Farewell to Dimitris Papadiotis SV1SN
Sadly, Dimitris Papadiotis SV1SN, after nearly four months in the University Hospital of Rio, lost his battle and is now a Silent Key.
Dimitris was born in Aetorachi, Ioannina, and was the first licensed radio amateur in the region of Aetolia-Acarnania. He served many times as President of RAAWG – SZ1A. He was active in every aspect of amateur radio, achieving DXCC, running contests, speaking on local repeaters as well as on the HF bands. He was the first to be honored by RAAWG as Radio Amateur of the Year in 2009 for his contribution to the association and to amateur radio. A true lover of hamfests, he participated in almost all of them and had many friends throughout Greece.
We will always remember his jokes, his dancing at every opportunity, our visits to Mount Athos, the QSL card with the tsarouchi, the teasing, the vacuum gauge stories, his work for the repeater, SV1E, in the Acarnanian mountains, his love for AEK, and the beautiful, endless conversations during our gatherings, where he was always present.
Professionally, he served in the police force and shortly before retiring he was Commander of the First Police Department of Agrinio. He is remembered by his two children, Kostas and Panos, as well as his wife, Marianna.
Something few people know is that he was also a teacher, a graduate of the Pedagogical Academy. He was also our CW teacher when, together with UK, they taught us Morse code so we could sit for our exams back in 1996.
Dimitris had a minor accident last September when he fell on a sidewalk in Thessaloniki during his visit to the International Trade Fair.
Due to the anticoagulant medication he was taking, he developed a hematoma that appeared more than a month later. He underwent surgery in Rio last November. Although he initially seemed to be improving, an infection kept him hospitalized, leading to successive surgeries, and he ultimately passed away on the afternoon of February 25, 2026.
The last time we saw him was during the CQ WW RTTY last September, when he visited us at SZ1A.
We always admired his knowledge, his professional approach to everything he undertook, his passion and love for amateur radio, his medical knowledge, and so much more.
May God rest his soul. Where he is going, he will meet Vangelis SV1CIF and Giorgos SV1ELF, who were the first to lead the way for our association.
The funeral service will take place on Friday, February 27, 2026, at the Church of Agia Triada in Agrinio at 11:00 AM.
73
Konstantinos SV1DPI
Moments and memories with Dimitris SV1SN (SK) follow below:
