James E. McKim W9MVG - WØMVG - WØCY - *1915-1996* First licensed 1935. Of Salina,Kansas - Jim a grad of Kansas State Teachers, Emporia Kansas. Air Conditioning engineer withSalina Supply Co., of which he headed, designed and installed the systems in the Eisenhower Libraryand Museum complex in Abilene, KS.
A U.S. Navy veteran - Joiner of many
fraternal groups, Kiwanis; Kansas
Engineering Society; Four public service
awards. Twice vice director of ARRL Mid
West Division. Past president of CentralKansas Radio Club; The Central States
VHF Club; a VHF enthusiast with special
love for the 6 Meter band. QCWA - ARRL
life member. Finally a real pioneer on theVHF/UHF bands.
Jim had been involved in satellites since thelaunch of Sputnik I in 1957. A life member of AMSAT with a membership number of 7. Jim wasknown as “Mr. Ham Radio” all over central Kansas. He was an ardent supporter of AMSAT. Among
his activities for the organization was his stewardship of the Mid America Section of the 75 meter
AMSAT Net since its inception in the 70's.
Your author has a extensive memoir book on all kinds of amateur radio subjects and technical issues.
I just came across a note in early 1996. (W8CMS) Claire Sutton of Newton Falls Ohio. Claire was
the dean of six meters in my region. Claire advised me his long time friend Jim McKim W0CY was
breaking off schedules because Jim was in ill health and it was hard to accept for Clair because
McKim was such a good friend. The schedules encompassed many years.
McKim over time developed a close friend in Mr. Sutton and had visited here several times goingthrough the area. Claire cared deeply about his friends and advised me how Jim enjoyed staying here
in the presence of his pals and the City with ZIP 44444. Claire mentioned how he would place oldissues of QST magazine on McKim’s bed stand, all issues in the teens and twenties. McKim loved
those old issues and thought it was a special treat to read them before bed time.
Jim KcKim expired shortly after ceasing all of his radio schedules in early 1996. Later on that year
in April there was a horrible tragedy in the Salina News about the McKim family. It shook ClaireSutton terribly because knowing the family first hand. A friend notified authorities to check thehome because Mrs. McKim was not answering the phone. The Selina Police investigated the scene.
The murders of Delores McKim age 80, the widow of Jim WØCY, their daughter and her grand son.
The three died on the weekend of July 20-21 1996 at the McKim residence in a upscaleneighborhood in Selina. It was an apparent robbery that had horribly gone wrong. Mr. McKim’s car
was stolen with the amateur license plate affixed. The car turned up later on in a apartment complex.
The accused was also a ham operator and was found in a half way house in Boston months later andwas brought back to Kansas for trial. He had been in the McKim home on several occasions in theusual amateur radio customary visitation. Continued on page two.

Jim’s earlier call with his
preference of the 6 Meter band.
Thanks to W8JYZ Bob Green.

The tribute to Jim McKim
lives on today with his callissued to the Central Kansas
ARC, Inc. It was said
“W0CY’s booming voice will
be missed by all on the 75
meter AMSAT Net and thehands above 50 MHZ. It was
one of Delores McKim’s last
duties to give Central Kansas
ARC permission to use Jim’s
amateur radio call.

Credit W8JYZ QSL collection. AMSAT News. W8CMS thoughts and memories. The Ham Register1958 copy by K8CX. (Note) I never met Jim but “Mr. Ham Radio we miss you as if you were in ourhomes visiting and reading those old issues of QST on the bed stand before turning in! By the way
Claire Sutton started Jim’s collection of a complete library of ARRL QST magazines starting in1915. I hope someone is taking good care of that collection today.
Why bad things happen to good people we will never know top side of this earth. One day, so be
it. The amateur fraternity is a source of life long friends. I don’t regret a second of it all.
W8SU 2010