About
Greetings! I am an amateur radio operator with the callsign of W8TN.
Here is my ham radio bio:
I was a member of the 1985 FOØXX, Clipperton Island, DX’pedition and have led four mini-DX’peditions as W8TN/6Y5, ZF2EK, W8TN/VP9 and XX9TN. Then in 2012 I was a team member on the Swains Island, NH8S, DX’pedition. I am a member of the A-1 Operators Club and Life Member of both ARRL and AMSAT.
My operating awards include DXCC – Mixed Honor Roll – 356/339 (still need P5) and Phone Honor Roll, 5BDXCC, 10-Band DXCC, DXCC Challenge (2,534+), WAZ, 6-M W.A.S., 6-M VUCC and the first 6-M DXCC in West Virginia. My pursuit of DX has not been limited to HF. I have worked DX on VHF/UHF including meteor scatter (SSB & WSJT) and CW Moon-Bounce (EME) on 2-M and 432 MHz. One of my biggest thrills was being the Technical Coordinator for the Kanawha School of Davisville, WV, for their SAREX communication with the Space Shuttle in 1994. I was first licensed in 1964 as WN8OQJ and then WA8UUY until 1977 when I became W8TN.
In addition to operating I have enjoyed just about every aspect of ham radio including Contesting, Building Equipment/Antennas, QRP, Satellites, MoonBounce, Software/Computers, Field Day, Nets, Traffic Handling, Mobile HF, VHF Roving, and the latest Digital Modes. Over the years I have been an Elmer to several budding hams and that, for me, is the most fulfilling aspect of ham radio.
Professionally I have been a Broadcast Television Engineer (held a First Class Radiotelephone License), an attorney, and am now retired from being a small business owner. And, along with my wife, Evelyn, live on a hilltop in Hurricane, WV.