ARRL Contributing Editor Ward Silver, N0AX, of St. Charles, Missouri, is the 2016 Bill Orr Technical Writing Award winner, sponsored by the ARRL Foundation. It marks the second time Silver has been named to receive the prestigious award — the first came in 2003. The QST editorial staff reviewed articles for the past year and nominated Silver on the basis of his January 2016 article, “About SSB.” Written in a clear, conversational style, the prize-winning article offers a straightforward explanation of the technical nature of single sideband and how to effectively receive SSB.

“Along with the award being a terrific honor, generally, and especially a second, the most gratifying thing is to know that I am helping hams learn,” Silver reacted. “The goal is for them to be more successful and effective on the air, leading to a lifetime of ham radio. I can attest that the efforts of Bill Orr, W6SAI; Doug DeMaw, W1FB; George Grammer, W1DF, and many others who patiently explained the most fundamental things to all of us, led to bigger and better things in our lives, in and out of ham radio. That’s an Amateur Radio tradition that I’m proud to carry forward.”

The award’s namesake, William I. “Bill” Orr, W6SAI, was an engineer, educator, and communicator of extraordinary ability. Over the span of 40 years, he wrote and edited scores of technical books and articles of interest to Amateur Radio enthusiasts. The Orr Award is bestowed each year to the QST author who writes an outstanding QST article or series on new or existing technologies or on methods or means of amateur communication. Articles must be written in an easy-to-understand style worthy of the Bill Orr “stamp of approval,” and they should encourage interest and expand the knowledge and understanding of amateurs who may lack a strong technical background.

“Ward Silver has a unique talent for explaining complicated concepts at a level anyone can understand,” QST Editor-in-Chief and ARRL Publications Manager Steve Ford, WB8IMY, said. “He has been one of the most prolific authors in ARRL history, in large part due to this ability.”

The QST editorial staff serves as the selection panel and recommends the winner from a review of the year’s QST articles to the ARRL Foundation Board for final approval at its annual meeting. The award comprises an engraved plaque and $250, to be presented at an ARRL convention.

Established in 1973 by ARRL, the ARRL Foundation is an independent IRS 501(c)(3) organization that administers programs to support the Amateur Radio community. The Foundation is funded entirely through the generosity of radio amateurs and friends. The ARRL Foundation Programs for Amateur Radio award scholarships for higher education, grants for Amateur Radio projects, and special Amateur Radio program grants for The Victor C. Clark Youth Incentive Program and The Jesse A. Bieberman Meritorious Membership Program.