Amateur Radio loses two great guys in a tragic accident
Memorial Day Weekend 2006.

 

     
 


Mike and David passed away doing one of the things they really enjoyed, competitive T-Hunting.
David Gordon Ross (N6IDF)  and  Mike Obermeier (K6SNE)


Two Radio Amateurs Die During Mobile Hidden Transmitter Hunt

The Bakersfield Californian | Monday, May 29 2006 9:20 PM

Last Updated: Monday, May 29 2006 11:23 PM

Two GPS treasure hunters were killed sometime over the Memorial Day weekend when their four-wheel-drive vehicle struck the side of a canyon wall near Onyx and they veered over a 900-foot, granite-ribbed cliff.

A search-and-rescue team from the Kern County Sheriff's Department located the bodies of David Gordon-Ross, 35, of Yucaipa, and his passenger, Michael Obermeier, 46, of Anaheim, in the east Kern desert at 1:50 a.m. Monday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The two men had been participating in an organized cross-country treasure hunt, believed to have originated in San Bernardino County, using global positioning system coordinates, according to the CHP. Typically in such competitions, participants locate a hidden marker, then move on to the next item on their checklist.

On Saturday, the victims in the Onyx crash located the GPS device in a rugged and remote area of the desert, then had proceeded toward the next one on Cook Peak. When they failed to report at the next check point, however, organizers filed a missing persons report.

Based on debris and skid marks at the scene, investigators believe the men, driving westbound on Cook Peak Road in a 1991 Jeep Cherokee, struck the side of the canyon wall and then veered back across the road and over the side of the west embankment. The cliff is lined with granite boulders, and as the Jeep tumbled 900 feet to the bottom, it was crushed.

Rescue workers found Gordon-Ross' body some 450 feet down the embankment, but it was unclear whether he was thrown clear or had jumped. Obermeier was found belted in the right front seat.

Both men were dead at the scene. Their bodies were airlifted out and delivered to the Kern County coroner's office.

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News video about the accident:  http://www.kget.com/mediacenter/?videoId=10158

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David Gordon-Ross' wife, Melanie, is a stay at home mom with a one year old baby.  Mike Obermeier was single.  We are collecting donations to help out Melanie.  All money that was to be collected at our 16th Annual 435 Chili Cook-off on June 10th to support the Repeater Fund will be donated to Melanie.  If you can't attend the Chili Cook-off  and would like to help, please use the PayPal link below.   Every cent will go to Melanie Gordon-Ross.

Thank you,

Gary Elmer                                                                                      
KG6DVO
Owner / Trustee
147.435 Amateur Radio Repeater System
 

All together, as of 06/10/2006, we raised nearly three thousand dollars for the David Gordon-Ross Memorial Fund.

"I cannot begin to thank you all for your kindness and generousity during such a difficult time for my family and I.  David and Michael's circle of influence was wide, but even I didn't realize just how many people were influenced by them and how deeply their passing would be felt.  My heartfelt thanks and love are all I can extend to you, with your help the burden of taking over as head of the household will be a little lighter and easier.   Thank you all so much."
 
Melanie Gordon-Ross (kf6gwv)
 

 

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