Kees Van Oosbree, W0AAE, Named 2023 Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year

2023 Newsline Young Ham of the Year
Kees Van Oosbree, W0AAE
(Photo courtesy AR Newsline)

Nineteen-year-old Kees Van Oosbree, W0AAE, of Maple Grove, Minnesota, has been selected as the 2023 Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, Memorial Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year. Kees was honored for his leadership in helping other young amateurs through Youth on the Air (YOTA)-Americas program and the Remote Ham Radio Youth Network. 

A visit to a museum with an amateur radio station at age 12 sparked his interest in becoming a ham, Van Oosbree told Newsline. Studying on his own, he quickly earned his Technician and General Class licenses, then joined the Minnesota Wireless Association and developed his interest in contesting. 

“HF was my life,” Kees said. “Contesting is pretty much my main thing in amateur radio although I do branch out and do other things.”

Among those "other things" is YOTA-Americas, in which he has taken on a variety of leadership roles including the training of youth operators, serving as QSL manager for W8Y contacts made with YOTA campers and sharing his interest in remote operating. 

A 2023 graduate, and class valedictorian, of Heritage Christian Academy in his hometown, Kees will be attending Iowa State University this fall, where he plans to study aerospace engineering. 

The YHOTY award will be presented to Kees during a ceremony at the Huntsville Hamfest in Alabama on August 19. Amateur Radio Newsline, CQ magazine, and Yaesu USA are primary sponsors of the award, along with Heil Sound, Ltd. and Radiowavz Antenna Company.