A True Celebration Of Life—Bob Luly, Senior Technical Advisor, atContact

Bob Luly was, without doubt, a true pioneer of modern satellite technology. His experience in satellite systems engineering spanned more than 30 years. His specific emphasis was on consumer oriented antennas and customer premises equipment. Bob’s electronics career started when he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. After leaving active duty in 1961, he worked at Lockheed Aircraft’s Microwave Lab for three years. Bob attended the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) and was awarded a lifetime teaching credential in 1968. He then joined the faculty of the College in San Bernardino in California.



Bob formed Luly Telecommunications and invented and manufactured products
for satellite communications. In 1989, Bob moved to Colorado to consult on the design and construction of a number of satellites to be launched, as well as to design RF and video circuits for new, mass produced, satellite related products.
Bob held a number of patents, some of which have been licensed by companies such as Comsat, Fuji Electrochemical, Fujitsu, Echosphere/HTS Portable Antenna Services and Mobile Telesystems. He was a multi-disciplinary inventor, recognized as creator of the umbrella antenna now used in L-band transportable satellite telephones, to inventing the process for “potting” electric guitar pickups to prevent squealing.



In 2000, Bob was awarded the DBS Innovation Award for Technical Excellence in his appointment as Vice President of Technology at WildBlue. Lloyd Covens, DBS summit conference chairman, described Bob as being “at the forefront of several new eras of satellite technology” and honored “the great respect he commands”. Bob served on the Education and Standards Committees for the Satellite Business Communication Association and wrote a monthly technical column for the trade journal, Satvision. Bob held a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from UCLA and achieved extensive postgraduate study. He provided significant technical advice and consulting to Charlie Ergen at EchoStar Communications, David Drucker at AtContact Communications and WildBlue Communications as well as David Leonard at WildBlue Communications, from the inception of these businesses to the present day.



Bob Luly died on February 1, 2008, at age 65. He leaves a wife, Karen, and four children Bobby, Bridget, Steven and Michelle. A celebration of Bob’s wonderful and fascinating life will be held in Denver, Colorado, this forthcoming Sunday, February 10th. Please contact Fiona Griffith at [email protected] for details. Donations for the Luly children may be sent to the Robert Luly Memorial Fund at Wells Fargo Bank, Southglenn Branch, at 2350 East Arapahoe Road, Littleton, Colorado—80122. Telephone: (303) 797-4720.