06/07/2018

Yasme Foundation[1] 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.ÿ


[1] http://www.yasme.org/

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