I live in Rochester, Minnesota and operate K0MD using an Icom 7800, an Icom 7600 and an Icom 7000 along with Acom 2000a and Acom 1010 amplifiers. I am primarily a contester doing SO or M-1 events from my QTH. I also continue to work DX to add to my DXCC totals. I hold 5-Band DXCC and am slowly building to 300 countries confirmed. CW is my main interest in the hobby but I enjoy SSB and RTTY also.

I also enjoy operating overseas. I contest in VP5 with friends from the MWA - W0GJ, K4IU, AC0W, NY0V, WA0MHJ and N0HJZ.

The photo below was taken by AI0C, Dr. Stanley Cram who is a professional photographer and did the photo shoot at my tower raising with my antenna upgrade projectd several years ago. It was a cold Fall day in Minnesota and the TCDXA jacket and my Force 12 cap kept me warm. I think the temperature was around 40 F on that September weekend.

I have two towers, a Rohn HDBX at 48 ft and a Rohn 55 at 100 ft. The Rohn 55 has a Force 12 Magnum 240N 2 element 40 meter Yagi at 110 ft and a Force 12 C49XR Yagi at 100 feet. It also has a Force 12 C49XR at 40 feet. The Force 12 yagis are controlled with an Array Solutions Stack Match.

The Rohn HDBX tower has a Force 12 4BA yagi for 10/12 and 15/17 meters at 50 feet and a Force 12 2 element 20 meter Yagi at 60 feet. The antenna farm also has an 80 meter Four Square and a 160 meter vetical as well as dipoles for 80 and 40.

My 4 square uses the Force 12 Sigma 80 vertical dipoles which do not require any radials. It is a very suburban friendly array.

I am using the Force 12 Magnum 160 VX2 for 160 meter DXing and contesting.

You can read more at www.k0md.com

(photos are courtesty of AI0M - a great DXer and photographer)

 

 

Both low band antennas perform very well. You can see photos of these antennas and more at http://www.texasantennas.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=248&Itemid=257

I also use the Icom 7600 or the 7000 for portable and mobile operation including overseas DX and contest operations. I frequently use a Force 12 Sigma 40xk vertical dipole with it. The antenna travels in a golf club case and the rig travels in my brief case.Pictures of the case and its portability are featured on the Force 12 website in the customer gallery http://www.texasantennas.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=248&Itemid=257

I use Begali keys now exclusively. I have the Signature, the Pearl and the Traveler Light. I have the Bencher BY-1 keys as back up but the Begalis are in a class by themselves. They are worth every penny of their cost as they are a lifelong investment. The Traveler Light is an amazing and durable key for traveling. The signature is even better! The Pearl is the best so far!! You can see that I enjoy CW a lot.

I enjoy Dxing, Contesting and meeting people from all over the world. You will find me on SSB, RRTY and CW but CW is my first love and most frequently used mode of communication. I have been licensed since May 1977 and enjoy the hobby more now than ever.

I travel a lot internationally with my job as a physician at the Mayo Clinic. I lecture frequently in Europe, Asia and Latin America. I plan to operate portable from Chile when I am there for medical meetings as time allows.

I have operated VP5H during the ARRL DX SSB contest with my friends W0GJ and WA0MHJ for several years. Jody Millspaugh is a great hostess and her location is great for DX contesting. Contesting from the Caribbean is a blast. Thank you to all who worked us!

I led the VP5S team for 2013 for the ARRL DX CW Contest. We were a four operator group - K0MD, K4IU, AC0W, NY0V. We had a great time and enjoyed the contest.

We used an Icom 7600 with an Acom 1010 for the contest. They are a great combination! The big secret is our location though.

QSL Cards for VP5S or VP5/K0MD - I am caught up answering QSL cards from the trip. The best way to get your card is to send me a SASE or SAE with IRC/Postage. For specific QSL information, please see http://www.k0md.com/page_qsl_information_qsl_information_and_faqs.html

All QSL cards sent to me directly with a SASE or SAE with IRC/US $ are answered generally within a few days. Bureau cards are answered with significant delay (yearly or less often). I regularly do LOTW for contacts with K0MD, VP5/K0MD and CE2/K0MD. I have not applied for permission with the ARRL system to do other calls but it is on my to do list! You are likely to be confirmed within a few days of a major contest on LOTW from me. Consider signing up for LOTW. LOTW - I am nearly current on LOTW. If a qso is missing, contact me off line so we can see if I have it in my log.

For QSO's with me when I am operating outside of the USA, I request US and Canadian hams to send their cards directly (NOT via the BURO) with a SASE or a SAE with appropriate postage/cash. If I receive your card without a SASE, it will not be answered in all likelihood unless you email me to request I send you a card.

Please see this link for more information on QSL cards for any of my operations from outside the USA -http://www.k0md.com/page_qsl_information_qsl_information_and_faqs.html

I have a wonderful wife Jann, who tolerates my activities in our hobby; and three of our children are licensed (W0SMW, K0AEW, K0KEW). W0SMW has started contesting with me in M-1 events and does the Minnesota QSO party by herself. She is a great operator for her age - now 15. Listen for her on the Minnesota QSO Party every February and in SSB sweepstakes with me. We are active in our children's school and in our local church, www.autumnridgechurch.org. It is a great place to spend some time on Sundays if you are visiting Rochester.

I currently am using the MacBook Air computer for logging and operating with MacLogger DX Plus. It is great software and I like it for many reasons including its integration with the callsign database QRZ.com and the ease with which I can generate LOTW files. I also use N!MM and Write Log for contesting and keep all QSO's backed up on DX Base as well.

I operated CE2/K0MD from Vina del Mar, Chile in August 2008 and 2009-11. I have been working with the medical community there for ten ++ years organizing medical conferences. It is a beautiful city by the sea and I enjoyed working everyone who called me. I appreciate the staff at Hotel Capducal (pictured here) and Hotel del Mar who authorize my operations and often assist me with putting antennas up. I plan to be active early August 2012.

In this photo, I was using a Force 12 Sigma 40 XK vertical dipole and an Icom 7000 rig. The picture on this site shows the hotel where I operated and you can see the Force 12 Sigma 40 XK at the top of the hotel. My website has a few more photos from Chile www.k0md.com, under the Dx section.

For those of you who worked me in 2008 as CE7/K0MD, please qsl via my home address or buro (non-US hams). I was visiting Puerto Varas, a picturesque village in the South of Chile. The picture below shows the typical winter weather of the Chilean Patagonian region. The hotel was quite accomodating to allow me to put the antenna on the patio outside their parlor. The parlor was a very comfortable operating location.

For those of you who worked me as K0MD/BY1TX, thank you. The experience with the B1Z club was memorable. I want to thank FanBin and the members of the B1Z club who graciously hosted me in China during the CQ CW WPX contest. Their By1TX station is fantastic and their hospitality and kindness exceed anything one could imagine. I hope you will take time to read my article in the NCJ about this trip. You can also find more information in the GreyLine publication from the Twin Cities DX association. If you need a QSL card from my time with BY1TX, please seehttp://www.k0md.com/page_qsl_information_qsl_information_and_faqs.html

I am the advisor for the Schaeffer Academy Radio club, W0SAA. Please work our students and QSL directly to my home address. The students love getting cards. Please listen for us on the Minnesota QSO Party. I also serve as President of the Rochester Amateur Radio Club and as a Director for the Twin City DX Association. All are great organizations. I am also a member of the Minnesota Wireless Association and the Dayton Contest University alumni!

I have helped organize the 2008 and 2009 W0 DXCC and contest meetings in Rochester, MN, http://www.w0dxcc.com.

Organizations - ARRL (www.arrl.org/), Twin Cities Dx Association (http://www.tcdxa.org/), Minnesota Wireless Association (http://www.w0aa.org/), CW Ops group (www.cwops.org), Honorary Member, B1Z., Rochester Amateur Radio Club

Trustee, W0SAA, Schaeffer Academy Radio Club.,

President - Rochester Amateur Radio Club, 2012

Northern California DX Foundation supporter.

ARRL Diamond Club and Hiram Percy Maxim Society

I am a member of the ARRL Diamond Club, Gold level. The League is raising funds for its Second Century Campaign. I am a contributer and I urge you to donate any amount to it you can. It is part of our responsibility to look out for future interests for amateur radio and I think the ARRL does it as well as anyone. Join me in being a member of the Hiram Percy Maxim society for the ARRL. Write me off line if you want to know more.

Good Dxing and Best 73.

Scott - K0MD, CE2/K0MD. VP5S, VP5/K0MD, K0MD/BY1TX