NAAPO (North American AstroPhysical Observatory)

Passage Dr. John D. Kraus June 28, 1910 - July 18, 2004 (W8JK, Silent Key)

Comments via E-Mails I was indeed saddened by the passing of Dr. John Kraus. John was an amazing individual blessed with a knowledge of electronics, physics and radio astronomy. His dedication to the field of radio astronomy and education has done much to help students as well as, the amateur radio astronomy family. I will miss hearing his voice on the phone! Jeffrey M. Lichtman SARA Founder and VP Radio Astronomy Supplies http://www.nitehawk.com/rasmit/ras.html From bdl7431 Sent Wednesday, July 21, 2004 11:07 pm To radobs@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Subject Fw: ARLX006 John D. Kraus, W8JK, SK] Folks - This just appeared through the SARA list. Bruce ----- Original Message ----- From: "James Brown, M.Ed., A.E.T." To: "Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers" Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 10:24 PM Subject: [Fwd: ARLX006 John D. Kraus, W8JK, SK] SB SPCL @ ARL $ARLX006 ARLX006 John D. Kraus, W8JK, SK ZCZC AX06 QST de W1AW Special Bulletin 6 ARLX006 From ARRL Headquarters Newington CT July 21, 2004 To all radio amateurs SB SPCL ARL ARLX006 ARLX006 John D. Kraus, W8JK, SK Radio astronomer, antenna designer, cosmic explorer and author John D. Kraus, W8JK, of Delaware, Ohio, died July 18. He was 94. While he enjoyed a worldwide reputation, Kraus is perhaps best known in Amateur Radio circles for his bi-directional wire beam antenna--often dubbed the '8JK array. Other important Kraus designs include the corner reflector and helix antennas. The Michigan native was a pioneer of radiotelescope design and the father of the "Big Ear" radiotelescope. Following an early fascination with radio, Kraus first became licensed as 8AFJ. He later was granted the now-famous W8JK call sign. A graduate of Michigan State University [sic; University of Michigan], he joined the faculty of the Ohio State University 1946, serving as a professor of electrical engineering and astronomy and founding and directing the OSU Radio Observatory. In that capacity, Kraus designed and oversaw construction of the Big Ear on the campus of nearby Ohio Wesleyan University. Kraus's classic textbook Antennas, now in its second edition, has been an engineering school staple for decades and can be found in virtually every antenna engineer's library. Among his other titles are Electromagnetics, Radio Astronomy, Big Ear, Big Ear Two and Our Cosmic Universe. Kraus also wrote several articles for QST from the 1930s until the 1980s, including a "recap and update" of his W8JK antenna in the June 1982 issue. Kraus was a fellow of the IEEE and a member of the National Academy of Engineering. In 1996, Dayton Hamvention honored Kraus as the recipient of its Special Achievement Award. In 2001, CQ named Kraus to the inaugural class of its Amateur Radio Hall of Fame. In 1978, after the "Big Ear" detected the still-unidentified "Wow!" signal that suggested the possibility of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, Kraus launched Cosmic Search, a magazine devoted to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. The Big Ear fell victim to development pressures and was torn down in 1998. Arrangements are incomplete. NNNN /EX -- Jim Brown d.b.a., JLB Consulting 418 Fair Ave., #2 412-974-1663 Beaver, PA 15009 starmanjb@adelphia.net http://users.adelphia.net/~starmanjb/index.html