Hams Pass 100 Years

Two Ham Radio operators are celebrating their 100th Birthdays

UK Operator Laurie Gibson, G2BUP, celebrated his birthday on 16th March.

Laurie is an avid user of a Kenwood TS-570, and works with his friends within the hobby to maintain his antenna and shack.

In the States, Margaret 'Holly' Bevan N3MB, a member of the Anne Arundel Radio Club, celebrated her 100th birthday on 20th March.

In October 1942, she signed up to join the U.S. Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), which was the World War II branch of the U.S. Naval Reserve. She was in the first group of enlisted WAVES.

Bevan took her first ham radio class in 1979 so she could communicate with her son Michael while he was onboard a Navy ship. She explained while he was home on leave, he told them (his parents) about ham radios and then told them he'd signed them up to take 12-week course to learn how to operate a ham radio and get a FCC license.

They went. "We were very obedient parents," she said.

Bevan enjoyed it and kept advancing all the way up to the "extra" certification, which is the highest level.