Gathering hams together for the past three years to support research for pancreatic cancer, a prominent Pennsylvania amateur radio operator has lost his life to the disease. A little more than a year ago, Richard Ryba, WQ3Q, put out a call to his fellow hams asking for them to join the on-air team for N3P, a special event station to raise awareness and donations for pancreatic cancer research and provide aid and resources to families.

On Thursday 5th September 2024, the Skyview Amateur Radio Society issued another call during their 2-metre evening net on Richard's behalf. It was a final call: Richard became a Silent Key on the 31st August, five years after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the same illness that took the life of his younger brother years earlier. An advocate for supporting research, Richard had been the driving force behind an annual special event station that went on the air throughout the US in conjunction with a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania walk-a-thon to benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

He was well-known for his devotion to radio as a member and former officer of the Skyview Amateur Radio Society and the Breezeshooters Club of Western Pennsylvania. He recently joined the Southwestern Pennsylvania SKYWARN and the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network.

Richard was known as the designer of the QSL card for K2M, the Pennsylvania colony of the annual 13 Colonies Special Event station, for each of the past four years. He also had a unique way of identifying himself: Because his callsign contained the character combination "Q3Q," he often referred to his QTH as the "shack of quack."

Richard, who had been licensed since 2013, was 74.