G8KW Silent Key

Rowley Shears G8KW who established KW Electronics passed away on Tuesday November 17 at the age of 90

Those Radio Amateurs who joined the hobby in the 1950's or 60's will be familiar with the range of Amateur rigs that KW Electronics produced at the Vanguard Works in Dartford, Kent. During this period KW Electronics was the UK's leading Amateur Radio manufacturer.

The 1960's saw the widespread adoption of Single Sideband and for many Radio Amateurs their first SSB radio was a KW. Even after the company stopped manufacturing in the 1970's KW equipment remained popular on the second-hand stands at rallies.

Rowley G8KW will be fondly remembered by users of rigs such as the KW Vanguard, KW Valiant, KW Viceroy, KW Vespa, and KW 2000.

• Chelmsford Amateur Geoff G3EDM said:
Sorry to hear the sad news. I first met Rowley when we did NFD (Low power CW) in Hamburg, Germany 1946/7.
I believe his call was D2KW and mine was D2DM then.

Radio Museum - KW Electronics
http://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_hersteller_detail.cfm
?company_id=7701

KW Manuals on the Vintage and Military Amateur Radio
http://www.vmarsmanuals.co.uk/archive/files_index.htm