The Sky Isn’t the Limit: Inside W0AAE’s Ham Radio Ascent

Kees Van Oosbree W0AAE is a 21-year-old amateur radio operator whose story reads like a prequel to the next generation of ham radio leadership. A Minnesota native and aerospace engineering student at Iowa State, Kees isn’t just participating in the hobby—he’s reshaping it. From satellites and CW pileups to youth-led DXpeditions and remote contesting, he’s threading together high-rate operation with forward-looking innovation. In 2024, he was awarded the ARRL’s prestigious Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award—fitting recognition for a young operator already a decade ahead of the curve. It all started with a childhood visit to the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting, where a QSO map pinned with Antarctica sparked a lifelong curiosity. Unlike most of his peers, Kees wasn’t drawn in by the internet; the ionosphere did the convincing. His contest resume already includes CQ WW efforts from NØNI and a remote multi-op at ZF5T. Yet his impact extends well beyond the mic: he organized youth remote operations for DXpeditions to Rotuma and Saba, and helped build a remote station on Frying Pan Tower in the Atlantic.

Technically sharp but deeply community-minded, Kees thrives in leadership roles—even as he confesses a singular love for CW rate and an obsession with perfecting 2BSIQ. He’s bullish on the future of the hobby, pointing to AI-enhanced contesting, real-time ionospheric prediction, and a rising class of remote-native hams. In 2026, he’ll represent youth at WRTC in the UK, shoulder to shoulder with the contest titans he’s long admired—N6MJ, KL9A, AA3B, and others.

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