Oldest US ham, Bill Diaper, KJ6KQ, SK

William F. "Bill" Diaper, KJ6KQ, of Union City, California, died October 10. He was 104 and apparently the oldest radio amateur in the US - if not the world - as well as the oldest member of the ARRL.

A native of Great Britain, Diaper had been living in a long-term care facility and occasionally was able to get on the air from a ham shack in the facility's basement.

ARRL Pacific Division officials had invited Diaper to attend the recent Pacificon - the Pacific Division convention.
"The response was 'ill and unable to travel,'" said Pacific Division Vice Director Andy Oppel, N6AJO. "We had planned to offer a toast in his honor at the convention banquet."
Instead, Oppel said, he asked those attending the ARRL Forum to remember and honor all of the seniors in Amateur Radio.

An acquaintance, Thomas "Fergy" Ferguson, N6SSQ, said Diaper had been a radio amateur for a relatively short time, first becoming licensed when he was around 75 years old and upgrading to Advanced when he was in his early 90s.

Robert Galbasin, W0MHN, of Lakewood, Colorado, apparently succeeds Diaper as the oldest ham in the US.
He will turn 104 on December 27

Source: ARRL Letter - courtesy of The American Radio Relay League

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