• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Mel D - passed at 63

H

hipporadio

My good friend Gary Clark sent me an email yesterday – telling me about the unfortunate passing of Mel Dzialak—a long-time engineer at The WNDU Stations in South Bend. Mel was a consummate “ham” who chased bad weather and local fires off-time to aid his fellow man - then went to work and applied a level of discipline that is unparalleled in contemporary engineering. He sat me down decades ago and taught-me the axiom that “There is NO free lunch” and “You can’t fool Mother Nature” as related to radio engineering. He contributed freely to my miniscule understanding of broadcast technology. In that process, he became a good yet HUMBLE friend!

Mel invented the current U-93 technical facility – and installed it over 25-years ago! In latter life, Mel chose to leave Gray-owned WNDU-TV and assist AMP ... I had lost contact with him by that time – and regretted that! He was qualified to the hilt technically – and qualified as a great guy and good friend, also! He died at 63, and should have lived longer... Let it be known that he was the only person at my infamous Christmas parties in the 80s that requested a Coke... He never abused ANYTHING!

I would just like the simple opportunity to post a good-bye to yet another U-93 alum that has passed from the position of putting their arm on one's shoulder in a good—and bad moment. Rest in PEASE, Mel—my good friend! God bless you.
 
Sad, I was googling Mel's email to try and catch up over the many years since I talked with him when I saw your note.

I worked with Mel during my summers and vacations from 1966 to about 1972. Mel was in the studio and I babysat the TV transmitter but I also knew Mel as an active ham. You couldn't meet a nicer guy and I was extremely happy for him when got married some years later. Hopefully that worked out.

Mel was active on 2M and I remember one late night in South Bend where he was on his way home after a heavy snowfall (nothing unusual for South Bend). Mel got stuck in some snow and in the time before cell phones I called a tow truck for him. During that time Mel was the only one to clean and demagnetize the tape heads on the tape machines because he cared about the quality of the sound and "it was the right thing to do".

God bless you Mel. :'(

Larry Pajakowski,
former WNDU-TV and FM transmitter engineer - BRC
(Before Remote Control)
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom