ssh public key authentication set up troubles

Trying to follow the steps as outlined in the IBM Redpaper Securing
Communications with OpenSSH circa 2006 to connect between two IBM i v7.4
servers using public key authentication

All required IBM software products are installed, sshd is running on target
server, and I can connect using using the ssh client from qsh- but I am am
required to enter a password.

Private key file id_rsa created in the .ssh directory under my home
directory on the client server, id_rsa.pub ftp'd to server in bin mode, and
added to authorized_keys in my .ssh under my home directory on the target
server as specified in the redpaper.

Not seeing any changes to the shipped sshd_config

verbose connection dialog below seems to attempt to use id_rsa private key
but fails, exhausts other alternate private keys, and moves on to the next
authentication method (password).

Any insight appreciated.

OpenSSH_8.0p1, OpenSSL 1.1.1k 25 Mar
2021

debug1: Reading configuration data
/QOpenSys/QIBM/ProdData/SC1/OpenSSH/etc/ssh_config

debug1: /QOpenSys/QIBM/ProdData/SC1/OpenSSH/etc/ssh_config line 19:
Applying options for *

debug1: Connecting to 10.209.28.79 [10.209.28.79] port
22.

debug1: Connection
established.

debug1: identity file /home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_rsa type
-1

debug1: identity file /home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_rsa-cert type -1

debug1: identity file /home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_dsa type -1

debug1: identity file /home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_dsa-cert type -1

debug1: identity file /home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_ecdsa type -1

debug1: identity file /home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_ecdsa-cert type -1

debug1: identity file /home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_ed25519 type -1

debug1: identity file /home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_ed25519-cert type -1

debug1: identity file /home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_xmss type -1

debug1: identity file /home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_xmss-cert type -1

debug1: Local version string SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_8.0

debug1: Remote protocol version 2.0, remote software version OpenSSH_8.0

debug1: match: OpenSSH_8.0 pat OpenSSH* compat 0x04000000

debug1: Authenticating to 10.209.28.79:22 as 'jackcal'

debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent

debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT received

debug1: kex: algorithm: curve25519-sha256

debug1: kex: host key algorithm:
ecdsa-sha2-nistp256

debug1: kex: server->client cipher: chacha20-poly1305@xxxxxxxxxxx MAC:
<implicit> compression: none

debug1: kex: client->server cipher: chacha20-poly1305@xxxxxxxxxxx MAC:
<implicit> compression: none

debug1: expecting
SSH2_MSG_KEX_ECDH_REPLY


debug1: Server host key: ecdsa-sha2-nistp256
SHA256:zStXUvkPHB1oOaU4eEnCgknN5c5a3uRpJBjkaeXfZ1A

debug1: Host '10.209.28.79' is known and matches the ECDSA host
key.

debug1: Found key in
/home/JACKCAL/.ssh/known_hosts:2


debug1: rekey out after 134217728
blocks

debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS
sent

debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS


debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS
received

debug1: rekey in after 134217728
blocks

debug1: Will attempt key:
/home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_rsa

debug1: Will attempt key:
/home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_dsa

debug1: Will attempt key:
/home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_ecdsa

debug1: Will attempt key:
/home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_ed25519

debug1: Will attempt key: /home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_xmss

debug1: SSH2_MSG_EXT_INFO received

debug1: kex_input_ext_info:
server-sig-algs=<ssh-ed25519,ssh-rsa,rsa-sha2-256,rsa-sha2-512,ssh-dss,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521>


debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_ACCEPT received

debug1: Authentications that can continue:
publickey,password,keyboard-interactive


debug1: Next authentication method:
publickey


debug1: Trying private key:
/home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_rsa


debug1: Authentications that can continue:
publickey,password,keyboard-interactive


debug1: Trying private key:
/home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_dsa


debug1: Trying private key: /home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_ecdsa


debug1: Trying private key:
/home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_ed25519


debug1: Trying private key:
/home/JACKCAL/.ssh/id_xmss


debug1: Next authentication method:
keyboard-interactive


debug1: Authentications that can continue:
publickey,password,keyboard-interactive


debug1: Next authentication method:
password


debug1: read_passphrase: can't open /dev/tty: No such device or
address