Member Bio

3/18/2013 I started listening to shortwave over 50 years ago, and have been an avid fan of shortwave ever since. Recently, however, all of the great shortwave stations like the BBC, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, etc are now silent, leaving the shortwave bands barren. With this unfortunate lack of shortwave stations, I have turned to Amateur Radio. For the past one year, I have been on 2 meters and 440 repeaters, but the local transmissions lack the excitement of DX. I have been learning how to work 20 meters, 40 meters and 80 meter.

UPDATE 2/20/2021. Today, I passed the Amateur Extra license exam and look forward to becoming more involved in Ham radio as my children have (finally) grown up and obtained jobs and abodes of their own! KD2DTJ, Jim

Update 05/07/2021. I just bought a Yaesu FT3D and Diamond SRH77CA 2 band antenna, and am trying to log into repeaters so I can talk on the 144 and 430 bands. This is a big learning curve. I am also trying to learn Morse code so that I can CW on my Yaesu FT-950…huge learning curve. Perfect, just in preparation for retirement!

UPDATE 7/17/2021…I just bought and setup the RFinder B1 DMR radio/cellphone and the RFinder Chili Peppa Hotspot, and they are FANTASTIC! I have been listening to shortwave for 50 years, and have been a Ham Radio Operator (now Extra) for 15 years, and I have bought many ham radios over the years, and this RFinder combination is the best amateur radio that I have ever had. I was confused with the setup as I am old and easily confused, so I sent a CHAT request to RFinder Customer Service, and Bob Greenberg, the President, Owner, and Inventor of the RFinder B1 Radio/Cellphone actually called me within an hour on the phone, on a Saturday (on his weekend off!), and he very kindly walked me through the steps to connect the B1 Radio/Cellphone to the RFinder Chili Peppa Hotspot perfectly. This radio is incredible! I highly recommend that you buy the RFinder R1 Radio/Cellphone and the RFinder Chili Peppa Hotspot for the best Amateur radio connections to people all over the world. It is great. The company is great. I cannot thank Bob Greenberg enough! James Hoffman, KD2DTJ

UPDATE 7/18/2021 FANTASTIC! After over 15 years struggling to make analog contacts with my Yaesu FT950 and backyard dipole antenna, today using my new RFinder B1 radio/cellphone and RFinder Chili Peppa Hotspot, I made a nice long contact with a gentleman out of Indonesia, and I live in New York, USA. DMR IS INCREDIBLE! I have a lot to learn however about DMR, and look forward to more “radio fun”!

UPDATE 12/07/2021…I just received my GMRS license call sign WROT592. Now to try that out as 2 meters is very lacking of folks to talk to.

UPDATE 02/25/2022…In preparation of maybe actually retiring some day from teaching elementary/middle school/high school Mathematics (I doubt that I will ever retire!), I am really adding digital accessories for my good old Yaesu FT-950. I am trying to learn how to use my Timewave Navigator and HRD to decode digital. Fun!

UPDATE 12/14/22… I am now experimenting with 2 Watt QRP CW, to prepare for completing some POTA activations in the upcoming Spring.