William Pasternak

William M. "Bill" Pasternak (born February 1942 in Brooklyn, New York) is a United States based independent educational/industrial film/video producer/director amateur radio operator licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). His call letters are WA6ITF, and he credits his decision to become a radio amateur at the age of 17 as being the most important factor in determining his life-long career.
He was first licensed in 1959 in New York City, N.Y. as WA2HVK, where he was one of the first to bring weak-signal single sideband operations to the Amateur Service radio bands above 50 MHz and later helped to introduce Amateur Service FM relay communications (commonly known as repeaters) to the Metro N.Y. city region. Bill, along with Larry Levy (Amateur Radio call letters WA2INM) were the first to experiment with 15 kHz "tertiary split" narrow spaced 2 meter repeaters in 1969.
In the world of hobby radio Bill Pasternak is probably best known as the Producer/Writer of the weekly Amateur Radio Newsline (ARNewsline)
bulletin service. Now a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit, public service corporation, Bill co-founded Amateur Radio Newsline, Inc. as the Westlink Radio Network in 1976 with Jim Hendershot (Amateur Radio call
letters WA6VQP). Bill currently serves on the Board of Directors of Amateur Radio Newsline, Inc. as well as producing its newscasts. (See
)
In 1986, Bill Pasternak originated the "Young Ham of the Year" award program which is administered by the Amateur Radio Newsline, Inc. Bill created the award after realizing that -- other than scholarship programs -- there was no program anywhere to acknowledge the numerous accomplishments of the youth of Amateur Radio. It was then, and continues to be his belief that the real-life experience of being honored for their youthful accomplishments in Amateur Radio may lead
the award winners -- and through their example - many also lead other young radio amateurs into technology based careers that will make them
the scientific, telecommunications and educational leaders of the future. This award program which each year sponsors one young radio amateur to a week at the U.S. Space Camp is underwritten by Vertex-Standard Corporation (Yaesu brand Amateur Radio products) and CQ Publishing Company (CQ Magazine). (See )
In January 2004, Bill Pasternak created the "Roy Neal, K6DUE, Amateur Radio Mentoring Program." This is a post-licensing educational service initially administered by the Amateur Radio Newsline, Inc. and designed to pair new hams with veteran radio amateurs in hopes that some of the established ham operator skills can be passed down to new generations.
In 2007 the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA) became a joint sponsor of this program which is named in honor of the late NBC Newsman Roy Neal and Amateur Radio operator K6DUE. (See )
Bill Pasternak has written two best-selling technical books, one instructional book, authored the "Looking West" column for 73 Magazine
for 22 years and currently writes the VHF, FM and Repeater Column for Worldradio Magazine. He has also written countless articles in Amateur
Radio, hobby electronics and broadcast related periodicals; co-produced and/or directed most ham radio films and video's released by ARRL or
AMSAT since 1974.

Bill Pasternak is a member of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA) and the Radio Club of America. He has received numerous awards for contributions to the betterment of the Amateur Radio Service. These include the Dayton Hamvention Special Achievement Award (1981), ARRL Southwestern Division Meritorious Service Award (1988), Dayton Hamvention Radio Amateur of the Year (1989), AMSAT Outstanding Contributions Award (1990) and ARRL National Certificate of Merit (1995).
Bill Pasternak is a graduate of Lafayette High School in Brooklyn N.Y. and is currently serving of the planning committee of his upcoming 50th
year class reunion scheduled for the spring of 2009. (See )
Bill is an under-graduate of New York City Community College of Applied Arts and Sciences having left the school in 1961 to begin his
professional career with the General Electric Company in Long Island City, N.Y.
From 1967 to 1972 Bill Pasternak was a general partner in "The Mind Garden" which was a Brooklyn, N.Y.-based company specializing in the design and installation of sound-automated lighting and high power sound reinforcement for disco and live theater.
Since 1971 Bill has been married to Sharon Pasternak (née Wagner). They have one married foster child and four grandchildren.
Bill's other interests include photography, water sports, travel and live theater.

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