Ham Radio

Ham Bio:

I was first licensed in 1964 at the age of 14. Back then, the Novice ticket was only valid for 1 year and not renewable. After finishing high school and serving on active duty, I once again received my Novice 10 years later. After college and grad school, I upgraded to Extra. I’m not a big fan of CW but studied hard and passed the 20 WPM test. I also love building ham gear, and have built the Elecraft K1, Elecraft K2, Elecraft K3, and Elecraft KX-3 (all with the same serial number -1964!), and the ATS-3 and 4 rigs that Steve, KD1JV has made available as kits. Am now playing with the uBitX, a HF multi-band transceiver from India. That rig offers many opportunities to hack both the software and hardware, lots of fun and learning!

I also operate and use vintage Collins equipment including the KWM-2, 75S-3, 30L-1, and an HF-380 (a two-year restoration project!).

Current shack equipment:

Elecraft K3 HF Transceiver, KPA-500 Linear Amp, KAT-500 Antenna Tuner
Elecraft KX-3 HF Transceiver, PX-3 Panadapter
Collins S-Line: 75S-3 HF Receiver, KWM-2 HF Transceiver, 30L-1 Amplifier
Collins HF-380 HF Transceiver
Xeigu G-90 HF Transceiver
R-392 Receiver
Yaesu FT-891 HF Transceiver
uBitX V3, V5, and V6 HF Transceivers all with mods for AGC, color displays, software, etc.
Yaesu FT-8900 VHF/UHF Transceiver in “Go” box
Wouxun KG-UV9D Plus for UHF and Satellite
Hardrock-50 HF Amplifier
Homebrew 140W HF Amplifier
LP-100 Wattmeter
LP-PAN Panadapter Interface
DX4Win Logging program
Win4KSuite Software

Antennas:

J&K Antennas XR-6 at 90 feet of Rohn 25, Yaesu Rotator & Hy-Gain YRC-1 Controller
Inverted L fed from MFJ 600W Remote Antenna Tuner
25-2500 MHz Discone at 70 feet
Arrow Portable Sat antenna
Various portable HF antennas including Chameleon end-fed

I am a member of the Royal Naval Amateur Radio Society (RNARS) – member #3889.  I volunteer on the USS Cassin Young (DD 793) WW2DD www.fotcy.org, and the Lightship Nantucket (LV-112) W1NLS, www.nantucketlightshiplv-112.org. Both ships are in Boston and we bring them on the air for Museum Ships Weekend and Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend at least yearly.

My callsign reflects the 33 years I spent on active and reserve duty in the U.S. Navy. I enlisted in 1969 and retired aboard the U.S.S. Constitution as a Commander in 2002. While enlisted, my rate was Data Processing Technician (DP). I was an DP1 (E-6) when I received a direct commission as a Naval Intelligence officer in 1978. While in the U.S. Navy I worked with the finest group of dedicated, hardworking, brave, selfless, and patriotic people one could ever wish for as friends!

ARRL Awards:

WAS, WAC, DXCC, 7BDXCC

Country total as of 2/2021: 332 confirmed, 325 Current

ARRL Life Member

QCWA Life Member

U.S. calls held:

WN1DAE – 1964 Novice; WN1TPE – 1974 Novice; WA1TPE – 1974 Technician; WA1TPE – 1988 General, Advanced; NW1J – 1989 Extra; W1USN – 1996 Extra Vanity Call

Foreign calls:

  • VE1/WA1TPE – Canada 1974 (2M 0nly);
  • DL/WA1TPE – Germany 1987 (2M only);
  • G0/NW1J – United Kingdom 1989 (TT 509, random length);
  • EA7/NW1J – Spain 1990, 1991 (used guest station EA7HAL, Greg);
  • P4/NW1J – Aruba 1993, 1994 (IC-706 at P40V superstation);
  • V31RN – Belize 1996 (TS-690S, dipole);
  • 8P9CI – Barbados 1997 (TS-690S beam), 2012 (IC-706 to Inverted L);
  • V26NR – Antigua 1998 (Alinco DX-70 at V26 superstation);
  • VP2ERN – Anguilla 1999 (IC-706 to dipole);
  • PJ8/W1USN – St. Maarten 2000, 2001 (IC-706 to dipole);
  • FS/W1USN – St. Martin 2000, 2001 (IC-706 to dipole);
  • P4/W1USN Aruba 2002, 2007 (IC-706 at P40V superstation);
  • J75RN Dominica 2003 (IC-706 to dipole);
  • J3/W1USN Grenada 2004 (IC-706 to dipole);
  • V44/W1USN St. Kitts 2005, 2006, 2008 (IC-706 to dipole));
  • VP2MPR Montserrat 2009, 2010 (IC-706);
  • V4/W1USN St. Kitts 2011 (IC-706 to dipole);
  • PJ2/W1USN Curacao 2013 (KX-3 w/HR-50 to dipole);
  • TI8/W1USN Costa Rica 2014 (KX-3/KXPA-100 to inverted L);
  • KP4/W1USN Puerto Rico 2015 (2M only);
  • YN5RN Nicaragua 2016 (FT-450D to Inverted L);
  • HP8/W1USN Panama 2017 (KX-3 w/HR-50 to dipole), 2018​ (FT-891 to dipole);
  • TI5/W1USN Costa Rica EJ79tx, 2019 (KX-3@12-15W to end fed), 2020 (FT-891 to dipole)

All above QSO’s have been uploaded to the Logbook of the World, as of 3-6-2020.

Cards received direct without SASE’s for the above foreign calls will go through the Buro.

w1usn@arrl.net

I do not use eQSL.

My other toy: 2011 BMW E93 335IS Convertible