Tribute to Bruce Butler

Tribute to Bruce Butler W6OSP
June 27, 1934 - January 16, 2014

Bruce Butler became a Silent Key (SK) on January 16th. He was 79 years old. Bruce was a NCDXF Board member - 1990 he was NCDXF's Treasurer, and served as NCDXF's President (2009-2011). He also was a member of the Northern California Contest Club.

1997 Photo from the Dayton Hamvention: K6KR, W6OSP, K6JYO

NCDXF Biography
Bruce Butler, W6OSP

Bruce Butler, W6OSP, spent much of his formative years in New Mexico. He was originally licensed as W5PXN in 1950 and attended high school in Albuquerque. After a stint in the Navy intercepting foreign code transmissions, Bruce returned to attend the University of New Mexico. Inspired by his Dad, a ham who ran a small local BC station, Bruce passed his General while a teenager. Two years later, he took and passed his Advanced class exam. Bruce’s first equipment was a National NC-57 receiver and a homebrew 6L6 driving two 6L6's. Using a long wire, most of Bruce’s early operating was on 40 CW. While in the Navy, Bruce was assigned to 18 months on Guam. After arriving, he quickly searched out the ham station, KG6AAY, from which he operated and kept regular schedules with his father. Bruce recalls that around 1989, he was going through some old QSL cards and came across a card from a station in Pittsburgh, Ca. It was Bob Ferrero's original call and confirmed a QSO with KG6AAY. (Bob, now W6RJ, is the owner of Ham Radio Outlet). Bruce mentioned the old QSO to Bob and shortly thereafter sent him the card. Bob said that this was his first DX contact! Bruce's first recollection of DX from the U.S. was a contact with a VK on 40 meters and thereafter the DX operating he did from KG6AAY. Bruce was hooked from both ends and DX-related activities have been enjoyable to him ever since. After being discharged from the Navy, Bruce returned to Albuquerque to attend the University of New Mexico and graduated from its business college in 1956. He retained his membership in the ARRL, but dropped out of radio during this period. Upon graduation, Bruce accepted employment with Union Carbide, moving to Houston, Texas. He remained active in amateur radio during the early 60's, both DXing and contesting. After about three years in Houston, Bruce was transferred to Chicago where he obtained a W9 call which was never activated. It wasn't until 1985, some 20 years later, that he had the time and money to actively return to the hobby. Upon moving to Southern California in the early 70's, Bruce changed his callsign to W6OSP and activated that callsign in Napa in the mid 80's. He sold his business, became a stockbroker with Prudential Securities and settled in with a new wife and family. Since he returned to amateur radio, Bruce’s ham radio activities have been primarily DX-oriented. Bruce is a 50 plus year member of the ARRL. He has served as the president of the Redwood Empire DX Club and is a member of the Northern California DX Club. Since 1990, Bruce has been on the board of the Northern California DX Foundation and has served as its Treasurer. Also, he has operated as 3B9, 4O3T, AH8, H40AA, HV4NAC, K4M, PJ7E, and ZF. Bruce observes that one of the real enjoyments of amateur radio and DXing is the friends and acquaintances we all make locally as well as around the world. "While we come from diverse backgrounds and experiences, we are all joined in the goodwill of DXing and its many pleasures."

Bruce was on the 1999 3B9R DXpedition to Rodrigues Island
Ops: W6OSP, KH7U, XE1VIC, OH2BU, 3B8CF, NI6T, AH0W, AA7A, JA3IG

Tribute courtesy of K8CX, W6OAT, NCDXF
Dayton photo by K8CX
QSL courtesy of N8PR