 plus years as a ham, 10 of which were spent as a no-code tech, been treated poorly by any ham.

I have been welcomed into the hobby with open arms. I got in with no interest in HF or DX or CW. My interest is emergency communications which is almost all done with VHF/UHF. After a decade of working with the fine hams in our area that had upgraded I got so curious about HF I started asking about it. It wasn't long before I got the bug and wanted to be a bigger part of the hobby that was so well represented by the hams in our area. If you look at my shack pic on QRZ you will see a beautiful Swan 350. That, along with other rigs and gear, were GIVEN to me on my birthday last year by Jim W8JFB. Jim had never met me. He found out that my daughter, KOLEY, passed her CW test at age 11 and contacted my by e-mail to issue her congratulations. He found out that I did not have an HF rig for K0LEY and I to enjoy our new privileges. He had just inherited several working rigs and asked if I wanted them. I picked them up in Cadillac, Michigan on my birthday at the annual QCWA picnic. There, K0LEY and I were treated like royalty by the oldest members of our hobby, the members of the QCWA. 12 year old Koley made instant friends with 90 year old Alex, W8FLA, licensed since 1929. In the kitty was a Kenwood TS-440 that 'talked'. It was set up for a blind ham. That rig never made it to my shack as I dropped it off to Jean, KC8WSE, who has been blind since birth. I am now a General and love playing with HF rigs. I even do CW on occasion with my daughter and a few of my closest friends.

Come to Western Michigan and take some time to meet folks that really enjoy the hobby. The greatest people, the nicest people, I have ever met have ham licenses.

73 and congrats on passing your code test! I hope to have a QSO with you on your favorite band or mode someday soon.

From http://forums.qrz.com/archive/index.php/t-114029.html
K8MHZ         01-15-2007, 04:28 PM
The code is not dead but the horse sure is.

I propose we start the Society of the Green Visor for all that have passed the Element 1 exam. The Green Visors were worn by Chip Margelli and Ken Miller on the tonight show when they trounced the text messaging kids. My daughter and I have performed the "Presentation of the Green" to a couple hams now and they thought it was cool. We had the grand opportunity to induct 94 year old Polly, W8FLA the year before last. I think it was 78 consecutive years that he had a ham licence.

The green visors are available if you know where to look. I did not find a source for arm garters, though. (Thankfully)