Biography

My name is Bert and I QSL 100% all cards received, direct or via the bureau. I upload all Florida home contacts to LoTW. If our QSO is not confirmed in LoTW, send me an email and I will search my log.

I operate from Florida, West Virginia, and various portable locations. If you are unsure of my location for our QSO, send me an email and I will confirm my location. Contacts from portable and POTA locations are not uploaded to LoTW.

QSL cards for IOTA NA-062 Key West, NA-010 Cape Breton Island, and NA-029 Prince Edward Island are available upon request.

Formerly KN8MHB, K8MHB, K7LKO, W1CDS, KZ5KO (Panama Canal Zone), HI8XAG (Dominican Republic), DA1CF (West Germany), HB0/DA1CF (Lichtenstein), DA2NN (Germany), and guest operator at HZ1AB (Saudi Arabia).

First licensed as a Novice in 1958 at the age of 13 in Moundsville, WV, I upgraded to Technician then General in 1959. When ARRL's ill conceived incentive licensing program hit, I upgraded to Extra class to keep my CW privileges. I got my current call N8NN in 1978 when the FCC opened up the N calls. My interest in radio at an early age led to my BSEE and MSEE degrees, followed by an MBA, and a PhD in electrical engineering.

I grew up as an Army brat and lived in Japan, Germany, the Dominican Republic, and the Panama Canal Zone.

I retired from the U.S. Army as a Colonel after 30 years of active duty. I flew AH-1G Cobra helicopter gunships in Vietnam for a year, life member Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association; and I flew UH-1D and OH-58 helicopters in Germany. I served a year in Saudi Arabia and seven years in Germany, including three years in the American Embassy in Bonn, Germany. I worked with computer software and systems development in the Army. I served on the faculty of the Air Force Institute of Technology, the Defense Systems Management College, and the University of Dayton. I am now a full-time ham.

Ragchewing on CW, chasing DX, QRP, and antique boatanchor radios are my major interests. I like to hang around 7030 kHz where the Chicken Fat Operators (CFO) used to be -- I miss that old gang, CFO #400. My boatanchor collection includes Collins, EF Johnson, WRL/Globe, Knight, Eico, Hammarlund, Hallicrafters, Heathkit, Drake, and SBE. Most of the boatanchors are awaiting repair.

I am a member of the ARRL A-1 Operator Club, the West Virginia DX Association (WVDXA), and the Silver Springs Radio Club. I am on the DXCC Honor Roll (342 Mixed, 337 CW, 318 Phone), 9-Band DXCC including endorsements for 160, 30, 17, 12 meters, DXCC Challenge 2,000 Medallion, WAS Triple-Play award, 2017 First Place CW high power in the Florida QSO Party, and 2018 First Place QRP in the Florida State Parks on the Air.

My primary station is a Yaesu FTDX101D, a Yaesu VL-1000 Quadra amplifier, and an end-fed wire in a tree. My RV station is a Yaesu FTX-1 and HardRock 50 amplifier. My QRP stations include a Yaesu FTX-1, Elecraft KX2, mcHF, RS-918ssb, QCX-40, two QCX-mini, QMX, zBitx, and uBitx V3 and V6. My two Collins vintage stations are a 75S-3B, 32S-3, 312B-4, 30S-1, and the second station is a KWM-2A, 312B-5, and 30L-1. My suitcase Collins station is a KWM-2 and PM-2. All of my Collins gear works perfectly thanks to Howard Mills W3HM.

73, Bert N8NN

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment

Yaesu FTDX-101D
Yaesu FTDX-10
Yaesu FTX-1F
Yaesu VL-1000 Quadra
Elecraft KX2
mcHF QRP
QRP Labs QCX-40 QCX-20
HFSignals zBitx QRP
and too many boatanchors to list