SILENT KEY: NOTED DXPEDITIONER DAVID ASSAF III, W5XU

David Assaf III, W5XU, had a long amateur radio life which began when he was still in high school. It gathered momentum - and more of a spirit of adventure -,over time. The DXpeditioner was 71 years old when in 2016 he activated South Sandwich Island with the Intrepid-DX group as VP8SGI and Thule Island as VP8STI, in a place uninhabitable except by penguins.

He became a Silent Key on January 18th, according to his online obituary.

David, who discovered ham radio as a high school electronics enthusiast, would go on to a lifetime of other discoveries and many DXpeditions, including Russell Reef, as 9MØW, and Melish Reef, 9M6MA.

An active member of the Baton Rouge Amateur Radio Club, his commitment to helping his Louisiana community spurred him into service by assisting emergency communications during Hurricane Betsy in 1965 - an action for which the city of New Orleans honored him.

David was 80.