Born in a small town near Louisville, Kentucky, Ken was originally licensed as KN9BTN in 1955. In his younger years, Ken lived in western Pennsylvania and the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois before finally landing in Orange County, California, where he graduated from high school and college. Ken holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering and Mathematics from California State Polytechnic University. He did post graduate work in EE and Business Management at the University of California

A family member sparked Ken’s interest in ham radio: his grandfather, Tony Anderson, always had a short-wave radio, prompting Ken to do some serious SWLing before obtaining his ham ticket. Ken’s current callsign is K6TA, as in Tony Anderson!

DXing became a passion for Ken after an XE answered his hand key CQ on 40 when Ken was a Novice outside Chicago. After that QSO, Ken was hooked!

Previous call signs held are KN9BTN (1955-1956), K9BTN (1956-1957), K6CQF (1957-1975), K6PU (1975-1998), K6DB (1998-2000) and K6TA (2000 to date).

DX calls include G5CFJ (1977-1983), G0CFJ (1983-1990) and P40TA (2002).

Ken’s DXpedition activity has included HF and VHF operations from G, GM, GW, DL and XE in the 70s and 80s. More recently, Ken operated from HC8 as K6TA/HC8 and HC8N (2001).

Ken is a life member of ARRL, an A1 Operator, a DXCC Field Check Representative and a Volunteer Examiner. He has been a member of the NCDXC since 1966, and has served as an officer in that club.

He is a founding member of the NCCC, and currently serves as a Director (2002).

Ken is also a founder and past officer of the MLDXCC.

Notable radio achievements include No. 1 Honor Roll mixed and phone and 5BDXCC. Ken needs 7O and P5 on CW.

In addition to all of the above, Ken finds time to actively volunteer in emergency preparedness and communications for the State and County Offices of Emergency Services and the California Department of Forestry.

In his professional life, thirty years of aerospace engineering and management assignments on satellite and ground communications systems took Ken to 43 states, ten western European countries and North Africa.

Other hobbies include photography and travel.

Ken is married to an active DXer, Kay, K6KO.