Well after building receivers (mostly regens) and waiting to get into amatuer radio for 20 years I became licenced as a Tech. Then upgraded to General before getting on the air. My first rig was a Kenwood TS-820S and with an inverted V over a palm tree I was on the air. After many QSO's including a few DX I was hooked. A short time later I upgraded to Extra class. Started really chasing DX in 2007.

I have been traveling out of country for business often of late. When I can pull it off I will be QRV from some of those locations. I was in Singapore in 2010 June July and September as 9V1/AD6ZJ. QSL via LotW, Bureau or Direct to my home call (for direct please include envelop with US stamp, current IRC or $1.00 US to cover postage).

I now hold DXCC on SSB, RTTY, CW, 40M, 20M, 15M and collecting the final cards for 17M, 30M and 80M. I have over 232 DXCC confirmed with twice as many confirmed on 80M than 10M! I sure wish 10M would open up now that I'm chasing DX. I have my basic IOTA award and my WAZ mixed. I'm an incoming card sorter for the 6th area Bureau so I see lots of QSL cards from places I wish I had worked.

Base equipment: FT1000MP with a Henry 2K2 used mainly on 40 and 80M. I use a homebrew 56' vertical for most of my HF work. It is made moslty from irigation tubing and I use caps and hand wound coils at the base switched with relays for my favorite bands. It is supported by an ugly (but tall) pine tree in the corner of my small lot. I use the vertical on 160M, 80M, 40M, 30M, 17M, 12M and 6M. I also have a tribander but am usually not home during the day to get on 10/15/20. Achieving DXCC on 4 or 5 bands with the same homemade vertical is a goal. It will also prove to me you don't need a large lot to work DX on the low bands. I am currently at 30 confirmed on 160M so I have a ways to go on that one but my 160M 600W home brew 4x811A amp should help. Its a lofty goal for a guy with a postage stamp lot but I think it is reachable.

QSL via bureau or direct. I use LOTW and upload every few weeks.

Mobile/portable setup: FT857 with ATAS100 screwdriver.

I enjoy contesting when time permits. Nothing too serious, just competing with myself mostly. I enjoy SSB, PSK, RTTY and CW but my CW is just ok. I like to home brew all sorts of stuff, antennas, receivers, interfaces, amps . you get the drill. I basically get home from work turn on the rig, the solder iron and the fan and relax.

I use mostly older test equipment in my shack. The oldest being my Boonton 260A Q meter circa 1935!

The Summer of 2005 I took a little road trip to GA for the 3905CCN eyeball with my brother KG4YLK. We worked 40M mobile in IN, KY, TN, VA, AL and GE in 4 days. What a kick! Including NM, AZ, UT, NV, CA, WA and OR I have now worked mobile in 13 states. You can still find me now and then as time and band conditions permit on the 3905 Century club 75M nets.  In August of 2009 I  hosted the clubs anual Eyeball in Vista California.

I chase the DX when I'm not chasing our 7 year old boy or loosing at cards to my wife Melody. We also have two girls off at college.

Member of ARRL, PARC, EARS, 3905CCN and the San Diego DX club

All for now. AD6ZJ