On February 21, 2026, Ladislav Prajsner, OK2PAY, left us forever. The news of his passing deeply affected both the Czech and the international amateur radio communities. We have lost an amateur who left an indelible mark on the history of our hobby.

I had known Lada for many years. We shared not only several CQ contests, when he came to operate with us at OK5W as a guest operator, but most notably we formed a team at the second World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC) in San Francisco in 1996. It was an extraordinary experience that we both often recalled.
Whenever the topic came up, Láďa would take a drag on his cigarette and, with his typical smile, say: “Matoušek, you screwed it up back then.” Without the higher error rate, we truly had a chance for a significantly better result. It was his favorite kind of exaggeration, an inseparable part of who he was.
He continued wearing the commemorative WRTC 1996 T-shirt with its embroidered emblem at ham gatherings many years later. He clearly treasured it — mine fell apart long ago, but his lasted nearly thirty years.

Lada was an exceptional DXer and an outstanding CW operator. In Morse operation he ranked among the absolute world elite for many years. His efficiency in working DXpeditions was remarkable — fast, calm, and confident. Many of us listening to a pileup would say, “OK2PAY must already be in the log.”

His name became synonymous with perseverance especially through the DX Marathon competition, where he managed to win the CW category for ten consecutive years. This extraordinary achievement has no parallel internationally and rightfully earned him respect both at home and abroad.
The Czech Radioclub intended to present him with a plaque at the Holice amateur radio meeting in recognition of his long-term outstanding contribution and representation of the club in this international competition. Sadly, he was unable to attend, and the plaque was delivered through friends.

In 2021, he was inducted into the prestigious First Class CW Operators’ Club (FOC) as member number 2167. This membership recognizes exceptional Morse skills and long-term contribution to the CW community. Lada undoubtedly deserved this honor.

In recent years, he gradually withdrew from public life. Before last year’s Holice meeting, I called him several times; he answered only after many attempts. He told me he was facing health problems and wanted to be alone with his illness. I respected that. Today we know it was the quiet time before his final departure.

How many of us can say that a documentary film was made about us? Lada’s story reached beyond our community — it was captured in a film that reflects not only his radio mastery but also the personal dimension of a man who chose his own path.

<https://vimeo.com/356235947>

For many of us, Lada will remain a symbol of precision, perseverance, and devotion to Morse code. His call sign will now carry SK in our logs, but in our memories it remains alive.
Lado, thank you for all the contacts, contests, meetings, and unforgettable remarks that were uniquely yours.
On behalf of the wider amateur radio community,

161, R.I.P.

Karel, OK1CF