LOCATION: The south tip of Texas, near the mouth of the Rio Grande River, the Mexican border and the Gulf of Mexico, about 140 miles east of Monterrey, Mexico.

HOME STATION: TenTec Omni VI+ and the matching Hercules solid state amplifier at 500 watts output, or, once in a while, a Titan amp at 1500 out. We use an Icom IC7000 or an FT857 as our fall back rigs and have various QRP rigs for low power fun.

ANTENNAS: The primary antenna is a horizontal loop, 1150 feet (350m) around fed with open wire line. It is 60 feet high on wood poles over farmland. My XYL and I use it for receiving and transmitting on all bands. We also have an 80' top loaded vertical, "Minooka Special" style, remotely tuned for 160 through 20 meters. There is also a 20 meter wire beam and a small horizontal loop, 160 feet around and 10 feet high for close-in work on 40 through 15 meters.

MOBILE: We use an IC706 and homebrew top loaded antennas on a diesel Passat wagon.

PERSONAL INFO: I was born in Pekin Illinois, licensed as W9UCW since 1954 when I was in 8th grade in Joliet, Illinois. I'm married to Joyce, WB9NUL, my best friend. She's a county hunter, president of The Mobile Amateur Radio Awards Club (MARAC) and occasional contester as well as a world class needle arts person. She teaches and designs, too.

QSLS: We answer them any way they get here, but expect SASE's for direct cards.

OTHER INFO: I took early retirement when I was 48. I was a division manager for Caterpillar. We had a consulting business for the next few years. I'm a casual lowband DXer and my favorite is 160m, but operate them all now and then, including 6 meters when it opens. We have about 13 acres in a rural farming area. The neighbors around here grow citrus, sugar cane, milo, cotton, corn, soybeans and vegetables.

I do a lot of antenna and tuner research, publish now and then and give antenna programs. I'm very proud of two cover plaque awards for QST articles about 160 antennas published in the '70's and reprinted worldwide. I like to build gear. I'm also a woodworker and build furniture. I made about 20 trips to South America and operated from Brazil, Colombia, San Andres, Providencia, and others. One of my buddies for 25 years was Francisco, HK0BKX, now SK. I called him Pacho. We traveled and operated together many times over the years. CU on topband, 73, Barry