Member Bio

To All:

I am a long time ham…having been licensed since 1973.  I’m sixty-one years old and have been licensed for over 49 years!!  When my brother first got his license, he got me hooked.  He had made an on-air contact with WB0FTB (soon to become my Elmer) and I joined the Jefferson Barracks Amateur Radio Club.  Studied the code, studied the Novice Class test material and went down to the local FCC office to take the test!!  Remember THAT??

I passed the 5 wpm code and Novice exam, and became WN0JXS…then later passed my General Class (WB0WKF) and then went on to pass the Advanced Class license, too.  My first radio was a Heathkit HW-16.  I had 4 or 5 plug-in crystals to operate in the 40 meter band.  After passing my General class license, I went on to another Heathkit HF radio and started working SSB and code.  Ran some mobile, too.  And was also active on VHF.

After being an Advanced class for several thousand years, and continuing to operate from home and the car, I really started to develop a renewed interest in Amateur Radio…so much so that I studied and passed the Extra Class exam in January of 2012.  I took my current call sign – NY9X.  I am also Trustee for the club call of NY9XI.

I am active on CW, SSB, Contesting, FM and SSB Satellites, and chasing DX.

During Field Day in 2014, I was lucky enough to work the International Space Station via VHF!!  THAT…was a lot of fun.  It also DIDN’T COUNT for points!!  During Field Day, a satellite contact has to be between two EARTH stations…clearly this wasn’t!!  But still a lot of fun…

I’m also a registered Scouts BSA Merit Badge counselor for the Radio and Electronics Merit Badges.  I also do radio presentations to troops or packs.  If you have Scouts (any age) and that are located in Northern Illinois and they are interested in either badge, or perhaps would like a presentation at a troop or pack meeting, please send me an e-mail.  Happy to contact you with more information.

I’m also trying to get a website started.  It has been slow going, but I hope to launch by the beginning on next year.  It will be a way to learn some info, view upcoming events, maybe learn some things NOT to do.  Ha ha.

Hope you have enjoyed reading this and I hope to work you on the air sometime!

73…

Chris

NY9X