01/31/2026

John B. Johnston, W3BE (SK), of Derwood, Maryland, passed away on January 7, 2026. He was 98 years old. Born in Zanesville, Ohio, Johnson was a World War II veteran and served in the Pacific Theater.

He was first licensed on March 15, 1954, as KN2HHR. Following military service and college, he worked for the General Electric Company, and then as an engineer for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). He retired in 1998 as branch chief in the Private Radio Bureau specializing in the Amateur Radio Service.

ARRL Radiosport and Regulatory Information Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, reflected on his passing saying, "Johnny was heavily involved in the changing landscape of FCC regulations, including the implementation of the Volunteer Examiner system and `no-code' amateur radio licenses. He would attend the annual NCVEC (National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators) meetings, bringing key FCC staff from DC and Gettysburg to support our work, and later volunteering for the NCVEC and its Question Pool Committee after his retirement."

Johnston often participated in the FCC Forum at Dayton Hamvention¿, and was honored as Hamvention "Ham of the Year" in 1991. He held several roles for the Quarter Century Wireless Association, including President from 2004 to 2008. Johnson also authored articles for several radio publications, including QST, and was an ARRL Charter Life Member.
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