VE6AFO - Kenneth 'Ken' Oelke

CRRL Director 1988 - 1993
RAC Director 1993 - 1999
RAC President 1999 - 2001

QCWA Immediate Past President 2023 - Present QCWA President 2012 - 2023
QCWA V. President 2008 - 2012
QCWA Director 2006 - 2008

VE6AFO

Kenneth 'Ken' Oelke
729 Harvest Hills Dr NE
Calgary, AB T3K 4R3 Canada

QCWA # 22655
Chapter(s) 151, 70, 73, 45 and 41

First call: VE6AFO in 1961

XYL Linda-Lou, VE6LGO

I was born in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada and became a radio amateur in 1961 at age 15 and received call sign VE6AFO. I have been married to Linda-Lou, VE6LGO since 1968.

I have held executive positions in the Calgary Amateur Radio Association, Amateur Radio League Alberta, Canadian Radio Relay League (CRRL) Director (1988-1993), Southern Alberta Repeater Association, Radio Amateurs of Canada Director (1993-1999) and President of Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) from 1999 to 2001. I was RAC Head of Delegation at the IARU-R2 Conference in Guatemala City in 2001. In 2006 I was elected to serve on the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA) Board as Director, then Vice President from 2008 to 2012 and currently serve as President since 2012.

I was involved with the Alberta Public Service Net (APSN) as Net Manager in 1971, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) as Assistant Emergency Coodinator (AEC) (1979), CRRL and City of Calgary Emergency Coordinator (1980-1995) and CRRL/RAC Field Services Manager (1989-1994). In 1994 I chaired the RAC First National Convention, which was held in Calgary, Alberta and the QCWA International Convention in 2006, which was held in Calgary, Alberta.

I am an Automotive Service Technician and my wife and I owned and operated an automotive service outlet for 20 years, and then I spent 16 years as Ground Equipment Technician for Canadian Regional Airlines and later Jazz Air/Chorus Aviation.

I am a Life Member of ARRL, RAC, QCWA and a current member of the Calgary Amateur Radio Association (CARA), Calgary Communications Club (CCC) and QCWA Chapter 41, 45, 70, 73 and 151.

I enjoy rag chewing, operating Moonbounce (have been inactive since 1998), VHF weak signal experimenting and repairing radio equipment, especially mine when it goes "bust"! My current radio equipment on HF is a TS 530SP to a Hygain TH3jr at 15 metres. On VHF/UHF I use a Yaesu FT 736R with all modules available. My antenna on 6 metres is a home brew 3-element Yagi, on 2 metres is a home brew 11 element Yagi and on 70 cm I use a 25 element K1FO Yagi.

I volunteer at The Military Museums demonstrating Morse code for school tour groups. I am an (ISED) Innovation Science and Economic Development (formerly Industry Canada) Accredited Examiner and have been on the Calgary Stampede Parade Committee since 1988. On July 6, 2012 the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede celebrated their 100th anniversary. YAHOO!!

It was a privilege to meet Mr. S.Suri VU2MY, the Founder, Chairman (Emeritus) of National Institute of Amateur Radio and Mr. Tom K. Jose, VU2TO the young and most active ham from India at Dayton Hamvention®, USA in 2015. Both are well known to many hams the world over.

Mr. Suri received the prestigious award at Dayton (Ohio) .Amateur of the year 2012. and Tom Jose was an invited speaker at the 2015 Dayton Youth Forum. NIAR was founded by Suri and its activities are well received and appreciated by the world Ham radio Community. As President of QCWA, I was most pleased to learn that young Tom, VU2TO has been receiving QCWA scholarships since 2016 for his Engineering studies in India.

I am also very excited that these 2 famous Hams are bringing out a new book on ham radio in India, and have had the privilege to preview the contents. In my opinion this is a well written book, which is different from other books, which I am sure will encourage and inspire many youth in India and other parts of the world to become interested in amateur radio after reading this fine book.