HB9RS - December 30, 2013
HB9RS - Max C. De Henseler Max C. De Henseler
Montreux, Switzerland

QCWA # 13683
Chapter 209

from arrl.org:
Founder and President Emeritus of 4U1UN Max de Henseler, HB9RS, SK
TAGS: Amateur Radio figure, amateur station, antique wireless association, ARRL International DX, Century Wireless Association, Daily DX, dxcc credit, ham radio club, international amateur radio, New York, Northern California DX, president emeritus
01/01/2014

Max de Henseler, HB9RS, the founder and president emeritus of 4U1UN at United Nations headquarters in New York, died December 30. He was 80. A ham since 1955, de Henseler had been a short-wave listener since the late 1940s. In 1976, while in New York as the UN's chief cartographer, de Henseler reactivated the United Nations Radio Club station K2UN at its new home in midtown Manhattan. As Jack Troster, W6ISQ, explained in the July 1989 issue of QST, Through his efforts, the Secretary General approved the operation of a specifically designated UN amateur station using the call 4U1UN in early 1978.

De Henseler introduced the new call sign on February 4, 1978, during the first weekend of the then two-weekend ARRL International DX phone contest, surprising many contesters. 4U1UN was approved for DXCC credit, due to the efforts of Mister UN Radio.

During his UN career, de Henseler, an international Amateur Radio figure, traveled around the globe, operating from various call signs, including ET3RS, XW8HB, 5W1BK, 9Y4RS, EL2DX, HP1HN, 3D2RS, FO0RSM, and DJ0AB. His QRZ.com web page cites de Henseler's 50 years of leadership and contributions to the promotion of international Amateur Radio and the preservation of radio history. He was the first amateur to have communicated with all continents from all continents.

De Henseler was a member of the USKA - Switzerland's IARU member-society and a fellow of the Radio Club of America. A radio historian, he was a member of the HB4FR 'Clin d'Ailes' Swiss Air Force Museum Ham Radio Club, where he established a Hallicrafters collection, and he authored numerous articles in various technical and historical radio journals, including 'The Hallicrafters Story' When the Sky was the Limit, and On Marconi's Trail in Switzerland. He also belonged to the Antique Wireless Association, the Quarter Century Wireless Association (he founded the QCWA's Helvetia Chapter 209), the Society of Wireless Pioneers, and A-1 Operator's Club.

He was an honorary member of the Long Island DX Association, the New Jersey DX Association, and the Northern California DX Foundation.

The 4U1UN United Nations Headquarters Station was dismantled in 2010 due to the extensive renovation project on the Secretariat Building. Security concerns and logistics stand in the way of its returning to the air anytime soon. All antennas have been removed from the roof, and equipment has been packed away. The club is reported to be considering several options to get 4U1UN back on the air as quickly as possible. Some options include controlling the station remotely, putting the station on the ground floor (and running some 400 to 500 feet of feed line to the top of the building), or moving the station to another sovereign UN building. - Thanks to The Daily DX

from 4u1un.net
Dr. Max C. de Henseler, age 80, passed away on Monday December 30, 2013 in Montreux Switzerland. He was born November 07, 1933 in Genvea, Switzerland.

Academic Qualifications

  • Diploma in Advanced Accounting and Business Administration Ecole Superieure de Langues et de Commerce Tame Fribourg, Switzerland
  • Bachelier-es- lettres University of Fribourg, Switzerland
  • Bachelor of Science in Geodesy and Cartography Sciences George Washington University, Washington, DC. USA
  • Computer mapping Certificate Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Laboratory for Computer Graphics, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
  • Doctor-es-Sciences Lorand Eotvos University, Budapest, Hungary

    Professional Experience
    1955 - 1957 University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland Research Assistant in Experimental Physics
    1957 - 1958 International Telecommunication Union Geneva, Switzerland, Technical Assistant.
    1958 - 1960 Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) Geneva, Switzerland. Statistical Computer-Cartographer.
    From 1961 - 1989, Missions and Meetings on behalf of the United Nations
    August 1989, retired from United Nations employment after 30 years of services.

    Retired Senior Economic Affairs Officer
    Chief, Cartographic Section
    Natural Ressources and Energy Division
    Department of Technical Co-operation for Development United Nations, New York

    Amateur Radio
    50 years of leadership and contributions to the promotion of international amateur radio, and the preservation of radio history. HE9RHP since 1947, HB9RS since 1955.
    Holder of numerous licences in Ethiopia ET3RS, in Laos XW8HB, in Samoa 5W1BK, in Trinidad & Tobago 5Y4RS, in Liberia EL2DX ,in the USA HB9RS/W2, in Panama HP1HN, in Fiji 3D2RS, in Tahiti FO0RSM, in Germany DJ0AB and many other countries.
    Founder and President Emeritus of 4U1UN.
    First amateur to have communicated with all continents from all continents WAC/WAC.
    Honorary member of the Long Island DX Association, of the New Jersey DX Association, of the North California DX Foundation, of the Swiss USKA, of HB4FR, Swiss DX Foundation etc.
    Fellow of the Radio Club of America, Ralph Batcher Memorial Award. Member of numerous associations such as the AWA (Antique Wireless Association), the QCWA (Quarter Century Wireless Association), the SOWP (Society of Wireless Pioneers), the MTC (Morse Telegraph Club), A-1 Operator's Club, etc.

    Author of numerous articles in various technical and historical radio journals. Radio collector, author of "The Hallicrafters Story-When the sky was the limit" published by the Antique Radio Club of America (now Antique Wireless Association) in 1991.


    Former Director/Curator of the Swiss National Audiorama Museum.

    Founder of QCWA 'Helvetia' Chapter 209.

    In Memory of Max,HB9RS
    Compiled by Herbert, HB9BOU.