Bob Cooper has passed away

[mikekohl]

I just received a note from Bob Cooper's wife that he has recently passed away. Bob (Robert Britt Cooper, Jr) was the father of the home satellite industry, and we all owe him a debt of gratitude for planting the seeds that started this industry, starting with an article in TV Guide magazine back in 1978. I considered him a great friend and mentor, ever since attending a trade show in Houston back in November 1980. He will be greatly missed.

A quotation from his wife, Phoebe Beach:

“It is with a deeply saddened heart I announce the peaceful passing of my dearly loved husband, Robert Britt Cooper at 4:30 pm on May 15, 2023. “Coop the one and only.” We shared much love, laughter, pleasure, intellectual debate, and silliness together. We were best friends. I will miss him.

 

[c-spand]

A legend. Prayers to the family. I remember him back in the 80's when my boss then had a 12 foot paraclipse. Bob Coopers Satellite Legacy

 

[KE4EST]

This is very very sad news.

May he Rest in Peace!!!!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Very sad to hear this. He would check in with me from time to time, just to let me know he was alive and kicking.

Actually have his book here on my desk and was lookoing through it on Friday.


Some people say hes was a pirate and what he did was wrong, but without him there would have been no satellite industry as we knew it.

Godspeed Bob and thanks for your friendship over the years. If you see Mr Clarke up there, tell him I said hello. I feel blessed that I got to speak with both.

 

[FTA4PA]

R.I.P.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Just talked to Charlie and he got the message of Bob's passing this weekend.

RIP Bob.

 

[a33]

I think he was a wonderfull pioneer.
I digested many of his his Coop's satellite digest-s on the internet, as they were full of relevant knowledge (still, even now!).
My respect to him.

Greetz,
A33

 

[dfergie]

R.I.P. to a pioneer, I remember articles back in the day in the satellite magazines & possibly on the wild feeds...

 

[mc6809e]

Rest In Peace

 

[lost_mesa]

Sorry to hear this. It was his articles in Radio Electronics magazine that first got me started in this hobby.

 

[Hyper Casey]

Like Scott G, i too have Bob Cooper's book "Television's Pirates Hiding Behind Your Picture Tube". I have never met Bob, but i read his book cover to cover, and there is no doubt he is a pioneer and a legend, and this industry would never be the same without him. Truly.

Rest In Peace Bob,

Your legacy is secure.

And prayers for his wife Phoebe.

 

[cmorethenu]

So sad to here

I've know Bob from the early 90s he certainly helped a lot of people get in to Satellite TVRO. Hobby in Australia/New Zealand

I always used to wait with anticipation of the Satfacts and Coops Digest magazine he produced and I read them cover to cover.

He was always remembered as one of the first people in the late 70s to get Satellite TVRO hobby popular in the USA but his knowledge and influence goes back to the 50s when he used to peruse TV and FM radio DX among other interesrs.

i spoke to him about 18months ago when we arranged to upload some of his SPACE tv shows he used to broadcasts regularly on Optus @152e. There were 10 or more shows produced unfortunately we were only able to find 8 misc masters that he transferred to DVD for me to upload to YouTube fortunately as his health was worsening he did I believe manage to get a lot of his magazine and misc articles over 70 plus years stored at a US archival service with some of it uploaded.

RIP Bob

 

[(((Garyd)))]

I just received a note from Bob Cooper's wife that he has recently passed away. Bob (Robert Britt Cooper, Jr) was the father of the home satellite industry, and we all owe him a debt of gratitude for planting the seeds that started this industry, starting with an article in TV Guide magazine back in 1978. I considered him a great friend and mentor, ever since attending a trade show in Houston back in November 1980. He will be greatly missed.

A quotation from his wife, Phoebe Beach:

“It is with a deeply saddened heart I announce the peaceful passing of my dearly loved husband, Robert Britt Cooper at 4:30 pm on May 15, 2023. “Coop the one and only.” We shared much love, laughter, pleasure, intellectual debate, and silliness together. We were best friends. I will miss him.

I really feel sad, thanks for posting it, Mike

 

[mikekohl]

I really feel sad, thanks for posting it, Mike

You are most welcome. Bob's health had been failing for some time, but I was still not ready for his passing. It was a privilege to know him as a colleague and good friend. May he finally rest in peace.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Yes thanks for sharing Mike.

 

[(((Garyd)))]

You are most welcome. Bob's health had been failing for some time, but I was still not ready for his passing. It was a privilege to know him as a colleague and good friend. May he finally rest in peace.

Do you know if he ever got to use the 2 missing digests I gave?

 

[mikekohl]

Do you know if he ever got to use the 2 missing digests I gave?

Between your contributions, and everything I encountered while searching in Denver in 2019, Bob was able to reconstruct the collection of Coop's Satellite Digest and the New Zealand-based SatFacts. He put updated information on his website. Thank you again!

 

[(((Garyd)))]

Between your contributions, and everything I encountered while searching in Denver in 2019, Bob was able to reconstruct the collection of Coop's Satellite Digest and the New Zealand-based SatFacts. He put updated information on his website. Thank you again!

Well, Mike, I am thankful to hear that and to know I saved a part of TVRO history by being a pack rat. Trust me Mike you bailed me out a few times, your knowledge was beneficial when I was in it, and I knew I had a back door Now I'm just an old dinosaur pushing 82 I'm now totally satellite burned out, it was fun while it lasted.

 

[Brct203]

Sad news indeed... My condolences to his family and to our community of satellite geeks

 

[bobvick]

First post here in a very long time... Very sorry to hear of Coop's passing. I never had the pleasure of meeting him, however, I have fond memories of Coop's Satellite Digest, and seeing him from time to time on Boresight back in the mid 80's.

Really enjoy his book, 'The Pirates Behind Your Picture Tube,' it is a great read. I have also read his 'Portobello' series of books, and 'Free White and 16.'

Still come and visit here from time to time to see what is going on. However, not active hardly at all, as my 30+ year satellite journey ended about 4 years ago when our rural electric cooperative ran FTTH through here, and went streaming services, Max, Hulu, Paramount+ etc...

I miss the good old satellite days, hell, I would swap all of this we have now, if we could go back. I swear I could find more to enjoy and watch back then on that old C-Band dish than all the VOD we have today where one can practically find anything.

God speed Bob, thank you for being the father of the home satellite industry, and your innovations in making it a successful service for the couch potato! You will be missed!