Bryan Edwards W5KFT

Bryan Edwards W5KFT was first licensed as an amateur radio operator in 1955, and is an active DXer and contester today. Looking for a way to escape the line noise and RFI of urban Lubbock, Texas, Bryan began contemplating a station at the ranch by Lake Buchanan in the fall of 1992. He recruited the help of George Fremin III WB5VZL (now K5TR), an experienced phone operator and team member of the N5AU super station. George brought with him years of experience building, maintaining, and operating at one of the largest amateur radio stations ever built. Over the course of 1993, Bryan managed the logistics of pouring concrete, hardware acquisition, and antenna building while George assembled the towers and installed the antennas. By October, 1993, Bryan had the station he was hoping for.

Bryan was an operator in the first contest effort at the station, the 1993 CQ World Wide DX Contest, Phone. Bryan has focused his personal contesting efforts at the ranch on the major DX phone contests and the ARRL June VHF QSO Party. Despite the long distance travel from Lubbock, Bryan has been a member of the Multi-Operator team in four ARRL International DX Contest, Phone efforts, three CQ World Wide DX Contest, Phone efforts, and two CQ World Wide WPX Contest, Phone efforts. Bryan has operated in eight ARRL June VHF QSO Party efforts, and he was a member of the team that won the Multi-operator Limited Band category of the 1998 ARRL June VHF QSO Party.

Bryan has operated in at least 18 phone contests from the ranch since 1993. In addition to contesting, Bryan has used the W5KFT Ranch Station for DXing, and especially enjoys the thrill of 75 meter phone DXing from his station by the lake.