Ted Ball G4NLR - silent key

Ted Ball G4NLR

You may know that Ted Ball, G4NLR, had been very poorly and was in Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield.

For those who have not heard, we have to tell you now that Ted died on Tuesday September 14th.

He had suffered years of indifferent health due to heart and kidney problems, but had always put on as brave a face as he could.

Ted had been in the film and news industry, in fact there was barely a company he had not worked for, BBC, CBC, NBC etc., and was always very highly regarded by the colleagues he worked with.

He was a sound engineer of the highest standing and with colleagues ran his own communications company to supply radio communications and sound recording on film set locations. You will remember the “Inspector Morse” series. Ted worked on many episodes, also he dubbed many of the sound tracks for the “Armand and Michaela Dennis” series.

Ted was a very accomplished still photographer in his own right. In his youth he had been apprenticed to a society photographer and spent many hours photographing (with a large format plate camera) society events at locations such as the Dorchester where several hundred guests would sit down to dinner, and all would expect to be visible in the pictures! He was also taught how to light an interior the size of a cathedral — with just one lamp using a technique called “light painting”.

In the world of Amateur Radio Ted was always ready to help people out either with very sensible advice or equipment or help, or all three. He was, for instance, for years a radio “mentor” at 85 Squadron of the ATC where many cadets benefited from his experience and assistance in radio matters.

Morse Code was a special interest, and due to his ability and aptitude, he was seconded from the Royal Navy to a certain government listening station, where he, with others, copied endless five figure Morse code groups for deciphering “upstairs”. Unfortunately, he never ever got to know what the messages were about! He did though, recall seeing one of the first captured Enigma machines being delivered, under guard, to the establishment.

Those of us in the Southgate Amateur Radio Club have good reason to be grateful to Ted, and I for one have to thank him for, apart from anything else, getting me through the 12 wpm Morse test. I think he was a bit disappointed that I did not pursue a further interest in Morse!

There is much more that could be said about this unique man … maybe later, but meanwhile all we can do is be grateful that we were lucky enough to share a friendship with him.

Mike, MØASA.

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