Amateur Satellite Pioneer Cliff Buttschardt, K7RR, SK

Cliff Buttschardt, K7RR, at the University of California-Berkeley in 2004.

NEWINGTON, CT, Aug 17, 2006 -- Long-time Project OSCAR and AMSAT member Cliff Buttschardt, K7RR (ex-W6HDO), of Morro Bay, California, died July 30, following a long illness. An ARRL Life Member, he was 75. Just days before Buttschardt's death, the Project OSCAR Board of Directors recognized his lifetime contributions to Amateur Radio satellites with a Certificate of Appreciation. The award was formally announced at California Polytechnic State University, where Buttschardt had mentored students for many years.

"In March of 2006 the Board of Project OSCAR voted to recognize Cliff with an award for his achievements and his lifetime of contributions to amateur satellite programs," said Project OSCAR Vice-President Emily Clarke, N1DID. "Over the years Cliff contributed much to Project OSCAR, AMSAT and was one of the guiding forces behind the CubeSat program at Cal Poly, where he has been working quietly behind the scenes as an advisor."

The award inscription reads: "This certificate is awarded to Clifford C. Buttschardt, K7RR, in recognition of his lifetime contributions and accomplishments to Project OSCAR, AMSAT, and Amateur Satellite Radio."

CubeSat Program Co-Director Jordi Puig-Suari also acknowledged Buttschardt's contributions. "Cliff was a crucial part of the mentoring that the students received from the AMSAT community," he said. "We wouldn't be here without his help."

Because of his failing health, Buttschardt was unable to attend the award ceremony, but Project OSCAR President Don Ferguson, KD6IRE, and Clarke met with Buttschardt and his wife at the couple's home, where the award was officially presented. Unfortunately, a much-heralded attempt to launch 14 university CubeSats -- one of them renamed in Buttschardt's honor -- failed July 26.

As a member of the original Project OSCAR Radio Club, he supported the construction of the first Amateur Radio satellite, OSCAR I. Buttschardt and other members of the Palo Alto Amateur Radio Association also designed, built and kitted one of the first AM/FM 2-meter transceivers kits.

Buttschardt's Project OSCAR Certificate of Appreciation.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised on Long Island, Buttschardt graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in electrical engineering. He later became a Navy radioman, then went on to work for Raytheon and Stanford Research Institute. He later taught at Chico State University, which he left in the 1980s to set up his own marine electronics business while continuing to teach at Cal Poly and at Cuesta College.

Returning to sea as a Merchant Marine radio officer in 1989, Buttschardt found himself back in the US Navy -- although well past the mandatory retirement age -- after Iraq invaded Kuwait. He served through 1991 during the first Gulf War and remained at sea until 1995.

When he returned to California, he and Ed English, W6WYQ, began work on the CubeSat project, and both began mentoring Cal Poly students working on the initial CubeSat designs. In 2002 Buttschardt and Clark Turner, WA3JPG, first proposed to AMSAT using Amateur Radio frequencies for the CubeSat program.

In addition to AMSAT and ARRL, Buttschardt was active in the Central Coast Astronomical Society and other local amateur radio associations, most recently the Estero Radio Club, which he served as secretary.

Survivors include his wife, Mabs. Contributions to AMSAT or the ARRL in Cliff Buttschardt's memory are welcome.

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