Ken was born in Cleveland Ohio, a vast city of 75 million inhabitants in 1970

Ken’s first introduction to amateur radio was through the husband of the woman who ran the Cleveland Christian Home for Children, where Ken lived, following the loss of his mother at age 7.

Ken joined the US Air Force as photographer and did basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.

He was later offered the option of becoming a Radar Repair Technician or  a  Radio Operator, and chose to train as a Radio Operator.

This involved a 23 week course, learning CW & typing.Ken’s graduation test involved copying a full A4 page at 28 wpm, and he passed with lying colours, making only 1 error!

He was posted to Okinawa on an 18 month tour, where he perfected his straight-key copying skills, far more challenging than the machine sent Morse he was originally trained with.

His receive setup consisted of one receiver per ear, the receivers being the Hammarlund SP600 or the Collins R390 which he really liked.

While at Okinawa, he found that sleeping during the daytime after doing a night shift was a challenge, due to the fighter jets from Kadena Airbase doing shooting practice into the local hilltop, although that wasn’t every day. Later he was assigned to a DF post,   manning the DF hut by the sea, alone, using a Goniometer to direction-find various signals. He would also act as Net control, using 1-time pads, transmitting via VHF link to a remote HF transmitter.

Before his 18 months post was up, Ken learned that his Father had been taken ill back home.

The Air Force saw that I was packed up immediately and shipped back home.

Later he then posted to Brooks AFB, in Texas. This time typing voice transmissions in AM and SSB.

A bit later he chose to be posted to the UK, and after a year met his wife-to-be Sandra. They dated for about five years and in June ’63 were married.

When his tour of duty was up in the UK he and his wife were posted to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware assigned to the IBM unit for training. However he checked the Photo department to see if they needed any help and was welcomed with almost open arms.

Following demob, Ken and Sandra moved to Canton Ohio where Ken worked as a professional photographer for about 7 years.

They moved to the UK and Ken worked for Smith Kline and French as a photographer in Welwyn Garden City. Changes to the GSK working structure meant that Ken retired at 47, but later became self-employed, contracting for GSK

He also became an avid member of the Biggles Free Flight Club, flying model gliders, a passion which he passed on to his to 2 sons.

He took the RAE and passed but was dismayed to learn that as he was not a UK citizen he couldn’t be issued with a UK callsign, without having gained a US callsign. He put an advert in Shortwave Magazine asking for an American invigilator, to oversee his FCC exam, which his took. Needless to say, Ken passed his Morse test with flying colours!. He passed the written test and was awarded the callsign WB8YRF.

That allowed him to apply for a UK callsign, and he was given G5BQR. His first contact was with F6ENJ on CW, on 21st May 1976.

In Nov 84 Ken was offered a full, non-reciprocal callsign, G4BQR, as the 5-series was being withdrawn. He asked whether he could be issued with G4YRF instead, matching his US callsign suffix, which he was given.

He soon found his interest turned to Packet Radio, hopping from node to node and LONY. 425 DX news was Ken’s point of reference for all the DX he was chasing and contacting.

When Internet came, 425dx news became available on the internet, and made services such as the ADXO, DXwatch.com and Voacap available.

Ken installed a Strumech tower and mini beam, which could be mounted near his shack, Ken’s equipment consisted of a Yaesu FT-950 with Acom-1010 Linear amplifier.

Ken’s country list has only a few Pacific islands missing, Peter 1 Island is on the list for 2027. And he’s on the lookout for North Korea

Ken recounted that not long ago, when in Ohio, they drove to West Virginia, near the Blue Ridge Mountains and visited the Cass Scenic Railroad with the Shay geared steam locomotives of the 1800s. Ken played a video of the mighty Shay, running at full steam, sounding its evocative whistle, sending shivers up the spine!

Thank you Ken for a wonderful talk!