Two operators, one call
K6SBR belonged to Theron Zane of La Crescenta, California, who held it from 1959 until his death in 1990, years before his great-grandson was born. In 2023 Cody applied for the call under the FCC vanity program and brought it back to the air from Colorado's Western Slope.
Photo of Theron Zane
About this station
K6SBR is a General Class amateur radio station in Grand Junction, on Colorado's Western Slope, operated by Cody Kennerknecht. Cody earned his license in 2022 and received K6SBR as a vanity call in April 2023. The call was originally issued in 1959 to his great-grandfather, Theron Zane, in La Crescenta, California, and stayed with Theron until his death in 1990. It sat cancelled for two decades before Cody brought it back.
Cody is a broadcast engineer at KKCO 11 News and a member of the Western Colorado Amateur Radio Club (W0RRZ). The station works from home and from a van with a telescoping mast, Jean Claude Ham Van, which you can see on the Shack page. If you are thinking about bringing back a relative's old call, Cody wrote up how he did it. Contacts are confirmed through Logbook of The World, eQSL, and direct cards; the Log and QSL page has the details.
Frequently asked questions
Who holds the call sign K6SBR?
Cody Kennerknecht of Grand Junction, Colorado. He holds a General Class license and was granted K6SBR on April 14, 2023 under the FCC vanity call sign program. The license runs to April 14, 2033.
Who was the original K6SBR?
Theron Zane (Loman Theron Zane, 1916 to 1990), Cody's great-grandfather. He was first licensed as K6SBR in 1959 in La Crescenta, California, and held the call until he died in San Bernardino in June 1990. The FCC cancelled the call in 2002, which made it available for Cody to request. The full story is on the History page.
Why does a Colorado station have a 6 call?
The number in a U.S. call sign shows where the call was first issued, not where the operator lives now. The 6 is California, where Theron was licensed. Operators keep their call when they move, and vanity calls can be requested from any district, so a K6 call in Colorado is normal.
How do I confirm a contact with K6SBR?
Logbook of The World and eQSL are the quickest. Direct cards are welcome too; the mailing address is on QRZ.com. See the Log and QSL page.
Where is K6SBR located?
Grand Junction, Colorado, in the Grand Valley at about 4,600 feet, grid square DM58. The station is in the ARRL Rocky Mountain Division.