WG3K > ANS 20.05.25 01:30z 53 Lines 2999 Bytes #150 (0) @ AMSAT BID : ANS138.3 Read: GUEST Subj: The 16th Annual TAPR/AMSAT Banquet Enjoyed by Many Path: ED1ZAC<ED1ZAC<CX2SA<ZL2BAU<WG3K Sent: 250520/0116Z 17678@WG3K.#SMD.MD.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.24 The 16th annual TAPR/AMSAT Banquet was held at the Kohler Presidential Banquet Center on Friday, May 16. This dinner is always a highlight of the TAPR (Tucson Amateur Packet Radio) and AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corp.) activities during the Dayton Hamvention. This yearâ€Ös banquet speaker was Phil Karn, KA9Q, who highlighted developments and use cases for his ka9q-radio software suite for SDR receivers. *Phil Karn delivers the TAPR/AMSAT banquet address (Photo: Mark Johns)* Karn was the recipient of the ARRLâ€Ös Mary Hobart, K1MMH, Medal of Distinction. He was presented the honor at the ARRL donor reception on May 15, 2025, at the National Museum of the United States Air Force on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. A graduate of Cornell University and Carnegie Mellon University with degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Karn has retired from a technology career including Bell Labs, Bellcore, and Qualcomm. He is co-founder of AMPRnet, is founder and past-President of Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zMzM1OTczJnA9MSZ1PTUyMDUxODk2NCZsaT0zODA3Mzc5Mw/index.html, a private foundation that exists to support amateur radio and digital communication science and technology through grants and scholarships, and the management of 44Net. Karn continues to serve on the ARDC Board of Directors. The work of ARDC has contributed approximately $30 million to amateur radio since 2020. Karn has been licensed since he was 15. “Itâ€Ös been a major factor in my life, directly and indirectly,” he said. Karn views amateur radio as a creative outlet. “Iâ€Öm an engineer, so I need an outlet for my technical ideas. Iâ€Öm retired, so amateur radio now fulfills that need. Itâ€Ös very gratifying to see others using your ideas and works,” said Karn. Karnâ€Ös technical contributions to advance the Amateur Radio Service drive his dedication to the future of education through ham radio. He envisions education having a greater role in amateur radio in decades to come. “Ham radio has always excelled at individual self-learning, but it could do so much more. Iâ€Öd really like to see the many technical tinkerers outside ham radio join us. Iâ€Öd like to see much more amateur radio in formal education. HamSCI and the many university small satellite groups are good examples but there could be so much more. Hams will continue to create new technology, usually by working in academia and industry but also as individuals,” he said. Mary Hobart, K1MMH, was ARRLâ€Ös first Chief Development Officer. She passed away in 2021. The medal named in her honor is given to those individuals or couples who have inspired our small community to reach higher with their own philanthropic support of ARRL and amateur radio. In 2023, ARRL honored Michael “Mike” D. Valentine, W8MM (Silent Key), and his wife Margaret “Peg” Valentine with the inaugural Hobart Medal. [ANS thanks ARRL for the above information]
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