G Kip Edwards, W6SZN SK June 6, 2018 Yasme Foundation Director and Secretary G. Kip Edwards, W6SZN, of Indianola, Washington, died on June 6. An ARRL Life Member, he was 71. Yasme Foundation President Ward Silver, N0AX, said Edwards’ death will leave a big hole in the organization. “Kip had been the Secretary of the Yasme Foundation for a long time and helped develop several grant programs, even donating personal equipment to some of the grantees,” Silver recounted. “His organizational skills were invaluable to several major Amateur Radio organizations. He was one of those rare birds who could organize, build, and participate with equal skill.” First licensed in Kansas at the age of 11, Edwards’ interest in Amateur Radio lapsed as he became involved in school and other avocations. Pursuing a career in the law, Edwards graduated from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law in 1971, and, after a stint as a teaching fellow at Stanford Law School, he joined a major law firm in San Francisco, eventually becoming a partner. He retired in 2013 and moved back to Washington. Attracted by the antennas on Ham Radio Outlet’s headquarters store, which he passed by on his commute, Edwards visited and came away with a Kenwood receiver. In short order, he passed the Amateur Extra-class exam and became W6SZN. Soon, he was a member of the Northern California Contest Club (NCCC) and served as its president and editor of The JUG, the club’s newsletter. The club honored him as Contester of the Year in 1982. He was also a member of the Northern California DX Club (NCDXC) and served as its president, and received the club’s DXer of the Year award in 1988. He was on the DXCC Honor Roll and held 9BDXCC and 5BWAS. He also was a prolific and successful DXpeditioner and DX contester. Edwards served as a director of Northern California DX Foundation (NCDXF) in the 1980s, as editor of its newsletter, and editor of the Western Washington DX Club’s Totem Tabloid. In addition to his role in the Yasme Foundation, he was a member of the ARRL Maxim Society and a founding member of the Kitsap County DX Club. http://www.arrl.org/news/yasme-foundation-director-secretary-kip-edwards-w6szn-sk
Hello, Lee. Very sad news. Friend of mine, Kip W6SZN became today SK Born in Wichita, Kansas in 1947, Kip was first licensed as KNØPID at the age of 11. Along with his older brother Craig, KNØPHC, they built a 40 meter transmitter and a Heathtkit AR-3, strung up a longwire and were on the air. The family moved to Washington state and Kip became KN7GGC and later K7GGC. Golf, girls and college soon replaced amateur radio. Newly married in 1968, Kip and his wife moved to Berkeley where he graduated from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall) in 1971. After a stint as a Teaching Fellow at Stanford Law School, Kip joined a major law firm in San Francisco as an associate in 1972 and became a partner in 1978. Ham Radio Outlet had its main store at the time next to the railroad tracks in Burlingame, California. Intrigued by the big antennas on the roof of the building as he rode the commute train to and from work, Kip visited the store and came away with a Kenwood receiver. It was 1976 and everyone was signing what sounded like exotic DX calls but which were really only stateside stations. In short order, Kip passed the Amateur Extra exam and became W6SZN. The contesting and DXing bugs bit soon, and hard. Kip was a member of the Northern California Contest Club and served as President and editor of The JUG, the club’s newsletter. He was honored as Contester of the Year in 1982. He was also a member of the Northern California DX Club and served as that club’s President and received the club’s DXer of the Year award in 1988. Kip was on the DXCC Honor Roll and held 9BDXCC and 5BWAS. DXpeditions include 3D2XX Rotuma (first to activate the new country in 1988-awarded World Contest Expedition by CQ Magazine), F0XX Clipperton (1986), FO0KP (1981), VP5KP (1982—10th in the world CQWW S/O SSB), TI1C (1983—First in the world CQWW M/M SSB), G4/W6SZN (1983), FM/W6SZN (1984-8th in the world CQWW S/O CW) and P40V (1987). Kip was formerly a Director of NCDXF in the 1980s and served as Editor of the NCDXF Newsletter and the WWDXC Totem Tabloid. He was a Director and Secretary of The Yasme Foundation, Life Member of the ARRL, Life Member of CW Ops, the Maxim Society of the ARRL, and a member of the Northern California Contest Club, the Northern California DX Club, the Western Washington DX Club, and a founding member of the Kitsap County DX Club. Thanks and 73 Vlad UA6JD/W7 QRZ's senior page designer
