K6BJ 1961 California

John Reinartz 1QP (K6BJ) and Fred Schnell 1MO made the 1st trans-Atlantic historic contact with 8AB in France in November 1923. This contact was 11 months before that event. John Reinartz 1QP, licensed in 1908, was also instrumental in advancing transmitter and receiver circuitry design in the early 1920's. In 1925, Reinartz was the radio operator that accompanied the Navy-MacMillan Artic expedition. He was either aboard the Schooner Bowdoin or the accompanying ship Peary. During WWII John Reinartz contributed to the refinement of radar. John moved to California and was licensed as K6BJ. John became a SK on October 5, 1964 at the age of 70.

The Santa Cruz County Amateur Radio Club now own the callsign K6BJ as a tribute to John Reinartz.

Read his tribute by W8SU!

Courtesy of W8SU