SBARC Trustee Emeritus has set foot on each of the eight California Channel Islands

Talanian visited San Clemente and San Nicolas Islands on Tuesday. (courtesy photo)

Bill Talanian, W1UUQ has set foot on each of the eight California Channel Islands. The SBARC Trustee Emeritus visited San Miguel and San Clemente Islands this week checking off the last two islands on the list in his quest to visit each of the coastal outposts, an accomplishment that few can claim. More people have actually been to the International Space Station than have set foot on all eight Channel Islands.

Marla Daily, a California Channel Islands research historian and president of the Santa Cruz Island Foundation, founded the All Eight Club to recognize those who have achieved the feat. Visiting all eight islands is not a simple task. Each requires different visitation arrangements. Five of the eight islands comprise Channel Islands National Park and are open to the public, while two, San Clemente and San Nicolas Islands are controlled by the U.S. military.

“Soon after passing my 90th birthday, I finally got to join the exclusive All Eight Club,” said Talanian. “Perhaps I am only the second SBARC member after Ken Owen, N6KTH, of Channel Islands Restoration. In actuality I have nine islands after spending two days on the little known Rincon Island.”

Members of the All Eight Club. include biologists anthropologists, botanists, ornithologists, zoologists, educators, helicopter and fixed wing pilots, a retired National Park superintendent and park employees, a museum director, a lichenologist, a photographer, a retired judge, and a sea captain. According to Daily, it is the most exclusive recognized geographic club in the world with membership in the low 200s—a tenth of the famous 7 Summits Club.

Listen to “Little Known Club On South Coast has Unique Admissions Test; You Must Visit All 8 Channel Islands” a 2018 KCLU story on the All Eight Club.

Donate Now

*** Be sure to allocate your donation to the “Scholarship Fund” box. ***

In 2021, the Board of Directors created the Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation Scholarship Fund to provide annual support to high school seniors with excellent academic records who plan to study Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) in higher education. Each year, the Scholarship Committee will select one or more high school seniors who will receive up to $1,000 to support their undergraduate studies.

This scholarship is funded entirely through contributions made to the Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation Scholarship Fund. Tax-deductible contributions to the Scholarship Fund may be made by clicking here. Learn more and apply at scholarships.sbwireless.org.

While not requirements, preference is given to applicants who are graduating from a high school in Santa Barbara County and who hold an active FCC amateur radio license.

The SB Wireless Foundation Scholarship Fund supports SBARC and SB Wireless’ missions to develop and support an organized and comprehensive educational program in our local communities.

Thank you for your support,

Levi C. Maaia, K6LCM
Scholarship Committee Chair

Scholarship endeavors to support college-bound students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., January 12, 2022 – The Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation is accepting applications for its new scholarship in support of students who intend on pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a college bound high school senior in May 2022.

Applicants must be high school seniors who plan to study Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics in higher education and should have an excellent academic record. While not requirements, preference is given to applicants who are graduating from a high school in Santa Barbara County and who hold an active Federal Communications Commission amateur radio license.

The application period is open through April 30, 2022. Applications may be completed online at: scholarships.sbwireless.org

The scholarship is funded through contributions made to the Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation Scholarship Fund. Tax-deductible donations to the Scholarship Fund may be made at the Foundation’s website.

The Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation (www.sbwireless.org) and the Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club (www.sbarc.org) together form a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, public benefit corporation organized to promote education for persons interested in telecommunications, to disseminate information about scientific discoveries and progress in the field of wireless communications, and to train communicators for public service and emergency communications. The organization also encourages and sponsors experiments in electronics and promotes the highest standards of practice and ethics in the conduct of communications.

Media Contact
Levi C. Maaia, Director-at-Large
lcm@maaia.com • 805-604-5384

Post expires at 9:54pm on Tuesday March 1st, 2022 but will still be available in the archives.