50MHz and Up Lifetime Achievement Awards

Bob Johnson, KF6KVG - 2023

Bob has set world distance records on both 47 and 76 GHz, he has been one end of the 76 GHz world record for the last 20+ years. He was an innovator in the Bay Area microwave business being one of the first engineers at California Microwave. He has been a mentor to many members of the The 50MHz and Up Group for the last 25 years, always generous with both his time and components. Bob and Will Jensby set North American records on the 120 and 144 GHz band.

Will Jensby, W0EOM - 2007

Some of Will's achievements include world distance records on 47, 75, 120 and 122Ghz bands. He has helped other Hams get onto higher frequencies, especially 24 and 47Ghz.

Will Jensby mmW Award

Presented annually or as appropriate at the annual MicrowaveUpdate conference.

We in the 50MHz and Up Group wanted to recognize the passing of Will Jensby, W0EOM with a new award for outstanding contributions to the art of millimeter-wave amateur radio communication.

Will was widely known and appreciated in the amateur microwave community.  He was always generous with his time to Elmer others getting started in microwave.  His own interests centered on mm-wave which is why The 50MHz and Up Group of Northern California thought this award would be most suitable to honor Will.  Will supplied the microwave community with mm-wave components which spurred activity worldwide.

Less well known is that Will also had a passion for antique radio collecting and was considered a leading expert in the area.  Will’s sense of humor, generosity and knowledge will be greatly missed, we hope this award will spur on others to fill the gap left by Will’s passing.

2022: WA1ZMS, Brian

The 50MHz and Up Group is delighted to present the Will Jensby Award to Brian Justin, WA1ZMS.

Brian is a leader in millimeter wave amateur band operation. He holds VUCC #1 in most of the EHF bands, and the North East Weak Signal group awarded Brian the first (and to my knowledge only) "Worked All Bands" award.  He also received the 2011 Don Hilliard Award and the 2003 ARRL Microwave Development Award.

Brian has published his designs and shares his knowledge of the upper bands to our benefit.   He communicated often with Will regarding various topics and techniques for millimeter waves.

2018: WA1MBA, Tom

The 50MHz and Up Group is delighted to present the first Will Jensby Award to Tom Williams, WA1MBA.

Tom has been promoting activity on the mm-wave bands for many years, by building, publishing and using equipment for the 47, 76, 122 and 145 GHz bands. Tom dedicated a considerable amount of time and effort in designing and manufacturing high performance 76 GHz LNAs for the amateur community, and these LNAs are in use worldwide.  Tom hosts both a webpage with extensive reference material on mm-wave propagation and construction as well as the microwave email reflector. His interest and leadership in mm-wave radio has been very influential in expanding the amateur microwave community over the last 20 years.