{"id":38811,"date":"2019-08-05T06:44:28","date_gmt":"2019-08-05T10:44:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=38811"},"modified":"2019-08-06T08:30:09","modified_gmt":"2019-08-06T12:30:09","slug":"swiss-shortwave-merry-go-round-founder-bob-thomann-hb9gx-is-silent-key","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/swiss-shortwave-merry-go-round-founder-bob-thomann-hb9gx-is-silent-key\/","title":{"rendered":"Swiss Shortwave Merry-Go-Round Founder Bob Thomann (HB9GX) is Silent Key"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Readers old enough to remember listening to SBC\/Swiss Radio International will, no doubt, remember Bob Thomann. I just received the following note from Bob Zanotti:<\/p>\n

Dear Friends and Broadcasting Colleagues,<\/p>\n

[O]ur old friend and colleague, Bob Thomann HB9GX, passed away peacefully on Saturday afternoon 3 August local time. He would have been 91 in September.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Image via Radio World<\/p><\/div>\n

[…]Bob Thomann was the founder of the Swiss Shortwave Merry-Go-Round on
\nSBC\/Swiss Radio International back in the 50’s. He and I were teamed up in 1970, when I joined SRI. We co-presented the technical mailbag show,
\nwhich became know as “The Two Bobs” for 24 years between 1970 and the show’s ending in June 1994. Bob never missed a show, even when we had to do a telephone hookup when he was hospitalized back in the 80’s.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

the Schwarzenburg transmitter site, often mentioned by the Two Bobs (via Jonathan Marks)<\/p><\/div>\n

This is the end of “The Two Bobs” Era and an era in shortwave broadcasting in general. But I’m happy to say that the show lives on at www.switzerlandinsound.com<\/a>, where it has its own section. All that survived from the “Merry-Go-Round” is there, including new material we produced especially for the website. And this will remain as a memorial to Bob Thomann and his contribution to shortwave broadcasting as long as I’m still around.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Mid-1960s photo showing Bob with Heidi Schweizer and Pamela — SBC’s DX Trio at the time. (Image courtesy of Richard Langley)<\/p><\/div>\n

Bob Thomann was my friend, colleague and fellow ham operator for many years. I will always fondly remember those golden days we shared together. Long live those memories.<\/p>\n

73,
\nBob Zanotti<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Click here to listen to archived episodes of The Two Bobs<\/em> at Switzerland in Sound.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Bob, we’re so sorry for the loss of your dear friend and colleague. His memory certainly lives on.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Readers old enough to remember listening to SBC\/Swiss Radio International will, no doubt, remember Bob Thomann. I just received the following note from Bob Zanotti: Dear Friends and Broadcasting Colleagues, [O]ur old friend and colleague, Bob Thomann HB9GX, passed away peacefully on Saturday afternoon 3 August local time. He would have been 91 in September. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,288,7566,43],"tags":[282,283,7935,7934,3897],"class_list":["post-38811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-radio-history","category-radio-memories","category-shortwave-radio","tag-bob-thomann","tag-bob-zanotti","tag-sri","tag-sri-merry-go-round","tag-swiss-radio-international"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-a5Z","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":815,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2010\/08\/bob-thomann-and-bob-zanotti-interview-jeff-white\/","url_meta":{"origin":38811,"position":0},"title":"Bob Thomann and Bob Zanotti interview Jeff White","author":"Thomas","date":"August 13, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Switzerland in Sound via RNW Media Network) Bob Thomann and Bob Zanotti, better known as The Two Bobs formerly of Swiss Radio International, have been friends with Jeff White for decades. Jeff started out as a shortwave listener, and then got into HF broadcasting himself, originally with a project\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/switzerlandinsound.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5994,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/04\/switzerland-in-sound-comes-with-a-familiar-voice\/","url_meta":{"origin":38811,"position":1},"title":"Switzerland In Sound comes with a familiar voice","author":"Thomas","date":"April 22, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"For any of you who listened to Swiss Radio International (SRI) on shortwave radio, you'll no doubt know the name of long-time radio presenter Bob Zanotti. For me, his deep, rich voice was synonymous with SRI. What you may not know is that Zanotti hosts his own website called Switzerland\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The host of Switzerland in Sound, Bob Zanotti.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/BobZanotti-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":55663,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/02\/bob-zanottis-presentation-to-the-fairlawn-amateur-radio-club\/","url_meta":{"origin":38811,"position":2},"title":"Bob Zanotti’s presentation to the Fairlawn Amateur Radio Club (Part 1)","author":"Thomas","date":"February 10, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bob Zanotti (HB9ASQ), who has, at my request, shared a video recording of a presentation he gave to the Fairlawn ARC last year. This is part one. Part two will soon be released and we'll post it on the SWLing Post as well! Thank\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Broadcasting"","block_context":{"text":"International Broadcasting","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/international-broadcasting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Kenwood-R-1000-Encoder-Dial-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Kenwood-R-1000-Encoder-Dial-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Kenwood-R-1000-Encoder-Dial-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Kenwood-R-1000-Encoder-Dial-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Kenwood-R-1000-Encoder-Dial-2.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":55966,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/02\/bob-zanottis-presentation-to-the-fairlawn-amateur-radio-club-part-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":38811,"position":3},"title":"Bob Zanotti\u2019s presentation to the Fairlawn Amateur Radio Club (Part 2)","author":"Thomas","date":"February 27, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bob Zanotti (HB9ASQ), who has, at my request, shared a video recording of a presentation he gave to the Fairlawn ARC last year. This is part two. If you missed part one, you can view it by clicking here.\u00a0Thank you, Bob! Enjoy: https:\/\/youtu.be\/TAeGRwXkPdM","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Kenwood-R-1000-Encoder-Dial-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Kenwood-R-1000-Encoder-Dial-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Kenwood-R-1000-Encoder-Dial-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Kenwood-R-1000-Encoder-Dial-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Kenwood-R-1000-Encoder-Dial-2.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":42359,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/03\/radio-nostalgia-trip-rci-shortwave-listeners-digest-from-july-26-1982\/","url_meta":{"origin":38811,"position":4},"title":"Radio Nostalgia Trip: RCI Shortwave Listener’s Digest from July 26, 1982","author":"Thomas","date":"March 17, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Over at the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive, we receive some truly amazing recordings from our devoted contributors. How many of you remember Ian McFarland's Shortwave Listener's Digest on Radio Canada International? It was certainly one of my favorite DX and SWL shows! Our good friend Tom Laskowski recently sent in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "DX"","block_context":{"text":"DX","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/dx\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/IMG_0135.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/IMG_0135.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/IMG_0135.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2490,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/01\/ian-mcfarland-cds-now-available-as-a-digital-download\/","url_meta":{"origin":38811,"position":5},"title":"Ian McFarland CDs now available as a digital download","author":"Thomas","date":"January 20, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Want to do something good for yourself, your knowledge of SWL--and, in the process, help others? Let me tell you how... Ian McFarland has made available his excellent shortwave radio CD series for download on DXer.ca (an already excellent site, if you haven't yet visited). This CD set includes a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/cbcsianmcfarland-233x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38811","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38811"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38811\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38811"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38811"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38811"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}