I have been interested in radio for most of my life. I was first licensed as KC8NGY in October 1999 at the age of 14. I upgraded to Extra in April 2000 and received the call AB8HM in June of that year. Later that year, I applied for and received the callsign N8HM. 

My main amateur radio interests include satellites, contesting, DXing, and digital modes. Currently I serve as the Secretary and First Alternate Director of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT-NA). I also serve as an Area Coordinator for AMSAT. In addition, I am a member of AMSAT-UK and the Potomac Valley Radio Club.

I first became interested in amateur satellites when ARISSat-1 was deployed from the International Space Station in August of 2011. I purchased an Arrow 146/437-10WBP antenna and went out to the courtyard of my apartment building to listen to a few passes of ARISSat-1. I copied two SSTV images as well, though I wasn't using an audio cable to record the passes, so they are a bit noisy.

SSTV Image from the ARISSat-1 +Y camera on 18-Aug-2011

SSTV Image from the ARISSat-1 -Z camera on 18-Aug-2011

My Arrow antenna was dormant until September of 2012 when I made 7 QSOs via AO-27 from my parent's house in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (EN75). After that, I began to get more interested in satellite operation. I ran across WD9EWK's YouTube video and saw that he had operated the linear transponder satellites using a Kenwood TH-F6A HT as a downlink receiver, so I purchased one and attempted to make some QSOs. I struggled through a couple of QSOs with on FO-29 and VO-52. I continued to listen to passes, but lost interest somewhat until Field Day in June of 2013 when I again attempted to work a couple of passes. Unfortunately, I was not successful, but I learned about how to work the International Space Station digipeater and successfully digipeated a couple of packets and even made a few two-way QSOs.

To operate via the International Space Station's digipeater, PCSAT (NO-44), and other satellites with AX.25 digipeaters, I first used a Yaesu FT-817ND, Arrow antenna, and an HTC One V Android smartphone running APRSDroid. I now own a Kenwood TH-D7A(G) and will use that in conjunction with an Arrow antenna either alone or with a Dell Venue 8 Pro tablet.

Screenshot of APRSDroid showing my packet being digipeated by the International Space Station.

My current satellite equipment consists of a Yaesu FT-817ND, a Yaesu FT-817 (with blown finals, used as the downlink receiver), and either an Elk 2M/440L5 Log Periodic Antenna or an Arrow 146/437-10BP. I also use a High Sierra Microwave LNAA146FIL filtered preamp with about 15 dB of gain and a 2 dB noise figure for 2 meters and a High Sierra Microwave LNAA432 with about 19 dB of gain and a 0.53 dB noise figure for 70cm. I recently obtained a Microset VUR-30 dual band amplifier that provides about 30 watts on VHF and 25 watts on UHF. Before I obtained the second FT-817, I used an Icom IC-R10 handheld communications receiver as the downlink receiver. Since I live in an apartment building without roof access, all satellite operation is done from either my south facing balcony or the courtyard and parking lot of my apartment building using the setup below. With this setup, I've worked 49 states (missing Hawaii), 11 Canadian provinces/territories (missing Northwest Territories and Nunavut), and 73 DXCC entities on 4 continents (Alaska, Azores, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Canary Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curaçao, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, England, Finland, Faroe Islands, France, French Guiana, French St. Martin, Germany, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Luxembourg, Madeira Island, Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat, Navassa Island, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Northern Ireland, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Saba & Sint Eustatius, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Lucia, St. Paul Island, St. Pierre & Miquelon, Saint Vincent, Scotland, Sint Maarten, Spain, Sweden, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, United Nations Headquarters, United States, U. S. Virgin Islands, Venezuela, and Wales). I hold a satellite VUCC (#248) and have received the AMSAT OSCAR Satellite Communications Achievement Award, the AMSAT OSCAR Sexagesimal Award, and the AMSAT OSCAR Century Award.

My portable satellite station

 

Working W1AW/8 in Michigan on VO-52 during a demo at the Vienna Wireless Winterfest

Grids worked (blue) / confirmed (red) via satellite as of 21-Jul-2017 (1,015 worked in 52 fields / 982 confirmed / 980 awarded)

European grids worked (blue) / confirmed (red) via satellite as of 21-Jul-2017

North American grids worked (blue) / confirmed (red) via satellite as of 21-Jul-2017

Satellite QSO Statistics as of 21-Jul-2017

For HF and 6m. I use a Yaesu FT-450D HF/6m transceiver, an MFJ-1786 30m-10m magnetic loop on my south facing balcony, and an Arrow II 52-1BP dipole for 6m. I have worked WAS, WAC, and 162 DXCCs with this setup. On 6m, in limited operating time, I have worked 23 DXCCs, 28 states, and 131 grids.

 Top left: SignaLink USB Digital Interface, Bottom left: MFJ-1786 Super Hi-Q Loop Remote Control, Center: Yaesu FT-450D HF/50MHz Transceiver

MFJ-1786 Super Hi-Q Loop mounted on an MFJ-1918 tripod on my balcony.

View from the street of MFJ-1786 Super Hi-Q Loop mounted on an MFJ-1918 tripod on my balcony.

The antenna is lowered when not in use.

Arrow II 52-1BP Dipole

 

I QSL 100% via eQSL.cc, LoTW, and the QRZ.com Logbook. I will also respond to 100% of paper QSL requests received.

Hope to work you soon. 73!

Awards: