70 Years in Amateur Radio
By Susan Langley-Jones, WA4AKB.
Preface
I wrote the original article for the QCWA Chapter 126 News because he was to receive his 70th anniversary award at the June 11, 2022 quarterly meeting. The original request was for a 100-word write-up. How can one get 70 years of anyone’s life down to 100 words, much less someone who has done as many things as Dave, W4YDY? I finally got it to 450 words. The editor agreed that it could be cut no further. This writing adds a few details to the original article. After he read the original article, he also had some reactions that were added to the end, along with a copy of his certificate.
W4YDY Short Biography
The Queen is not the only one celebrating a 70-year anniversary in 2022. Dave Langley, W4YDY, has had his license for 70 years. He was first licensed in 1952, concurrently as Novice (WN4YDY) and Technician(W4YDY). He has held an Amateur Extra class license since 1968. Dave is an original, being the only person to have ever held the W4YDY callsign.
Dave has always been very active in Amateur Radio. He has life memberships with ARRL, RARS, BARC, and QCWA Chapter 126.
He had the first SSB station in Wake County. He is charter member and life member of Raleigh Amateur Radio Society (RARS). He was the original newsletter editor for what was then known as RARS News from 1969 to 1974.
North Carolina Governor Bob Scott issued an executive order designating W4YDY as an Official Radio Amateur Station of the Governor’s office for the 1971 Holiday Season. Governor Scott conferred to W4YDY The Order of the Long Leaf Pine with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary, the highest honor bestowed to citizens of the state in December 1971.
When Dave left Raleigh, he moved to Oklahoma City in 1975, and then to Conover NC in 1977. While in Oklahoma City, he was elected president of the Aeronautical Center Amateur Radio Club (callsign W5PAA). He finally settled back down in Greenville NC in 1992, so it’s his 30-year anniversary in Greenville. He has been an active member of the Brightleaf Amateur Radio Club (BARC), having held several club offices and having been awarded “Ham of the Year” four times. He originated the BARC website and was editor and/or associate editor of the BARC Newsletter from 1997 to 2021.
Many people know Dave as awards enthusiast. He has WAS, DXCC, WAC, and many County Hunters awards. Dave is the 18th person in the world to have worked all US counties eight times.
Dave has a full family of hams. He was inspired into the hobby by his first cousin Lemmie Holland, W4QI, one of the founders of QCWA Chapter 126. Their other first cousin, Allen Langley (SK) received his license in the 1990s as KF4FMX. Other hams in the family include daughter Susan Langley-Jones, WA4AKB, son-in-law Dale Jones, WA4JCK, grandson David Landry, W4DWA, and nephew Jerry Gahagan, KE4DOW.
Outside of the world of Amateur Radio, Dave had a career as an Electronics Technician. He first worked in TV at WITN and at WNCT before moving to WRAL. He had many adventures while putting WRAL onto the air, including a tight schedule to have the sound ready for when the station was first switched on. After his TV career, he worked as a Radar Technician with the FAA from 1960 to 1991.
There is much more biography available at: https://www.qsl.net/w4ydy/.
Dave is always excited to meet other hams online, on the air and in person. He can be reached at w4ydy@ARRL.net.
W4YDY Reactions
To the Chuck Littlewood, K4HF, Local QCWA Chapter President:
Who is that guy in the attachment for the next QCWA meeting notice? Wish I could go to the meeting in Siler City Saturday.
Siler City is where I studied for my license in 1952 when I spent a few summer weeks with first cousin Lemmie, W4QI, just before my senior year in high school. He was really anxious for me to get the license that summer in Winston-Salem. Studied code on an Instructograph at his Radio-TV store when he was at work. But did get to Norfolk in August and waited 7 weeks for the license.
And to Susan Langley-Jones, WA4AKB:
Thanks again for the nice 70th article. One thing I’m really proud of was like winning the lottery when I happened to see KC4AAA in the South Pole calling CQ on PSK31. Didn’t know it until they told me it was the first PSK31 contact from the South Pole. No one else can claim that. It was an OM and YL working it together with a temporary hookup trying to get it to work. They were so excited they said the forgot to send a RST report. We had 98% copy so that wasn’t a problem. I have the info on my QRZ page with links to the qsl card they sent me.
Award Certificate
On June 11, 2022, Chuck Littlewood, K4HF presented this award at the quarterly QCWA meeting in Siler City, NC. Since Dave was unable to attend, it was accepted by the author, daughter Susan Langley-Jones, WA4AKB. He will receive it from her Field Day weekend. Congratulations Dad!
Brightleaf Amateur Radio Club 