Membership:
Hi!
I have visited 35 DXCC entities but have operated from only four, C6A in 1992 and 1994, PJ4 in 2004, VE in 2005, and both VO1 and FP in 2007. Now that I am retired I'll have the opportunity to operate from many of those wonderful DX locations! In 2010, I was very pleased to reach the ARRL DXCC Honor Roll as well as VUCC for 6 meters.
I was first licensed in 1957 as KN2YZI (very exciting at the time but not the best call for DX) and later as W4ZFG prior to obtaining my current call in the early 1960's. I am Web Master and Secretary/Treasurer for the Metro DX Club - W9TY (our WEB site is http://www.metrodxclub.com), a member of ARRL, INDEXA, NIDXA, CWOps and a QSL dispatcher for the W9 QSL bureau. My interests include DXing and contesting, particularly using CW and RTTY. I've been active as a mobile from many states and have well over 100 DX countries worked from the car using 100 watts and a vertical on the trunk.
I was active from Bonaire (PJ4) as PJ4/W9ILY from 22 through 28 Sept in 2004 with my friends K9MDO and N2WB. N2WB is a very active DXer. Be sure to check him out on QRZ.com! My activity included both RTTY in the CQWW RTTY Contest and CW. QSL either direct or via the QSL bureau or LoTW.
2007 was a busy year. In July I activated North Dakota on RTTY as W9ILY/Ø in the Summer NAQP-RTTY contest using my "vertical on the trunk" mobile antenna setup. I was fortunate enough to set the state record for NAQP-RTTY for ND!
I operated from Miquelon Island (NA-032) as FP/W9ILY in September, 2007 with Bob, K9MDO. QSL either direct or via the QSL bureau or LoTW or Clublog OQRS. Email requests for QSL cards should include date, time, band and mode. Cards will be returned via the bureau. We made 2,705 QSOs and had a great time.
In July 2008 I operated 6 meters for the first time and activated EN67 at Copper Harbor, MI plus other grids from my mobile setup. I had another fun trip.
I was on the road again in July 2009 for the NAQP-RTTY from NEbraska as W9ILY/Ø using my mobile setup. I am very pleased to say that I again set a state record from NE in the NAQP. I also made a few contacts in the CQWW-VHF contest from NE and IA grids.
I hit the road again in 2010, but only for a few months. I operated as W9ILY/9 in the February NAQP-RTTY and had a great time! However, plans later in the year changed as we moved to Morris, IL in EN51, Grundy County. Listen for a bigger signal from this great new location. The photo above will give you an idea of how my new Optibeam OB 9-5 looks on the US Towers TX-455 crank-up tower at 55 feet , my very first "real" tower. Its performance is simply outstanding!
I prefer QSLs either direct, via the Bureau, Clublog OQRS requests or LoTW. Please, NO E-QSL requests. Thanks!
