My name is Kenneth J. Owen. I was first licensed WB4KEY in 1965 a Technician, General in 1966, Advance in 1967, AA4KO an Extra Class in 1968, 1970 I asked for this vanity call AK4E and will use it from now on. The years of becoming licensed was a labor of love. I enjoy all facets of Amateur Radio. I especially love DXing. I have 330 countries by phone confirmed. I need a few more to make the ARRL DXCC Honor Roll. I worked all states on bands 80-10 meters by phone. Before cellphones amateurs made phone patches for missionaries from the far ends of the earth to their headquarters and families. That was a ministry in itself. I spent many hours in this fulfilling ministry. I am a life member of the ARRL. I work CW sporadically but I enjoy it very much. I passed the Extra Class license at 25 wpm. There is so much to do on Amateur Radio, there is no time to be bored. I have made friends all over the world because distance is no barrier.

My station may look incapable of working DX but it is not. With the hundred watts that it puts out, I make about as many DX contacts as I did with a Henry 3K4 Amp. It presents a challenge with the FT 450D so I'll keep plugging away until I pick them off