I have been on the air since 1962 and continue to enjoy ham radio. I work the at the University of Washington, with occasional 3-4 week excursions to do volunteer radio work in Central and South America (hablo espanol) and I am active in local emcoms. I am a proud member of the Western Washington DX Club and have a DXCC QSL count of 243, all using <100 Watts. I am chasing 5-Band DXCC, needing "only" 40 more on 80.
I am a big fan of QRP - my rigs include an vintage Argonaut 509, Hendricks PFR-3 and an Small Wonder Labs PSK20 . I take one of these little rigs with me backpacking and all my other travels. The above photo was taken Sept. 2012 at a wilderness camp site on the Pacific coast of Wa (working a 9M2!). I often use QRP at the home QTH and have achieved QRP DXCC. A few years back I hatched the idea of creating a " QRP YouTube DXCC " playlist on Youtube to document the fact that DX can be had via QRP. I reached the 100 country goal on 24 Sept, 2012 and continue to post new QRP countries as I work them. I continue to be amazed at how much DX can be worked with QRP; it never "gets old".
The "QRO" section of K7HV includes an Elecraft K2/100/ATU (that I often use QRP @5W) and a Yaesu-857D. I have a refurbed Wilson System-33 Tribander (circa 1980!) on a roof tower @ 36 ft. I also use a G5RV up 75ft for the low/WARC bands.
You will find me on 80-10, mostly CW though I do flap my jaw on SSB and play with digital modes once in a while.
I also enjoy playing bluegrass, blues and fiddle tunes on guitar, mandolin and autoharp. For me, music is like radio; it is an common language that brings folks together. It is ALL about having fun and "playing well with others"!
I have operated K7HV portable DL, I2, HC7, XE2, PY8 and as YN3JG.
QSLs OK via the Bureau, direct or LOTW - I upload ALL my QSOs - No eQSLs.
FISTS: #13108 NAQCC: #1759 ARCI: # 13744 10-10: #38518
