Colin Truran M0GJM (1949-2013) SK
This is a historical document dated 16 December 2013
In Memory of Colin Truran
Colin Truran M0GJM – Silent Key 1949-2013
On 30th November 2013, the club heard the tragic news that Colin M0GJM had suddenly become silent key the previous day.
Earlier that week, on Monday 25th November, Colin had been buying a cabbage locally when he collapsed outside the shop, injuring himself badly on the pavement. Paramedics were called and he was admitted to Heartlands Hospital where he was diagnosed with an irregular heart rhythm.
Colin appeared to be making a recovery during the week – tests showed his heart rhythm was stabilising and the medical staff were considering fitting a pacemaker to help him. However on Friday evening the irregularities in his heart returned and despite treatment, a few hours later, in the very early hours of Saturday 30th November, he passed away. Colin leaves behind his wife, Jill, together with son Paul and daughter Melanie, both from his first marriage. He was also a stepfather to Jill’s three children.
Colin had retired from his job in the engineering department at Birmingham Airport a few years earlier due to ill health. He was just 64 years old when he died. Perhaps the saddest aspect of his very untimely death was that daughter Melanie was expecting his first “blood” grandchild soon.
His interest in radio came at an early age when his father made him a crystal set. Later, as a teenager, he had great fun, along with millions of others, tuning into the Pirate radio stations transmitting from ships in the Thames estuary. He experimented with modifying a transistor radio to install a bigger capacity external battery to extend the operating life and trying to improve reception with a bigger antenna.
His interest in radio waned until he changed jobs in 1981, when a colleague at work offered him a Black & Decker workmate and an AM CB radio. He bought both! The radio was quickly fitted to the car, with suitable CB aerial. Colin lived in Redditch at the time and each evening the channels were buzzing with CB traffic.
One of Colin’s friends, to whom he showed the CB radio, was one Mike Goode, who some will remember as a founder member of Wythall Radio Club. Mike loved the CB radio idea and quickly went from a basic 40 channel AM rig onto one of the sets with hundreds of channels and sidebands. Mike himself became G4SMA, Secretary of Wythall Radio club. Colin however, with a young family and interests in golf and cricket, decided not to join Mike in pursuing his radio interests but kept in touch with Mike over the years and it was just a few years ago that Colin decided to resurrect his interest in radio.
He joined the ranks of Wythall Radio Club to undertake Foundation License training course in June 2006, (along with Mel M0MAJ, who served with Colin as Treasurer of the Club). 2008 saw Colin go for the Intermediate Exam, followed by success in the Advanced exam just a few months later. From December 2008, he was M0GJM to us!
Colin was a man who was much loved by all in the club, obtaining his Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced licenses through the club’s training programme. He undertook the QSL Manager role for several years and eventually rose to take on the role of Secretary of the Club for two years between 2010/2011. Colin admitted he wasn’t a big radio user, he preferred playing with the technology of the hobby, especially making things. He also had an interest in anything to do with computers and engineering.
Colin was also a staunch supporter and later organiser of the club’s annual clay pigeon shooting contest, where he was often accompanied by his brothers, Rob and Phil, but he will probably be most remembered for his enthusiasm for the Club Foxhunts, something that really grabbed Colin’s attention, to the extent that he was working on various computerised systems for better tracking down the foxes! To celebrate Colin’s love of this aspect of radio, the Club intends to have a memorial trophy in Colin’s name for the winner of our annual Christmas Foxhunt.
Colin’s funeral took place on Monday 16th December at the Robin Hood Crematorium with a wake at Shirley Golf Club afterwards.
He was indeed that rare person – a man of whom no-one said anything bad. He is already and will be for some time, very sadly missed…
Chris G0EYO (with assistance from Chris G7DDN)
