Ed Bondshu, WA6U

January 9th, 2014 | by K6USY |

Ed was born in Bakersfield and raised between there and Oxnard on the Ventura County coast before he joined the Air Force and became jet aircraft mechanic and spent time in Alaska, Texas, Illinois, Washington State, and Madrid, Spain.

He returned to Oxnard after discharge and attended Ventura College perusing his education. The next step lead him to Fresno and Fresno State College as it was known in those days and stayed here ever since.

He trained in psychology, mental health and rehabilitation eventually getting a masters degree and worked in sheltered workshops for developmentally disabled clients, elementary school mental health and Juvenile Hall.

He was one of five ham radio operators when he worked for the Fresno County Jail and even thought of creating a radio club down there, setting up a presumable well shielded and secure station.

His interested in radio and electronics, he traces to early years. His father was always working with electronics though not a ham, but his uncle was an electrical engineer and ham, later, N6KNK. Ed had a crystal set kit at the age of ten and was fascinated with being able to hear all those radio stations on the simple device. In high school he was interested in becoming a mechanical engineer and tells me that his interest in electronics was to balance out the physical science part of his education.

He didn’t become a licensed ham though because of his career and service time,  til he finally took the exam from the traveling FCC engineer passing his Technician class class with the call letters N6HWF. He progress through Advanced Class to Extra Class all in a matter of just 18 months.

He has been married to Lucille for 26 years. The couple attend the Quarter Century Wireless Association meetings together.  They have four children, 9 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. Very Impressive!

His favorite aspect of ham radio is electronic theory, rag chewing and DX.

He has many other interests which he has had more time to peruse since his retirement from the Mental Health service at the country jail. He reads extensively, has taught himself German, paints in water color and has even had the dedication to write a book on theoretical physics.

By: Joe Capell, W0PJD