Biography
Thank you for stopping by my Qrzq page, hopefully we've just chatted if you are here looking.
To begin, I get QSL's by LOTW, EQSL, Direct, 3905 Century Net buro, and the Omiss buro.
The setup here is an Icom IC-756Pro II to replace my trusty Triton IV as my prime rig. The Triton will be my back up rig just in case there is a problem with the Icom. I also use a Winkeyer USB, and a Vibroplex deluxe paddle on CW. The antenna is a brand new 70 ft. longwire antenna tuned by a Dentron Super Tuner, balanced with 80, 40 and 20 meter radials used as counterpoises - up about 25 feet. It works pretty well, and almost invisible, good in an apartment complex.
I'm a retired technician and ex-Navy radioman age 74. In the Navy I was a ship/shore CW operator at NWC Australia, and have loved CW ever since. I've also worked at one time for 2 Nasa tracking stations back in the mid 70's, and have been out of ham radio since 1981. My calls over the years have been WN8NOC from about 1964, WA8SHO in 1968, and KL7JER in the late seventies, then KG8O before I let my license lapse My first rig was a Knight Kit T-60 and an S-120, as well as a Heathkit Twoer with an 11 element beam on top of our house in Northeast Ohio.
In the late 70's I was operating CW from Fairbanks, Alaska as KL7JER and learned the joys of working a pileup. 15 and 10 meters were so strong up there most of the time, I could even operate QRP with my first rig there, an HW-7 and an HQ-1 MiniQuad. That worked for about a year, then I upgraded to an HW-101, and went to town. I operated the ARRL CW Contest in February of 1979, and got my first taste of contesting, and loved it.
I've gotten 126 Countries Worked, with a CW DXCC Certificate up on the wall confirmed since July 2013. I've got 50 States confirmed on LOTW, and now have my CW WAS Certificate. Thank you again for looking at my Qrz page. As a side note, I am a member of the Dayton Amateur Radio Association and operate CW contests from their club station W8BI. Check out the setup there at W8BI.ORG. They have a fantastic antenna setup for HF operation, with a Force 12 at 85 feet, and MonstIR up at 130 feet. It makes for great DX contesting.
At the bottom of photos is my modest low profile antenna that management has not objected to. It works much better than any inside antenna, and I have no access to an attic.
CW Forever (With a little SSB thrown in now and then)
CW DXCC #14,093
CW WAS #57,752
CWT #1089
OMISS #10050
TIN CAN SAILOR'S NET #519
Worked DXCCs:
Equipment
Icom 756 Pro II, AL-811a Amplifier, Dentron Super Tuner, WinKeyer, Vibroplex paddles and a 70 foot long wire.