FAIRS UKRAINE

Victor and Helen Goncharsky of Lvov head up operations for the FAIRS Foundation in Ukraine.  Helen visited here in the U.S. in 2013 and helped represent at Dayton Hamvention.  We want to thank Vic and Helen for their tireless work in amateur radio and recognize Vic’s famous father, who would have turned 90 in 2014:

Vladimir N. Goncharsky “Ham Dad Vlad” was born in Kriukov, Poltava region of Ukraine on 25th of June 1924.
At the age of 11 he became interested in ham radio and during 1936-1937 built several one-tube receivers for LW (long wave) and MW (medium wave) bands. The next step was a HF converter that allowed him to monitor amateur bands up to 20 meters.

In 1939, he learned Morse Code and got his CW operator’s certificate in Rostov radioclub.
During the year 1939 Vlad built several HF transmitters for 40 and 80 meters and finally got on the air as U6BC from the city of Shakhty, Rostov region.

After German intervention to USSR started on 22nd of June 1941, Vlad, at the age of 17, volunteered himself to the Soviet Army as a CW operator. He spent the whole war as a CW instructor for military personnel.

After WWII,  in 1946, Vlad moved to Lvov and in 1948 got his first Ukrainian call UB5BK.  In 1951, he graduated from   Radiotechnical department of Lvov Polytechnical institute.  Unfortunately, due to political reasons (his father was arrested and sent to GULAG) Vlad’s license was revoked by officials in 1950.

After the Stalinist era ended, Vlad was able to finally return to ham radio on Mar 24, 1955 as UB5WF, the call sign that became famous worldwide for decades.
UB5WF was the worldwide winner of the First All Asian contest, he was CQWW CW contest European winner in 1967, and was many times USSR HF champion.

Ham Dad Vlad was the first amateur from the former USSR to reach DXCC Honor Roll Number One by working all countries in the world. His country score is still the highest among all hams of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Vlad was a part of the first days of FAIRS and took active part in all FAIRS projects, even into in his last years.  As WWII veteran Vlad changed his call to U5WF (U5 prefix is allocated by the ITU for World War II veterans) and this call was on the air until his last day of May 22, 2008.

FAIRS is cooperating with operations in Ukraine to commemorate the 90th birthday of silent key (has passed away) “Ham Dad Dad Vlad”.  A memorial award «U5WF-90» is available to all amateurs and may be earned during the year 2014.

To qualify, the applicant  has to prove making two way contacts during the year 2014 on different amateur bands (1.8 – 432 MHz) using different modes of emission (CW, PHONE, DIGITAL) with:

Special memorial stations EO,EM,EN90WF;

FAIRS club station N4USA, Floyd, VA;

FRS club station UR4WXW, Lvov, Ukraine;

Vladimir N. Goncharsky «Ham Dad Vlad» U5WF (UB5WF) SK family members: Helen Goncharsky  UR5WA/KT4RP, Julia Goncharsky UR5WDX and Victor Goncharsky  US5WE/K1WE/UW5W.

FAIRS President David Larsen KK4WW (J79WW) and FAIRS director Gaynell Larsen KK4WWW (J79WWW).

Thanks to all who will help us honor U5WF!