Dale Bredon, W6BGK
(formerly WN6BGK/W6BGK, 1951)

I was one of the early Novice / Technician licensees (I still have the original licenses).  I also was issued a First Class Radiotelephone Operators License in Dec 1950 and still hold a Lifetime FCC General Radiotelephone Operators License.

On 11 Oct 1951 I was issued WN6BGK and W6BGK (Technician) Licenses.  The Novice was good for only one year and it expired on 10/11/1952, but I renewed the Tech until I let it expire on11/30/1971 when I was very busy helping to raise my two active boys, and working hard to support my family.  During the late 50's and the 60's I was an active member of the San Bernardino Microwave Society and for a very short time I held the 10 GHz distance record with W6VIX.  I also wrote "Lets Go Microwave" for QST which was published in the June 1958issue on pages11 to 14.  My first transmitter was the home brew One Tube Crystal - Oscillator Transmitter from the 1946 Radio Amateur's Handbook which I still have along with the 1941 issue and several later ones.  It had an external power supply.  I built both of them on separate metal chassis rather than the wood as shown in the Handbook.  My first contact was on 15 Dec 1951 at 2221 hours with WN6EAV.  In April 1952 I built a 222 MHz handy-talkie similar to the one on pages 361 to 363 in the 1946 Handbook.

I operated some on 6 meters in late 1959 but mostly on 2 meters including both RTTY and voice from March 1960 thru July 1965, mostly with San Bernardino Microwave Society members as liaison for 3300 MHz and 20 GHz operations .  On 2July 1991 I took the tests for Technician and was issued the call KC6WZI.  Then on 18 June 1996 the new rules allowed me to regain my old call as a "vanity call" so I was again W6BGK, and on 19 April 2000 I upgraded to Amateur Extra Class and have been enjoying HF operation on 10, 15 and (mostly) 20 meters.  I now along with other operations collect IOTA contacts and have 177 confirmed island numbers and many other islands with duplicate ones.  Note that I use only 100 watts to dipoles on 10 and 20 and a horizontal Ham Stick on 15 (I live in a condominium with antenna restrictions (but allowing some inconspicuous antennas).  Needless to say I am anxiously awaiting better propagation conditions, HOPEFULLY SOON.   

Alan "Dale"Bredon, W6BGK, Life member QCWA