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Due to the latest influx of remote stations into the DXCC program let me preface my station information with this..  I DO NOT USE ANY DISTANT REMOTES ...  Sorry this even has to be mentioned but many DXCC members seem to think "the means justify the end" and they are missing the spirit of what DXCC was meant to be, a challenge to test your operating skills. Using multiple remote stations thousands of miles apart to gain extreme propagation advantage via the internet is not my idea of a challenge.  It is a joke. They hide behind the argument of it being an advance in technology, which it is, but long distance remotes have no place in the DXCC program.  I am not against all remotes, but ones at a far distances, greater than 100 miles or so from their FCC listed home QTH which give extreme propagation advantages goes against the spirit of what DXCC means.  If someone wants to operate from anywhere in the world connecting with a station remotely, be it their own or someone elses via remote within 100 miles or so of their present FCC address on file that is no problem as no propagation advantage is gained.  Outside the DXCC program I dont really care how anyone uses distant remotes.  I will continue to abide by the spirit of what the DXCC program was intended to be.

My name is listed as Thomas but go by "Mike". QSL via Bureau, LOTW, or Direct with SASE if you are in a hurry. Although all logs are posted to LOTW, all QSLs are answered. If your QSO does not show up in LOTW, please email me. Many stations in QRZ say they cannot afford to QSL even if the other station sends a SASE.  A QSL can be written on a scrap of paper which everyone gets plenty of scrap paper from junk mail. My favorite QSL of all times is one from a ZD7 made from a cigarette carton.

Received my Novice license, KN4TBN, in 1957. Upgraded to Conditional and K4TBN in 1959. Upgraded to Extra in 1961.  Changed my call to K4PI in 1976.  XYL holds the call K4AM.

At the present home QTH of about 2.5 acres, there are 3 towers.  Two around 100 ft tall and a crankup to 90 ft. Been using mostly monobanders but recently took down the 20,15, and 12 M monobanders down and installed a 4 ele SteppIR in place of the 20. The pictures have not been updated yet. On 80 M a K8UR style 4 square with a Comtek Phasing unit is used. Shunt fed tower for 160 M a DX Eng 4 square receive array for receiving on the low bands. For 60 M 100 w from K3 and sloping dipole.  Antennas for 6 M are a 6M9KHW at 113 ft and recently added a H frame on a 90 ft crank up tower mounted with four 6M7JHV.  Both azimuth and elevation are avaliable so it can be used for both EME and terrestrial. HF equipment is a K3 and SPE Expert amp. For 6M a K3 and a Commander VHF amp. That rounds out the main equipment. DX chasing is my prime focus when at home along with competing in the DXCC Challenge staying mainly on CW but doing some SSB and digital. My present Challenge count is 3137 Current / 3248 Total countries.

On 6 M presently including deletes at 156 WKD / 156 CFM countries on 6 M.  148 are terrestrial plus 8 EME.  VUCC grid count on 6 M is 1133 confirmed with ARRL and have some that have not been submitted. Got a quite a few more worked but just can't get the confirmations from them.

Noise on the low bands at the Douglasville QTH has made it near impossible to operate so a second station was built near Bowdon GA, about 43 miles by car from the home QTH, where the noise level is much less.  There is a shack with power and a 140 ft tower that supports a 160 M Four Square of 90 ft top loaded verticals each with a 50 ft horizontal hat, using a Comtek phasing unit. For receiving, at present there are three two wire switchable in two directions beverages, each 1100 to 1200 ft long.  Directions 90-270, 25-205 and 45-225.  There is one single wire beverage 800 ft long for 70 deg.  Also in use a HI-Z 8 vertical array in a 200 ft diameter circle that was bought used from my friend K4WM.  Presently an Elecraft K3 is used, which after using for several years, I consider the best radio on the market for weak signal reception. The amp is an Alpha 76PA, 1400 W output. From this location 160 meter WAZ was completed. The last zone, 23, occured In Dec 2009 when JT1CO came though for 2 days prior to sunrise with good signals. Present DXCC total including deletes 308 WKD / 308 CFM on 160 M.  All worked from the west Georgia stations.

At the Bowdon station a second tower has been built for VHF. It is 95 ft tall and has stacked M2 6M9KHWA antennas at 95 and 65 ft. An Array Solutions Stack Match is used between the two. A K3 and a Harris TV amplifier module removed from WSB-TV Ch 2, Atlanta, that I modified, running about 1.2 KW is the equipment.

One thing I really enjoy about 6 M, trying SSSP propagation which Han, JE1BMJ discoverd. It allows Japan to USA terrestrial QSO's on 6 M during the June/July E season. My first JA QSO's were in 2008 as I worked during the evening hours and had to depend on an opening occuring during an off day. Presently up to 199 JA QSO's in 30 JA grids.   Most all of these were worked from the home QTH with the single yagi recently switching over to the H frame.  Being retired now allows me to watch a little closer during E season.  During the Jun/Jul E season we normally only get 2 or 3 nights where the JA's come through but with the advent of JT65 terrestrially those night appear to be increasing.

I do all the climbing on the towers as it would be hard to take it if someone got hurt on the towers. A ground crew is obtained to help sometimes to keep from going up and down the tower more than needed. One person stands out that has really helped me a lot as ground crew, digging tower bases and guy points by hand in mid summer (hi), running beverages and lot of other stuff. That guy is Ron, K4WZ. I owe him a lot. He never operates the station as he says anything he works he wants to do it from his own station. Recently Ron injured his shoulder so Greg, KX4R has been picking up the slack. Some other people that have helped me over time, N4SS, KX4R, K4DN, KS4C, K4WM, W4KTR, W4AUB, N4HU and K4KW. Hope I didn't leave anyone out.  On the recent crank up tower install many thanks to N4XP and WW4T.  K4DN and KX4R helped getting the H frame up.  Thanks to N3XX for help on getting the H frame antennas installed and a ton of helpful advice on EME. Thanks for K0GU, K2ZD and W1JJ for all their advice on the H frame.  W1JJ modified all the M2 T matches.

Life member of ARRL and CW OPS #1066. Member of the Southeastern DX Club and past officer several times.

I obtained the call P49I from Aruba by passing their examination and still hold the call. See the P49I station using QRZ. Other calls used in the past. DL/K4PI, ON/K4PI, K4PI/VP2K St. Kitts, PJ0J St. Marteen 1986-88, PJ8T St Marteen 1989, P40PI Aruba 1990 - 93, P49I 1993 - present, K96PI, K400PI, K26PI 1996 Olympics callsigns.

73 Mike K4PI