Kevin Bellamy M5MAQ died of cancer last Autumn aged 52. He was a longstanding member of the Scunthorpe Steel Amateur Radio Club.

Kev ran his own precision engineering business, but business and leisure were closely intermingled for this modest, quiet and clever man. He gave us a talk at the club on one occasion about a problem he was facing with an overlocking machine- a piece of the most intricate sewing equipment from a local factory.

He used his engineering skill to build the tank shown in the photograph. Look closely though and you will see it is not just a model, it is a multi function morse key. Paddles at the back, and a barrel that could be used pump fashion or side to side. Kev won our construction contest with the tank a couple of years ago, in fact he frequently won the construction contest! Members of the club who have used the tank say it is as good as any key they have ever used.

When work needed to be done on our repeater GB3WJ, whilst Kev was not the keeper, he was usually involved in manufacturing some piece of hardware, or being on top of the block of flats helping with the work.

Many of us have reason to be grateful to him for the many, many hours he spent preparing and teaching on our clubs Foundation, NRAE and RAE courses. He shared his knowledge freely and took pleasure in seeing the success achieved by others.

When members of the club required a "left handed eccentric what not" for many of us it was to Kev we turned. That engineers mind of his would turn things over for a day or two then back he would come with some little device he had manufactured. You might get away with buying him a pint, but that was about as far as getting payment ever went.

I can think of no aspect of our clubs life where Kev was not involved. When we provided a safety communications system for the local athletics club, Kev did the reconnoiter work, and was there on the day manning his allotted post. For Field Day operations it was Kev's generator we used, with him in attendance for 24 hours making sure the power was there.

For newly licenced members of the club their first nervous hesitant on the air contact was often with Kev, patient, understanding and helpful as ever.

Amateur Radio is the poorer for the loss of our friend. His family are in our minds at this time for their greater loss.

Alistair Butler M1ECF Club Secretary.